The Ivy League Model United Nations Conference, or ILMUNC, is one of the largest Model UN conferences for high school students worldwide. It is hosted by the University of Pennsylvania's International Affairs Association. Penn's ILMUNC High School Conference, along with the conferences hosted by Georgetown and Harvard are the three largest conferences in the country. The annual conference is organized and run entirely by Penn undergraduates. High school model UN conferences like ILMUNC are academic simulations of the United Nations that try to educate participants about global issues. Students generally take the roles of delegates and diplomats and participate in organized and simulated sessions of an international institution or body. Over 90,000 students take part in Model United Nations Conferences in the United States, and ILMUNC hosts around 2,300 delegates each year. ILMUNC is recognized and linked by the UN itself on the "Model UN Headquarters" portion of its site. ILMUNC attracts delegations from all over the world, and is known for its outreach to many international schools. ILMUNC is also well known for its Franklin Legacy program, through which delegates and staff give back to the global community.
The most recent session of ILMUNC was the 27th session. It took place from January 27, 2011 to January 30, 2011 at the Sheraton Center City Hotel in Philadelphia, PA.

Secretariat

ILMUNC is organized by a 13-member Secretariat, consisting of the Upper Secretariat (Secretary-General, Director-General, Chief of Staff, and Business Director), and the Under-Secretaries-General (USGs).

Upper Secretariat
The Upper Secretariat is responsible for all conference planning, strategy, outreach, and logistics.

USGs
The USGs are mostly concerned with substantive aspects of the conference, with at least one USG in charge of each Committee Organ. ILMUNC also retains three USGs for Operations charged with creating and managing various on- and off-site logistical systems for the conference.

ASGs
There are about 16-20 Assistant Secretaries-General at ILMUNC, chosen each fall, who are responsible for sponsorship, logistical operations, substantive support, and more.

Staff

ILMUNC is staffed by 200-300 Penn students, who are members of the University's International Affairs Association. The conference is organized by a 13-member Secretariat, who spend an entire year leading up to the conference working on its plans, as well as 16-20 Assistant Secretaries-General, who are chosen each fall to join the Secretariat in the final planning stages.

Moderators, Chairs, and Crisis Directors

Penn students serve as the Moderators, in charge of maintaining decorum and the flow of debate in larger committees; Chairs, responsible for moderating debate in smaller committees as well as serving as experts on the substantive content of the committee; and Crisis Directors, who plan and execute the behind-the-scenes activities occurring within ILMUNC's Crisis Simulations.

In addition to these roles, Penn students also serve as Vice Chairs, Assistant Chairs, Assistant Crisis Directors, and Crisis Analysts to ensure that each committee runs smoothly and has enough support staff to keep debate flowing and delegates engaged.

ILMUNC Committees

ILMUNC is regarded as having some of the strongest committees on the high school model UN circuit. An extensive description of each committee can be found on the conference's website.

General Assembly

The General Assembly committees at ILMUNC are the largest committees the conference offers. The General Assembly is the largest organ of the United Nations, with a representative from every UN member state and observer nations. Committees include the Disarmament and International Security Committee, the Social and Humanitarian Committee, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, and the Legal Committee. Also part of the General Assembly are such committees as an Historical General Assembly and a Novice Committee, the United Nations Children's Fund. Delegates work together to form blocs, write, negotiate, and vote on resolutions.

Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council committees at ILMUNC are slightly smaller than those of the General Assembly. They debate more specific issues, such as the United Nations Strategy for International Disaster Reduction, and issues affecting a particular area of the world, such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. A new initiative at ILMUNC XXVIII will be the Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations, in which delegates have the opportunity to participate in a number of the conference's committees as representatives of various NGOs.

Specialized Agencies and Regional Bodies

The Specialized Agencies and Regional Bodies at ILMUNC give delegates a unique experience in that they are so structurally different from the rest of the conference's committees. This year's Regional Bodies will be the Assembly for the African Union and the Council of the European Union. ILMUNC will also feature more innovative committees like the International Court of Justice, which will challenge delegates to deliberate cases judged by the United Nations ICJ. For the more traditional bodies of the United Nations Specialized Agencies this year, ILMUNC will offer the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Executive Committee and the World Health Organization. WHO will be debating the Illiciting Trafficking of Organs and Neglected Tropical Diseases, two very intriguing and pressing topics facing world leaders today.

Crisis Simulations

ILMUNC has always been recognized as one of the most innovative conferences on the high school circuit with regard to Crisis Simulations. The conference offers 8 crisis committees, allowing a high proportion of delegates the opportunity to debate in a fast-paced environment outside of the traditional United Nations forum. This year is headlined by historical committees, including the Napoleonic Wars, Titans of Industry, and a challenging joint crisis committee set in antiquity, the Athenian Cabinet vs. the Spartan Cabinet. Two of ILMUNC's staple committees, the United Nations Security Council and the ad-Hoc Committee of the Secretary-General, will be offered again this year, giving experienced delegates the opportunity to debate the most pressing issues of today in an intense crisis environment. Two futuristic committees, the Consiglio dei Ministri: 2014 and the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations: Mossad, allow delegates to serve as the most powerful government officials and to craft the shape of their world in the face of shifting alliances and impending disasters.

The ILMUNC Scholarship

ILMUNC began its scholarship program last year, aimed to help schools to attend the conference, which might otherwise be prohibited due to economic difficulties. Schools must complete an online application form, specifying the details of their delegation, school, etc. and answering questions to assess whether they qualify for the scholarship or not. Some of the questions include where they obtain funding from, what it would mean for the students to attend ILMUNC, and how they would prepare for the conference.

Activities Beyond Debate

In addition to six engaging committee sessions, ILMUNC is also well known for the activities it offers outside of committee. In keeping with the Model UN tradition of introducing high school students to college life, delegates are encouraged to attend campus tours, information sessions, and classes on the University of Pennsylvania's campus on the Friday morning of conference. After Friday evening's committee session, ILMUNC hosts Delegate Fest, a fun activity for conference attendees that varies from year to year, usually including documentary-screenings, live bands, and student-run performing arts and a cappella groups from Penn. On Saturday night, ILMUNC's famous Delegate Dance, sponsored by Red Bull, features a DJ, state-of-the-art lighting, and refreshments to give delegates a chance to relax after a full day of debate. With all of these social activities activities offered in addition to intense debate, ILMUNC is regarded as one of the most respectable and enjoyable conferences on the high school circuit.

Franklin Legacy Program-Commitment to Charity

ILMUNC has a long-standing commitment to supporting charitable organizations that deal with pressing issues in the local, regional, and global community. This commitment is exemplified through the ILMUNC Franklin Legacy Program, which encourages delegates and staff to donate money to and raise awareness about an issue chosen by the ILMUNC Secretariat each year. In the past, the Franklin Legacy Program has assisted organizations such as CarbonFund.org, Philabundance, and most recently, Invisible Children.

Philadelphia

ILMUNC takes full advantage of its geographic location in planning its conference and activities for delegates. The conference is held in the heart of Philadelphia, at the Sheraton City Center Hotel. Philadelphia is home to an abundance of historic sites, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. There are a number of museums as well, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute, the National Constitution Center, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the city's newest, the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Philadelphia is also home to some of America's greatest culinary treats, from Philly cheesesteaks on South Street to the unique treats of water ice, soft pretzels, and Tastykakes. A diverse restaurant scene has also grown in recent years, offering tourists every type of cuisine at nearly every price point.

ILMUNC is hosted by one of Philadelphia's greatest assets, the University of Pennsylvania. The conference gives high school students the opportunity to tour the University, listen to panel discussions on life as a Penn student, and interact with conference staff, Penn students themselves, to gain a more in-depth perspective on college life. ILMUNC balances committee time and free time well to allow delegates ample opportunity to explore the cultural offerings provided by the city of Philadelphia.

External links

• The Ivy League Model United Nations Conference
• ILMUNC XXVIII Conference Viewbook on Issuu
  Issuu
  Issuu is an online service that allows for realistic and customizable viewing of digitally uploaded material, such as portfolios, books, magazine issues, newspapers, and other print media. It integrates with social networking sites to promote uploaded material. Issuu's service is comparable to what...