How to win best delegate at your first MUN conference

In December of 2023 I attended my first ever MUN conference in Hamburg (HamMUN). I had the honour of winning “best delegate” in the intermediate committee “European Council” as the Greek Prime Minister. While I might not be a MUN-expert, here are some things I believe helped me win:

1. Preparation
One of the main components to a fruitful debate is to be well prepared. I started my research about two to three weeks before the conference. It is certainly unreasonable to know everything about a topic, especially given that most of us are full-time students with challenging degrees. However, I personally I think that the key lies in how you prepare, not in how much you prepare. I tried to get a general overview on the topic, understand the most important issues of my country and collect some incisive statistics. My main focus was on writing a strong position paper. Not only did it build the foundation of my speeches but it also helped me prioritize the issues my country has at heart. It also doesn’t hurt that makes a good first impression.

While I did prewrite some of my speeches, I wouldn’t do that again. Except for the opening speeches, it is difficult to determine what type of speeches you will have to hold. It is far more useful to write down the topics you want to address during the conference, may that be through a speech or a motion.

2. During the conference
It might seem like I am pointing out the obvious, but I believe the most important thing, that helped me win the award, was speaking. Don’t be afraid to speak! If you get a chance to integrate yourself into the discussion, take it. Even if it seems a little bit unnecessary. Not every speech you hold needs to be perfect. As a matter of fact, most of them won’t and that’s okay.

The most important aspect is to bring your main points across and to reaffirm your position in the debate. Furthermore, I personally would avoid distancing myself from the core beliefs of my country just to reach a conclusion. You should definitely try your best but sometimes there simply isn’t any common ground to be found.

Lastly, listen to what the other delegates have to say. I learned a lot of key information about the topic discussed, not only during my preparation but also during the conference by listening to the speeches of the other delegates.

However, your main priority shouldn’t be winning an award.It should be to have fun. I genuinely enjoyed myself during the debates and the socials. I met some wonderful new people and truly connected with my delegation. I am very grateful to every person involved, making this the memorable experience that it was.