Drinks, delegates, and a demanding weekend to remember
The first day for McMUN sets a precedent for the conference in many ways. During the opening ceremonies, introductions are made, the formalities are instated and the electricity of the conference is set at a high (but not maximum) voltage. During the first committee meetings opponents are measured, weighed and analysed by their counterparts, as a weekend of both fun and competition begins. After the Opening Ceremonies, the Global Leadership forum, and the preliminary committee sessions, there comes the Head Delegate Cocktail, an event that is intrinsic to setting the tone for social relations within the conference, and vital in answering the question: What makes McMUN so special?
Meandering through the Head Delegate Cocktail, it is evident that these students came out to socialize and if possible, to network. Many delegates told me that the draw of McMUN was simply the size and capacity of the event, which this year hosts around 1500 delegates from all over the world. Even if size were not the most attractive quality to the conference, the way in which McMUN is run garnered much acclaim from head delegates, emphasizing the importance of balancing a professionally run academic conference along with an unforgettable social experience. Tarun, a student from the University of North Carolina, expressed how excited he was to have his first experience at McMUN, saying how its reputation for a well-run and enjoyable conference precedes the event itself.
This sentiment was shared and echoed by G. Clay Miller, the Director of Public Relations at McMUN. He describes some of the best parts of McMUN as being “the sheer size and existence of it”, since very few Model United Nations conferences come even close to matching its volume. He also reminded us that the energy and electric atmosphere of McMUN can be greatly contributed to the fact that it is completely run by students, for students, guaranteeing an unforgettable weekend for anyone who is involved.
The Head Delegates Cocktail was an evening of drinks, laughter, and anticipation, as one of the most well-known Model United Nations conference begins. Even if you were to reduce all the sentiments expressed within the Café Bar at Le Centre Sheraton to one single phrase, it could probably be best expressed by Jordan, a student attending their first McMUN conference from University of Central Florida. When asked how she was enjoying the conference so far, she simply replied: “I’m just really excited.” This is her first time at the conference, but whether it be your first, or last of many McMUNs, the general feeling at the Head Delegates Cocktail set the tone that this will be a McMUN to remember.
Photo credits to McMUN/Matthew Fong
