Reflection of Model UN Simulation

The Model United Nations Middle East Crisis Simulation was one of the most interesting things I have taken a part in.  I had no idea what to expect, and I was unsure if I was going to be sufficiently prepared.  I imagined a huge room full of people representing different nations, with representatives from each nation getting up and giving speeches about their countries.  However, when I entered the room with just my group I was relieved.  It was far more interesting to be in a small group; small groups facilitate easier discussion and faster decision-making.  It was also a lot less nerve-racking than getting up and talking to a large audience. 

My role in the group was the Minister of Education, as discussed in the previous Model UN blogs, but I also took on the role as the group organizer/secretary.  I really enjoy filling leadership roles, and organization is certainly one of my stronger points, so I had a lot of fun gathering everyone’s information and putting together a binder for our group.  I feel as though this role allowed me to learn a lot about every one else’s ministries, through reading their blogs and putting together information for the simulation.

The first day of the simulation was especially exciting.  We were faced with many domestic and foreign policy issues we needed to discuss.  We placed a lot of emphasis on strengthening our relations with Iraq.  We also discussed measures to strengthen the parliament in Kuwait, which would make further steps toward democracy.  However, we were careful not to allow all requests parliament was asking of us, as to not grant parliament too much power at one time or weaken the cabinet of Kuwait.  Israel attempted to report its support of our decisions, but the media twisted their statement.  The information we received implied Israel disapproved of our decision-making and were willing to use military force if we did not move toward democracy.  After receiving this information, Peter and I had the opportunity to meet with Israel (which I was very excited about).  In this meeting, we were able to straighten out the miscommunication, and form a stronger relationship with Israel. 

I was very happy about the overall participation of our group.  Everyone was very knowledgeable of his or her ministry and able to provide beneficial input throughout the simulation.  There was never a silent moment when we had a decision to make.  The teamwork was exceptional, with everyone working together to explain, understand, and produce good conclusions.  However, Kuwait being a relatively small and peaceful country, there were hardly any huge crises for us to deal with.  We mostly discussed domestic issues we had studied while researching our ministries.  We made some excellent decisions concerning oil, restructure of the foreign working population regulations, education, and the like.  We also spent time putting our input into other situations and crises going on in the countries around us. 

In conclusion, I gained a lot of knowledge about teamwork, the situation in the Middle East, leadership, and decision-making through the two-day simulation.  It was interesting to explore and learn about another culture, especially that of Kuwait.  This project made me realize my interest in foreign relations and cultural studies.  It has also provoked an interest in governmental leadership.  I would be eager to participate in another simulation like the Model UN Middle East Crisis Simulation.