The Berlin Model United Nations

When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, two students at the John F. Kennedy School (JFKS) proposed the creation of a Berlin Model United Nations (BERMUN). Initially, they had two objectives in mind: to establish a dialogue with students from East and West Berlin and to facilitate understanding and promote consensus-building by debating international political, humanitarian, and environmental issues in a forum simulating the United Nations system. Their inspiration came from The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN), unquestionably the largest and most successful promoter of the MUN concept. Convinced of the value such a program offers young people, the JFKS administration and faculty lent their support to the student initiative. Since then, BERMUN at the JFKS has grown from fifty participants in 1991 to over five hundred in 2004. From a program that was primarily aimed at the integration of students from East and West Berlin, it quickly expanded to include students from eastern and western Europe, the United States, Turkey, and Israel, making the Berlin Model United Nations a truly international gathering.

The primary objective is to foster greater international understanding among youth. BERMUN offers young people from the city of Berlin the opportunity to interact with their counterparts from around the world. Students represent countries vastly different from their own and express political beliefs and values often diametrically opposed to those of their own cultures and nationalities. Through this four-day simulation, they perceive the world and its problems in a wider context. They broaden their understanding of the complexity of issues that confront today’s world. BERMUN offers students a unique opportunity to gain experience in the democratic process. When BERMUN delegates interact, they openly address viewpoints, prejudices, and barriers that continue to separate young people.
       
 Over the past thirteen years, BERMUN has developed into a highly recognized program, enjoying wide support in the Berlin community. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung provides the venue for the introductory session. Keynote speakers at the opening ceremony in the John F. Kennedy School have included representatives from United Nations agencies and members of the diplomatic corps in Berlin, including the ambassadors from India, Pakistan, South Africa, and the United States of America. From the modest vision of facilitating dialogue among fellow students in a unified Germany, BERMUN has evolved into an international forum for youth and offers an opportunity to encourage dialogue with contemporary policy-makers.

To learn more please visit the BERMUN website at http://www.bermun.de