Published on January 26, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Model United Nations (MUN) is one of the most exciting and rewarding extracurricular activities for high school students worldwide. If you're a Dutch student wondering ”What is a MUN?“ or how to get involved in international debates on real global issues, this guide is for you.
MUN simulates the United Nations: students step into the shoes of diplomats from different countries, researching policies, writing position papers, delivering speeches, negotiating alliances, and drafting resolutions to solve pressing problems like climate change, armed conflicts, human rights, or global health crises.
It's not just debate club—it's hands-on diplomacy training that builds lifelong skills.
A typical MUN conference lasts 3–5 days and follows structured rules (often based on UN procedures):
No prior experience? No problem—many conferences (including those our delegation attends) are beginner-friendly.
Participating in MUN develops real-world abilities valued by universities and employers:
Many alumni credit MUN with helping secure spots at top Dutch universities (UvA, Leiden, Radboud) or abroad.
Local Dutch MUNs (e.g. at schools or THIMUN) are great starters, but international ones offer unmatched scale and prestige. One standout is the New York Model United Nations, held right in Manhattan near the UN headquarters, attended by over 4,000 students from over 90 countries.
MUN Nederland specializes in making this accessible for Dutch/Benelux students.
We organize trips to the MUN in New York twice each year in February and March, and we encourage you to participate in one while we still accept applications.
MUN isn't just an activity—it's a launchpad for global thinkers. Whether you're aiming for diplomacy, law, or just want to challenge yourself, start by applying on the New York page.
A Model United Nations (MUN) is a training project that allows participants to simulate the decision-making processes of several United Nations committees through a role game. Each student will play the role of an Ambassador of a country and will have the objective of formulating and negotiating resolutions, together with their colleagues, to find solutions for some of the most important problems facing the international community.
Participating in a MUN can help with your future university applications as it demonstrates academic engagament, leadership, soft skills like public speaking and negotiation, and understanding of diverse viewpoints on global affairs. We highly encourage every high school student to participate in a MUN conference at least once during their high school years.
Yes, MUN conferences are widely recognized by schools as valuable, high-level educational simulations. They are regarded as prestigious extracurricular activities and therefore, if our trip dates don’t match with your school holidays, you are likely to be granted exemption from school attendance for our trips.
Before the MUN conference, delegates will need to prepare by researching the topic of their assigned committee and the foreign policy of their assigned country. This research is helpful for drafting the Position Paper, which will have to be submitted prior to the conference. We will provide you with all necessary preparation materials and guidelines to help you prepare for the conference.
Our trips stand out with our diverse 7-day travel program, combining the MUN conference with various other cultural and academic activities. Our delegates get to experience both an international MUN event and New York City to its fullest.
Questions about MUN or wishing to partner? Send an email to our specialist:
NB: If you have already submitted a request through the application form, we are working on processing your information and will get back to you shortly!