For many students at the International Community School of Abidjan (ICSA), Model United Nations (MUN) can appear intimidating from the outside. The formal dress codes, challenging debates, and experienced delegates often create the impression that MUN is only for naturally confident students. However, behind the scenes, many students do not describe MUN as a competition they were born ready for, but as an experience that gradually taught them confidence, collaboration, and self-expression.
Samriddh Sharma (Sam), a 10th-grade student involved in MUN remembers entering his first The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) conference feeling completely overwhelmed. Surrounded by experienced delegates who already understood debate procedures and conference etiquette, he felt lost before the conference had even begun.
Sam explained that while other delegates arrived prepared with detailed knowledge about their countries and procedures, he felt completely unprepared and intimidated by the environment around him.
The pressure only intensified when his delegation was unexpectedly selected to give an opening speech. Sitting in the conference hall, Sam quickly gathered information and repeatedly practiced what he wanted to say before walking to the podium.
“I was petrified,” he said. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
Despite his fear, the speech went far better than he expected. What initially felt like one of the most stressful moments of his life eventually became a turning point in his MUN experience.
“This was when I stopped avoiding debate,” Sam stated. “I learned to actually bring my ideas out and persuade people.”
As Sam continued participating in conferences, moments that once felt terrifying slowly became opportunities for growth. By observing experienced delegates and becoming more familiar with procedures, he gradually developed confidence in both debating and public speaking.
For Sam, confidence developed gradually through participation rather than perfection. What began as fear eventually transformed into enjoyment, encouraging him to pursue leadership opportunities within the club and contribute more actively to MUN at ICSA.
“After my first conference, I gained a lot more confidence and better understood the process of debating,” he said. “Then I went further to stand up to be a student officer so I could actually help create impact and grow MUN at our school.”
Beyond conference rooms and committee sessions, Sam also described how MUN changed the way he carried himself in everyday life. He explained that one of the biggest surprises was how much his communication skills improved socially. Before joining MUN, he considered himself introverted and rarely initiated conversations with unfamiliar people.
Similarly, Rei Ogasawara shared a similar experience while reflecting on his first conference. Although he had admired his sister’s involvement in MUN before joining, the reality of participating himself felt much more difficult than expected.
“Despite being an absolute beginner, I was sitting next to many experienced MUN members who made their points without hesitation,” he explained, adding that he initially felt extremely nervous about speaking during debates.
For Rei, even drafting resolutions felt overwhelming. Delegates were expected to follow strict procedures while also creating realistic and creative solutions to global issues. However, support from other members of MUN helped him adjust and gain confidence over time.
“Many members of the MUN club were there to support me in building necessary skills and confidence,” Rei said.
Although MUN is often associated with competition, Rei emphasized how collaborative the experience truly is. Before joining, he assumed MUN would mostly involve independent work and debate. Instead, he discovered how much communication and teamwork were involved throughout the process.
Rather than seeing conferences as purely competitive environments, Rei described MUN as a space where delegates constantly rely on one another for support, feedback, and collaboration.
During his THIMUN experience, Rei discovered that he particularly enjoyed creating amendments and contributing ideas to resolutions.
“I love adjusting and adding my own points to another resolution,” he explained. “It would ensure that any resolution would somehow be beneficial for my country.”
Beyond debate itself, Rei explained that MUN also changed the way he viewed the world around him. Through researching international conflicts and discussing global issues, he became more aware of current affairs and the importance of global cooperation.
“After every conference, I believe that I’m more aware of the world,” he explained. “MUN provides a valuable opportunity to study global issues and think critically for a solution.”
Although many students initially join MUN hoping to strengthen university applications or improve debate skills, their experiences often become much more personal. Confidence, communication, collaboration, and global awareness are lessons that continue far beyond conferences themselves.
Perhaps the biggest misconception surrounding MUN is the belief that successful delegates are naturally outspoken or fearless. However, the experiences of students at ICSA suggest the opposite: many confident delegates only became comfortable through repeated exposure to challenging situations and supportive environments.
“There’s nothing to be scared of,” Rei said. “Everyone at MUN was a beginner at some point.”
For many students at ICSA, MUN is less about pretending to be diplomats and more about discovering abilities they never realized they had. Behind every speech, amendment, and resolution is a student learning how to speak up, not only in conferences, but in everyday life as well.