Before its glory, Benilde Model United Nations (BMUN) had humble beginnings—a classroom activity required of students under the College’s Consular and Diplomatic Affairs (CDA) program to attend. As the CDA program started forming and sending delegations to different international MUNs such as the National Model United Nations (NMUN), World Model United Nations (WMUN), and the Pan Asia Model United Nations (PAMUN), the faculty in charge started to realize the importance of the UN simulation conference and acknowledged the necessity for Benilde to have its own. In 1998, the College launched the Philippine Model United Nations (PhilMUN), BMUN’s predecessor, which was open to prospect delegates from other schools. Student participants grew over the years as PhilMUN started opening the conference to other Benildean courses, until in 2015, the secretariat decided to rename the conference to Benilde Model United Nations.
Today, BMUN is hailed as the pioneer and largest MUN in the Philippines. It offers a superior UN simulation conference experience to its delegates. It exemplifies the highest extent of formality and ensures that proper protocol is always implemented and observed. With the combination of WMUN and NMUN as its Rules of Procedure (RoP), delegates are given the opportunity to interact with each other through lobbying and formal and substantive debates during committee sessions. It has been an avenue to raise awareness of alarming contemporary world issues and a training ground for future world leaders.
This July 18, to celebrate its two decades of commitment to diplomacy, BMUN will be bigger than it ever was. With the theme: “Bridging Intergenerational Gap through Global Partnership,” its doors will be open to all Benildean students regardless of course, Colleges and Universities across the world, and even Senior High School students. Renowned guest speakers, such as His Excellency European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen, will grace the conference.
To ensure its legacy and to make a lasting impression to its delegates, BMUN also offers its attendees a “more-than-just-a-conference” experience. Social gatherings such as the International Night—where all diplomacy enthusiasts concludes the third day with a celebration—and the Diplomatic Ball—a formal dinner with government officials, Benilde’s School of Diplomacy and Governance (SDG) faculty members, and ambassadors of other countries to the Philippines as guests—will be held after the three-day simulation.
Be a part of BMUN’s legacy!
By: Louie Samson
