Editing Model United Nations (section)

==History==
Model United Nations began as a series of [[League of Nations]] simulations. The first simulations were called "international assemblies", the first of which was held at [[University of Oxford]] in November 1921, with the potential first ever simulation being on 12 November 1921.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History of the First MUN |url=https://www.wisemee.com/history-of-the-first-mun/ |url-status=live |website=WiseMee}}</ref>

Following several simulations in Oxford, Mir Mahmood, the president of the first Oxford International Assembly, traveled to [[Harvard University]] in 1922, to help spread this idea further. He advocated for the League of Nations and inspired the Harvard Liberal Club to create the first American International Assembly, which was held at Harvard University in 1923.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wisemee.com/history-of-the-first-mun/|title=The First MUN|date=15 October 2019|publisher=WiseMee |access-date=15 October 2019}}</ref> The Oxford International Assembly ceased to exist in the following years, but the Harvard International Assembly remained strong, and has since encouraged the development of these simulations worldwide.

After [[World War II]], Model [[League of Nations]] transitioned to Model [[United Nations]] after the formation of the League's successor organization, the United Nations, in 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/getting-started/frequently-asked-questions#how_did|title=Frequently Asked Questions|first=Ross|last=Feldman|work=United Nations Association of the USA}}</ref> Today, some Model United Nations conferences include a wide variety of topics in their committee offerings,<ref name=":5" /> some even simulating the League of Nations.

The first recorded instance of an international assembly conference named "Model United Nations" was at [[Swarthmore College]] on 5 April 1947.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/04/06/96582746.html|title=Model U.N. Sessions Held at Swarthmore|date=April 6, 1947|work=The New York Times|access-date=5 May 2019|page=54}}</ref> Over 150 students from over 41 colleges were reported as participating. The delegates simulated a [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly]], and recommended that member states, "establish an international control and development of atomic energy", "conclude a treaty on disarmament.", that the UN adopts "a uniform system for citizenship of refugees.", that the UN amend the charter to adopt a definition of aggression, and that nations "promote the reconstruction of devastated areas through economic assistance through the U.N."<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Muldoon|first=James P.|date=1995|title=The Model United Nations Revisited|journal=Simulation & Gaming|volume= 26|issue=1|pages=28|doi=10.1177/1046878195261003|s2cid=154218744}}</ref>

Another historic Model United Nations was held at [[St. Lawrence University]] from 11 to 13 February 1949.<ref>"Ten Colleges Participate in Model Session of United Nations Held at S. L.U. Campus," ''Watertown Daily Times'', 14 February 1949.</ref> It was initiated by Dr. Harry Reiff, head of the History and Government Department, with the assistance of departmental colleague Otto L. George.<ref>"Ten Schools Form Synthetic UN Group," ''Hill News'', 3 February 1949.</ref> The 1949 [[St. Lawrence University|St. Lawrence University Model UN]] conference included delegates from regional colleges and universities, including [[Adelphi University]], [[Alfred University]], [[Champlain College]], [[Clarkson University]], [[McGill University]], [[Middlebury College]], [[Potsdam College]], [[Saint Michael's College]], and [[The University of Vermont]].<ref>"To Conduct Model Security / Ten Colleges to Follow United Nations Procedure / Sessions Will Take Place on St. Lawrence Campus February 11–13," ''St. Lawrence Plaindealer'' [Canton, N. Y.], 25 January 1949.</ref><ref>"SLU I. R. Sponsors Model UN Meeting," ''Commercial Advertiser'' [Canton, N. Y.], 1 February 1949.</ref><ref>"St. Lawrence IRC Host to 9 Colleges," ''Hill News'' [Canton, N.Y.] 9 February 1949.</ref> The conference continued annually for many years at St. Lawrence,<ref>Pink, Louis H. and Rutherford E. Delmage, ''Candle in the Wilderness: A Centennial History of the St. Lawrence University'', 1856-1956 (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1957). p. 157.</ref><ref>Edward H. Blankman and Thurlow O. Cannon, ed. by Neal S. Burdick, ''The Scarlet and the Brown: A History of St .Lawrence University 1856-1981'' (Canton, New York: St Lawrence University, 1987), p. 56.</ref> and has recently been revived on the campus.<ref>Duell, Ryan, "Rise Fall Rise Again," ''St. Lawrence University Magazine'', LXIV, 4 (2015), pp. 18-19.</ref>

The three oldest conferences in the world that are still active today were established in the early 1950s. They are Berkeley Model United Nations (BMUN) at [[University of California, Berkeley|Berkeley]] (1952)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bestdelegate.com/berkeley-model-united-nations-bmun-xli-transformation-into-a-true-teaching-conference/|title=Berkeley Model United Nations (BMUN XLI): Transformation Into a True Teaching Conference|work=Best Delegate|date=12 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bestdelegate.com/berkeley-bmun-60/|title=Berkeley Model United Nations Celebrates 60th Year as the First and Oldest MUN Conference in the World|work=Best Delegate|date=12 March 2012}}</ref> [[Harvard Model United Nations#Harvard Model United Nations|Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN)]] at [[Harvard University|Harvard]] (1953)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bestdelegate.com/10-top-events-in-the-history-of-model-united-nations/|title=10 Top Events in the History of Model United Nations|last=Chan|first=Kevin Felix|date=January 18, 2016|website=Best Delegate|access-date=6 June 2019}}</ref> and Model United Nations of the Far West (MUNFW), which has held college-level conferences since 1951. The first was held at [[Stanford University]], where [[Ralph Bunche]] was the honored speaker.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://stanforddailyarchive.com/cgi-bin/stanford?a=d&d=stanford19510420-01.2.17&srpos=28&e=------195-en-20--21--txt-txIN-model+united+nations------|title=MUN Delegation Arranged|date=20 April 1951|work=The Stanford Daily|access-date=29 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://munfw.org/past-hosts/|title=Past Hosts|date=14 February 2014|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-01}}</ref>