Secretary-General’s Welcome

Dear Delegates and Advisors,

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the Ninth Edition of HenMUN: The University of Delaware’s Model United Nations Conference. I have been involved with HenMUN since my freshman year, beginning as Assistant Director for the very popular Congress of Vienna historical committee, next serving as chair for one of the Joint Cabinet Crisis committees, then later as the Under-Secretary General of Specialized Agencies. Now I have the absolute pleasure of serving as your Secretary-General.

Before I continue to discuss our different committees and amenities this year, I need to take some time to discuss the elephant in the room:

The Coronavirus has affected an unbelievable amount of people around the country and indeed the world. Given the lack of effective domestic containment and recent spikes in infections it became apparent to us that an in-person conference would be too risky to pull off. Not to mention, our own University’s health restrictions and limited capacities would force us to create a smaller and less agile conference. In order to fulfill our safety obligations to you, our guests, while continuing the spirit of HenMUN, the secretariat and I have decided to transition to an entirely virtual conference. The specifics are explained in more detail elsewhere on the site, however it’s important that I explain our motivations for this very important decision front and center in my welcome letter.

With that being said, I am excited to announce that this year, HenMUN held on April 16-18, 2021!

HenMUN IX will feature 12 unique, innovative and realistic committees, which will provide for lively, diplomatic and productive debate. Here at HenMUN, we pride ourselves on our philosophy of being a competitive conference with a training edge. Our General Assemblies provide an opportunity for our less experienced delegates to actively participate in simulations of standing UN bodies, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL), through traditional parliamentary procedure. Our Economic and Social Council committees feature more niche topics and smaller room sizes than our General Assembly committees; delegates should be prepared to talk to their topics more and have at least an intermediate knowledge of parliamentary procedure. Our Specialized Agencies offer fascinating committees and topics, fast paced debate, and unforeseen crises to which delegates must promptly respond. The Specialized Agencies allow for creativity and competitiveness among more experienced debaters in committees such as the Joint Crisis Councils of the governments of both North and South Korea during hypothetical peace discussions or our popular Press Corps. Delegates looking for a challenge are welcome to apply for the UN Security Council, where their knowledge of international relations, relevant history and parliamentary procedure may be put to the test.

As any with any conference, HenMUN seeks to create an experience that is informative, but also fun. With the move to virtual, this poses some unique hurdles. Delegates might find themselves taking advantage of social time between sessions though playing trivia games with their committee, getting tips about college from their chairs, or maybe even participating in a massive tournament of Among Us…

Please to do not hesitate to reach out to us for any questions, comments, or concerns. Our contact information is located under the “Contact Us” tab. Feel free to explore our website, get to know the Secretariat, and learn more about HenMUN. I look forward to seeing you on our virtual campus this winter!

Warm Regards,

Tibor Nagy
Secretary General
HenMUN IX
University of Delaware