In late January, the PDS Model UN team stepped into the whirlwind of debate and diplomacy at the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference (ILMUNC), hosted by the University of Pennsylvania. For an extended weekend, Thursday evening through Sunday morning, PDS delegates took the floor in packed committee rooms–navigating the chaos and excitement that make ILMUNC one of the most intense conferences in the country. Junior Riya Mani recalls: “There are thousands of delegates all staying in one hotel, so it’s a lively and energetic atmosphere. This year, my first impression was that it was run a little bit poorly in comparison to other years.” Despite the prestige of the conference, some logistical issues such as long hotel wait times and occasional committee disorganization made the experience more hectic than expected. Faculty Advisor Dr. Amanda Gregory noted that while the debates were intellectually stimulating, the conference’s management fell short in several areas. “There were moments of disorganization that made the experience more chaotic than expected. One particularly disruptive incident was the hotel alarm going off in the middle of the night, which threw off everyone’s sleep schedule,” she recalled.
Despite these setbacks, the competitive nature of ILMUNC pushed PDS delegates to engage in conversations and tackle topics they might have never considered before. Unlike smaller conferences where strong speaking skills alone can be enough to make an impact, ILMUNC demanded a deeper level of preparation. “PDS delegates have always been taught to be really strong speakers and have a big presence in group work, but we noticed other delegates had a lot more information and research prepared,” Mani said. The pressure of going against seasoned competitors, particularly in unmoderated caucuses, forced the team to adapt quickly and navigate the power dynamics of high-stakes negotiations.
One such challenge arose when Mani’s bloc was finalizing solutions for a resolution paper. A delegate who had contributed significantly to the paper was not selected as sponsor (a delegate who is an advocate for the paper) and threatened to pull her work from the draft entirely. “I felt bad that she didn’t get the credit she deserved, but at the same time, the team had voted, and the majority didn’t want her as a sponsor,” Mani said. However, through meticulous negotiation, Mani brokered a compromise, ensuring the delegate’s contributions were recognized while maintaining her role as a presenter of their paper.
These moments of negotiation and tension underscored a key lesson that many PDS delegates took away from this experience: leadership isn’t about dominating a discussion–it’s about collaboration. “A big part of MUN is coming out on top as the leader of your group, and I’ve found that the easiest way to do that is by showing people you actually care about their opinions and roles,” Mani reflected.
Despite its challenges, ILMUNC was an unforgettable experience for the PDS Model UN team, offering a look at the unpredictable nature of diplomacy. Through late nights and unexpected obstacles, the team walked away with a deeper understanding of negotiation and diplomacy as a whole.
