Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN) takes pride in being the largest, oldest, and most prestigious collegiate Model United Nations conference of its kind in the world. HNMUN is staffed entirely by Harvard College undergraduates and each of our staffers is committed to excellence – excellence in substantive debate, in providing enriching opportunities for delegates to discuss some of the world's most pressing issues; excellence in representation, in inviting thousands of delegates from colleges and universities around the US and across the globe; and excellence in pedagogy, in enabling delegates to develop skills in negotiation, diplomacy and communication. At our seventy-first annual session, we hope to continue our long-standing tradition of excellence. The session is planned to be held in person from Thursday, 20 February through Sunday 23 February 2025. 

Throughout the four-day simulation, delegates will gain insight into the workings of the United Nations by actively participating in the resolution of important global issues. Participants will not only work with hundreds of other motivated college students with the common goal of furthering international awareness and building consensus, but will also interact within a lively social setting. We hope HNMUN will continue to be a space where delegates can grapple with difficult international issues and bring creative and thoughtful solutions to the table.

Our Philosophy

The drafters of the United Nations charter in June of 1945 envisioned an organization that would transcend international boundaries, serve as a forum for cooperation, and act as a preeminent unifying force on the global stage. HNMUN is held each year in this same spirit.

HNMUN strives to ensure both breadth and depth in our committee offerings. We hope that all delegates can find a topic that they are passionate about, and we ensure that that topic will be debated with comprehensive, educational rigor. Our directors work tirelessly both before and throughout the conference to make debate as realistic as possible so that our delegates get a sense of the complexities of real-world international negotiation. And, as with the real United Nations, we strive to place an emphasis on cooperation and compromise rather than on the supremacy of any one country’s position. In this way, each delegate gets a chance to learn about not only current international affairs and a particular nation’s policies, but also how to keep to that position while working with tens or hundreds of other delegates in committee.

Our conference brings nearly seven decades of experience and staff that always exhibit the highest levels of enthusiasm and professionalism both before and during conferences. For Model UN veterans and novices alike, HNMUN provides a unique and rewarding experience.

Substantive Excellence

Our staff of over 150 Harvard undergraduates dedicate themselves to genuine substantive excellence. Over the past months, HNMUN's Directors have written over 1,000 pages in background guides and other research documents, and they will come into committee with the wealth of knowledge necessary to facilitate constructive debate. Our utmost priority is to ensure each delegate feels prepared and well-versed in their topic, and our directors are dedicated to that ideal. Moreover, our substative USGs implement rigorous training initiatives to ensure that our conference staffers are well-prepared to deliver a meaningful experience to all delegates.

Size and Diversity

Every year, HNMUN draws over 2,000 participants from colleges across the United States and over 30 different countries around the globe. Looking forward, HNMUN 2025 plans to continue to grow and build upon the diversity of our conference. We believe that our diversity is an integral part of the HNMUN spirit and it embodies our commitment to emulating the reality of the global community. Our conference is designed to engage delegates with culturally diverse perspectives on a variety of issues and encourage critical thinking on how the international community may address them. As a simulation of international negotiation, our strong emphasis on diversity and representation ensures that the HNMUN experience is truly an international one.

Tradition and Innovation

Predating the United Nations itself, HNMUN is the oldest international relations simulation of its kind and the product of years of gradual refinement. Each year’s session of HNMUN builds on the successes of the last, resulting in a continually improving delegate experience. HNMUN is thus founded upon a solid tradition but never ceases to innovate, and the 2025 conference will be no exception. This session will see the continuation of single-topic committees, the advancement of our Ad Hoc committees, the introduction of Specialized Bodies, and more. More details will be posted to our website and conference materials.

Vibrant Social Experience

Our conference is an unique, unparalleled opportunity to meet delegates from schools and universities around the world, and as such we are dedicated to providing a myriad of opportunities for delegates to meet and interact with new faces or to catch up with friends from past conferences. Our offerings at HNMUN 2025 will include Delegate Dance, Bar Crawl, International Bazaar, tours of Harvard's campus, and more! Additionally, as our staff is composed entirely of Harvard undergraduates, we ourselves hope to also serve as a resource to talk about life in Boston and places/destinations to visit for while you’re in the city.