A Day in the Life of BEIMUN Presidents

What is it like to lead an MUN conference? On January 8th, students headed to Beijing for their annual BEIMUN conference. BEIMUN was a whirlwind of intense preparation for leadership, and cultural exploration. All the presidents of each committee handled debates while bonding over cultural dishes and came back with great leadership skills.

The day begins way before delegates walk into the conference room. Jina Song (10), chair of the Second General Assembly, stated, “We wrote detailed chair reports, which helped me dive deeper into the topics, and attended training sessions to learn how to manage conferences effectively and about cultural sensitivity.” Yuna Seung (10), chairing the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dived into uncharted waters. ICJ is not like traditional MUN but more like a mock trial with legal procedures. Since it was a new experience, Yuna “had to research a lot before entering the conference because I was not used to it.” She also stated “It was challenging but gave me a whole new perspective on debate and leadership. 

As debates began, Aditi Kumar (12), who led her committee as president, reflected on her role and she explained that being president meant she wasn’t just running debates but it was like she was creating an environment where delegates felt support. She stated, “It was rewarding, watching both new and old delegates dive into discussions.” Yuna explained that it wasn’t about negotiating resolutions but it was about presenting and analyzing legal arguments in her committee. “It taught me to think differently and adapt to new formats,” she shared.

Once the formal sessions ended, they all had mouthwatering Chinese cuisines in the evenings and explored landmarks and traditions. Jina described all the diverse and shocking foods they all had like duck brains and tongues. Aditi shared her love for the food as well. “We had Peking duck, which was my favorite dish, but the best part was hanging out at the hotel with everyone, she said. Beyond the food, cultural activities like dragon dances and dumpling-making added a festive element to the trip.

Being a BEIMUN president wasn’t just about running debates, it was about growing as a leader and a person. Jina reflected, “Managing people with such different experiences taught me adaptability as I had to tailor what I did to the delegates.” Aditi highlighted the connections she made during the conference “Since the conference lasted for three days, we spent eight hours together every day and during that time I helped guide delegates and ended up bonding with many.” For Yuna, stepping into an unfamiliar role pushed her limits as she had to be open since she has only done normal MUN format in the past.

From leading the debates to bonding experiences, the BEIMUN presidents’ days were filled to the brim with memories. Their experiences showed that leadership is about learning connections and making the most of every opportunity.