Get to know inomun better

• INOMUN is an English speaking Model United Nations conference organised by students from the International British Sections of the Lycée International Montebello (Lille) and Lycée Henri Wallon (Valenciennes) and INOMUN’s first edition took place in March 2015 and was since followed by four other editions. This would have never been possible without the support of the Conseil régional, who allow us to use its prestigious hemicycle as well as both schools’ headteachers. We would also like to thank our dear teachers and the GPS IBL, the parents association of students in the British international section of Montebello, who both coordinate and support each step of the project.

• INOMUN est un Modèle des Nations Unies en anglais, organisé par des élèves des Sections Internationales Britanniques du Lycée International Montebello de Lille et du Lycée Henri Wallon (Valenciennes). La première édition d’INOMUN s’est déroulée en mars 2015 et a depuis été suivie de quatre autres éditions. Ceci n'aurait jamais pu être possible sans le soutien du Conseil régional, qui nous ouvre les portes de son prestigieux hémicycle ainsi que des proviseurs des deux lycées. Nous remercions également nos professeurs et la GPS IBL, le Groupement des Parents d’élèves de la Section Internationale Britannique du lycée Montebello, les deux qui coordonnent et soutienent chaque étape du projet.

WHO ARE WE ?
We're students from International British Sections of Lycée Wallon in Valenciennes and Lycée International Montebello in Lille.

OUR HISTORY

In 2013, students from Montebello went to ILYMUN, a MUN conference that took place in Lyon, and when they came back, they wanted to create their own conference, in the North of France. They opened a MUN club in September 2013 where students discussed various issues such as abortion, conflicts over natural resources, etc.
In January 2014, these same students from Montebello came back to ILYMUN where they met some students from Wallon. Then the "MUN" movement spread, a MUN club opened in Wallon, and a 2 hours conference was organised in Montebello with 80 delegates for a crisis situation, the Ukrainian conflict.

Montebello's MUNers contacted Lycée Wallon's students, and the INOMUN project was launched!

Together they all started to think of a “Nord MUN”, later called INOMUN. In a month time, they managed to build up a team and get the support of their Proviseurs. The success of the First Edition in March 2015 allowed the next generation to taking INOMUN a step further at Winter Edition in December 2015. Ever since 2015, the project has passed from one to another generation making of this conference not only a tradition but an institution in our high schools.

This year we celebrate the launching of the seventh edition and have never been more grateful to our seniors for making INOMUN happen.

What is mun?

A MUN or Model United Nations is a simulation of the United Nations, commonly run by students and intended for them. They become ambassadors of a country (most of the time, a UN member) and are placed in different committees such as the Security Council or the Environmental Council. Each year, the Heads of Chairs decide on a general theme that is to be tackled during the conference, each committees focusing on a specific point of this theme.

Aiming at resolving issues, the delegates debate, and find solutions, abiding by the rules of the United Nations.

During the simulation, delegates debate the issue by submitting clauses (ideas to solve the issue), make speeches in order to find solutions to the real, important crisis they are dealing with. This experience leads them to set out strategies where they will create/make allies or rivals with whom they will engage negotiations to solve the conflicts.

At the end of the committees’ debates a General Assembly is held with a new issue where everyone is gathered to propose clauses to all the other delegates.

Model UNs began for the first time in Harvard in 1951, and now the concept has been taken up by a lot of prestigious schools and secondary schools such as Sciences Po (Paris) or the University of Peking. MUN clubs opened in middle school, high school and college/university, and help pupils to prepare for MUN conférences.

What could inomun teach you?

First and foremost, INOMUN is an international conference where a good mastering of English is essential. It is indeed a one-day-long (or three-day-long depending on the edition) debate where different people from different backgrounds will meet each other. By participating in this project, you will not only improve your English but also meet international people and make new acquaintances.

Debating in INOMUN is a way to better understand sociopolitical issues in the world (such as Oil or Social Inequalities). By taking the floor, you will become an actor in the « grown-up world » to defend your country's point of view and to bring a positive change in the world. INOMUN is also a way to build self confidence and to prepare yourself for the hard job of being an adult by becoming aware just how difficult it is to get decisions made.Moreover, this kind of experience will always be an improvement for your higher studies.

This MUN conference is unique in the way it is open to European sections insofar as they speak English well enough not to be discouraged by a challenge or feel out of their depth in a debate in English.