What is MMUN?
Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN): A Life-Changing Experience for Upper Elementary Students from The Glen
Every year, Montessori students from all over the world come together for a Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN) Conference. At this exciting event, each child steps into the shoes of a United Nations ambassador! Instead of representing their own country, each student is assigned a different UN member state and works to understand its challenges and find solutions to real-world problems.
Why is MMUN so special?
MMUN allows Upper Elementary students to see the world from a new perspective. It’s a time when they ask big questions about their place in the world: How do people in other countries live? What challenges do they face? How can we work together to make the world a better place? Many countries experience problems that are very different from what we see every day in the United States. By learning about these issues, Glen students discover that kids can—and do—have a voice in solving global problems!
How does it work?
MMUN is a highlight of The Glen’s Upper Elementary (4th–6th grade) experience. Each student spends the year researching an assigned country, learning about its culture, challenges, and role in world affairs. Like actual diplomats, they focus on real issues taken from the United Nations Agenda and the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Then, they travel to MMUN Conferences, traditionally in New York City, which culminate at the United Nations Headquarters (when possible—see images above and below). There, they meet students worldwide, debate important topics, and work together to solve global problems—just like real UN ambassadors! Along the way, they develop essential skills like researching, critical thinking, writing, public speaking, and teamwork.
More than just a conference
MMUN connects to Dr. Maria Montessori’s vision of cultural education. It helps students see themselves as part of a global community, and teaches them how to use their voices to inspire change. Students leave knowing they can make a difference—not just in their lives, but in the world!
A special thanks to upper elementary students Mira and Andrew (now Glen Alum, Class of 2022) for initially providing the information for this post!
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page, read more about student experiences, and see images through the years!
Learn More:
Montessori Model United Nations
2022 MMUN Experience by 5th grader (at the time) Seoni
Why Pizza? Fundraising for MMUN
Upper Elementary Experiences Through The Years:
2025
This year, the Upper Elementary is splitting into two groups and attending two conferences. The 4th and 5th graders will represent Senegal, Kenya, Rwanda, Iran, Romania, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, while the 6th graders will represent Kenya, Spain, and South Korea.
All students will focus on the work of two committees (World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Women) with four topics:
– The implementation of universal healthcare so that all global citizens can receive care
– Protecting human life and avoiding widespread global devastation in the event of pandemic disease through international prevention efforts and regulations.
– Ways to effectively engage young men and boys to help support the development of gender equality in every corner of the world,
– The role of women in the international peace process
Each student will represent their country’s views on the above topics (not their own!)., write opinion papers, and present their thoughts publicly in front of their committee. They will then work with students from all over the world to propose and pass a resolution that represents their committee’s work while building negotiation and compromise skills.
2024
This year, a record 27 students, plus chaperones and parents, traveled to the March 2024 Montessori Model United Nations Conference (MMUN). Students traveled by bus and arrived in New York City with plenty of time to check in, get settled, and go ice skating at Rockafeller Center.
The following day, students cruised around Manhattan, seeing the city’s most iconic landmarks from the rivers: One World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium, the George Washington Bridge, and, of course, the most iconic of all—an up-close look at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island! They also visited the 9/11 Memorial, the American Museum of Natural History and took a shopping trip to Chinatown.
Wednesday evening, Glen students represented nine countries at the Opening Ceremonies of the MMUN conference. Our students carried the flags of Ukraine, Chile, Cuba, Honduras, Greece, Rwanda, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. For the remaining three days, students presented their country’s views on reducing space threats, promoting international cooperation, empowering youth in inclusive and sustainable food systems, using agricultural plastics, technology for criminal purposes, and human rights. Working in committees, students from all over the world representing 93 member states were able to build coalitions and create resolutions and solutions that simulate the process diplomats go through daily carrying out the mission of the United Nations.
Five of our students—three sixth-graders and two fourth-graders—were elected by their peers from all over the world to represent the work of their respective committees. See their pictures below! Additionally, one sixth-grader participated in a song-writing workshop and was able to perform their group’s song at the Closing Ceremonies.
2023
Elected by their peers, a record 5 Glen Montessori Students spoke at the Closing Ceremonies of the Montessori Model United Nations Conference (MMUN) at the podium of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. This was a tremendous honor for these three 6th-graders, one 5th-grader, and one 4th-grader to be selected from among 1,500 students from 12 countries and 80 schools. Each speech represented hours of research, writing, negotiations with fellow diplomats, and compromise.
Our 22 Glen Upper Elementary students researched Brazil, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, El Salvador, Nepal, and Turkey this year. They presented opinion papers on empowering rural women, space as a driver for sustainable development, the impact of the Ukrainia-Soviet conflict on global food security, and adequate housing. Each student represented the interests of the country they were representing, sometimes having to vote in direct opposition to their beliefs/values on behalf of their country.
Students also had a behind-the-scenes tour of the United Nations Headquarters, visited the Museum of Modern Art, the Math Museum, Chinatown, saw a Broadway Show, and more. One 5th-grade student was selected to participate in an international songwriting workshop and was able to perform with her peers during the final evening!
2022
The Glen’s Upper Elementary students were able to attend the MMUN Conference in New York City! Students represented the interests of the United Nations Member States of Denmark, Greece, Norway, and Malta. They prepared and discussed a subset of topics from the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including youth mental health, access to education for women and girls, and xenophobia. Working with similar-aged Montessori students from all over the world, the students navigate through committees to create a series of resolutions presented to the entire conference (hundreds of students, plus educators and parents in attendance!) on the closing day. This year, 5th grader Seoni was selected by her delegation to present these resolutions on Youth Mental Health – quite an honor for our school and her partner Nikolai! Read more about her experience here.
2021
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The MMUN conference remained remote for a second year with a renewal of the same countries and issues covered in 2020. Due to this repetition, The Glen’s Upper Elementary students took on a new challenge related to equity and inclusion: leading The Glen in efforts to become designated as a No Place for Hate school with the Anti-Defamation League. Look for a summary of their activities here.
2020
The Glen’s Upper Elementary students decided to attend the Chicago conference this year for a new experience. Unfortunately, due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, students could not attend in person but had the real-world experience of attending an international conference remotely. Students represented Iran, Iraq, China, and Cyprus and expressed their assigned country’s interest in overfishing, deforestation, and women’s rights.
2019
Glen students researched Egypt, Greece, Palau, and Sudan and presented opinion papers on food scarcity, fair trade, elimination of racism, and xenophobia. The image at the top of the page is one of our 4th graders, presenting her committee’s resolution while representing on the stage of the United Nations General Assembly Hall during the MMUN closing ceremonies in New York City.
