ABOUT THE EVENT
ABOUT NATIONAL CONFERENCE
National Conference brings together over 100 of the brightest and most engaged students from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region for an incredible week of discussion, debate, and so much more. It is Australia’s largest annual residential youth conference, and is consistently recognised by their government as Australia’s premier conference for young people. During the conference, delegates will represent a UN member state and engage with global issues from this perspective. But the National Conference is about much more than Model United Nations.
Delegates will hear from a range of fascinating international experts, participate in workshops and interactive problem solving scenarios and have the chance to offer their own opinions on a range of topics.
The conference will also be full of fun activities and plenty of time to socialise with delegates from across Australia and Asia. National Conference is an incredible opportunity to make Trans-Tasman friendships that will last for years to come!
Throughout the National Conference we will unpack how critical technologies are influencing our world, exploring the good they create, the risks they present and the uncertainty that is ever-present in new and emerging tech. We will discover how our individual nations and the international community are employing these critical technologies to make lives better while trying to prevent their misuse. Delegates will explore global issues from a regional perspective and be provided with the skills and inspiration to critically appreciate how they go about their lives long after they return home.
This year’s National Conference will be held in Adelaide, providing delegates with a unique opportunity to discover the beauty and charm of South Australia.
HOW NATIONAL CONFERENCE WORKS
National Conference takes the form of a mock session of the UN General Assembly where many issues relating to the theme will be debated by delegates. Delegates will debate, amend, and vote on prepared resolutions from the perspective of their assigned nation.
Workshops
Apart from the Model UN sessions, delegates can look forward to awesome workshops, engaging with industry leaders through speaker panels and fun excursions to learn about and explore Adelaide.
Teamwork
Teamwork is indispensable in Model UN, as it fosters collaboration and leverages diverse strengths to navigate complex diplomatic challenges effectively. All delegates should actively participate and work harmoniously together with the other delegates.
Research
Delegates reflect their state’s policies, priorities, and agenda in their advocacy with reasonable accuracy when participating in the MUN debates. Delegates apply their research to demonstrate understanding of their nation and the issues under discussion.
A Diplomatic Manner
Diplomacy is characterised by a manner of constructive engagement, where disagreement is channelled towards productive results through mature deliberation. In particular, teams must engage with their counterparts as if they would continue to do so long into the future, avoiding tactics like bullying that produce a short-term result at a high long-term cost.
About the trip:
We are looking for six outstanding High School students to represent their country at the National Conference. The National Conference is Model UN on a level never before experienced by students in New Zealand and applicants must showcase a strong willingness to learn and enthusiasm, particularly in the areas of speaking, negotiation, and research.
The delegates will be accompanied to the conference by two co-directors from UN Youth who will help them prepare for the conference and support them in Adelaide. Delegates will also be cared for at the conference by a full team of Facilitators and Welfare Officers from UN Youth Australia.
Summary Information
Dates: 5–12th July 2025
Destination: Adelaide, South Australia
Cost (delegate fee): Approximately $3400 (exact price subject to change)
ABOUT UN YOUTH
UN Youth is a non-profit organisation that provides civics education outside the traditional classroom context. Through fun workshops and conferences, we engage youth in the most pressing affairs of their country and the international community. Our goal is to inspire young New Zealanders to be active, global citizens. Global citizenship exists in an incredibly diverse range of forms, and UN Youth provides opportunities for delegates to develop their own form of active citizenship. Throughout Aotearoa, our work equips young people to become informed, engaged, and critical New Zealanders who understand their global context and the connections between the local and the global. Annually, over 3000 young New Zealanders from Northland to Southland attend a UN Youth event, run by a body of over 150 volunteers across the country who dedicate many hours of their time to engaging young people and growing the organisation.