An Introduction to The Hauge Model United Nations by Simay Özgentürk

Starting as a local conference in 1968 organized by Paul Sand from the American School of the Hague, The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) has become a pioneer in the Model United Nations (MUN) community. The THIMUN Foundation was established 13 years after the first session of the conference, and is now managed by a Board of Directors and Permanent Staff. The foundation was recognized as a non-governmental organization (NGO) partner of The UN Department of Public Information in 1995. Since then, THIMUN representatives have been attending meetings at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York. Celebrating its 30th year as the first UN-recognized MUN conference, THIMUN hosted its ambitious participants for the 57th time in 2025.

The THIMUN foundation was established with the purpose of hosting conferences that develop a lifelong drive in young people to take an active role in their future and become responsible global citizens. The former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated “The fact that THIMUN exists to uphold the values of the United Nations among the young is particularly important, since it is from the young that we should draw our energy and inspiration as we strive to make the United Nations effective and responsive to the needs of the people worldwide” (Annan) in 2002, drawing attention to the fact that the conference has played a significant role in creating a scholarly global community with advanced political analysis, public speaking, and problem-solving skills.

THIMUN’s founding in The Hague is also significant since the city is renowned as a global center of peace and justice. It hosts major international institutions such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), which settle disputes between states and prosecute crimes like genocide and war crimes. The presence of these institutions there lends credibility to THIMUN’s mission of promoting diplomacy and international cooperation, allowing participants to experience them first-hand.

Gathering high school students from over 100 countries, the 4-day conference held annually has its own procedure which has become one of the two main procedures followed in MUN conferences. The THIMUN procedure fosters a unique environment for participants to focus on creating fruitful solutions for pressing global matters.

THIMUN Conferences

Apart from the main conference held in The Hague, THIMUN hosts two other conferences in Qatar and Singapore for high school students. THIMUN also hosts MiniMUN, a one-day MUN simulation that is meant to educate students with less conference experience. THIMUN Singapore was founded in 2004 as a sister conference to THIMUN The Hague and operates under the THIMUN Foundation. Since its inception, it has been hosted at the Hwa Chong Institution. In 2011, THIMUN Qatar was established as a collaboration between Qatar Academy and the THIMUN Foundation and continues to hold its annual conference.

Attending THIMUN Conferences

Participation in THIMUN conferences is by invitation only, and schools that have never attended must complete an application process. New schools must submit specific documents via email, including a letter of intent on official school letterhead, general school information, details about their MUN club, and a list of international MUN conferences they have previously attended. Individual applicants must also be attending with their school to be able to apply to the conference.

There are many THIMUN-affiliated conferences and conferences following the THIMUN procedure in Türkiye, which allow participants to experience a highly academic and productive debating atmosphere. Some THIMUN-affiliated conferences in Türkiye include the Turkish International Model United Nations (TIMUN) held by Üsküdar American Academy, Robert College International Model United Nations held by Robert College, and the Model United Nations Development Program (MUNDP) held by the Koç School. Some conferences following the THIMUN procedure in Türkiye include TED Istanbul Model United Nations (TEDIMUN) held by TED Istanbul College, American Collegiate Institute Model United Nations (ACIMUN) held by the American Collegiate Institute in İzmir, and Istanbul Erkek Lisesi Model United Nations (IELMUN) held by the Istanbul Erkek High School.

References

Foundation, THIMUN. “What Is THIMUN?” THIMUN FOUNDATION, 6 June 2023, foundation.thimun.org/about-thimun/what-is-thimun/.

Foundation, THIMUN. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan THIMUN in 2002. 2002. Accessed 2025.

Foundation, THIMUN. “History.” THIMUN FOUNDATION, 21 June 2023, foundation.thimun.org/about-thimun/history/.