Montclair State University’s Model United Nations (U.N.) club recently attended NYU’s Model U.N. Conference – for the first time in their club’s history.
The three-day conference consisted of high stakes competitive negotiations, where students from top universities stepped into the shoes of U.N. diplomats and worked together to find solutions for real-world problems.
Three of Montclair State’s very own students were there representing the university, including Keso Mumladze, secretary-general of the club and Chase Geer, the club’s vice president.
Preparing for such a prestigious conference comes with its challenges, according to the club’s leadership.
“The main challenge I faced was representing the ideas of Azerbaijan and not my own,” Greer said. “In Model U.N., it is vital you represent the country you are representing, [its] beliefs and not let your bias cloud your reasoning.”
The Model U.N. club at Montclair State was originally launched by a group of political science students in 2020, but just as it was getting started, the pandemic hit. With conferences canceled and student life disrupted, the club became inactive. It wasn’t until this semester, under the leadership of Mumladze, that the club came back to life.
“The biggest challenge was that we had very little time after reregistering the club to prepare and make everything happen,” Mumladze said. “But despite the tight timeline, we were determined to participate in such an important conference.”
Throughout this process, students were advised by Alfredo Toro Carnevali, associate teaching professor and adviser of the Model United Nations club at Montclair State.
Carnevali, who served as a diplomat at the United Nations for 10 years, highlighted the club’s recent success and its impact on the university.
“This is truly a historic achievement,” Carnevali said. “She [Mumladze] brought energy, vision, and determination – reaching out to conferences across the tristate area and forming a Montclair delegation that competed in a Model U.N. for the very first time,”
Carnevali also noted the club’s future potential. “Now, the club has received invitations to attend conferences across the country, and it is even planning to host one here at Montclair. The sky’s the limit, and I couldn’t be prouder of the club’s achievements.”
Mumladze and Carnevali spoke about how they hope this experience can inspire other students to get involved.
“Participating in a Model U.N. conference can be a life-changing experience,” said Carnevali. “It’s eye-opening and empowering. It equips students with real-world skills and gives them the motivation to step up, speak out, and make a meaningful difference.”
Mumladze added, “I hope it shows that you don’t have to wait for opportunities – you can create them. Time is not the barrier; what truly matters is having the drive and determination to pursue a goal,”
“The key is wanting something and taking the steps to make it happen.”
