Letter from the Secretariat

Dear Esteemed Delegates and Faculty Advisors,

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to Kennesaw State University’s 40th Annual High School Model United Nations Conference! My name is Samuel Brown and I have the distinct honor of serving as your Secretary-General for this conference. Alongside me, my Under-Secretary-General Naomi Williamson, Director-General Gavin Bedell, and our conference staff have been working hard to ensure that this conference will be an enjoyable and engaging experience for delegates that they can take away real world knowledge from.

As you all prepare for the upcoming conference, we ask that the delegates remain mindful of the theme in your writing and research. Our theme this year is based around International Stability and exploring relations between Member States in navigating post-conflict scenarios and building a stable atmosphere internationally. The United Nations as an organization was created to provide an international forum to foster discussion between Member States to prevent conflict and promote peace globally. Given the current state of the international system, it is now more imperative than ever that we must focus our attention on peacebuilding and diplomatic efforts in order to build more effective, inclusive, equal, accessible, and sustainable societies and institutions. Reflect on why each of these components is essential for a stable and prosperous society and consider the steps that Member States can take to achieve them. Our world today is becoming increasingly unstable with new conflicts both regional and international sprouting every year. 

In the past five years, conflict has doubled on a global level and civilian casualties in relation to conflict continue to rise as conflict-related deaths reach over 233,000 people per year, more than double what it was in 2020. During a time of such strife, how can the international community reform to allow for Member States to better protect innocent civilians outside of the bounds of their own territories? In a system that prides itself on the sovereignty of its constituent members, how can we hold those same members accountable for crimes committed during the course of conflict or the breaking of international resolutions and treaties? The promotion of peacebuilding and non-violence efforts can reduce crime and conflict, fostering harmony among different social groups but only as far as Member States are willing to act in good faith. Having access to justice and legal recourse is something that isn’t currently guaranteed by global frameworks and relies on Member States to self-administer. It is our duty as delegates and individuals to hold ourselves and our Member States to the standards we set for ourselves, and in our role at this conference to realistically address our goals and set reasonable standards for which our Member States can aim to achieve and hold themselves responsible if they fail to do so.

Returning delegates, we encourage you to reflect on your past experiences at KSU HSMUN and challenge yourselves to be more diplomatic and engaged in the issues you are presented with. Remember -- you are a delegate representing your Member State! New delegates, you can prepare yourselves for this experience by learning and striving to understand more about different ways of life and thinking that may not match your worldview or be familiar to you. Our hopes and intentions for this conference are to impart unto you the skills necessary to engage in debate, negotiation, and constructive diplomacy. These skills are essential for the preservation and endurance of democracy and diplomacy. 

Please check this website for updates from the Secretariat, details concerning registration, position paper submissions, and delegate preparation. We strongly encourage both students and faculty advisors to review the resources we have provided here to ensure your success and enrich your experience. For any questions, comments, concerns, and/or feedback regarding the 2026 KSU HSMUN conference, or MUN in general, please feel free to contact the Secretariat at ksuhsmun2526@gmail.com.

We, the KSU HSMUN staff, the Kennesaw State University School of Government and International Affairs, and the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences look forward to seeing you all on conference weekend. We hope that you all will find this conference to be one positive experience among many in the new year.

Sincerely,

Samuel Brown, Secretary-General
Naomi Williamson, Under-Secretary-General
Gavin Bedell, Director-General