2024 Southwest Florida Model UN Competition

Eighteen schools and approximately 250 students -- both numbers a record -- competed in the 31st annual Southwest Florida Model United Nations Southwest Florida Model UN this year. The program draws high school participants from Collier, Lee, Glades, Charlotte and Hendry Counties. It is sponsored by NCWA in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University, which provides the venue during its annual spring break period.

NCWA provided more than $57,000 in scholarships and awards, the highest amount ever, largely through private donations from Council members. Our Model UN is unique among programs in the U.S. in that it provides financial awards and scholarships to winning teams and delegates.

      Alan Van Egmond
       Model UN Chair

Deep thanks to the many NCWA members who served as volunteers: 50 as judges, 15 as registrars, chairs and vice chairs, and 25 as judges of one-page position papers written by students. Twenty-three alumni of the Model UN program served as chairs and vice chairs, returning from colleges and careers for the two-day competition. Faculty and administration officials from local high schools, as well as from FGCU, contributed hours of their time and talent to support the program.

Daniela Barata Herrera, an alumna from Cape Coral High School, delivered the keynote speech at the closing ceremony. She is a first-year medical student at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Listen to an interview on WGCU radio with Daniela by clicking here. 

NCWA has sponsored and administered the Model UN program for Southwest Florida high schools since 1989 as part of its educational outreach objectives. 

Next year's Model UN competition will be March 3-4, 2025 at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Click here for committees, topics and background guides for the 2025 competition.

To view a video about the impact that the Model UN experience
has had on the lives of past participants, click on the NCWA logo below: