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Discord Video
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Virtual Conference FAQ
- Why did MeDMUN decide to hold a virtual conference?
- Out of an abundance of caution for our delegates and team members, we opted to host a virtual conference. While we do not know what the situation will be in January, we felt it was most prudent to organize a virtual conference to avoid any last minute cancellations necessitated by COVID-19 related events.
- What platform will MeDMUN VII be hosted through?
- We decided to host MeDMUN VII via Discord. We explored a number of platforms over the summer of 2020 and found that Discord offered a good mix of autonomy for delegates (i.e. the ability to move between different channels within a room) and control for the MeDMUN staff. While Zoom has become more ubiquitous and staff, delegates, and advisers might be more familiar with it, we felt that Zoom's breakout rooms were not conducive to unmoderated caucuses and would put an additional constraint on a Virtual MeDMUN VII operating as closely to normal as possible.
- Why did MeDMUN change its schedule from previous years?
- The MeDMUN Board felt that having a virtual 9 hour conference (8AM-5PM) would be particularly exhausting on delegates, staff, and advisers. Sitting in front of a computer lacks much of the energy of an in-person conference brings. In order to make sure the conference is engaging and less tiring, we decided to shorten the conference by having it start later in the day, having it end a little earlier, and extending lunch to an hour so that everyone can be re-energized for their afternoon committee session.
- The MeDMUN Board felt that having a virtual 9 hour conference (8AM-5PM) would be particularly exhausting on delegates, staff, and advisers. Sitting in front of a computer lacks much of the energy of an in-person conference brings. In order to make sure the conference is engaging and less tiring, we decided to shorten the conference by having it start later in the day, having it end a little earlier, and extending lunch to an hour so that everyone can be re-energized for their afternoon committee session.
- Why are some committees only running 1 topic?
- Given the shortening of the conference's length and how working online increases the time for transitioning between caucuses, speakers, etc. the MeDMUN Board felt that these time constraints only allow for one topic to be discussed fully in-depth. Some committees, particularly in those in the Specialized Agencies, will have crisis elements included in the committee to help challenge more experienced delegates.
- Given the shortening of the conference's length and how working online increases the time for transitioning between caucuses, speakers, etc. the MeDMUN Board felt that these time constraints only allow for one topic to be discussed fully in-depth. Some committees, particularly in those in the Specialized Agencies, will have crisis elements included in the committee to help challenge more experienced delegates.
- How will MeDMUN ensure a virtual conference runs smoothly?
- We are a conference that is most successful when we over-prepare. To ensure that the conference runs smoothly, we will be holding a number of training sessions for all of our staff members, optional training sessions for advisers and teams, and producing a number of written guides for advisers, delegates, and our staff members. Through these avenues, we hope to address as many questions as possible before the conference and ensure that January 9th is spent debating, not getting caught up by the virtual aspects of the conference.