UFRGSMUN is an academic simulation where the participants act as representatives of United Nations member States in one of the organs to be simulated. It is a project focused on the debate over the most relevant issues of the international agenda and the UN itself, with the purpose of achieving new solutions by sharing different points of view. The conference is acknowledged by both students and scholars as one of the best MUNs of the country, due to its commitment to high level research and event standards. In 2011 approximately 300 participants from all over Brazil and other countries attended UFRGSMUN’s 9th edition, all of which are prominent students of their respective higher education institutions. Every UFRGSMUN’s edition is preceded by a year of hard work performed by more than 40 students of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), whose majors range from International Relations and Law to Environmental Engineering, Physics and Veterinary. The staff is divided in academic and administrative nuclei, both responsible for different tasks. For example, the administrative staff has to contact professionals from different areas, obtain detailed budgets from suppliers, create the logistical structure of the event and schedule all activities. On the other hand, the academic nucleus of the staff keeps in touch with the university’s professors and writes the study guides, which assist in framing the debate during the five days of the conference. UFRGSMUN is a project which joins academic and administrative excellence with the debate of key-issues for the world community, going from international security to the intercultural understanding between nations. That is why it is a project that must transcend the boundaries of the university without compromising the excellence level already attained. Our message is that important changes can begin with debates and education so as to, pacif**ally, reach more people, which is why for years UFRGSMUN has had the Back In School project for public schools from Porto Alegre and in 2011 supported the creation of other MUNs in southern Brazil.
