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Simulations come in three types. Each type offers a different kind of practice and a different relationship to real-world events.

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Historical Simulations

Historical simulations re-create a real diplomatic moment from the past. The scenario, the stakes, and the country positions are based on actual historical record. What makes them different:
  • The outcome is known — you’re trying to re-create or change it
  • Country positions are drawn from historical documents and speeches
  • Particularly good for understanding why diplomatic decisions were made
Examples of historical scenarios:
  • The Security Council debate on the 1991 Gulf War authorization
  • The negotiation of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015
  • The UN General Assembly vote on Palestinian observer status (2012)
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis at the UN (1962)
Good for: Understanding context behind current issues, learning how diplomatic history unfolded, and preparing for committees that have historical roots.

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Current Affairs Simulations

Current affairs simulations are based on ongoing or very recent situations. Country positions reflect their actual stated policies right now. What makes them different:
  • The outcome is not yet decided — your actions matter
  • Research you do in Atlas applies directly
  • The most directly applicable to conference prep
  • Updated as situations evolve
Examples of current scenarios:
  • Security Council debate on Gaza ceasefire mechanisms
  • UNGA discussion on UN Security Council reform
  • Human Rights Council session on Myanmar
  • ECOSOC debate on AI governance frameworks
Good for: Direct conference prep when you know your committee topic. The positions you practice here reflect what you’ll face in a real committee.

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Fictional Simulations

Fictional simulations use invented scenarios that could plausibly happen but haven’t. They’re designed to test pure diplomatic skill without the advantage of prior knowledge. What makes them different:
  • No one has researched this before — everyone starts even
  • Forces you to reason from principles rather than memorized facts
  • Good for testing your actual diplomatic and strategic skills
  • More unpredictable and creative
Examples of fictional scenarios:
  • An emergency Security Council session on an extraterrestrial contact event
  • A UNGA debate on establishing a global AI regulatory body
  • An HRC session on a fictional country facing a civil war
  • A crisis committee responding to a global pandemic (pre-briefed differently from COVID)
Good for: Testing your ability to think diplomatically under novel conditions. Good practice for “surprise” committees at conferences.

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Committee types

Simulations also vary by committee type, each of which has different procedures and dynamics:
Committee TypeFull NameKey Features
GAGeneral AssemblyLarge body, simple majority voting, broad topics, all 193 member states
SCSecurity Council15 members, veto power for P5, binding resolutions, urgent situations
ECOSOCEconomic and Social CouncilEconomic and social topics, 54 members, non-binding recommendations
HRCHuman Rights Council47 members, country-specific resolutions, special procedures
CrisisCrisis CommitteeFast-moving scenarios, directives instead of resolutions, crisis updates

How to run a simulation

Step-by-step guide to starting a simulation

Scoring & skills

How performance is assessed