Committee Photo

The committee photo is a tradition at most Model UN conferences where every delegate, the dais (chairs, directors, rapporteurs), and sometimes committee staff gather for a group portrait. It is usually scheduled during a designated break, either at the start of the second day or just before closing ceremonies, and is announced from the dais along with logistical instructions about where to assemble.

Delegates are generally expected to appear in Western Business Attire (WBA) or the conference's equivalent dress code, since the photo is used in conference recap materials, alumni communications, and delegates' personal portfolios. Chairs typically arrange delegates by height or by placard, with the dais seated or standing in the center. Country placards are often held up so each delegate's assignment is identifiable in the final image.

Beyond being a souvenir, the committee photo serves several practical functions:

• Networking record. Delegates use it to remember faces and country assignments when following up with peers after the conference.
• Marketing material. Secretariats publish photos on conference websites and social media to promote future iterations.
• Delegation documentation. Travel teams and faculty advisors archive photos as proof of participation, sometimes required for school funding or club reporting.
• Award context. When a delegate later wins Best Delegate or an Outstanding gavel, the photo provides visual context for the recognition.

At larger circuits — such as NMUN, WorldMUN, Harvard WorldMUN, HNMUN, and many collegiate conferences — committee photos are taken by professional photographers contracted by the secretariat and distributed digitally after the conference. At smaller or high school conferences, a chair or staffer may simply use a phone camera. Delegates who miss the photo generally cannot have it retaken, so chairs usually give advance notice and may briefly suspend the meeting to accommodate it.