Participants
Be one of 72 international participants and represent one of 12 countries in one of 6 committees
Concept
The Model WTO is a student initiative that provides a unique opportunity for future decision-makers to
debate on important global issues within the simulation framework of the WTO ministerial negotiations.
Every year since 1997, students from all around the world are invited to Switzerland to debate and exchange creative ideas in the exceptional context of the World Trade Organization.
Objectives
Our objective is to sensitize our student audience to the current issues of international trade as well as to enable the participants to have a unique insight into the procedure for adopting trade resolutions. In that sense, the Model WTO offers a unique experience for students to get involved in a high-level training and benefit from the expertise of WTO professionals. In addition, our goals are more than academic: we seek and encourage the exchange of knowledge, the meeting of international students from different backgrounds, and the active participation of young people in today's society.
Applications for participants of Model WTO 2025 are now open!
Role
Head Delegates
A delegation of each country has a head delegate who will be responsible for setting up the secret negotiation goals. These negotiation goals will clarify negotiation positions and can be discussed within the team throughout the simulation week. Furthermore, once a day all head delegates will attend a special meeting to discuss and clarify their delegation’s position between them. Every applicant has an opportunity to be nominated as a head delegate.
Delegates
Apart from the head delegate, a delegation of every country consists of 5-6 other delegates. Each of them will be present in one specific committee and negotiate in the interest of their respective country. Thus, every delegate is equally important and the interaction among each other is essential. You will have full responsibility for your country’s position in the committee that you are present in. Your goal is then to negotiate in the interest of your country and, when the situations allow it, to further negotiate in the interest of the general public.
The Model WTO has three arenas which can be used to achieve negotiation goals:
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The negotiation rounds involving all countries.
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Country meetings in which delegates meet regularly to discuss the development in their respective committees.
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Individual delegations which meet unofficially with other countries to form coalitions to better pursue their goals.
