About SSUNS

SSUNS Legacy

A longer view of SSUNS as an institution and annual tradition.

Founded in 1992 by a group of McGill students, the Secondary Schools’ United Nations Symposium (SSUNS) was created to provide secondary-school students with a space to explore global issues through diplomacy and debate.

Over the decades, SSUNS has grown into one of the largest Model United Nations conferences for high school students, welcoming delegates from across Canada and around the world. Today, the conference continues to build on this legacy by bringing together students for thoughtful debate, collaboration, and leadership development.

Legacy

Legacy is global

SSUNS has never felt confined to one city. Every November, Montréal turns into a meeting point, students arriving with different school cultures and political instincts, all taking diplomacy seriously.

That mix is the point. Put delegates from across Canada in the same room as students from the U.S., Europe, Africa, and beyond, and debate becomes an exchange of perspective, what you value, what you prioritize, and how you persevere when the room pushes back.

That international energy is what gives SSUNS its edge. Committees are global simulations. Friendships form across borders, blocs shift over lunch, and ideas get tested by people who don’t think like you.

You leave sharper, more confident, and more aware of the world you’re stepping into.

SSUNS team members in conference setting

Delegates gathering between committee sessions

SSUNS participants during a conference ceremony

Montreal city scene connected to the conference's international footprint