I understand that many of you will have questions about the next steps. In particular, we recognize that many of you will be wondering about refunds and credit transfer policies. As of right now, we are considering and developing our policy in the wake of this unprecedented set of events, and we will follow up shortly with more details about this policy and our decision. The most likely option as of now is to roll-over all paid delegates to WorldMUN 2021 and allow them to transfer their payment credit over to next year, though we will confirm this once it is finalized.

We do not take this situation lightly and understand the stress and inconvenience that this may cause many of you. We know that your delegations have put in hours of hard work and enthusiasm, and it sincerely saddens us to know that your efforts will not be met with the running of an excellent conference that you all so clearly deserve. Our Chairs, the Host Team, and Secretariat have also put in countless hours of work on the logistics, committees, and delegate experience, and our spirits have been shattered knowing that our vision for conference will not come to fruition. For many delegates as well as for one-third of our chairs, this was set to be the last WorldMUN and last Model UN conference they will ever experience, making this decision all the more stinging. Speaking personally, WorldMUN has been the core of my extracurricular and social life for the past four years, and it pains me to know that I will not be able to implement our vision for conference this year.

Ten months ago, I wrote to you about a Japanese word that referred to feelings of nostalgia for particular seasons of the year and how it applied to my anticipation, excitement, and love for WorldMUN. This March will feel different, and doubtless that will be the case for many of you. I am incredibly proud of all the work that everyone has put in to make this conference a reality and a success, and the silver lining is that it will come to fruition and achieve even higher standards than we originally aimed for, given the extra year of planning and refinement.

As someone set to graduate this year, I have accepted that I will not be able to attend my final WorldMUN. However, I know that my love for this conference—the WorldMUN spirit that we always speak of—will live on in my successors and in all of you, the delegates who make this conference possible. The disappointment of not directly implementing the vision of the conference myself is met in magnitude only by the immense gratitude and love I hold for this forum whose values and lessons have shaped me forevermore and for all of you who have made this community my global family. More than anything, I know that next year and in the years to come, this conference will continue to have a positive impact upon young people from around the world by bringing diverse ideologies, cultures, and interests together for the most incredible week of every year.

Thank you for keeping the WorldMUN spirit alive and persevering as ever.

Yours,

Anirudh Suresh

Secretary-General

Harvard World Model United Nations