MUN Reflection
As of my 12-years I new I wanted to study international relations and eventually work at the UN. Even though I had always this plan in mind, I constantly seek for other ideas and left my mind opened to new possibilities, but everything new which I heard either in career fairs, talking to professionals or friends, simply enhanced my original plan of working in the United Nations. When the MUN extra-curricular activity was available, I made sure to change my training plans so that I was involved in it. I was convinced that this would be a pleasurable experience and that it would enhance even more my life ambition. My goal was thus to confirm this ambition of eventually working for the UN, and experience it.
As a group the ECA aimed to prepare for two events: the internal St. Francis MUN and the St.Paul’s MUN (which involved students from St. Francis, St. Paul’s and St. Nicholas). We decided then to choose the committees and the different countries of representation, the same one would be for both event of Model United Nations. I chose the Security Council and the country to represent was Syria, and extremely controversial one. I knew it would require a lot of research in order to get through plausible and bias-free content, so I undertook this challenge, knowing I would often be attacked in discussions and that I would encounter myself various times in a delicate position. The Security Council required people to work in pairs, so I did not undergo this process alone but with the year 8 student Diego Escobedo. I knew about his hard-working reputation, trusting his well-known characteristic, we engaged as a group with the objective to prepare Position Papers (arguments on our opinion about the Security in the northern countries of Africa), visioning both events.
In the preparation process for the debates I definitely developed many different skills, for example Diego and I put together a list of new vocabulary, which would enhance our argument and make our speech more formal and adequate to the event. Words that are adequate for the language of the United Nations such as the expression “point of personal preference”, which could be used in cases where I would suggest something which is of my own preference such as, changes in the discussion environment (air conditioner/lights/etc.). I also learnt how to put together an official document where I expressed the views of my country in relation to the security issues of northern Africa, following the Arab Spring.
Due to the investigation and discussions about political issues, which were happening world wide, we were constantly engaging with issues of global implication. All that was discussed in our internal (St. Francis only) MUN regarded not only the security question, but also cultural impact on these societies lives; initiated by the committee of ECOSOC (economic and social).
Coming up with a solution, and having a project that would pass, was a challenge, there were various of ethical implications and this is were it was extremely challenging to maintain my position as a delegate and defend the interests of Syria, rather than defend my personal opinion of what would be principled measures to take.
The St.Paul’s MUN was a complete shock; it changed my perspective and values of what being a delegate and having diplomacy meant. We were first divided into committees, which meant Diego and I were together but in separate groups from most of the others St. Francis Students. Apparently the timetable was messed up and we did not go through all the initial stages of what we had so carefully prepared and planned.
It was an extremely hostile environment where one country would be simply attacking the other and there seemed to be no cooperation whatsoever towards finding a plausible solution. The questioning and doubting and cynicism involved among the different delegations were revolting. This is were I began to question, that if this was a simulation of what was going on in the UN headquarters at New York, then the reality would not be that much different. There countries would probably be placing there interests before others, especially before the interests of a moral solution.
The Security Council is definitely the most active council in the UN in terms of discussions and this was known by me before I had chosen to work with it, but this challenge was really proving tome that, what I had dreamed of and fantasied about was actually extremely far from reality. The countries were not there to help or solve worldwide issue, they were there to ensure that no international act was going to in any case limit their own power. I began to look for different jobs and ideas of work which I could engage myself with after college, and many more interesting ideas were beginning to be formed.
With this activity I learnt that there is no use, having all positive feedback and good experiences when you are attempting to form an opinion, the negative aspect of it needs to be experienced so that I can be able to form a more round opinion. Nothing has only a positive side, the negative side exists and it needs to be known so that I could make a balance and see if it was actually worth it.
As of my 12-years I new I wanted to study international relations and eventually work at the UN. Even though I had always this plan in mind, I constantly seek for other ideas and left my mind opened to new possibilities, but everything new which I heard either in career fairs, talking to professionals or friends, simply enhanced my original plan of working in the United Nations. When the MUN extra-curricular activity was available, I made sure to change my training plans so that I was involved in it. I was convinced that this would be a pleasurable experience and that it would enhance even more my life ambition. My goal was thus to confirm this ambition of eventually working for the UN, and experience it.
As a group the ECA aimed to prepare for two events: the internal St. Francis MUN and the St.Paul’s MUN (which involved students from St. Francis, St. Paul’s and St. Nicholas). We decided then to choose the committees and the different countries of representation, the same one would be for both event of Model United Nations. I chose the Security Council and the country to represent was Syria, and extremely controversial one. I knew it would require a lot of research in order to get through plausible and bias-free content, so I undertook this challenge, knowing I would often be attacked in discussions and that I would encounter myself various times in a delicate position. The Security Council required people to work in pairs, so I did not undergo this process alone but with the year 8 student Diego Escobedo. I knew about his hard-working reputation, trusting his well-known characteristic, we engaged as a group with the objective to prepare Position Papers (arguments on our opinion about the Security in the northern countries of Africa), visioning both events.
In the preparation process for the debates I definitely developed many different skills, for example Diego and I put together a list of new vocabulary, which would enhance our argument and make our speech more formal and adequate to the event. Words that are adequate for the language of the United Nations such as the expression “point of personal preference”, which could be used in cases where I would suggest something which is of my own preference such as, changes in the discussion environment (air conditioner/lights/etc.). I also learnt how to put together an official document where I expressed the views of my country in relation to the security issues of northern Africa, following the Arab Spring.
Due to the investigation and discussions about political issues, which were happening world wide, we were constantly engaging with issues of global implication. All that was discussed in our internal (St. Francis only) MUN regarded not only the security question, but also cultural impact on these societies lives; initiated by the committee of ECOSOC (economic and social).
Coming up with a solution, and having a project that would pass, was a challenge, there were various of ethical implications and this is were it was extremely challenging to maintain my position as a delegate and defend the interests of Syria, rather than defend my personal opinion of what would be principled measures to take.
The St.Paul’s MUN was a complete shock; it changed my perspective and values of what being a delegate and having diplomacy meant. We were first divided into committees, which meant Diego and I were together but in separate groups from most of the others St. Francis Students. Apparently the timetable was messed up and we did not go through all the initial stages of what we had so carefully prepared and planned.
It was an extremely hostile environment where one country would be simply attacking the other and there seemed to be no cooperation whatsoever towards finding a plausible solution. The questioning and doubting and cynicism involved among the different delegations were revolting. This is were I began to question, that if this was a simulation of what was going on in the UN headquarters at New York, then the reality would not be that much different. There countries would probably be placing there interests before others, especially before the interests of a moral solution.
The Security Council is definitely the most active council in the UN in terms of discussions and this was known by me before I had chosen to work with it, but this challenge was really proving tome that, what I had dreamed of and fantasied about was actually extremely far from reality. The countries were not there to help or solve worldwide issue, they were there to ensure that no international act was going to in any case limit their own power. I began to look for different jobs and ideas of work which I could engage myself with after college, and many more interesting ideas were beginning to be formed.
With this activity I learnt that there is no use, having all positive feedback and good experiences when you are attempting to form an opinion, the negative aspect of it needs to be experienced so that I can be able to form a more round opinion. Nothing has only a positive side, the negative side exists and it needs to be known so that I could make a balance and see if it was actually worth it.
Emotional Thoughts During St. Paul's MUN
This all seems so cynical, the idea, the atmosphere is of a hostile one. Odeie, serio. Que coisa mais desconfortavel, odious
nao tem nada haver, eh muito ridículo, muito mal feito, muito hipotético, frivolous words, frivolous, ACTION I NEED ACTION!
me irrita isso acaba comigo!
Discutindo, discutindo se atacando! tentando mostrar-se mais fácil odiei, odiei.
ai essa menina entra
Super estranha
do nada, e faz um showzinho estranho cheio de metaforas do nada,
ai ela veio fala do treaty of versailles
mano como eu odeie
odiei
Postura, diplomacia e ética.
This all seems so cynical, the idea, the atmosphere is of a hostile one. Odeie, serio. Que coisa mais desconfortavel, odious
nao tem nada haver, eh muito ridículo, muito mal feito, muito hipotético, frivolous words, frivolous, ACTION I NEED ACTION!
me irrita isso acaba comigo!
Discutindo, discutindo se atacando! tentando mostrar-se mais fácil odiei, odiei.
ai essa menina entra
Super estranha
do nada, e faz um showzinho estranho cheio de metaforas do nada,
ai ela veio fala do treaty of versailles
mano como eu odeie
odiei
Postura, diplomacia e ética.