Nowadays going to university is not only about studying but also about being socially engaged and making as many experiences as possible. For us (Jessica Keck and Marie Fuchs) the Model United Nations Workshop Weekend in Wiesbaden was a unique experience. For one thing we gained a lot of insight into the rules and procedures of the actual UN, for another it was also setting the foundation of new friendships like ours.
After having registered for the 2017 MUN Workshop weekend every participant was assigned to a country and a partner. In order to convincingly represent ones country one had to do in-depth research based on the position papers, given to us by the MUN heads. Since we simulated a committee session of the United Nations Environment Programme we had to focus especially on sustainable issues as for instance the challenges of a green economy including the management of hazardous waste.
In Wiesbaden we were now all eager to put our gained knowledge into action. As the workshop was very well organized we first received some general information about the agenda setting for the following two days. Not wanting to lose any time we started right off with the delegates’ opening speeches. Throughout the entire weekend we strictly followed the MUN proceedings. These include setting the speaker’s time, raising motions in order to suspend or adjourn the debate and addressing the attendees by “Honorable Chair, Distinguished Delegates”. Above all it was important to maintain a respectful and diplomatic behavior. In the process of the committee session we presented ideas, tried to find like-minded delegations to write working papers and negotiated for the purpose of finding common solutions by merging. Listening to other point of views was thoroughly inspiring and we experienced the importance of cooperation and dealing with other opinions. Consequently we voted upon our draft resolutions, which was the most exciting part for most of us. To see how long it takes for a resolution to pass was an equally fascinating and thrilling experience.
After having tested our professional knowhow and behavior it was time to see how we act in the group outside the conference room. The dinner at “Paulaner” gave us the opportunity to continue getting in touch with other students. Our group was a mixture of very different personalities, including bachelors and masters from a variety of origins. We further celebrated the evening at a club in Wiesbaden. Sharing a drink or two (maybe three, not more…) we put away our constraints and enjoyed the night.
In short, thanks to the MUN heads for an amazing weekend filled with researching, negotiating and clubbing. We are now looking forward to receiving a response to our application and cannot wait to continue this breathtaking journey of Model United Nations in New York in 2018.
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