Angels Shine at Spain Model UN

Julie Mills
The Harvard Model UN Congress (HMCE) in Madrid in March, 2018 proved to be a superbly wonderful experience for all delegates. Known for its professionalism and organization, this conference  also boasts an encouraging and co-operative approach to negotiations that make liaising with others very meaningful. Harvard's conference in Europe is rich because there are many students from many countries around the world and they bring their experiences to the issues being discussed. Not only did this Harvard delegation enjoy this conference par excellence, these MUN students were able to enjoy some traveling to lovely parts of the South of Spain where they viewed beautiful architectural and historic sites cities as the UNESCO heritage city of Toledo, the Alhambra in Granada and the Mezquita in Cordoba.
Congratulations to the following 9 students who won awards at the recent Harvard MUN conference in Madrid! This was the most awards we have  ever won at HMCE! Way to go Model UN Angels!

Four Best Awards on their committees:
  • Christy - Anna Chung '19 who represented Yemen on the Arab League
  • Elise Lafleur '18 who represented Poland on the European Commission
  • Alison Lee '20 who represented Australia on the Historical Committee
  • Cindy Gau '19 who represented Iran on the G24
Five Honorable Mention Awards:
  • Vanessa Batten '19 who represented Belgium on the EU
  • Haley Wiezcorek '20 who represented Cuba on Human Rights
  • Ava MacFarlane '20 who represented Sadiq Khan on Brexit
  • Renee Laberge '19 who represented Libya on the Arab League 
  • Katarina Szulc '19 who represented Poland on Brexit
 
Please read the following reflections on the conference by Elise Lafleur and Vanessa Batten:
                                                                                                                 
Every delegate learned something unique and valuable at Harvard Model Congress 2018, held in Madrid from the 9-12th of March. For first-timers and seasoned veterans alike, Harvard Model Congress was an incredible experience and exhilarating contrast to local conferences. Daises were well versed, knowledgeable, and cared for both the delegates and the topic with an enthusiastic passion that’s rare to see. For some, it was one of many conferences on their belt, and therefore an opportunity to refine their speaking styles, grow the ease with which they follow the debate, and hone their diplomatic skills on an international level. Others challenged their own expectations and met the competition on unprecedented levels. We made wonderful new friends from all over Europe, and were exposed to serious, relevant topics affecting the nations where many of the these delegates live. 
 
The conference centred on a series of World Summits, meetings of delegates from all different committees to ask questions and debate the difficult issues and conditions of Brexit. The partial breakup of the European Union can seem removed from our concerns in Canada, but to European teenagers, it is immediate and alarming; it directly shapes the world in which they will attend university and work. This personal link shaped the tone of the conference; as much as all the attendees enjoyed rigorous debate and friendly competition on issues we had just researched, it was evident that all the delegates who rose to speak at the Future of Europe sessions had strong opinions on what would be the future of their home. This greatly enriched our experience in Spain and perception of the world at large.
 
The conference was run with great attention to detail, both in essential logistics and fun extras that enhanced the learning experiences. Some staff members acted out “guest appearances” for a question and answer session with Angela Merkel and Theresa May. The organizers’ passion and creativity were evident in how they structured the weekend with a blend of individual committee sessions, Future of Europe discussions, and summits at which we presented our committee’s accomplishments and had the opportunity to critique those of the other committees.  
 
Newcomers will definitely be glad to call HMCE’s professionalism, engagement, welcoming atmosphere, and academic rigour their first experience with Model UN, while veterans found it deeply satisfying and witnessed new standards to strive for both as delegates and future staff. At the end of the weekend, our efforts were rewarded with nine prestigious awards representing some of the hard work, learning and joy of the conference. HMCE is a fantastic conference!
 
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