Ioana, our Romanian Year 12 student at CIS Skolkovo, got a unique opportunity this year to go to Korea for MUN (Model United Nations), a large—scale event where guys from different countries play the role of UN delegates and strive to solve acute social problems. This conference is hosted by Yale University and is needed to awaken civic engagement in schoolchildren from all over the world. After all, the future of the planet belongs to the younger generation! 

We decided to ask Ioana about her arrival in Korea, the difficulties of the debate, and all the surprises she encountered along the way. 

— Hello, Ioana! You got a lucky ticket by getting a chance to travel to another country as a delegate. How did you manage to "break through" there? 

— Thank you, this is really a great success! But I also put a lot of effort into getting to the conference: this year I passed the IGCSE, an international exam that provides high academic qualifications. For this achievement, I was "rewarded" with the opportunity to go to Seoul and get such an unusual experience.

— You're doing a great job! Have you ever been to Korea before? What impressed you about this country?

— This is the first time I have visited Korea. When I was a child, I only visited European countries, and I knew almost nothing about Asian culture. But when I arrived in Seoul and drove a car through the local streets, I was deeply impressed by the technological nature of this city! Robots, smart homes, automated kiosks, traffic control systems — it was as if I had entered another world! I've never seen anything like it before!

— It must be fascinating! Can you tell us about the first day at the conference? Were you nervous in front of him?

— Yes, I was pretty worried about the opening ceremony. I expected it to be a serious event. Let's be honest, that's how it really turned out. 

But we were greeted very warmly! Many delegates, their advisers and parents came. All the guests were welcomed in a huge room, which could accommodate about 300-400 people. Soon, students and professors from Yale University, as well as other experienced workers in the field of diplomacy, spoke to us. All of them aroused my incredible admiration! It was nice to know that I was a "colleague" to them in a sense!

— That's right, you were on a grand mission! Tell me, what happened after the opening?

— Immediately after the opening ceremony, we had a seminar where they explained all the rules of the "game". After that, we filled out a form with our preferences: we had to specify which aspects of the social life of the countries we wanted to engage in. I chose population management and economic development. 

Then the organizers drew lots and gave each delegate a country whose interests he would protect. Of course, the country should not have coincided with the nationality of the participant in the debate. I got Turkey. Other Asian countries also received delegates: Kazakhstan, Japan, South Korea, and so on.

— Very interesting! What kind of social problems in Turkey have you studied? What did you suggest as a solution?

— I have devoted most of my time to the issues of demography and internal migration. I have noticed that the birth rate has decreased in the least populated areas of Turkey in recent years. 

As a solution, I proposed to expand cooperation between the state and the private sector on infrastructure improvement. In my opinion, financing local projects aimed at improving the quality of life could seriously affect the desire of young people to start a family and stay in their native region.

— Impressive! How long have you been developing this strategy? How much time did you have at the debate to speak with her? Were you scared?

The preparation for the debate took all 4 days — that's how long I was at the conference. I attended all the meetings where I could freely discuss a topic similar to mine with other delegates. Then I analyzed the information I received, found new solutions, and went to moderated meetings, where I participated in experimental debates. Each delegate had about one to one and a half minutes in which to reveal a specific sub-topic. For example, the attitude of the authorities towards the aging of the population.

In addition, I had 6 two-hour Committee meetings during the conference. We used them to develop resolutions, which we subsequently presented at the main debates. And we were given only 30-45 seconds to respond to them.

I was very nervous in the early days. But then I noticed that everyone around me was as nervous as I was, and I realized that we were all on the same emotional level, so to speak, "in the same boat." It allowed me to let go of the situation a bit. 

— Which countries did the members of your Committee come from? Maybe they told you something unusual about their culture? 

— There were students from Japan, Korea, and the United Arab Emirates on my committee. We rarely discussed our countries: there was plenty of that at the conference anyway. In the evenings, we just wanted to get to know each other better and really get closer as individuals. Thanks to this, I made new friends. I still keep in touch with them by correspondence.

— Who was on the jury? Do you think they will offer your answer to solve real problems?

— We didn't have a jury: only the community director, who coordinated all the debates, as well as his assistant, who made sure that all participants respected each other and did not break the rules. After the events, they gave feedback: they talked about our achievements and mistakes. 

I am not sure that my answers will influence the policy of an independent country. But I like to think that I have researched the problem well and that my solutions could be implemented. According to my calculations, they do not require large investments from the government.

— How did the conference end? What emotions and practical skills did you bring out of it?

— As in the beginning, all the delegates were gathered in a large hall, but now they were awarded certificates of participation. We took pictures, smiled, talked. I was overwhelmed with positive emotions, I got a lot of unforgettable impressions! 

At MUN, I understood the interconnectedness of all aspects of human life, as well as improved my public speaking skills. I've learned to keep several theses in mind at once, declare my position, and not get lost in a stressful environment. At the debate, it was necessary to speak quickly, clearly and to the point. I think this experience will be especially useful in my future profession.

— Who are you planning to apply to?

— I'm going to study law. As you might guess, I will have to speak on ships quite often, so the experience gained at MUN will be very useful. Besides, this is a huge plus for my student portfolio.

— What advice can you give to other guys who will go to MUN in the future?

— Don't be afraid to try new things! Experiment, explore, and find solutions! At MUN, you will become a better version of yourself!

Ms Daria