ACT students at the ThessISMUN 2019
The ThessISMUN 2019 conference took place from May 1 to May 5, 2019 at the University of Macedonia. Six ACT students (namely, Maja Matkovic, Vasiliki Kakari, Nikolas Zafiriadis, Lazaros Siantsis, Nikita Triandafillidis and Jacob Coffelt) represented three countries this year (Hungary, Equatorial Guinea, and Panama) while a seventh, Karina Iskandarova, was the Vice-President for the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
For these five days, intense debating and research took place and all of them were able to provide valuable positions for their topics as well as respect their countries’ policies. This was a first-time experience for many but a few others had been MUN delegates in the past.
Here are comments from some of our delegates, ambassadors, and the Vice-President:
Lazaros Siantsis (Ambassador of Hungary)
“I feel so grateful and honored for being part of an enthusiastic team, which proudly represented ACT, our college, in this year's ThessISMUN. From learning how to structure and deliver a speech, sharpening our diplomatic skills, debating while collaborating and familiarizing ourselves with the United Nations workings and balances, ThessISMUN 2019 was a truly valuable and unforgettable experience!”
Vasiliki Kakari (Delegate of Equatorial Guinea)
“Representing the Republic of Equatorial Guinea at the committee of UNESCO at ThessISMUN 2019 was a very interesting, challenging and fun experience! This kind of conference is definitely one of a kind and one of the things that really attracted me was that the fact that each one of the topics of every committee is current and very interesting to debate upon. Looking forward to participating again!”
Nikita Triandafillidis (Ambassador of Panama)
“This year’s ThessISMUN was definitely a worthy experience. I loved the intense debates in my committee and I am grateful I choose something like the International Maritime Organization which made me view my International Relations studies from a technical perspective. I met many interesting people and I hope I will have the chance to have the same experience in Thessaloniki and any other place hosting MUN conferences. I recommend it to everyone!”
Karina Iskandarova (Vice-President for the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
“Having participated in several MUNs both in Greece and in France as a delegate, this time I had the honor to serve as a member of the board of the CRPD. Being a board member is both a challenging and an interesting experience. All six months during my preparation for the conference, I had immense obligations towards the organizers and my supervisor. During the actual event, the President and I had to moderate the debates all nine hours, be fair to all, be strict with the rules and at the same time have fun with my amazing experts. Overall, this experience sharpened my critical thinking, multi-tasking and organizational skills and of course formed beautiful memories and new friendships. It was an honor to serve as the Vice - President of this committee as I learned more about myself and about the issues that trouble millions of people with disabilities around the globe. That is why such simulations are worth-living as they offer you in-depth knowledge about matters that can have a global impact and enhance their expertise in the field.
