Marianne Raad
Honours Social Science
ModelUN Conferences
Model United Nations (MUN) conferences simulate international diplomacy, where students represent countries, discuss global issues, and draft resolutions. These events promote diplomacy, critical thinking, public speaking, and cooperation, helping participants develop a deeper understanding of global affairs. The Cisa ModelUN and I attend various conferences whether they are at College or University level!
CONMUN
The Concordia modelUN was my first conference and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was a part of the General Assembly and our topic was Navigating the Web of Disinformation in the Digital Age as well as the protection of minorities. I was attributed to the country of Indonesia and my position on this matter was highly significant since Indonesia has an immense amount of minorities. During 6 committee sessions, we worked hard on finding resolutions that would benefit all of our countries and implement concrete and effective solutions to counter these pressing issues. This was truly an unforgettable experience as I got to meet so many great delegates and got to get out of my comfort zone by talking in front of over 50 people.
VMUN
The vanier modelUN was definelty one to remeber!
This was my first College-level conference. I was a part of the General Assembly and our topic was
Gender-Based Crimes Against Women
in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as well as forced laborers. My country was Pakistan therefore, it was a challenge trying to stay in my country's character while staying ethical and sometimes countering my values and beliefs. It wasn't always easy, and there were moments when I had to navigate some pretty tricky situations. Forming alliances to implement resolutions was another difficult task but after many fruitful discussions we came to a Pacific agreement to act on the matters.
SimEuro
SimEuro was a simulation conference focused on the European Union at the Cégep level. It marked my inaugural participation in a French conference, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The format involved double delegation, wherein two individuals represented a single country. My partner, Ophélie, and I represented Latvia. Despite the challenges of reaching consensus among all participating countries, we successfully navigated through. Our discussion centered around the critical issues of discrimination and misinformation within the European Union. To our delight, Ophélie and I were awarded a prize at the conclusion of the conference in recognition of our remarkable efforts!
SSUNS
SSuns proved to be the most extensive conference I had attended thus far. Organized by McGill University, it was exclusively reserved for CEGEP students, unlike MMCUN. The event welcomed numerous attendees from abroad, including individuals from the United States and France.
Representing Niger in a simulated scenario of combating Artificial Intelligence in the year 2100 presented a unique challenge. It required me to envision myself in a futuristic context. Additionally, as the delegate of a still-developing country, I had to factor in the technological disparities compared to more advanced nations represented in the committee, such as Russia, France, Canada, Brazil, among others.
With over 120 participants in our committee room, discussions were lively and diverse, ensuring a continuous flow of topics to explore. Each country brought forth its perspectives and opinions, enriching the dialogue throughout the conference.
ModelNATO
13 students and I participated to a four-day journey to Ottawa to participate in the Carleton Model NATO conference, making it an unforgettable weekend.
This marked my inaugural NATO simulation experience, which differed slightly from United Nations conferences. Unlike the UN, consensus was essential for decision-making in NATO simulations. My committee focused on NATO-Ukraine affairs. Given the ongoing situation in Ukraine, our debates centered on whether Ukraine should join NATO amidst challenging circumstances.
The four days were filled with intense discussions. Representing Macedonia, I had numerous considerations, including sovereignty, national peace, citizen welfare, nuclear threats, and more.
Undoubtedly, this experience is one that will be fondly remembered.
