Model United Nations (MUN) isn’t just an acronym; it’s a dynamic group of students at NES dedicated to the realms of diplomacy, international relations, and the world of debating. Meet the MUN executives: Mia Kerr, Vardaan Gajjar, Hasan Sarsour, Yousef Hafez, Omar El Mihi, Tina Kisswani, and our Secretary General, Eman Dowair.
In this interview, we’ll delve into the experiences and amazing insights of these MUN leaders.
To start off, how long has each member been at NES?
- Mia: 2 years
- Omar: 6 years
- Hasan: 6th and final year
- Yousef: 9 years
- Vardaan: 4 years
- Tina: 5 years
- Eman: 15 years
What made you want to join MUN?
Mia shares her initial hesitation: “To be honest at the start, I wasn’t really interested in doing MUN. If anything, I was really anxious over the thought of standing in front of people who have years of experience.” Hasan, in a funnier way, joined with a friend to start wars with each other for the sake of having fun. When asked the same question, Tina replies, “Well, my mom forced me to join, but it then improved my public speaking skills and i’ve enjoyed it ever since’’
What is it like being an executive?
Yousef finds joy in leadership despite the challenges: “Being an executive is very fun to me; it has its difficulties, but I enjoy every second of it. There are unexpected times where you have to do certain things. Sometimes you run on a tight schedule and have to work efficiently. Often there are small fires you have to put out that you would never expect to be a problem until you are an executive and have to be the one solving the problems. However, it does feel great to be a leader and to help improve and be a part of something you care about.”
Vardan shares his experience by saying this; “As an MUN executive, I have learned how to work as a team, including strong communication skills. This experience has enhanced my understanding of how I should expect university and eventually the job market to be.” Hasan, as deputy secretary general, says that it’s definitely not easy, however seeing the hard work come along nicely is pretty good.”
What made you want to become an executive?
Eman, the Secretary General: “The ultimate dream for me was to be Secretary General. Ever since I made it to trainer, I had my sights set on it, specifically because I wanted to be able to bring my ideas to the table and hone my responsibility and leadership skills. That’s something I value a lot, especially since I’m pursuing a degree in law.”
Who would you recommend this position to?
Mia encourages those who are passionate about MUN: “Being executive is for anyone who is passionate about MUN. I can confidently say that all of the execs can comment on how MUN has been such an important part of their high school experience.” Yousef recommends the position to current trainers and experienced delegates, emphasising a passion for MUN and the ability to work well in a team.
What is your most significant memory with the MUN?
Omar talks about a Star Wars debate, an unexpected yet memorable experience. Mia remembers receiving the Delegate of the Year Award in her first year, defying initial scepticism; ‘’Whilst this may sound cliche, their response was that no one in their first year of MUN received those types of awards – hence why being awarded Delegate of the Year meant so much as it proved to myself that I can achieve what I want; as long as I put the work in. A similar scenario happened with me applying to be an MUN executive. Since I wasn’t a trainer before, people also told me I wouldn’t be considered for the role… Well Well here we are today’’
Vardaan mentions a recent achievement at the Harvard Model Congress in Dubai, winning the ‘best delegate’ award after not debating for two years.
What have you learned as an MUN executive?
Eman reflects: “Leadership does come with its pros and cons, and I learnt that I need to be able to think on my feet at any given time. Unlike being an executive, any problems arising in the program come straight to me. It taught me the value of responsibility in its highest form.” Eman emphasises the need for executives to be team players and hard workers: “Each exec is really good at what they do, and that’s because each role was tailored to their strengths and interests, so you have to be able to bring something new to the table.”
Do you enjoy your time doing this?
Eman expresses 100% enjoyment, driven by her passion for debating. Tina, Omar, Hasan, and Vardaan all share their satisfaction, with no regrets about the challenges the role brings. Yousef adds ‘’There is not a day as an MUN executive where I regret being one or dread the work I have to do.”
What qualities do you think are looked for in an executive?
Omar and Hasan both agree that you have to have confidence when speaking, they want to see how quick you are on their feet and if you have general ideas you would like to see implemented
In conclusion, Interviewing the executives gave us a lot of insight into their experiences, and what to do if it’s something you’d like to partake in. There were many confounding answers given – and we found it quite fascinating.
Lastly, we would like to thank the executives who took the time out of their day to answer our questions with great care and detail; we are immensely grateful for the opportunity to work with them.
