The Haigazian University Model United Nations Club (HUMUN), after successfully hosting over 310 delegates in March 2023, sent six club members to Barcelona on the 13th of September to participate in the Model United Nations Student Association (MUNSA 2023) Conference at the Pompeu Fabra University. This was the first international representation of Haigazian in an MUN.
Barcelona became the stage for our students to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, personality and talent before some 150 delegates gathered from universities in 29 countries. Their participation and spontaneous contributions did not only make Haigazian University’s name resonate among MUNSA’s participants and organizers, but also reflected their nation’s and its peoples’ values.
From public speaking to negotiation, mediation, strategic planning and networking, Garod Kambourian, Garen Kazarian, Kevork Bebejian, Fadle Jabre, Mohammad Chehab and Sergio Ayoub showcased professionalism, resilience, patience and competence by taking the lead of their respective committees and impacting their fellow delegates.
With pride we mention that 4 out of 6 HUMUN delegates won awards. Receiving Best Delegate Award in their committees of UNICEF and ECOSOC were Garod Kambourian and Fadel Jaber; Best Position Paper to Garen Kazarian in the UNHC committee, and Honorable Delegate Award to Sergio Ayoub in ECOSOC committee.
It was a joy for the team to meet two HU alumni, Berj Dekermenjian (Psych 2012) and Karina Melkonian (BAD 2013), who offered guidance, interacted with our students, and shared their professional journeys and experiences since graduating. On the team’s last night in Barcelona, they met with a group of Armenian youth at La Casa Cultural Armenia and exchanged points of view on a variety of topics and the factors that motivate them to help one another.
In such times of uncertainty in Lebanon, Armenia and Artsakh, the days spent at the MUNSA 2023 conference reminded our students that anything is possible, and that Haigazian University’s true mission is to give them all the resources necessary for each of them to achieve their goals. Meeting Armenian community members reminded our students that wherever two Armenians meet, a small Armenia will be born, and interacting with HU alumni in Spain gave them a glimpse of what they might become.