From December 10 to 14, 2024, five students from the University of Pisa participated in the “Model United Nations” in Brussels, organised by Circle U., the University Alliance that brings together the University of Pisa and eight other European universities on the same campus. The MUN is a simulation of the work of the United Nations in which participants take on the role of delegates from different countries in one of the many UN offices (UNESCO, WHO, Security Council, or European Council), representing their positions and debating specific issues to achieve global solutions.
The University of Pisa was represented by Diletta Barachini, Federico Carzedda, Marta Dell’Amico, Maddalena Matilde Lorenzini and Zoe Stroobant, who spent five days discussing this year’s topic, i.e. Artificial Intelligence, together with colleagues from other universities.
After several weeks of preparation, during which participants studied the positions of their assigned country and trained in debating techniques, they travelled to the Belgian capital to meet students from other Alliance universities, led by diplomatic experts.
This year, the initiative, which has been welcomed with great enthusiasm since its first edition, has once again proved to be a stimulating and interdisciplinary experience that can enrich the educational offer of the university. This is demonstrated by the two students interviewed who, coming from different study paths, decided to participate in MUN driven by curiosity and interest in international relations.
“Going abroad and meeting new people that, for obvious reasons, have different backgrounds is always an extremely engaging experience, and I was able to expand my knowledge of AI, the countries’ positions on the subject and also the viewpoints of the other students involved,” says Zoe Stroobant, a third-year student of Political Science and International Relations.
“I recommend this experience to everyone because it helps a lot in improving the ability and confidence in speaking in a foreign language in front of an audience, which will certainly be appreciated in a future context,” adds Marta Dell’Amico, a second-year student of Law.
This experience has multiple strengths: from public speaking to negotiation, from dealing with new cultures to deepening knowledge of AI. The answer to the question of whether this experience should be repeated or not is clear and unanimous: a firm yes, which reflects the enthusiasm of those who had the opportunity to participate in the MUN.
Agata Merian Bernacca, Susanna De Luca, Anna Terroni
Circle U. Ambassadors - University of Pisa