Conference - Opening Day

After a wholesome and filling European breakfast consisting of fresh assortments of bread, cheeses, and meats, we were energized for a full day of lobbying and whatever questions any delegate wanted to throw at us. We walked through The Hague with melting snow covering the streets and the wind blowing in our faces all prepared for our first day of debate at The Hague International Model United Nations Conference. We walked through the doors and were engulfed by the sea of anxious students from all over the world. From there, each of us went to our respective rooms and immediately began the lobbying process. We talked with students from countries such as France, Belgium, Ecuador, China, Croatia and many more. I was pleasantly surprised to reunite with one of my Egyptian friends from the Genoa Model UN conference which shows how small the world really is. In the lobbying process, each member of our delegation found a way to merge clauses from their resolutions into another resolution which illustrates the true spirit of the United Nations which is multilateral diplomacy through cooperation and compromise. After successfully merging our clauses, forging alliances, and contributing to the completion of resolutions we refueled at lunch while meeting new people. We took group pictures which I hope turned out pretty nice. After we finished taking pictures, we went to the opening ceremony where Idrienne and Ashlyn served as Ambassadors of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific while I held our organization’s flag in the flag parade. We didn’t waste any time after the day ended because we came back to the hotel, changed clothes, and went right to the city center. We had dinner at a Mexican Restaurant where everyone had their fair share of flour tortillas, rice, vegetables, and steak. Overall, today was a solid day and I can’t wait until tomorrow!

Tyler Allen