Institute in Paris students cross the Atlantic to participate in model European Union Conference

The event, which simulates the institutions of the European Union, was held at the SUNY Global Centre between 6-9 January and brought together a host of universities and colleges from around the world. It was an opportunity for students to learn about the functioning of the EU and acquire practical experience of communicating and interacting in an international setting. The Institute in Paris team, representing the states of Cyprus and Denmark, was composed of students from across the three year-groups, including Mees Passier (BA1), Maria Iftimie (BA2), Benedict Marra (BA2), Tinahy Ramamonjiarisoa (BA2), and Jennifer Wendorff (BA3), and were accompanied by Dr Giovanni Menegalle, who teaches in both the International Politics and French Studies programmes at the Institute in Paris.

On the first day of the conference, our students took part in a guided visit to the United Nations Headquarters and met participants from other universities at an opening event. Over the course of the next two days, they then met with the other member state delegations to negotiate agenda points across multiple areas of policy within three institutional configurations: the European Council of Heads of Government, the Foreign Affairs Council of EU foreign ministers, and an Environmental Council.

The event culminated in a collective signing of the final agenda and a prize-giving ceremony. Debate centred on several issues of contemporary relevance including Ukraine, Greenland, the EU’s relationship to the United States, defence policy, and renewable energy, with both of our delegations making important and lively contributions to the discussions and final agreement.