Let's stay diplomats! Interview with MUN PSL students
Three students help us discover MUN (the Model United Nations association). PSL’s mission is to bring students together to prepare them to debate and participate in the MUN; these major international student conferences are based on the model of the UN. Interview with Axelle Guilloteau, Jémelie Jaffart and Nina Lauret, CPES PSL students ().
PSL: Define your association in 3 words?
A.G, J.J, N.L: Curiosity, Exchange, Discovery!
PSL: How did you meet and how did you come up with the idea of creating your student organization?
A.G, J.J, N.L: All 3 of us are students of PSL CPES, so we met in class last year. The idea came from shared passions and commitments, and our desire to invite a maximum number of students to discover the experience of a MUN. But we did not create the MUN: the club MUN PSL was born in 2015 and managed until the end of the last school year by students of MINES ParisTech. When we joined the PSL delegation last year, we discovered a real passion for MUN, so we wanted to move on to the organization and management of the club this year.
PSL: Your best associative memory?
A.G, J.J, N.L: Difficult to choose ... Our best memory goes back to September 16, 2016, the day we held our first information meeting. We were a little stressed and had no idea how many people would come. In the end, there were about twenty students and we overcame our first challenge... That day, we became aware of the adventure in which we had embarked, and we were delighted with the student interest in joining the MUN PSL.
PSL: Any success secrets?
A.G, J.J, N.L: A lot of benevolence! In the team, we make a point to honor and respect our individual personal limits. To build a good office, it is essential to trust other team members and to feel connected emotionally. Humor is also a good way for us to reboot respectively. We send a small GIF or we remember a funny anecdote and the stress is gone!
PSL: If you had a Motto?
A.G, J.J, N.L: Our motto would undoubtedly be: Let's stay diplomats!
PSL: Concretely, as part of your association, what does PSL bring you?
A.G, J.J, N.L: With our MUN club, being part of PSL offers visibility and many opportunities for exchange and contribution between students. Indeed, the students of the club come from very diversified fields of study, which brings them complementary visions on the topics that one can approach in simulation MUN. In addition, PSL provides the ideal setting to organize our meetings, as well as administrative support to help us carry out our projects for the MUN PSL and it allow us to push our ambitions even further, higher, and stronger!
PSL: What achievements do you hope for, in the coming year?
A.G, J.J, N.L: For the coming year, we would like MUN to reach the maximum number of participating students. Joining a delegation in different MUN conferences is unforgettable and we would like many students to take part in this experience. We will try to offer conferences tailored to the budget of each student, and for this, we must be organized and determined: bet launched! We hope to win an award (prize awarded at MUN conference) to promote PSL throughout the entire academic world!
PSL: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Nina: At the moment, my professional project is not defined yet, but I would really like to work in the field of diplomacy.
´³Ã©³¾¾±±ô¾±±ð: All I know is that I want to practice a profession that is useful for society from a political and environmental point of view. So maybe in 10 years I will be giving speeches in front of an audience to raise awareness for causes that are close to my heart.
Axelle: I have just made my choice of majors for the coming year, so to project myself in ten years is difficult ... Creating theater or studies on the genre would certainly please me, but nothing is decided yet. I would also like to manage the committees in MUN!
PSL: Feel free to answer a question that we have not asked yet.
A.G, J.J, N.L: If you had the opportunity to exchange with those you were at the creation of the association, what would you say to them?
Because of the lack of representation of women in high administrative positions, for example, in diplomacy, one can sometimes have the impression that one is not "legitimate" enough to manage a MUN association. Self-confidence and motivation really remain the cornerstones of any associative project. At first sight, starting an association can seem like a huge project when you're a student, but if you rely on a strong team, these challenges are far from insurmountable.
Through the MUN, here is the opportunity to practice the art of debate! The idea is to bring together students from around the world for discussions around topics of global importance. And just like at the United Nations, the goal is to reach a common agreement to solve a problem with international repercussions. Each student must then represent a country whose position he will defend in this debate. The MUN is a rewarding experience as it allows students to practice English and to become familiar with sometimes unfamiliar subjects.
You want to join the MUN PSL or follow their news? Go to their or send an email to: mun.univpsl@gmail.com