ILYMUN Attendees’ Experience!
Our written press team investigates on the Humans of ILYMUN.
On the first day of ILYMUN, many people arrived, most of them strangers to us. At first, only one thing seemed to be in common: their smile. So we became inquisitive: why were they here, and what was making them smile so much? Here’s what we found out.
From the testimonies we heard, there are many different and unique reasons for coming to ILYMUN. Many had heard from their friends or their family about how much fun it had been for them, and wished to discover what ILYMUN really is, and what it really means. Members who had participated in previous ILYMUN conferences told of how much fun it was previously, and how that pushed them to apply to the conference again. Others simply enjoy their MUN clubs in their respective schools, and wished to share that passion with as many people possible, in a wider conference, allowing further debate on very specific issues. Indeed, one motif that we observed was that ILYMUN attendees consider this conference to be a good place for personal development and learning new skills, or stepping out of their comfort zone. They also consider the conference to be valuable asset in university applications, as it reflects for some the environment or the kind of job they wish to continue working in after their studies. ILYMUN conferences are indeed considered a place where one can learn about the world, but also broader skills such public speaking, hard work or teamwork and management. For members of the organising team, satisfaction rose as the conference slowly came together; and watching it grow and go from a plan to reality once again brought personal satisfaction with this yearly achievement. The conference holds a particular attention to several aspects of any MUN, it is indeed “fun, while debating eloquently”.
Indeed, everyone’s favourite parts of the conference varied just as much, and many found it hard to choose between everything ILYMUN had offered. Several students mentioned the atmosphere of the conference, and how much they enjoyed being surrounded by people who shared a passion for debating. They loved having the possibility of getting to meet new people, especially getting the chance to know people they wouldn’t usually talk to. Indeed, several different schools participate at the conference, and it was interesting to see so many students bonding over this common interest. Others declared the debating to be their favourite part, along with everything that goes with it such as lobbying, consisting in finding other delegates sharing the same ideas and coming up with motions for everyone to discuss. Another popular moment of the conference was the party, and the silent disco, organised by the Social Events team. The presence of many inspiring guest speakers was also very appreciated, noticeably Jean Louis Etienne, whose presence “will be forever engraved in ILYMUN history”.
Claire Dominici and Anna Felappi
