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This semester, I joined the UofL’s chapter of the United Nations Association (UNA). Being interested in peace, diplomacy, and international relations, I knew this would be a great club to meet people with similar interests and take part in opportunities that may help my professional career. However, I had no idea the extent to which I would love being a part of the chapter.
Last weekend, I competed with UofL’s UNA in the Midwest Model European Union (MMEU) Conference at Indiana University. UofL sponsored two delegations: Spain, and Italy. I was assigned to represent Spain as the Minister of Justice and Home affairs. For every bill I voted on, I had to vote as if I were the current Spanish Minister of the Interior, Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. Embodying Minister Grande-Marlaska was fun because I had to vote “YEA” on several bills that I personally disagreed with; it was like taking on a new alter-ego.
This simulation reminded me of the importance of looking at politics from a different perspective. As I was arguing against my personal beliefs, I was also strengthening them. At first, it was tricky deciphering which opinions were my own and which were Spain’s. But by day two, I got much more comfortable acting as the Minister and embodied him and his beliefs as best I could – even making some political enemies along the way (looking at you Demark, and Finland).
I am proud of my Ministry and all that we accomplished. We passed several bills pertaining to the Ukrainian crisis that would aid in the relocation and humane treatment of Ukrainian Refugees. Passing these bills took diligent and intentional conversation between our countries since many countries had very different relationships with Russia. We also passed legislation pertaining to human trafficking, prison conditions, and paid parental leave.
I am also proud of myself, since as a first-time delegate to the MMEU conference, I was nervous about all the things that could go wrong. I was particularly concerned about not being familiar with Parliamentary procedure. But everything went off without a hitch; so much so that the bill I proposed to my Ministry was voted on without any amendments added (a tough task when more than eighteen countries’ opinions are involved). By the end of the conference, I was making deals and alliances with other countries and making sure Spain’s voice was known.
However, I am most proud of my chapter as a whole. This was UofL’s first time competing at a Model European Union conference, so we didn’t quite know what to expect. My chapter made me feel as if I had been friends with them my whole life. We all had our own personal anxieties going into the conference, but everyone encouraged and lifted each other up as much as they could. We gave it our all and improved along the way; it was an honor to stand as a delegate alongside my peers and represent UofL.
I am excited to compete next year and see where my United Nations Association endeavors lead me next!
Mallory Slucher is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2025. She is studying political science and Arabic at the University of Louisville.