Every year, delegates are buzzing with extreme excitement; wanting to know their forums and of course, working passionately on their resolutions. The Organizing Committee spends countless days and sleepless nights finishing everything that’s needed to be done, from editing videos to finding sponsors, with only one thing in mind: to make this the best conference yet. The Academic Committee devotes their time researching and typing away, creating outstanding chair reports for their anticipating delegates. With all of these individuals and teams working eagerly, there is one team merging everything together and that is the Executive Team. Malak Hassaballah (Secretary General), Yasmine Amr (Deputy Secretary General), and Ameena El Agha (Deputy Secretary General) are members of the HIAMUN 2018 Executive Team. They are the backbone of this conference. They exert their time and effort to make this an amazing conference and experience for all. This year, we interviewed the Executive Team in hopes that all of you get to know them.
How do you feel knowing that this is your last HIAMUN conference and what will you miss most about it?
Malak: HIAMUN has, from the start, been a huge part of my high school experience, and knowing that I will no longer be able to attend a conference devastates me. I will definitely miss the spirit of the conference shared among, not only the AC and OC, but the delegates as well.
Yasmine: I feel both happy and sad that this is my last conference; happy that I get to spend my last one alongside so many people that are passionate about what they do, and people that make it all more fun, but sad just because it is the last one, and it's an experience I'm going to miss looking forward to.
Ameena: Thankfully this isn't my last HIAMUN, stay tuned!
How is being part of the executive team different from being a delegate?
Malak: Being in the executive committee, I get to help bring the conference to life, alongside my outstanding deputies, and of course, Mr. Karim El Dib. From proof-reading chair reports and going over OC plans to checking if all the placards are in place, the executive committee organizes the conference from scratch. Delegates, though, experience the outcome of our efforts and add their own to the conference, contributing to its success and embodying the energy that makes HIAMUN what it is.
Yasmine: Being part of the executive team is a lot different from being a delegate. Needless to say, the responsibility becomes a lot bigger because we're not just responsible for ourselves, but for every delegate who attends the conference and it is our duty and their right that we give it our all to make it the best they've experienced. But still, whether you're a delegate or a member of the executive committee, you look forward to the conference and get unbelievable excited as the date nears.
Ameena: The two experiences are worlds apart. Being part of the executive team requires a year-long commitment where you have work to do almost every week. The work itself is more organizational than anything else, and your purpose is to give the attendees the best experience they can possibly get. Being a delegate, on the other hand, requires more academic work over a much shorter span of time. It's a way to better yourself and have a good time simultaneously. To put it simply, both experiences are completely different but satisfying in their own ways.
Describe in one word how you felt when you were chosen as part of the executive team?
Malak: Ecstatic
Yasmine: Proud (to be chosen and to be a part of something so much bigger than myself. )
Ameena: Euphoric
What makes HIAMUN unique in comparison with other MUN conferences that you have attended?
Malak: I think what makes HIAMUN unique in comparison to other conferences I’ve attended is that HIAMUN caters to individual delegates. Whether it’s through training sessions, one-to-one feedback on resolutions, or personally encouraging delegates to speak, presidents and chairs are always ready to support the delegates in their forums. In addition to that, HIAMUN has its own traditions that are carried on from session to the next, such as the chocolate fountain and the character of the year. To me, this makes HIAMUN very unique.
Yasmine: There are alot of things that make HIAMUN unique. HIAMUN, is a family, and there's always room for anyone and everyone. Every delegate can find help when they need it whether or not they are able to ask for it, because their chairs make sure of it. Every delegate has the equal opportunity to say what they want to say, because their chairs make sure of it. It goes without saying that our chocolate fountain also adds to the magic.
Ameena: HIAMUN is a melting pot of people with creativity, commitment, and professionalism. As cliche as it sounds, those people are doing their jobs because they love what they're doing and they believe in the conference's potential. Everyone who participates in the conference, from the delegates to the AC and OC, are aware of its high standards and they work to satisfy those standards.
What is the most memorable moment you have encountered from all of your experiences in MUN conferences?
Malak: My most memorable moment from all my MUN experiences was when Yasmine, DSG, and I were in the ICJ, and during the cross-examination of a witness who had forgotten his hypothetical name he claimed that it was because the day of the event we were questioning him about was "very stressful". His excuse left us all laughing!
Yasmine: My most memorable moment had to be the moment I was about to give my speech as President of the Third General Assembly, and that was in front of everyone at the conference, and I started thinking about the first time I spoke in a forum and how my knees were shaking and I could barely hear the words as they left my mouth. I thought that's what it would feel like to speak in front of so many people, but when I got to the podium my knees didn't shake and I could control my words and listen to them as they left my mouth, and I realized it was because of MUN that I was finally able to say my part and not be afraid about it
Ameena: The moment when I heard that we'd won our ICJ case at AISMUN 2016, which was gratifying after all the effort that we'd put into it.
Lastly , do you have any advice to those joining MUN as delegates for the first time?
Malak:
1. Speak up, even if you’ll have to get out of your comfort zone.
2. Open yourself to a wide range of ideas that can be added to your resolutions. Also, amendments aren’t meant to be a personal attack on you. - Enjoy the experience while it lasts!
Yasmine: As someone who once joined MUN for the first time as a shy child, my advice is to look at that confident delegate standing at the podium and remember that they, and every other delegate, was once a first-timer as well, and that if they can seem so confident and express their ideas so unapologetically, why can't you? So speak when you have something to say, and listen when others have something to say and you'll do great.
Ameena: Carpe diem; seize the day. (Another cliche?)