Harvard World Model United Nations Conference Melbourne 2013

Closing Ceremony at the Melbourne Convention Centre Plenary

I had the greatest pleasure last week to be interning for the 22nd session of the Harvard World Model United Nations Conference which was held in Melbourne this year! It was truly an experience I really will never forget!  Just the way young people can come together from over 80 different countries and share ideas, voice concerns and come to conclusions about such important issues in society, was just the most amazing part of WMUN (...excluding the social events LOL) 
As I was part of the Host team, running errands involved printing papers for Committee meetings and taking notes in Committee meetings, which doesn't SOUND very exciting however watching the Committee meetings run was a really rewarding and rather thrilling experience! I managed to sneak in and watch a couple Committees including the High Level Summit on the Millennium Development Goals and the International Conference on Population and Development 2013. Most of the week I was helping out at the merchandising/flowers table where delegates could buy a flower, write a message on the leaf and send it out to other delegates (lol cute for all those who were lovestruck), it would then be delivered by the lovely interns and read out in front of all the committees! Rather a nice idea, but seriously embarrassing for those receiving flowers ahah
During the week, we had some amazing speakers come talk to us  but I took away the most from Harry O'brien, Collingwood AFL player and Jan Owen, Entrepreneur for young people who talked about empowering young people. Each night had different social events where most of the interns could attend and lay back with the delegates, which was a really nice change from helping out at the back.

Sunday - Night Zero at Eve Night Club

Monday - Global Village at RMIT Alumni Courtyard

Tuesday - Spring Carnival at Republica

Wednesday - Cabaret Night at Trak Bar and Lounge

Thursday - Into the Wild at CQ Nightclub

Friday - Hooroo at Luna Park

Into the Wild with fellow interns

These social events really did bring out the best parts of Melbourne (excluding Luna Park...) including its beautiful night life and scenery. It was also my 20th birthday on the last day of the conference, and since it ticked over to midnight on the Thursday night - I got to celebrate with all these amazing people at CQ Nightclub as well as at Luna Park! I couldn't really be bothered planning anything for my 20th, but it turned out so much more than I could've hoped for! :)
So after going on the bumper cars (where everyone made a game of hitting me because it was my birthday - "10 points if you hit the birthday girl!"), the ghost ride (which was so much worse than I remember) and the ship ride (where everyone on the boat sang me happy birthday and I couldn't run away), there was an unofficial after party at the Espy in St Kilda.

Luna Park fun! Also had a free photobooth there!

Of course at the Espy, the live band just happened to be Hungry Kids of Hungary (AMAZING band from Brisbane, seriously check them out!)! I could not believe my luck, because I'd already bought tickets to their gig in May and will be seeing them AGAIN at Groovin' the Moo Musical Festival! It was actually the BEST way to end my birthday, probs the best one I've ever had! :D

Hungry Kids of Hungary!

My week at WMUN really was such an incredible experience where I met people from all the over world as well as made local friends I will definitely be keeping in touch with!
After a week of heavily debated Committee meetings, seeing the end result for the Millennium Development Goals post 2015 and having the United Nations consider the document has really shown the kind of change that young people can make in this generation. I am so proud to be a part of something so special! I will definitely be back WMUN!! 

Now I have to leave you with the Host Directorate performance at the Cabaret night (talent show)!! Definitely by far the best performance! ;)

Now I am seriously having some heavy post-MUN depression....