Interview with Maija Kaartinen from Finland
Interview by John Dowling, III.
Q: Which council are you in and which country are you representing?
A: I am representing Rwanda on the Security Council.
Q: What do you study?
A: I study political science and national economics at the University of Stockholm.
Q: Is this your first model United Nations conference?
A: No. I did SMUN last year and EuroMUN in May.
Q: How much of your studies are you applying to your work here?
A: It depends on the content of the discussion, of course. I've done a module in international relations and that's relevant because it requires you to know the detailed history of the Cold War for instance, as well as the relevant IR theories such as balance of power. I also took a class in comparative politics where we compared different political systems, and that's why I have information on the various political systems in different countries and that certainly helps.
Q: What have you been working on today?
A: Today we've been discussing the case of ISIL in Iraq and Syria and we've been drafting working papers and we just tabled a draft resolution and we've been discussing the possibility of military action in these areas. We have met with representatives from Iraq and Syria and discussed humanitarian aid and the finance of terrorist organizations for instance.
Q: How is it to work with your co-delegate? Have you met them before this conference?
A: Well we did not know each other very well before this but we've certainly become good friends during the conference.
Q: How do you find balancing the social events at night, and still manage to wake up at seven in the morning and do this type of work?
A: Well it can be hard to wake up in the morning but for a few days I think it goes well and I think it's good that it's so intensive because your in the mindset the whole time. And in the social events you meet these people and converse and this helps to reach cooperation in the councils as well.
Q: Is there anything in particular about SMUN that differentiates us from other model UN conferences?
A: I think it's good that the Rules of Procedure are close to that of the real United Nations, and I think that the academic quality of the conference has been very high, and we have very relevant and interesting topics as well.
Interview by John Dowling, III.
Q: Which council are you in and which country are you representing?
A: I am representing Rwanda on the Security Council.
Q: What do you study?
A: I study political science and national economics at the University of Stockholm.
Q: Is this your first model United Nations conference?
A: No. I did SMUN last year and EuroMUN in May.
Q: How much of your studies are you applying to your work here?
A: It depends on the content of the discussion, of course. I've done a module in international relations and that's relevant because it requires you to know the detailed history of the Cold War for instance, as well as the relevant IR theories such as balance of power. I also took a class in comparative politics where we compared different political systems, and that's why I have information on the various political systems in different countries and that certainly helps.
Q: What have you been working on today?
A: Today we've been discussing the case of ISIL in Iraq and Syria and we've been drafting working papers and we just tabled a draft resolution and we've been discussing the possibility of military action in these areas. We have met with representatives from Iraq and Syria and discussed humanitarian aid and the finance of terrorist organizations for instance.
Q: How is it to work with your co-delegate? Have you met them before this conference?
A: Well we did not know each other very well before this but we've certainly become good friends during the conference.
Q: How do you find balancing the social events at night, and still manage to wake up at seven in the morning and do this type of work?
A: Well it can be hard to wake up in the morning but for a few days I think it goes well and I think it's good that it's so intensive because your in the mindset the whole time. And in the social events you meet these people and converse and this helps to reach cooperation in the councils as well.
Q: Is there anything in particular about SMUN that differentiates us from other model UN conferences?
A: I think it's good that the Rules of Procedure are close to that of the real United Nations, and I think that the academic quality of the conference has been very high, and we have very relevant and interesting topics as well.