Honourable Delegates, Dear guests and beloved friends,
I would like to wholeheartedly welcome you all in the wonderful city of Thessaloniki and in ThessISMUN 2018!!
My name is Evita Papastefanidi and it is my great honor and pleasure to address you from the post of the Deputy Secretary General a post which will allow me to make your debates even more interesting and fascinating.
As far as I am concerned, I was born and raised in Athens, Greece and soon realized that social sciences and, particularly, politics was the field of studies that suits me. Therefore, I hold a Bachelor degree in IR and International Organizations from the Department of Mediterranean Studies, University of the Aegean. Currently, I am a Master’s student at the University of Leeds in the UK, where I study IR and Politics of the Middle East. My academic interests are focused on Islamist Fundamentalism, political Islam, terrorism and non-state actors’ politics in the broader Middle East region.
My engagement with MUN and Regional Organizations Simulations played a catalytic role to my academic choices as well as my personality. Since I have participated in many MUN conferences both in Greece and abroad, I strongly believe that MUNs contributed to develop several valuable skills of my life: generate and develop ideas, feel confident when speaking in public, exchange and evaluate opinions, debate arguments, persuade people, accept different viewpoints and critically listen to ideas opposite to your own. Also you will be able to enhance your knowledge regarding the UN role and how exactly affect, regulate and improve our lives.
ThessISMUN is widely known for its high academic level of its participants and of its annual agenda. Enthusiastic young students will discuss, negotiate and decide upon crucial and heated topics while at the same time having fun and get to know new people with different mentalities and ideals. This is what makes ThessISMUN an once in a lifetime experience, a “must participate” conference, but most importantly, a simulation characterized by professionalism.
Along with their excellencies the members of the Secretariat we will do our best to make the sessions a solid ground to bring your Thesis to the world!!
Kind Regards,
Evita Papastefanidi,
Deputy Secretary General of ThessISMUN2018