What comes up to your mind when you think about MUN? Well, for the delegates from the SOCHUM committee, MUN can mean a lot of things.

On the first day, after an intense mock debate on the subject “which Romanian trapper is the best”, followed by another on the subject “which Romanian trapper is the best live singer” the delegates of the SOCHUM committee presented their view on the topic “ensuring access to medical care for children in conflict areas”,proposing solutions later to be debated in the following committee sessions.

The lack of medical care, especially for children is set to soar globally, is conflict areas struggle more and more to assure it to their citizens. medical care is second to none in conflict areas is USA's quick to point out, putting emphasis on finding long term solutions and collaborating with NGOs, also suggesting the idea of training soldiers in medical care, solutions which Germany agrees with Be left of a base funding system The maximum amount of aid can be implemented, As UK points out wanting to find a coherent strategy, later asking the committee which funding system they prefer, a question which China decides to address, stating that they find UK’s previous proposals “impractical”.

The aftermath of the conflicts in the affected areas are both physical and psychological damage that leaves the population feeble, especially the children who may remain affected even after reaching adulthood. Most of the countries are on the same wavelength when it comes to the importance of mental health, having very similar opinions while others prioritise physical health or consider that both physical and psychological health should be discussed equally.

After the long committee sessions of the first day where the delegates debated intensely trying to get each other’s point of view on the topic proposed in the SOCHUM committee while also searching for the best solution to solve the problem of the medical care in affected areas both the delegates and the chairpersons enjoyed reading gossip and playing dancing chairs, game where India took the victory.

Singing to "Oțelul Galați", having a minute of silence for the queen, or dancing with their invaders on Just Dance are just some of the things that they did while trying to come up with solutions for their topic on the second day of the LazărMUN. From unmoderated and moderated caucuses to arguments and debates, alliances and agreements, the SOCHUM delegates gave their best to find multiple solutions for ensuring access to medical care for children in conflict areas, finally coming to a conclusion at the end of the day.

As the delegates of the SOCHUM committee are retouching for the last time their resolution, making sure that it's perfect, the third day of the LazărMUN is ready to start. They held speeches in favor and against, sent amendments, and voted. While they continued to talk about medical care for children, focusing not only on their physical health but also on the children's mental health, including the risks involved, they did not hesitate to listen to "Barbie" or the Kahoot soundtrack.

The last committee meeting ended with some gossip and a game session, and with it, so did the last day of this edition of the LazărMUN conference. Now the delegates are waiting enthusiastically for the General Assembly and Closing Ceremony.

During the third edition of LazarMUN, the SPECPOL committee discussed the situation in ex-colonies in the Indian Ocean. The event was a good opportunity for the committee to bring to the discussion table a broad range of issues covering a cluster of decolonization-related agenda items such as: the effects of atomic radiation, questions relating to information, a comprehensive review of the question of peacekeeping operations, as well as a review of the special political missions.

One issue that has been highly debated was China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This is a global infrastructure development strategy that manages investments in underdeveloped countries. Throughout the three days that have been assigned to debating this topic, China’s Belt and Road Initiative remained relevant and was the main tackled issue. The word that dominated the first day was “alternative”. China was accused by multiple states of using this initiative to colonize the states in said region, as their transparency leaves much to be desired. Moreover, a shared thought was that China had a hard time empathizing with the ex-colonies, as the state had a limited experience with this phenomenon. Other countries, such as France, believe that the states in the Indian Ocean region need help and guidance from more “experienced” nations in this field. Sri Lanka seemed to be the most affected state in this committee, as its economy was shattered by China’s Belt and Road Initiative. India, Indonesia, and Pakistan were obviously, victims as well. Although throughout the three days, India was more than happy to offer its support to said states. Because of this, the delegate of Sri Lanka tried to call a motion to set up an international trust fund, but this has proven to be unrealistic.

On the second day, the SPECPOL committee resumed their heated conversation and tried to focus more on coming up with a viable conclusion to the topic. Sri Lanka argued that guidelines for foreign direct investments should be implemented, and so did Indonesia, Brazil, and France. This point has been brought up multiple times on the third day too, with China being accused once again of having questionable motives and not respecting the already existing guidelines. Pakistan was asked about where the potential investments would be redirected and they highly believed in investing in education and the healthcare system of the nations in the affected region. With increased funds in this area, the local workers would directly benefit from this increased budget, as their role is essential to rebalancing the highly affected economies.

Another subject that was debated during the event was the one regarding the natural disasters in the Indian Ocean region and climate change. Although some states, such as the United States considered this issue not to be a priority at the moment, this issue was brought up to the debate later the same day. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, a coordination body was formed, which had the purpose to mitigate and warn this type of disasters. Therefore, the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System was formed. However, even though important steps were made, the system still needs critical improvements to be able to prevent future natural disasters.

Moreover, France mentioned the fact that the Indian Ocean region is a zone of peace since 1973. By simply declaring the region a “Zone of Peace,” foreign military presence and activity can be effectively halted. Conceivably, the proposal has been triggered by the docking of a Chinese submarine in Colombo and other instances of “trespassing” with military equipment. With this idea in mind, the issue of Maritime Security has been brought to the table of the delegates.

On the third and final day of LazarMUN, the SPECPOL committee proposed motions, aiming to end up with a resolution agreed by the majority. France’s motion to introduce the draft resolution passed and the delegate held a three-minute speech supporting the said motion. Their foundation was that the resolution has been drafted by a former colonial empire, and with the help of their proposal, they would be able to improve their relationship with the affected ex-colonies.

The first initiative would be a contribution to the G7 initiative with funds and most importantly, give the countries the chance to choose between receiving a grant or a loan. This would resolve the problem of loans, as China, for example, has given funds to Sri Lanka in the past, but asked for the money back, even though Sri Lanka did not have the necessary resources in the first place. Furthermore, China has been accused of forgiving other countries’ debts, except for Sri Lanka’s.

The second initiative that France mentioned was assuring Maritime Security in the IOR. The Indian Ocean is a very important shipping infrastructure to most world’s economies, so preserving peace is the logical solution to this issue.

The last initiative referred to natural disasters and climate change. One way that this might be solved is by trying to enforce other countries to respond quickly and offer aid when needed.

The chairpersons first asked the delegates who were against France’s resolution, so China held a speech, stating once again that they were trying to improve their transparency and improve their other critiqued procedures. In addition to that, they believed that the main problem with this resolution is that it was an alternative, which will only have a visible impact in five years. Supporting China, Russia also said that this alternative is a copy of what they are already doing and it’s unrealistic to give grants away and not ask for the money to be returned, given the fact that the Belt and Road Initiative is already reviewed and restructured.

Adding to the already heated debate, Sri Lanka was in favor of this alternative and put emphasis once again on the fact that there must be guidelines implemented to rebalance the national economy. The United States of America thought that the proposal was an inclusive alternative, and for this plan to work, more countries have to work towards the bettering of the affected states. Through this new potential resolution, they would be able to provide maritime security and implement a debt forgiveness program.

The last thing that was supported by speech and voted were the amendments. China voted in favor of them, saying that the only difference between the Belt and Road Initiative and France’s proposed resolution was that transparency has been promised and guaranteed by the People’s Republic of China. The delegate has also warned the committee that they won’t be able to join both initiatives, so they had to decide wisely. On the other hand, France opposed to the proposed amendments, declaring that China in fact did nothing to improve their transparency. France also stated that if they voted against the alternative, the Indian Ocean region would have been left at China’s mercy.

With the staff and press out of the committee room, the delegates voted in favor of France’s proposed alternative, and with a loud round of applause, the chairpersons officially declared the motion as passed.

After a long period of waiting, we are glad to announce that Lazar MUN is back, with a lot of new surprises at CRISIS. As some of you may know, the CRISIS Committee is slightly different from the other committees, because rather than representing a country, delegates take on a role of a character, in this case the National Security Service. The secret chosen topic is a historical one, which happened to an extent of some years, and it has been discussed here at Lazar MUN: The fall of the German Wall.

But before going into the topic, the delegates had an interesting mocking session debating which accent is the best. They tried to answer some questions: “Which is the most threatening language?” “Does history matter when it comes to defining the perfect accent?”. Countries such as Germany, USSR and Egypt declared that their ways of speaking are the most feared. And not history is the one that influences an accent, but the geographical places. Unfortunately, we didn’t find the country which deserved the title for “The best accent in the world”.

And now the first day of Lazar MUN can properly start. In the beginning, everyone stated their position regarding the topic. They received a secret message which needed to be decoded for moving forward with the events. Directives and notes were sent all the time for a better understanding of the occurrence. Countries from the constitutional block supported the democratic system, stating that they want to move forward, which doubtlessly led to heated debates with the communist countries such as China and USSR. Thus we could see that the reunification of Germany influenced countries like: Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Slovenia to follow their example. In the unmoderated caucus we could see that alliances have already started to form: Germany alongside Albania, USSR, and Croatia with Bosnia Herzegovina ,Slovenia;UK and Italy, Egypt, Israel and Greece). And here ended the first day of Lazar MUN in the CRISIS Committee. We are eager to see how everything will evolve.

The second Lazar MUN day opens up the first committee session with some gossip-sharing meant to ease the tension between the very passionate and enthusiastic delegates. A question arises in our minds as the emissaries perform their introductory dance routine: are the delegates going to be as focused and dedicated on the subject at hand, the espionage during the Cold War, as they are now, while trying to imitate Michael Jackson?!

The USA begins as head in the GSL, setting the course for debating whether Yugoslavia should split into independent nations or stay together as a whole, preaching the need for a democratic regime, following Germany’s example of fighting for freedom after the fall of the Berlin wall. The fellow emissaries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia (which are directly implicated in the fight for independence, as part of Yugoslavia, alongside Serbia), the UK and Germany back up SUA. On the other hand, the USSR is vocal against the separation, encouraging a communist reign, stating that democracy will eventually lead(or conduct) to death. Greece preaches the need for a referendum of the Yugoslavian population, exuding confidence.

The fun never ceases to stop in the CRISIS committee, thanks to our very creative chairs who introduced us to the Placard Rising Competition that was won by the USA, after numerous attempts coming from the other delegates. In the moment that followed, the CRISIS committee visited SPECPOL, emphasizing on the fact that the USSR is the only one with such an opinion about Yugoslavian independence. Next, the UNSC has voted upon supporting Greece in its conflict with Turkey regarding Cyprus’s independence. Turkey has accepted the Security Council's decision and has dispatched transport to retrieve its troops from the Cypriot maritime zone.

As the debate progresses, some shocking key-people start appearing, making this committee very interesting and full of surprises. This time, A SOUTH AFRICAN SPY was caught by the Libyan and Egyptian representatives and then questioned by everyone who was present. And, weirdly or not, the hostage didn't even know what the purpose of him infiltrating was!

Yugoslavia contained the following nations: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro, and only two of those were missing emissaries in the committee: Serbia and Montenegro! With that in mind, Croatia proposed a motion: a Q&A with the delegate of Serbia. The chairs approved of it, after all of the nations present at the debate supported the motion. As expected, the Serbian delegate took the floor and stated the following: "We do not want independence. We think that we are strong enough as a whole, as Yugoslavia." Everyone was in shock. How can Serbia be the only nation without the will to break free?

Suddenly, the alarm went off: the Yugoslavian president had just died. The delegates had to look for clues in order to find the mole who transmitted every single information since the beginning! Remember when we said there were shocking appearances? Well surprise, surprise, the mole was the photographer, sent there by France, giving himself away through the phrase “omlette au fromage” as a response to the accusation! And, as the CRISIS committee never ceases to entertain, the emissaries soon realized that the Croatian delegate had disappeared. In fact, he was kidnapped and tortured by the French government.

Of course, the games and fun never stop so everyone assisted to a clumsy and innocent love declaration between Egypt and Albania, which closed the curtains and put an end to the second day of Lazar MUN at the CRISIS committee.

The last day of this vociferous and intense conference starts as impressive as expected, revealing new headlines from all around the world, such as the annunciation of the independence of ALL former Yugosalvian nations. Moreover, the Crisis committee has considered a new inventive way of establishing the fate of the world, and as such, tragically, the Queen of England dies after the Eastern bloc defeats the westerns in…the Battleship game?!

Ultimately, a rather tense atmosphere sets in between France, Croatia and the professor Fyodor Fyodorovich, who was found having an affair with the First Lady of Croatia, as their case is entrusted to the ICJ committee. France opens with a strong and well-argued speech in which they offer apologies directed to the delegate of Croatia, that has previously been tortured by thier government, stating that such an action was contrived in oreder to save 10 spies from the former Yugoslavia. While Fyodor Fyodorovich demands justice for the dismal and afflicted croat, he claims to be in the possession of the Croatian delegate’s memories, thanks to a high tech equipment that allows such mysterious actions to take place. France is questioning the existing parameters of such weaponry, but fails in interrogating Fyodor, as the judges object to almost every question and, as a result, the court votes in favor of Croatia.

Hence, the Crisis committee returns to assist the chairs in honoring the profound sound of the govel being struck, which resonated through the room to bring an end to the 2022 Lazar MUN edition.

Once the first session of the trial begins, the delegates swear with their hands on the Bible, the first being the judges, then the lawyers of the Republic of Nicaragua and, finally, those of the United States of America. The custom of swearing comes from ancient times and is carried out with the aim of verifying or strengthening what has been declared, to give weight to the word, to promise that only true facts will be reported, with God as a witness.

Then, the opening speeches take place, these being given by the lawyers. As part of the indictment, Nicaragua first presents its statements, namely the fact that the United States of America has violated several agreements regarding Nicaragua's security by actively involving itself in the country's internal politics. The lawyers also argued that the role the United States played in the creation of the Contras and the aid it provided by providing them with weapons and combat equipment, represented a clear intervention in the country's internal affairs and, through therefore, a violation of the Convention on the Rights and Duties of States. At the same time, Nicaragua also claimed that the attacks supported by the United States by land, air and sea represented a violation of the International Laws of the Land and the Seas.

Here comes the big question, how does the law apply in war?

Everything presented by the Nicaraguan lawyers was supported by evidence that was presented both to the courts and to the fellow defense lawyers of the United States of America.

On the other hand, the plea of ​​the American lawyers is based on a single issue, namely that concerning the competence of the International Court of Justice to judge the issue. The main argument based on which they built their defense were the provisions of the UN Charter and that of the Organization of American States which represent multilateral treaties which stipulate that in order to judge a case it is very important that all members of the treaty are also parties to the case.

In response to the accusations from the prosecution, the Americans only stated that the evidence would have been reserved and that no decisions should be made based on it.

After both the prosecution and the defense have been heard, the lawyers are ready to present their witnesses and the judges to hear them.

After a short break, the commission resumed its session, and the first witness was called into the room. The witness was called to the bar by the Republic of Nicaragua, he being the first deputy minister of the interior of Nicaragua, Commander Luis Carrion. Commander Carrion had overall responsibility for state security and coordinated all government operations in the "main war zone". Commander Carrion began by explaining the poor state and military equipment of the Contras prior to the involvement and aid provided by the United States of America beginning in December 1981, and highlighted how organized and well-armed they became after the involvement of the Americans.

The second witness was David MacMichael an expert in counterinsurgency, guerrilla warfare and Latin American affairs. He was called as a witness by attorneys for the Republic of Nicaragua because he was qualified and authorized to have access to all relevant US information regarding Central America, including information regarding alleged Nicaraguan support and arms shipments to anti-government insurgents in El Salvador.

The third witness was Mr. Glennon who testified and presented a mission he had carried out in Nicaragua to investigate alleged human rights violations committed by the Contra guerrillas. The fourth witness was Father Jean Loison, a French priest who worked as a nurse in a hospital. Asked if the Contras engaged in acts of violence against the civilian population, Father Loison replied: "Yes, I could give you some examples. Near Quilali, about 30 kilometers east of Quilali, there was a small village called El Coco. They arrived on the contrary, devastated it, destroyed and burned everything. They arrived in front of a small house and turned their machine gun fire on it, not bothering to check if there were people inside. Two children, who got scared and hid under the bed, were hit."

The fifth witness was William Hüper, former Minister of Finance of the Republic of Nicaragua. He testified about the economic damage caused by this conflict in Nicaragua, including the loss of fuel as a result of the attack on the Corinto oil storage facilities, which caused significant damage to Nicaraguan commerce.

As a result of the information brought by the witnesses, the judges prepared some questions for the lawyers as well. Finally, the lawyers were given 5 minutes each for their closing speech. Both the witnesses and the opening and closing arguments of the two parties involved helped the judges to form an opinion and make a decision.

All the evidence was presented that supported on the one hand the position of Nicaragua, which tried to convince the jury that the United States of America had violated international law by getting involved in its internal politics, and on the other hand, the United States of America, which had defended the position as best as possible and denied the accusations.

Following these positions, based exclusively on the UN Charter, the jurors reached the following conclusions:

1. There was a direct relationship between members of the Contras and the United States government (the Contras represented various rebel groups supported and financed by the US that were in opposition to the Sandinistas, who led the Nicaraguan resistance against the American occupation.

Although Nicaragua has claimed that the Contras are entirely an American creation, this claim has been roundly rejected by the US. However, the evidence was indisputable and showed that, for a long time, the USA played a very large role in financing, training, arming and advising these rebel groups so that, as a result of this support, the Contras were able to carry out operations large-scale military operations which would not have been possible without foreign aid.

2. The United States government was directly involved in the recruitment and provision of weapons to members of the Contras, which led to the provocation and maintenance of violence in Nicaragua.

Evidence that supports this claim is the statement of former Contras leader Edgar Chamorro, who stated that CIA instructors gave Contras soldiers large knives, quote "A commando knife, and our people, everybody wanted to have a knife like this, to kill people, to cut their throats".

3. Sufficient evidence has been found to conclude that Nicaragua's attainment of sovereignty was directly hampered by acts of violence supported by the United States government, their logistical and tactical involvement, and their support and encouragement of guerrilla warfare.

The CIA officer in charge of covert warfare, Duane Clarridge, admitted to House Intelligence Committee staff in a secret briefing in 1984 that the Contras routinely killed "Sandinista civilians and officials in the provinces, as well as the heads of cooperatives, nurses , doctors and judges".

Following these conclusions, along with the arguments presented during the two days of the trial, the International Court of Justice found the United States of America responsible for violating several international treaties and customary international laws.

As a result, the US was ordered to withdraw its support to the Contras and to end attacks on Nicaragua, and the court ordered the United States to provide compensation for property damage and loss of life in Nicaragua.

Why is this case so important?

Because, thanks to the International Court of Justice, America, the world's greatest power, received the punishment it deserved for the atrocities it caused in Nicaragua, which showed once again that no one is above the law.

What comes first to mind when you first hear "ECOFIN"? I promise you it doesn't stand for ecological dolphins. The Economics and Financial Affairs Council is responsible, as suggested by its name, for addressing economic inequity and other arising concerns within global finance.

This year's ECOFIN delegates have been charged with the task of evaluating the foreign aid structure of the International Monetary Fund. The IMF, as it`s most commonly referred to, was established over 70 years ago, in hopes of achieving the stability of the global monetary system, by fostering international cooperation in the financial department. It counted only 44 countries (still very impressive) and, since then, it has risen to an almost-global membership. It acts similarly to a bank, by offering loans and advice to its now 190 members, in moments of potential or impending crisis - just at cheaper interest rates than normal banks and, more importantly, at a time when those would usually cut back on their support, as to not go down with the sinking ship.

The 1^st day of MUN at ECOFIN

The first day of MUN started with a ‘heated’ mock debate on the topic of "manele and their economic impact", where everyone got better acquainted with the other delegates and their amazing chairs. They reached an almost unanimous decision that manele is, in fact, the superior music genre – although Russia stayed an objector.

Moving on from the light-hearted beginning, the board proceeded to the more serious topic at hand. In their opening statements, everyone, including IMF's own delegation, agreed that the Fund`s policies have space for improvement, although they did not fail to acknowledge the many ways in which the organization has positively aided them.

"Should voting power be influenced by the amount of money each country donates?" - The sense of imbalance in the voting power distribution was the first highly debated topic, with LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries) advocating for their voices to hold as much weight as the MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries) in the decision making progress.

The aid advice methods were also put under scrutiny, next to the loan approval system, in order to help prevent past mistakes such as Ecuador from repeating themselves. (In this particular old case, the country was approved for a loan too high, that it could later not repay - and this sent it right back into crisis.)

Thankfully (for me), it wasn't just plain finance discussions for the rest of the day - the delegates delighted us with their just dance moves to Britney Spears’s "Hit me, baby, one more time" and their creative love declarations ( in which they had to use certain chosen words, such as communism).

The 2^nd day of MUN at ECOFIN

Delegates excitedly gathered up as the second day of MUN kicked off. With fewer nerves than the day before, the delegates started preparing for the next committee sessions - in which they would have to continue their discussion on the International Monetary Fund’s liabilities.

The committee session began, as usual, with some lighthearted ‘gossip’. The chairpeople read the written gossip out loud, some containing sweet compliments, some expressing the delegates' wishes to solve a certain problem surrounding the IMF (these delegates sure were set on getting their country the best deal they could), and others pointing out petty disagreements between countries.

The sharp sound of the gavel echoed through the room and, as such, seriousness enveloped everyone once again. The GSL started, the backbone of the committee session, as well as one of the most fascinating parts of the whole conference. Suggestions and opinions flew around the room, once more with the aim of attaining equality and equity in the voting process and of preventing any of those crises mentioned earlier from happening again. Wishing for economic freedom, each country was willing (more or less - greed and power-hunger were still as present as always) to collaborate to reach a conclusion that would not only create a fairer system but also help more of the LEDCs in the future. The Unmoderated Caucus was one of the motions that allowed them to properly do this as they could all gather up and debate the topic at hand openly.

One of the many highlights of this second day, was the Q&A session with the delegate of the IMF. They answered with ease each of the questions asked by the delegates, showing that each suggestion, even the displeased comments made by the MEDCs, were being heard.

By the end of Saturday, the delegates were not only able to work on their resolution paper, but also have fun listening to music, wildly dancing on Just Dance, and joking with each other. Later in the day, we watched a beautiful mock wedding ceremony and their first dance. Everyone was touched by this utterly romantic moment.

The 3^rd day of MUN at ECOFIN

As we reached the last day of MUN, all delegates diligently worked together on finishing the resolution paper, an official document that contains the policies the countries wish to implement to reform the systems within the International Monetary Fund.

Our hard-working delegates then discussed the draft paper, giving memorable speeches that offered insight into the resolution’s influence on the future of both the IMF and said countries. Amendments were voted on and powerful debates took place, everyone striving for both equality, something that has been intensely debated these past three days, and economic prosperity. Their wishes to strike a balance between the immediate well-being of each country and the overall, long-term financial stability of the world were reflected in the finished paper.

Some might believe ECOFIN to be a boring and unapproachable council – I sure counted myself among those folks. Actually, I was quite unhappy, jittery, and somewhat scared with my ‘deployment’ to this committee. I didn’t know a thing about the IMF or the UN councils, and half-expected to be bored to death by all the finance talk (the other half of me was sure I wouldn’t understand anything the delegates would discuss, and, so, would end up doodling in my notebook, as years passed by in the outside world). Therefore, it’s safe to say I found ECOFIN and its topic uninteresting, dull, lifeless, tiring and whatever other synonyms convey my point (and bring up my word count). And yet, I have come to change my mind. With the right amount of research, the complicated terms and seemingly indecipherable topics started to become more and more comprehensible and, shockingly, captivating. I found myself, believe it or not, enjoying the debate – holding my breath while one delegate responded to another’s motion. The discussions showed the ECOFIN committee’s grave importance and the sometimes overlooked impact that it has. Over these long hours, the delegates were able to delve deeper and deeper into the issue, explore it from every country’s point of view and, finally, find a form of a middle ground. The excitement in the room was contagious and it all turned interesting, exciting, animated, energetic (still trying to get to that word count).

Also, it was more than just learning and debating and the UN-like conference: The MUN was also about getting to know new people and having fun (that’s why it’s called ‘Model’, it’s not the real thing – although, on second thought, I’d love to see real ambassadors dancing to One Direction). The atmosphere was amazing - friendly and lively, with everyone being open and kind to one another. For example, I got to know that one of the chairs was a Pisces and the other a fan of debate. Leaving insecurities at the door and dancing with near strangers was, possibly, the essential part of the experience. These have undoubtedly been three days of dedication, excitement, and teamwork that will not be forgotten. Now the delegates will sadly close the doors of the committee’s room and return to their day-to-day lives, holding everything they have learned and experienced in their minds and hearts.

It’s here, and it’s starting- LazărMUN 2021 has finally opened its gates! Every participant is full of excitement, and the UNSC committee is certainly no exception. This year, as always, we’re presented with a strong team of delegates and chairpersons, prepared to give their best. Peace Consolidation in West Africa is this year’s topic for the UNSC Committee. As the name says, the main subjects of the committee are peace and security, which are affected by current economic, cultural and social realities. This time, multidisciplinarity is what makes the debate’s journey more challenging, even for the experienced ones.

And just like that, the very first day of this year’s MUN conference begins. As protocol goes, we are starting with opening speeches; this time, it is clear that each one of the countries present in today's UNSC committee discussion is willing to ensure peace consolidation. During the discussion, ideas were outlined, one of them being: "The military crisis and the test of war go hand in hand". As Nigeria says: "Change comes from you". It is one of the countries directly affected by the problems present today, which is why it is willing to accept all kinds of financial support, thus putting human aid first. The debate about climate changes was brought up, but I don't think it is a relevant factor in this case. Several ways of solving this crisis in West Africa have been proposed, such as ending the conflict, and then sending medical aid, with which I totally agree. The USA and UK have come up with the most relevant proposals, among which is the finding of long-term solutions to avoid the repetition of health and economic crises, at the expense of short-term solutions, with the aim of reaching the current point in a few years. China, through its huge resources, and Russia, even if it is harshly criticised at the current level, can cover these big gaps in the systems of African states. Changing the leader seems like a good idea to combat existing problems, but it is still not guaranteed that the replacement of the first man in state will change anything. France poses a question mark: “Isn't there any way not to turn to the government?”. Along with this confusion, problems such as human trafficking, counter terrorism and organized crime have been detected. After all, as one of the countries said: "How can we change something if people don't want to change?" - something I agree with. Everything starts with each of us, and progress cannot be significant only through the minimal involvement of the united nations. Does the core of all these problems actually lie in the hands of the colonies? There’s many questions left, but fortunately there’s still two days ahead- our honourable delegates leave eager for tomorrow.

It’s time for day two, a full 10 hours filled with debates that are certainly not for the less prepared. And with such a packed schedule ahead, what better way to start the day than with a well needed gossip session? And, well, a collective fanfiction reading? The UNSC committee knows best. Countless compliments, jokes or ironic complaints - what (or who) all that gossip was about is something I’ll choose not to go too into detail about, and it’s up to our lovely readers to ask. But one thing’s certain: when it comes to creating a nice atmosphere, we must applaud our chairpersons.

Consequently, the debate begins with Bosnia & Herzegovina’s speech, bringing into discussion yesterday's topics of military aid, rising climate problems in Africa and so on. A new motion is proposed by Germany, followed by China's speech. France states their familiarity with the topic of terrorism and Congo agrees shortly after. The Netherlands came up with a specific program to combat this problem that so many countries face, and Nigeria suggests INTERPOL's involvement with these issues. The UK believes sending military aid and speaking up about this problem to be a beneficial solution. The US then follows with a strong point: 'We have heard speeches, but not strong solutions- we urge all participating countries to state more options other than sending military troops.' Burkina Faso brings into discussions the actual causes of terrorism,such as the presence of Russia leading to citizens' protests. Ending this motion, Germany gives a well thought out speech. 'We must stop creating new wars and focus on the ones we already have.' Congo expresses firmly. The atmosphere is quite intense - as expected from such a strong group of people. In the midst of many speeches, there’s a slight intervention, coming from none other than the CRISIS committee. It seems as if the fellow delegates need some advice in order to settle a dispute between Turkey and Greece - should Turkey remove their military troops? After a quick session of discussions, CRISIS returns to their conference room, ready to cover their intriguing topic: the fall of the German war. Even after a second motion change, Congo stands strong on their previous point of needing funding. France believes the money from international funds should be used to fight terrorism, and shares The UK's opinion that it should also go the private investors rather than governments. There's agreement coming from most of the other delegates, including Nigeria. France declares itself in favour of China’s proposals, fervently inquiring :‘Have the peacemaking troops ever worked or done their job?’, and this rhetorical question along with an even more remarkable speech is what incites approval and silent ‘clapping’ from the other representatives.

When such a long day ends, it’s impossible not to have that sweet sense of satisfaction afterward. Exhausted, but still with a smile on their faces, everyone still sees a glimmer of hope- it’s time for the social! After all, some unwinding never hurts anyone, and they’ll be back in business on Sunday.

9 AM strikes - it’s the third day of LazarMUN. Anyone can sense quite a bittersweet feeling amongst all the delegates, because even if it was hard work, nothing compares to the friendship and teamwork that these conferences promote and cultivate. Even so early in the morning, we’re making serious progress and everyone is focused on finishing their resolutions. So much focus, all in one room! Unfortunately, not everyone is such a morning person - even after a nice coffee, your dedicated journalist (me), on duty to provide and type out all events that happen throughout the UNSC conference for our dear readers, must shamefully admit to having felt the exhausting effects of days filled with debates. Some detail may lack, but the gist remains: during this last day, our delegates undoubtedly gave their very best and did an incredible job with resolutions. The first couple of sessions present themselves with several unmoderated caucuses, serving the purpose of giving everyone time to thoroughly discuss their opinions and solutions.

At last, France breaks the ice with their speech, presenting their resolution, followed by Russia and Nigeria, the last of which confidently states ‘We hope to establish peace all over the world.’, earning claps from everywhere in the room. The resolutions propose intelligent solutions to the issue of African countries’ safety, and cover a wide selection of topics, ranging from terrorism issues to firmer border control. An international fund has been proposed, money from which should go to private investors rather than governments that cannot prove themselves trustworthy. The participants have proven to be fairly productive and stayed fully focused during these days, because along with the three representatives aforementioned and a final voting session, the conference comes to an end.

Here comes the fun part, as the name suggests: the funny awards! Categories like best dressed, funniest, best accent are all included and provide a lot of laughs around the room. Nothing ever lasts forever though, but its quickly followed by a moment of placard signing and, lastly, the infamous and well liked gossip reading.

It’s been great, truly- even as an outsider, I can tell by people’s laughs and expressions that even with a full program, it all proved to be worth it and fun. So, I think it’s safe to conclude that we’ll see you all next year, delegates, chairpersons and yes- you, readers. I know I’ll be there, typing away at yet another set of articles signed by yours truly!

See you in 2023!