On the weekend of February 18-20, 2022, the 37th edition of the simulated North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit was held. For the second time, it was attended by Master's students of the Department of International Relations and European Studies.
Eight students of the department (Adam Chromčák, Akintunde Akindamola, Andrej Struhár, Ines Ribas Ferreira Dias, Kristína Žaková, Marián Maraffko, Martina Prejdová and Vlasta Macháčová) represented the Czech Republic in the six main decision-making bodies of the North Atlantic Alliance. Every year each of these bodies focuses on different thematic areas of contemporary security challenges during the model summit. This year, for example, the role of NATO in climate change, unregulated migration, the future of nuclear weapons in Europe, the military dimension of NATO-EU cooperation, or the new strategic concept 'NATO 2030' were discussed.
The main objective of this international event organized by the U.S. based Howard University is to enrich the students with new experiences and allow them to experience first-hand how Alliance policies are shaped. "Due to the unfavorable pandemic situation, the international NATO model was held online again this year. However, the simulation experience was once again irreplaceable," says Barbora Halašková, who coordinated the Czech delegation and accompanied the students to the simulation.
Almost two hundred foreign students tried to advocate for the interests of their countries, which gives the simulation great weight and dimension. One of the most interesting moments was, in the words of one participant, "the heated debates, where despite sharp opinions or attitudes, dialogue always prevailed and delegates realized the importance of collective decision-making". In a similar vein, another student found it interesting to observe how coalitions naturally form within such an organization. "I realized how difficult it is to push your interests alone, but then you realize that you are never alone and you are even surprised by how many other countries share your opinion and interests". Students also commented positively on the high level of the discussions and preparedness of the other delegates from other countries, which had a significant impact on the effectiveness and functioning of the different committees. Last but not least, our delegates highlighted the opportunity to meet new people whom they may meet again at a working level sometime in the future.
The NATO model summit was symbolically concluded with the signing of a final communiqué of more than forty pages, which was agreed upon by all the members of the delegations representing the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance. However, the greatest enrichment for the students is precisely the opportunity to learn how to articulate and constructively argue political interests and try to find common ground with other delegates.
Petr Suchý, Vice-Dean for Internationalization
After the Christmas holiday break, we’re proud to bring you a refreshed section featuring colleagues from various departments of the faculty. In each edition, we’ll ask one person the same seven questions. This time, we spoke with Lenka Kuchyňková, a new addition to the Communication Office, who is responsible for organizing faculty events and managing the department’s administration.
This November at the Faculty of Social Studies was marked by a vibrant varied program, engaging events, and visits from notable personalities. Among the highlights were Tea with the Dean and the graduation ceremonies, which you can read more about in other articles in this newsletter. The faculty, however, also hosted several other interesting events.