A little word with the MUN Director, Pedro Pereira

Mr. Pereira’s journey started when he began helping with the organisation of OPOMUN around 2015, together with the previous director. Adding to his experience, he was also a co-organiser and chaperone, involved in other positions like this. His work, impeccable as it shows, allowed him to rise to the position of director in 2019. In the interview, he told the press that the first MUN he attended was as a chaperone, where he profoundly “fell in love with the concept”. MUNs carry difference, passion, and devotion, motivating us through this path.

As an objective, our MUN director aims to keep our MUN growing through each edition and believes OPOMUN 2024 is promising and can be one of the best OPOMUNs ever organised. Mr Pereira believes that the MUN experience mainly instigates young adults’ self-development. Even though they are shy and need to bend their beliefs to defend their positions, they can come through. They become comfortable with the criticism, “getting at ease in debating,” which primarily promotes individual growth, which is crucial for their development.

MUN’s second biggest advantage in their lives is the social part of it. MUNs offer long-lasting friendships and connections worldwide, allowing delegates to share different perspectives and establish relationships. Not only for students, chaperones and teachers share that experience as they also have that opportunity to mingle.

What keeps Mr Pereira as the organiser of this event is a question he doesn’t know how to answer as it is stressful and very complex; however, the good moments, the sense of self-achievement and the ability to provide this experience to students keep him going. As a coordinator, he can join an executive team to work professionally and watch them take ownership of their positions, showing their worth and allowing him to get to know different versions of their students. He mentions these transformations make him “profoundly proud”, and most of it, it is one of the things that shows the sparks of MUNs.

To future delegates, “endure and embrace your future sense of debate, take every single moment seriously but have fun”, which is critical to make through these three intense days and looking back to see these profound memories that will last a lifetime.