Mariana Moreira, The HSC Main Chair
Margarida Afonso, OPOMUN Media Team
Despite entering the MUN and the diplomatic world with a pandemic barrier, Mariana proves personal growth and self-belief are key to success, which allowed her to rotate through different roles until she became the main chair of the Historic Security Council.
Mariana’s first MUN experience was CLIPMUN, CLIPs first introduction to the diplomatic world that happens in Grade 7 and 8. However, the this happened in 2021, throw backing to Covid-19 era where we had online school. She clearly remembers her first time as a delegate, and states it was “strange, very different, not at all interactive and scary”. Still, even behind the screen, her inner child echoed for debates and even in through unusual circumstances, she managed to get an honorable mention.
After this experience, part of her thought she would never write a clause again, until there was an offer by one of her teachers to become typist of the Human Right Committee in CLIPMUN. “It was his inspiration that got me to where I am today”, Mariana speaks fondly about the MUN director, Pedro Pateira, who has been her history teacher previously. The participation in past MUNs overall reinforced her ambition and made her more confident in pursuing a law career, speaking skills, and made her more confident in her decision to study law at university, something she aspires to conquer since little. Mariana mentions that there’s a point in life where all your doubts about your vocation and what you want to do in your future, regardless of the mess it can be, are cleared by an experience. This gives the idea there is this turning point which assures you and pushes you to what you truly adore, and the MUN’s with no doubt, where her turning point, incentivising her to pursuit law.
Mariana’s main challenge was adapting from a normal committee, such as the HR to the Historical Security Council. As the HSC is a very specific council due to the time periods and the fact all delegates and chairs must respect rules from those time periods.
To conclude, Mariana encourages all delegates with a powerful message, “Never doubt yourself and that you have the capability to do this, even if you’re scared and afraid that if you speak other delegates will contradict what you’re saying or that your clause might be voted against, don’t let that fear take you away from participating.”
