OPOMUN 2026: an inspiring opening ceremony
Madalena Reis, OPOMUN Media Team
OPOMUN 2026 conference officially began with an inspiring and well-structured opening ceremony that immediately set a powerful and motivating tone. From the very beginning, the atmosphere in the room was filled with excitement, anticipation, and pride.
This was followed by a speech from the Head of School, Isabel Morgado, who spoke about OPOMUN as a valuable learning opportunity. She emphasised the importance of awareness, collaboration, and personal growth, while also expressing her appreciation to everyone involved in making the conference possible. Her message highlighted the collective effort behind the conference and reminded everyone of its deeper purpose.
The ceremony opened with a speech by the Deputy Secretary-General, Maria Pessanha, who focused on raising awareness of global issues and the role of Model United Nations in helping students understand them. She highlighted both the benefits and challenges of MUN, explaining the skills students need to succeed, such as communication, critical thinking, and cooperation. Her words felt both encouraging and empowering, and her speech encouraged delegates to step out of their comfort zones and fully embrace the experience, helping to raise that “OPOMUN spirit” in the room and making many feel ready to take on the challenge ahead.
Next, Pedro Pateira, our MUN Director, delivered a speech on what OPOMUN represents. He highlighted how meaningful it is to be part of the conference and how MUN helps develop not only individual skills but also a broader global perspective. His words reinforced the idea that OPOMUN is more than just an event, it is a formative experience.
The ceremony then welcomed the guest speaker, Victor Ângelo, a Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. He shared his life story and spoke about his three decades of experience working within the UN. His conversation-style speech was both inspiring and personal, as he offered advice to young delegates and answered questions, motivating them to think about their future roles in global affairs. Listening to someone with such extensive experience left a lasting impression on the audience. If you are more interested in him we have an article on him posted up as well.
Once his talk concluded, the chairs of each committee were introduced, marking the beginning of the academic side of the conference and signalling the transition from inspiration to action.
The Secretary-General, Pedro Silva, then gave a meaningful speech about how much the MUNs mean to him and to many other participants. He reminded delegates that OPOMUN is “not just a cool extra-curricular or something that looks good on a CV,” but an experience that truly shapes perspectives and values. This message resonated strongly with many delegates in the room.
From that moment, the executive team officially declared the conference open with the strike of the gavel. This symbolic moment was met with excitement and applause. This was followed by an opening video produced by the media team, encouraging young delegates to dare to make a difference and reinforcing the spirit of the conference.
To conclude the ceremony, the Head of Logistics, Inês Teixeira, informed delegates about the schedule and what to expect after a well-deserved lunch break, bringing the opening ceremony to a smooth close and leaving delegates feeling prepared and motivated for the days ahead.