Exceedingly stressful, yet tremendously exciting—these words best describe my experience at Germany Model United Nations (GerMUN) 2025 in Berlin. For most of us, this conference was our first proper, large-scale MUN conference, which meant we were both curious about what awaited us in Berlin and highly motivated to showcase what we had learned over the past semester of training.

The opening ceremony passed more quickly than expected, and suddenly, we found ourselves in our first formal session. Some of us sat in the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the largest committee at GerMUN; others joined the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW); and two of us entered the smallest committee—the Security Council—where our board member Min Yu Soh served as chair alongside the delegates.

The following three days pushed us all, with a packed schedule and individually challenging diplomatic encounters that perfectly prepared us for what still awaited us in New York. Particularly in the UNGA, the heated debates, occasional disagreements, and creative ideas in the working groups made the experience both fun and unforgettable. For example, a working group pushing for the "DAGOBERT-project" somehow got everyone talking about ducks for a short while.

As the formal and informal sessions continued, it became clear that every member of the Heidelberg delegation excelled in demonstrating exemplary diplomatic skills. Everyone managed to portray a striking and convincing representation of their assigned country, delivering inspiring speeches and contributing productively in the working groups. I was deeply impressed by everyone’s performance, especially when reflecting on the months of hard work that were now finally paying off.

The fact that four of us were awarded Peer Awards—Valentina Tobies, Felicitas Vogel, and Clara Urban in the CSW, and Theresa Frömberg in the Security Council—proved that this wasn’t just my personal impression, but a shared one.

GerMUN turned out to be the perfect experience to prepare us for the New York conference, equipping us with the essential skills not only to survive, but to thrive at such an event. In the end, we all felt ready both professionally and personally, having already met and bonded with students from other universities who would later join us in New York.

Overall, I think I speak for everyone when I say we had an amazing time at GerMUN, especially thanks to our head delegates, who supported and cheered us on tirelessly. Thank you all for everything—we couldn’t have wished for a better board. We felt supported and backed every step of the way!

Verfasst von Vanessa Kottmann (Delegation 2025)