I had the opportunity to take part in the National MEP session and honestly, it was one of the most interesting and intense experiences I have ever had!
MEP stands for “Model European Parliament”. It is a simulation of how the real European Parliament works. Students from different Austrian schools come together to act as delegates. Each participant represents a European state and works in committees to discuss real political, social and economic issues. The aim is to debate and find solutions, cooperate and eventually create resolutions, just like actual members of the European Parliament do.
We were divided into committees based on different topics: TRAN (Tourism and Transport), FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality), SANT (Public Health) and last but not least, AIDA (Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age). During our committee work, we were discussing problems and sharing ideas to find important issues, which are called ICs (Introductory Clauses). After that we worked together on writing OCs (Operative Clauses) which are the solutions for the ICs. It was challenging because we had to think critically and speak in front of others to defend our opinions. You learn very quickly how important teamwork and communication are.
After committee work, we moved on to the General Assembly (GA), where all committees came together. This was probably the most intense part of it. Delegates gave speeches, asked questions, supported or attacked resolutions and voted at the end to see if the certain resolution was allowed to pass. Standing up to speak in front of so many people was nerve-racking at first, but it felt amazing once I was doing it as I gained a lot more confidence.
Of course, it wasn’t all serious debates and formal language. With our lack of sleep, we were all practically begging for coffee and even the smallest things became hilarious! Despite all this, the National MEP session taught me how the European Parliament works, improved my public speaking skills and allowed me to meet amazing people from different places, making it an experience I would recommend to any student who wants to challenge themselves and create great memories!
Scarlett Gorgis, 6B
