The Press Team Interviews Members of the Foreign Service Attending JMUN 2007

How did you get involved in Foreign Service?

Thami XN Ngwevela, Ambassador of South Africa, started off by telling JMUNDO that she wanted to be a diplomat since she was sixteen years old. There were some political issues occurring in Africa, issues that focused on the lack of advancement in political order and education. The lack of progress in these areas motivated her to join the struggle for liberation. Her education also prepared her for the Foreign Service. She studied Public Administration and International Relations and became a Professional Internationalist. She fought for children and women's rights. She was appointed Director of the Consul General's office in New York City. Now, she is the Ambassador from South Africa in Venezuela.

What role do you believe that the UN has in the world?

“UN is very important and essential, especially for small countries,” said Martin Tore Bjorndal, Ambassador of Norway. According to the ambassador, the “UN is the international protector of countries who need help”. He explained that the UN protects the rights of the countries who are not strong enough and need help to support their ideas. However, he admits that the UN is not a perfect organization, adding that it is in the hands of the young people to improve it in the future.

The representatives from the Indonesian embassy, Erie Bowono, Chargé d'affaires, and Ali Sucipto, Third-Secretary, agreed that the UN has had a great impact on Indonesia and other countries that suffered from colonialism. They mentioned that the UN helped Indonesia obtain its independence by giving it the right to express its voice in a world forum.

Ambassador Samson A.A. Adeniran of Nigeria added to the conversation by mentioning that the struggle for independence continues today throughout the whole continent of Africa. He said that the UN assists Africans and supports them in the struggle for independence.

Deputy-Chief of Mission from Greece, Isadora Petropoulou, pointed out that an event such as JMUN is important because we come to realize that we all live together and must comprehend the idea of adapting new solutions for world difficulties. She included two keywords that explain the significance of MUN: adaptation and effectiveness. She concluded by pointing out that we are all together on a team in search of solutions to our worldwide issues.

The South African ambassador, Thami XN Ngwevela, said: “UN is about international solidarity.” “South Africans take the United Nations very seriously,” she said. She asserted that the United Nations is about coming together, regardless of being rich or poor. It is about helping each other out in the struggle for peace, about finding long term solutions to world problems, and about supporting good governments. She clarified her thoughts further by saying that it is important to seek long-term, not short-term, solutions.

What advice would you give the delegates of this year's JMUN conference?

Nigerian Ambassador, Samson A.A. Adeniran said: “Face problems, get skills, and improve your techniques for the future. It is important to develop confidence and public speaking.” Furthermore, he indicated, that it is important to take this event seriously and consider the Foreign Service as a possible choice of career in the future. JMUN delegates might want to become internationalists.

--Sally Yehya, Julieta Brito, and Fernanda Guecaimburu