The First Venice Model European Union Conference Proves to be a Great Success!

On the first weekend of May, over 100 students from various Italian universities gathered on the island of San Servolo in order to participate in the groundbreaking Venice Model European Union Conference. The mock conference spanned over the course of three intellectually stimulating days. The staff, organizers, and participants all worked incredibly hard throughout the entire weekend in order to provide a weekend of great political debate and cooperation.

The participants were divided among the Parliament, the Council and the Press team. The three groups worked dynamically in order to create a heightened political atmosphere that closely mirrored that of the real European Union. It was clear that everyone involved did an immense amount of preparation and as a result the participants were able to accurately represent their assigned countries or political factions.

It is evident that the conference took place at unique time for the European Union. In the wake of ‘Brexit’ and at the tail end of the French election, the conflict between national interests and European alliances was touched upon again and again throughout the conference. Questions regarding themes of sovereignty and unity ran throughout all of the political discussions. Despite these potential barriers to cooperation and progress, the Parliament and Council were able to effectively pass both of the proposals that were discussed with insightful amendments.

The Venice Universities’ Model EU focused primarily on two central directives. The first directive dealt with Equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin, religious affiliation, disability, age or sexual orientation. The directive wished to create an environment of equality in practice in hopes that those who have been discriminated against will be protected under the law. This directive lead to fruitful discussions relating to important topics such as LGBTQ rights and the gender pay gap.

The second directive focused on the promotion of energy use from renewable sources. The proposal of the second amendment, that focused on climate change, allowed the participants to discuss topics such as nuclear energy, climate change and the entire energy sector. These two principal directives provided a clear direction for the conference.

The experience gave participants the opportunity to effectively articulate their views and engage in riveting debates regarding some of the most controversial issues that are currently being contented in the European Union. In addition to extensive deliberation, the Parliament and the Council were able to work collaboratively and cohesively in order to achieve their goals.

The entire staff should be applauded at length for their dedication and commitment to the project that took a full year to actualize. The conference provided a unique and unparalleled educational opportunity for politically interested university students from Ca’Foscari University, Iuav University, Padova University and Tor Vergata University. The conference was possible due to the unwavering support of the Venice Diplomatic Society, Bringing Europeans Together Association Italia, Venice International University and the Ca’Foscari University of Venice.

Elizabeth Bauman

Photo Credits. Photography taken by Elia Vecchiatti