“We want to fill that gap of MUN in Belgium.”

Maybe this is another one of those stories that starts with, “Oh yeah, I know him through mutual friends.” But, surprise, it didn’t. You’ve probably read Jonas’ LinkedIn post about my mymun career. If not, let me remind you of his words: “As a MUN influencer, Bea is now frequently recognised on campus and even on flights, with people asking, ‘Aren’t you the mymun girl?’” So, yeah, this is one of those situations.

I recently visited the EEAS (External Action Service of the European Union), fully manifesting that dream of working there one day! I went with an association and didn’t know anyone as usual. While introducing myself, this guy approached me and said, “MUN Command.” And honestly? Instead of being weirded out, I was intrigued.

His name is Faris. He’s super active in the Brussels MUN bubble. Funny enough, I’d never really heard much about the MUN scene in Brussels—maybe I’m just not in the loop. So, I thought, why not interview him and get the tea?

Faris is 21, holds dual citizenship from Lebanon and Belgium, and studies International Affairs at the Brussels School of Governance. He’s been in the MUN game for four years, starting with the Model European Parliament (MEP) through high school. “After starting my undergrad, I decided to try MUN.” In his first official MUN, he won Best Speaker—goals, right?

But not everything’s a fairy tale. His first MEP conference was a total disaster. “I was so nervous and didn’t win any awards.” Classic beginner jitters. But as he says, that’s just part of the process. His advice? Keep going.

The secret sauce is preparation, training, networking, and diving into complex topics.

Apart from being a delegate, Faris has also chaired several conferences. “A committee is only as good as its chair,” he says. A good chair needs to deeply understand the topics and ensure every voice in the room is heard. “Lately, I’ve seen a lot of AI-generated position papers, which can be a bit disappointing.” His tip to avoid that is to read the study guide and represent your country professionally. “If I’m putting effort into creating a quality study guide, I expect participants to put in the same effort with their research,” he admitted. Fair enough!

And speaking of chairing, Faris swears by MUN Command. “It simplifies everything, from managing motions to customising the rules of procedure,” he told me. According to him, it organises everything in one place, making a chair’s life much easier.

His favourite committees are the crisis ones. “I love the freedom it gives to explore different angles,” he said. I’m not a crisis girly, but hey, good for him. Maybe it’s a committee I need to master one day.

Let’s get to the part I’m most curious about, the MUN scene in Brussels. “The MUN culture in Brussels is fragmented,” Faris explained, which is such a shame because it’s an international city with organisations like the EU and NATO right there. But he reassured me that all the MUN clubs are trying to coordinate and close that gap.

They are speaking of filling gaps! They’re gearing up for the second edition of BSoGMUN (Brussels School of Governance MUN). As the Secretary-General, Faris is in charge of overseeing the whole thing.

This year, they had around 65 delegates from different parts of Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. “The demand was overwhelming,” he said. mymun helped them run applications smoothly. “It’s been a game changer. By listing our conference on mymun, we’ve attracted interest from students across Europe.”

Overall, Faris feels MUN has given him loads of potential career skills. “MUN has boosted my confidence, which will be crucial in my future career.” He’s also sharpened his public speaking skills and had excellent opportunities to meet diplomats, like Belgium’s Deputy Ambassador to NATO. 

Oh, and here’s a fun fact: he learned Italian and German through MUN! Thanks to the not-so-secret MUN dating scene. “It wasn’t intentional, but MUN has been a great way to meet people, experience different cultures, and travel,” he laughed. He quickly tried to change the subject, talking about his favourite dinosaur, but I forgot which one it was. All I know is, if I want to brush up on my Turkish, I guess MUN in Türkiye might be my next stop—who knows for what reasons, though! I am just grateful that although I moved to Belgium and live 30 minutes from Brussels, I can still enjoy attending MUNs.