April 2018
A wise woman once said “Have some fire. Be unstoppable. Be a force of nature”. These are the words of no other but Christina Yang. In my opinion the UN takes to heart her inspirational words. An organization that never stagnates, that maintains its fundamental values, while addressing a plethora of challenges. My name is Despina Petradakis, and I am a senior at A’ Arsakeio Lykeio Psychikou. I am a Greek-American, who for the past seven years has been living in Greece. I will be leaving next year for the U.S, where I plan to study marine biology. At the moment what I would classify as “extra-curricular activities” would be my ACT prep, my college admissions, and MUN. I am captivated by the UN principles. As for my MUN experience, my first exposure to a Model UN was in 9th grade. Since, I have had the pleasure to attend seven conferences as a delegate, and two as head chair.Thanks to the opportunities I have had to participate in such a program, I have become more conscious in regard of current events and gained meaningful insight on how the international community works, not to mention the interactions with people from all over the world. Getting to exchange ideas, listen to wholly different points of view- a truly magnificent experience. It is now with confidence that I consider myself a global citizen. For the most part, communities associated with the UN, supporting that they can save the world, are characterized as idealistic and are abated by stoic people. This should not be taken to heart. We should not relinquish. When there is a will, there is a way.