Johanne Hansen (Norway), Marit Bick (Denmark), Sara-Estelle Gösswein (Germany) and Teo Kettunen (Finland), 1st years at RCN, participated last week along with 80 other young students in the 22nd session of the Model European Parliament Baltic Sea Region, MEP-BSR.
Twice a year the organization has a session in one of the member countries around the Baltic Sea and in the North as well as guest nations. In the spring this year it was in Helsinki and this time in Oslo for the first time. The participating countries were Estonia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Austria and Belgium.
On Wednesday morning, the opening session took place in Asker Town Hall – Asker is a community in the western part of Oslo. Wednesday and Thursday the delegates worked in six committees. Each committee had its own political issue. It was hard work and each committee produced a resolution which was very much debated the following day. Amendments were made and a lot of lobbying was seen. This took place in Næringslivets Hus, NHO. After having lunch the delegates went on sightseeing in the beautiful city of Oslo.
Saturday it was time for the big debate in the General Assembly. It took place in a hall in the Norwegian Parliament, Stortinget. All the delegates took part in the debates about the resolutions and after each resolution they voted for or against it. It is indeed rewarding to act as a politician and speak to so many people.
The delegates of the Model European Parliament always say that it is something special to participate. It gives you an experience you never forget. You work together, you learn, you make friends and new networks and you have fun.
There is more about the Model European Parliament – Baltic Sea Region on this website.
