• The question of strengthening the European defense industry

• The question of the right to secure borders and control migration laws

This was my first time working with chair mentors from diverse backgrounds, and I was able to receive professional support. For this conference, I was more than honored to have Ms.Morgan Dobroski as my mentor. She is a learning support teacher as well as the grade 12 grade level leader and an advisor of the Animal Welfare(service learning group), both of which are perfectly suited to help guide me throughout this upcoming November 2025 conference. During our interview, I was able to gain insights into how to communicate effectively, handle challenges, and run the conference smoothly, in control. 

Ms.Morgan has participated in the MUN mentor programme multiple times, including SDG5 and GA1, during our last UNISMUN March conference. She encouraged the students who came and talked to her, always happy to support us in our journey. She also referred to how she is impressed by the students who are in MUN, as she can see how much effort and dedication they put in months before the actual conference. Although Ms.Morgan needed more research to answer the questions about the specific topics at this upcoming November conference, she was able to express her interests in air pollution and wildlife conservation, the support of wildlife and nature we have in our lives. She believes that air pollution affects everyone, no matter your geographical location in Hanoi; we all breathe in the air together. To delve deeper into the topics she is interested in, she and her husband enjoy visiting new places and national parks for wildlife photography, as well as learning about the local wildlife. 

After asking Ms.Morgan how she would inspire others with the topics/issues she is interested in, Ms.Morgan responded that she has been learning more about how to inspire people, not just by telling people what to do, but going into the “Why” and making it educational, which brings back the reason she loves teaching. This helped me gain insights into the importance of communicating and collaborating with others, and what we do in UNISMUN. 

To conclude the interview, I asked Ms.Morgan how she would control the situation where a delegate is not feeling comfortable speaking up and is not engaged in the debate. She responded with the quote that her mother always used to say, “Stop, relax, and think that it is ok to pause, take deep breaths, think about what you want to say clearly and give yourself a couple seconds of patience and calming your heart rate, controlling your breathing, knowing what you want to say fully in your brain before you let it out. There is no easy fix.” 

Ms.Morgan’s responses and her insights through different perspectives and situations helped me to grow further as a student and a MUNer. As a chair, it is a great honor to have Ms.Morgan as our mentor and to work alongside her throughout the MUN conference. 

Honourable chairs, distinguished delegates, and esteemed guests,

My name is Bui Anh Quan, and I am currently a senior attending Singapore International School at Gamuda Gardens. This forthcoming UNISMUN November conference will represent my fourth UNISMUN conference, and overall my sixth MUN conference. It is a deep pleasure of mine to bear the privilege of being the Head Chair of the EU council, which will serve as my first chairing experience.

The theme, “The role of sovereignty in diplomacy towards international responsibility”, for this upcoming UNIS MUN 2025 November conference, is one that is highly multifaceted, and one that I can greatly relate to. On numerous occasions during my previous MUN conferences, I had attempted to accentuate the existence of host country sovereignty rights in response to clauses that implied cross-border intervention. On one hand, a state should have the right to self-governance, non-interference within their domestic fairs, and the right to be treated equally with other states. On the other hand, international responsibility, such as the responsibility to protect (R2P), and other important obligations, must be upheld. In several instances, interference in domestic affairs would be necessary to achieve this, which will further require enhanced diplomatic relations. Unfortunately, however, host country sovereignty rights can serve as a significant barrier to these diplomatic relations. These two clashing ideas indicate that a middle ground must be reached, where the discussion of which will be of great importance. 

The EU is a prime example of utilising diplomatic relations to foster international responsibility. Let’s take a look at migration. No country can single-handedly handle a matter of such scale. Thus, the EU has implemented several policies as a countermeasure, an example of which is the establishment of a talent pool, which will be of great assistance to foreign jobseekers migrating into EU member states. Moreover, the EU is highly dedicated towards promoting global peace and security, repeatedly engaging with non-EU countries to mitigate major organised crime, drugs and firearms trafficking, along with many other factors that pose a threat to global security.

The EU council’s first topic, “The question of strengthening the European defense industry”, is one of great prevalence not only within the EU, but on the global stage. This is due to the ever-rising tensions between neighbouring countries. In particular, within the EU’s context, the Russo-Ukrainian war, is a perfect illustration of such tensions. Peaceful dialogue within this topic will help reach a conclusion as to whether the acceleration of defense product procurement is justified. Subsequently, the private costs and benefits associated with accumulating such products, and its externalities, will also be covered.

The second topic, “The question of the right to secure border and control migration laws”, is a highly pervasive and recurring challenge that is exceedingly strenuous. There exists a continuously rising number of migrants from non-EU to EU countries and between EU countries. This gives rise to a multitude of negative effects on third parties not directly involved, such as lowered wages for the citizens. However, tightening migration laws can deprive migrants of opportunities they would otherwise rarely have, such as skill building. Thus, this topic requires immediate discussion to find the ideal balance.

I hope that during this conference I can witness some fruitful debate, especially due to the importance of such intriguing aforementioned topics. Additionally, I’m really excited to be chair for the first time and meet some new people!

Best regards,

Bui Anh Quan

Honorable chairs, distinguished delegates, and most esteemed guests, 

My name is Hyorin Chun, a 9th grader at the United Nations International School of Hanoi. This upcoming UNISMUN November conference marks my eighth MUN conference. I am more than honored to serve as a deputy chair in this upcoming UNISMUN November conference. 

This 2025 November conference theme, “The role of sovereignty in diplomacy towards international responsibility.” This theme presents as an important reminder of the most pressing dilemmas in global politics today. Sovereignty, the state’s supreme authority, collides with the idea of international responsibility, taking care of global communities, not just their own citizens. This can be seen in the war between Russia and Ukraine, when Russia violated another nation’s sovereignty. Another example is the EU Sovereignty vs the Refugee Crisis. As each EU country controls its own borders and immigration policies, many resist the EU quotas of accepting refugees. As the EU is a part of the international community, they are expected to follow international refugee law in protecting displaced people. With diplomacy, they were able to balance national sovereignty with shared humanitarian responsibility through the negotiations in the EU parliament and Council. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and EU sovereignty vs the Refugee crisis shows how one’s interpretation of sovereignty could affect and threaten others, which brings back the need for attention to how far international responsibility extends. This case shows the importance of diplomacy to balance national sovereignty and international responsibilities. 

The European Union leads the way in showing how diplomacy negotiates the balancing acts of sovereignty and international responsibility. The European Union, being composed of 27 member states, has extensive economic and political power, and these give rise to constant negotiations of international responsibility and sovereignty. The refugee crisis shows how the EU protects peace among states. These communications and actions within the European Union illustrate how diplomacy can balance sovereignty and international responsibility. 

Our first topic, “The question of strengthening the European defense industry,” highlights the chronic dilemma of building Europe’s security capability without compromising sovereignty and collective responsibility. In response to rising tensions around the world and the crisis in Ukraine, the EU is forced to reduce its reliance on outsiders and create a stronger, consolidated defense mechanism. This debate raises questions about how much member states are willing to share their industries without abandoning control of national defense policy. 

The second topic, “The issue of the right to secure borders and regulation of migration laws,” addresses the tension between national sovereignty and global humanitarian obligation. Nations do have sovereign power to manage migration and protect their borders, but international law and EU agreements require shared responsibility towards refugees and displaced persons. Here, the concern is regarding balancing the interests of safeguarding national interests and commitments to human rights and international obligations through diplomacy in the EU. 

I believe that this conference would be the chance for the delegates in the European Union to dive deep into the most complex topics today, from defense to migration. As a chair, I hope to grow with the delegates, think critically, collaborate, and strive for innovative solutions. I look forward to seeing the passion and creativity that each delegate will bring to the conference. See you all in November!

Best regards, 

Hyorin Chun

Honorable chairs, distinguished delegates, and most esteemed guests,

My name is Jiyoon Yoon, a freshman at The United Nations International School of Hanoi. This is my second year in UNISMUN. This conference will be my fifth time participating in MUN and my first time as a chair. I am honored to serve as the European Union’s procedural chair in the November 2025 UNISMUN conference.

The theme of the November 2025 conference is “The role of sovereignty in diplomacy towards international responsibility”. This theme is important since it is deeply relevant to current issues happening in the world. It presents a thoughtful question about the amount of authority a country can assert without interrupting the international community. The topic also reflects on ongoing conflicts, such as the Russo-Ukrainian war, which emphasizes that it is an important theme we need to think about.

The European Union is an union that consists of countries in Europe only. This leads the nations in the committee to discuss for the common good of the continent. This community allows delegates to tackle complex real-world problems such as economic policy and security issues. Also, the questions are regional rather than international, which makes the committee different from others. Moreover, EU is a case study of how nations pool their sovereignty to create a large community. This connects the committee directly to the theme of this conference. These reasons make EU an interesting and fun committee to be a part of.

The first topic of the European Union is “The question of strengthening the European defense industry”. This topic allows delegates to think about how to promote cooperation between European countries but also not leave any sovereignty concerns unsolved at the same time. It also lets the committee discuss about how to construct strong defense infrastructures without any external support. Currently, with wars happening in Europe, this topic stands out as an important question that needs to be answered quickly.

The second topic of the European Union, “The question of the right to secure borders and control migration laws” dives deeper into the sovereignty of European countries. While countries have free power to manage immigrations, however they need to follow the international humanitarian obligations and the EU agreements such as asylum law. This presents a deeper perspective about the various dimensions of migration and also a country’s authority.

I hope that this conference will be a great opportunity for delegates to be more thoughtful and improve in their MUN experiences. I am also looking forward for well-prepared research and speeches, and fruitful debates in the committee as well. As a chair, my goal is to lead a formal, respectful, and an informed conference. I hope that my first experience as a chair can be a successful one. See you at the November conference!

Best Regards,

Jiyoon (Claire) Yoon