Students from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River visit the OSCE headquarters in Vienna

Four recipients of the Best Student Awards in this year's Model OSCE, which was organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova, travelled to Vienna from 18 to 22 October 2016 for a study trip to the OSCE Secretariat as a part of their prize.

During the visit, the students attended a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council where they saw how representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States interact. They also met with officials from the OSCE Secretariat and diplomats from the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova to Austria.

“The Model OSCE was a great experience and it gave me a chance to develop skills in public speaking, diplomacy and negotiation,” said Vasile Tarlev, one of the Best Student Award winners and participant of the study trip. “Attending a session of the Permanent Council, where real diplomacy happens, was very thrilling and has motivated me to think about a career in diplomacy.”

The aim of holding the Model OSCE is to build confidence and strengthen dialogue between young women and men from both sides of the Dniester/Nistru River. This year the simulation game brought together 31 students from Chisinau, Comrat, Rybnitsa and Tiraspol to enhance their negotiation skills and to encourage youth to pursue careers in the field of conflict resolution. The Model OSCE is an annual event organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova since 2013.