Model OSCE in Belgrade prepares students to tackle big issues

Around 80 university students from all over the country gathered together at the Palace of Serbia to experience life as a diplomat at Belgrade's first Model OSCE conference on 2-3 March 2009.

The event, organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia together with the Zikic Foundation, built on the momentum generated by the original Model OSCE in Vienna in July 2008. The main theme of the discussions was the environment.

Branislav Trudic of Belgrade University's Faculty of Natural Sciences, who played the role of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), said that the environmental theme was a good choice "because it made more people interested in joining the simulation. It wasn't just something for political science students."

The Zikic Foundation was responsible for developing the environmental scenarios and implementing the training and preparation for the conference. Facilitators Milan Kosanovic and Bernhard Stahl worked with the students through a series of consultations to familiarize them with the topics, rules of procedure and appropriate language for the meeting.

Serious approach

"The students had a serious approach to the issues and their tasks. Even though there was a lot of diversity in the students' academic disciplines, they were enthusiastic about the material," said Kosanovic.

The simulation was supported by the Serbian Ministries of Youth and Sport, Environment, Education and Foreign Affairs (MFA). The opening ceremony was attended by Assistant Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Jelena Cvetkovic; Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Fedor Starcevic, and Head of the MFA's Office for the OSCE, Kristina Milosavljevic.

Speaking at the opening, the Head of the Mission to Serbia's Democratization Department, Hannelore Valier, said she was delighted "to see so many engaged young people. The OSCE has always been involved in youth-related projects, and it is a pleasure to be here."

Critical thinking

The event, added Ambassador Starcevic of the MFA, would allow the delegates "to promote the values of the OSCE and to develop critical thinking."

Critical thinking was exactly what the delegates needed as they approached the topics of energy security and diversity in Ukraine, and flooding along the River Rhine. On both topics, the delegates used the maximum time in preparatory committee meetings and coffee breaks in order to find common ground.

The students were able to draw inspiration from one-hour question and answer sessions with the Ambassador of The Netherlands in Belgrade, Ron van Dartel, and Senior Programme Officer Kilian Strauss of the OCEEA.

Achieving consensus

While both topics proved more divisive than anyone expected, the students were able to achieve a final consensus. The Ukrainian energy situation was dealt with by focusing on diversification of the energy sector with additional nuclear power plants and a commitment by the OSCE and the participating States to support Ukrainian investment and research into alternative sources of energy.

Realizing there was no panacea for the Rhine floods, the students' Permanent Council also agreed to establish and support an OSCE flood prevention centre, which would centralize data from national flood centres, while also providing a team of experts to create new solutions and advise OSCE participating States.

"People were coming to the table with lots of different ideas and huge budgets, but as we figured out the real-life limitations, the statements and suggestions became more realistic. I think that's how we found consensus," said Dries Holvoet, an exchange student from the University of Ghent, who represented Belgium.

New friends

"What I liked about this conference was the group. I met lots of people I didn't know before and we all got along great. Now I have a new circle of friends," added Ana Dragutinovic of Belgrade University's Faculty of Forestry.

Attending the closing ceremony were the Minister of Youth and Sports, Snezana Samardzic-Markovic, and the Head of the Serbian Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Suzana Grubjesic.

"At the Ministry, we don't say that you, the delegates, are the future of Serbia. We think of you as the present," said Samardzic-Markovic in closing.

The students will now start tackling real-life big issues as they take part in the changes going on in Serbia. Through the Model OSCE, they have had a taste of how to do just that.