Prince Albert II of Monaco formally opened this year’s Mediterranean Model United Nations conference, also known as MEDMUN, welcoming some 500 students from 76 nations to the Grimaldi Forum at the end of last week. Following a Monaco-based first day, the international gathering unfolded over the weekend with a series of engaging talks and collaboration-focused diplomacy events at the Sciences Po Paris campus in Menton.
Monaco Life joined the crowds of students, who hailed from countries located in and near to the Mediterranean Basin, at the Grimaldi Forum on Friday 4th April to listen to Prince Albert’s opening MEDMUN 2025 speech.
The Prince described the three-day gathering, held under the theme Strategic alliances: new generations turn divides into dialogue to shape the Mediterranean’s future, as “a platform for dialogue and cooperation between the young generation” that is designed to evoke “passion for international relations and bring about solidarity that is durable”.
Noting the chosen focus of the 2025 event, Prince Albert added, “This year’s theme is not only an intellectual reflection but an imperative call to action.”
Reflecting on Monaco’s role within the United Nations, the Sovereign Prince noted, “I am attached to this organisation as my father, the late Prince Rainier III, established a Monegasque delegation that has been instrumental in the Principality’s international affairs. Since then, the delegation has been advocating for human rights, peace and the development of education and healthcare.”
Following the welcome day in Monaco on Friday 4th April, the delegates relocated to Menton and the local Sciences Po Paris campus for the diplomatic committee sessions on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April.
In all, the 2025 edition of MEDMUN featured 17 committees operating in six languages. Alongside those representing UN agencies such as the World Health Organization, the Disarmament and International Security First Committee, the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the High Commissioner for Refugees, the conference also included region-specific forums including the Arab League and the Spanish Cabinet. The participants were invited to take part in the various discussions and roundtable events that were led by experts including François Gouyette, the former French Ambassador to Algeria, Libya and the UAE; Admiral Jean-Michel Martinet of the Mediterranean Foundation of Strategic Studies; Claude Fabbretti from the Monaco Red Cross; and Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean.
A number of fictional and crisis simulations were also held, including one based on Harry Potter, another on the United Arab States and a dramatic Operation Red Horizon, each offering students alternative formats for problem-solving under pressure.
Louis Vassy, Director of Sciences Po Paris’ Menton campus, shared his thoughts on the event, saying, “I have frequently attended sessions at the UN headquarters in New York and its various assemblies. What I can say is that events like MEDMUN bring hope to humanity. I am proud to see how students here are tackling pressing issues and working toward solutions.”
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