This year's 17th year of the Model Conference of the Faculty of International Relations of the University of Economics in Bratislava is shaped by discussions of the Economic and Political Section on the topic "Polarization of society as a determinant of global risks". During the last weeks of calendar year 2023, the first model negotiations took place along the lines of the UN among the participants of each section. In accordance with protocol, the Economic and Political Sections tried to hold high-level negotiations, while the entire event was conducted in English.
The Economic Section approached the issue from an economic perspective. The students under the Economic Section took the position of delegates representing China, the European Union, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Switzerland. Their aim is to provide a platform through which a geographical and cultural diversity of views is to contribute to understanding the complexity of the relationship between economic indicators and the polarisation of society.
During the first round of the negotiatons, the Economic Section had a number of relevant and current topics on its agenda, including the climate change, internal combustion vs. electric cars and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The common denominator of these issues is the divergent stances of the international community. They are currently among some of the frontier issues on which society is divided in its views, approaches and solutions. The task of the Economic Section in this round of negotiations was also to devise strategies and address the reasons for the emergence of polarization, thereby reducing its impact on society and mitigating the risks associated with it. The chairman of the Economic Section, Bc. Ivan Sokolovský with the help of his secretary Bc. Tereza Široká, took care of the smooth course of the discussion, under the supervision of the Economic Section supervisor Ing. Sabina Lacušová.
The Political Section is tasked with examining the political aspects of the aforementioned main issue. Students again put themselves in the position of delegates from Serbia, Hungary, Italy, the Nordic countries or Greece. Their aim is to analyse the foreign policies of each country and to find consensus on topics such as the medias or migration.
The main topics of discussion in the Political Section were the European Commission's recommendations within the EU and the positions of the countries on the accession of new EU members, namely Moldova and Ukraine. Countries presented liberal approaches, with Hungary being the most controversial, representing views often in conflict with the consensus of the other countries. The debate on accession negotiations focused on compliance with the criteria and due diligence. The chairman of the Political Section, Bc. Ján Orda Oravec with the help of his secretary Bc. Ivana Orolínová, took care of the smooth course of the discussion, under the supervision of the Political Section supervisor Ing. Zuzana Beňová, PhD.
The Model Conference is a unique project of the Faculty of International Relations of the University of Economics, which provides students with an opportunity to experience a mock international negotiation and to understand the importance of cooperation between countries on important economic and political issues that affect society and global development.
