Hillary Briffa, 2nd year student of International Relations was recently awarded the  Best Orator and Best Delegate awards at a Model United Nations simulation.

Between the 4th and 6th of May 2012, Hillary participated in Tallinn Model United Nations, representing the Republic of South Africa.

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Darren Chetcuti, a third year student, has recently begun to write a column for the international publication: Star International. The weekly is an English language newspaper published in Northern Cyprus, and distributed in Turkey (as Turkey Star), Cyprus (as Cyprus Star), and the United Kingdom.

1st year student, Karina Miaauu, shares her views on the usefulness of social media platforms, published in The Sunday Times (6/5/2012)

Other IR students we’ve featured.

You are cordially invited to attend a Public Video Conferencing Debate on

U.S. Foreign Policy in the 2012 Elections

by

Kenneth R. Weinstein
President and CEO
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C.

and

Lawrence J. Korb
Senior Fellow
American Progress

Date: Wednesday 9th May 2012
Time: 16.00-17.00
Venue: VC Hall 101, IT Services Building

Supported by: The Embassy of the United States of America, Malta

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International Relations student, Mays Tayyem (2nd year), recently spoke to Rev.Dr Joe Inguanez for Kulturi on Campus FM. In this heartfelt interview she speaks about her home town, upbringing, traditions, and the ups and downs of life for a Palestinian.  Listen to her interview here:

http://campusfm.um.edu.mt/Convertedaudio/Winter_12/kulturi/kulturi10.wma

Our friends over at the Organisation for Friendship in Diversity are organising

Diversity Days on Campus,

next Monday 23 April 2012- Wednesday 25 April 2012.

This would be a great opportunity for IR students with an interest in multiculturalism, integration, education, or simply working with children!

Visit the stand and sign up as a volunteer with OFD!

OR

The Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
the Hon Dr Tonio Borg and Mrs Borg

 cordially invite  

International Relations Students 

to a Talk on Malta’s Relations with Australia

by

Professor  Henry J Frendo
BA, BA (Hons), MA, D Phil

at Giorgio Borg Olivier Hall
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Palazzo Parisio, Valletta

on Friday, 20 April 2012
at 1830 hours

A reception will follow

Dress: Lounge                                                                                    

It would be appreciated if you were to advise your attendance by sending an e-mail to loredana.belli@gov.mt

A Public Video Conferencing Lecture on

The Arab Spring: One Year On

Prof. Gawdat Bahgat

National Defense University
Near East South Asia Centre for Strategic Studies

in conjunction with the

Embassy of the United States of America, Malta

Date: Wednesday 18^th April 2012
Time: 16.00-17.00
Venue:  VC Room 101, IT Services Building Read the rest of this entry »

 A few months back a call for applications was made (see here) to be part of a truly European experience. Between the 24th and 31st March, four students from the International Relations and Law courses at the University of Malta participated in Model European Union in Strasbourg.

Currently this is one of the largest simulations carried out in the European Parliament. With only 200 international participants carefully selected from a thousand applicants.

Left to right: Nicole, Chris & Hillary

Nicole Scerri (IR Honours 3rd year) took on the role of Minister for Hungary in the European Council, whilst Chris Bergedahl (IR with Law 2nd year) became a French MEP and press officer for the EPP party and Hillary Briffa (IR Honours 2nd year) participated as Faction Leader and Polish MEP in the ECR party.

Over the course of the week fierce debates took place and amendments were put forward regarding the co-decision Personal Name Record (PNR) directive and the FRONTEX proposal. The long days in the Parliament allowed students to step into the shoes of our decision-makers yet other roles were also available and crucial to the experience.

Interpreters relayed eleven different official languages, whilst lobbyists attempted to make their voices heard and Kyra Borg (Law) joined the journalists as they snooped for material for their broadsheets or more questionable tabloids.

Although sessions were intense and at times the Chair found a challenge in keeping the peace, an active social programme ranging from a charity gala night, to scenic boat tours, to scavenger hunts and parties ensured the evenings were a rousing success and every individual walked away with a host of new lifelong friends and contacts.

The Maltese students all praise the endeavour as a worthwhile experience and encourage others to participate in similar initiatives in future since there is no better way to learn than by doing, and having a great time in the process.

International Relations student Elizabeth Mallia recently had her article published on Atlantic-Community.org.

Ms Mallia is a 3rd year Law student, with International Relations as a subsidiary. Her article submission was in reply to a Politics Essay Competition announced earlier this year.

Her article “Building on the Mediterranean Dialogue and Social Media ” talks of soft power as one of NATO’s greatest strengths for its Mediterranean initiative. Mallia believes NATO should use this soft power in tandem with social media to promote it’s values and agenda in the region.

The Atlantic Community is a think tank on foreign policy founded in Berlin in 2004. Last January, they launched a new competition for undergraduate and graduate students called “Your Ideas, Your NATO“. The ideas brought up by the students will be debated at the NATO Summit in Chicago in May.

Read her article in full here.

p.s. In her free time Elizabeth is a swash buckling pirate!