Model European Parliament: ‘Try if you can pick holes in this resolution’.

Last week, from 9 to 15 May, we were at it again: the yearly session of the Model European Parliament (MEO, formerly European Youth Parliament) was held for the fifteenth time at the Provinciehuis (more or less the County Council Buildings) in ´s-Hertogenbosch.
For a whole week some 170 pupils acted their role as Member of the European Parliament and learned by means of a simulation/role-playing game how much fun political decision-taking can be. They were followed closely by an international team of journalists who published twice weekly the MEP Newspaper with information on commission meetings and of course, lots of other ‘information’ which is important during such a week! (love gossip, dressing advice, and - to be sure – all the bloopers.

Twenty-six schools in Noord-Brabant and Flanders (Belgium) sent in six highly motivated pupils who have been occupied with political questions in the fields of a.o. Human Rights, Public Health and Education.
Every school from Brabant in cooperation with a Flemish school represented an EU member country. This year six Beekvliet pupils and six Flemish pupils represented Cyprus, a country which has been in the news quite a lot lately.
After a Plenary Meeting every pupil-delegate went to his/her commission, in order to discuss a great variety of political problems for three days. On Wednesday afternoon every commission had to submit her resolution. The final two days were dedicated to the General Assembly in the Bois-le-Duc Hall of the Provinciehuis. The resolutions drafted in the commissions were presented to all 170 MEPs dressed to the occasion, and discussed in formal debate, fully concentrated on their role.
Will the resolution pass? Will there possibly be a hostile amendment? How will my speech be received?
This conference should be seen as more than just a game. It is a realistic setting to get acquainted with the way the European Union is run. The level of the debates is higher every year and it is of utmost importance for pupils to be noticed during the General Assembly: every year pupils are selected there for the National Conference. Also, pupils may be invited to take on the role of Commission Chairperson, the year after.
This year Maurits de Jongh was Chairman of a Commission on behalf of Beekvliet.

Not in the least has the effort made by 170 pupils has contributed to the enormous success that MEP has been again this year. MEP does not just mean a week’s hard work for the pupils; it is also a good opportunity to get acquainted with an international scope, to make lots of new contacts and to have a lot of fun doing it!
Janny, Marielle, Vincent, Kim, Susan and Martijn, you have not just been perfect representatives of Cyprus, but also of your school Beekvliet!

Hans Relou
Claudia van Werkhoven