The day after completing my final university exam, I closed all the tabs on my laptop and swiftly made my way to the airport. I was ready to embark on a journey into the beating heart of the Silk Road – Uzbekistan. As soon as I stood in the queue for the check-in to Tashkent, reality hit me – I was flying alone to a new country, a city where I knew no one. I was a STEM student, and the Westminster group already knew each other; the imposter syndrome was creeping in, and I slowly began to question whether my adamant determination to attend TIMUN 2026 was a wise decision. Nerves aside, I sat down in the airport and started compiling information about Turkmenistan, which was the delegation I was assigned with. Before I knew it, it was 6am and I was heading to the dorms to get ready for the first day of the conference – at this point I felt like a zombie after missing out on two nights worth of sleep. The last time I had participated in a MUN conference, was during secondary school. However, the transition back into the world of Model UN was smooth. Other delegates were so warm and welcoming, the hospitality of the people of Uzbekistan struck me – a stark resemblance to the people of both my own homelands not too far from the land that had welcomed me with warm arms. I walked away from all three days of the conference, refreshed and enlightened with new ideas, friendships and insights. Meeting delegates from all over Asia, from India to Kyrgyzstan to Japan and more – being able to network and debate with so many talented young individuals left me with sincere hope. Hope for the future generation – the future diplomats, policy-makers, leaders. The out-of-place feeling had slowly diminished by the end of the first day, with locals and international students fostering such a positive atmosphere. Their drive for academic success was, and is inspiring to this day. International cooperation broadened my horizons – we do not realise just how much value we hold to the future of diplomacy and world peace. ECOSOC was eye-opening. Despite an extensive background in the sciences and pharmacology, my passion lies in history, culture and politics. Exploring Tashkent and admiring the plentiful nature of Central Asia in comparison with the post-Soviet influence lingering across the city sparked my curiosity. Exploring the streets, buildings, parks with Aziza, Otabek, Diyorichka, Muqaddas, Golkhoya, and all the other dear friends I made genuinely enhanced my experience. If I didn’t have such a great tour guide like Jahongir, I would’ve gotten lost amidst the brutalist architecture of the Charsu Bazaar. I connected with the city through its people, and made memories I will forever cherish with amazing individuals. The dorm courtyard holds the echoes of the late-night conversations and games we would all bond over during sleepless nights, but they are delicately etched in our memories to be cherished.
Summayah Syed