Uzbekistan. A country rich in history and culture. A country that holds so many brilliant memories from my previous visit last year. A country that became close to home.
From the 25th of April to the 4th of May, a group of 14 students, including myself, from DEN will be visiting Uzbekistan for a Model United Nations (MUN) Conference hosted by Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT).
I took part in this opportunity last year with 6 other DEN members and friends of mine, but this year I am the only familiar face from last year’s trip to Uzbekistan, which has left me with a bittersweet feeling. As much as I look forward to being back in Tashkent and seeing everyone again, I’m gutted that it won’t include the 6 girls I shared memories of a lifetime with last year. Michelle, Rita, Maryam, Fatima, Layla and Mubina, I’ll forever cherish the time we spent together in TIMUN 2025, and I’ll go into TIMUN 2026 with you guys in mind, to enjoy new experiences and foods we didn’t have the chance to last year.
The DEN students participating in TIMUN this year are all delegates in various committees. I am the delegate of Argentina to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), alongside 2 other DEN members, and our committee will focus on ‘Advancing the 2030 UN Agenda’. This is my 3rd MUN experience and my first time not being a member of the Permanent Five, so I’m interested to see how this role affects my experience as a delegate and my overall development.
This year, we are exploring beyond Tashkent. We have a day trip planned to the old Silk Road city of Samarkand. This city has great historical significance and will always have positive associations with Uzbekistan. Samarkand is a city many Afghans praise for its beautiful architecture, amazing people and delicious food, and I can’t wait to explore it!
Another experience I am very excited about is the day trip to the Chimgan mountains, Charvak Lake and Amirsoy. It’ll be so special to escape the city and enjoy the fresh air in the mountains, take endless pictures by the lake and go horse riding too. My main aim this time visiting Uzbekistan is to see the different areas in the limited time we have, and I believe that the 2 experiences in Samarkand and the Chimgan Mountains and Charvak Lake will fulfil that aim brilliantly.
I’m filled with so much adrenaline and enthusiasm leading up to the trip, and I cannot wait to just enjoy some time away from my life in London and spend some quality time with my friends from here and with my Uzbek friends. Organising this trip for 14 people during assignment season and preparations for the DEN Summer School 2026 and Conference wasn’t easy, but I am proud that I was able to pull it off whilst doing everything else simultaneously. Here we come, Uzbekistan!
Negena Mahmoud