Mayor Zanen’s Advice and Hope for THIMUN Delegates

Jan van Zanen, the mayor of The Hague, spoke on the first day of THIMUN 2025 for the NATO Summit launch and the Opening Ceremony. His annual appearance was a welcoming sight for returning members and an inspiring moment for all participants. As a firm believer in empowering the youth, Mayor Van Zanen spoke to MUNITY about the importance of international collaboration at THIMUN.

“It’s meaningful that the new generation meet from all over the world,” he said. As delegates of THIMUN and future leaders, he said that “meeting, talking, and not fighting [gives us] a better chance that we have an invertible future.” He believes that the delegates should learn, inspire, and teach each other. “You have an argument, try to solve it. And then I hope, when you [are] my age, that you’ve done even better than I did and I ever could,” he mentioned. Emphasizing the importance of cooperation and diplomacy within MUN, he said that “being in Model UN, being here together from all over the world” is important as the next generation can learn how to cooperate with each other. “It’s not easy to be a corporation like NATO, because all people are different, all countries are different, but still, they work together and the aim is peace and prosperity for everyone.” With THIMUN being a platform for training and practice for the next generation of leaders, Mayor Van Zanen believes that the conference is a great opportunity to “ask all the questions we don’t dare to ask.”

Giving inspirational advice to THIMUN delegates, Mayor Van Zanen advocated for delegates to work hard and rest well. “Your opportunity is to meet, try to be serious, to learn, to see, to hear, and be alert, and on the other hand, be relaxed, enjoy music, and enjoy the city.” As THIMUN delegates enjoy the city of international peace and justice, he hopes they will enjoy The Hague as a city of food, sights, and people as well. 

Illustration by Azadeh Changrani-Rastogi