CAS students attend UN Youth Assembly
Students from Collingwood Area School took part in a regional UN Youth Assembly in Nelson last Friday. They represented the nations of South Africa, Germany and Chile in the forum and debated the question of Libyan border security and stability and statehood for the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza. The forum made amendments to UN resolutions and lobbied in support of or against these changes prior to voting on the final resolution.
The students gained an excellent insight into the workings of the United Nations. They also practised formal public speaking skills in an authentic context. All three spoke in front of the assembly. It was even more challenging because they had to speak from the political position of their respective countries, trying to avoid their own personal standpoint.
Anna Barham (Year 13) said that the forum seemed to be pretty close like what she imagines the real UN is like.
“The invitation to the forum came out of a Year 9/10 social studies unit on human rights. I was a last-minute addition but It was a really good experience.You could tell the people who had been to a forum before. Josh and Katie are already talking about going back next year.
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Collingwood Area School