Students Visit the United Nations in New York
November 19, 2010
Twenty-four students participating in the Model UN visited the United Nations headquarters in New York on November 11th, accompanied by Assistant Professor of Psychology Katrin Križ and Assistant Professor of Political Science Petros Vamvakas.
The group toured the United Nations before meeting with Sister Joan Burke, SND, who has represented the Sisters of Notre Dame at the United Nations for the past eight years. The Sisters of Notre Dame are an accredited non-governmental organization (NGO) with the United Nations.
The tour gave students the opportunity to see and learn about the work of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and the Security Council. Students also walked through the UN Millennium Development Goals hallway, which informs visitors of the eight development goals supported by the United Nations. These goals, which honors students had discussed in their first-year colloquium before the trip, include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, universal primary education, and the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Students also learned about the role the UN plays in peacekeeping and disarmament.
After an enlightening presentation on the role of the UN in social development by Sister Joan, students engaged in a lively dialogue with Sister Joan about the involvement of NGO's with the UN, and the changes in the global financial infrastructure required to implement the Millennium Development Goals. Sister Joan also told students about her experience in Nigeria and the Congo, where she worked for many years. She encouraged students to be active global citizens and work on behalf of the disadvantaged and those who currently do not have a voice.
