A team of eight students from St. Joseph’s Convent Port-of-Spain and the UNESCO Club coordinator, Mrs. Alicia Stephens is in Buenos Aires, Argentina representing Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean at the Twenty First International Model UNESCO. This is a simulation of the General Conference of UNESCO. Mr. Nagil Sampath, a teacher at St. Mary’s College, is also a member of the contingent as CIC hopes to participate in the future.
The Model UNESCO is being organised by Instituto Jose Hernandez and will last for four days, 4 – 7 October, and each day different ‘commissions’ will debate on topics assigned. On the final day resolutions will be passed. The purpose of the conference is to build key skills in students that would be beneficial for life - a better sense of teamwork, leadership, honesty and respect. The conference also seeks to assist students with public speaking skills as students are usually called upon to present the information they have prepared.
In preparation for the event, the SJC students were split into two teams to represent two different countries - Egypt and France. Three students will each make presentations under the three Commissions of Science, Social Science and Culture and Education. Team France consists of: Emelie John, Alyssa Cheekes and Cienna Shanklin. The ‘ambassador’ for the team is Shianne Dwarka, a past student of the school.
Team Egypt consists of: Mayah Mohammed, Alexandria Bailey and Xaria Beckles. The ‘ambassador’ for the team is Satya Sampath, a past student of the school.
Resolutions that are developed by the students are submitted to the Ministry of Education in Argentina as well as the UNESCO Head Office in Paris.