UN chief sends message of support to local college students

Monday 23 April 2007

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, sent a message to the students participating in the meeting, noting the importance he attaches to connecting with young people and how the UN inspired him in a fundamental way. He said: "To succeed as Secretary-General, I will need to work in partnership with every one of our Member States."We the Peoples", in whose name the United Nations was founded, have a right to expect a UN which serves the needs of people everywhere.

"That is where I need your support. You can build a better understanding of our United Nations -- what it is, what it does, and what it can do. In that spirit, I thank all of you for your commitment, and wish you a most stimulating meeting."

The mock UN meeting was the culmination of the 'UN at UniS' project, which gave students key transferable skills that prepared them for the day, and for work and life, such as negotiating, compromising, consensus building and persuading. Students learnt about the views of other countries around the world, politics, the UN and how they affect their lives.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor John Turner, opened the event and sent the student delegates off to their committees. Students took on the role of a country, which they negotiated and debated for. In the Human Rights Council, delegates discussed the human rights situation in Iraq and there were impassioned pleas for an end to the spiralling conflict in the country. Tensions were high between delegates in the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee, who were discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the end, both committees managed to put together resolutions, which were successfully passed.

Delegates discussing human rights in Iraq noted their deep concern for the suffering of the Iraqi people, and sought "to restore Iraqi unity as the ultimate means for a long-term solution to the humanitarian crisis." They called for: "UN forces to create an all-Iraqi infrastructure so that Iraq with the help of other like-minded states can redevelop and govern themselves." The committee suggested: "that the present force remove itself within the next 12 months. This will be overseen by a UN force." The delegates: "pledged international aid regarding education, health, training for security and work forces, and free trade with relevant countries, as well as aid to refugees to promote independence of the Iraqi people overall."

Delegates discussing the Israeli-Palestinian situation authorised: "the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside the Israeli state." They emphasised: "the need for simultaneous cessation of all terrorist activity from both sides as well as the Israeli's leaving current Palestinian activities," and the "return of Palestinian refugees to Palestine territory." They proclaimed "that there be a buffer zone of UN Peacekeeping corps to control the borders to be comprised of Africa or Latin American troops," and "that Jerusalem be made a free international city controlled by the UN."

All the delegates reconvened to discuss their resolutions, which were passed in the General Assembly. Lord Hannay, the UK 's highest representative to the UN during the first Gulf War talked about the importance of the UN and the key challenges it faces and answered students' questions, including one about the proposals in their resolution. Lord Hannay presented the best student delegates with prizes.

The project is run by the Department of Political, International and Policy Studies at the University of Surrey and is comprised of a number of events at the students' colleges, online activities, and a final mock UN meeting. The event also has the strong support from Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dr Kim Howells.

Ben Miller, the project's Outreach Officer, said:

"This final event was a great success. The students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and learnt so much about themselves, politics, international affairs and the importance of the UN. These students managed to solve some of the world's most difficult issues. Maybe it's time politicians started to take note."

The aim of this 'UN at UniS' project is to encourage students to continue their studies and increase their aspirations in life. It offers participants the chance to reflect on their learning and contribute to various evaluation and dissemination activities, making it an engaging, inclusive and democratic project. 'UN at UniS' is funded by the university's widening access fund and contributes to the university's wider aim of encouraging those who have been traditionally under-represented in higher education to progress to university and continue their studies.

For more information about the project click on www.surrey.ac.uk/politics and go to 'schools and colleges' section.

Editors' Notes

The University of Surrey is one of the UK 's leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life - helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defence and social policy. Programmes in science and technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law. In addition to the campus on 150 hectares just outside Guildford, Surrey, the University also owns and runs the Surrey Research Park , which provides facilities for 140 companies employing 2,700 staff.

Media Enquiries

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