With the creation of the United Council of Nations, UTC students engaged in a new learning experience to better understand how sovereign nations interact within the global community. Class instructor Dr. Jean Howard-Hill designed the format.
“No longer are we a nation that stands alone. Trade, modern technology, the impact of civil unrest in other nations, and even environmental concerns bring us together in many ways as one. This has required the creation and interaction of nations within a global community,” she said.
The student Ambassadors began the exercise by researching and presenting information on their countries’ government, political structure, nationalities, population and social trends, economics, employment and poverty rates, birth and death rate, religion, infrastructure, trade, intellectual contributions, and its history. Students then worked with those nations within the United Council of Nations to enter into trade agreements, treaties, and to pass resolutions and impose sanctions against member and non-member nations.
“The experience has been phenomenal,” according to Taylor Johnston, the United Council Chair and Student Ambassador of Mauretania. “You cannot imagine just how involved we have gotten and how much we have learned from this class.”
During the Final Resolution Session of the United Council of Nations guest speaker Yozefu Rugina from the Friends of Rwanda said the students managed to find resolution for issues most nations have not yet found ways to resolve.
“This was promising to see students research and then incorporate that research into finding solutions and working with each other as sovereign nations,” he said.
Some of the resolutions included trade agreements; sanctions for human rights violations against fellow nations; installation of military bases within friendly nations and peace accords. Student Ambassadors also gave a special thanks to Sgt Jake O’Brien, US Marine Corps and a fellow student ambassador, now that they more fully understood the role he has played in serving in Iraq.
The student United Council of Nations included Distinguished Student Ambassadors representing the countries of: Japan, China, India, North Korea, South Africa, Mauretania, Nigeria, Republic of Sudan, Israel, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Cameroon, Ghana, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates.
Howard-Hill was pleased with student reaction to the process. “To see them rise to their feet with well researched and meaningful resolutions, then entertain opposition, discussion and even concurrences, along with joint sponsorship was amazing,” says Howard-Hill.
