SWA Updtae

Student World Assembly Update
April 2005 | Volume # 1 | Number # 2

In This Issue

National Model United Nations
New York, USA

SWA First High School Chapter
Portland, USA

HIV/AIDS Walk
Abeokuta, Nigeria

SWA Insight

Suggested Reading

SWA members will join a crowd of 45,000 for the world’s largest AIDS fundraiser!

The 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) AIDS Walk begins and ends in Central Park. Walk to send the message that the AIDS crisis is not over and that you are changing the course of the epidemic.
   8:30 AM - Sign In Opens
   9:15 AM - Opening Ceremony
   10:00 AM - Walk Begins

Click Here to Register...

Strong Democracy:
Participatory Politics
for a New Age
by Benjamin R. Barber

This is the twentieth anniversary reissue of the original classic (published originally in 1984) on what democracy and citizenship is all about by the internationally renowned political theorist, Dr. Benjamin R. Barber. In a new preface, Barber looks at the past twenty years and restates his argument, which seems, sadly, more pressing than ever.

Click here for more suggested readings ...

HIV/AIDS Walk - Abeokuta, Nigeria

                                                  Friday April 22nd, 2005

On Friday April 22nd, 2005, SWA members from the Nigeria Region participated in a historic AIDS Walk in Abeokuta which aimed to raise awareness about the epidemic. The AIDS Walk, which was organized by the Nigeria Region of the SWA, brought together members from following schools:

     - Ogun State University
     - University of Agriculture
     - the Conscious Moshood Abiola Polytechnic
     - Obafemi Awolowo University
     - Universal College of Technology

More than 70,000 educational leaflets on HIV/AIDS in three different languages (Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa) along with 2,000 free condoms were distributed en route. The quality of health care in Nigeria has deteriorated dramatically over the past several years.

The trip to Abeokuta was a unique opportunity for SWA members to take action on a grassroots level to battle the deadly epidemic in their communities. members from the Ghana Region participated in a momentous Aids Walk which aimed to raise awareness about the epidemic and different prevention methods. The walk which was organized by the Ghana Region of the SWA and brought together 300 members from numerous SWA chapters. Educational packages and 3000 free condoms were distributed to interested people along the way. Members and participants were able to march through the streets and enjoy the event as well. We truly thank all the organizers of this extraordinary event and look forward to seeing similar events in the future.

For more information on the event please visit the following links:
Photo gallery: http://www.studentworldassembly.org/Photogallery_Nigeria_April_aidswalk/index.html

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The National Model United Nations 2005 Conference
New York - March 22-26, 2005

A combined delegation of fourteen SWA active student-members from LaGuardia Community College, Adelphi University, Fordham University, St. John’s University, Brandeis University and the International Pacific College (IPC) of New Zealand represented SWA as an NGO in the National Model United Nations Conference (NMUN) held in New York City on March 22-26, 2005.

The NMUN Conference is the world’s largest university-level simulation of the United Nations. The 2005 NMUN Conference was attended by 3,263 student delegates from 226 schools from five continents. The NMUN educates students about United Nations and other contemporary international issues.

The SWA delegation, accompanied by two faculty advisors (Dr. M. Reza Fakhari of LaGuardia Community College and Prof. Carol Davenport of IPC) and three SWA staff participated in eight Committees that closely parallel the Committees of the real United Nations and which deal with a variety of global topics and issues. Three students and one faculty traveled from New Zealand to attend the Conference. The expenses of the SWA delegation to attend the NMUN Conference were partially covered by a NAFSA grant awarded to Dr. Fakhari of LaGuardia Community College.

For more information on the event please visit the following links:
Photo gallery: http://www.studentworldassembly.org/photogallery_NY_NMUN/index.html
Position Papers: http://www.studentworldassembly.org/nmun_2005.htm

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                           SWA First High School Chapter
                                       South Portland High School - Maine, USA

Students in South Portland, Maine have joined up to establish the first high school chapter of the Student World Assembly. Perceiving the necessity for more international awareness, education and discussion amongst students in Maine, founder and chapter president Hannah Dunphy has enjoyed introducing SWA to the school.

The group was enthusiastically received by the students and obtained overwhelming support from the administration. This chapter hopes to contribute the perspectives of high school students to discussion forums, and to expand the organization's reach of global representation. The group had its first meeting on April 2005, and after electing officers, it has already joined with other student organizations like Amnesty International to plan upcoming events. On April 6th, chapter co-sponsored a successful student/teacher discussion on security and civil liberties post 9/11, with focused debate on the USA Patriot Act.

For more information and to visit chapter's website please visit the following links:
Chapter's Site: http://swa.highschool.spsd.org/swa

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Our Mission
The Student World Assembly is a
non-governmental, non�partisan organization created to represent students globally. It provides a deliberative assembly where students around the world can exchange views, vote on global issues through online discussion forums and in annual international conventions, and translate these views into meaningful actions.

Our Democratic Philosophy
True representative democracy offers a powerful instrument for addressing the vital social and political conditions that threaten our global future. The informed wishes of the people, conveyed through the collective voice of a democratic assembly, need to be heard in the decision- making processes. By giving students from the most remote to the more accessible institutions an equal voice, we are enabling all students to educate, participate and take action, and to begin thinking of themselves as global citizens.