Student World Assembly --- Promoting Global Democracy, One Student at a Time!

On the morning of May 15, 2005, Student World Assembly members in New York City participated in the annual AIDS Walk New York, an event created to raise funds which support over 50 AIDS charities worldwide. This year the AWNY had over 45,000 participants and was able to raise over $5.8 million. Some of the celebrities that participated in the event were Grammy Award-winning artist Norah Jones, Grammy Award nominee Maureen McGovern and Bill Brochtrup.

AIDS Walk New York was established in 1986 and has continued to be a growing success since its first event. To date, the organization has raised more than $80 million in an effort to support the fight against AIDS. Student World Assembly would also like to thank the Alpha Theta Phi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society for their partnership in the walk against AIDS.

Student World Assembly would like to congratulate SWA-Ghana on their successful partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Youth Action Network, UNICOYA and the corresponding organization of the first Millennium Development Goals (MDG) workshop in Ghana.

On 16th and 17th of May 2005, SWA-Ghana and their partners were joined by Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Youth, Employment and Manpower Development, the United Nations Country Representative, UNESCO’s Program Assistant for Education, a representative from the Canadian High Commission, representatives from the World Bank, the National Coordinator for the National Youth Council and other representatives from the UNDP were discussing and developing ideas in order to implement the MDG. During the conference, leadership roles were created to organize the effort and elections were held. Because of their enormous contributions to their community, most of the officers elected are members of the SWA-Ghana.

The conference was enthusiastically received by the Ghanaian public, since they realized the valuable work that would be accomplished and the beneficial impact it would have on their community. Also, the presence of media greatly increased the public’s awareness of the Millennium Development Goals and future radio and television panel discussions were planned, along with the creation of a press release and a communiqué.

Due to the election of SWA-Ghana members to the national board, the nation’s focus is even more firmly fixed on the organization, which has made a positive impression on Ghana, especially since it has only been a relatively short time since its initiation.

SWA would like to thank SWA-Ghana, for all of their enthusiastic hard work and the recognition they have once again brought to Student World Assembly!

A New Pressing Global Issue
"Corporate Power: Impact, Influence and Accountability"

With the ever expanding global dominance of corporations, it is critical to ensure that their choices do not result in a detrimental impact in the areas of human rights and environment. The international community must make it clear to the corporate world that they will be held accountable for their policies and procedures, when they impinge on the wellbeing of people or the planet. The best way to accomplish this goal is to first understand how corporate economic decision making affects the world ecologically, politically and socially.

It is no secret that global corporations have gained increasing political power on a global scale. According to the Corporate Accountability International, an organization that wages campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions all over the world, some have “grown richer and more powerful than many countries.” Corporate Accountability International states on their website that global corporations are utilizing “campaign contributions, aggressive lobbying, deceptive public relations and influence over global trade talks” to weaken government policies that are intended to safeguard the rights of its citizens.

The South Portland High School Chapter of the Student World Assembly has proposed “Corporate Power: Impact, Influence and Accountability” as the next most pressing global issue to be addressed by the Student World Assembly members. The issues to be discussed are: