UN pair sit in on the big global debates
TWO St Ambrose College A Level students have returned from a trip to the United Nations in Geneva believing the global forum for peace and international prosperity needs protecting.
Shane Fox, 17, from Altrincham and Max Ashton, 18, from Stockport were in a party of 22 young men and women from the seven Edmund Rice schools nationwide making the two-day trip to the Swiss city.
The students stayed in a hotel across the Franco-Swiss border and travelled in on both days to tour the United Nations’ chambers before sitting in for three hours on to a continuing debate on in the UN’s Human Rights Council on The Rights of the Child, in which delegates from more than 100 countries have been sharing information on the measures being taken to improve the lives of children worldwide.
Max, who wants to study product design at university, said: “It was a fascinating experience and provided a real insight into the workings of the UN and the importance of their work.
“In the debate we learned about the problems of child slavery and prostitution, particularly in the developing World and heard how countries are working both independently and together to combat such evils.
“I feel the debates provide a benchmark for governments worldwide to learn from and find new solutions to both traditional and emerging problems.”
Shane, one of St. Ambrose College’s deputy head boys, who wants to study law at university, said: “The United Nations is under threat. Donald Trump says he wants to cut American funding by 27 per cent and bring their contribution in line with other nations.”