World Affairs Seminar 2014
Club President Brian Griffin and World Affairs Participant Mary Futch
Each year, Auburn University holds a World Affairs Youth Seminar for rising 10th through 12th graders. It is conducted by faculty, staff, and students from the College of Education and members of the Persistent Issues in History Network and uses the Model United Nations (MUN) forum to examine global issues in a "real world" context. Participants assume the role of country delegates and strive to accurately represent the viewpoints of their assigned country in daily MUN General Assembly sessions.
Seminar participants gain a better understanding of complex international issues, practice leadership skills, develop communication skills and make new friends from across the country. Additionally, while at Auburn University, World Affairs Seminar participants attend lectures by faculty on international issues and get to experience campus life firsthand while residing in Auburn's resident dormitories, eating at campus dining facilities, and enjoying evening social and recreational activities.
Our club is pleased to be able to sponsor a local high school student allowing them to attend this camp. This past July we sponsored Mary Futch to attend. Recently, Mary addressed our club regarding her experiences. These are her remarks:
I would like to first say, THANKYOU for the amazing privilege to represent the Plant City Noon Rotary Club in Auburn, Alabama.
This year the Auburn World Affairs Youth seminar focused on the difficult present world issues that create pressures within regions, which reach out to the United Nations. Our topics included Extremist groups, Education of Women, Just War and Drones. Every day we spent hours researching, learning and discussing these topics. This led us into deep MUN debates that reached high levels of intensity depending on how personal the delegates felt about the subject. Both the most rewarding and challenging obstacle was to remain as true to your service as a delegate from your country as possible. As the delegate from Iraq, I faced much difficulty to do the lack of order in their current government and my strong American values but through this I learned to forget my beliefs and see the world through a new set of eyes.
Beyond the classroom and debates, my fellow “delegates” got to know each other. All of us from different areas and backgrounds quickly became close friends. We shared so many smiles and laughs throughout meals, campus tours and “family time”. We worked together as Allies even outside of the classroom. One morning we were given the opportunity to package books for underprivileged children and were able to touch over 6,000 lives. We also visited the National Infantry Museum where we learned of every American War, truly touching home and reminding us of our American Blessings.
I am so thankful for the opportunity and all the experience and knowledge that came with it. I strongly encourage Noon Rotary to continue to send Plant City students each year with full confidence of their future delights and accomplishments!
Download the website sponsorship guide