In recent days, certificates were delivered to the 35 students from Messina who, for three days, represented the member states of the United Nations as ambassadors at “Cwmun New York 2024”.
The ceremony took place in Catania, at the headquarters of the “Diplomats” association, led by president Claudio Corbino, who has been organizing the international forum at the UN for years. Even in this 13th edition, thousands of students participated, coming from 149 countries around the world. «In these international meetings, not only the requests of a diplomatic and negotiating nature materialize – states Corbino – but, above all, those aimed at communicating and understanding the most authentic equality of intent and equal rights of all peoples. Young people coming from various parts of the world, sometimes from nations at war with each other, have the opportunity to understand that they belong to different cultures, but not for this reason incompatible”.
Like true ambassadors, the students discussed the fundamental issues of the world agenda, putting into practice the diplomatic strategies learned during the course. Denise Troina and Enrico Giardina took care of its training.
«It is always a new emotion to follow the path of our kids – declare the professors. Mariella Laurà and Francesco Turano, teachers responsible for the project for the “Maurolico” high school – who embark on a real challenge. “Change the World” teaches them to understand how to compare and find a way to work together, even if starting from different perspectives, in order to reach a shared solution. The aim is to learn to collaborate for a better future, with the awareness that together we can make a difference. And, thus, change the world.”
Guest of honor of the “Cwmun New York 2024”, Valerie Biden Owens, former deputy US representative to the United Nations General Assembly. «An intervention of great impact – add Laurà and Turano – which conveyed a great charge of enthusiasm and confidence in a possible change, highlighting how bringing education back to the center of the global debate is the only way to strengthen our democracies in depth» . The opening ceremony and simulations took place at the Marriott Marquis, Times Square, the closing ceremony was held at the UN Building.
The 35 participants
Twenty-seven high school studentsMaurolico“, five from the Institute “Verona Trento“, two from high school “Sequence” and one from high school “Bisazza” flew to New York for the “Change the World Model United Nations”. These are the names: Aurora Ardizzone, Luigi Autru Ryolo, Marta Calareso, Mario Giulio Cavaleri, Sofia De Luca, Federica Grasso, Andrea Ingrassia, Federica Loria, Alejandra Marsala, Marta Micali, Sofia Muffoletto, Elisa Nardi, Emanuela Nardi, Gioia Navarra, Linda Oliverio, Franco Olivo, Emilia Pace, Pietro Pontoriero, Eliana Puglia, Enrica Ruegg, Alessandra Saija, Francesco Solano, Alessandro Tommasini, Andrea Tripodi, Sergio Tripodi, Nicole Usai, Gisella Venuti, (Maurolico); Andrea Bonina, Samuel Denaro, Mirko Fiorini, Sergio Serraino, Daniele Staiti (Verona Trento); Alessandro Majolino and Eliana Puglia (Seguenza), Nicola Arena (Bisazza). Together with them, also Giorgio Berlinghieri, Greta Grasso and Emanuele Scaramozzino, all from “Maurolico”, who left as members of “Dais”, the table on which the moderators sit at the debate.
The awards
The students Elisa Nardi and Federica Loria, representatives of Mexico, received the “Honorable Mention” in the “Ecosoc” commission, “Economic and Social Council”; the students Luigi Autru Ryolo and Alessandro Majolinorepresentatives of the United Kingdom in the Security Council, won the “Best Position Paper”; Franco Olivo and Pietro Pontorierodelegates from Saudi Arabia, were awarded the “Best Position Paper” in the “Ecosoc” commission.
