Local Model United Nations gives students international perspective

For 17 years, Model United Nations has turned high school students into delegates tasked with fostering world peace and stability. Participants are assigned countries, which they must research to determine positions. Sessions follow actual UN procedure and the simulation is meant to be as authentic as possible.

Each year about 350 students from across Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois attend. Local participating schools this year included Central, Scott City, and Sikeston high schools.

"Especially for high school students, when they think of politics they think of U.S. politics. This makes them think beyond the comfortable boundaries of the United States and recognize there are serious issues facing those around

the world that we may not face here," said Dr. Debra Holzhauer, faculty adviser of the Model UN club at Southeast Missouri State University.

By 11:30 a.m. Thursday, delegates had discussed cyberterrorism, genocide in Darfur and the war in Afghanistan, and were moving on to Russia's relationship with Georgia.

"Russia is suggesting peaceful negotiations with separatist movements. It's hypocritical. They used military power and invaded," said Michael Limbaugh, a United Nations delegate representing Lybia.

The Cape Girardeau Central High School junior donned a multicolored dashiki, or traditional African clothing. Limbaugh's resolution, "against restricting the Internet but for harsh penalties of those convicted of cyberterrorism," had not been brought to the floor yet.

Check back to www.semissourian.com for update or read Friday's Southeast Missourian.