By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
THE global stage was on show at Keysborough College’s Banksia campus in Springvale.
Year 10 and 11 students were turned into delegates, and their school into the United Nations General Assembly during a simulation last Wednesday.
The college’s humanities manager Stephen Megroz said each delegate had to swot up on the views of their assigned country for a resolution on indigenous peoples’ rights.
“They were told you can’t just speak your own opinion but as a delegate, you speak your country’s opinion.”
There was much to discover during the process, Mr Megroz said.
In some cases, an educated guess was required to ascertain a country’s “position statement”. Students hadn’t heard of some of the smaller nations.
Adjunct Professor Ian Howie, who has worked with the UN on international development, ghosted as the UN Secretary-General for the day.
A 2007 resolution on indigenous peoples’ rights to protect their lands and maintain their cultures was passed in the UN General Assembly after 25 years of negotiations.
Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US voted against the resolution; 145 nations voted for it.
The Model United Nations was staged with the help of state funding and United Nations Association of Australia (Victorian Division).
