PRESS CONFERENCE ON WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS FROM MANHATTAN AND NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOLS
Press Briefing
PRESS CONFERENCE ON WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS FROM MANHATTAN AND NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOLS
19980514
More than 400 students from Manhattan and New Jersey participated in workshops for high school leaders today at the United Nations, where they discussed pressing global issues, representatives of United Youth International said at a Headquarters press conference sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the United States. Among the guests who attended the workshops were Nane Annan, wife of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, entertainer LL Cool J and Frank Perry, New York City Commissioner for Youth.
The one-day event, on the theme "Youth activism in a global world", was organized by United Youth International in cooperation with the Youth Unit of the Secretariat and the NGO/United Nations Committee on Youth. Participants were welcomed by Kensaku Hogen, Under-Secretary- General for Communications and Public Information. David Brook of the NGO/United Nations Committee on Youth was the moderator. CBS newscaster Paula Zahn was master of ceremonies and guest speakers were Luis Reyes, of the New York Board of Education; Seth Winnick, of the United States Permanent Mission and; Maxwell Haywood, of the Secretariat Youth Unit.
Four youth activists -- Krit Dangruenrat, Harun Aktas , both of the International High School; Andrea Kominski, of John Browne High School, and Brinetta Blackett of Jet Good Rewards Children's Garden -- addressed the press conference. Also present were Joan Beisel, Director of United Youth International; and Connie Stomper, the organization's co-director for the West Coast.
Ms. Zahn said that in today's cynical world it was very difficult for educators and parents to encourage children to trust institutions. It had been inspiring to watch the reaction of the workshop participants to United Nations dignitaries and to their own peers. It was hard to inspire young people to want to give back to their communities and based on the students' reaction to what had been said about the value of getting involved with one's community and of volunteer service in hospitals, the message was being received "loud and clear".
Mr. Reyes said there were 1.1 million students in the city's public schools. The Board was committed to youth activities like community service which would help young people to see that what they learnt in the classroom was connected to their life, to the life of the planet and to that of the United Nations. It was important to hear youth activists taking on such issues as child labour, especially at a time when Americans were benefitting from the goods produced in other countries through the child labour practices of some American corporations. By becoming active, young people throughout the world could send a message to those corporations to be socially responsible by increasing wages and raising the minimum working age, so that young people could be encouraged to study and prepare for lifetime jobs.
Among the United Nations agencies involved in organizing the workshops were United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention, United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Non-governmental organizations involved included Airline Ambassadors, the Legion of Good Will, the Islamic Society and Kids Meeting Kids. * *** *