Youth To Debate Global Issues at City Chambers

Submitted by edg on Thu, 25 Nov '10 10.10pm

High School pupils from across Eastern Scotland will take part in a model united Nations conference at Edinburgh City Chambers tomorrow.

Edinburgh's St Thomas of Aquin's school will take part and each school will send a delegation of six pupils to represent their allocated country.

Pupils have researched their country's position in relation to issues such as ID cards, policing disarmament, the future of nuclear power and on whether capitalism has run its course.

"The event provides an exciting opportunity for young people to participate in public speaking, to debate and negotiate about real issues of global importance, while learning about the structure and procedures of the United Nations," explained Cllr David Beckett, Deputy Children & Families Leader.

The event takes place tomorrow at from 9am-3pm in the main debating chamber with each delegation submitting draft resolutions and then discussing and debating those issues.

Each school has also been invited to send another pupil to attend as a journalist who will be able to report on the event for the school.

"Edinburgh is internationally renowned as a centre of politics so it's fantastic that we have the opportunity to host the Model UN conference. The young people involved will debate important subjects that affect us all and I'm confident that it will equip them with skills that they wil be able to use in later life," said Beckett.