INTERNATIONAL STUDENT JOURNALISTS' IMPRESSION'S OF THE CONFERENCE FIRST DAY

By Richard Garrabrant, Purchase College, Student Journalist, with

Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Director of the UN DPI/NGO International Student Journalism Program

Pace University student Akane Wilson grew up knowing about the terrors of nuclear war, from classes in Japan and stories her Japanese mother would tell her about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As a result, she says, “The first day of the conference was a powerful experience for me, hearing the Secretary General talk about his pasion for nuclear disarmament.”

In contrast, Chinyere Ojini did not know much before today about the horrors of nuclear war. For her, the most impactful experience of the day was the ceremony where the Secretary General, surrounded by youth, completed the sculpture of the grenade with a plant gorwing out of it, “That image gave me a sense of the huge responsibility for my generation,” she said.

Students from universities all over the world came to Mexico to be part of the International Student Journalism program at the 62nd annual DPI/NGO conference which opened on Wednesday morning in Mexico City. They represented countries like Japan, Nigeria, Italy, Austria, India and the United States. They all wanted to learn more about nuclear disarmament and what they can do to prevent war and violence.

For all, the opening day of the DPI/NGO conference was a life changing experience.

Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of the International Campaign to Ban Land Mines, who delivered one of the opening keynote addresses, became a role model for American student Melissa Rivera. “She opened my eyes about how we all need to focus on this issue of nuclear disarmament,” Riverea said.

The three day event titled “For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!” was attended by many youth among the nearly 2,000 representatives from countries all over the world. The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon delivered the opening address in the magestic setting of the courtyard of the 400 year old ex convent of St. Hipolito.

The Secretary General emphasized the need for complete nuclear disarmament among the nations of the world. Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Patricia Espinosa Castellano and Under-Secretary General Kiyo Akasaka also gave opening speeches that complimented and elaborated on this theme. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams made lively comments, bringing the crowd to applause several times. Wlliams said that world leaders and NGOs as well, need to deflate their egos in order to work together towards nuclear disarmament instead of winning a prize for their individual efforts.

After the opening ceremony, youth representing the United Nations DPI/NGO student journalism program attended a press conference with the Secretary General and Under Secretary General Kiyo Akasaka and distinguished Mexican diplomat Miguel Marin Bosch. Student Richard Garrabrant from Purchase College in New York asked the Secretary General how students could use social computer technology networking sites like Facebook and Twitter in order to spread the message of nuclear disarmament on their campuses and also to students in third world countries who do not have access to computers. The SG stressed the importance of active participation by young people and also by grassroots organizations. The SG has recently launched his campaign for public awareness about nuclear disarmament on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, with the particular goal of reaching the youth audience.

Afterwards at the beautiful Museo de Diego Rivera, the SG elaborated on his awareness program and took further questions. Student journalist Chendil Venkataran asked what can be done by youth to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan concerning nuclear power. That theme was later addressed in an afternoon workshop entitled “Eliminating Weapons of Mass Destruction and Dismantling Terror through the Power of Nonviolence.” At the event with the SG, a student from Mexico also had an opportunity to ask a question. The ceremony was a unique experience for the youth present to have a personal greeting with the Secretary General.

“Being so close to one of the most important leaders in the world today was exceptionally moving,” said Juliane Casey, a student from Smith College in Massachusetts. “He inspired me to become more of a leader on my own campus and within my generation to make my peers aware and active about peace and antinuclear war.”

“The first day of the conference was one of the most powerful experiences of my life,” said Ojini, a senior at Rutgers University, double majoring in Accounting and Journalism. “To hear the Secretary General discuss the various treaties and the lead that Latin America has taken in disarmament, has opened my eyes to the possibility of peace around the world.”

The next event was held at the Museo de Arte Popular, a modern building behind the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A large group of student volunteers greeted the arrival of the SG and other delegates. The SG participated in painting, signing, and constructing a sculpture of a tree-sprouting grenade, symbolic of the conference. The youth committee were visibly excited to have the SG participate in adding the final touches to the sculpture that had taken all week to construct for the event.

“It was an upbeat, moving experience to see the SG surrounded by youth, a resource that he as stressed as being vitally important to the success of nuclear disarmament,” said Isaac Toussier, who studies at the Interdisciplinary Center in Israel.

The International Students talked together about the shocking facts noted by the SG that

last year alone, total military spending exceeded $1 trillion worldwide. He described his five point plan for comprehensive nuclear disarmament as well as his hopes for global participation in the upcoming international Day of Peace on September 21st.

The students were also extremely impressed with the SG’s new twist on the acronym WMD, which he noted as highlighting the theme of the conference: We Must Disarm.