SU Abroad students in Beijing join mock UN debate
March 2008
A group of Syracuse University students recently joined a Beijing local high school team for a mock UN debate on "global warming." With the world focusing its attention on the city that is going to host the Olympics this summer and the mounting environmental challenges China is facing, the topic seems appropriate and timely.
Are the Chinese students familiar with global issues? Can they speak openly about their views? These are some of the questions Syracuse students had when preparing to take part in the joint activity. An hour and half later, such concerns are no longer relevant as Chinese and American students excitedly debated, using both Chinese and English, about the causes and impacts of the global warming. "An evening with the high school students here proved to me that the Chinese youth are indeed excited and encouraged about learning and understanding global issues from a different political standpoint," commented Paul Park, a Newhouse student studying in Beijing. "I'm impressed that they took the time to research and learn other countries' perspectives on the issue," agreed Ashley Cameron, a SU Arts and Science/Maxwell student.