Students at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are learning how sovereign nations interact within the global community through the creation of the United Council of Nations.
Class instructor Dr. Jean Howard-Hill said her motivation springs from
the need to foster an understanding of global governance and the interrelationship between sovereign nations.
"No longer are we a nation that stands alone," Dr. Howard-Hill said. "Trade, modern technology, the impact of civil unrest in other nations, and even environmental concerns bring us together in many ways, as one. This has required the creation and interaction of nations within a
global community."
The student ambassadors are very much engaged in the global process,
according to Dr. Howard-Hill. They began by researching and presenting
information on their countries' government, political structure,
nationalities, population and social trends, economics, employment and
poverty rates, birth and death rate, religion, infrastructure, trade,
intellectual contributions, and its history.
Students worked with those nations within the United Council of Nations to enter into trade agreements, treaties, and to pass resolutions and impose sanctions against member and non-member nations.
"The experience has been phenomenal," said to Taylor Johnston, the United Council Chair and Student Ambassador of Mauretania. "You cannot imagine just how involved we have gotten and how much we have learned from this class."
The Final Resolution Session of the United Council of Nations will
culminate with guest speaker, Yozefu Rugina from Friends of Rwanda on
April 17 at 10:50 a.m. in Fletcher Hall, room 313.
The student United Council of Nations include Distinguished Student Ambassadors representing the countries of: Japan, China, India, North Korea, South Africa, Mauretania, Nigeria, Republic of Sudan, Israel, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Cameroon, Ghana, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates.
"It has caused me to see the need to challenge what is going within the
global community when something is wrong and it lets me know that if we
can work together as a mock council, then we can also get involved as a
part of our future endeavors," said United Council Parliamentarian Kenneth Allen and Student Ambassador of India.
Student Ambassador Matt Givens of Mauretania said, "There were times in
class when we got into our roles so profoundly we forget that we were
students."
Another Student Ambassador, Ashley Cox of Israel, said that it was great to work together with her partner Ambassador Rachel Coker to make a
presentation and to learn so much about their country.
"There was just so much energy in each session that if one entered the room not knowing differently, they would believe we truly were ambassadors representing our countries," said Student Ambassador Wesselman of Cameroon.
Student Ambassador Jacob Obrien of Japan, who is a U.S. Marine, said his
military experience and this class gave him even greater insight of how
and why nations enter into conflict, and even how they can avoid it. However, he is quick to support any nation's efforts to defend its
sovereignty.
"By engaging in this kind of international think tank, it has gotten students far more involved in international affairs than I ever could have expected. This greatly pleases me," said Dr. Howard-Hill.
Contact Dr. Jean Howard-Hill 423 425-5702 or 423 544-9696.