In this issue... News on Africa Conference, Oct. 18-19 Workshop for High School Students Big Success High School Discussion last Saturday on U.N., U.S., & Iraq New (and lengthy) poll in poll on young people and our political system! 8th Grade Teacher Meeting on Monday, October 14 International Criminal Court

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News on Africa Conference, Oct. 18-19

We want to remind you that our keynote speaker for our "U.N. & Africa" Conference on October 18-19 will be Mr. Henry Iwenofu. Mr. Iwenofu was born and raised in Nigeria and he has traveled extensively in Africa. He has lived in St. Louis for a number of years and currently is Leadership Development Coordinator for Operation Excel: YouthBuild.

He is very familiar with Africa, American, and United Nations politics and history. He will be speaking from 7:00 PM - 7:20 PM on Friday, Oct. 18 on the topic of "Current Issues Facing Africa." A ten-minute question and answer period will follow his presentation.

We continue to announce the countries that various students will be representing in the conference. In some cases, you will see that there is more than one student representing a particular country. This is because we will have at least two committees for the conference. We are still looking for approximately six more students so that we can completely fill out three committees.

There are still a few students whose names do not appear below, but they were expecting that it would. This is because their applications with country preferences have not yet been received. We remind them and everyone that the deadline for applications is this Friday, October 11.

Student.......................Country......................... School

Aldrich, Samantha...........Liberia.....................Maplewood- RH

Anderson, Errin...............Egypt.........................St. L. Charter Acad.
Bardenheir, Richard..........Liberia.................Maplewood-RH

Buechler, Gretl................Gambia................Parkway South

Bule, Tihana..................USA...........................Gateway H.S.
Burgoyne, Jenn.............South Africa................Rosati- Kain

Casey, Laura..................Nigeria......................Rosati- Kain
Clemons, Bobbi................Rwanda......................Home School
Clerk, Syrita.................Zimbabwe..................Riverview Gardens

Crandall, Corrina...........Cape Verde.............Parkway South
Curry, Seretha..............U.S.A.........................Rosati- Kain

de Laperouse, Kiloran.........Chad.........................Villa Duchesne
Dean, Latasha.................Kenya.......................St. L. Charter Acad.
Flood, Amelia.................United Kingdom................Notre Dame
Franken, Olivia...............Somalia.....................Rosati- Kain
Garrett, Anecia.................Swaziland................Riverview Gardens

Grady, Nora...................Red Cross*..................Rosati- Kain
Green, Erica..................Ethiopia.....................Riverview
Griffard, Stephen.............Nigeria.....................Maplewood R- H
Halliburton, Mark.............Uganda.......................Riverview Gardens
Hamilton, Maria...............Liberia......................Riverview Gardens
Holmes, Krishawn..............China.........................St. L. Charter Acad.
Jackson, Adriana............Namibia..................Riverview Gardens

Jeff, Regina....................Mali..........................Riverview Gardens

Joerger, Taylor...............Human Rights Watch*..........Rosati
Jones, Denise..................Morocco.....................Riverview Gardens

Kincaid, Basil.................Cameroon........................Crossroads
Kratky, Mary Beth.......Chad...........................Villa Duchesne

Kunce, Rachel.................Human Rights Watch*..........Maplewood- R-H
Larson, Hannah................Zimbabwe.....................Crossroads
Lechner, Andrew..............Cote d'Ivoire...............Parkway South
Leopold, Janay................France.........................St. L. Charter Acad.
Lewis, Ramon.................South Africa.................St. L. Charter Acad.
Manary, Megan.................Malawi.......................Rosati- Kain
McDonnell, Maura............Egypt..........................Rosati-Kain
McMahon, Andrew..............Republic of the Congo.....Hazelwood Cent.
Meyer, Annette.............Somalia.......................Rosati- Kain
Miller, Ariana.................France............................Rosati- Kain
Minor, Stephanie............Kenya..........................Rosati- Kain
Mower, Sara..................Tanzania.................Villa Duchesne

Parrone, Caroline................Zimbabwe.....................Crossroads
Perlow, Caitlin...............Tanzania.......................Rosati- Kain
Ranney, Stephen............Ethiopia.....................Maplewood- R-H
Riley, Michelle.............South Africa................Hazelwood Cent.
Riley, Steve..................Cameroon...................Hazelwood Cent.
Rodriquez, Raquel............Libya........................Cor Jesu
Rodriquez, Maria..............Sudan.....................Rosati- Kain
Ryan, Mimi.....................Madagascar....................Rosati- Kain
Souers, Tiffany...............Tanzania......................Villa Duchesne
Stocking, Jason...............Ghana........................St. L. Charter Acad.
Tiggs, Nichole................USA..............................Maplewood - R-H
Truong, Natasha.........Angola.....................St. John's the Baptist

Werner, Anna..............Lesotho......................Nerinx Hall
Williams, Aaron...............Burkina- Faso....................St. L. Charter Acad.
Williams, Crystal.............Amnest International*........Maplewood- R-H
Worshim, Georgia..................China.................St. Louis Charter Acad.

Zapf-Meadows, Margaret......Morocco......................Rosati- Kain

* Non-governmental organization

Again, if you have any questions about your country assignment, or if you would still like to sign up for the conference, please do not hesitate to call us at (314) 367-6480 or E-Mail us at [email protected]

You can access full information on the conference by including the on-line application form by clicking on the link below.

Information on U.N. & Africa Conference

	Workshop for High School Students Big Success
Our annual Fall workshop for high school students last Thursday, October 3, 2002 from 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM at the University of Missouri - St. Louis was a major success. Although the students present came from only four schools, they were extremely engaged in the program. We provided information about the United Nations as well as the phenomenom known as Model United Nations for those who are new to our program. Included was our new video and a most informative PowerPoint presentation. Since the program was in the E-Desmond Lee Educational Technology Center map, each student was able to work at a computer. This will allow "rookie" students to search the internet for information about the countries that they will be representing as well as current vital issues. Student delegates who will be participating in our special conference on The United Nations and Africa on October 18-19 were able to learn more about the countries that they will be representing as well as the dominant issues in Africa today. All students present were able to work with us on the internet to add numerous helpful links to our Civitas "Links Library." You may click below for additional photos from the workshop. More photos from High School Workshop �

	High School Discussion last Saturday on U.N., U.S., & Iraq
Last Saturday's morning discussion at Crossroads School map from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM was about the on-going conflict between the United States, the United Nations, and Iraq. We had a guest presenter, Ms. Chrissy Kirchhoefer, who visited Iraq last Spring and brought humanitarian aid to civilians. She has been most active in opposing the policies of the current administration in Washington and trying to see a more global approach taken with the use of the United Nations. Part of the discussion involved the roll of the U.S. Congress in the decision-making process. The cartoon below was recently printed in the St. Louis Post- Dispatch. It reflects the notion that most Democrats in Congress are acting as a rubber stamp to the president's policy. This discussion was a most active one. Chrissy raised a lot of issues that inspired a myriad of questions from the students present. While there was not a consensus of opinion among the students, there clearly was a common feeling of considerable concern. You may access additional photos from the discussion by clicking here. You can click on the link below for video from the discussion. Video from discussion group with Chrissy Kirchhoefer �

	New (and lengthy) poll in poll on young people and our political system!
The November, 2002 elections are rapidly approaching. Among the phenomena at work prior to the election are two that directly affect young voters: (a) the age group with the lowest voter turnout in recent election has been those 18-24, and (b) recently there has been a great deal of confusion, mismanagement, and possibly corruption at polling places. Most of the workers at the election venues are senior citizens who are sometimes uncomfortable in large crowds and often unfamiliar with modern technology. The reason why so many of the election judges are senior citizens is because they make up the largest percentage of voting citizens who are available to work on election day because they are not in school and do not work. In light of these twin phenomena of the lack of participation in our democracy by young voters and the notion that young people could also be helpful in improving the integrity and efficiency of the workings at polling places, we ask the following question: " With which of the following statements regarding voting do you agree?" (you may check as many as you wish): 1. It would be helpful to our democracy if more young voters participated in the electoral process. 2. It would be helpful to have more young people working at polling places as election judges. 3. Elections in the United States should either be on weekends or election day should be a national holiday. 4. Under the current system, it would be ethical for 18- year old students to skip school on election day to work as election judges at polling places. 5. Under the current system, it would be ethical for teachers to "call in sick" on election day to work as election judges at polling places. 6. More people would vote if they were allowed to vote through the internet. 7. The election process would be improved if internet voting was allowed. 8. Internet voting would be no more susceptible to corruption and inaccuracies than the current system. One of the best sites for information on elections is sponsored by the League of Women Voters. You can access it by clicking on the link below. Link to Intranet Web Site to Vote on this Poll �

	8th Grade Teacher Meeting on Monday, October 14
We want to remind all 8th grade teachers that our next meeting is on Monday, October 14, from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM at the United Nations Association Building in Clayton (map at bottom of this article). Our main item on the agenda will be to have the 8th grade "country draft." We will divide into the six groups that we have for sessions, and then each group of teachers will select the countries that they desire for the date. Of all the faculty meetings that we have all year for middle school teachers, this is the most important. If for some reason you cannot attend the meeting, please E-Mail us the preferred date for your students to attend a conference (March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, April 23, or April 30, 2003), how many students you expect to attend, and what countries you would like for your students to represent. The average delegation size for a country is three students, but you can have as few as one and as many as five. At the meeting, we will also be setting up times for classroom visits. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us at (314) 367-6480 or E-Mail us at [email protected]. Map to United Nations Association �

	International Criminal Court
We have important information on the new International Criminal Court, provided to us from Dr. Carl Hoagland, former President of the St. Louis Chapter of the United Nations Association of the U.S.A. Carl is also an outstanding chaperone for our MUNUC trips. Folks interested in internation issues, Below are the results of a survey conducted by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, entited "A WORLD TRANSFORMED: FOREIGN POLICY ATTITUDES OF THE U.S. PUBLIC AFTER SEPTEMBER 11" This poll aimed to measure the attitudes of US and European nationals since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The survey appears to show a pattern of increased international awareness, concern, and activism among Americans, and indicates that most US nationals support multilateral approaches to global problems. ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY, 83% OF US NATIONALS POLLED SUPPORT THE USE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT TO TRY SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. The survey is available at the link listed below: An excerpt of a commentary in the Financial Times (London) referred to this survey: "Both [Europeans and US nationals] put "international terrorism" top of the threat list - but 91 per cent do so in the US, only 65 per cent in Europe. Their biggest difference is over the threat from China - rated by 56 per cent in America, only 19 per cent in Europe. The other great divide is over Israel, given a 55 per cent "friendship" rating by Americans, only 38 per cent by Europeans. The other startling conclusion of the poll is that Americans remain overwhelmingly multilateralist: they do not want America to go it alone in Iraq. Sixty-five per cent want to do it only with UN approval. They support multilateral institutions: 65 per cent back the creation of an International Criminal Court, even if it is suggested that "trumped up charges" could be brought against Americans. The fact is that when European politicians caution against unilateral action in Iraq, or defend the ICC, they are not being anti-American. It is not anti-American to disagree with the policy of the administration. Indeed, one might argue it is pro- American to point out the pitfalls. That is what good allies, such as Germany, are for." from: Financial Times (London), September 25, 2002, Wednesday, COMMENT & ANALYSIS;, Pg. 23, 871 words, The real value of America's allies: QUENTIN PEEL:, By QUENTIN PEEL Link to A World Transformed: Foreign Policy Attitudes of the U.S. Public After September 11 �

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