Geneva students debate problems facing world
It was a meeting of minds young and old Friday morning when Geneva High School's Model United Nations Club and the Geneva Learners' world affairs group debated imposing sanctions on Iran for its nuclear experimentation.
Normally, the Model U.N. interacts with fellow teen-agers. This was a special activity for the school's International Week and the first time they've done an intergenerational one.
"It's a very current issue and one very pertinent because of a lot of the trouble in the Middle East we're having … it's an issue that affects a lot of nations," said senior Roxanne Gentry.
Under the agreed debate scenario, the United States believes that Iran is developing nuclear weapons under the guise of creating a nuclear-energy program. It worries that if Iran has the ability to enrich uranium, it can then make those weapons.
One of Iran's representatives to Friday's "Security Council," senior Josh Gajsiewicz, disputed that repeatedly.
"It is contradictory to Sharia law to make nuclear weapons," he said. (Sharia law is Islamic religious law; in Iran, it covers criminal, civil and religious life.)
When the South Africa representative later suggested Iran buy enriched uranium from it as a compromise, he bristled: "Iran's ability to enrich its uranium is a source of national pride. We should be allowed to enrich uranium. It is our right," he said, explaining the nation wants to provide energy for itself without relying on others.
"A nuclear Iran is not in Israel's best interest," countered Geneva Learner Ron Maier, representing Israel.
The group followed the United Nations' parliamentary rules, with Chairman Dena Hong, a senior, keeping track of time.
"They put a lot of work into it," said Geneva Learner Ernest Mahaffey of the Model U.N. Club. The teens conducted a workshop previous to the event to explain the parliamentary procedures, the writing of opening statements, what to do in the unmoderated caucuses and how to write a paper for final presentation to the group.
Geneva Learners is a civic association formed in 2004 to discuss current affairs. The world affairs subgroup meets at 10 a.m. every Friday at the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St.
That's where the Model U.N. meeting was held Friday with history center Executive Director Dave Obert participating as a member of the Russian Federation. He noted that when he was in high school, there were only two superpowers in the world.
"It is fitting we work with tomorrow's leaders on problems affecting our future," he said.