We took a bite out of the “Big Apple” on November 13 as 11 adults, four Rotary Youth Exchange Students and 35 Souderton Area High School Interactors toured the United Nations (UN) and a few tourist traps in New York City.
Most of those under age 18 arrived with time to spare – an amazing feat. They were excited – as for several, this was their first time in the city. We took advantage of the time in the bus by playing a round of “UN Sustainable Development Goals” BINGO. CLICK HERE. And of course, there were prizes – gift cards and discount cards to Interacts’ favorite thrift store, Care & Share!
Our next feat was how quickly we got 50 people through security. The supervisor on duty complimented our group – it was unusual to have a school group go through the process so easily. This was an example of just how organized our Rotary and Interact leadership were for this event!
We were separated into groups of 20 people. We each had a tour guide from a different county. Each tour guide spoke at least 2 languages. Two interactions I had with students on the tour were:
- A map was on display of where the UN has peacekeeping troops stationed and where the UN is working towards peace without troops. I was talking to several Interactors about the map and I asked them what stood out to them? They said they realize how far away conflict is from the United States.
- Towards the end of the tour, a display showed the worldwide military expenditure since MIDNIGHT, which was over six billion as of 12:17pm. We were told that $30 billion a year could end hunger on earth. Several of the students gasped – which I found amazing that they were still paying attention.
To top off the tour, we shopped at the gift shops and some of us even mailed a card from the UN post office. We then walked to our lunch location. While we enjoyed tasty selections, Robert Skinner, Deputy Director and Chief of Parterships for the UN shared about his work. It was interesting to hear about his educational journey and the expectations of his job at the UN. One thing I found interesting was that UN employees are expected to be loyal to the UN, not the country they are representing, and act with impartiality, objectivity, and professionalism. Our speaker said this has been particularly challenging over the last year with the conflict in the Middle East.
By 2pm – we were ready to be released onto the city streets! We walked up to Bryant Square, taking in the famous New York City Library along the way. Fortunately for us, the Holiday Market was in full swing! We enjoyed shopping at the booths before we walked further up to Rockefeller Center. Our final stop was Times Square. Several students on our trip called friends and family and gave them a virtual view of where they were. The adults mustered up our final ounces of energy and rallied our group to get back on the bus for our drive home.
Rotary International and the United Nations have a shared history of working towards peace and addressing humanitarian issues worldwide. CLICK HERE A trip like this helps connect the dots between the two entities. I am grateful that Karla Myers suggested the idea of inviting the students to attend, because on reflection, perhaps this was how the trip was supposed to work out. Not necessarily a trip for Rotary Members, but an opportunity for us to introduce the UN to the next generation.
Educational adventures like these are not free, so I am thankful for the one donor who contributed for a student to attend. We also received a grant from the Indian Valley Education Foundation to assist with 1/3 of the cost for the Interact Students and Chaperones. We would still welcome your donation to help cover the cost. CLICK HERE
Next time an opportunity like this comes your way, I hope you will step out of your comfort zone and join us!
Sarah Bergin
President- Elect