Members of BMCC’s Student World Assembly (SWA) chapter joined roughly 400 students from 135 colleges and universities at the 3rd Annual Global Forum at the United Nations in Manhattan, sponsored by the nonprofit organization Athgo International.
SWA President Charlesworth Mabheka attended the event along with two of the group’s members, Shirah Fulcher and Belinda Fischer.
The SWA is a nonpartisan organization that represents students globally. It provides students a venue to exchange views on many issues — global warming, international policy making, human rights, poverty, hungry, equality and HIV/AIDS — through discussion and annual international conventions, and translate those views into meaningful actions.
At the SWA forum, scientists examined causes, evidence and long-term consequences of global warming, before providing policy recommendations on the issue.
Representatives from the private sector told the attendees about their efforts to develop alternative energy products and solutions, as well as outlining safer environmental practices corporations could pursue. Ambassadors from Nambia, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland pushed for a consensus on how to address the needs of developing and emerging economies.
“Throughout the forum, presenters provided their unique perspectives on the existing and potential roles of international organizations, national governments and the global community as a whole,” said Mabheka. “The speakers not only encouraged and inspired me to participate in the policy process, but more importantly, they introduced concrete examples and action plans that we can pursue once the forum has concluded.”
Aside from being encouraged to participate in more international summits like the U.N. event, BMCC’s SWA chapter concluded that more on-campus workshops and seminars should be organized at the college and that speakers should be invited to BMCC to create a dialogue on global warming and climate change.
“It would give us the opportunity to learn from an exchange ideas with not only our peers, but with leaders and professionals responsible for directly promoting and implementing programs that are related to problems facing global citizens today,” said Mahbeka.
