To celebrate its fourth anniversary the UNAI in partnership with Monmouth University and ASPIRE East Stroudsburg South High School presented a conversation on global health at United Nations Headquarter on Tuesday, 18 November 2014.? The proposed programme included a presentation on global health by a UN expert, a student panel and an expert panel from both Academic Institutions. The event was concluded with an interactive dialogue with all panellists on stage.
?
Each expert and each student brought a specific issue to the audience, a particular problematic which moves them deeply.
The various speakers in this conversation warned or informed us about how communication disabilities, academic development issues because of hunger or malnourishment, substance abuse or social exclusion impact the children.
More broadly they also reflected on the theme of global warming with the need to change our foodprint (which means changing the way we produce and how we consume), on the lack of recognition of mental issues as a disease and on the limited access to health resources.
??????????
Academic and UN experts stressed the importance of being a part of the action, the importance of spreading these issues around us and to convince step by step more and more people. They also strongly believe that youth are the present, that youth raise the consciousness of the nation. One of the panellists, Roslyn-Holliday Moore, memorably said: When we start young, we change individuals, we change systems, and we change nations.
There is a lot of different stigma and various ways to tackle them, the most important is to act.
?
The UNAI team would like to warmly thank all the participants and the speakers, Hasan Ferdous and Ramu Damodaran from UN for having skillfully introduced and concluded this conference, the students Leila Bouchekouk and Miriam Bouchekouk (from Aspire East Stroudsburg South High School), Sarah Mustafa and Michelle Grushko (from Monmouth University) and Michele Vella their moderator. We also would like to thank the Expert panel, Kim Baranwski and Roslyn-Holliday Moore (from Aspire East Stroudsburg South High School), Dr. Patrizia Bonaventura and Dr. Christopher Hirschler (from Monmouth University) moderated by Dr. Charles Cotton from Monmouth University. ?
