Features Editor

Students from nine area middle schools, representing 32 countries, attended the Southeast Alabama Model United Nations held at Troy State University Wednesday and Thursday.

Charles Henderson Middle School’s 41 delegates represented Columbia, Germany, North Korea, Sudan, United Kingdom and the United States.

Tonita Bentley, an advisor to the CHMS delegates, said the students prepared for the model United Nations by researching the country they were to represent to learn of the needs, problems and conditions prevalent in that country.

During the general assembly on Wednesday, the delegates debated the resolutions of each country and, later, voted for or against the resolutions.

At the end of the first session, the delegates participated in a World Hunger Meal, a meal that millions of people around the world sit down to each day.

As the delegates dined on rice, bread and water, they learned that 30 million people in their own country don’t have enough to eat and that, around the world, 24,000 people die each day from malnutrition.

On Thursday, the delegates met again in general assembly and also dealt with a world crisis in security council.

At noon, they attended the SAMUN banquet and the closing ceremonies.

The featured speaker at the banquet was Craig Collins, an instructor with the Cairo American College, Cairo, Egypt.

Collins told the delegates that he has worked with people from many different nations and he has learned one very important lesson.

"People are more similar than they are different, no matter where they come from in the world," he said. "Their core values are similar – a belief in God, health for their families, an opportunity for education and the obligation to help those less fortunate."

Collins said, because he has had many opportunities to travel, he feels he is actually a global citizen.

"I hope that I can encourage you

– inspire you – to travel and see this wonderful world," he said.

Awards were presented in several categories and Charles Henderson Middle School delegates took home two of those awards.

The CHMS delegation from the United States received the top award for the most outstanding resolution and and the Sudan delegation won an award for the most outstanding native dress.

Other native dress award winners were: Coffee County (Mexico), Crenshaw County (Cuba), Carver (Ireland), D. A. Smith (Spain), Brewton (Egypt), Abbeville (India), East Gate (Papua New Guinea) and (New Zealand).

The outstanding delegation award went to Honeysuckle Middle School and the outstanding boy and girl delegates were also from Honeysuckle. Justin Woodham and Elizabeth Combs were named the outstanding individual delegates.

The Southeast Alabama Model United Nations is an annual event sponsored by the Wiregrass Writing Project and the Southeast Alabama Regional Inservice Center at Troy State University.