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Park University Students Represent Belize In WMOAS Conference

By Brad Biles - April 29, 2009 - 2:00 pm
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Eight Park University students attended the Washington Model General Assembly of the Organization of American States, April 7-11 in Washington, D.C., where they represented Belize. Park's delegation was one of 31 universities at the conference from the U.S., Argentina, Barbados, Colombia and Venezuela. The conference is a simulation of the real OAS and participants act as delegates of the respective member countries. The Park team was divided into five committees with topics ranging from hemispheric security to migrant rights, while representing the interests of Belize.

In preparing for the conference, the Park team devoted many hours to extensive research of the history and workings of the OAS, the political positions of Belize and the multifaceted issues facing the Americas. The members prepared resolutions and worked with delegates from other schools to draft and propose joint resolutions. All of the resolutions presented by Park's "Delegation of Belize" were passed, a couple by a unanimous vote.

The highlight of the trip was the Park team meeting with the representative of Belize to the OAS, Counselor Cherie Nisbet. She answered questions from the team and explained Belize's position on security, the treatment of migrants, protection of the oceans, drug and arms trafficking, and relations with other countries such as Haiti and Cuba. Nisbet was a great resource for the team and helped the members become even better representatives of Belize during the conference.

Park was represented at the WMOAS by the following students: seniors Amy Crumbliss, Spanish major; Daniella Martins, business administration/international business; juniors Kate Davies, Spanish; Dermidio Juez-Perez, business administration/international business; Priyata Shrestha, public administration; sophomores Lucas Brito, information and computer science; Mariana de Oliveira Vogado, psychology; and freshman Robson Kagawa, business administration/international business. The team was accompanied by Park MOAS adviser Silvia Giovanardi Byer, Ph.D., assistant professor of modern languages and coordinator of Spanish and French, and Fabio Garcia, international programs coordinator, Office of International Affairs and Education.

Park University's Model Organization of American States Club, under Byer and Olga Ganzen, Ph.D., director of international education and study abroad, was formed in September 2008 as an academic club with the purpose of exposing the University community to the role and accomplishments of the Organization of American States and to the current condition of the countries in the Western Hemisphere.