For immediate release: April 11, 2007

BLOOMSBURG — Students from six area high schools will participate in Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s sixth annual Model United Nations Conference. The program will be held on Tuesday, April 17, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Kehr Union Multipurpose rooms and the ballroom. It is free and open to the public.

The keynote speaker for the event is Martina Vidovic, assistant professor of economics at BU. She will speak about economic growth and sustainable development, protection of global climate and reduction of poverty. Vidovic has taken part in other Model U.N. events throughout the year, including The People Speak panel discussions held every fall.

Students from Millville High School will join Benton, Berwick, Central Columbia, Northwest and Southern Columbia this year to participate in the Model U.N. Students from Hughesville High School will observe the activities.

Two or three students from each high school research the government of a specific country and then simulate a U.N. General Assembly session where they debate issues such as crime prevention in developing states and the use of economic sanctions. Some students will also simulate a Security Council session and address the current situation in Iran and Darfur.

Members of the BU Model U.N. Student Organization administer and organize the annual event. To prepare for the event, they attended the National Model U.N. conference in New York City in March. During the Model U.N., members of the BU organization represent the bureaucratic structure of the U.N. and monitor the debates.

Current officers of BU’s Model U.N. are Amanda Bailey, president, a senior political science major from Derby, Conn.; Shannon Waterman, vice president, a senior political science and history double major from Millville; Christiana Curtis, secretary, a sophomore political science major from Lansdale; Patrick Velliky, treasurer, a junior political science and history major from Pittsburgh; Jose Joga, communication officer, a senior political science major from Gouldsboro; and Victoria Yurksza, webmaster, a senior secondary education and history double major from Falls.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Professional Studies, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.