00:00Delivering the feature address at the anniversary celebration, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Kangaloo, drew parallels between the Rotary's mission and that of the United Nations, noting that both share a common goal, the promotion of peace and harmony among nations.
00:18As she reflected on the ongoing wars and global conflicts, President Kangaloo reminded attendees that the UN's core purpose is to bring peaceful resolutions to disputes, a vision reflected in Rotary's value of service and goodwill.
00:33This year's model United Nations program therefore comes at a critical time in the affairs of the world.
00:42By immersing its participants in the workings of the United Nations, it exposes young people, students from schools across Trinidad and Tobago and the region, to pathways to peace.
00:56And by exposing young people to pathways to peace, it enhances the chances that as they emerge from the program, these young people will themselves become proponents of peace in their own individual fields of endeavor.
01:13It improves the prospect that these young people will help create a world in the future in which the wars and conflicts of today are resolved and become things of the past.
01:26The president warned the young participants of challenges ahead, noting that it may be difficult to imitate and apply pathways to peace in their daily lives.
01:37It would be difficult for them in the communities which they inhabit to sell ideas of peaceful and collaborative coexistence when so many examples of the exact opposite abound.
01:52Another challenge they will face, particularly in Trinidad and Tobago, is the general tone of discourse in our society of leet, which is often caustic and corrosive.
02:05Despite these obstacles, President Kangaloo urged young people not to lose faith.
02:11I believe in the young people of our country and of our region.
02:17I believe in their capacity to do things and to go to places which my own generation has not done and to which my own generation has not gone.
02:28I believe in our young people's ability to tackle and to solve the intractable problems of our time, one small step at a time.
02:40A seed pushes through heavy soil and darkness before it ever sees the sun.
02:46In the same way, the strength of our nation's and of our region's young people is revealed when they keep going, even when the path feels dark and heavy.
02:59Also addressing the event, President of the Rotary Club of Central Port of Spain, Anne-Marie Saline, said the Model United Nations workshop represents a unique opportunity for young delegates to explore the complex challenges facing their communities.
03:15While District Governor of Rotary District 7030, Soraya Warner, added that through programs like Model UN, Rotary continues to foster dialogue that supports its mission as a humanitarian organization.
03:30Charlotte Histo, TV6 News.
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