[vvp/teen] Kofi Annan accepts MacArthur's International Justice Award
Last Thursday, four VVP participants, and myself, had the extraordinary opportunity to see Kofi Annan accept the MacArthur Foundation's International Justice Award. This event was held at the gorgeous Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The event started off with a panel of experts speaking on international law and justice. There were so many people at the event that we had to go to the overflow room to watch a live stream of the panel. I thought the panel was great because the speakers were experts in their areas and also they left time to take questions. In the overflow room, they handed out index cards for us to write our questions down. In the other room, they had a microphone on both sides for people to come up and present their questions.
After the panel, everyone from VVP was sitting outside of the overflow room, when we saw Ishmael Beah! Well, I was too afraid to go up to him and say hello, well it was more like…there was no way I could gather all my thoughts in time to figure out what to say anyway! So yes, when he looked our way and smiled and waved hello at us, I just sat there and smiled back. Anyway, I guess this will be fun to look back on.
Between the panel and the dinner, we had some time to just look around the hotel and take pictures together. It was pretty fun going around the hotel, especially since it's such a beautiful place.
Then we headed to dinner! The ballroom was beyond gorgeous, and we had second floor balcony seats, so it was even better! Eddie actually got two students from Global Kids' High School for Global Citizenship to take pictures with Kofi Annan! Oh, and Ban Ki Moon was there as well! The biggest surprise of the night was that they were both so light-hearted and funny. I think we all have this perception that people who are in foreign relations are serious and globally concerned individuals - we sometimes forget that at the end of the day they are people just like the rest of us. I thought it was great that they addressed serious issues, but also brought humor to the table, because it balanced everything out. I don't know if I would be in the mood to eat if I just finished hearing a speech about how people were brutally murdered en mass, or how children were kidnapped and exploited. It isn't the best thing to hear. It is the truth, and reality for many people around the world, but I think guilt would overwhelm us when we are sitting at a table in an extravagant hotel, dressed up, food ready to be served as we listened to stories of poverty and genocide.
Before the dinner began Carole introduced me to the President of Adelphi University, Robert Scott, which was great because I am planning on attending the university's Honors College this coming fall semester. He was extremely nice, and I was grateful to have the opportunity to meet him. Also, Connie Yowell from the MacArthur Foundation came by our table and took a moment to talk to us. I first saw her at the Second Life Community Convention, and she is a great speaker but it was nice to be introduced to her in a small and relaxed environment. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience. I am grateful, beyond what words can express, for all the opportunities that Global Kids has given me. I also wanted to thank the MacArthur Foundation for supporting, and extending opportunities to participants of Global Kids. I can only hope that both the MacArthur Foundation and Global Kids continue to grow individually and as partners so it can reach out to and bring new opportunities to more youth.
I believe that my generation is somewhat similar to the generations past, especially since we all grew up believing that Pluto was the 9th planet, but even some of the youngest of the educators and mentors will admit that they did not have as many opportunities that I have been privileged to have. So I am extremely thankful to everyone who has been kind enough to give me so many opportunities, especially such a lifetime opportunity to see two of the biggest leaders in international relations and justice of my time. Thank you!!!!
