The Communique

Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News

Jeremy Brigham

Young people should follow human rights issues and get involved, according to a United Nations Foundation official and Kirkwood's adviser to the United Nations Association Student Alliance.

Gillian Sorenson, senior adviser at the United Nations Foundation, spoke on the U.N. and the progress of human rights Oct. 21 at Kirkwood. From 1993 to 2003, Sorenson served as assistant U.N. secretary general for external relations.

Her speech coincided with the 64th anniversary of the United Nations and United Nations Day on Oct. 24.

She described the U.N. as a place where "the world travels at the speed of light and acts as a railroad track where you can't stop on one issue, you have to keep moving."

Also attending was Jeremy Brigham, a Kirkwood geography and history instructor who is adviser for Kirkwood's United Nations Association Student Alliance.

The alliance "is a club for students interested in understanding the United Nations and promoting its ideals of international cooperation for the improvement of human society," Brigham said.

"We live in a globalized world. Students should learn how the United Nations works and what issues it is dealing with," Brigham said.

"Also, peacemaking and peacekeeping involve Kirkwood students as many are either veterans or preparing to serve in the military in various places in the world. "The U.N. is in many ways our window on the world, and the world's window on us."

The Kirkwood United Nations Association Student Alliance meets every other Thursday in 306 Benton Hall. The next meeting is Nov. 5. For more information contact Brigham at jbrigha@kirkwood.edu.

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