A University of Queensland student has combined his twin passions of international relations and journalism to land the dream job - blogging for the United Nations in advance of a major youth summit.
Hugh Jorgensen is currently on an informational tour to various UN missions across Asia before touching down in Kuala Lumpur for the 2010 Global Model UN Conference from August 14-18. Mr Jorgensen co-organised the Asia-Pacific version of the event when it was held at UQ last year.
In his official role as Under-Secretary-General for Public Affairs and Communication, he will visit UN missions in Timor Leste and Cambodia as well as the UN pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo.
"It is an incredibly humbling experience to be selected as one of the public faces of the Global Model United Nations," Mr Jorgensen said.
He joins a global group of delegates in Malaysia to take on the role of diplomats, debating topical global issues in four model United Nations committees.
The theme of this year's event is "Towards an Alliance of Civilizations", focusing on building bridges to achieve peace and development.
"The theme recognises the challenges posed by an increasing polarisation of cultural communities across the globe," Mr Jorgensen said.
"Unless we actively seek to promote intercultural dialogue, the threat of a "clash of civilisations" remains distinct, however poorly defined this thesis may be."
Mr Jorgensen recently returned from a week of training at UN headquarters in New York where he and other students engaged with a number of United Nations officials in the planning of this year's conference.
In the lead up to the 2010 event, Mr Jorgensen will be maintaining the conference blog.
The site is designed as an interactive forum for delegates and interested observers, offering a space for reflections on the conference themes and committee topics.
For more information, visit http://globalmodelun.net
Media: Hugh Jorgensen (hugh.jorgensen@uqconnect.edu.au) or Chris Maher or Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au)
