UNA/USA 2010 National High School Essay Contest

This year's National High School Essay Contest on the United Nations focuses on Millennium Development Goal Eight, "Develop a Global Parnership for Development," and asks students to tackle the challenge of promoting development through international partnership. Specifically, MDG 8 has five targets, including:

• Target 1: Address the special needs of least developed countries, landlocked countries and small island developing states, and
• Target 5: In cooperation with the private sector, make available benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

The U.S. engages with the international community through a numberof organizations. While many of these are economic institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization, U.S. participation also extends to a number of agencies with broader goals. Organizations like the Organization of American States and the Arctic Council promote regional cooperation, while such institutions as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Interpol ensure that no part of the globe is beyond the rule of law.

UNESCO, another intergovernmental organization seeks to build the defenses of peace in the minds of men through education, science, culture and communications. The United States played a critical role in its development and today it involves people from many of the intellectual communities of the United States in its programs. UNESCO has thematic interest in small island states and has played a key role in the field of information and communication technologies in development.

Students are asked to write a letter to the President of the United States answering the following questions:
1. How can the U.S. build an international system that promotes good governance, development, and poverty reduction?
2. How can the U.S. promote sustainable development and economic growth in developing countries?

Go to the contest website!