On September 20, 1963, in the closing remarks of his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, President John F. Kennedy stated, “My fellow inhabitants of this planet: Let us take our stand here in this Assembly of nations. And let us see if we, in our own time, can move the world to a just and lasting peace.” On February 10, 2012, in the same General Assembly Hall where that speech was made, two students represented Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, and affirmed their commitment to embracing the challenge set forth by our 35th President.
Xavier A. Cunningham (2L), President of the International Law Society, and David Borum (2L), Vice President of the International Law Society, attended the 2012 Year of Decision: The UN in American Foreign Policy Conference at the UN Headquarters in New York City. This year, the conference was hosted by the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA). The conference provided them an opportunity to meet with high ranking UN officials and engage in topical discussions with some of the most prominent foreign policy-shapers of our time, such as Dr.Jeffery Sachs of Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative with the United States Mission to the United Nations, and Congresswoman Nita Lowey.
As law students, Xavier and David were able to perceive the global challenges discussed at the conference through a judicial lens. Whether discussing the evolution of UN Peacekeeping operations, or the growing assertiveness of the Security Council in dealing with peace and security in the 21st century, it is clear how courses such as Constitutional Law, Public International Law, Conflicts of Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and others, prepare law students to confront global challenges with an extensive arsenal of knowledge. Thank you Xavier and David for representing AJMLS with intelligence, confidence and professionalism.
For more information about this conference and its host,please visit,unausa.org/membersday.