Learning about Citizenship and Public Participation in the US

Students from the Translation and Interpretation Program for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the China International Publishing Group attended the United Nations Assocation Day Celebration on October 24th at the Monterey Public Library, accompanied by their English for Academic and Professional Purposes Professor, Marie Butcher. Students had previously researched, written and presented on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which was the focus of the celebration, dedicated to “Global Goals: Local Leaders.”

Several of the students had previously participated in Model UN groups in their home country of China. Throughout this semester-long, intensive language program, students are working on perfecting their translation and interpretation skills, as well as honing their skills in academic and professional English. Kang Ma (Will) shared that the event reminded him of what he learned when he participated in Model UN, that “UN work agenda is relevant to each of us and we can all do something to make a difference in the world.”

All agreed that the in-class discussion about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) coupled with participating in the local celebration was a “rewarding and unforgettable experience.” Jonathan Yang said it was inspiring to “see what citizenship and public participation look like in the US,” and that participating in the celebration reminded him that he can also help with the “grand agenda, and so can all Chinese.”