On Friday 13th August, a team of five Year 10 students from Blackheath and Thornburgh College travelled to James Cook University to participate in the 2010 Day of Diplomacy. The team comprised of Justin Todd, Melinda Ryan, Zoe Curtis, Steven Pittman and Felicity Doyle. Our role was to discuss and implement the Townsville Protocol on Asylum Seekers and Refugees.
Each school is assigned a country that they will represent and BTC represented Japan. Weeks of research go into investigating the critical factors and the position of each nation on the topic of concern. We made many trips to the JCU Library to research our speeches and then had to prepare our speeches and tactics. The level of knowledge we gained about world affairs and the interplay between the nation schools was great.
Professor Nola Alloway (Pro Vice Chancellor J.C.U.) was the chief judge along with four other high ranking officials, including Ms. Danielle Morris, Deputy Director Queensland State Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The first component of the competition was for each team to outline their stance on refugees. The teams were then given two generic questions to debate. Finally, Justin Todd scripted, then and there, and delivered his Young Diplomat of the Year speech, which was excellent.
Ten other Schools participated, with The Cathedral School’s team being named the winner. BTC was the only school from Charters Towers to participate. The experience our team gained was invaluable.
Each school is assigned a country that they will represent and BTC represented Japan. Weeks of research go into investigating the critical factors and the position of each nation on the topic of concern. We made many trips to the JCU Library to research our speeches and then had to prepare our speeches and tactics. The level of knowledge we gained about world affairs and the interplay between the nation schools was great.
Professor Nola Alloway (Pro Vice Chancellor J.C.U.) was the chief judge along with four other high ranking officials, including Ms. Danielle Morris, Deputy Director Queensland State Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The first component of the competition was for each team to outline their stance on refugees. The teams were then given two generic questions to debate. Finally, Justin Todd scripted, then and there, and delivered his Young Diplomat of the Year speech, which was excellent.
Ten other Schools participated, with The Cathedral School’s team being named the winner. BTC was the only school from Charters Towers to participate. The experience our team gained was invaluable.
