Visits to key institutions in New York have given students from ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Leicester (²ÝÁñÊÓƵ) valuable insights in to the American justice system and the maintaining of international peace.
Studying Law LLB, Politics and International Relations, they are part of a 1,000-strong group of final-year students and academics in New York for the latest mass #²ÝÁñÊÓƵglobal trip.
A tour of the iconic Supreme Civil Court gave them opportunity to see and take pictures in the courtrooms that have featured in popular TV programmes and Hollywood movies, such as Law and Order and The Devil’s Advocate.
They learned about the comprehensive juror selection process, including the crucial differences between civil and criminal cases, as well as who the key players in a courtroom are from the stenographer to the judge.
A visit to a nearby criminal courthouse allowed them to sit in on arraignment proceedings - the first hearing that people attend when going through the justice system.
Law LLB student Sunil Karsan, 23, from Luton, said: “The visit has given international exposure to what I’m learning.
“I’m currently studying modules about e-commerce and looking at trading between different countries so getting to compare cases from the UK and America has allowed me to see what the process is like and what jurisdictions would apply.”
The day ended with a tour of the United Nations (UN) headquarters, where students learned about the three pillars of the organisation’s work – peace, development and human rights.
They heard about the origins of the Human Rights Charter - the most translated document in the world founded in 1945 as a response to the tragic outcomes of the Holocaust – and had a chance to see where the Security Council, the General Assembly and more take place.
Learning that 70 per cent of the UN’s focus is on development work struck a chord with students, given that ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ has been chosen by the UN Academic Impact Group as a ‘designated hub’ for Sustainable Development Goal number 16, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies.
On Monday, the group will return to the UN with hundreds of others on the trip to share ideas about furthering the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which address global challenges such as hunger, health, education, climate change and social justice, aiming to ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
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20-year-old Politics student Connor Nightingale, from Walsall, said: “I love being part of ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ. It’s knocking down doors and winning awards. Our involvement in promoting the SDGs is something to be proud of. It’s only by helping people to understand the goals that we can achieve them.
“Visiting the UN was refreshing. I’ve always wanted to end up in a job that allows me to travel and today opened my eyes to opportunities that would enable me to do just that, such as ambassador roles.”
Neha Virk, 22, a Law LLB student from Sweden, said: “As an international student it’s always good to visit places and I love travelling.
“Having the opportunity to come to a place like New York has always been my dream and I feel like it will eventually help me to get a job overseas.
“I will be able to tell employers how I travelled and explored different cultures.”
Fellow Law LLB student Sumayyah Yusuf, 22, from Leicester, said: “I’m glad and grateful that ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ gives us the opportunity to travel. You gain independence, meet new friends and learn a lot about different cultures.
“That way you respect other people’s customs, regulations and rules. It’s amazing and I’m really glad I chose to study at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ."
Posted on Saturday 5 January 2019