On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, the American University of Nigeria recorded yet another milestone as the Student Government Association (SGA) successfully hosted the first International Student Government Conference (ISGC).
The event was one of the highlights of the achievements of the immediate past SGA administration, led by Daniel Omuabor. AUN Governing Council member and Tulane University Professor Emeritus who is also a faculty member in Harvard’s Humanitarian Initiative, Professor William Bertrand, delivered the keynote address.
The ISGC conference aimed at establishing an innovative avenue for student leaders to share forward-thinking practical initiatives. The conference also aimed to foster a longstanding bond amongst participating campus communities for subsequent collaborations. The ISGC was the initiative of Mr. Omuabor's administration.
The AUN SGA executive council members coordinated and moderated the maiden edition through zoom from the AUN campus, which had the theme: The role of student leaders in conflict prevention and resolution.
Joining the AUN SGA at the conference were the Student Union Executive Board of Central European University, the Student Government Association of Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (AUI SGA), and the Student Government of John Cabot University in Rome.
Lead speakers and resource persons at the conference included AUN VP and Dean of Student Life, Mr. Byron Bullock, and Mr. Omuabor.
Participating student leaders made contributions on specific topics:
- Patricia Nae, Klara Richterova and Hristofor Kosmidis (Understanding Conflict and its Different Forms)
- Nabil Jibrilla and Halima Mohammed (Importance of Youth in Peacebuilding)
- Anyiete Etim (Case Focus: Ukraine/Russia Conflict - How Can We Help?)
- Amina Salihu (Importance of Education in Peacebuilding)
- Najeeb Yusuf (Differentiation between Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding).