The Capital Region Farmers Market has donated $2,000 to Canberra student Samantha Bobba to assist her in attending The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) to be held in the Netherlands from 25 to 31 January 2009.
The Capital Region Farmers Market was founded in 2004 by the Rotary Club of Hall which has a broader commitment to grow and develop future leaders ready to take their place in the world.
17-year-old Samantha from Narrabundah College said she is very excited about the opportunity to represent her country at THIMUN.
“I am really interested in international affairs and what’s happening in the world so I thought THIMUN would be a great opportunity to learn more about the UN and the complexity of diplomacy,” Samantha said.
“The Australian delegation will be represented by 17 students and we will discuss different issues of global concern. We will need to write a resolution which will be debated within our subcommittees in a model United Nations,” she added.
THIMUN is the world’s largest Model UN and it happens every January when about 4,000 students from around the world descend on the Hague for a week. The objective is to seek, through discussion, negotiation and debate, solutions to the various problems of the world such as human rights, climate change, economic development, disarmament as well as war and peace.
Samantha, who was also at the Global Young Leaders Conference in the United States last year, said she does a lot of debating at school.
“In my spare time, I also like to sing, dance, play netball and volunteer with the Red Cross and Amnesty International,” she explained.
Samantha will be touring Europe for two weeks prior to the Conference with other students of the Australian delegation to visit different embassies and institutions.
All funds generated from the Farmers Market, approximately $150,000 every year, are fed back into the Canberra regional community and other international charities through projects chosen by the Rotary Club of Hall.
With Capital Region Farmers Market revenue, the Rotary Club of Hall has been able to support various local organisations such as SmartStart for Kids!, the Greenhill Youth Centre, a Community Pipe Band, SouthCare, the Paediatrics group at the Canberra Hospital (PaTCH) which makes patchwork quilts for kids in hospital and many more community organisations. Market funds have even been able to refurbish books for a primary school in Vanuatu.
The Capital Region Farmers Market is a genuine farmers market with over 100 stalls offering a diverse range of fresh food and agricultural produce straight from the producer to the customer. It is open every Saturday morning at the Exhibition Park (EPIC) in Canberra from 8 am to 11 am.
Consumers can now be kept up-to-date with Farmers Market’s news and special offers by registering on www.farmersmarket.org.au.
For more information on Capital Regional Farmers Market, visit www.farmersmarket.org.au.
