Tyrone students inspired by ‘Hope for Our World’ event

STUDENTS from Tyrone were recently given a unique opportunity to attend an inspirational event, ‘Hope for Our World’, hosted by the United Nations Association NI (UNA-NI) at the Hill of the O’Neill and Ranfurly House, Dungannon.

The event, chaired by Cllr Eugene McConnell, Mid Ulster District Council chair, was attended by pupils from the Integrated College Dungannon and the Royal School Dungannon. It provided a powerful message of hope and resilience through the stories of two remarkable speakers.

The students, along with their teachers, joined their peers from the Royal School Armagh and UNA-NI members, to listen to the experiences of Manuel Carta, a former Commissioner of the Italian Red Cross, and Laura Hampton, an Armagh native who recently completed a round-the-world sailing adventure in support of UNICEF.

For many of the students, this event was a rare chance to hear firsthand about real-world humanitarian efforts and global adventures, sparking inspiration for their futures.

Manuel Carta, currently an Emergency Response Volunteer in Belfast and an instructor at the UN World Food Programme in Rome, spoke on the topic ‘Where Chaos Meets Hope: The Role of the Disaster Manager’.

He shared his experiences of participating in humanitarian missions during natural disasters and migrant rescues in the Mediterranean.

“What happens during a huge emergency, what are the changes in a city, and why is it so difficult to intervene in the first moments?” he asked the audience, drawing the attention of the students to the complexities of global crises.

Laura Hampton captivated the audience with tales from her Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, which raised over £440,000 for UNICEF.

Her talk, titled ‘From Orchards to Oceans’, inspired the young audience with her story of perseverance and triumph after sailing 46,200 nautical miles in some of the world’s toughest conditions.

Founded in 1945, the United Nations Association is a charity that builds movements, provides expert insight, and designs campaigns dedicated to promoting human rights, peace and security, and UN reform.

UNA-NI is a regional branch and exists to promote the United Nations at a local level.