My Experience at the Utah Diplomatic Conference on International Trade Relations
On March 21, 2022, Utah Valley University hosted the Utah Diplomatic Conference on
International Trade Relations
Receiving an award for my work promoting the Sustainable Development Goals
On March 21, 2022, I had the opportunity to participate in the Utah Diplomatic Conference on International Trade Relations. The conference was attended by consuls, consul generals, and consulate section heads from twenty-five countries from around the world. This conference was the largest diplomatic delegation to the state of Utah since the 2002 Winter Olympics and highlighted Utah Valley University’s (UVU) commitment to foster diplomatic cooperation while preparing students to become successful in an increasingly globalized world. The plenary session was attended by Utah Governor Spencer Cox who spoke on Utah’s unprecedented economic growth and increasing importance within the global economy. Mr. Felipe Queipo of the United Nations Department of Global Communications also spoke on the role of the United Nations (UN) and the important contributions youth can make to this mission. The plenary session was also marked by a special moment to recognize the plight of the Ukrainian people as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Having the opportunity to witness the representatives of all these nations come together in support of Ukraine was extremely impactful and highlights the fact that the nations of the world can come together during difficult times.
Mr. Felipe Queipo of the United Nations Department of Global Communications speaking during the plenary session
Upon conclusion of the plenary session we moved to breakout sessions. Each session had a panel of representatives from different countries and conference attendees had the opportunity to choose which session to attend. As a member of the Global Student Leadership Council (GSLC) I had the opportunity to be a diplomatic host which meant that I assisted diplomats get to each session while also answering any question they had. The diplomats I assisted were representatives from Croatia, Georgia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The theme of the conference was “Lessons Learned from COVID-19- A Global Perspective.” During the breakout session it was fascinating to learn how each country in my group had responded to the pandemic and how the crisis affected their economies. It was also interesting to hear the perspectives of each diplomat on a number of global issues from the invasion of Ukraine to climate change. Because Russia invaded Georgia in 2008, Consul General Levan Beridze and Consul David Kurtanidze of Georgia provided some additional perspective on the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Consul General Renee Pea of Croatia speaking about the impact of COVID-19 on the Croatian economy
After the breakout sessions ended, the conference concluded with a networking session. This gave conference attendees and students an opportunity to meet with the diplomats and ask any additional questions not raised in the breakout sessions. I had the opportunity to speak with the First Secretary of Trade Policy, Will Powles of the British Consulate General in Los Angeles about the economic effects of Brexit, the state of the Irish-British relations, and potential solutions to the problem of exports to Northern Ireland as a result of Brexit. Secretary Powles gave me his undivided attention and it was an amazing opportunity to discuss these issues with him.
All the diplomats who attended the conference as well as Utah Governor Spencer Cox
Upon conclusion of the breakout session, a VIP lunch was held for the diplomats. As a member of the GSLC I had the privilege of attending where my fellow council members and I were recognized for our work prompting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The conference was a huge success and I’d like to thank UVU as well as the Office of Global Engagement for the amazing opportunity.
William Clark, Utah Valley University (UVU) student, a member of the Global Student Leadership Council at UVU
STUDENT REFLECTIVE ESSAYS
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