| Business |
On foreign ground
for a common goal
By AIVA TAMATE
While students at Divine Word
University get well into their studies one of their peers is
preparing to travel to the Middle East to attend a conference
themed "Education Without Borders' from February 25 to 27.
Josephine Mann, a fourth year Communication Arts student has
already been given a list of the 'Rules of engagement' to abide by
while she is in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
"We've been told not to wear any shirts without sleeves, 'cut
shirts', no jeans," she said. "No short skirts and definitely not
something that will break the long kept laws of the Muslim culture
about exposing the body,
"Skirts have to be right down to the ankles and we've been advised
not to take suitcases or travel bags that have pockets on the
outside, in case anyone decides to slip a bomb into the side of
the luggage."
Josephine was one of three people selected to attend the
conference after she submitted an application in the form of two
research papers.
One was based on why she wanted to attend and what impact she may
have on her country upon return and the other was an in-depth
research on the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS awareness in Papua New
Guinea.
"We read so much in the media that a lot is being done in HIV/AIDS
awareness, yet statistics seem to be on the rise. What is really
wrong here? Is the mode of communication what people can really
relate to? I wonder if people really understand the posters and
flyers that are used in the rural areas. Do they choose to be
ignorant? My research is based on the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS
awareness in our country."
Josephine's research papers were accepted and the call for her
attendance came. The Education without Borders conference is a
biennial international student conference that addresses a whole
range of topics creating networks across cultures in order to
understand and generate solutions for some of the world's major
challenges.
This they try to achieve by engaging innovative students and
leaders of business, technology, education, and the humanitarian
sector in a collaborative forum that culminates with commitment to
action.
While there are no definite solutions to HIV/AIDS in PNG, at least
Josephine has been given the chance to show the world the plight
of the epidemic in her country through the findings in her
research paper which would be kept by conference organizers in the
hub of information they will generate from the meeting.
"I will be there just as an observer, but I will be participating
in a project which will be to publish a Magazine about the
conference. We'll also be participating in discussions on world
issues."
Two of her colleagues, Ruth Moiam also from DWU and a male student
from the University of Papua New Guinea, Titus Kuman, are unable
to participate in the conference due to financial coinstraints.
Their efforts to find a sponsor to meet the cost of travel,
accommodation and allowance were not so successful.
"I'm excited and looking forward to the conference. I hope to meet
the Managing Director of CNN (World News channel), Mr Krammer.
Apart from that there will other very important people attending,
who are engineers, accountants, world representatives."
Josephine hopes to one day present a paper elsewhere in the world,
when the opportunity arises.
For now the Education Without Borders conference has provided her
a chance of a lifetime as an undergraduate to be a part of an
international event organized by students for students addressing
world issues and challengers.
"All other conferences have been mainly for post graduates and
graduates for people who already have qualifications and I'm just
glad to be a part of this. I want to give special credit to Br
Michael McManus, the Head of Communication Arts Department for
introducing me to the organization and encouraging me to apply,"
she said.
 
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