Every year hundreds of thousands of students in dozens of countries act as delegates in a simulation of the United Nations. These Model UNs are academic competitions that teach students diplomacy and international relations — but they also help students build empathy for others and better understand the delicate balance negotiating with someone you might disagree with often requires.
The 33rd annual Southwest Florida Model UN was held on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University last week. More than 340 students from Lee, Collier, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties gathered to engage in fast-paced diplomacy, debate, and problem-solving focused on some of the most pressing, current global challenges. It’s sponsored by the Naples Council on World Affairs in partnership with FGCU.
This year’s keynote speaker was Andrea Bedoya. She’s a 2020 graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, and since leaving FGCU with her Political Science degree her career has already spanned four continents and a wide range of global service experiences. She’s helped conduct marine conservation research in Ghana, and taught English in Spain and Cambodia. Her current job is U.S. Deputy Trek Director at buildOn, it’s an international nonprofit. In her role she coordinates service-learning programs that partner U.S. students with under-resourced communities in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Senegal. She stopped by the studio while she was back on campus to chat.
Guest:
Andrea Bedoya, U.S. Deputy Trek Director at buildOn; keynote speaker at the 2026 Southwest Florida Model United Nations; and a 2020 graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University.
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