Sources: Michael Burns, 620-357-1499, mburns@k-state.edu; Koichi Yamaura, 785-313-3357, kyamaura@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Cheryl May, 785-532-6415, may@k-state.edu
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
TWO K-STATE GRADUATE STUDENTS JOIN YOUTH FORUM TO SUGGEST SOLUTIONS FOR 10 PROBLEMS FACING THE WORLD TODAY
MANHATTAN -- Two Kansas State University graduate students in agricultural economics have been selected to participate in the 2008 Copenhagen Consensus Center Youth Forum in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 25-30.
Koichi Yamaura, Hidaka, Japan, was selected to represent the country of Japan and Michael Burns, Jetmore, was
selected as one of two students to represent the United States.
Eighty students from 37 countries were selected to participate in the conference. The Youth Forum represents more than 70 percent of the world’s inhabitants.
"The Youth Forum will involve the decision makers and experts of tomorrow and have them pinpoint what has to be done in order to alleviate the challenges of today throughout the world," Burns said.
The overall objective of the Youth Forum is to listen to a group of young future decision makers from around the world and having them voice what solutions they believe should be given. The vision of the Youth Forum
is to contribute to an open, public debate on how to prioritize solutions to 10 of the most pressing challenges.
Yamaura said, "As participants we consider the question 'If the world would come together and be willing
to spend, say, $75 billion additionally over the next four years on improving the state of the world, which solutions would yield the greatest net benefits?' "
The 10 issues being debated are air pollution, conflicts, diseases, education, global warming, malnutrition and hunger, sanitation and water, subsidies and trade barriers, terrorism, and women and development. The youth forum is held in conjunction with the official 2008 Copenhagen Consensus meetings.
Burns served as an intern for U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran during summer 2004. He was K-State's 2005-06 student body president; an officer in Blue Key senior honor society; a member of the College of Agriculture Ambassadors; chair of the college's Open House committee and a member of the K-State Agriculture Education Club. He is the son of Jay and Marla Burns, Hutchinson.
Yamaura came to K-State in fall 2006. He is working on a research project on non-GM soybeans and international trade. He was the 2007 vice president of the Agricultural Economics Graduate Student Association. He also was selected for Gamma Sigma Delta honor society. He is the son of Hideo and Harue Yamaura, Japan.
For more information on the whole 2008 Copenhagen Consensus Meetings visit:
http://www.copenhagenconsensus.com/Default.aspx?ID=953