The purpose of this annual essay contest is to promote serious discussion among high school students, teachers, and national leaders about international peace and conflict resolution today and in the future.  We will discuss the topics written about and the program the students who have arrived in Washington, DC will be involved in.

Tue. June 25
Topic:  Insight into the Brain
Guest: Oliver Sacks, clinical professor of neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Oliver Sacks is perhaps best known for his books Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat, Uncle Tungsten, The Island of the Colorblind and now Oaxaca Journal.  Sachs will discuss neurological problems he has studied as well as Oaxaca’s history, the Zapotecs, and their ancient culture.

Wed. June 26
Topic: Deadly Arsenals
Guest: Jon B. Wolfsthal, Carnegie Non-Proliferation Project Deputy Director, on Russian nuclear weapons

Deadly Arsenals is a comprehensive survey of those countries that have, want to have, or have tried to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Wolfsthal, one of the contributors to this book will discuss his findings.

Thr. June 27
Topic: Love and Marriage
Guests:  Susie Carter Smutz, publisher, Alaska Men Magazine
                Judith Asner, psychotherapist,  Diplomat of the Board of Clinical 
                Social Workers, Certified Imago Relationship Therapist for couples.
                John W. and Reno R. Alaska Men

How do people meet and marry?  Susie Carter Smutz has been to a lot of
weddings and helps introduce couples. Ms. Smutz became publisher of Alaska Men magazine to help the men end their status as bachelors.  She will talk about matchmaking and what draws one person to
another.

Fri. June 28
Topic: Obesity (A worldwide epidemic)
Guests: Dr. David York,PhD Basic Research at Pennington Biomedical 
              Research  Center, Louisiana State. 
              Dr. Enrique Jacoby, regional adviser of the Food and  Nutrition 
              program, Pan American Health Organization, DC 

Once thought to be a health concern for only "Western" countries, an obesity epidemic is spreading across the globe and hitting the poor particularly hard.   Overweight and obesity are on the rise around the world, from Egypt to Papua New Guinea. Shifts in nutrition and lifestyle, in many cases to more "Western" habits, are probably responsible.  Ten to 12 nations in the developing world have levels of
overweight and obesity exceeding those of the US.