The Faculty of Social Sciences

The Faculty takes this opportunity to congratulate our students on their Achievement! 

Ms. Adriel Charles, President, UWI Sta Model UN Club has been appointed to serve as Country Coordinator of Trinidad and Tobago alongside Ms. Ruth Baptiste (UWI STA student, reading for her BSc. in Sociology) at the United Nations Conference of Youth 16 (COY). COY 16 is a unique event where students, political leaders, sports champions, and geopolitics experts come together to discuss about future cooperation, and sustainability, especially as it relates to climate change and security. It is the annual precursor event to the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and this year it proceeds COP26. This is an outstanding achievement given the degree of competition and limited opportunity for participation.

Ms. Charles is a final year International Relations (IR) student who has an excellent academic profile to date and served on a few UWI Guild Committees such as Office of the Vice President and Treasurer. She has represented UWI STA MUN at international events, participated in webinars/workshops and organized several online forums. This year she has been selected as a United People's Global Sustainability Champion and Reimagining Society TT Peace Ambassador. Ms. Charles has outstanding communication, organizational skills, strong work ethic and is extremely affable and diligent.

“In recent years, climate change has become an increasingly relevant threat to S.I.D.S and our environmental security. For many years, I’ve been involved in youth advocacy and empowerment aligning with various UN Sustainable Development Goals. Particularly in the field of Gender Equality, Quality Education and Climate Action. In 2020, I was selected to be one of the United Nations Conference of Youth Country Coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago. This 16th edition of the conference is one of the largest youth conferences in the field of Climate Action globally. Being chosen as a representative of Trinidad and Tobago is one of the greatest honors I could have ever received. It has been a dream of mine for many years and I am even more elated as it is in a field, I am passionate about. In 2021, the conference is expected to be held in Glasgow England and preceding the COP26. There, I will have the opportunity to present policy based on the perspective of Trinidad and Tobago. Thus, ensuring that our unique environment is considered alongside the development of solutions for our local environmental concerns.

Being a final year student pursuing my BSc International Relations with Cultural Studies, I have learnt a tremendous amount about the international system and our role in it. Every day I work to prepare for this great opportunity to ensure that I represent the red, white and black with confidence and pride. I am once again forever grateful for the opportunities I’ve been afforded to create and effect change as a student of the UWI.”

Ms. Adriel Charles