New York Times Chief Bureau Somini Sengupta’s UVU Visit
On October 29th, The New York Times’ Somini Sengupta paid a visit to students at Utah Valley University. During her major presentation at Ragan Theater at UVU at noon she spent most of her time answering the group’s many questions, and as a NYT United Nations correspondent, Sengupta was able to provide valuable insight into many of the pressing issues facing the global community.
The main focus of the discussion was centered on current Middle-Eastern crises such as the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Iranian nuclear program, the Syrian Civil war, and Sunni-Shiite relations. At one point a student asked if there was concern amongst the UN community about the spread of ISIS influence. Sengupta responded by bringing up the startling fact that a recent UN study found that ISIS has recruited fighters from at least 80 countries. She went on to address the concerns of diplomats from Pakistan, India, and numerous South East Asian countries about the threat of Islamic State activities within their nation’s borders.
Ms. Sengupta not only discussed the issues it faces, but also the United Nations itself. While covering the institution, she has grown to appreciate its size and scope—at one point referring to it as a “massive creature with many tentacles”. As someone who has to cover the UN as a whole, it is impossible to be an expert on all areas of the world, therefore, Ms. Sengupta is reliant on experts to help clarify situations involving nations she is less familiar with. In a field as dependent on accuracy as journalism, it is important that one asks themself: “why is he/she telling me this?” As Ms. Sengupta says: “even think tanks or other sources that are supposed to be neutral can have biases”.
While listening to Ms. Sengupta speak, not only the difficulties of her profession became apparent, but also the rewards. It was easy to tell that she loves what she does and derives true satisfaction from it, her only complaint about covering the UN being: “the cafeteria”.
Somini Sengupta during presentation
When Somini Sengupta arrived for a meeting with students at the class on International Relations in the Middle East at 3:00PM, room was full of students and professors that were anxious and eager to hear her speak. In comparison with a gathering for Mrs. Sengupta earlier in the Ragan Theater, this one had a more informal air.
Sure enough, she opened her comments by inviting questions from the students, many of whom had attended her previous lecture. Some of the questions were very interesting. In response to some questions, she talked about her life as a reporter covering the United Nations. The United Nations complex in New York City has a press wing where she stays. She spends a lot of time running after dignitaries to ask questions about particular issues they may have discussed during the day, getting up to date information for her stories at the source. She also discussed her methods for finding alternative sources. There are usually three or four experts in a given area that she will contact when she needs things explained, and she uses quotes from those interviews sometimes in her reports. She also asks her colleagues in-house who may be working in a particular region, such as in Israel for instance, on those kinds of topics for information on the ground where the events discussed in the United Nations are taking place.
Her task is further complicated because there is no United Nations directory board showing which discussions are to be held where, where meetings may be, or anything like that. But, she mentioned, when they have meetings she doesn’t necessarily have to hear from one particular person what was said and decided in the room, because there were usually a small group of dignitaries present. In this way, she can often get good information by talking to several people who were in attendance, which turns out just as well.
Many of the students who attended the lecture, as we noted, were not members of the class, and the camera presence certainly wasn’t usual. We saw in the audience also Dr. Rusty Butler, Associate VP for International Affairs and Diplomacy at UVU, who as well established tradition takes two students every year to visit the U.N. Some of the students in the audience shared with us several interesting and important experiences which took place during his program.
Jesler Molina, UIMF President Presents to Somini Sengupta documents about UIMF involvement in SMD-promotion
After Sengupta’s comments, some of the students stood up and explained several examples of the involvement they have had in the United Nations here at UVU. There were several posters explaining the Sustainable Mountain Development (SMD) program at UVU, and major achievements in that area since 2006 when UVU joined United Nations SMD program. Here at UVU, we support a program for sustainable development in mountainous regions throughout the world, furthering an objective of the United Nations and promoting goals related to that agenda internationally. Many members of the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of student clubs at UVU were in attendance, including Jesler Molina, the UIMF’s president. He did a short presentation at the end of class, explaining why it is important to promote sustainable way of life for mountain communities, the students’ involvement in the UIMF, the purpose of the coalition, and the prospects for the future of our program, including plans to continue expanding its influence and potential.
Somini Sengupta with UVU students and faculty after Q&A session
The UIMF’s vice president, Linda Munoz, who is in charge of implementing one of their initiatives, hosting the fourth international Women of the Mountains under the United Nations next fall, also stood up and explained major goals and priorities for the conference. The conference will include scholars and dignitaries from all over the world, intending to promote the United Nations agenda to support sustainable mountain development for women in particular. Sengupta was formally extended an invitation to attend. She replied by promising to check her calendar and see if she would be free.
James Nielsen and Justin Wall, UVU Students With Political Science Major
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Local media about Somini Sengupta’s Presentations at UVU
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http://www.heraldextra.com/search/l=25&skin=/&sd=desc&s=start_time&f=html&q=somini
