Incredible achievements are constantly happening at Columbia International College, whether big or small. For Mariano Garcia Duenas Carrion, he notably received the Best Delegate Award and the Delegates Award at New York’s Model UN Conference in 2019. The Model UN team had been training for this conference twice a week since August of 2018. These awards were given to him and another CIC student in front of over 3,000 people at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
Mariano is from Mexico’s capital, Mexico City where he lived there for 9 years and studied in other places before finally coming to Columbia International College. It was Mariano’s decision to come to Canada to study as he explains, “I wanted to have a wider view about the world. I wanted to have a different perspective about the world and what is happening. By doing this, you get to know different cultures and get to make new friends.”
“I can be someone some day and the thought of that inspires me.”
– Mariano Garcia Duenas Carrion
Mariano has attended CIC for 2 semesters where he plans on studying one more year back home before pursuing his post-secondary education. For now, he continues to focus on political science and law as well as, focusing on humanitarian aspects and diplomacy. Mariano is a bright and focused individual who expressed his amazing experience joining Model UN. “You’re not just saying empty words and you’re not just presenting in a class. When you’re participating in Model UN, you actually feel like you are doing something,” says Mariano. “You are discussing global problems. By discussing problems you can see where different countries stand and their positions on certain issues. I learned that at the end I can be objective about two perspectives and do something to solve those issues.”
With so much happening in the world, Mariano is grateful for the experience of participating in Model UN and encourages other students to do the same. He explains how important it is to learn from different positions of other countries as one can begin to see the wider picture. Mariano explains, “Maybe students don’t want to join Model UN because they don’t like to speak in public or they are afraid of what they might say. But what I can say is, you should join this. It will make you confident and you are helping the world. You are a change to the world by participating. You are contributing to the welfare of humanity.”
When asked what his parents thought of his success, Mariano smiles brightly, “They are really happy. They are happy with the news of my award and that I am doing these kinds of things.” Mariano explains how his inspirations are divided into two parts: goals and people. “Firstly, I think of my inspiration as my goals. I can be someone some day and the thought of that inspires me. But secondly, people inspire me. My friends and family have supported me in what I wanted to do, and that really does inspire me,” says Mariano. Mariano emphasizes on the importance of taking the time to take in your surroundings as life can go by fast. The significance of being grateful for the things a person has in their life is something Mariano takes seriously.
“This is not my accomplishment, this is our accomplishment.”
– Mariano Garcia Duenas Carrion
Success can be defined as the accomplishment of one’s goals. For Mariano, he is grateful to share his success with his family. Mariano concludes, “To me you can be successful but if you don’t have someone to share that success with, it means nothing. This is not my accomplishment, this is our accomplishment, I couldn’t have done this without my family.”
Mariano gives his thanks his counselor Viviane Bomfim, residence staff and all the staff at CIC for their care and guidance.