Local students left the Island yesterday to participate in a conference being held at the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

The students will spend two days with other teens from around the globe discussing the relationship between large corporations and society.

A local charitable organisation, Global Arts Foundation, has organised the trip for the last four year, its aim is to promote global peace and tolerance.

The conference is organised by the United Nations International School (UNIS), this year will mark the 30th anniversary of the conference. UNIS was founded in 1947 by UN affiliated families. Its student body is made up of 1,450 students from 115 countries.

The conference brings students from 40 nations together to discuss important issues facing the world. Bermuda is the only non-member nation involved in the conference. Last year they discussed global health. This year the theme is "The Role of Corporations in Today's World".

Guest speakers are usually the highlight of the conference. Previously Nann Annan, wife of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, was a guest speaker. Morgan Spurlock, who made the 2004 documentary "Supersize Me", has also spoken at the conference.

During this year's conference the students will attempt to answer the fundamental question of how a corporation should function in the modern world. To do they will examine issues such as health care, the environment, agriculture and global development .

The two day conference, which begins tomorrow, will be broadcast live on the internet starting at 10 a.m. Bermuda time.

The website is http://www.unis-un.org/unisun/websites/flash_index.html.

Students from Berkeley Institute, Bermuda High School, CedarBridge Academy and Somersfield Academy are attending the conference. Each school decided how they would choose the students who would attend the event.

The Berkeley Institute students are: Blayne Baker, Serena Brangman, Raisa Simons-Smith and Ronelle James. The CederBridge group includes Donn Foggo, Christina Outerbridge, Dion Samuels, Dwanae Simons and Mario Swainson. Sarah Russo and Elizabeth Thompson are representing BHS and Ben Collis is representing Somersfield Academy.

Three teachers are also going with the students to supervise the trip. They are Michelle Carpol, Gladstone Thompson and Jozene Wolfe.

Yesterday Education Minister Terry Lister saw the group off at the Bermuda International Airport. The students will speaking about their experience at the Cabinet Office on March 6.