Sixteen students from Bermuda schools took off for New York yesterday to represent the Island at a United Nations conference on energy.

Altogether 40 countries will be represented in the 32nd annual UN International School conference, which this year's theme is 'The Pursuit of Energy, a Catalyst for Conflict'.

Bermuda's students are from both public and private schools and take part in Global Arts Entertainment and YouthNews.com. One of the organisers, Sarah Fellowes said: "While in New York, our students will confer with students and leaders from the United Nations International School (UNIS) which has entities all over the world."

For many of the students this is their second visit to the UN, as they took part in last year's conference making a presentation of a water harvesting system to help children in other parts of the world.

The system was based on the roof water trapping system used Island-wide, although the students devised options that could function in other developing parts of the world. The goal was to help people, particularly underprivileged children, in developing countries secure their own potable water. Berkeley Institute pupil, Micha Murry said of her trip last year: "It was an eye opener for global warming and it taught me a lot."

Nick Park, a student at Saltus, said: "I enjoyed working with YouthNet.com. I am so excited about this trip it should be good fun and it's for a good cause."

When asked why she got involved with YouthNews.com Nicole Daponte, of Warwick Academy, said: "For the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, we have to complete 75 Creative Action Services (CAS) hours. I've always been into writing and literature so I thought it would be a good idea."

Bermuda YouthNews.com Reporter, Genevieve Gordon, a Bermuda High School student, said: "We will do our best to bring back as much information from the conference back to Bermuda."

Miss Gordon will be giving a speech thanking Global Art Entertainment and the Ministry of Youth and Sports and will also be requesting a moment of silence for former Warwick Academy student Miguel Franco, who died recently in a motorcycle accident.