STUDENTS from Teesdale played their part in international diplomacy on a visit to a United Nations agency.

Four sixth form students from Barnard Castle School were among 200 young people from all over the country who spent the day at the International Maritime Organisation, in London, to discuss the reality of the Olympic Truce and form a resolution that all 193 UN member states could agree upon.

The participating pupils - Evie Kennedy, Trutz von der Trenck, Ben Jeffrey, and Katie Wilson - were each given a country to represent.

Their brief, which they were given three weeks before the event, was to consider a resolution to promote a truce for the period of the Olympics and find ways to broaden co-operation between nations.

The student teams were put into one of six mock UN "security council" committees where they spent the day discussing high level political issues and negotiating with other countries over issues including human rights and international development.

Evie said: "It was one of the most memorable days of my life. To be able to go the offices of the UN, where decisions about global issues are made, was a life changing experience."