 |
|
||
|
Global
Classroom The World Affairs Council connects students with international people, ideas, and resources through Youth Summits and other leadership programs.
Youth SummitsIn past years, the World Affairs Council Global Classroom has hosted Youth Summits to bring Puget Sound middle and high school students together to discuss a current world issue with international perspectives. Jump to: October
8 , 2005 DID YOU KNOW?
This was a chance for students to learn more about Muslims at home and abroad by meeting with other youth (middle, high school, and college students) and community members to explore Muslim cultures and understand the larger context of Islam around the world. A special highlight of the day was the opportunity to view parts of the historical Collections and Stories of American Muslims exhibit and hear from a leading scholar on the history of Muslims in America, Amir Muhammad. At dusk, participants were invited to join with members of local Muslim communities for a dinner of traditional foods, following the breaking of the fast for Ramadan. (Ramadan is the month of required fasting for those Muslims who can fast.)
March
12, 2005
The decision to incarcerate all individuals of Japanese
ancestry living on the West Coast in 1942 was influenced by decades
of anti-Asian attitudes--ingrained in U.S. institutions, laws and
the majority population. During a time when discrimination was accepted
by many as part of American culture, special-interest groups formed
to stir anti-Japanese feelings and actions. Racial discrimination
was legal and established in policies and laws at the city, state
and federal level. Media perpetuated negative myths and stereotypes
of Japanese people as less than human. Racism is not new, nor is it unique to America. To bring the lessons of the World War II experience of Japanese Americans into a contemporary and global context, Global Classroom invited middle and high school students to the Youth Summit: Institutionalized Racism from a Global Perspective at Bellevue Community College. The purpose of the summit was to provide a forum for dialogue about racism as it has manifested itself in the U.S. and the world both past and present. The youth explored and compared the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II and Americans of Islamic faith post-9/11, as well as African Americans across the centuries. They considered racism in other countries and regions around the world, such as South Africa, Kosovo, Rwanda, and the Middle East.
October
16, 2004 The Youth Summit coincided with Deliberation Day, part of the PBS “By the People” initiative, a national democratic engagement program. For more information, visit www.pbs.org/newshour/btp/. The Youth Summit was also supported by "The People Speak: America's Role in the World," a nationwide series of discussions, roundtables and community forums, held in the Fall of 2004. These non-partisan, educational events engaged Americans of all ages and perspectives in a dialogue about the future of the U.S. international engagement. For more information, visit www.ThePeopleSpeak.org. Additional cosponsors were the University of Washington Global Business Center and the Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT). Featured speaker was Bill Center, Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and President of WCIT. During the Summit, students worked in small groups with volunteer facilitators from the University of Washington to consider four distinct future paths for the US in the World, and specifically, in Iraq. Each Future then made its case to the large group. This prompted a thoughtful discussion and deliberation. During lunch, students had the opportunity to share their viewpoints by writing on the "Democracy Wall."
January
10, 2004
Over 80 high school students met with more than 40 community members to discuss current youth refugee issues, including
This year, the event was co-Sponsored by the International Rescue Committee & Hands for a Bridge. Thanks to Noah's Bagels and Essential Baking Company for their generous donations and to all of our moderators and volunteers. 2002 2001 Model UNThe Model United Nations program is a simulation of an actual UN conference. Washington State Model United Nations (WASMUN) delegates convene to debate critical international issues in a forum that encourages the development of innovative resolutions to some of the most pressing problems facing our world today. The World Affairs Council - Global Classroom was instrumental in bringing Model UN to Washington State, and continues to be supportive of the program.
WASMUN 2005In 2005, the UNA-USA and the Office of International Affairs at the University of Washington will oversee the WASMUN conference planning and implementation of the program. The World Affairs Council - Global Council will remain involved in the conference and assist in outreach through our Global Classroom Newsletter and GC News emails. For information about WASMUN 2005, visit www.wasmun.org. WASMUN 2004In 2004, the UNA-USA and the Office of International Affairs at the University of Washington oversaw the WASMUN conference planning and implementation of the program, assuming these responsibilities from the World Affairs Council. The World Affairs Council - Global Council remained involved in the conference as a participating partner. The conference took place Friday and Saturday, April 23 and 24, 2004 on the University of Washington campus. The Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Program was retained, as well as the WASMUN Post, the official journal of the WASMUN Conference. The focus was on smaller committees and a new committee to our structure was introduced, the International Court of Justice. Global
Classroom assisted with the delegate workshops that took place on
the University of Washington campus, including: WASMUN 2003In 2003, students negotiated and debated a wide range of topics including: water resources, women and slave labor, AIDS orphans, and Palestinian statehood. The UN Security Council passed a resolution that all reconstruction efforts in Iraq will be administered and monitored by the newly created United Nations Reconstruction Mission for Iraq (UNRMI). One delegate told his advisor, “I don’t understand it: I debated foreign policy for four hours, and I had fun!”
World Affairs ChallengeA successful program for 16 years in Colorado and endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies, the Challenge is an innovative academic program in international relations for middle school students. In Spring 2005, World Affairs Council Global Classroom hosted the World Affairs Challenge for the second time with the theme “Global Energy: Empowering the Future.” Past themes have included food and hunger, water issues, global health, the environment, terrorism and violence, technological change, economic development, and human migration. View the World Affairs Challenge in Pictures:
Each annual theme unifies the Challenge events and provides coherence to the program. Past themes include the rights of the child, food and hunger, water issues, global health, the environment, terrorism and violence, technological change, economic development, and human migration.
Teams of 7-12 middle school students (grades 6-8)
spend up to twelve weeks preparing a formal presentation on an international
topic related to the annual theme, with administrative and research
support provided by the World Affairs Council and the University
of Denver. The end of the research process culminates with the World
Affairs Challenge, held in Seattle on May 12, 2006. During the Challenge,
students compete in four different events that test their knowledge,
their presentation skills, and their ability to work collaboratively.
Teachers serve primarily as coaches, helping students prepare for
the day. Often teachers incorporate the Challenge topic into course
curriculum, using materials developed and provided by the Center
for Teaching International Relations (CTIR).
(1) Formal Presentation (2) A Global Awareness Quiz (3) The Collaborative Question (4) The Discovery Poster
Volunteer judges include distinguished community members
involved or interested in international affairs, including state
and local government officials, small business owners, and representatives
of multinational corporations.
The Challenge . . .
The Challenge assists students in understanding the complexities of global problems. Students see the relevance of academic study to real world problems, and are exposed to career paths and/or areas of study that address these problems. This is an opportunity for students to discover and explore exciting new content; it’s not your parents’ social studies course. They get to work with peers on a collaborative project, employ research skills that will help in college courses, and hone persuasive public speaking skills. On top of all that, participating in the Challenge looks great on a résumé.
The Challenge reinforces international affairs teaching efforts in the classroom, encourages global awareness, and gives teachers the opportunity to develop their own professional and intellectual interests. The Challenge also helps create bonds with local university faculty and staff, a variety of students, local business professionals, and community leaders.
The World Affairs Challenge illustrates the local community's increasing role in the international global economy and the need for students to understand these new connections. We hope to develop a work force and an electorate attuned to international events and how these events relate to the lives of global citizens. The Challenge affords community members an opportunity to participate in an innovative academic program that showcases the amazing talent and vision of our young people.
To learn more about this valuable program from the University of Denver, see: http://www.du.edu/worldaffairschallenge/progdetails.html
|
||||||||||||||
Programs: Community
Programs | Fellows
| Global Classroom |
International
Visitor Program | Young
Professionals
Site Map | Become
a Member | Contact
Us
© 2004 The World Affairs Council of Seattle. All rights reserved. Last Updated: 4/24/08