Empowered students address global issues
Every day, students are faced with images of poverty and environmental degradation and wonder what role they may take in eradicating them. These issues, which are truly global in scope, seem daunting and hard to tackle, so students struggle to figure out what they can do to make a difference. With new challenges come new opportunities for solutions, however. Using new technologies and a shared sense of purpose, several networks have been established to help students discuss these issues and work towards change. One such network is the Global Issues Network (GIN).
The GIN was established by Washington International School head Clayton Lewis and a group of his colleagues who were frustrated with the conditions of their world, and decided to brainstorm a solution. "We asked ourselves," said Mr. Lewis,"Is there anything we could do that we haven't done already?" The group of colleagues were inspired by Jean-francois Rischard's book, High Noon: 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them, whose main idea is "all about networking," as Mr. Lewis said. Therefore the group decided to create an international network to help students to tackle global issues.
A community of schools was selected and the first GIN conference was held in 2006 in Luxembourg, which is where Mr. Lewis and his colleagues were living at the time. The conference brought together some 300 students and teachers to discuss various relevant topics, such as poverty, water, human rights, and amnesty. The students participated in simulations, formal debates, and attended presentations by experts in all fields.
"The conference allowed the students to become directly involved with experts," said Mr. Lewis. However, Mr. Lewis' favorite speakers were "really powerful teens" because it "put the students in touch with inspirational people."
According to Mr. Lewis, the conference worked. "It was high energy," he said. "It was a good example of empowering young people." The success of GIN spread and a conference was held in Beijing in 2008. This spring, conferences will be held in Geneva (the third European conference), Bangkok (the second Asian conference), and Doha (the first Middle Eastern conference).
Kate Meenan-Waugh, director of the Center for International Education (CIE) at WIS, is assisting Mr. Lewis and is looking for students to attend these conferences. Ms. Meenan-Waugh emphasised that the conferences are student-run and students wishing to participate would be required to research and look into an important global issue affecting their communities and present it during the conference.
"It's a way for our students to be part of a large network of students from other international schools," said Ms. Meenan-Waugh. She explained that the network would be made up of "students who are interested in critical global issues." Ms. Meenan-Waugh hopes that the GIN conferences will inspire students to get involved. "Hopefully [students] can come up with ways to start solving these global issues and inform themselves so that they can become leaders," she said.
Ms. Meenan-Waugh also invites students to take part in the first annual Global Issues Action Institute, which will be held at the Tregaron campus in June of 2009 (check out the institute's website here). The summer institute is sponsored by the CIE and the GIN. It will be a "series of in-depth education and collaboration sessions aiming to teach students and teachers about critical global issues and equip them with the skills necessary to share what they have learned," says an advertisement about the event. The institute will focus on development issues, such as global poverty and education, and students will be able to develop skills in film-making, podcasting, and journalism. The institute is open to high school students around the world, and especially welcomes those from the Global Issues Network, Student News Action Network, and the National Association of Independent Schools.
The GIN was established by Washington International School head Clayton Lewis and a group of his colleagues who were frustrated with the conditions of their world, and decided to brainstorm a solution. "We asked ourselves," said Mr. Lewis,"Is there anything we could do that we haven't done already?" The group of colleagues were inspired by Jean-francois Rischard's book, High Noon: 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them, whose main idea is "all about networking," as Mr. Lewis said. Therefore the group decided to create an international network to help students to tackle global issues.
A community of schools was selected and the first GIN conference was held in 2006 in Luxembourg, which is where Mr. Lewis and his colleagues were living at the time. The conference brought together some 300 students and teachers to discuss various relevant topics, such as poverty, water, human rights, and amnesty. The students participated in simulations, formal debates, and attended presentations by experts in all fields.
"The conference allowed the students to become directly involved with experts," said Mr. Lewis. However, Mr. Lewis' favorite speakers were "really powerful teens" because it "put the students in touch with inspirational people."
According to Mr. Lewis, the conference worked. "It was high energy," he said. "It was a good example of empowering young people." The success of GIN spread and a conference was held in Beijing in 2008. This spring, conferences will be held in Geneva (the third European conference), Bangkok (the second Asian conference), and Doha (the first Middle Eastern conference).
Kate Meenan-Waugh, director of the Center for International Education (CIE) at WIS, is assisting Mr. Lewis and is looking for students to attend these conferences. Ms. Meenan-Waugh emphasised that the conferences are student-run and students wishing to participate would be required to research and look into an important global issue affecting their communities and present it during the conference.
"It's a way for our students to be part of a large network of students from other international schools," said Ms. Meenan-Waugh. She explained that the network would be made up of "students who are interested in critical global issues." Ms. Meenan-Waugh hopes that the GIN conferences will inspire students to get involved. "Hopefully [students] can come up with ways to start solving these global issues and inform themselves so that they can become leaders," she said.
Ms. Meenan-Waugh also invites students to take part in the first annual Global Issues Action Institute, which will be held at the Tregaron campus in June of 2009 (check out the institute's website here). The summer institute is sponsored by the CIE and the GIN. It will be a "series of in-depth education and collaboration sessions aiming to teach students and teachers about critical global issues and equip them with the skills necessary to share what they have learned," says an advertisement about the event. The institute will focus on development issues, such as global poverty and education, and students will be able to develop skills in film-making, podcasting, and journalism. The institute is open to high school students around the world, and especially welcomes those from the Global Issues Network, Student News Action Network, and the National Association of Independent Schools.
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Replies to This Article
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Permalink Reply by Shieka Al-Thani on -
“These issues, which are truly global in scope, seem daunting and hard to tackle, so students struggle to figure out what they can do to make a difference. With new challenges come new opportunities for solutions” Your statement here is perfectly written and completely true. I find always find myself wondering how I can make difference, and making a difference in my opinion is what the Global Issues Network (GIN) is all about.
You mentioned the 2006 Luxembourg conference in your article. The school I attend, the American School of Doha, took part in that conference. The group that traveled to Luxembourg, under Mike Johnston, I recall concentrated on the of lack of food/resources in certain parts of the world; I still recall their presentation and simulation, it was so effective that I still remember it today. The way GIN has students present today’s world issues in such an effective way seizes peoples’ attention and inspires them to help. I commend Clayton Lewis for establishing such a network that not only gets students involved with global issues, but a network that actually has that capability of making a difference.
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