Global Classrooms is a U.S.-based global education program, belonging to the

United Nations Association of the United States of America The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is the official United Nations Association of the United States, a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting political and public support for the United Natio ...

(UNA-USA), that engages middle school and high school students in an exploration of current world issues through

Model United Nations Model United Nations, also known as Model UN (MUN), is an educational simulation of the United Nations, which teaches students about diplomacy, international relations, global issues, and how the United Nations is run. During a model UN confe ...

, wherein students step into shoes of UN

Ambassadors An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

and debate a range of issues on the UN agenda. Global Classrooms was created primarily for students in economically disadvantaged

public schools Public school may refer to: *Public school (government-funded), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government *Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging private schools in England and Wales *Great Public Schools, ...

who have little or no knowledge of global affairs or experience with Model UN The Global Classrooms program is currently in 24 major cities around the world. Global Classrooms bridges the gap in the

Model UN Model United Nations, also known as Model UN (MUN), is an educational simulation of the United Nations, which teaches students about diplomacy, international relations, global issues, and how the United Nations is run. During a model UN confe ...

community between established global education programs and traditionally underserved public schools by exposing students to the growing influence of

globalization Globalization is the process of increasing interdependence and integration among the economies, markets, societies, and cultures of different countries worldwide. This is made possible by the reduction of barriers to international trade, th ...

Background

Early in the 1990s

UNA-USA The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is the official United Nations Association of the United States, a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting political and public support for the United Natio ...

observed that Model UN activities overwhelmingly attracted the participation of students and teachers from private and/or affluent suburban schools. Believing it to be of critical importance,

determined that it would increase the number of students from economically disadvantaged public schools participating in

. Global Classrooms was founded in 1999, as a vehicle for education to reach students who would otherwise never have the opportunity to participate in Model UN. It has been estimated that Annually, over 300,000 high school and university students worldwide participate in Model United Nations activities.

Program Support

Numerous organizations and high-profile individuals have supported the Global Classrooms program. On May 13, 2010,

MTV Networks International Paramount International Networks (PIN) is the international division of the Paramount Media Networks subsidiary of Paramount Global that oversees the production, broadcasting and promotion of its brands outside of the United States. These brands ...

President,

MTV Staying Alive Staying Alive is an MTV international initiative to encourage HIV prevention, promote safer lifestyle choices and fight the stigma and discrimination that fuels the HIV epidemic. Staying Alive is the world's largest HIV mass media awareness and p ...

Chairman, and

UNAIDS The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS; , ONUSIDA) is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The mission of UNAIDS is to lead, strengthen and support an ex ...

Ambassador

Bill Roedy William H. Roedy (born June 13, 1948) is an American business executive, military veteran, global health ambassador, politician, and author. He also ran for Mayor of Miami Beach in the 2023 election. Roedy joined MTV in 1989 as the chief executi ...

addressed the Global Classrooms international student delegation at the

UN General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its 79th session, its powers, ...

, during which he discussed issues ranging from AIDS and HIV to global media. Past Global Classrooms conferences have hosted speakers and guests such as: Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

Esther Brimmer Esther Diane Brimmer (born 1961) is an American foreign policy expert and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs. In June 2013, she left her post as Assistant Secretary and returned to academia. In January 201 ...

Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs The assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs is the head of the Bureau of International Organization Affairs within the United States Department of State that creates and executes policy in international organizations ...

, Ambassador Frederick "Rick" Barton, U.S. Permanent Representative to the

United Nations Economic and Social Council The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields of the organization, specifically in regards to the fifteen specialized ...

, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

Kantathi Suphamongkhon Kantathi Suphamongkhon ( Thai กันตธีร์ ศุภมงคล, born 3 April 1952) is a Thai diplomat, politician, university professor and a real estate developer. He served as the 39th minister of foreign affairs of Thailand from ...

and on multiple occasions, the

United Nations Secretary-General The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...

Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon (born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was the South Korean minister ...

The

United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...

is a major supporter of Global Classrooms and

and annually offers its headquarters as the conference venue for the Global Classrooms DC conference. In addition to its ties to the diplomatic community, Global Classrooms continues to benefit from school based partnerships with school districts and universities such as:

Chicago Public Schools Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, in Chicago, Illinois, is the List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment, fourth-large ...

Kyung Hee University Kyung Hee University (KHU; ) is a Private university, private research university in South Korea with campuses in Seoul and Suwon. It was founded in 1949. Kyung Hee University is part of the Kyung Hee University System, which offers comprehensive ...

Lebanese American University The Lebanese American University (LAU; ) is a secular private American university with campuses in Beirut, Byblos, and New York. It is chartered by the board of regents of the University of the State of New York and is recognized by the Lebane ...

, and the

Mulberry School for Girls Mulberry School for Girls (known up to 1986 as Tower Hamlets School for Girls) is a secondary school, secondary comprehensive school and sixth form for girls located in the Shadwell area of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, England. Approxima ...

References

External links

Global Classrooms

United Nations Association of the United States of America
International charities Model United Nations Charities based in New York City {{charity-org-stub