HOUSTON, TX – Hundreds of students from the Houston Independent School District (HISD) are attending the
United Nations Association of the USA’s (UNA-USA) Global Classrooms® Houston Model UN Conference today at the University of Houston. In Model UN, students role-play as representatives from countries, interest groups, and nongovernmental organizations in simulations of UN bodies.
Global Classrooms Model UN has amazed schools around the globe with its ability to cultivate global literacy, life skills, and attitudes necessary for active citizenship, showing that students deeply care about the world outside their local communities.
“Global Classrooms not only helps students develop life skills, but enables them to be better citizens of the world,” said Dr. Cameron White, professor of social education at the University of Houston and a UNA Houston program partner. “With over 5,000 students having participated to date, Global Classrooms Houston has facilitated a long-term, lasting partnership between local schools, the University of Houston, and UNA Houston.”
Topics of discussion for students will include energy and sustainable development, environmental refugees, and microfinance in developing countries. Now in its 10th year, Global Classrooms Houston involves 22 schools as well as volunteers from several area universities.
“Students participating in Model UN today will open doors to their future and help forge relationships that last a lifetime,” said UNA-USA Executive Director Patrick Madden. “Over the past decade, our Global Classrooms Houston Model UN has been exemplary in showing how students who are passionate about the world can connect with the UN and develop skills they will use the rest of their lives.”
Global Classrooms continues to provide curricular units and professional development support to HISD schools, in addition to the conference. Global Classrooms serves more than 1,800 local students, and is aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills state standards.
Watch the Global Classrooms Model UN Documentary “Decorum” at http://www.unausa.org/decorum.
Tweet This: Hundreds of students are in Houston today w/ @GCModelUN to tackle the world's toughest challenges! Learn more: http://bit.ly/HJGxda.
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Media Contacts:
Sean Bartlett
202.419.6401
sbartlett@unfoundation.org
Joseph Catapano
202.496.6398
jcatapano@unausa.org
ABOUT UNA-USA
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), a program of the United Nations Foundation, is a membership organization dedicated to inform, inspire and mobilize the American people to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations. UNA-USA works to accomplish its mission through its national network of chapters, advocacy efforts, education programs, and public events. UNA-USA and the UN Foundation create the single largest network of advocates and supporters of the United Nations in the world. For more information on UNA-USA, visit www.unausa.org.
ABOUT GLOBAL CLASSROOMS
Global Classrooms is UNA-USA’s innovative educational program that engages middle school and high school students in an exploration of current world issues through interactive simulations and curricular materials. Global Classrooms cultivates literacy, life skills and the attitudes necessary for active citizenship. For more information on Global Classrooms, visit www.unausa.org/globalclassrooms.
ABOUT THE UN FOUNDATION
The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.
