NEW YORK – Close to 1,500 middle school students from the around the world are filing into General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters for the United Nations Association of the USA’s (UNA-USA)
Global Classrooms® International Middle School Model UN Conferencein New York City today through Saturday. This conference is the only international Model UN conference designed specifically for students in grades 5-8.
“Today is a key moment in the future and world of these young students’ lives,” said UNA-USA Executive Director Patrick Madden. “The next generation of global leaders take their first steps as they form relationships and share knowledge at our Global Classrooms conference.”
U.S. Representative for Management and Reform to the United Nations, Ambassador Joseph Torsella, is delivering welcoming remarks to students from 14 U.S. states and nine countries as part of the program. Participants are role-playing as ambassadors from UN member states, interest groups, and nongovernmental organizations in a simulation of the United Nations. Topics being discussed include malaria and infectious diseases, maternal health, and the human rights of refugees.
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 community.
For the 7th Global Classrooms International Middle School Conference, the event has been expanded to three days to give students and teachers a broader educational experience and more opportunities to discuss the UN’s work. For more information, please visit www.unausa.org/msmun.
Watch the Global Classrooms Model UN Documentary “Decorum” at www.unausa.org/decorum.
Tweet This: Nearly 1,500 students & @unausa are in NYC today tackling the world's most complex problems w/ @GCModelUN! Learn more: http://bit.ly/FOklMw.
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Media Contact
Joseph Catapano
202.294.9322
jcatapano@unausa.org
ABOUT UNA-USA
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), a program of the UN 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 its sister organization the Better World Campaign are 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. In 1999, Global Classrooms was created to bridge the gap in the Model UN community between experienced programs and traditionally underserved schools worldwide. The program cultivates global literacy, life skills and attitudes necessary for active citizenship by: engaging students in the exploration of international issues and institutions; supporting educators with professional development and innovative learning resources; and enriching communities by nurturing respect for diverse perspectives. For more information on Global Classrooms, visit www.unausa.org/globalclassrooms.
