Global citizenship is a power skill that helps people work across national borders and cultural differences to solve problems. While the OECD states that, “concerted and comprehensive efforts should be made towards expanding the opportunities to develop global competence in education systems in order to prepare students to face challenges, make meaningful progress towards the UN Global Goals, and prosper professionally and personally,” it’s rarely a topline national priority.
In conjunction with International Education Week in the US and Global Education Week in Europe, as well as following up on the 2021 The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit hosted by New Zealand, AFS and Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) will host a virtual dialogue session on how to make global citizenship education a national priority.
November 17, 2021 at 4pm ET | November 18, 2021 at 10 am NZT
The November 17 virtual dialogue will focus on:
- how local actors can communicate the importance of global citizenship education to governments;
- the real, tangible benefits for nations that do prioritize global citizenship education;
- what challenges exist to the broader implementation of global citizenship education around the world; and
- scalable tactics for implementing global citizenship education at the national level.
Panelists include:
- Carla Rey Vasquez, ENZ Global Citizens Manager. Carla leads the collaboration – with educational institutions, peak bodies, regional agencies, community groups and student groups, to foster and deliver ENZ’s global citizenship road-map. As part of her portfolio Carla also oversees a range of ENZ funded scholarships, including the Prime Minister’s scholarship to Asia and Latin America.
- Romina Kasman, Head of Education Sector UNESCO Multicountry Office. Romina’s work promotes the access of children, adolescents and youth to quality, inclusive and equitable education, through the development of formal and non-formal educational programs, policies, research studies, training opportunities and educational materials, with a particular focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Lit Wei Chin, 2021 APEC Youth Representative and Auckland Unlimited’s Climate Change and Sustainability Executive. As an active young citizen, he has spent many years in youth advocacy serving on the Kaipātiki Local Youth Board, Auckland Youth Advisory Panel and the US-NZ Youth Council and also representing Auckland Council at the Beijing International Youth Forum in 2016. He believes young people should have a voice at the table therefore he is constantly championing his peers to get more engaged in their communities.
- Daniel Obst, President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs. Obst oversees and directs strategy for AFS, with worldwide operations, and a global community of 1 million alumni. This creative thinker and collaborator charged with leading a global movement to develop global citizens also serves on the AFS Board of Trustees.
The format of the program will include a discussion among panelists with a live Q&A.