In an attempt to create global change agents, the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) on Tuesday launched a global citizenship education programme for school students here.
Titled "Mission Possible", the programme is targeted at high school students and seeks to use the goals, principles and experience of the United Nations to empower and enable young minds to think globally and act locally.
"We must nurture a generation of global citizens made up of individuals who are not only informed of global issues, but have the attitude, values and skills to bring behavioural change within themselves and their communities," Bonian Golmohammadi, Secretary General, WFUNA said.
According to Golmohammadi, the mission is slightly different from conventional method of education of delivering lectures. "This will be project based learning," he said at the launch of the programme at the Press Club of India here.
Elaborating on the concept, he said students will embark upon a project on any of the global issues like Climate Change, Women's Rights or Peace and Security and then engage with their respective communities, taking on active roles both locally and globally.
"Mission Possible's local consultants will train teachers who will then take the curriculum to the students," he said, adding that at the end of the year, selected students will come together on a social platform to share projects, ideas and experiences.
The programme will begin with 30 schools in India post the summer break in July-August, and a few in Kathmandu. "We have already visited few schools in Jaipur, Delhi and Hyderabad and will be on our way to Mumbai and Bangalore this evening," Golmohammadi said.
The Indian Federation of United Nations Associations has joined hands with WFUNA to create awareness about "Mission Possible" among schools in India, along with Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, a charitable non profit that leverages project management for social good.
