The United Nations: Resources for Educators

The United Nations
The United Nations (www.un.org) are 191 Member States working together to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems; and to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is also a system consisting of six major components: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, the Secretariat, and the Trusteeship Council. In addition, the system includes various funds and programs such as the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization, as well a number of specialized agencies. The programs, funds, and agencies have their own governing bodies and budgets, and set their own standards and guidelines. Together, they provide technical assistance and other forms of practical help in all areas of economic and social endeavor.

Help the UN celebrate its 60th anniversary by educating your students about its mission, programs, and resources. The United Nations has a range of educational resources for all school levels, including the valuable School Kits on the UN. From videos to posters to books, UN products offer educators the possibility to focus on a world of issues. Educators should work with their local United Nations Association (UNA-USA) chapter for additional resources and opportunities. For more information on the UNA and resources for educators read on!

United Nations Association of the USA helps schools become more global!
The United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) is the leading center on policy research on the UN and global issues, as well as the nation's largest grassroots foreign policy organization. It offers Americans the opportunity to connect with global issues confronted by the United Nations – from global health, human rights, and hunger, to the spread of democracy, equitable development, and international justice. UNA chapters across North Carolina are helping educators of all grade levels teach about the United Nations and introduce global content in the classroom. (www.unausa.org)

Services vary by chapter, but many can help with:
Model United Nations (MUN), a simulation of UN multilateral bodies, introduces students to the world of diplomacy and negotiation where “students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization's vast agenda.” Local chapters can help establish clubs for your school and assist with arranging speakers on specific subjects. They can also help develop a training program, grant financial help for MUN conferences, and provide UN and Model UN publications.

Essay Contests. The National High School Essay Contest on the United Nations inspires students to engage global issues and the work of the UN through scholarship and critical thinking. Each year, UNA-USA publishes a topic and question of particular importance to the international community. Students then conduct research and write a response to the question, based not only on the information they have found, but also on their own views and opinions. The deadline is generally in January of each year.

UNA-USA Internships. UNA-USA awards a variety of part-time and full-time internships to highly motivated high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Interns must possess a strong interest in international affairs, good writing and research skills, and formidable knowledge of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions.

The UNA-Student Alliance (UNA-SA). The UNA-Student Alliance (UNA-SA) seeks to engage young adults by creating a nationwide network of motivated individuals, student advocacy groups, international affairs clubs, and Model UN teams who stand poised to collectively sound their voices and make their opinions heard amongst their peers, in their communities and across the nation.

Speakers for classes or special functions. Contact your local group to see what expertise is available.

Publications. Local chapters may be able to display UN publications at a school event or get a set of materials for your school. These publications include general information about the UN, as well as School Kits (Primary, Intermediate, and Secondary) for teachers teaching the United Nations. Additional publications include Everything You Always Wanted to Know about the United Nations (for students at intermediate and secondary levels), the Millennium Report of the Secretary-General: We the Peoples, Teaching About Human Rights, Tolerance and Refugees (a 14-page brochure, with a world map showing the location of refugees), posters, and special and annual reports and periodicals published by the United Nations.

For more information email the chapter closest to you:
Asheville (Western North Caroline Chapter) tomcoulson@aol.com
Chapel Hill (West Triangle Chapter) cgreen17@nc.rr.com
Charlotte/Gastonia (Central Piedmont Chapter) cccombs@email.uncc.edu
Raleigh (Wake County Chapter) jlroush@aol.com
Wilmington (Coastal Carolina Chapter) jeanschaefer@juno.com

UN CYBERSCHOOLBUS
http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/
The United Nations CyberSchoolbus is the online education component of the Global Teaching and Learning Project. Its mission is to promote education about international issues and the United Nations. This website provides a wealth of resources on global issues and the UN. Sections include:
UN Intro, InfoNation, UN News Center, Quizzes and Games, Book of the Month, and Ask an Ambassador. Curriculum resource themes include:
Indigenous Peoples, The Briefing Papers, Peace Education, Poverty Curriculum, Cities Curriculum, Schools Demining Schools, Rights at Work, Human Rights, Women's Rights, World Hunger, Health Curriculum, School Kits on the UN, Saving Tomorrow's World, Cleaner Oceans, UN in Space, Ethnic Discrimination, and Racial Discrimination.

See the UN's CyberSchoolbus Bookstore for information on ordering books and curriculum units for your school.

UN WIRE
Sign up for the UN Wire, a daily email news briefing, which includes E-mail news covering the United Nations and the World and news from hundreds of top international sources. Sponsored by the UN Foundation (www.unfoundation.org).

The IMF Center for Students

The UN's High Commissioner on Refugees "For Teachers" Website

The World Bank's Website

The UN Environment Programme's "Children and Youth Programme"

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Website

UN related Teaching Materials

Voices of Youth and Other Pages
for the Young

2005 Updates
February
The Socratic Seminar: Practical Tips for Conducting
January
Understanding the Natural Disasters in South Asia

Global Updates from 2004
Global Updates from 2003
Global Updates from 2002