Serving the World at the International Level-a Role Play
The United Nations is a body of states gathered together for purposes and ends which go beyond and above purely national motives... the responsibility of the Secretary-General to the community... is that he become the advocate of causes of common interest. No one is more clearly above national and regional consideration.
Serving the World in the Local Community
A Youth Development Project
This project is concerned with two questions:
- in what ways does your community need to develop?
- how can you help?
To explore these questions you will need to:
- take a critical look at your community
- find out what youth in other parts of the world are doing to help their communities develop
- choose, plan and implement a local project in an area of development of special concern to people worldwide
- Development Perceptions
Working in groups, ask students to develop a definition of the term "development". Share definitions and compare.
- What kinds of development are there?
- In what ways is your community and your country developing?
- What helps people and countries to develop?
- Your Community's Development Needs
You might imagine that you are a stranger visiting your community for the first time. As that person, what impression do you have of the community? of the ways that it needs to develop?
How do you think your community might be improved? First your class can discuss this question together. Afterwards you might ask community people from different backgrounds (i.e., farmers, industrial workers, shopkeepers). You could also talk with groups who do not yet participate fully in the life of the community.
Then you could find out from community leaders and officials what is being done to meet these development needs and what ways young people can help.
- Young People Elsewhere
If you are fortunate enough to have contact with international students living in your community, you could ask for their impression of your development needs. They can also describe their own development priorities at home and what is being done about them.
You may also get ideas from other international people in your community and also from the accounts of development projects by UNESCO Clubs in other countries.
- Choosing, Planning and Implementing a Project
What do you really want to accomplish through your project? Are your goals realistic?
What are the community's resources for the kind of project you have in mind? Do you have enough time available?
Do you want to join a programme already under way or do you want to undertake a project of your own? How can you involve people in the community so that your project will have the greatest effect?
- Evaluation
When you have completed the project, you need to evaluate what has been gained:
- has the project contributed to improving the community by making existence a little less difficult for some people? by opening opportunities for people to better their lives? by combating discrimination or changing structures which cause injustice?
- which aspects worked best? which need to be changed?
- what more needs to be done?
- has the project changed your ideas
- what do you think you personally have gained from the experience?
- in which ways do you think your project "served the world"?
Other Ideas
UN Secretaries-General. If you were an ambassador to the UN engaged in choosing the next Secretary-General, what characteristics and skills would you look for? Such a question might lead students to learn more about the styles of previous Secretaries-General. For example, U Thant, the moral leader, held Member States to the Charter's standards of international behaviour. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, the skilled diplomat, wise, and patient, quietly brought long-standing disputes to negotiated agreement. Freed of the cold war but caught in the ensuing chaos, Boutros Boutros-Ghali expanded the role of Secretary-General and that of the United Nations itself.
Global information. Most people rely mainly on the media for up-to-date news. The media in turn usually depend on major news services for their coverage of international news. Students might examine how differently countries see the same event and how media information may be limited or biased. If your students have access to the Internet, they can easily download the day's news from a wide variety of newspapers around the world.
Languages. Students should realize that a second language is an indispensable tool for life of the 21st century. Students might investigate the career opportunities which those skilled in languages might have with international organizations, national governments and commerce.
Films and videos. Students might write a film treatment or film script on some theme related to the unit. If it is possible to obtain and show UN films on several subjects, students could compare these with non-UN films, noting their different goals, tone and resources (people, information, funds). Some of these differences can be due to the UN's attempt to present a balanced world view rather than a convincing statement of one viewpoint. Listings of UN films and videos can be obtained at your nearest UN Information Centre. For the US this is:
1775 K Street, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel.: (202) 331-8670
Fax: (202) 331-9191
Non-governmental organizations. In these units on the UN there is no space to do justice to the non-governmental organizations. Nevertheless, as their numbers, work and capabilities grow, they play an increasingly important role extending the UN's work nationally and locally. Their local work provides a chance for young people to be involved in world concerns.
Comments
Expectations
"We are still in the morning of our world society. Let us look at the future as an opportunity, not as a potential disaster. Personally I am convinced of the necessity of our work and the infinite promise of the future. If only we can grasp that promise and work together to realize it."
UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
With what may be good intentions, teaching often gives students unrealistic illusions about the UN and its capabilities. This may be because teachers or texts attempt to simplify what seems complicated. Or they choose to present the future in terms of either/or possibilities (i.e., peace OR disaster). In our lives and in the lives of nations, most matters that we deal with are "concerns", not "problems" capable of finite solutions. Day by day we try as best we can to provide food, clothing, housing and the other physical needs of our families and to encourage their mental and spiritual growth and well-being. None of these matters can be "solved" once and for all because they are part of the process of living-although most of us hope that our continued efforts will improve life for us and our descendants.
This is also true at the international level. Something like peace, human rights or development cannot be "solved": it will continue to concern nations and will require constant long-term efforts. It may help students to realize that to deal with these challenges the same qualities are needed on both the international and local levels.
Through opportunities for meaningful community involvement, young people will find that they too can "serve the world" and that it may be possible to make things better if they try hard enough. Instead of dismay at being unable to "solve world problems", they can be content with the goal of some UNESCO Clubs: "In our lives we will create a small island of the world yet to be born".
