Programs
WorldLink Program Overview
WorldLink ~ Connecting Youth to Global Affairs is a unique, year-round program that provides opportunities for middle and high school youth from San Diego and Baja California to meet world leaders and experts. Through WorldLink’s innovative and experiential focus on global education, students learn about issues facing us locally and internationally, and engage in thoughtful discussions about solutions in a forum where their voices are heard and valued.
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Mission Statement
WorldLink's mission is to:
- Promote international awareness and understanding among students.
- Encourage critical thinking about international dynamics shaping global policies and economies, as well as local cultures and communities.
- Stimulate discussion among young people, leaders and activists about challenges in our multi-faceted and interconnected world.
- Provide a forum for curious and informed youth to add their voices to a civil atmosphere of problem solving.
- Inspire youth to consider and model responsible global citizenship.
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History
Initiated in 1997 as a youth education program of the World Affairs Council of San Diego, WorldLink undertook to bring students and teachers unique, first-hand learning opportunities. It connected them to people in the public eye so they could consider, evaluate and question their ideas and the directions these spokespersons were advocating. From ambassadors and presidents to former spies and United Nations peacekeepers, from the U.S. Attorney General to an international criminal court negotiator, the array of voices heard and what they had to say was important to understanding the issues of the day, according to middle and high school students who heard them. The exchange was powerful for presenters, too.
WorldLink moved to the University of San Diego in late 1998, the site of the annual WorldLink Youth Town Meeting. In January each year, high school students from Tijuana and San Diego and exchange students from around the world gather in a free conference to consider local concerns from a global perspective. Global leaders representative of the U.S. Department of State and other public and private organizations bring their experiences to student delegates. Diplomats in residence and leading activists address topics that have ranged from global migration to human rights, and share this event with student moderators and attendees. Student journalists from a number of participating high schools produce their own newspaper on the Youth Town Meeting, covering the topics and stories from their perspectives.
Contact Information:
Debbie Martinez
Program Officer, WorldLink
Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice
University of San Diego
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
Phone: (619) 260-7509
