Creating Civic Engagement Through We the People

By Sara Smith, GCDC Program Assistant

“I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion.” - Thomas Jefferson 

Analyzing this quote from one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, I took away two major points.

First, Jefferson alludes that the power of the democratic republic lies in the hands of the people. The citizens of the United States decide how the government runs by actions such as voting or communicating with elected officials.

Second, it is a disservice to the society to shrug off others that seem uninformed. Instead of eliminating people from the conversation, Jefferson urges people to engage their peers by sharing the proper information and tools to participate. If everyone had the knowledge to engage fully as an active citizen, imagine how inclusive and powerful the American political system could be.

The purpose of the We the People program is embedded in this quote. Created by the Center for Civic Education, We the People aims to educate students on the American government, how it works, its philosophical foundation and history, and their rights and responsibilities.  Educating people to develop civic competence will enhance society since the power reins in their hands.

The We the People Program is an engaging curriculum on the history and principles of the United States constitutional democratic republic with content-rich textbooks and simulated congressional hearings. The experience simultaneously deepens students’ knowledge of American history, like the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, while developing valuable skills. Through the curriculum, students practice skills such as public speaking, teamwork, conflict management, and consensus-building. Students are exposed to knowledge and competencies that are required to participate as citizens in the American political system.

As a judge of a simulated congressional hearing for We the People, I had the opportunity to witness first-hand the students’ knowledge about the American Government. Prior to the hearings, the students were assigned topic questions to narrow in their research and guide their testimony. The questions required students to provide their understanding of historical and contemporary issues by reasoning and applying constitutional principles and examples to support their answers. After the students stated their testimony, the judges had the opportunity to ask students follow-up questions. These questions tested the students’ ability to critically think by applying their civic knowledge to formulate an answer.

Throughout my experience as a judge, I was astonished by the overall performance of the students. The courage that was displayed from these students to partake in the simulated hearing being judged by accredited businessmen and women was incredible to witness. It was evident how engaged the students were in their learning and the extensive research that was done before the hearing. The passion that the students have was unsurfaced when the judges were able to ask interpretive questions. It became a conversation where the students were able to voice their perspectives on the historical and current American political system based on the facts they have learned.

It was through these conversations where I became inspired by the high schoolers sitting across the table from me. Hearing how they are utilizing historical facts to drive their visions of what the future American government should look like, was a lesson that was impactful. To create a promising future, we have to learn from the triumphs and mistakes of the past. These students were a testament to Thomas Jefferson’s quote above. With exposure and involvement in the We the People program, I am confident those students have the information and tools to fulfill their civic duties and even be a driving force in future development.

"Changing Society for the Better": Advocacy in the United States

By Aika Okishige

Being from Japan, I have never been involved with advocacy or lobbying before. The number of non-profit organizations in Japan is much lower than in the United States. Hence, Japanese people’s understanding of the work of non-profits is extremely low, and I was one of them.

The congressional visit on February 27 was my first experience with this type of work. From my Capitol Hill experience, I was able to learn the importance of advocacy and lobbying in order to change society, and of the work of NGOs in the United States.

During the congressional visit, we met two representatives’ staffs and briefly explained our work, issues, and made a request in a limited amount of time. My primary role was to briefly explain the work of Global Classrooms DC (GCDC) and invite them to our upcoming event, the annual Spring Model UN 2019 Conference at the U.S. Department of State and Pan American Health Organization. I explained that I am from Japan, and that I came to the United States to study education policy, and how I am pleased to learn the work of the UN and to engage in promoting GCDC to children in DC area.

Students can develop global citizenship, including leadership and teamwork skills, by discussing international issues with students from different backgrounds through Model UN. There is no Model UN Conference for primary and secondary school students in Japan. Thus, I emphasized that more students should have the opportunity to participate in this educational program, and the representatives’ support is essential for developing the GCDC.

One of the representatives’ staff was interested in facilitating global education and improving international issues in DC schools. We strongly recommended they come to the Model UN Conference in April to better understand our work.

From this visiting experience, I learned how important it is to share our work and the issues, as well as speak with the representative’s staff clearly and concisely. As congressional members receive various requests and hear many voices every day, making our claim strong and concise is an effective way to make our request to a representative. I understand that although each claim is important, it is difficult for representatives to listen and respond to all claims. Hence, consistent approaches are important for advocacy.

Ultimately, I learned that advocacy is an important way to improve society. Compared to the United States, I feel that people in Japan are being quiet and not trying as hard to change society themselves but relying solely on the government. Even though we have different policies and systems, I believe that concretely informing on the issues and asking for help from decision-makers are effective ways to improve society. There are many elements that decision-makers cannot see and could not know what is happening in the field.

The advocate has a key role to tell the facts and problems on behalf of citizens who are either silenced or do not have a platform to share their grievances or agenda.

I hope I can learn more about the concept and effective ways of conducting advocacy, and how advocacy is essential for changing society for the better.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Threats to Democracy

By: Tiffany Monroy
Program Assistant, UNA-NCA

On June 22nd, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a conversation with U.S. Senator and former Presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders. Sarah Chayes, a Senior Fellow in Carnegie’s Democracy and Rule of Law program, facilitated the discussion on threats to democracy.

Senator Sanders, having recently returned from a European tour, reflected on his experience abroad, discussing looming threats to democracy and the resulting implications of those threats. Authoritarianism emerged as the most central of these threats. He highlighted the troubling universal shift in an authoritarian direction, not just in the United States, but also abroad. He described a resurgence of a politics of bigotry and resentment, led by leaders who only serve to further the growing divide between people.

The distinction between partisanship and the threat of authoritarianism to our democracy is critical, the Senator from Vermont expressed. Disagreement is not of surprise to anyone. In fact, it is a fundamental and important aspect of democracy. Still, he argued, we should be prepared to listen and engage with disagreement. No matter our perspective, we must do everything in our power to promote the system that allows us the ability to hold opposing views. The President’s recent budget proposal serves as a perfect example. Debate over the proposal can and will be had, but it is in the ability to debate in the first place that the beauty of our system lies.

Authoritarianism poses a threat to the system we cherish. Our democracy faces the threat of a system in which opposing views are not only discouraged, but eliminated. The threats to our democracy are tangible. Blatant disregards towards the sanctity of the Judicial branch and a shift in affection towards once-scorned authoritarian leaders are merely latest examples. The threats are not solely domestic, though. Authoritarianism implies a disengagement with the international community. U.S. disengagement from issues abroad would create a vacuum, Senator Sanders explained, that would allow for a climate of terror to prevail. What are we saying to those abroad who fight each day to establish and preserve democracies, if the United States, the model of democracy, does not fight to preserve our own? We must oppose these threats. We must preserve our system and reject this shift towards intolerance and injustice. Simply put, we must oppose authoritarianism, not only for the sake of our democracy, but also for the sake of the democracies of our neighbors.

So, what is the way forward? Coming together. Senator Sanders called for each of us to come together, no matter our views, to raise the issue and talk about moving forward. “Our duty is to respect our constitution and democracy, we must come together to protect the country we love, improve democracy, and stand up against those who want to move us towards authoritarianism,” he explained.

Acknowledging our differences is merely the first step towards eliminating authoritarianism from our system. The world in which we live faces problems, and it is our job to come together, not as Democrats or Republicans, liberals or conservatives, left or right, but as Americans. We must recognize our disagreements, put them aside, and remind ourselves that democracy is the common denominator.

2017 Nature Summit: Celebrating World Environment Day at the Embassy of Canada

By Alexandra S. Gross

Program Assistant, UNA-NCA

On June 5, 2017, UN Environment’s North America Office brought together an enthusiastic, multi-talented set of panelists who convened to share their individual ideas and experiences in regards to environmental advocacy. The Nature Summit was hosted by the Embassy of Canada in Washington, DC to celebrate this year’s World Environment Day. The theme, “connecting people to nature,” ignited in-depth discussion among speakers and guests pertaining to the development of effective, innovative strategies for promoting environmental awareness. Given the abundance of conflicting voices in the current public sphere surrounding issues of climate change and sustainable action, it is critical now more than ever before to strengthen the the global community’s engagement to protecting the planet.

The day’s program was moderated by David de Rothschild - British adventurer, ecologist, environmentalist, storyteller, and head of the Sculpt the Future Foundation. De Rothschild emphasized that all members of society, especially its leaders, must strive to fully embrace the intersection of communication, technology, science, and psychology when forming solutions to international problems. Such partnerships can be enormously valuable when it comes to the specific challenges of protecting endangered species, preserving healthy ecosystems, and reducing mankind’s carbon footprint and its harmful behaviors.

Élisabeth Lacoursière, Director of Outreach and Marketing for Parks Canada, was one of the first panelists to speak and shared her firm belief that the more exposure people gain to experiences in nature during their early lives, the more likely they will be to protect and care for it throughout their lifetimes. Sean Southey, CEO of PCI Media Impact and Chair of IUCN Commission on Education and Communication, built on her idea and challenged the audience with the thought-provoking question, “When exactly was the moment you first fell in love with nature?” Audience members were quick to share their favorite childhood experiences, moments of wonder, and memories of simple yet meaningful lessons they had learned from the time they had spent outdoors. Southey went on to argue that these first narratives train and make a lasting influence individuals’ environmental values and behaviors. Leyla Acaroglu, social scientist, entrepreneur, and sustainability expert, also had much to add concerning how it is essential to promote a stronger love of nature in people rather than instill a fear of it. She insisted that “we all need to think differently - immediately” if we are to develop real solutions rather than fall back on reductionist ways of addressing problems.

While the Summit’s core focus was on the topic of nature, much of the conversation centered around the ways in which technology holds the potential to be one of the best assets in building curiosity and appreciation of nature within the community at large. Lauren Bowker, founder of THEUNSEEN, spoke on her “environmentally sensitive” materials house; groundbreaking fashion pieces that essentially change in color as they chemically react with the surrounding elements of the physical world. Darrell Hartman, co-founder of Selva and Jungles in Paris, discussed his video, photography, and journalism projects that beautifully spotlight stories of nature and culture from various countries. Sol Guy, music and media producer, spoke passionately about modern civilization’s need to learn from groups that are more deeply connected to nature, “the original environmentalists” as he put it, in order to rekindle mankind’s connection to the planet. MIT student Xin Liu, engineer and media artist, captivated the audience’s attention by sharing highlights from her latest virtual reality project that allows individuals to experience the life of a tree. She explained that her work stems from her vision of “enabling technology as a powerful resource that helps people to reconnect with nature.”

Every single effort that people make to advocate for environmental protection contributes toward the larger movement of inspiring others to seek meaningful action. World Environment Day serves to remind us that we inhabit the planet together as global citizens and must therefore work together to preserve its wellbeing. This goal, which has further been called to attention by the mission of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, cannot be achieved without the constant dedication, mindful decisions, and active participation of people at all levels of the population - and the first step is advocacy.