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In November 2012 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests. The aim of the Day is to celebrate all types of forest and raise awareness of sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development for the benefit of current and future generations.

This guest entry was written by Madeleine F. Green, a Senior Fellow at NAFSA and the International Association of Universities. It was originally published in NAFSA's newish Trends & Insights series of short online article that are "designed to highlight social, economic, political and higher education system trends affecting international higher education." Our thanks to Madeleine and NAFSA for permission to post her fascinating entry here (which is also available as a PDF via this link). Kris Olds Read more: http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/globalhighered/global-citizenship-%E2%80%93-what-are-we-talking-about-and-why-does-it-matter#ixzz2DeE6CMmL Inside Higher Ed

Page McBrier and Lori Lohstoeter, Beatrice's Goat (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001). Age Level: 4 and up Publisher Description: More than anything, Beatrice longs to be a schoolgirl. But in her small African village, only children who can afford uniforms and books can go to school. Beatrice knows that with six children to care for, her family is much too poor. But then Beatrice receives a wonderful gift from some people far away -- a goat! Fat and sleek as a ripe mango, Mugisa (which means "luck") gives milk that Beatrice can sell. With Mugisa's help, it looks as if Beatrice's dream may come true after all. Page McBrier and Lori Lohstoeter beautifully recount this true story about how one child, given the right tools, is able to lift her family out of poverty. Thanks to Heifer Project International -- a charitable organization that donates livestock to poor communities around the world -- other families like Beatrice's will also have a chance to change their lives.

Susan Bame Hoover and Maggie Sykora, Faith the Cow (Elgin: Brethren Press, 1995). Age Level: 4 and up Grade Level: Pre-K and up Publisher Description: Captivating story of the first animal sent overseas through Heifer Project International. Organization Affiliation: Heifer International

A profound shift in attitudes is underway all over the world. People are now recognising that 'progress' should be about increasing human happiness and wellbeing, not just growing the economy at all costs. That's why all 193 United Nations member states have adopted a resolution calling for happiness to be given greater priority and March 20 has been declared as the International Day of Happiness - a day to inspire action for a happier world.

Amnesty International, We Are All Born Free Mini Edition: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures (London: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2011). Age Level: 6-9 Publisher Description: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed on 10th December 1948. It was compiled after World War Two to declare and protect the rights of all people from all countries. This beautiful collection, published 60 years on, celebrates each declaration with an illustration by an internationally-renowned artist or illustrator and is the perfect gift for children and adults alike.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand was appointed by the United Nations to produce the official film for the International Year of Forests. Following the success of Home which was seen by 400 million people, the photographer began producing a short 7-minute film on forests made up of aerial images from Home and the Earth from Above television programmes. This film will be shown during a plenary session of the Ninth Session of United Nations Forum on Forests (24 January - 4 February 2011) in New York. It will be available to all from February 2 - for free - so that it can be shown worldwide. To have all information or to download the movie offorestsandmen.org

One World, One Day uses exquisite, moving photographs and Barbara Kerley's poetic text to convey a simple yet profound concept: we are one global family. This is a sophisticated concept book, presented as an elegant picture book with contributions from top international photographers. This beautiful photo book follows the course of one day in our world. Sunrise to sunset is captured in the essential things we all do daily, wherever we live in the world, and in the different ways we do them. The first meal of the day will take on a whole new dimension for American kids as an American pancake breakfast is contrasted with porridge in North Korea and churros in Spain.

Why do a billion people still live in poverty worldwide, and what can be done to change this? The series Why Poverty? uses documentary film to get people talking about this critical problem, its causes, and its solutions. These eight films are co-productions of ITVS and STEPS International, and are part of a global cross-media project aimed at raising awareness of poverty in America and around the world.

Obtaining, interpreting and understanding basic health information and services and using such information and services in ways that are health enhancing Understanding preventive physical and mental health measures, including proper diet, nutrition, exercise, risk avoidance and stress reduction Using available information to make appropriate health-related decisions Establishing and monitoring personal and family health goals Understanding national and international public health and safety issues

Worldometers is run by an international team of developers, researchers, and volunteers with the goal of making world statistics available in a thought-provoking and time relevant format to a wide audience around the world. We have no political, governmental, or corporate affiliation.

Shoveller, Herb. Ryan and Jimmy and the Well in Africa that Brought Them Together. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd., 2006. Age Range: 8 and up It costs a lot of money to build a well in Africa -- a lot more than Ryan Hreljac had thought. Still, the six year old kept doing chores around his parents' house, even after he learned it could take him years to earn enough money. Then a friend of the family wrote an article in the local newspaper about Ryan's wish to build a well to supply people with safe, clean water. Before long, ripples of goodwill began spreading. People started sending money to help pay for Ryan's well. Ryan was interviewed on television. His dream of a well became an international news story. In Agweo, Uganda, villagers were used to walking a long way every day in search of water. What they found was often brown and smelly and made a lot of people sick. But when Ryan's well was built, life in the village changed for the better. A young orphan named Akana Jimmy longed for a chance to thank Ryan in person for this gift of life -- clean water. When they finally meet, an unbreakable bond unites these boys from very different backgrounds, and a long and sometimes life-threatening journey begins. Ryan and Jimmy is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens."

Shea, Pegi Deitz, and Leane Morin. The Carpet Boy's Gift. Gardiner, ME: Tilbury House Publishers, 2006. Age Range: 6 and up Leadership comes easily for Nadeem, the biggest and oldest boy in a rug factory in Pakistan. But how can he lead the other child laborers to freedom after he's been shamed and beaten for his first attempt? Nadeem and his fellow workers are bonded laborers, children who work day and night to pay off loans their families have accepted from a factory owner. While Nadeem and his cousin Amina take pride in helping their poor families, they feel trapped. They yearn to go to school and to have time to play. One day a former carpet boy named Iqbal Masih leads a parade in the village. New laws have abolished bonded labor! Iqbal urges Nadeem to fight for freedom and to lead the children to a new school in town. Can Nadeem summon the courage to try again? This fictional story honors the legacy of Iqbal Masih, a real boy who had escaped from a factory. Protected and educated, he worked to liberate child workers like Nadeem by the thousands. His work won him the ReebokYouth in Action award and special recognition at the International Labor Conference. When he returned to Pakistan after his trip, he was fatally shot while riding his bicycle. He was only twelve, but he had already made a difference in children's lives all over the world. Resources at the end of the story lead to more information about child labor issues and encourage children to support companies that work to make the world a better place for all.

UNICEF Contributing to Sustainable Development, Equity and Children's Rights: Tree Planting, Ethiopia.........................................................................21 Rainforest Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction, Guyana..................... 26 Swimming Lessons for Emergencies, Bangladesh....................................31 Preparing for Natural Disasters, Philippines........................................... 33 Cyclone Proof Schools, Madagascar...................................................... 35 Skills-based Learning Materials and Packages, Nigeria............................ 44 Junior Ambassador Programme..................................................... 50 National and International Conference for Children and Youth, Brazil. 53 Children Advocating United4Climate, Zambia................................. 61 Voices of Youth............................................................................ 64

​One of the first steps toward developing an internationalization strategy is to analyze the current state of internationalization and global engagement on your campus. This web tool will assist you in mapping internationalization at your institution and, to help you put this into perspective, will allow you to compare your efforts to those of your peer institutions using national averages.

Joy Berry, Mine & Yours: Human Rights for Kids (New York: powerHouse Books, 2005). Grade Level: 3-5 Publisher Description: In 1946 the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, headed by Eleanor Roosevelt, began to formulate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The ideals compiled by the commission have become beacons of dignity and hope for people the world over. For the first time ever, essential human rights, as codified in the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, are being presented in a book specifically for children. Joy Berry's Mine & Yours: Human Rights for Kids, created in association with Amnesty International USA, define and explain for kids their rights, and teach them how to assert their rights with integrity and responsibility.