Developing the Next Generation of Global Citizens: Model UN in K–12 Education

How do we prepare students to understand a world shaped by diplomacy, conflict, trade, culture, and competing national interests?

This session explores how Model United Nations and similar international education experiences help K–12 students develop the skills to engage with an increasingly interconnected world.

Through Model UN, students research countries and international issues, represent perspectives that may differ from their own, negotiate with other delegations, build coalitions, debate policy, and work toward consensus. In the process, they strengthen critical thinking, research, communication, public speaking, collaboration, and intercultural understanding.

The session will feature educators involved in Model UN alongside students selected from a local Model UN program or competition. Students will share what it is like to represent another country, defend positions they may not personally hold, navigate competing interests, and seek solutions through diplomacy.

A brief student demonstration may give attendees a firsthand look at the Model UN experience before transitioning into a moderated discussion about the broader role of global education in Tampa’s K–12 schools.

Ultimately, the session asks a larger question:

How can Tampa’s schools prepare young people to become informed, capable, and engaged participants in the global community?