Dr. Eddy Bayardelle Explains Global Classrooms

Good News did this interview last year in July, the work continues on – Good News. Dr. Eddy Bayardelle, President of the Merrill Lynch Foundation speaks to us. The Global Classrooms program brings international issues and the Model UN experience to students in traditionally underserved schools and urban communities. It builds their conflict resolution, research, presentation and analytical skills. Global Classrooms students typically spend a year or semester studying all aspects of an assigned country and then role-play its position on key UN agenda items at the annual conference. Global Classrooms enriches students’ knowledge of world affairs and the global economy, developing them as business leaders and politically empowered individuals.
2,300 Student Ambassadors Visit From China, Germany, Israel, India, Lebanon, as Well as From Other Overseas and US Cities to Debate Global Warming, Poverty and Peace in the Middle East at the United Nations, May 17th through the 19th. The United Nations Association of the USA’s Innovative Program, Global Classrooms, in Partnership With Merrill Lynch, Brings Global Economy and Global Citizenry Into Urban Public Schools. Sponsored by the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) and Merrill Lynch, the event is held at the United Nations headquarters. The conference mobilizes students to tackle world issues such as globalization, terrorism, Darfur, AIDS, Koreas nuclear capabilities, and other pressing problems.
Speakers at the opening ceremony include: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Permanent sentative of the United States to the United Nations, Ahmass L. Fakahany, Vice Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer of Merrill Lynch, the program’s global sponsor and Ambassador William H. Luers, president of UNA-USA. The keynote speaker will be NBA Legend and Olympic gold medalist Sam Perkins. After 18 NBA seasons, Perkins retired in 2001 with more than 15,000 points and 7,000 rebounds. Through NBA Cares, he has traveled to Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Nigeria and South Africa. Perkins now serves as a spokesperson for the Nothing but Nets campaign which works to distribute bed nets to children and families throughout Africa. Some students will travel more than 10,000 miles to participate, which includes young people from: China, Miami, Lebanon, Boston, Germany, Chicago, South Africa, Washington DC, United Kingdom; Tampa, Brazil, New York City, Israel, Houston, Japan, Los Angeles, Spain, St. Paul, Mexico, India, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Global Classrooms is made possible through the financial and employee volunteer support of Merrill Lynch. “Global Classrooms brings the Model UN program – which is nearly 60 years old – from Ivy League colleges to middle school and high school students of public schools in urban areas,” said Ambassador William Luers, president of UNA-USA. “Student delegates are enriched by the process of researching and writing position papers, negotiating with others, addressing committees through speeches, caucusing, and navigating the UN’s rules of procedure.” “Seeing the world from a global perspective is one of the most critical insights that young people can acquire for business and for life,” said Ahmass Fakahany, Merrill Lynch Vice Chairman. “This extraordinary gathering inspires our youth to develop the skills and perspectives needed to compete in a global economy and to be good global citizens.
Global Classrooms helps today’s youth to become tomorrow’s global ambassadors and business leaders.” “Global Classrooms is successfully exposing students from diverse backgrounds to a more inclusive way of thinking, understanding and interacting,” said Dr. Lucia Rodriguez, vice president of education for UNA-USA. “Armed with this new perspective, students feel empowered to actively shape their own future.” Though the Model UN will involve over 400,000 students globally in 2007, it has only recently expanded into urban public schools. Since 2000, Global Classrooms has touched tens of thousands of young people.
This past year, 25,000 students were exposed to Model UN in US classrooms, and more than 100,000 participated via the Internet. Merrill Lynch and UNA-USA have also teamed up to develop a new curriculum on The Economics of Globalization. The goal: to help youth better understand economic conditions and the role of the global economy in all major world issues, from health to environment to security. The new curriculum will bring to life the finance, trade and development aspects of globalization and challenge students to analyze complex issues and articulate their positions accordingly. Materials will reflect the guidance of Merrill Lynch researchers and experts from around the world, and will be aligned with educational standards for classroom use, including a teacher and student resource book and a guide for volunteers.
The curriculum is designed to provide a foundation of global economic knowledge that will be applied and built upon as the students role play as UN delegates and ambassadors. “”While globalization is bringing people closer together, it is also requiring young people to develop skills and perspectives that enable them to understand the interconnected world,” says Dr. Eddy Bayardelle, President of the Merrill Lynch Foundation. When you see these young people in action negotiating across cultures, languages and economies, you know that they have already begun to shape a new world.” Merrill Lynch, as the global sponsor, made a five-year, $7.5 million commitment to the program.
More About Dr. Eddy Bayardelle:
As President of the Merrill Lynch Foundation and Head of Global Philanthropy, Dr. Eddy Bayardelle manages Foundation, corporate and employee contributions and directs the firms philanthropic initiatives worldwide, including fundraising, employee campaigns, volunteerism and gifts-in-kind. Over the past decade his unique projects have funded over a quarter-billion dollars in scholarships, innovative programs, curriculum development, and head starts on careers and entrepreneurial ventures for American youth. Prior to joining Merill Lynch, Bayardelle served as Chief Operating Officer of the United States Committee of UNICEF (United Nations Childrens Fund). Dr. Bayardelles tenure in education encompasses notable leadership positions, including Superintendent for the Hempstead Public Schools in Long Island, New York; Superintendent for Monitoring & School Improvement; and Executive Director of the Division of Special Education for the New York City Public Schools. At the Graduate School of Bank Street College of education, Dr. Bayardelle held several posts including Associate Dean for Planning and Development. Before that he worked for the New York State Education Department, which establishes and monitors statewide educational standards.
With the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Educational Leadership, Dr. Bayardelle co-founded the New York Education Policy Fellowship Program, which offers mid-career public and private sector professionals a comprehensive understanding of public policy and leadership. Dr. Bayardelle co-directed the program for 15 years. Dr. Bayardelle has served on numerous boards, including: Governor Bushs Advisory Group on Haiti, Mayor Bloombergs Cultural Affairs Commission, NYC & Company the NYC Bureau of Trade and Tourism, Wall Street Rising, Foundation for Investor Education, National Guard Youth Foundation, The Independent Sectors International Task Force and the Conference Boards Contributions and Business & Education Councils. Dr. Bayardelle attended elementary school in Haiti and Africa and high school in New York City. After serving in the U.S. Army, Bayardelle received his B.A. from Marymount Manhattan College, his M.S. from Bank Street College and his Ph.D. from New York University.
About UNA-USA:
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is a center for innovative programs to engage Americans
in issues of global concern. Its educational and humanitarian campaigns, along with its policy and advocacy programs, allow people to make a global impact at the local level. UNA-USA a non-profit, encourages US leader-ship in the UN. With 175 chapters, it has 20,000 members nationwide. http://www.unausa.org” target=_blank>http://www.unausa.org About Merrill Lynch’s Global Philanthropy: Merrill Lynch was founded on the idea that the world is full of opportunity. Opening the door to that opportunity for underserved children and youth is the focus of the firm’s global philanthropy. In 2006, the firm’s giving totaled more than $40 million, with education receiving nearly one-half of that support.
In 2005, Merrill Lynch launched its multi-million dollar Young Ambassadors initiative to cultivate the next generation of global education for young people and taps Merrill Lynch volunteer efforts, the expertise of leading organizations and educators across the sectors, and educational resources available free of charge at: http://www.volunteer.ml.com
Learn more at: http://volunteer.ml.com/index.asp?id=66319_67036
To view video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk0WFdsiLNQ