The Global Debates

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Issue Area: UN-US Relations

“Before participating in The People Speak, I used to waste water a lot, like when I am brushing my teeth.  During TPS, I learned that water is lacking in the world and I’ve started to ask people around me to save water.”
 - 10th grade student from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

In March 2008, students in over 80 countries participated in The People Speak’s Global Debates by organizing public debates about water rights in their local high schools.  The Global Debates demonstrated the motto of The People Speak in action– “Speak up. Change the World.”  Debating a global topic in front of an audience of your peers is just the first component of the Global Debates.  Students also participated in up to ten other action items to bring awareness around the issue, from meeting with their elected officials to organizing service projects in their community.

In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, students actively took on the challenge of water rights. Not only did the schools organize public debates where they educated other students about the issue, they also reached out to their community. High School #77 went to local shops, nail salons and other stores surveying individual citizens about water rights.  They even taught a kindergarten classes and sponsored an art contest for young students.  The debate team at High School #93 in Ulaanbaatar discovered the water saving benefits of faucets equipped with sensors while preparing for their Global Debate. They took photos of the faucets around to local hotels and encouraged them to buy the faucets for their public bathrooms.

The People Speak has always encouraged debate and discussion on global issues. Now equipped with the power of knowledge, these students are moving beyond just talking about global challenges and are finding interesting ways to take action in schools and communities across the globe. 

Check out the guest blogs from the UN Foundation’s “The People Speak Global Debates” online at www.thepeoplespeak.org. 

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