Let’s get the obvious out the way, it has been way too long since I’ve posted anything to this blog. Between classes, travel, and finding time for me I have definitely neglected this blog more than I’d prefer to admit (I know I still haven’t spoken about my time in Japan but that day will come!).

Today is my second to last day in Paris and, while the experience is fresh, I want to reflect on all I’ve learned and experienced on this Global Intensive Experience (GIE) through Arizona State University (ASU). I joined this experience with the intention of learning more about sustainability and about all the ways in which we can grow into Planetary Citizens; this trip did not disappoint.

It began at the United Nations Education, Sciences, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) where our group was shown around the campus. There was an event happening in one of the larger meeting rooms for International Woman’s Day honoring a prominent Buddhist figure and the room was filled with individuals from a variety of cultures. We were shown artwork commissioned from Pablo Picasso and discussed a quote that summarized UNESCO’s mission/existence:

“Since wars begins in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defense of peace must be constructed”

Already the purpose of this trip began to take form, something I had not fully understood when I originally applied for this program soon became clear to me; many people are working on defending peace through education-enlightenment even as others attempt to dominate and control those around them. The time spent at UNESCO on the first day was filled with great conversation and insights with many of my peers coming from different paths than my own. We would later attend another event at UNESCO announcing the launch of a higher education roadmap where one of our instructors would speak on behalf of ASU.

The following day we attended the Learning Planet Institute (LPI) and participated in ideation of the future using the Three Horizon Framework. During this exercise my group (shoutout group 2!) imagined a new international body similar to the UN that would assist in combating climate change, preserving indigenous and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and offer a global currency; an ambitious and intriguing idea. Each group presented their ideas to the rest of the class and a panel of judges who provided pushback to deepen our thinking regarding our ideas.

By the end of day 2, our understanding of the difficulties associated with moving towards a more unified world (one in which we are Planetizens) couldn’t be more clear. Day 3 showed us how students at the LPI were addressing issues they identified via their final presentation, a great example of inspiration for our own presentation that would be due the next day with grace due to the extreme timeline; I was inspired by the different ways the students shared their solutions to issues from fluoride consumption to awareness of rights for disabled individuals.

By day 4, I had taken bits and pieces of what my group (2) developed and simplified it into a pitch for my classmates. I removed the global currency aspect as I had just finished a Survey of International Economics class and felt the complexity of a singular currency would weaken it’s potential implementation. I focused on the notes (above) to pitch an International Conservators of Obscure and Novel Societies (ICONS) with the idea of maintaining the knowledge and climate protection from our groups UN doppelganger while adding accessibility constraints/ideas I developed during my time in DC at the Emerging Space Norms discussions.

With the pitches completed, we returned to UNESCO for the launch event before wrapping up the day. It was amazing to see that differences in education accessibility was being addressed via HEPO even though I felt there were some missed opportunities for sustaining funding. I met and spoke with individuals from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East about the potential of a global accreditation exchanging contacts for future outreach; overall, the trip could not have been more informative or beneficial to my continuously developing ambitions.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

After we finished the main purpose of our trip via the lessons and presentations, we got to take in the cultural aspect of the city with a ride on the Seine and a trip to the Louvre. The plethora of artwork and sights were more than I could’ve asked for and worth every moment. Now, as I prepare to return home, I hope to grab lunch with an old friend before jumping right back into session B. Spring break was fast and filled with learning, good food, and even better views I won’t soon forget. I can’t share it all here right now, but I’ll be sure to expand on my adventures in another post soon. For now, I hope the following pictures will suffice until I find time to sit and reflect this summer on all the insanely impactful experiences I’ve had this past year. Cheers!