Global Minnesota

GLOBAL MINNESOTA'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGEMENT. WE ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING MINNESOTA FROM A FOUNDATION BUILT ON THE VALUES OF RESPECT, COLLABORATION, NONPARTISANSHIP, GLOBAL COMPETENCY, INCLUSION, AND COURAGE. DISTINCT PROGRAM AREAS PROVIDE RICH AND VARIED OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE, SERVE AS CITIZEN DIPLOMATS, AND GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD.

WORLD AFFAIRS EVENTS, THE PUBLIC FACE OF GLOBAL MINNESOTA, ARE UNIQUE AND DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT GO BEYOND INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES, SPARK CULTURAL CONVERSATIONS WITHIN COMMUNITIES, AND CONNECT AUDIENCES WITH SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST THINKERS. IN 2021-22, GLOBAL MINNESOTA HOSTED 28 PUBLIC EVENTS RANGING FROM SMALL CORPORATE MEETINGS, TO RECEPTIONS FOR VISITING AMBASSADORS AND LARGE PANEL DISCUSSIONS WITH VIRTUAL SYMPOSIA. THESE EVENTS EDUCATED AND INFORMED OVER 6,000 PEOPLE ACROSS MINNESOTA AND AROUND THE WORLD ON A VARIETY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, FOREIGN POLICY, AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCE TOPICS.

PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES CONNECT EMERGING LEADERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO MINNESOTANS FOR IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CULTURAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES. GLOBAL MINNESOTA BRINGS TOGETHER LOCAL EXPERTS AND PARTICIPATING VISITORS TO INCREASE AWARENESS, SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND LOOK AT SOLUTIONS TO IMPORTANT ISSUES. GLOBAL MINNESOTA SERVES AS THE STATE'S PREMIER COORDINATOR FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND PARTNERS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE CUSTOM PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES. THE PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES PROGRAM HOSTED OVER 400 INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, REPRESENTING 120 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAMS SUPPORT MINNESOTA EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLD AND DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS IN TODAY'S GLOBAL SOCIETY. THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, GLOBAL MINNESOTA BROUGHT 32 INTERNATIONAL VISITORS FROM 15 COUNTRIES TO EXPAND GLOBAL EDUCATION IN MINNESOTA CLASSROOMS. ACROSS 92 SEPARATE VISITS, GLOBAL EDUCATORS LOGGED MORE THAN 2,000 CONTACT HOURS AND SPARKED THE GLOBAL CURIOSITY OF OVER 1,100 YOUNG STUDENTS. ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST ENGAGED 30 HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS FROM SCHOOLS AROUND THE METRO AREA AND GREATER MINNESOTA.

DISCUSSION GROUPS ARE BASED ON THE FOREIGN POLICY ASSOCIATION'S GREAT DECISIONS PROGRAM AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE TO EXPLORE THE YEAR'S MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL ISSUES AND FOREIGN POLICY TOPICS. THEY PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, NONPARTISAN INFORMATION AND BRING TOGETHER FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, AND NEIGHBORS WHO SHARE A PASSION - OR CURIOSITY - FOR GLOBAL ISSUES. GLOBAL MINNESOTA COORDINATES ONE OF THE LARGEST GREAT DECISIONS DISCUSSION PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY WITH OVER TWO DOZEN GROUPS. THESE GROUPS ARE LOCATED ALL OVER THE STATE AND INCLUDE BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL DISCUSSIONS. THOUSANDS OF MINNESOTANS AROUND THE STATE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH MORE THAN 20 EXPERT LOCAL SPEAKERS.