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, AND CONNECT AUDIENCES WITH SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST THINKERS. THIS PAST YEAR, GLOBAL MINNESOTA HOSTED NEARLY 75 PUBLIC EVENTS RANGING FROM PRESENTATIONS BY VISITING AMBASSADORS, TO CORPORATE BRIEFINGS, INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AND PANEL PRESENTATIONS ON CURRENT EVENTS. THESE EVENTS INFORMED OVER 5,000 PEOPLE ACROSS MINNESOTA AND AROUND THE WORLD ON A VARIETY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, POLICY, AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCE TOPICS.

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 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 NEARLY TWO DOZEN GROUPS LOCATED ACROSS THE STATE. THOUSANDS OF MINNESOTANS ENGAGE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH MORE THAN 19 LOCAL SPEAKERS READY TO SHARE THEIR GLOBAL EXPERTISE.

PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES CONNECT EMERGING LEADERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO MINNESOTANS FOR CULTURAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES. GLOBAL MINNESOTA BRINGS TOGETHER LOCAL EXPERTS AND PARTICIPATING VISITORS TO 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. THIS YEAR, PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES PROGRAM HOSTED OVER 300 VISITING PROFESSIONALS, REPRESENTING 110 COUNTRIES.

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 28 INTERNATIONAL VISITORS FROM 24 COUNTRIES TO EXPAND GLOBAL EDUCATION IN MINNESOTA CLASSROOMS. ACROSS 150 SEPARATE VISITS, GLOBAL EDUCATORS LOGGED ALMOST 3,500 CONTACT HOURS AND SPARKED THE GLOBAL CURIOSITY OF OVER 1,500 YOUNG STUDENTS. ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST ENGAGED 27 TEAMS FROM SCHOOLS AROUND THE METRO AREA AND GREATER MINNESOTA. WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A NEW VIRTUAL YOUTH DIPLOMACY PROGRAM, CONNECTING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MINNESOTA WITH STUDENTS LIVING IN UKRAINE.