Center for Global Initiatives

Mission Statement

The Center for Global Initiatives (CGI) cultivates global citizens, leaders, and problem solvers by instilling the principles of mutual respect and cross-cultural understanding. By celebrating the commonalities as well as the differences among the people of the world, CGI highlights the importance of social, political, and economic justice for all. Through the promotion of interdisciplinary approaches to thinking and cross-cultural associations, the Berkshire community harnesses the analytical skills necessary to synthesize, communicate, connect, and collaborate in order to generate answers to the most urgent problems of our evolving world.

Objectives for CGI:

1. Citizenship:

• Instill an awareness of community as well as the importance of diverse perspectives on global issues
• Recognize and foster the importance of living in a way in which the planet can sustain itself indefinitely
• Develop active empathy for current global challenges (Translating genuine concern into action)
• Demonstrate open-mindedness, curiosity, courage, self-reliance, and compassion in a global context.
• Promote a pre-college awareness of the importance to intensely experience another culture

2. Leadership:

• Analyze and develop creative ways to contribute to solving global problems.
• Implement these ideas into action.
• Help others to be more aware of global issues and encourage others to participate in contributing to solutions.
  

3. Scholarship:

• Practice collaborative, experiential, entrepreneurial, technological, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary skills necessary for engaging in in a global 21st Century.
• Examine issues across disciplinary, cultural, and linguistic boundaries.
• Recognize and value the world’s interconnectedness.

4. Communication:

• Communicate with high proficiency in a second language.
• Relate to and interact with people from different cultures, languages, faiths, and backgrounds

Global Curriculum:

• Language offerings in Latin, Spanish, French and Chinese (levels I-AP)
• Independent Study offerings (foreign language, culture, international politics, etc.)
• Advanced Humanities (many of these studies are not only interdisciplinary but also cross-cultural)
• Foreign Diplomacy: Model UN
• Islam, Christianity, and Judaism
• Modern World History
• Asian History
• World History
• Modern Middle Eastern Politics
• AP Modern European History
• Modern African Politics
• Pro-Vita Course Offerings
• Video-conferencing with schools in the middle east: http://www.berkshireschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=23