A Synopsis History of GEM:

Almost anyone of any age can see that we are living in a quickly changing world and that everyone's life long learning must include a global perspective to help ensure a more harmonious future for everyone in our interdependent, global community.

Global Education Motivators (GEM), was one of the first educational organizations to focus on developing global education programs for both schools and the local community. Established as an educational non-profit corporation in 1981, GEM was born as a 501C(3) private non-profit corporation out of a need to help teachers and students deal with their interdependent world, its promise and its problems. GEM, now operating as a public foundation, was one of the first to "bring the world into the classroom" and drew the interest and support of many people like:

1. television's Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, who liked GEM's approach of "know thyself, know thy neighborhood, know thy world,"
2. Paul Simon, former US Senator from Illinois who supported GEM efforts to strengthen the use of foreign languages in the schools through international video communication exchanges
3. Dr. Robert Muller, former UN Assistant Secretary-General and now Chancellor Emeritus of the University for Peace in Costa Rica, who lauded GEM's efforts to bring the UN into the classroom.

GEM was founded by educators. GEM is run today by educators and services schools and communities throughout the United States and internationally.

 From the beginning GEM has maintained a close association with the United Nations. GEM became an NGO (a non-governmental organization) in association with the UN Department of Public Information in 1986 and received the UN Peace Messenger Award in 1989 for its work on behalf of the UN and world peace. GEM created UNISER (United Nations Information Services), an on-line UN database that it managed for the UN before the advent of the Internet. GEM has helped various UN Missions and NGOs get a basic introduction to the Internet to learn how to access and efficiently use the various databases of the United Nations.

Recent years have seen the addition of several new operations under the GEM umbrella including (1) We the Peoples 2001, (2) the Southern Sudanese Refugee Relief Foundation, (3) Social Responsibility in Business and (4) Sterling Educational Institutes developing educational cross cultural programs at both the high school and university level.  

UNDAY | Student Conference on Human Rights | Bringing the World Into the Classroom |

Living in A Changed World | World Game | About GEM | Affiliations