The 2008 Global Solutions Lab - where your vision, values, critical thinking, and creative imagination combine with a global, whole systems perspective and a problem solving and strategic planning methodology that leads to informed, effective action for changing the world.

Over the past 27 years, GEM has had the privilege to work with hundreds of schools worldwide. Click here to find out where these schools are, and connect to their websites. These schools have participated in GEM programs in person, online, and via videoconferencing.   

Design Science Lab 2007
The 2007 Design Science Lab focused on developing technologically practical, economically viable, and culturally appropriate real-world solutions to global and local poverty. It did this in the context of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, a set of eight ambitious, but attainable goals, established and ratified in 2000 by 189 heads of state at the UN. The 2007 Design Science Lab focused on Millennium Development Goal #1 reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day.

Design Science Lab 2006
The 2006 New York Design Science Lab took place at the United Nations and United Nations International School from June 21st to June 30th. The program brought together 55 participants from more than 10 countries to develop solutions to reach the United Nations Millennium Development Goals #2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 dealing with issues of global education, health, the environment, and energy.

The Asheville Design Science Lab was conducted at the University of North Carolina, Asheville from July 19th to 28th to experiment with the development of comprehensive design science solutions to specific local and regional problems. As even the most globally focused problem-solving strategies must first be implemented locally, the Asheville Design Science Lab presented a unique opportunity, working with a group of committed individuals at the local and regional level, to plant the seeds of change.

World Water Day 2007
The Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center hosted a real time videoconference and webcast on March 20, 2007, with representatives of the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization in Rome. Students in schools in Philadelphia, Vancouver, Canada, White Plains, NY, Lindenwold, NJ, and Karachi, Pakistan, joined in the discussion of the world's water shortages.

Students from the tri-state area worked on migrant issues locally from a global perspective and developed their own Human Rights Declaration on Migration and Development. Students were given extensive background materials on selected sub themes such as Legal and Irregular Migrants, Voluntary and Involuntary Migrants, Discrimination, and Gender and Labor Issues as they began preparations for the December 1st United Nations Student Conference on Human Rights.

The 5th Annual United Nations Student Conference on Human Rights was held on December 6th 2002. Eleven sites from around the world joined together via video conferencing for the all day student-run event on the topic of Sustainable Development and Human Rights: A Better Future for All.

The 9th Annual UN Student Conference on Human Rights (UNSCHR) took place on November 29-December 1, 2006.  Participants explored the timely issue of “Migration and Development:  Challenges for Human Rights,” as this year’s UNSCHR will followed the High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development September 14-15, 2006, at the beginning of the 61st General Assembly session of the United Nations.  The conference took place just weeks before International Migrants Day on December 18th.  Watch a video synopsis of the event

UN Day 2006

October 30, 2006; 10am - 2pm

Water as a Human Right

On the morning of the 24th of October 2005, 309 students, ages 14-18, from 20 schools in the Philadelphia area, attended this year’s United Nations Day celebration.  The topic was Water: A Basic Human Right and related human rights to the important Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  The Opening Plenary was held in the Convent Auditorium of Chestnut Hill College, with a welcome to the students from Cecilia Cavanaugh SSJ, PhD, Dean of the Undergraduate School, followed by opening remarks from Sara Kitchen, J.D.

Emphasizing human rights and human responsibility, GEM is now educating a second generation to global awareness and responsibility in an interdependent world.

GEM is a non-governmental-organization (NGO) in association with the United Nations Department of Public Information.

GEM is headquartered at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA (USA).

GEM Day at the United Nations

Growing Greener II:                                                 
Watershed moment or money down the drain?
Oct. 13
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Roundtable:  A panel discussion featuring representatives from business, government and environmental groups, looking at how the new Growing Greener funds can be most effectively used to protect water resources threatened by suburban sprawl. 

Essential Briefing:
A National Vision of Land Use Planning
featuring Bruce Babbitt, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Nov. 14
7:00 - 9:00 p.m
Secretary Babbitt returns to the Academy to discuss his new book Cities in the Wilderness, promoting a call for a "national discussion" on balancing urban growth and wilderness protection.  Reception and book signing to follow lecture.

Town Square is an exciting new series of discussions, workshops and public forums designed to bring together scientific and policy experts to consider critical environmental issues. Our goal is to promote dialogue and thoughtful exchanges on important public issues that relate to sustainability and the environment. Town Square is an opportunity for the public to hear--and be heard by--some of the most influential scientific experts and key decision makers. Although the programming will usually be held in the Academy's state-of-the-art auditorium here in Philadelphia, they often will be webcast to sites around the world. Audience participation, both for the live audience and via e-mail for the remote sites, will be supported and encouraged.

World Game is back!
Under the direction of Peg Lippincott, We the Peoples 2002 is sponsoring the revised World Game for secondary school students in the Philadelphia area.  Under the direction of osEarth, the World Game is now in a revamped multimedia format bringing young people onto the world’s largest map to participate in a global, hands-on experience of dealing with global problems.