Global Citizens Summit is Turbo Charged With a $50K Donation From Rakuten

High Caliber Talented High School Scholars Gathering at Harvard From Around the World to Discuss "Freedom and Fairness"


GREENWICH, Conn., April 29, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Citizens Initiative (GCI) announced today the launch of its August 2014 Global Citizens Summit for Youth (GCSY) program. Hosted at the Harvard University Faculty Club, 24 high school scholars from around the globe will gather to discuss global citizenship with a focus on "Freedom and Fairness." Generous program contributions include a $50,000 grant from Rakuten, Inc., a matching-grant from Cook Pine Solutions LLC as well as additional gifts from individuals and global organizations.

"As a global company, our ability to grow and execute depends on our ability to attract and develop a workforce that can understand multiple languages and cultures while having a strong moral compass. Therefore, we feel the responsibility to nurture our next generation by supporting personal, hands-on educational organizations like GCI, which is dedicated to growing Global Citizens," states Hiroshi Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten, Inc.

A 501(c)3 organization, GCI was founded in 2011 to inspire families, students and educators to adopt a global and holistic approach to education.

GCI is partnering with Harvard and Phillips Exeter Academy faculty volunteers who will lecture and participate in the GCSY discussion sessions. The summit will incorporate The Good Work Project's curriculum, a unit of Project Zero at Harvard University that focuses on ethics, engagement and excellence. In the end, students will have a deeper understanding of cross-cultural cooperation and will leave with self-developed solutions to global issues that they can take back to their local communities.

Donor support has allowed the summit to be truly inclusive, with a diverse body of participants from more than ten countries, including India, Ethiopia, China, Japan, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Iran, and the USA.

GCI founder, Yumi Kuwana, explains that the GCSY program is designed to spark new ideas and critical thinking. "We decided to make the focus of the program Freedom and Fairness because these concepts mean different things to different people," said Kuwana. "In the countries these scholars represent, the intrinsic meaning of these terms varies. Advancing a dialogue between cultures helps nurture this next generation to be more globally aware."

By staying connected with participating students, GCI will assess the impact of the Summit and will examine attributes of the various educational practices used in its graduates' current classrooms.

Rakuten was joined by other companies from Japan interested in supporting GCSY and encouraging Japanese youth to pursue global opportunities. These include the SAPIX YOZEMI GROUP. Toshiro Takamiya, Co-CEO explained: "In particular we are inspired by the project of immersing our domestic citizens in a multicultural environment. We are privileged with this opportunity to collaborate towards GCI's vision, by using the power of education to inform this ever changing global community."

This is only the beginning of GCI's endeavor. Using the results and lessons learned from the summit, GCI intends to develop a best practice guide for global educators to incorporate into their curricula.

 
Global Citizens Summit for Youth Inaugural Program
Harvard Faculty Club, Cambridge, MA USA
August 2 - 9th, 2014
 
The Global Citizens Summit for Youth Program (GCSY) is made possible by the generous support and
contributions of the following:
 
 
Diamond Global Corporate Sponsor - $50,000 +
 
Rakuten
 
Cook Pine Solutions LLC
 
 
Gold Corporate Sponsor - $25,000 +
 
SAPIX YOZEMI GROUP
 
 
Valedictorians - $5,000 +
   
HarvEst Charity Foundation Janet & Thomas Montag Family
Anonymous Donor Oyagi Family
Kathy Matsui Several Greenwich Family Foundations
Masako Mera Memorial Fund  
   
Salutatorians - $2,500 +
   
Jacquelyn and Gregory Zehner Foundation Yosuke Honjo
The Mule Family Foundation  
   
Deans List - $500 +
   
Laurie Brecher and Family Barbara and Matt Golub
Cynthia Chang and Brian Scanlan Karen Hsu
Grace and Robert Chen Family Tina Ju
   
Honor Roll - Up to $500
   
Julie Robb and Family Tomomi Nakamura
Dale Atkins and Robert Rosen Ikuko and Masahisa Mitsunaga
Kristen and Dell DeLaMater Jane and Paul Shang
Gail and Victor Khosla Lynn Roer Shoshani
Sheila Matz and Family Malcolm Thompson
   
Class Leaders - In Kind Donor
   
First Republic Bank Gary Moriwaki Esq.
   
Collaborators
   
The GoodWork Project, PZ at Harvard University Dana Tung, Phillips Exeter Academy
Flossie Chua, PZ at Harvard University Heidi Johnson, Purple Suitcase
Country Road Communication The Global Citizens Initiative (TGCI)
  Japanese American Association of NY
   
Faculty and Speakers
   
Bruno della Chiesa, Harvard University Eimer Page, Phillips Exeter Academy
Ellen Winner, PZ at Harvard University Harvard Knowles, Emeritus Phillips Exeter Academy
Howard Gardner, Harvard University Linda Hill, Harvard Business School
Jack Meyer, Convexity Capital Managment Mary Catherine Conroy, Education Resource Development Group
Lynn Barendsen, GoodWork Project, PZ at Harvard University Thomas C. Hayden, Hayden Associates, Education Consulting
Richard Schubart, Emeritus Phillips Exeter Academy  
   
Scholars' Enrolled Schools
   
African Leadership Academy, South Africa Kherad High School, Teheran, Iran
Aga Khan Academy, Kenya Lycee Mansart, Paris, France
Ander Deuna Ikastola, Spain Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH, USA
Andinet International School, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH, USA
Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, New York, NY, USA SAPIX-YOZEMI GROUP, Tokyo, Japan
Canadian Academy, Kobe, Japan Strathcona Composite High School, Canada
Diocesan Girls' School, Hong Kong, China Taktse School, India
Horace Mann, Bronx, NY, USA Think Global School, World Campus
International Academy of Amman, Jordan  
   
Scholars' Home Countries
   
Afghanistan, China, Canada, Ethiopia, France, India, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, USA
   
If you are interested in donating to GCSY, please visit www.globalci.org/donate,
email info@globalci.org or call 203-542-7002.

            

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