The Center for the Study of Global Change, a collaborative unit within Indiana University’s Office of the Vice President for International Affairs as a part of IU Global, continues to make strides in introducing global perspectives to learners of all ages. Through innovative programs and partnerships over the last year, the Center brought cultural exploration, language learning, and international awareness to children in Monroe County and across Indiana.
Stories Around the World
This fall, the Center hosted Stories Around the World, a weekly story hour at the Southwest branch of the Monroe County Public Library. Designed to introduce children to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the program wove global themes into captivating narratives. Each session highlighted a different region of the world, featuring stories that reflected the culture and values of that area.
With books curated from the School of Education library’s children’s global collection, the program brought regional experts and cultural representatives to share these tales with young listeners. Through engaging stories, children explored concepts such as poverty and sustainability in a relatable, age-appropriate manner. Parents praised the program for blending education with fun, sparking conversations about global issues in a format even the youngest attendees could enjoy.
Lotus World Music and Arts Festival + World’s Fair
In spring, the Center partnered with the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival for the highly anticipated Lotus Blossom World Bazaar. This event offered children an immersive global experience through music, art, and interactive activities.
On the first day, fourth graders from all around Monroe County participated in activities designed to make learning about the world fun and interactive. One of the highlights was a spinner-based geography game, where children identified locations of flags, animals, or capital cities on a world map. This activity encouraged a hands-on understanding of global geography and left participants eager to learn more about different parts of the world. “For the kids, it’s a starting point,” says Dawn Lipperd, outreach and communications assistant. “It’s a jumping point to something they can explore more later or immediately because it opens a door. It sparks curiosity among the kids.”
The second day welcomed children of all ages and their families to drop by for cultural exploration and fun. Expanding its reach, the Center for the Study of Global Change also supported a similar event at the Brown County Public Library, it’s annual World’s Fair last spring. This winter our staff shared about masking culture as part of Highland Park Elementary’s Culture Fest. The children had a blast decorating masks and even stayed late to connect with our outreach staff. These ongoing events reiterate the Center’s its commitment to making global education accessible to communities throughout Indiana.
Bridges: Children, Languages, World
This program is a partnership between the IU School of Education, the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and the Center for the study of Global Change. Each semester, volunteer IU language students (or students who are native speakers or legacy speakers as children of immigrants) teach less-commonly-taught languages for ten-week periods in Monroe County elementary school afterschool programs.
This year, children were introduced to Mandarin Chinese, Modern Greek, Persian, Russian, Swahili, and Turkish in after-school programs. Along with learning how to speak and write in these languages, students also explored the cultural aspects, such as traditional foods, music, and customs. “It is fascinating to see children as young as five greeting their instructors in flawless pronunciation in a language from some part of the world remote from the rolling hills of southern Indiana!”, remarked William Vincent, the current program manager.
Through its innovative programs, the Center for the Study of Global Change is creating lasting impressions on young learners, sparking their curiosity and broadening their horizons. Parents have shared their appreciation for these unique opportunities, which not only introduce their children to diverse cultures but also foster a sense of connection to the wider world.
By engaging children with global perspectives, the Center is cultivating a new generation of thinkers who value cultural understanding, collaboration, and lifelong learning. These programs exemplify Indiana University’s dedication to meaningful community engagement and its commitment to preparing future leaders for an increasingly interconnected world.
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