For more information about the event, visit www.worldsavvy.org/events .

In an age where the half life of information is shrinking daily and where news is produced more to entertain than to inform, engaging citizens in sustained dialogue and action is more challenging than ever. While it’s easier than ever before to take simple actions – to “like” a cause or forward an e-mail-are we preparing the next generation of citizens to really explore and think critically about issues, and embrace the complexity of the range of issues that challenge society? Or are we becoming a Sound Bite society and citizenry? On Tuesday December 6th, stakeholders from across the business, non-profit and government sectors will come together at Macalester College to share their thoughts and perspectives on this and other questions related to building an informed, engaged citizenry in the 21st century.

Panelists include Mark Ritchie, Minnesota Secretary of State, Brian Rosenberg, President of Macalester College, Dana Mortenson, Executive Director of World Savvy, Jamal Thompson, Director of Education at the National Black MBA Association of the Twin Cities, and Trista Harris, Executive Director of the Headwaters Foundation for Justice.

Speakers will explore what citizenship looks like in a world where communities can no longer be defined strictly by geographic borders. They will share their thoughts on what knowledge and skills are required for citizenship in an era dominated by sound bites, social media and issues that cross borders of all forms. The audience will then have a chance to participate in the dialogue and share their own thoughts and perspectives on this critical issue.

The upcoming generation of stakeholders and leaders has unprecedented opportunity to both produce and consume information and media, and how we define engagement – in our democracy, in society, locally and globally – is evolving every day. This forum will explore what is working and what needs to change to ensure that the next generation of leaders and changemakers are prepared to address the challenges of the 21st century.

About World Savvy:
World Savvy is a global education non-profit working to educate and engage youth in community and world affairs. Through youth engagement programs and professional development for educators, World Savvy is working to close the global competency gap in K-12 education to ensure that every student graduates with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for responsible citizenship in the 21′st century. Since founding in 2002, World Savvy has reached more than 160,000 youth and 1,900 educators from offices in San Francisco, Minneapolis and New York, as well as through online programs and services.

For more information about World Savvy, visit www.worldsavvy.org .

News Source: World Savvy :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .

The theme for this year’s World Affairs Challenge™ is “Food: Feeding the World Sustainably in the 21st Century.” More than 1,200 students from 24 schools around the Twin Cities have been working for the past several months to research and develop solutions to issues as diverse as the environmental impact of food production to the impact of food prices on global hunger. On March 5th, nearly 300 of these students will share their perspectives on these important issues with their peers and adults who serve as observers and judges.

Challenge Day, the culminating competition of the World Affairs Challenge™, will kick off at 9 AM in Macalester’s Kagin Ballroom with opening remarks from Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak followed by a Keynote address from Secretary of State Mark Richie. These leaders will share with students why the work they are doing to develop sustainable solutions to issues like hunger, agriculture and nutrition is so critical. Minnesota is home to over 80,000 farms. While almost 27,000,000 million acres of land is used for agriculture, 1 in 10 people are going hungry in the Twin Cities. There is no question that food is a critical local issue.

The World Affairs Challenge presents a unique opportunity for students to study this global issue with significant local implications by exploring a variety of perspectives and working with their peers to develop creative local, national and global solutions.

During the day, students will present their research and solutions to judges from the community in the form of formal presentations and visual solutions showcases, on display throughout the day in the Kagin Ballroom at Macalester. Students will also participate in a collaborative problem-solving activity that challenges their teamwork, critical thinking and communication skills. The day will close at 3:30 PM with an Awards Ceremony, where students will receive recognition for their work.

World Savvy launched the World Affairs Challenge program in the Twin Cities in 2008 after six successful years in San Francisco. Despite the current economic recession, this program continues to grow in Minnesota and has more than tripled in size over the past three years. Program sponsors include Wallace Genetic Foundation, the Xcel Energy Foundation, the General Mills Foundation, the Pentair Foundation, the Best Buy Children’s Foundation, RSP Architects, and Minnesota Public Radio.

For more information, contact KK Neimann at kk@worldsavvy.org or call 612-767-4438, or visit: http://worldsavvy.org/events/minnesotas-third-annual-world-affairs-challenge/ .

About World Savvy:
World Savvy’s mission is to educate and engage youth in community and world affairs, to prepare youth to learn, work and thrive in the 21st century. A national leader in global education, World Savvy provides interdisciplinary academic and arts programs for youth and dynamic professional development for educators to help the next generation of leaders and changemakers acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for responsible global citizenship in the 21st century.

For more information, visit www.worldsavvy.org .

News Source: World Savvy :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .