In an increasingly interconnected world, staying informed about global news is more important than ever. Yet doing so can be challenging when information from local media is censored, biased, or overwhelming. This makes access to clear, fact-based reporting essential. GlobalPost answers that need.
As the largest nonpartisan daily newsletter devoted to world news, GlobalPost aims to provide accessible news regarding international affairs for individuals across the U.S. and beyond. Aspire has partnered with GlobalPost to supply young leaders in our community with the tools needed to develop a global mindset, deepen their understanding of global affairs, and engage with the world’s most important international stories in an accessible, unbiased format.
Global Contextual Awareness as a Necessity
GlobalPost was first launched in 2009 by Philip Balboni, the CEO, Editorial Director, and Founder. Balboni had a vision — to democratize access to international news so people could engage with it in a digestible format and expand their global knowledge.
GlobalPost is nonpartisan and independent, and its articles are drawn from a wide variety of credible media sources across the globe. Newsletters are delivered in a clear, structured format via email to over 400,000 readers around the world each morning — a diverse audience that spans curious global citizens, professionals, World Affairs Councils, national newspapers, and beyond.
As part of GlobalPost’s mission to promote greater knowledge of the world, it launched the Global Education Initiative (GEI) in 2017 to reach more young readers and incentivize educators to guide their students through these important global stories.
Global News in the Classroom
While typical readers pay a subscription fee, GlobalPost offers free subscriptions to teachers and students in high school and college across 111 countries through the Global Education Initiative.
“We believe there’s no more important way to ensure a prosperous and conflict-free world than by educating students on the events that move nations, and by helping teachers use GlobalPost in the classroom,” said Founder Philip Balboni. “This is why we provide free subscriptions to GlobalPost to students and teachers worldwide entirely as a public service.”
We believe there’s no more important way to ensure a prosperous and conflict-free world than by educating students on the events that move nations, and by helping teachers use GlobalPost in the classroom.
Julia Sherwin, Assistant Publisher and Executive Director for the Global Education Initiative, re-emphasized the need for this kind of access for today’s youth.
“If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we are all connected. Goods and services, viruses and weapons — they all flow from one country to another, for good or for bad,” she said. “Having that global awareness of what is happening in [different] countries, and how can that affect [you] as a business person or student in the U.S….you don’t always see those dots connecting, but they certainly do.”
Each edition opens with a headline story focused on a single country, followed by coverage of a major global event, and then a curated selection of stories from other regions. Topics span politics, elections, trade, and country-specific developments that are often overlooked by mainstream media.
The knowledge gained is not only informative but, in some cases, empowering. A current example is the coverage of Gen-Z–led student protests, which highlight the growing influence of youth voices and collective action on the global stage.
“It’s particularly important for students to recognize that even the smallest things that they do can have an impact and an effect on change,” Sherwin said.
GlobalPost even provides a downloadable Study Guide for teachers on their website.
Developing a Global Mindset Among Aspire Leaders
Aspire Institute was brought to Philip Balboni’s attention through a mutual Harvard connection. After initial discussions, our organizations found a profound overlap in our missions.
“Aspire Institute and GlobalPost’s Global Education Initiative are so perfectly aligned — that’s really the bottom line,” Sherwin said. “We’re both trying to do the same thing: help students acquire the skills they need to become tomorrow’s leaders.”
We’re both trying to do the same thing: help students acquire the skills they need to become tomorrow’s leaders.
Together, we are strengthening learners’ media literacy and building the global contextual awareness they need to better understand who they are in the world and become better global citizens. This is why resources like GlobalPost and programs like the Aspire Leaders Program are important for youth to recognize that global affairs are relevant to them and can have a local — and even personal — impact.
“Every day, we are becoming more and more connected through just the regular exchange of business, services, and goods,” Sherwin said. “I think it’s so important to be connected to your peers in other countries, and, ultimately, the most altruistic goal out of this is to have more peace in the world. If [we] have a better understanding of each other’s cultures, we have a chance of having more peace.”
Global Growth
The Global Education Initiative is actively raising funds from foundations and individuals to ensure its newsletter remains freely accessible to students and educators. In parallel with these fundraising efforts, GlobalPost is working to expand its user base and gather feedback from teachers and students in order to better understand their needs and develop additional classroom-based opportunities that deepen student engagement.
As the host of a global program, Aspire Institute recognizes and emphasizes the value of developing global-minded young leaders, and partnering with GlobalPost has made that aspect of our vision all the more possible.
“We’re looking for the most important international stories, the emerging trends, and the developments that will shape our world,” said Founder Philip Balboni. “While others treat international news as a sidelight, it’s GlobalPost’s entire mission.”
Learn more about GlobalPost and consider signing up for their daily newsletter on their website: globalpost.com.
