UN at Your Doorstep

Connecting global leaders with tomorrow’s change-makers through dialogue education

UN at Your Doorstep directly connects learners with global leaders, activists, and peers worldwide in real-time dialogues. By combining diverse topics and perspectives, students gain insights into today’s most pressing challenges and develop a sense of responsibility and agency for the SDGs. The program provides tailor-made systems thinking pedagogical materials and engaging hands-on activities.

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Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Updated May 2025

Web presence

2024

Established

6.9K 2025

168

Countries

Students upper

Target group

We hope that learners expand global awareness; foster critical thinking; become more culturally competent; reflect on global issues; and establish new connections with peers internationally. We hope to create a world where more young people are taking positive action for people and planet.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

We created UN at Your Doorstep to bridge the gap between young people and global leaders in shaping their futures. In a world facing urgent challenges, such as climate change to peace-building, young people need opportunities to not only learn about these issues, but also to engage directly with those leaders that are addressing them. We believe education must be more global, participatory, and action oriented to build more peaceful and sustainable societies.

This is how UN at Your Doorstep was born. The program offers real-time dialogues with world leaders and UN officials, integrated with multi-disciplinary learning and hands-on activities. Designed for high-school assemblies, university classrooms, Model UN clubs and NGOs, it transforms abstract issues into real-world learning, fostering critical thinking, creativity, communication and leadership skills.

By connecting local experiences to global systems through a systems thinking-approach, the initiative empowers learners to see their role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), moving beyond awareness to action. Through a growing global community, participants build lasting connections and collective momentum to tackle the world's pressing challenges together.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

In the pre-dialogue phase, participants receive preparatory pedagogical content. Materials include background on the featured world leader, UN organization, the global challenge, and relevant SDGs. Learners are introduced to core concepts of systems thinking to help identify patterns, root causes, and connections between local and global issues. Through reflective prompts and activities, learners engage with the topic early, submitting and upvoting questions to promote critical inquiry and inclusive dialogue.

During the live dialogue, participants join a dynamic conversation with world leaders, youth advocates, and experts. Moderated by young people, the session promotes dialogue as a pedagogy for understanding and cooperation. Participants engage in critical thinking, respectful exchange, and solution-focused exploration of global challenges through a systems thinking lens. An optional 20-minute "Peer Exchange" allows for small-group reflection and cross-cultural conversation.

Following the session, participants access additional content focused on reflection and action. Using systems thinking, learners explore the roles of different actors and dynamics in the issue and collaborate on locally relevant responses. Activities include classroom discussions, creative projects, and participation in a global social media challenge, empowering learners to amplify their voices and deepen their commitment to the SDGs.

How has it been spreading?

To date, five “UN at Your Doorstep” program dialogues have been hosted, reaching 6,900 learners and 1,500+ educators from 165+ countries since October 2024 live session launch. Partnerships were built with the Foundation for Environmental Education's Young Reporters for the Environment Program to bring in youth moderators, and with Compass Education to co-create pedagogical materials.

In total, we've partnered with 20+ organizations to disseminate the program, including Subject to Climate, the United Nations Youth Office, UNESCO, the SDG4 Youth & Student Network, YouthForClimateAction, the International Baccalaureate, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Green Mentors and others. As the project continues, we will focus on outreach and expansion of the curriculum and training materials, and hope to reach more learners and their educators.

How have you modified or added to your innovation?

We recently completed an initial evaluation of the program to better align it with user experiences, and additional evaluations are already planned to support ongoing improvements. The findings show that 95% of participants are eager to attend future events; 74% valued engaging directly with global leaders; 63% strengthened their critical and systematic thinking skills; 59% built new connections; and 51% felt inspired to take local action. We will use this feedback to inform the selection of future session topics, develop additional pedagogical resources, invite speakers that resonate with youth interests, and expand student engagement.
In the future, with increased resources and partnerships, we want to host dialogues in more languages, create regional and local adaptations of the program, and provide low-bandwidth solutions. In addition, we hope to host in-person teacher training workshops and provide funding for youth-led projects in local communities. We look forward to being part of the HundrED community to make more connections and create deeper impact.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

Implementation steps

Step 1: Register your interest in the overall program on our general mailing list for updates

Sign up for updates at www.agesofglobalization.com/live-sessions to receive program information and Zoom links for the live sessions. Teachers can join with an entire classroom through one Zoom connection or register individually. Students are also welcome to join independently. Each participant – teacher, student, or group – must complete their own registration form.

Step 2: Register for the dialogue of the month

Around 3–4 weeks before each live session, you’ll receive a newsletter announcing the speaker(s) and theme, along with a registration link. Each dialogue focuses on a different global challenge linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Step 3: Receive the pedagogical materials to review

You’ll also receive links to monthly pedagogical materials and the platform for learners to submit or upvote questions for the speakers. Developed by the Global Schools Program, UN SDSN, and Compass Education, these resources help educators and learners foster critical dialogue skills and systems thinking.

Step 4: Set aside 45 minutes of time for a pre-dialogue session with your learners

Before the live session, use the pedagogical materials to introduce the speaker and SDG theme to your learners. Choose the activities that best fit your group. Learners can submit and/or upvote questions via Slido — be sure to submit all questions at least three days before the event.

Step 5: Attend the 1-hour online dialogue with your learners

Log in and dive into the session! Start by contributing to a live word cloud to spark ideas, followed by the first round of discussion. Engage in live polling to share experiences, then participate in a second round of dialogue. Before closing, collaborate on a collective brainstorming of local actions learners can lead. Activities are accessed via QR codes or chat links. Stay for an optional 20-minute Peer Exchange for small-group reflection!

Step 6: Set aside 45 minutes of class time for a post-dialogue session with your students

After the session, use the provided pedagogical materials to reflect and deepen learning. Optional follow-up activities and challenges are included for learners ready to take action. You’ll also receive a feedback survey — your insights help us improve and grow the program. Thank you for participating!