"Our Shrinking Globe"

Some forty years ago, as advances in technology and travel seemed to lessen the physical distance among the world's regions, countries, and citizens, this expression took root.

The figurative shrinking of our globe, however, brought into new and stark relief such age-old problems as economic, social and gender disparities, political unrest and the abuse of power, human exploitation and injustice, disease, and humankind's mismanagement - or abuse - of its habitat.

While many citizens responded by coining another new phrase - "Think Globally; Act Locally" - others ignored the shrinking globe, choosing to retreat not only from its challenges and problems, but also from even the most fundamental awareness of it. Who can forget the stories that emerged about significant percentages of US university students unable to locate Mexico on a blank map of the Western Hemisphere or to name even the capital city of Canada?

As we traverse the first decade of a new century, and the advances of the last century pale in comparison with the pace and scale of such developments as email and the Internet, our globe seems to shrink even more. In response, yet another new term - "Globalization" - has come to the forefront of our collective vocabularies.

As the figurative shrinking accelerates, the persistence of age-old problems - and the emergence of such new ones as global technological disparities and the pandemic of HIV/AIDS - come into even more stark relief. No longer can citizen's retreat from the world and the global issues that touch our daily lives. Certainly, the tragedy of September 11th has served as a worldwide wake-up call in this regard.

Trinity, located in Washington, DC, addresses the urgent, worldwide need for informed citizen awareness, active citizen involvement, and new leadership in global affairs. It accomplishes this with a commitment to international affairs that moves beyond the traditional curriculum and classroom to make optimal use of its location in one of the world's leading international cities. Its diverse programs in international affairs serve students of all ages, gender, race and nationalities. We invite you to find out more about us and to become involved with our quest to make the world a better place.

Programs in International Affairs in an International City
Trinity, Washington, DC