United Planet (UP)- Key Initiatives & Proud Accomplishments

Key Initiatives:

Cultural Awareness Project & UP Storytelling -- Local
Provides cross-cultural presentations and storytelling for schools and communities worldwide in order to expand global horizons and ignite the global curiosity of young children, students, and people of all ages.

Voices of Earth Cultural Exchange -- Online
Harnesses the Internet to bring together people from over 150 countries for cultural exchange, friendship, and discussion of important regional and global issues, while also providing information and interactive forums on every country and territory in the world.

United Planet Quests -- International
Enables volunteers and global learners of all ages to learn, explore, and make a difference in 1-52 week educational, humanitarian, and peace-building projects in over 50 countries.

UP Ambassador Clubs -- Worldwide
Enables qualified high school and college students to charter UP Ambassador Clubs at their schools to carry out and promote UP's mission and programs at their schools, which fosters global leadership and citizenship among the world's future leaders and caretakers.

UP Special Projects -- Worldwide
United Planet provides expertise, innovation, and funding to develop educational, humanitarian, and peace-building projects to improve the condition of life in communities worldwide.

Grant -- International
"UP Receives Grant: Timberland Advances Special Project". For more information click here.

Key Accomplishments:

Provided experts from Rwanda and Indonesia to speak at the United Nations Association international documentary film festival in Boston.

Worked together with Barnes & Noble to regale young children with stories from around the world and introduce diverse countries and cultures.
Performed cultural presentations to large television audiences, such as AT&T Broadband's "Extra Help," which reaches 180,000 households in Massachusetts.
Introduced a range of multi-cultural presentations and speakers to elementary to high school students, including performances by a Japanese Koto player and foreign policy discussions by volunteer presenters from the Middle East.
Linked academics, college students, and international clubs from key universities, i.e. Harvard, with local schools to enrich students' cross-cultural understanding.
Inspired and provided the model for a program instituted by Boston City Hall to facilitate cross-cultural understanding and friendship among City Hall Employees.
Created a global online database to bridge cross-cultural presenters and interested groups, such as schools, organizations, and companies, in countries around the world.

Voices of Earth Cultural Exchange -- Online

Harnessed the Internet to bridge together people from over 150 countries to engage in fun and interactive cultural exchange on a wide range of topics, including: culture, history, the arts, geography, current events, social and healthcare issues, and much more.
Inspired over 5,000 people from more than 150 countries to share their voices in the form of over 20,000 articles about life and culture in their respective countries and important global issues.
Utilized the Internet as an informational hub for the exchange of information related to the recent tsunami disaster. This tool provided valuable support for coordinators and supporters of the relief effort.
Enabled United Planet members to learn and appreciate foreign languages, such as Arabic, Mandarin, and more, by providing language teaching forums and foreign language discussions online.
Provided valuable information, including statistics and profiles, on over 250 countries and territories around the world.
Allowed people from every country and territory on earth to share their voices and perspectives in interactive bulletin boards devoted to their countries and territories.

United Planet Quests -- International

Provided doctors, psychologists, and nurses to help in disaster relief efforts in the worst hit areas of Thailand (Pangnga) and Indonesia (Bandar Aceh).
Provided teams of over 100 non-medical volunteers to help reconstruct villages and rebuild fishing boats destroyed by the tsunami in Ranong, Thailand.
Provided doctors, dentists, and nurses to clinics around the world, from Asia to Central America.
Enabled students, professionals, retirees, families, corporate teams, and school groups to truly make a difference in communities abroad, work in international teams, and expand their cross-cultural sensitivity and global perspectives.
Established 1-52 week programs in over 50 countries, from Bolivia to Mongolia and Micronesia.
Provided valuable support to orphanages, schools, environmental conservation projects, foreign NGOs, hospitals, clinics, and more.
Brought valuable donations and supplies around the world to assist our partner organizations. Our Pangnga medical team carried valuable medications to the camp of 7,000 displaced Tsunami victims. Our Northeastern student team brought thousands of dollars of needed supplies to a home for abandoned children in Irapuato, Mexico.
Arranged a Tibet cultural immersion program led by United Planet Board Member, Steve McCurry, photographer of the world's most well-recognized photograph and National Geographic's most famous cover of the green-eyed Afghan girl.
Encouraged volunteers to share and exchange cultures and experiences in schools both while abroad and upon their return through our Cultural Awareness Project.
Most importantly, over 3,000-committed United Planet volunteers and members from over 150 countries have worked together to build greater cultural understanding and friendship through our diverse range of programs around the world.

UP Ambassador Clubs -- International

Worked with several high schools and colleges to bring about the launch of UP Ambassadors clubs worldwide.
Dominique Charles successfully launched the first UP Ambassador club in 2005 at DePaul University. Dominque is working hard with his team of committed United Planet Ambassadors to bring about cultural awareness in the Chicago area. Below is a partial list of some of the many events the DePaul club has participated in:
- Latin night in collaboration with Latino organizations on campus at a local lounge
- Mini-series focused on the roles of young people in shaping the image of the United States across the world. This series took place after attending a conference with keynote speaker Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Rod Blagojevich for the 1st American Democratic Institute
- DePaul club is planning a summit on the effects that 9/11 has had on Islam and Muslims in the West. Guest speakers will include experts in Islam teaching from universities in Chicago

UP Special Projects -- Worldwide

Launched a microempowerment project in Guatemala to provide a steady revenue stream for an orphanage so that the young orphans could have fresh milk daily.
Worked in Romania to build essential housing for orphans and protect the orphanage from flooding.
Dr. Jon Ryder, UP Board Member and UP Healthcare Director, developed the United Planet "Adopt-a-Dentist, Doctor, and Teacher" Program to help provide the crucial resources needed to improve the desperate conditions in the world's poorest countries. These programs help provide financial aid and valuable resources to dentists, doctors, and teachers in developing nations and help raise healthcare and educational standards throughout the country.

Grant -- International

“UP Receives Grant: Timberland Advances Special Project”. For more information click here.

Please enable JavaScript to view this Flash component for site navigation.
	Accomplishments
	Key Initiatives: Cultural Awareness Project & UP Storytelling -- Local Provides cross-cultural presentations and storytelling for schools and communities worldwide in order to expand global horizons and ignite the global curiosity of young children, students, and people of all ages. Voices of Earth Cultural Exchange -- Online Harnesses the Internet to bring together people from over 150 countries for cultural exchange, friendship, and discussion of important regional and global issues, while also providing information and interactive forums on every country and territory in the world. United Planet Quests -- International Enables volunteers and global learners of all ages to learn, explore, and make a difference in 1-52 week educational, humanitarian, and peace-building projects in over 50 countries. UP Ambassador Clubs -- Worldwide Enables qualified high school and college students to charter UP Ambassador Clubs at their schools to carry out and promote UP's mission and programs at their schools, which fosters global leadership and citizenship among the world's future leaders and caretakers. UP Special Projects -- Worldwide United Planet provides expertise, innovation, and funding to develop educational, humanitarian, and peace-building projects to improve the condition of life in communities worldwide. Grant -- International "UP Receives Grant: Timberland Advances Special Project". For more information click here. Key Accomplishments: Provided experts from Rwanda and Indonesia to speak at the United Nations Association international documentary film festival in Boston. Worked together with Barnes & Noble to regale young children with stories from around the world and introduce diverse countries and cultures. Performed cultural presentations to large television audiences, such as AT&T Broadband's "Extra Help," which reaches 180,000 households in Massachusetts. Introduced a range of multi-cultural presentations and speakers to elementary to high school students, including performances by a Japanese Koto player and foreign policy discussions by volunteer presenters from the Middle East. Linked academics, college students, and international clubs from key universities, i.e. Harvard, with local schools to enrich students' cross-cultural understanding. Inspired and provided the model for a program instituted by Boston City Hall to facilitate cross-cultural understanding and friendship among City Hall Employees. Created a global online database to bridge cross-cultural presenters and interested groups, such as schools, organizations, and companies, in countries around the world. Voices of Earth Cultural Exchange -- Online Harnessed the Internet to bridge together people from over 150 countries to engage in fun and interactive cultural exchange on a wide range of topics, including: culture, history, the arts, geography, current events, social and healthcare issues, and much more. Inspired over 5,000 people from more than 150 countries to share their voices in the form of over 20,000 articles about life and culture in their respective countries and important global issues. Utilized the Internet as an informational hub for the exchange of information related to the recent tsunami disaster. This tool provided valuable support for coordinators and supporters of the relief effort. Enabled United Planet members to learn and appreciate foreign languages, such as Arabic, Mandarin, and more, by providing language teaching forums and foreign language discussions online. Provided valuable information, including statistics and profiles, on over 250 countries and territories around the world. Allowed people from every country and territory on earth to share their voices and perspectives in interactive bulletin boards devoted to their countries and territories. United Planet Quests -- International Provided doctors, psychologists, and nurses to help in disaster relief efforts in the worst hit areas of Thailand (Pangnga) and Indonesia (Bandar Aceh). Provided teams of over 100 non-medical volunteers to help reconstruct villages and rebuild fishing boats destroyed by the tsunami in Ranong, Thailand. Provided doctors, dentists, and nurses to clinics around the world, from Asia to Central America. Enabled students, professionals, retirees, families, corporate teams, and school groups to truly make a difference in communities abroad, work in international teams, and expand their cross-cultural sensitivity and global perspectives. Established 1-52 week programs in over 50 countries, from Bolivia to Mongolia and Micronesia. Provided valuable support to orphanages, schools, environmental conservation projects, foreign NGOs, hospitals, clinics, and more. Brought valuable donations and supplies around the world to assist our partner organizations. Our Pangnga medical team carried valuable medications to the camp of 7,000 displaced Tsunami victims. Our Northeastern student team brought thousands of dollars of needed supplies to a home for abandoned children in Irapuato, Mexico. Arranged a Tibet cultural immersion program led by United Planet Board Member, Steve McCurry, photographer of the world's most well-recognized photograph and National Geographic's most famous cover of the green-eyed Afghan girl. Encouraged volunteers to share and exchange cultures and experiences in schools both while abroad and upon their return through our Cultural Awareness Project. Most importantly, over 3,000-committed United Planet volunteers and members from over 150 countries have worked together to build greater cultural understanding and friendship through our diverse range of programs around the world. UP Ambassador Clubs -- International Worked with several high schools and colleges to bring about the launch of UP Ambassadors clubs worldwide. Dominique Charles successfully launched the first UP Ambassador club in 2005 at DePaul University. Dominque is working hard with his team of committed United Planet Ambassadors to bring about cultural awareness in the Chicago area. Below is a partial list of some of the many events the DePaul club has participated in: Latin night in collaboration with Latino organizations on campus at a local lounge Mini-series focused on the roles of young people in shaping the image of the United States across the world. This series took place after attending a conference with keynote speaker Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Rod Blagojevich for the 1st American Democratic Institute DePaul club is planning a summit on the effects that 9/11 has had on Islam and Muslims in the West. Guest speakers will include experts in Islam teaching from universities in Chicago UP Special Projects -- Worldwide Launched a microempowerment project in Guatemala to provide a steady revenue stream for an orphanage so that the young orphans could have fresh milk daily. Worked in Romania to build essential housing for orphans and protect the orphanage from flooding. Dr. Jon Ryder, UP Board Member and UP Healthcare Director, developed the United Planet "Adopt-a-Dentist, Doctor, and Teacher" Program to help provide the crucial resources needed to improve the desperate conditions in the world's poorest countries. These programs help provide financial aid and valuable resources to dentists, doctors, and teachers in developing nations and help raise healthcare and educational standards throughout the country. Grant -- International “UP Receives Grant: Timberland Advances Special Project”. For more information click here.	Cultural Awareness Project & UP Storytelling -- Local To expand our CAP development team, volunteer presenter network, and further harness technology to expand this program to communities throughout the world in order to bridge and celebrate the diversity of cultures within communities worldwide. Voices of Earth Cultural Exchange -- Online To harness the full potential of technology to create the world's largest online cultural exchange and multicultural hub in order to build friendship and global understanding while exponentially expanding the UP membership. United Planet Quests -- International To provide rich opportunities for transformation and personal growth, as well as crucial support to communities in need, through rigorous adherence to the highest quality standards for all of our learning and volunteer programs worldwide. To provide more and more interculturally-trained specialized and non-specialized volunteers to assist communities in dire need. To further enhance our medical and dental volunteering programs. UP Ambassador Clubs -- International To reach out to more of our world's future leaders and caretakers at high schools and colleges worldwide and create rewarding and exciting opportunities to bring about change both at their schools, communities, and worldwide. UP Special Projects -- Worldwide To bring the expertise, innovation, and start-up funding required to support a more diverse range of educational, humanitarian, and peace-building projects worldwide. To work with and train local communities to take over the governance and future training to bring about sustainable development based upon a solid foundation.