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United Nations Initiative

About

As a university, we aim to incorporate what President Dallin H. Oaks has taught that followers of Christ should “avoid contention” and instead “be peacemakers.” ” President Russell M. Nelson similarly invited all to “choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.” Their teaching points to peacemaking as both a discipleship and a daily choice, especially in our academic, local, and international activities.

At Brigham Young University, international engagement is central to our broad educational mission because it expands our students’ understanding, strengthens cultural understanding, and prepares them to contribute as followers of Christ in an interconnected world and within a global church.

In addition, our sponsoring organization, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, engages publicly and meaningfully to support global work to relieve suffering through humanitarian partnerships with, but not limited to UNICEF, World Health Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization/WOrld Food Program, UNCHR (refugees). The Church focuses on non-political aid, emphasizing its divine mandate to care for the poor regardless of nationality or religious affiliation. The Church has no official stance on the UN itself as a political entity, but leaders embrace the global network as a highly effective avenue for fulfilling its charitable goals

Our UN engagement initiative focuses on outreach of faculty research with a range of overlapping priority areas between BYU and the UN. Brigham Young University has been recently accredited through the UN Office of Global Communications. We also draw upon more than 25 years of experience by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, which has been accredited as an Economic and Social Council non-governmental organization and participated in a variety of UN and international activities.

Objectives

At Brigham Young University we aim through higher education to develop students of faith, intellect, and character who have the skills and desire to continue learning and to serve others. The BYU-United Nations Initiative incorporates these four areas by leveraging mentored learning and faculty research and connecting them with important global issues addressed by the United Nations.

Some of the ways this BYU-UN Initiative builds upon our mandate to prepare students at this “Chirst-centered, prophetically-directed university of prophecy” includes four particular priority areas:

  1. Mission-Inspired Scholarship
  2. Fostering BYU’s Double Heritage by expanding the reach of BYU faculty research in multilateral settings amidst key stakeholders.
  3. Developing the Courage to be Different
  4. Strengthen the Student Experience

The David M. Kennedy Center of International Studies is the heart of international engagement at Brigham Young University (BYU) located in Provo, Utah, United States of America. By supporting and implementing interdisciplinary international experiences on campus and abroad, the Kennedy Center raises global awareness and competency and equips the community with international perspectives and tools to promote intellectual, physical, and spiritual well-being throughout the world.

We support our university community to develop global perspectives and connect with key resources. The David M. Kennedy Center builds on international research, expertise, and interests through our academic programs, international study programs, and outreach. We directly support more than 600 students in academic programs covering every world region as well as functional areas: international relations, international development, global environmental studies, and global women’s studies. Our research programs support a variety of social science research across every region. In addition, we are affiliated with Centers of Excellence for Global Business, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The Institute of International Education ranks our international study programs as the #1 largest in the United States, sending over 2,400 students abroad. Outreach programs such as education initiatives, cultural activities, and a wide range of events foster global cooperation and understanding around the world.

Both affiliations, for BYU and the Kennedy Center allow our faculty and students to share research more widely, build new partnerships and collaborations, and address pressing global problems more effectively.