GCVEX 2025
*
GCVEX 2025 *
Local Plants, Global Lessons
2025 Global Citizenship Virtual Student Exchange: “Local Plants Global Learning”
September 25-December 4, 2025
Apply for the 4th Global Citizenship Virtual Student Exchange, where students from nine countries around the world come together virtually to interact on topics related to global citizenship, increasing their critical global awareness and capacity for cross-cultural communication in the process.
In this exchange, we will explore how local plants connect us to global environmental challenges and to one another.
Through live Zoom sessions and WhatsApp interactions, students will:
• Share photos and stories of native plants from their home regions to co-create a Global Plant Gallery that highlights the beauty, importance, and vulnerability of plant life around the world.
• Learn from plant experts around the world about biodiversity, sustainability, and cultural knowledge systems
• Collaborate in international teams to design and carry out simple local action projects such as invasive species removal or planting native plants.
• Reflect on how environmental challenges—like deforestation or climate change—impact communities globally and locally
This exchange is a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and act as a global citizen—one plant at a time.
Program details:
1. [Asynchronous] Introduction video due on Padlet.com on September 18
2. Zoom Session 1: Thursday, 25 September 2025--Panel Discussion on Native Plants
Panel discussion: Native plant experts from around the world
Breakout room activity: Plant-based Bingo game
3. [Asynchronous] WhatsApp sharing of pictures of native plants from around the world.
4. Zoom Session 2: Thursday, 23 October--Stories of remarkable plants around the world
Indigenous legends, remarkable trees, the impacts of deforestation, and innovative solutions, etc.
Breakout room activity: students design a simple action project that all members will conduct in their respective hometowns. E.g., a hike, participating in the removal of invasive plant species, planting a native plant in a pot/garden/community plot, tree planting, etc.
5. [Asynchronous] WhatsApp interaction about group action projects.
6. Zoom Session 3: Thursday, 4 December--Group Action Project Presentations
Breakout room activity: Students drop a note about their hometown or current residence city and country, and all students ask ChatGPT the following prompt: What are some of the most common/endangered/culturally significant native plants from the following cities? (include names of cities in the format of "city, country") Each student takes a turn to share their thoughts on their knowledge and experience of the plants described in ChatGPT.
Zoom meeting times
China (Beijing)--9:00 pm-11:00 pm, Libya (Tripoli)-- 3:00-5:00 pm, Mexico (Merida)--7:00-9:00 am, Nigeria (Abuja)-- 2:00-4:00 pm, Kazakhstan (Astana)--6:00-8:00 pm, Kenya (Nairobi)--4:00- 6:00 pm, Peru (Lima)--8:00-10:00 am, US (NYC)--9:00 am-11:00 pm [For the December 4 meeting, the time for the US will shift to 8:00 am due to Daylight Savings Time]