Global Week


Each January, Castilleja School hosts Global Week to provide students with a unique opportunity to examine a globally relevant topic through workshops, projects, and in-depth engagement with speakers.

We live in a world where division grows, with strong opposing views and echo chambers that could restrict us to binary thinking, stifle meaningful conversations, and hinder common ground. To realize our vision of a more inclusive society, we must engage constructively with those who differ from us, bridging divides and strengthening our communities. Global Week 2025 elevates listening and dialogue to foster empathy, understanding, and collaborative action for a more resilient and hopeful future.

Essential Questions:

  • How can we cultivate initiative, agility, and a sense of purpose to bridge the deep divides in our society?
  • How can engaging with diverse perspectives on critical contemporary issues deepen our understanding of democratic principles like inclusivity, deliberation, and shared decision-making?
  • How can collaborative actions help us find common ground on urgent global challenges to create a more equitable future?

Forms of discourse highlighted during the week: Dialogue, negotiation (consensus-building), deliberation, and discussion.

Global Week 2025 will be a four-day experience from Monday, January 6 to Thursday, January 9, 2025.

GLOBAL WEEK 2025 SPEAKER SCHEDULE

MON, JAN 6
Engaging Across Differences
TUE, JAN 7
Understanding Global Political Dynamics
WED, JAN 8
Examining Democracy through Deliberations
THU, JAN 9
Taking Purposeful Action to Build an Inclusive Future

9:10AM PST — 
Building Empathy in a Fractured World
Dr. Jamil Zaki, Associate Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and author of War for Kindness

9:15AM PST — 
From Democracy to Autocracy Through the Eyes of a Foreign Correspondent
Atia Abawi, a former CNN and NBC correspondent

9:00AM PST — 
Is Deliberation the Antidote to Polarization?
Dr. Alice Siu from the Deliberative Democracy Lab at Stanford University

9:15AM PST — 
Why Hope and Collaboration are Crucial to Climate Justice Solutions
Author, scholar, and educator Dr. Elin Kelsey 
 

7:00pm PST —
Virtual Community Event with Dr. Jamil Zaki, Associate Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and author of War for Kindness

(Traducción al español disponible para este evento / Spanish Translation is offered for this event)

   

GLOBAL WEEK 2025 SPEAKER SCHEDULE

Past Global Weeks