The Student World Assembly is a non-governmental, nonpartisan organization created to represent students globally. It provides a deliberative assembly where students around the world can exchange views, vote on global issues through online discussion forums and in annual international conventions, and translate these views into meaningful actions.
Our Democratic Philosophy
The Student World Assembly believes that true global democracy affirms fundamental human rights, which include the dignity and worth of all human beings, the equal rights of men and women, social, economic and cultural rights for every person, and the freedom to promote these causes. SWA's representative democracy offers a powerful instrument for addressing the vital social and political conditions that threaten our global future. The informed wishes of the people, conveyed through the collective of a democratic assembly, need to be heard in the decision-making processes. By giving students from the most remote to the more accessible institutions an equal voice, we are enabling all students to educate, participate and take action, and to begin thinking of themselves as global citizens.
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Educate
Pressing Global Issues
SWA endeavors to educate the world through its members. Every month, a chapter of the Student World Assembly highlights a Pressing Global Issue. Once approved by the Issues & Campaigns Committee, the general membership is provided with news reports, articles, and scholarly resources through the website. After reading about the issue, members are urged to engage in a dialogue with others on the online discussion forum. The purpose of the discussion forums is to educate and be educated, to hear and be heard, about the global issues that demand our immediate attention.
Educational Links & Suggested Readings
The educational links and suggested readings posted on the website are carefully reviewed for content, authors’ expertise, credibility and accessibility. These resources are designed to serve as an aid to members as they conduct research on highlighted global issues and other international topics of interest.
Participate
Issue Selection
Members propose issues to be considered for the International Convention. These issues are identified and deliberated online by the general membership throughout the academic year.
International Convention
Every year the international convention is hosted by a different college or university. At the convention, delegates will hear expert testimony on the selected issues. They then vote to adopt resolutions that determine the stance and action that the SWA will take for the upcoming year. All members are invited to attend the convention.
Delegates and Proxy Voting
Members who cannot attend are encouraged to designate their vote to the delegate who most represents their views. When delegates vote at the convention, they cast one vote for themselves and one for each of the proxies they have received. This allows all members to have a voice in the deliberations.
International Committees
There are three international committees that establish the guidelines and procedures for SWA activities: Issues & Campaigns, Convention & Event Planning and Membership & Outreach. Each delegate serves on one committee during the convention and for the upcoming year.
International Officers
The assembly speaker and vice-speaker are elected through online voting by the general membership immediately prior to the convention. They oversee the activities of the international committees. Committee chairs are elected by committee members and oversee the business of the committee for the upcoming year.
Take Action
Dialogue is only the first step to creating a global community. To make a positive impact on a global scale, we must act on our collective positions. It is necessary that all courses of action relate to the issues officially addressed by SWA and are in line with the overall mission. Here are a few suggestions:
*Chapters function as satellites of the SWA organization. Chapters
are given much opportunity to determine their own courses of
action on a local and regional level.
*Students can log in to the discussion forums, sign online
petitions, join the letter-writing campaigns and organize peaceful
rallies. This can be done individually or with your local chapter.
*Faculty are encouraged to get involved with their local chapters
and offer guidance and expertise to the students.
*Volunteers can offer time and resources for events and activities
on campus and in the community.
*Donations are vital to the work of SWA. With contributions from
individuals and foundations SWA could realize its mission of
building global democracy.
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