The life and tragic death of American journalist James Foley remain a searing reminder of why global awareness is not just important—it is essential. In 2012, James was abducted in northern Syria by Islamic State militants. Two years later, in August 2014, he was murdered in a brutal, public execution that became a grim emblem of ideological extremism and its horrific cost.

At the time of his death, James was working as a freelancer for GlobalPost, a nonpartisan and independent news outlet committed to international reporting. His mission was personal: to shine light on the suffering of the Syrian people by telling stories that too often go untold. In the wake of his loss, GlobalPost’s founders—particularly editorial director Philip Balboni—redoubled their efforts to carry forward James’s legacy, ensuring that global news remained accessible, vital, and human.

Balboni, who also considered James a close friend, worked tirelessly to negotiate his release in 2014. “Jim’s loss is a hurt that will never go away,” he told me recently, “but staying on mission and helping young people is an antidote to hatred and despair.”

Balboni’s credentials in journalism run deep. He built his career across broadcast and cable television, newspapers, wire services, and digital platforms. He founded New England Cable News and served as both vice president and news director of Boston’s WCVB-TV. His commitment to rigorous journalism and global storytelling has never wavered.

GlobalPost’s latest endeavor, the Global Education Initiative, expands that mission by seeking to cultivate international literacy among the next generation. It strives to elevate global knowledge among young people and prepare them to engage meaningfully with a complex, interconnected world.

And the appetite for such an initiative is growing. A recent Reuters report noted that during the 2023-24 academic year, the United States hosted over a million foreign students, the world’s largest population, according to State Department figures. The number speaks not only to the global thirst for education but also to the urgency of building bridges across borders and cultures.

Earlier this year, I became the executive director of the Global Education Initiative—a natural extension of my background as a radio host, journalism educator, and mother of three teenagers. Like many of their peers, my kids are immersed in TikTok and digital media. But now, as subscribers to our daily newsletter, they’re also discovering places and perspectives far removed from their own. They’re learning about distant countries, divergent cultures, and the difficult but necessary work of understanding people who are different from themselves.

The Global Education Initiative democratizes global access. We provide free subscriptions to our international news digest for students around the world. Currently, we reach more than 11,000 students in 1,400 schools across 82 countries. This initiative is sustained by a blend of private donors and institutional support from the Carnegie Foundation. Its growth reflects a hunger for deeper knowledge and broader horizons.

In the years since James Foley’s death, global headlines have become a relentless cascade of crises—wars, coups, climate catastrophes, and refugee displacements. We are inundated and, too often, numbed. Polarization thrives. Compassion can feel scarce. Yet in this disorientation, we would do well to remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “Anger and intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding.”

Understanding begins with exposure—especially for students. It’s about cultivating empathy, challenging assumptions, and developing a sense of shared humanity. At GlobalPost, we encourage students to look beyond stereotypes, grasp geopolitical dynamics, identify with others’ lived experiences, think critically about world events, and finally, deepen their knowledge of geography and culture.

In today’s fractured world, global literacy isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. We must equip young people to deconstruct dominant narratives, build cultural intelligence, practice diplomacy and cross-cultural collaboration, and thrive in a globalized workforce.

Promoting initiatives like the GlobalPost Education Initiative is more than a noble cause. It’s a strategic imperative. In doing so, we’re not just informing students—we’re empowering them to shape a world that is more connected, more compassionate, and more just.

To learn more about the Global Education Initiative, click here.