GI Updates
Special News

Global Integration Updates
2012-2024
Common Ground for the Common Good

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The GI Updates are designed to help you connect and contribute with our globalizing world–global integration (GI). We encourage colleagues across sectors to consider what it means to be global integrators: learners-practitioners who are committed to pursuing “common ground for the common good” with integrity. The first weblog entries on GI began in July 2011 on our CORE Member Care blog site. We welcome your ideas! Contact us at MCAresources@gmail.com

See the GI Update Index for all 101 Issues (2015-2024)–arranged by topic
Words of Appreciation for the Global Integration Updates (2015-2024)
See the list of our GI Publications and Presentations (2011-2024)

You can make comments and add resources on the GI Updates.
–Click here to go to the GI Updates archives. (see also below)
–Click here to go to the MCA Facebook page
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–102. December 2024: We’re Taking a Break-Thanks for your encouragement (10 Years–2015-2024)
–101. November 2024:The GI Highway–Celebrating and Indexing 101 Issues!
–100. October 2024: Being Global Integrators–Five Foundational Perspectives to Guide & Goad
–99. September 2024: Changing/Charting Our Course–UN Summit of Future/Pact for Future
–98. August 2024: Being the People Our World Needs–-Reflections on Loving Truth and Peace
–97. July 2024: Being the People Our World Needs–Reflections on Living In Peace
–96. June 2024: Being the People Our World Needs–Reflections on Living In Truth
–95. May 2024: Collaborating for SDG 4–Quality Education and Lifelong Learning for All
–94. April 2024: Inequality, Inc.–Exploring Our Poverty-Prosperity Divides
–93. March 2024: UN Summit of the Future–Reviewing the Upcoming Summit and Pact
–92. February 2024: Conversations on Creation Care–Contemplating Laudate Deum and COP28
–91. January 2024: Why the “M” Word Matters–Rethinking Missionaries and Development
–90. December 2023:  Universal Declaration of Human Rights (75 years)
–89. November 2023: Multidimensional Poverty–Ending All Forms of Poverty Everywhere
–88. October 2023: Are You a “Non”? Respecting Colleagues-Balancing Influence
–87. September 2023: Peace and Security–Staying Alive in Our World
–86. August 2023: Evil Inc.–Trafficking Children for Sex
–85. July 2023: Halfway into the SDGs: Taking Stock–Taking Action
–84. June 2023: Parables for Personal Growth–Tales for Your Healing Journey
–83. May 2023: Crucial Contributions from the Global Psychological-Behavioral-Social Sciences
–82. April 2023: Being InterFaith-Based–Doing Better Together
–81. March 2023: Developing Character Strengths–Being the Leaders Our World Needs
–80. February 2023: Uprooting Corruption in Our World and Lives–Plenaries from the IACC
–79. January 2023: Resisting Despair and Disillusion: Will it Get Worse before it Gets Worse?
–78. December 2022: Hurting Humans-Helping Humans: New Humanitarian Sector Resources
–77. November 2022: World Children’s Day–Love Them All!
–76. October 2022: Perils, Paralysis, Hope: Sustainable Development-Sustainable Destruction?
–75. September 2022: Arming the World–Promoting Positive Peace
–74. August 2022: Repentance and Reconciliation–The Pope’s Pilgrimage of Penance
–73. July 2022: Transforming Mental Health for All (WHO World Mental Health Report)
–72. June 2022: Moral Health for a More Whole World (Global Integrity Day)
–71. May 2022: Into the Global Fray–Four New Books from Friends
–70. April 2022: Staring War in the Face
–69. March 2022: Global Hearing Health–Hearing for Life
–68. February 2022: Thinking Critically about Sustainable Development
–67. January 2022: New Year’s Yearnings: Peace on Earth–Sharing our Stories and Strategies
–66. December 2021: Global Humanitarian Overview 2022
–65. November 2021: Planet SOS: The UN Climate Conference
–64. October 2021: Mental Health and Wellbeing for All
–63. September 2021: Code Red for Humanity: The UN Climate Report
–62. August 2021: Sustainable Development Progress Report 2021
–61. July 2021: Climate-Conflict-Corruption: Safeguarding People and the Planet
–60. June 2021: Staff Wellbeing: Getting it Right!
–59. May 2021: Tracking Important News–Issues, Insights, Involvements
–58. April 2021: World Health Day: Building a Fairer, Healthier World
–57. March 2021: Global Trends–Perspectives and Priorities from the Sectors
–56. February 2021: Covid Care: Reflections and Resources for Wellbeing
–55. January 2021: State of the Planet: Our Suicidal War on Nature
–54. December 2020: Genocide: Bearing Witness…
–53. November 2020: Grieving Well-Healing Well: Resources for Growth during Loss
–52. October 2020: Tough Times. Tougher People: Best Selves–Better World
–51. September 2020: Solidarity for Covid-Care: Being Real-Life Heroes
–50. August 2020: Keep Persevering: Stories and Strategies in the Pandemic
–49. July 2020: The UN at 75: “We the peoples...”: Engaging in UN International Days
–48. June 2020: Managing Stress and COVID-Distress: Faith-Inclusive Resources
–47. May 2020: Staying Sane during COVID-19: Mental Health Resources
–46. April 2020: Confronting COVID-19: “Be smart. Be safe. Be kind.”
–45. March 2020: Stories from the Sectors: Desperate Journeys and More
–44. February 2020: Wellbeing for Who? Global Reports from Seven Sectors
–43. January 2020: Shaping the Future We Want: UN75 Global Conversation
–42. December 2019: Peace, Justice, Inclusion and Strong Institutions: SDG 16+
–41. November 2019: Helping Well in Humanitarian Settings: MHPSS
–40. October 2019: Mental Health for All–Me Too!
–39: September 2019: One Week–Five UN Summits
–38. August 2019: Progress Reports–Sustainable Development Goals
–37. July 2019: Expanding Our Perspectives
–36. June 2019: Global Action Plans
–35. May 2019: Being Faith-Based–Evidence-Based: The Joint Learning Initiative etc.
–34. April 2019: Keeping Up with the UN
–33. March 2019: Universal Health Coverage
–32. February 2019: Seven Sectors–Short Summaries
–31. January 2019: Global Integrity Day and Moral Health–video and resources
–30. December 2018: A Framework for Engaging with Our World
–29. November 2018: Leaving No One Behind–disasters, development, etc.
–28. October 2018: Wellbeing and Mental Health–new materials and milestones
–27. September 2018: Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age–film, blog, etc.
–26. August 2018: Where There Is No Psychiatrist–book and related resources
–25. July 2018: UN Web TV–staying current with United Nations activities
–24. June 2018: The End of Epidemics, book and related resources
–23. May 2018: Peace Psychology/Sustaining Peace–resources from two events
–22. April 2018: Enough Campaign–combating non-communicable diseases
–21. March 2018: Linking Sectors–online events: humanitarian, NCDs, peace, psych.
–20. February 2018:  Event: Compassion in Health webinar, WHO Global Learning Lab
–19. January 2018: General: UN updates, SDG updates, multi-sectoral reports

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18. GI Update December 2017
The Essential Review: Three Year Index of Resources and Reflections. In this summary Update we index the GI Updates from 2015-2017. These 17 Updates both shape and are shaped by the foundational thinking for the global integration framework (defined below). They contain crucial resources and reflections for understanding and engaging with major issues facing our world. We have kept the Index simple. It includes the title, link, and a short description of the content. We encourage you to review the Index and to note the topics (resources and reflections) that are the most relevant for your work. As for the future of the GI Updates: we will likely do shorter issues (special news), send them periodically vs monthly, and focus on a specific resource, organization, or event.

17. GI Update October 2017
Helping the Helpers: 50 Resources for Humanitarian Workers. In this Update we focus on the wellbeing and effectiveness (WE) of staff in the humanitarian sector. Organized into six topics, the sample of 50 resources are a mixture of current, core, and classic materials over the years. Several are translated into different languages. Keep in mind that everyone involved in the humanitarian sector benefits from special support to stay resilient and healthy. This includes administrators, managers, leaders, volunteers, international and local/national staff, the family members, and the organizations themselves. This Update’s emphasis on humanitarian WE is a follow up and application of the 10 October World Mental Health Day theme of “Mental Health in the Workplace” and the 19 August World Humanitarian Day theme of “#NotATarget.” The resources we feature and reference are also relevant for the overlapping sectors of health, development, mission, etc. We finish with some perspectives on “knitting the net” of global caregivers.

16. GI Update August 2017
Everyday Global Heroes: Moral Lives Matter. In this Update we summon our colleagues across the globe to live heroically. We feature resources that encourage our heroic action as “everyday heroes” who are committed to cultivate heroic lifestyles in ourselves and others–out of the spotlight, out of the limelight. Heroic action is moral action. It acknowledges the good and bad in everyone (as reflected in the above image) and the internal and external challenges to consistently engage in moral, pro-social behavior. We finish with reflections on World Humanitarian Day (19 August). Designated by the United Nations, this day focuses on both the aid workers who risk their lives and the millions of people affected by crises around the world. We are inspired by the courage of both humanitarians and the vulnerable people they assist. Moral lives matter. Be an everyday global hero.

15. GI Update June 2017
Doomsday: Next Stop, Global Dis-Integration? Is time running out for humanity? Is the end of the world imminent? There are lots of ideas about the doomsday notion, ranging from it being a naive, archaic myth to it being a lurking, empirically-supported certainty. Is global dis-integration something to be: debunked, delayed, defused…or? This is a tough topic which we try to tackle in this GI Update! Part One lists several high-profile, recent quotes from various influential organisations. These are messages about the diligent attempts to ameliorate the deleterious impact on and irreparable destruction of the people-planet nexus. Part Two then takes us in a similar direction via a sobering musical trip down memory lane. We share links to several songs (many from the 1960s-1970s) that deal with themes of world catastrophe and/or aspirations and exhortations for world peace and love.  We finish the Update with some personal reflections on “The Age of Egregious.” Starting us off though, is a fascinating brief video on the Doomsday Clock.

14. GI Update April 2017
Living in Global Integrity: Moral Wholeness for a More Whole World. In this GI Update we focus on the importance and challenges of practicing integrity at all levels—individual-institutional-international—for fostering wellbeing for all people and the planet. At the core of integrity is the resolute commitment to live consistently with one’s values and moral goodness. Our two featured resources include a) a current article on integrity/accountability focusing on UN staff and applicable to colleagues across sectors and b) a recent weblog series probing several facets of global integrity. We also include two popular TedxTalks which underscore the value of serious moral reflection, thinking, and action: Courage or Cowardice? and Willful Blindness. We finish with some personal reflections on “investing in global integrity.” Collectively the materials in this Update encourage us to look deeply into our own lives as we seek to improve the lives of others.

13. GI Update February 2017
Connecting Across Sectors; What’s Happening—What’s Harkening. In this GI Update we share a variety of recent resources from different sectors. These resources both inform us (what’s happening in our globalizing world) and impel us (what’s harkening us to take relevant action): newsletters, updates, events, webinars, etc. As always, the resources are meant to be of practical support to your work and to promote human wellbeing. We finish the Update by highlighting the Relational Thinking Network, an organization that emphasizes the role of quality relationships at all levels of society.

12. GI Update December 2016
Peace and Security: Resources from Geneva Peace Week. In this Update we share several resources that we have gleaned from the recent Geneva Peace Week 2016. This special week in November was an amazing opportunity for learning and networking, with over 50 events realted to peace and security. It helped to unite the many colleagues and organizations working to make the world a safer place. Even if peace and security are not your areas of focus, we encourage you to take the time to connect with some of the materials below. We think that the materials from this rapidly developing sector can inform your work and your understanding of the global context. We finish with some personal reflections on the Trio Gathering in our home following Geneva Peace Week. This was an informal time for colleagues to discuss the week’s events regarding peace-security issues, and to do so for mutual learning and mutual support. Several additional resources gleaned from the Trio event are listed.

11. GI Update October 2016
Global Grids: New Strategies for Staying Informed–Applications for SDGs. In this Update we present a versatile framework (GI Grid) to help you stay updated with core information relevant for your work, understanding of the world, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The framework is organized into two parts: context resources (global, multi-sectoral) and core resources (global, personal emphases). We  have included two examples to help guide the creation of your own GI grid. The first example comes from the recent article we did on staying current with global mental health (GMH) knowledge and resources. The second example is an individualized template that you can adjust and fill in according to your interests and involvements.

10. GI Update August 2016
Confronting Global Issues: New Resources from Seven Sectors. In this Update we present recent resources from seven sectors that focus on serious global issues. Part One features some of the many materials from the Humanitarian Sector which were presented at the United Nations ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment (New York, June). Part Two includes new materials from six other sectors: Development, Education-Learning, Environment, Health, Human Rights, and Peace-Security Sectors. For more ideas on GI areas to further support you and your work, see the December 2015 GI Update, Staying Current—Navigating the News.

9. GI Update June 2016
Global Citizenship: Recent Events and Resources. In this Update we feature “global citizenship” and in particular the recent United Nations conference on “Education for Global Citizenship” (Part One). Part Two includes additional materials from three recent and important gatherings: World Humanitarian Summit (United Nations, Istanbul), World Health Assembly (WHO, Geneva), and Out of the Shadows: Making Mental Health a Global Development Priority (World Bank, Washington DC). Collectively they represent some of the ways that people across sectors, disciplines, and countries–as global citizens–are taking responsibility for improving the wellbeing of fellow humans. Rounding off the Update are some personal reflections on our core identities and our common identity as humans.

8. GI Update April 2016
Global Strides: Special Events for Improving Our World. This Update presents special events related to GI that are happening in April-May 2016. Together these events represent some of the “global strides” being taken by the world community on behalf of the wellbeing for all people and the planet. Our featured item, due to its potential global impact, is the World Humanitarian Summit (Istanbul, 24-26 May). There are of course many more GI-related events that could be listed. We encourage you to further identify and track with the items that are the most useful for you. For some ideas, see the December 2015 GI Update, Staying Current—Navigating the News. We finish with one of our favorite quotes from MLK.

7. GI Update February 2016
Working Together Well. This GI Update presents recent resources which reflect the growing commitment—and collaborative journey—to make the world a better place. We feature One Humanity: Shared Responsibility, the new UN report on humanitarian issues and action by Ban Ki-moon (launched just yesterday). We also share a variety or other important resources that can inform your life and work: materials that deal with dire situations such as forced migration and world conflicts or encouraging efforts such as interfaith and intergovernmental cooperation to promote peace. The final section ends on a positive note: some brief reflections on our personal journey into GI along with a short video that spans the globe to celebrate the UN’s 70th anniversary and its Charter for all peoples.

6. GI Update December 2015
Staying Current–Navigating the News. This Update lists some of the information sources that we have found to be helpful for global integration (GI—linking our skills and values on behalf of major issues). Part One includes three categories of resources for staying current with GI: a) Newsletters/Updates from some of the larger and more influential organizations (primarily humanitarian-development); b) World Reports on special topics, many published annually; and c) links to several News/Media Sources. Part Two provides examples of recent resources from the UN, humanitarian, and the global health/mental health sectors. We finish with some personal reflections on the importance of informed, skilled, and critical partnering for sustainable development. 

5.  GI Update October 2015
Transforming Our World.This Update focuses on the United Nations new sustainable development agenda, Transforming Our World. We begin with materials from the recent events at the United Nations General Assembly in New York related to this Agenda (attended by over 150 world leaders), We believe the materials (videos and documents) will inspire and inform you, and point to relevant ways for greater involvement in our globalizing world. We also include a variety of new materials in this Update primarily from the humanitarian sector and the global mental health domain. We round it off with some perspectives on the importance of personal transformation and faith for sustainable transformation in our world.

4. GI Update August 2015
Faith-Based Partners in Transformation. This Update focuses on the transformational role of the faith-based sector within Global Integration (GI). Religion and faith, as we know,  have a central place for most people in our world—including many “persons and communities of concern,” staff, organizations, governments, and donors. Faith-based people are thus often mainstream contributors and partners–and not marginal players– when it comes to the efforts to transform the world. The emphasis on personal transformation (including virtue and moral integrity) is often an important added contribution from the faith-based sector. We’ve included recent materials on faith-based health care from The Lancet, Pope Francis on the environment (Laudauto Si’), and books and articles. Other materials in this Update include the latest United Nations’ sustainable development agenda (crucial to review!) and several global mental health resources.

3. GI Update June 2015
General–Current and Crucial Resources. The materials include: World Humanitarian Summit, religion and humanitarian action webinar, mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide, the latest UN material on sustainable development (Transforming the World by 2030), reflections on “global integrators.” international psychology news bulletin (American Psychological Association), and the Peace and Collaborative Development website.

2. GI Update April 2015
Understanding the Current Global Context. The materials overview the state of world’s development (items 1-3) and peacebuilding (item 4). The fifth item provides some initial reflections on what it means to be “global integrators.” There is also a “Going further into GI-MH” resource after each item for those interested in applications for global integration-mental health. 

1. GI Update February 2015
Sustainable Development: Common Ground for the Common Good. This is the launch of the first official GI Update (MailChimp), sent to over 1500+ emails. The focus is on providing core information/links for understanding and tracking with sustainable development and the UN sustainable development goals. The Updates’ help us to pursue “the future we want–the people we want to be.”

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Initial Updates (2012-2015)
This section below includes the main GI updates that were initially sent periodically and informally to 10-100 colleagues from 4 July 2012 to 4 February 2015. These 20 updates provide a way to track with the thinking and development of GI, with the topics highlighted in green font being the primary ones which initially dealt with developing GI. Note that starting in February 2015, the first “official” and more public GI Updates began and were sent to 1500+ emails/colleagues.

GI Update 4 February 2015
Topics–UN Year in Review 2014 video and UN Synthesis Report on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (sustainable development); initial descriptions of global integrators; MCA Resource Updates on integrity/courage and core commitments; GI webinars; and recent GMH-related  newsletters/articles.

GI Update 4 November 2014
Topics–launching GI webinars (e.g., MH in low resource settings), sustainable development goals, MGMH newsletter

GI Update 9 September 2014
Topics–suicide and depression (World Suicide Report, video tools for depression, protecting civilians, MH in Liberia, etc.)

GI Update–15 August 2014
Topics–Mental Health Innovation Network (connect/contribute to this new joint effort/website) and the WHO mhGAP Forum (4-5 September in Geneva)

GI Update 25 July 2014
Topics—Organizing GI: Sustainable development goals, World Humanitarian Day, safety for humanitarian workers, self-deception resources

GI Update 2 July 2014
Topics—APA, NIMP, IAAP

GI Update 1 May 21 May and 15 June 2014
Topics—Connecting with six psychologists about developing GMH 1 May 2014, 21 May 2014, 15 June 2014: meeting in Pasadena, some summary perspectives on meeting, ideas for developing GI, presentation ideas for CAPS 2014 on area of “wellbeing”

 GI Update 24 April 2014
Topics—MCA Resource Update on “Doing Mental Health Well”

GI Update 28 March 2014
Topics—ideas to support MH/integration training programs: skype consults, MHPSS,  materials developing GI

GI Update 30 January 2014
Topics—new book, Crossing Sectors for Serving Humanity

GI Update 28 January 2014
Topics—Hidden Pictures, new film on GMH

GI Update 29 August 2013
Topics—unarmed civilian peacekeeping

GI Update 20 August 2013
Topics–WHO Building Back Better, International Humanitarian Day

GI Update 13 August 2013
Topics—new ejournal, Christian Psychology Around the World

GI Update–30 May 2013
Topics—WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020

GI Update–6 May 2013
Topics—faith-based perspectives and humanitarian assistance

GI Update 25 January 2013
Topics—Like a Death Sentence, resource video on GMH

GI Update 23 January 2013
Topics–Mental health and integration—MH Action Plan, CAPS, West Coast USA

GI Update 4 July 2012
Topics–new resources for global mental health orientation

Note: The image at the top (global pearl) is the main image we are use to represent Global Integration. It is a detail from the cover of our edited book, Global Member Care (volume 2): Crossing Sectors for Serving Humanity (2013). William Carey Library.