Merrill Lynch, the multinational financial services giant, has awarded the United Nations Association of the United States of America $7.5 million for a program that works to enhance how young people learn about other countries, world affairs, and economics.

The grant will allow UNA-USA to expand its Global Classrooms initiative to fourteen countries over the next five years and to develop a new curriculum designed to engage students in global trade, finance, and development. Global Classrooms brings the Model UN experience into public high schools and middle schools around the world, enabling students to assume the roles of UN ambassadors and negotiate critical issues such as international security, development, human rights, and environmental protection.

"Merrill Lynch is proud to be a global sponsor and partner with UNA-USA on this critical expansion of Global Classrooms," said Merrill Lynch vice chairman and chief administrative officer Ahmass Fakahany. "The leaders of tomorrow need to be global citizens to compete and succeed in the world economy. The curriculum developed by Merrill Lynch and UNA-USA will provide a foundation of global business knowledge that will be applied and built upon as the students serve as Global Classrooms UN ambassadors."