CUMBERLAND-YORK COUNTY – The World Affairs Council of Maine has launched a new Global Speakers Bureau program. This new initiative brings geography, social studies and world languages to life for Maine students.

The program provides teachers with a variety of speakers willing to share real world applications of social studies and world languages with local students.

The Speakers Bureau is made up of Maine residents with extensive international backgrounds, including former UN and World Bank officials, diplomats, foreign language speakers, international business people and academics.

These experts can speak on a variety of topics, ranging from the Israel-Palestine conflict to global energy concerns to recent events in Russia and Ukraine, along with women’s issues in developing countries and more.

“The world is increasingly interconnected, and Maine schools have recognized the need to encourage students to think globally,” said Amy Holland, World Affairs Council executive director. “As part of that effort, we want to provide Maine teachers with a tool to enrich their social studies and world languages curricula.”

To learn more about the Speakers Bureau or to request a speaker for your classroom, contact Holland at holland@wacmaine.org.

Maine high school teachers and businesses are also encouraged to contact the World Affairs Council of Maine, at www.wacmaine.org, for more information about the next Maine Academic WorldQuest contest, to be held on Feb. 4, 2015.