Our Mission 

Founded by William L. Breese, the Longview Foundation for World Affairs and International Understanding has been helping young people in the United States learn about world regions and global issues since 1966.

At the dawn of the 21st century, knowledge of other peoples, economies, languages and international affairs has become a necessity for every child. Eliminating global poverty, solving international conflicts, working in new markets, and addressing global health and environmental problems require international knowledge and cooperation. And in our increasingly diverse communities in the United States, knowledge of other cultures is essential to strengthening our own democracy.

The skill set required to prepare tomorrow's citizens for the global age must go beyond the “the basics” and even beyond the growing emphasis on science, math, and technology skills. Today's students need opportunities to gain broad and deep global knowledge and the language and intercultural skills to engage effectively with people around the corner and around the world.

Funding Initiatives

To ensure that students from pre-school to high school have the opportunity to develop this crucial 21st century expertise, the Longview Foundation supports:

• State coalitions of leaders in education, government, business and community organizations committed to improving international education for young people in their state.
• Strategies that help future teachers learn to teach the global dimensions of their subjects and develop their students' intercultural skills.
• Innovative activities that address gaps in knowledge or capacity and have the potential for broad impact.