Living in the middle of the Pacific, thousands of miles from the world’s major metropolises, Hawaii continues to find relevance on the global front. During November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, the islands received attention of world leaders and media from New York to Shanghai. This summer’s Rim of the Pacific marine military exercises have again focused international attention on Hawaii.

From last Wednesday through this Friday, some of the world’s future movers and shakers have descended upon the campus at Punahou School to discuss global health. The two-week intensive program is sponsored by the Student Global Leadership Institute (SGLI), which was originally launched at Punahou in 2010.

SGLI’s purpose is to develop tomorrow’s problem-solvers, specifically a community of international youth leaders who are engaged in shared global challenges and who come together to help effect positive social change. Each year, SGLI focuses on a given theme. The inaugural topic was water security and sustainability. Last year focused on energy. This year’s theme is health.

Global health and the global economy are intricately linked.

"As economies become more interdependent, it is not only the opportunity for wealth creation that is multiplied, but also the opportunity for destabilizing shocks to be transmitted from one country to another," according to the Commission of Global Governance.

Global warming, sea levels, air quality and water shortages are growing issues. It’s estimated that while each of us requires two to four liters of water daily, it takes from 2,000 to 5,000 liters of water to produce the daily food needs of just one individual, especially for meat eaters.

With 7 billion people on the earth and growing, obviously the numbers are mind-boggling.

The potential for pandemics continues to be a major concern. An article in the United Nations publication UN Chronicle states that had the much-feared avian influenza pandemic materialized, the potential global monetary impact would have been upward of $3 trillion, with the loss of tens of millions of lives.

Despite persistent problems with adequate access to food and water, health providers across the globe continue to face an unprecedented increase in obesity (even in China) and related illnesses.

Efforts by SGLI are welcomed and applauded here at home. During a yearlong project implemented during students’ senior year, SGLI engages teens in community service projects that address worldwide issues, including the environment, economics and globalization. Participants are supported by a diverse network of mentors, including faculty, nonprofit leaders and entrepreneurs. The institute’s mission emphasizes building skills such as creative problem-solving, effective collaboration and communication, and understanding multicultural perspectives.

How effective has SGLI been in enticing other schools, both nationally and internationally, to partner with Punahou on the project? Now in only its third year, SGLI’s participating schools include nine from the U.S., four from China, three from Japan and one each from England, Jordan, Singapore and Sweden. More schools are expected to join each year.

Let’s extend to them our heartiest aloha!

Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com.