This article discusses global education in Finnish basic education with the help of two major publications in the field: the National Core Curriculum (2004) and the Global Education Programme (2007). The core values and goals of these documents are considered in the light of selected learning theories, and ongoing research is presented which relates to the theme. In summary, it is argued that there are several hindrances that prevent global education from becoming part of instruction in the near future. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)