The Concept
In fact, global citizenship as a concept has very little to do with the geographic location or any territorial boundary, instead it is all about the mindset. It is far less about individuals and more about their outlook on the world. It envisages within its connotation a universal appeal as well as a genuine concern for humanity at large. It prepares people to be woven in one common thread of humanity. It means, for example, being concerned about the human rights of our fellow human beings. It also implies that one is concerned about the fact that, this morning, 150 million children did not go to school, because they have no school to go to and that, tonight, one out of five people will go to bed with an empty stomach. Being a "global citizen" also means being aware of the fact that our decisions as consumers can sometimes have an important impact on the lives and livelihoods of people in other parts of the world. It means asking questions about the food we eat and the clothes we buy: where were they made and under what conditions? Are the workers getting their fair share of the profits? Our world has experienced globalization in the areas of trade, finance, communications, even, to some extent, culture. But we have yet to develop a sense of global identity that matches this new global environment. This is not to say that local, regional or national forms of identity should be abandoned. But globalization will only bring peace and shared wealth if, alongside the globalization of trade and markets, we develop a sense of global solidarity. |
