New Zealand Centre for Global Studies; Global Citizenship Report

March 2014

Contributors: Isabella Brown, Tremayne Reid, Katrina Seno, Sedef Duder-Ozyurt, Amanda Ngo, Benjamin Huxford, Nardos Tilahun, Isabella

Lenihan-Ikin

Statement of IntentWe are a group of young New Zealanders ranging from ages 15 to 18 with a common interest in global citizenship.Our interest for global citizenship has stemmed from our passion and involvement in social and environmental justice groups and organisations. The purpose of this report is to inform and inspire other young people to engage in the notion of global citizenship. In doing so we want to transform this seemingly contradictory phrase to one that is tangible and able to be understood. The 21st Century paradigm shift in which is changing our society into one that uses collaboration and creative thinking to address issues, needs to be the driver in transforming our insular national perspectives into global outlooks. It is imperative that we institute this transition in the light of current environmental, social, economical and political issues that need to be addressed in a united manner. As we will further explain uniting in a global manner involves all societies working

together not just small groups of countries working internationally.

We want to live in a global society - let’s ensure it happens in our lifetime.

Global Citizenship and National CitizenshipGlobal citizenship, at first glance, may seem like an oxymoron. Citizenship, on the surface, is the legal act of belonging to a state or nation. As the globe is not a state, one may ask how it is possible to be a global citizen. What we must do in order to prove the existence of global citizenship, is look deeper into the definition of national citizenship.

We believe national citizenship is the loyalty, connection and identity to one nation state and its ruling body. Across the world, citizenship is officially recognised as a legal status/is a legal state of being…. In New Zealand, a period of four years is required as proof of an understanding of the responsibilities and privileges associated with this country. Citizenship, then, is founded on the identification that one feels with a country, and confirmed by the law. Global citizenship, although not confirmed by law, is defined by the values and loyalty to the globe as an entity; an understanding and acceptance of our universal morals and responsibilities.

To us, global citizenship encompasses five main concepts. Accepting universal values and responsibilities, acting for the common good, understanding diversity, being proactive to improve the world, and honouring this global promise regardless of others' actions.

What unifies a people is a common understanding of what our purpose and goals are. Communities are formed from groups of people who share commonalities of many different aspects. Even though we are all part of communities made up of our cities, countries and ethnicities, it is crucial to remember that one undeniable commonality that we share as humans is that our home is planet Earth. As this is a given, there are universal values and morals that we share despite our location on Earth. In fact, we have more similarities than we do difference. These truth of this can be seen in the Earth Charter, a document written by tens of thousands of civilians, united by their understanding of universal moral truths. In order to be a global society, it is vital we recognise and uphold these values to ensure we have the same purpose (the betterment of the world as a whole) in mind.

By the same token, we as global citizens have universal responsibilities. We gain benefits from being part of a global community, thus we have the responsibility to uphold the values of this community. What we gain from living on Earth, we must repay by respecting our natural environment. The privilege of having human rights means we have the responsibility to uphold them for others. Essentially, global citizenship requires individuals to become leaders. The issues we face today will not simply fix themselves; our world needs innovation, initiative and pro activeness. Currently, this is not coming from nation states. Instead, it is the responsibility of the global citizen.

Multinational corporations today have manipulated the idea of 'public good'. Governments, motivated by economic advancement, are often guilty of putting on a positive front to citizens, but

in reality, acting in economic self interest. While this seems to advance a society, the selfish mindset leads to... A key aspect of a global citizen is that people act for the common good, as opposed to for their own good at the expense of others. Everything we do to benefit ourselves, we must make sure also benefits others. Only when people have the wellbeing of others and the planet in mind and we move past our selfishness, can we progress in solving issues which affect everyone such as climate change. What global citizens should have is a goal of symbiotic relationships: between humans, between countries, and nature.

While we share the commonality of being a human on the planet, we have differences based on the situations into which we are born and raised (for example, location, language, culture). A community which accepts the differences of each individual nurtures its citizens to fulfill their true potential. The global community full of global citizens should celebrate diversity to ensure sections of society are not excluded.

The final and most important aspect of global citizenship is a concept of trust and honouring of the promise we make to other human beings and to the planet. As so often happens with treaties (essentially agreements based on common values), one party violates the terms and conditions due to the their own personal interests. The other party, left betrayed, then violates the agreement to the same or greater extent. Global citizenship is founded on a trust that people will retain the values of a global citizen regardless of actions of others. Even the process of negotiation to centralise these values in treaties, global or otherwise, can result in this trust being built.

Every person has the potential to be a global citizen. It requires an understanding of universal values and responsibilities, an acceptance of diversity, a goal for symbioses and common good, a proactive leadership mindset, and an honouring of a global values and truths. In essence, a global citizen should relate to the world as they relate to their country.

Rights of a National Citizen compared with Rights of a Global CitizenThe New Zealand Bill of Rights Act (NZBRA) 1990 covers the fundamental rights found in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Its aim is to affirm, promote and protect fundamental freedoms in New Zealand, and thus applies to all citizens of New Zealand and all people visiting New Zealand. It is a… to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which New Zealand is committed. Thus in a legal sense, a person has much the same rights as a citizen of New Zealand as they do a human being. Because of this harmony, it should be a conflict-free concept to consider oneself both a citizen of a nation, and a global citizen.

Below are basic fundamentals of both the UDHR and NZBRA:

New Zealand Bill of Rights key headings● Life and the security of the person● Democratic and civil rights● Non-discrimination and minority rights● Search, arrest, and detention

● Criminal procedure● Right to justice

Some of the rights in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights● Right to Life, Liberty and Personal Security● Right to recognition as a person before the law● Right to be considered innocent until proven guilty● Right to free movement in and out of a country● Right to marriage and family● Right to peaceful assembly and association

Question 1: What would a global world look like according to us?

‘I do well for myself which enables good for others. This is the makings of a global society, this is the making of a connected one.’ – NZGCS 2014 Youth

A global world in a social sense is the universal community sharing the same intentions, ambitions, morals and ethics as well as endorsed core values that we can all recognize and relate our individual lives that also affects others. This world will prosper and flourish with ideas that will benefit the global community and not a singular entity or nation state. A global understanding of different cultures and minorities will be prevalent in this community. Since human beings are more accepting of other cultures, and the desire to be and act as a global citizen make language barriers not as large of an issue. Although these hindrances will still be present, we must not treat it as a limitation to this interconnected society, but rather, a celebration of cultural diversity, which is an integral part of the universe. There will a global culture in which different nation states and its people will find a common ground that will be defined as this global society becomes fully indulged in the growth of the global community. Politically, this global community will unite for a good purpose and ‘end’ situation. These politically globally connected states will not be shape based on drastic circumstances that previously defined the political structures of the past. Decisions will be made through a proper and politically correct process partly decided by the people for the people in the global community. There will be a possibility of a new innovative way of politics that takes into consideration various aspects that defines our way of life as a global citizen (eg. the eco-system, core and universal values, global economy). This will be a significant change from our current politics that work towards a common goal but from opposing ideas of different ideologies. (Same boat analogy for the common issues). In the global age, taking into consideration that we are that we are part of the ecosystem, it will enable us to combat critical environmental issues that we struggle to resolve today. We expect

human beings, as they are part of the ecosystem, to be more mindful, more purposeful and more conscious of the environment in a global sense. Environmental importance is not state-based or of land-area based but globally based, as since we are connected it will affect us all. (An example could be the Brazil Deforestation Issue)

In terms of economics in a global community, freedom to travel in different nation states will be less strict (eg. no visas), however a nation state must still protect their country from possible threats that includes both humane and environment. Economics will have a massive shift in this connected global world, which is too explicit and comprehensive to fully understand in our current age. However, one must know that the future of economics in this world will not singularly be driven by finance – should not be singularly drive by finance. A good example, we think, is that the world will adopt the ‘doughnut economics’ model (see annex 1). This model shows how these big dynamics, the social foundations and the environmental ceilings; need to work together to achieve peaceful coexistence in the ecosystem. This model could be refined in other aspects of global life.

Question 2: To what extent is our world global? Do we live in a global age?

It is common belief in modern society that our world has progressed from a nationalised to a globalised society, and to a certain extent this is true.

A large number of developments have occurred in the last century, as humanity has increasingly faced issues that transcend national borders, such as inter-continental wars, climate change and international financial dependency – leading to the formation of international organisations like the UNO, Amnesty International, Greenpeace and many others who have a global and humanitarian focus and not constrained by national boundaries.

Of course, the technological advances of the last century can’t be ignored. The rapid growth in the use of digital devices have almost dominated our perspective of our current globalised world. Our access to media, entertainment, and networking have been globally enhanced using technology like radio, television, and the internet. Through this we have become significantly more aware of what is occurring in other parts of the world. We are able to not only observe these people, places and events, but also communicate ideas, look at different perspectives and influence people as though we are right there with them. And if this is not enough, through aviation advances we are able to go to those very places, and physically contribute, fraternise and impact anywhere we wish on this planet.

International corporations are also able to do this en masse – extracting and distributing resources and products anywhere on the globe – facilitating global economic connections and consumerism – making all economies directly and indirectly involved and dependent on each other. One of thousands of examples from around the world could include coffee bean farmers in Ethiopia supplying coffee beans to Starbucks that produces and distributes coffee to millions of people

around the world – several of whom live in China and happen to be key developers in farm engineering industries.

All of these political, technological and economic advances have turned us into a cosmopolitan society that has some understanding, tolerance and awareness of other cultures and perspectives. Yet this is only a small part of the arduous journey of humanity in creating a global society that would encourage global focus on development and sustainability. All around the world, the far majority of cultures, societies and nation-states fail to co-operate under these global values – due to individualistic and nationalistic mindsets, and do not understand what it means to be part of a global community.

As they continue to ignore their global responsibility, all of these economic, technological, and political advances that have the ability to bring us together into a global community have been used for individualistic and nationalistic purposes at the expense of everyone else.

Question 3: Should there be a global sovereign? If so, who or what should it be?

The word ‘Sovereign’ is defined as having ‘supreme rank, power, or authority’. We believe that there should not be a global sovereign whether it be in the form of an individual or a body of people. This is because the group of people/ Individual would have to be completely free of any biased views and to some degree relinquish their individual rights in order to be truly effective, and we believe that this is not a realistic capacity that anyone is able to posses. Having a global sovereign allows too much room for an autocratic rule to ensue and a possible wielding and abuse of extreme power by multinational corporations or superpower states. Therefore the solution, if we were to have a global sovereign, would be in the form of a sort of constitution as opposed to an institution; a body of values as opposed to a body of people. This constitution, in order to be respected, must acknowledge all identities, ethnicities, cultures and religion, but above all it must be devised by citizens of the world and signed by nation states as if it were a Global Citizenship treaty. The constitution would aim to align individual interests with global citizenship interests, as only in doing so will people be convinced of the importance of becoming global citizens.

The global constitution that we are describing could be fashioned in a similar way to the Earth Charter; created not by Governments or Corporations, but by people. We strongly believe that if people contribute to the creation of the constitution and feel connected to the outlined values, they will then respect and adhere to it. This may sound naive, but having a sense of belonging is extraordinarily profound. In fact, this process of consultation will prove far more valuable than the outcome of having a global constitution. Through the experience, trust between individuals and countries will form and strengthen, as well as ideas and solutions to addressing global issues will spark and hopefully reach fruition.

We recognise the importance for this constitution to be able to move with the globe to ensure that it does not become quickly outdated with this rapidly changing world.

This global constitution will be enforced by the goodwill of people as people will see that it is in their best interest to subscribe to these values. Because people will adopt and subscribe to these values, it will eventuate into a cultural practice. Therefore, requiring no legal enforcement by any form of institution, as we assume that all countries interpret it with the same integrity.

It is imperative that the world unites under the formation of a global constitution. The formation of this constitution will act to prevent our globe being ruled and dominated by autocratic or plutocratic powers, as it will be created by the people, for the people. In the process of establishing this constitution, people will gain an understanding of the collaborative, global approach that must be at the core of all decision making. In doing so, it surfaces the notion of global citizenship and provides an example of how we can successfully unite as a globe.

See Annex 2

Question 4: In your life time (during the 21st century), do you expect the world to unite politically? Under what conditions do you see this happening?

To us, political unification means governments of nations across the globe working cooperatively with each other toward a common purpose or goal (such as taking action against climate change). Essentially, it is the decentralisation of power, and the centralisation of values. Bearing this in mind, the majority of us came to the conclusion that it was unrealistic for such a unification to happen in our current climate. The first issue , is that political unification is too much of difficulty even in individual countries. A classic example is the U.S, who has two parties with such strong opposing viewpoints that progress toward solving an issue or goal is slow ,if at all. How can we expect the world to unite politically if this is too much of a mean feat on a much smaller scale?The second issue is the practical one of systems being unable to combine due to their extreme differences. It is hard to imagine North Korea and the U.S, or any country with working democracy and one which is lead by dictatorship, uniting politically because the basic values of their respective political systems are so opposing.

Given our opinion that the world could not unite politically as it is currently, we discussed under what conditions, however idealistic, that it could. We decided that, first and foremost, humans would have to genuinely view themselves as global citizens.: people of the world., not just of a nation, religion, ethnicity. Once this belief had been cemented into the values of each respective country, their governments would hopefully be a true representation of their country’s morals and as a result display signs of thinking about their political position globally as opposed to competitively. However, the process of changing the mindset of the whole of humanity organically would be an

incredibly slow process. Only specific instances where the world would have to fight against a common enemy, such as an alien invasion or an increased threat of climate change could shake us into rethinking our position as humans extremely quickly. Assuming that such a serious threat would not come within this century, we don’t expect the world to unite politically in our lifetimes.

Do You Identify With all of Humanity? Do You Want A Global Passport? Would You Die For The UN?

Answers from each member of the group individually, on one or more sub-parts of the question:

Sedef:

In all honesty, I cannot say that I identity with the entire human race. - and nor, I think, can many people. As humans we have a strong need for the feeling of inclusiveness or unity that comes with identifying ourselves as part of a group. Whether this is in our nature , or is a direct result of how we have been conditioned to think, is up for debate, but one undeniable fact is that we create groups of ‘us’ and ‘them’ where ever we are: the people who are like us and can be trusted, and the people who are different. The problem with identifying with other humans is that there is no ‘them’ group to compare ourselves to, meaning that our groups with which we identify with are much smaller. As with any negative mentality (think of sexism or racism), the time taken to alter people’s mindsets is a very long process, and it is my belief that we are only just in the beginning stages of creating a huge shift in the way that people view their identity. Currently, we base identity on our loyalty to many things . On a small scale this may be our school, and on bigger levels our nation, ethnicity, gender or religion. Not yet do we , nor I, identify with one another globally.

Isabella

I do not feel connected to everyone on this planet. Nor do I feel that it is imperative that we all feel a sense of connectedness in order for us to become Global Citizens. To me, global citizenship is about creating a set of individual values that we can translate to our local, regional, national and global communities. I do not feel that we all have to be the same in order to work together globally, I feel that we have to harness the cultural differences between us and embrace indigenous and colonial perspectives, in order to move forward progressively as a globe. I would love a global passport. It would overcome the nationalistic barriers that are preventing us from acknowledging that we are all members of this community and are all living on this one planet and thus we should have the ability to travel and live in any country. I cannot foresee myself dying for a particular institution or organisation; I see myself only dying for a cause. This means that I would not choose to die for the United Nations, but I would potentially choose to die for a cause that the UN was endorsing. The notion of Global Citizenship is becoming the new “buzz word”, however as it gains popularity I want to ensure that others do not mistake it for “sameness” as it is the complete antithesis of this. Global Citizenship is about embracing differences and using these differences to ensure that we are globally united, under the same vision, as people.

Amanda:

Every single human being has the same basic needs and makeup, however in our increasingly materialistic world, it is easy to lose this fundamental connection with each other. I cannot identify with all of humanity because we define ourselves by our differences – we segregate ourselves and forget how much we have in common. To shift towards unity, we must identify a common cause which rises above individual differences. It is my belief that this unity does not come from homogeneity. Just as it is important that people retain their cultures and religions, I believe it is important that people retain their national identity, although not exclusive of a global identity. From a sense of belonging to a nation and being a part of the culture and traditions, one can build a sense of belonging to the globe. A global passport, while upholding the right to freedom of travel, could cause a sense of rootlessness which hinders this belonging. It is in the name of a common cause that unites humanity that I would die. I would not sacrifice myself for patriotic pride, nor for any cause tainted by national politics, but to preserve the rights and values of humanity as a whole.

Trey:

There are so many things that define who we are as humans. Gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, political party, sports team affiliations, and all of our other group memberships, large and small are all cliques and labels to define who we are as humans. Therefore it is quite hard to connect and understand different distinct groups. There are some people who are less concerned with group distinctions but then again might not be supportive of other groups. However it is possible to identify with all of humanity, during the holocaust, humanity joined forces and at that time could understand each other and the different groups that define us broke and crossed barriers with each other, when a natural disaster strikes, we offer resources and time to help the country and its people in need. Therefore I believe I can identify with all of humanity and also believe it is possible to love all of humanity, but still understand that love and get along are two distinct definitions. A global passport is a nice idea and a definitely achievable but also something that a person can only focus on when their own basic physical and psychological needs are met. It is only the privileged who have the time and resources to concern themselves with the idea of a global passport but it is those same people who want a fairer world with more rights, therefore I do like and want a global passport. It would allow people to make more of a difference internationally. The ability to fly over to a different country without a long process will expand the human races capabilities. A global passport would allow people to help other people reach their own basic physical and psychological needs and could be the catalyst that develops and global world.Lastly I think if people are to die for the United Nations in order to achieve humanity’s goals of say – having a global passport, we are not making any progress at all. Every major defining moment in history that brought humans and nation states together were in result of a disaster or crisis. Becoming a global citizen should be more about the process of ‘becoming’, during that process, you try to understand everyone’s perspectives and their values whether it may be personal or apart of distinct group. During that process you become globally aware and enlightened and that is the best thing forward if we want to achieve global citizenship. Therefore I would not die for the UN under

these conditions. I believe no one should have to lose their life to achieve a more globally connected world, rather we should approach it in a more peaceful way, If we are to go about achieving a global world made of global citizens, we have to achieve it genuinely without bloodshed and suffering. We will know we have become apart of this global world when we can agree on core values and develop those values in a peaceful and fair way.

Izzy : Personally I do not believe that in my lifetime, or in the near future a ‘global passport’ will be such a thing. Mainly due to the fact that many issues keep us apart, whether it is a person’s religion, or where they are placed geographically. However, in the far future I believe there is a possibility. The world’s resources are not going to last forever, and through natural disasters and potentially cultural disasters the world may need to unite in some way or another. Naturally, I am unsure whether I would want a global passport in the 21st century, as a natural instinct for humans during this lifetime, I would simply not trust others to hold a global passport in case of ulterior motives, whatever they may be. Would a global passport also mean that I lose my New Zealand passport? Something that is so incredibly important in my identity and a country that I am so proud to be apart of and support?

As for if I identify with all of humanity? Yes and no, the base values of all religions are so similar, yet are portrayed and taken so wrongly by many around the globe. These base values that we all hold makes me feel connected to another teenage girl on the other side of the world. However our lives are so vastly different that I do not identify myself as so similar to many others alive at this time.

Katrina: Humans are 97% alike with one another, the problem is we mostly focus on the 3%. May it be human nature to see our differences rather than our similarities, I personally, do not identify with all of humanity. Each and every person has a different story to tell, different language to speak and a different perspective on life. That 3% makes us different from one another, and while sometimes it may cause conflicts, it also brings about individuality in human beings. While I do believe we share the same human rights and the same planet, that 3% is still a big of a gap to fully identify with all of humanity.

I do not think a global passport will be beneficial today. We dedicate all our lives to belong in a specific group, a specific entity that fully uniting as a global world will be difficult and full of complications, however it is not impossible, I just believe that it will take a long time to get there. We are still in a period where we discover, accept and compromise on situations. Thus, a global passport will be problematic in this age. Our patriotism to our country is still rootly ingrained to us, it has always been an ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude ever since the beginning of civilisation. It will surely take a longer time to view the world ‘us’ and no ‘them’.

While the United Nations is doing incredible work to bring about unity not only within countries, but within people, one must remember that the UN is only a model of what the world can be in the

future. I personally, would not die for the United Nations , as that what it is: a model. A model that is, unfortunately, mixed with politics that is frankly not working anymore. Nations in the UN are still thinking in the ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality. They are thinking of what will benefit their country and not humanity. I will fight and die for the world as a whole. I will fight for the goodness of humanity, freedom, human rights and core values, but no, I will not fight for an organisation.

Nardos

To a certain extent yes. It’s hard to say that I am able to identify with all humanity, as there are numerous things that define us as people and individuals. The world is full of diverse cultures and beliefs, and no two people are completely the same, in terms of having the same background, personality or ideology. Very seldom do we say that we can truly identify with another individual without having any knowledge of who they are, their opinions or their actions. We have been able to recognize that we share universal principles and values, and that we all have basic needs that must be met in order to survive (i.e. food, shelter and clean water). However these alone have yet so far not been enough to truly unite us as citizens of the Earth.

Ben:

According to statistical analysis every human being on this earth is at most 50th cousins with one another -- yet despite this among all our globalisation and interconnections, we still think ill of one another, and act in ways that are unsustainable for both the earth’s and our own survival: where humanity is motivated not by what is good and right, but selfishness. I cannot in any way identify with this behaviour. Yet in the midst of all this, we can see hope in the words and actions of many people ready to build a new culture of humanity; one that views humanity, the earth and all that is in it from a holistic viewpoint -- encompassing symbiotic relationships and having common goals that benefit everyone.

Annex 1: Doughnut Economics

Kara Ratworth - http://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/

Annex 2: 10 Steps to Becoming A Global Citizen:

Step 1. RECOGNIZE THE GLOBAL PART OF WHO YOU ARE: All of our lives have become

globalized; whether through the Internet, the way in which we’re impacted by the global economy;

our desire to provide humanitarian assistance to disaster victims in countries other than our own;

or even in our love of world art,music, food, and travel. We all have a part of us that is global.

Examine your own life, recognize its global dimension, and reflect on how that affects your view of

the world.

Step 2. EXPAND YOUR DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY: Because of the many ways in which

countries and people are now so interconnected, we all are now part of an emerging world

community. This doesn’t mean that we have to give up being a member of other communities, e.g.,

our town, our country, our ethnicity. It means that we have another community—the world

community—to which we now belong. Find ways to celebrate your connection to this community.

Step 3. DISCOVER THE VALUES OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY: Every community needs to have

values, and the world community is no exception to this rule. The values of the world community

reflect the moral ideals that most of us believe in as the basis for human existence; for example

human rights, religious pluralism, participatory governance, protection of the environment, poverty

reduction, sustainable economic growth, elimination of weapons of mass destruction, prevention

and cessation of conflict between countries, humanitarian assistance, and the preservation of the

world’s cultural diversity. Take stock of your belief in these values. Are you aware of ways in which

the world as a whole is trying to live by them?

Step 4. BECOME AWARE OF GLOBAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMS: Whether you realize it or not,

all around you, policies and programs are being developed to help govern our emerging world

community. Such policies range in scope from international treaties that ban the spread of nuclear

weapons to administrative rules and regulations governing the internet. Learn about these policies

and programs by subscribing to publications such as GCitizen, the Newsletter of The Global

Citizens’ Initiative (www.theglobalcitizensinitiative.org).

Step 5. ENGAGE WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TRYING TO GOVERN THE WORLD: As

a global citizen you should try and build awareness about the different organizations, which are

making the policies shaping our world community. These organizations include international

agencies, like the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund, legal tribunals like the

World Court and the International Criminal Court, international professional associations like the

The International Federation of Accountants or the International Civil Aviation Organization, and

transnational corporations like Starbucks, Hindustan Lever, and Smith/Kline/Glaxo. Try to learn

about and engage with these organizations and make sure that they are operating in accordance

with the values we perceive to be important.

Step 6. PARTICIPATE IN AN ADVOCACY EFFORT FOR GLOBAL CHANGE: Sign petitions, join

demonstrations, contribute funds, and explore other ways of advocating for global change. As global

citizens we need to join together to express the fact that people across the planet share common

views when it comes to basic values such as human rights, environmental protection, and the

banning of weapons of mass destruction. The Global Citizens’ Initiative (TGCI) is an organization

that provides information and opportunities for global citizens to join together and advocate for

change.

Step 7. HELP ENSURE YOUR COUNTRY’S FOREIGN POLICY PROMOTES GLOBAL VALUES:

Global citizens also are citizens of the countries in which they were born and live. As such we have

the ability to influence the positions that our countries take on global issues. We need to help

ensure that our country’s foreign policy supports the building of equitable global solutions to world

problems; solutions that work for all countries. So let your government know how you feel by

supporting leaders who want their countries to become engaged with the world, not isolated from

it.

Step 8. PARTICIPATE IN ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO BUILD WORLD COMMUNITY: There

are all sorts of organizations making important contributions to our emerging world community—

NGOs, global action networks, international professional associations, transnational corporations,

and others. They work on a range of issues related to the values of our world community—ranging

from human rights to world arts and culture. Pick one, any one that relates to an issue in which you

are interested, and get involved.

Step 9. NURTURE A LIFESTYLE THAT SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT: The

environmental movement has taught us a great deal about how everyday lifestyles and behaviors

can have an impact on the quality of life on our planet. The types of transportation we use, how we

heat or cool our homes, the types of clothes we wear and the food we eat all affect our quality of life.

As global citizens we need to adopt environmentally responsible behaviors in the ways we live.

Step 10. SUPPORT WORLD ART, MUSIC, AND CULTURE: Being a global citizen is also a

celebration of the many different arts and cultures of our people. Take time to learn the ways in

which different cultures give expression to the human spirit.

The Global Citizens initiative - http://www.kosmosjournal.org/other-article/10-steps-to-

becoming-a-global-citizen/