What does it mean to be a global citizen?

By Cathy Sun.

A global citizen is someone who identifies with being a part of an emerging world community, and whose actions contribute to shaping its values and practices.

A global citizen is someone who fights for justice because he or she has a vision of a better world.

A global citizen is someone who is willingly conscientious and takes action because he or she recognises the need to do something.

A global citizen witnesses the damage wreaked by worldwide environmental factors, feel empathy when he or she reads about humanitarian disasters in other countries, and is saddened by the mass poverty that exists even in the 21st century.

A global citizen values human rights, environmental protection, religious pluralism, gender equity, sustainable worldwide economic growth, poverty alleviation, and humanitarian assistance.

A global citizen connects with other global citizens to mobilise and create change. Together through a collective voice, they advocate at local, national, and global levels for policy and solutions to address issues they see worldwide. They participate in nonprofit and global governance organisations, they adopt and promote changes in behaviour that help protect the environment, they contribute to humanitarian relief efforts, and they celebrate the diversity of humanity in culture and tradition.