Qualities Of A Global Citizen Essay

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“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. The things we dwell upon in our minds with affection or take to our hearts in fear are the things that are finally built into our character. The things we think of with love or fear, determine not only our characters, but our circumstances, and our environment as well.”…The wise words of Janine Cunningham….

Good morning brothers and sisters,

Take a moment to think about your journey to school this morning. All the people you passed by amidst the Addis Ababa traffic-the shopkeeper, the bus driver, the traffic police. Did you notice any parallels, any similarities whatsoever between the pedestrians and yourself? Chances are you acknowledged that we’re all human, we’re all one. But perhaps you missed …show more content…

A global citizen is he OR she who not only sees things from a different perspective, but also appreciates that we are all one; Black man, White, Asian or Latin American; human, cow, or dolphin; we all inhabit this good Earth TOGETHER. A global citizen goes beyond the realms of divisions- man-made division; goes beyond the realms of man-made borders as well as mental confinements and stereotypes. A global citizen understands the irrationality of building one’s happiness upon the misery of a fellow human. A global citizen acknowledges the responsibility of thinking and acting for the righteousness of fellow inhabitants of this good Earth.

As Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”. Schools are ideally placed to nurture the growth of global citizens, but far too often these institutions are not utilized to their full potentials. In most places around the world, textbooks and courses deepen social divisions, intensify stereotypes and encourage animosity of other cultures and nationalities; driving students away from being global citizens and uniting in cultural differences. Educational programmes rarely embody marginalized and excluded

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