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Get started with global citizenship?

Explore various themes, questions, and principles with the Global Citizenship Circle.

Why Global Citizenship?

Curious to know more? Feel free to send an email to info@wereldburgerschap.community.

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The Global Citizenship Circle includes the key themes of Global Citizenship: peace, security, equality, sustainability, and human rights. The questions, divided into ten themes, encourage participants to reflect on their values and actions in relation to others and the world. Based on the UNESCO guidelines for Global Citizenship, this tool is widely applicable, both in education and informal learning settings. Want to dive deeper into the Global Citizenship Circle? See our FAQs, articles, and background information.

In primary education in the Netherlands, the Global Citizenship Circle is used by the education organization Fawaka.

Principes voor Wereldburgerschap:

iedereen is gelijkwaardig, met elkaar verbonden en samen verantwoordelijk problemen op te lossen

Als Wereldburger...
maak je actief onderdeel uit
van jouw omgeving, de hele
samenleving en de wereld

Domeinen van Wereldburgerschap-competenties:

Working with the Global Citizenship Circle was first rolled out in education in the Netherlands with the educational organization Fawaka.

Why global citizenship?

Global citizenship offers a response to various issues in today’s world. It promotes active participation in one’s own environment, society, and the world/Earth, based on the principles of equality for all people, mutual interdependence, and shared responsibilities. This can be concretized with the Global Citizenship Circle, which includes themes such as Human Rights, Globalization, and Sustainable Development. Competencies related to global citizenship can be divided into the domains of knowledge, attitude, skills, and reflection.

What is Global Citizenship?

Definition & principles

Global citizenship can be defined as:

Active participation in your own environment, society, and the world, with respect for the principles of equality for all people, mutual connections, and shared responsibilities.

Active participation on three levels:

– Your own environment
– Society as a whole
– The world

With respect for three principles:

– All people are equal
– There are mutual connections
– There are shared responsibilities

The three central principles are: an awareness that all people are equal, a consciousness of global interconnections, and a shared responsibility of all people to solve problems, both locally and internationally, together.

Even more important than knowing the principles is acting upon them. If you take global citizenship seriously, it’s not just about knowledge of the world/Earth or a certain attitude, but about translating this into behavior. Essentially, it raises the question: how can you ensure that your impact on others, both near and far — and on the Earth — is not damaging, but positive (in line with “sustainable development”)?

Other languages?

The Global Citizenship poster is currently available in Dutch and English. Interested in implementing the Global Citizenship framework in another language? Feel free to contact us via info@globalcitizenship.community

The global citizenship circle:

Ten themes divided into five theme pairs.

Themes & Inspiring Questions

Below are the 10 global citizenship themes, each accompanied by various inspiring questions.

Identity, Health & Well-being

What makes me unique? What moves and motivates me? How do I want to contribute to society? What are my values?
Can I be healthy, balanced, and happy?
How do I see myself? Who do I fall in love with? And how do I view others?

Diversity & Inclusion

In what ways are we the same and in what ways are we different? How do we respectfully deal with our differences? Do we see differences as strengths?
How can we recognize and counter racism, discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping? What does our constitution demand?
How can we make everything accessible to everyone?

Global Perspectives

How do you see things from your own perspective and from that of others?
What can you learn from all the continents?
How do you, as a part, see the bigger picture? And is the past important?

Inequality & Solidarity

What do you know about distribution, inequality, and exclusion? And how do you handle money?
Can we practice empathy, compassion, and connection?
Can you recognize, name, and challenge injustice?

Safety, Peace & Conflict

How can we cooperate, make friends, and create peace? How can everyone feel safe and comfortable?
How can we have disagreements without violence and differences without arguments? How do we solve conflicts and problems together?
What does it mean to flee for safety? How do international conflicts affect us?

Technology & Media Literacy

Can you understand and use media? And how about your digital literacy & privacy?
What impact does technology have on you and on society?
How can we live together digitally? How do we treat each other online? And what do you know about AI & programming?

Sustainable Development, Planet & Ecosystems

What does it mean to be part of an ecosystem? When do you feel connected to nature and to the Earth?
Are we asking too much from the Earth? How do we make sustainable choices in shops and factories? What are planetary interests & boundaries?
How do you ensure that you do good for people and the environment and do not cause harm?

Globalization & Connections

How are we connected to the entire world? What is the effect of what you and others do?
Is international cooperation important?
What do dependence, fairness, and responsibility mean to you?

Human Rights

Are children’s rights and human rights important?
What does the right to enough money, food, health, and safety mean?
What do freedom, rights, equality, and equal treatment mean?

Democracy, Power, Freedom, Equality

Do you know your rights and duties? What do you know about the rule of law and the constitution?
How do influence, participation, and power work?
What is democracy with freedom, equality, and solidarity? What can you do for a democratic culture?

Projects

Miguel Heilbron is a Global Citizenship expert and developer of the Global Citizenship Circle framework. Originally trained as an engineer and economist, Miguel has spent the past 20 years working with various organizations, projects, and initiatives across Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia. He has taught sustainability and entrepreneurship at Nyenrode New Business School, collaborated with African startup entrepreneurs, and worked at the Netherlands Center for Sustainable Development (NCDO). Feel free to get in touch for more information and reference projects.