What Is Global Citizenship?
A Simple Guide to Global Citizenship
Global citizenship means being aware of the wider world—and understanding your place within it. It’s about recognizing how local actions can have global impacts, and working together to create a more peaceful, fair, and sustainable planet.
As defined by Oxfam, a global citizen is someone who takes an active role in their community and contributes to a better world.
Core Values of Global Citizenship
What do Global Citizens Believe In?
Global citizenship isn’t just a concept—it’s a mindset shaped by values like empathy, sustainability, and fairness. Global citizens recognize how their choices affect others and the planet, and they strive to engage with the world in respectful, responsible ways.
Here are a few guiding principles that shape what it means to live as a global citizen: interconnectedness, respect for cultural diversity, equity and justice, environmental sustainability, and active participation.
Global Citizenship vs. Other Ideas
How Is It Different from Volunteering or Just Traveling?
Global citizenship is often confused with similar ideas like volunteering abroad, being well-traveled, or practicing cultural appreciation. While these experiences can support global citizenship, they don’t define it.
What sets global citizenship apart is intentional awareness and responsibility—not just where you go or what you do, but how you think about your role in the world. It's about engagement, not tourism; reflection, not just action.
Here’s how it differs from other common terms:
• Traveling: Global citizenship isn’t about the number of countries visited, but about how we connect with people and cultures when we get there.
• Volunteering: Service without awareness can become “voluntourism.” Global citizenship adds ethics, humility, and partnership.
• Cultural Appreciation: While respect and interest are great starting points, global citizenship involves deeper learning, listening, and advocacy.
Practicing Global Citizenship
What Does It Look Like in Action?
Global citizenship isn’t a title you earn—it’s something you practice, often in small but meaningful ways. It’s about showing up with awareness, listening before acting, and making choices that reflect care for both people and planet. Here are just a few ways it can show up in everyday life:
- Travelers choose locally owned accommodations, reduce their environmental impact, and engage respectfully with cultures different from their own.
- Families explore new places with curiosity, talk about cultural differences with their children, and reflect together on what they learn.
- Volunteers participate with humility, work alongside local communities, and prioritize learning as much as doing.
- Lifelong learners seek out diverse perspectives, read widely, ask better questions, and take meaningful action on global issues.
Practicing global citizenship isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention.
Explore Further
Resources for Learning and Action
Want to dive deeper into global citizenship? Whether you’re preparing for a trip, planning to volunteer, or simply curious about how to engage more meaningfully with the world, these resources can help.
• [Our Pedagogical Approach →] Learn how we design learning experiences rooted in reflection, cultural understanding, and community partnership.
• [Learning Portal →] Explore articles and tips about Costa Rica, ethical travel, and cultural immersion.
• UNESCO on Global Citizenship → Global standards for education and international cooperation.
• Oxfam: What Is Global Citizenship? → Simple, action-oriented resources from a leader in global education.
•Upcoming Blog Post: How Travel Cultivates Global Citizenship