What are the challenges of embracing and embedding a Global Citizenship approach across Scotland and the wider world? At IDEAS, this question is at the very heart of our membership – we are a group of organisations and individuals who work to embed Global Citizenship Education across Scotland. We are so excited to explore this topic and launch Ten Days of Action at the Alliance conference on the 20th September.
Now more than ever, Global Citizenship plays a vital role in addressing and solving the issues we face globally. The impacts of climate change, COVID-19 and inequality on an international scale are the inescapable top stories of news outlets worldwide and a terrifying reality for an ever increasing number of individuals living in our shared world. Global Citizenship can and will help. It’s an approach that nurtures personal respect and respect for others, wherever they live. It encourages individuals to think deeply and critically about what is equitable and just, and what will minimise harm to our planet. And according to recent research, Scotland is leading the way when it comes to embedding Global Citizenship values in our young people.
Pupils in Scotland have higher than average awareness of global issues, according to an international survey. Data from the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) on ‘global competence’ – the ability to examine global and intercultural issues and understand and appreciate different perspectives – also found pupils in Scotland have very positive attitudes towards immigrants and respect for people from other parts of the world. It’s with our young people and their values and future in mind that IDEAS is coordinating a digital campaign to celebrate Global Citizenship across Scotland – Ten Days of Action.
Ten Days of Action #GlobalCitizenshipScot is our digital campaign to celebrate Global Citizenship across Scotland from 20th – 30th September. Everyone in Scotland is invited to take part. It’s a chance to showcase the brilliant work going on in your setting towards a fairer Scotland that respects universal values such as peace, sustainability and upholding the human rights and dignity of all people. We want our collective voice to be heard at a national level to ensure that Global Citizenship continues to be an integral aspect of Scottish policy and way of life long into the future.
We want it to be as easy as possible for you to join in with Ten Days of Action – whether you work in Education, Government, at an organisation level or as an individual, getting involved is simple:
- Share your Global Citizenship work, ideas and inspiration using the hashtag #GlobalCitizenshipScot on Twitter.
- Make a Global Citizenship pledge – either download and illustrate your own and/or fill in the digital form for a digital pledge graphic you can share on your social media.
- Download the activity pack (you can download the school specific activity pack if you work in education). The pack includes resources for all levels of Scottish education exploring Global Citizenship themes such as climate justice, rights, gender equality and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Download the comms pack for access to social media graphics, shareable facts and more!
You can showcase your work and make a digital Global Citizenship pledge at any time during the Ten Days of Action. We want to get a digital conversation going around the importance of Global Citizenship and how it can inspire, encourage and effect change both locally and globally. To do this, we want to hear from voices across Scottish society. If you’re a classroom teacher embedding the Global Goals in your lessons, you are engaging young people in Global Citizenship Education. If you’re part of an organisation working towards a more just and sustainable world, locally or globally, then you’re spreading Global Citizenship values and ethos across Scottish society and the wider world. If you’re an individual passionate about a fairer future for Scotland and the wider world, you’re taking a Global Citizenship approach to living in our shared world.