Global Citizenship – SS1 Citizenship & Heritage Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

A global citizen is a person who knows they belong to the wider world community and that their actions can affect people far away.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define a global citizen and state the key traits of a global citizen.
2. Explain why global citizenship matters.
3. Describe human rights and give examples of rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
4. Explain sustainability and state ways a global citizen protects the Earth.
5. Suggest practical steps they can take to act as global citizens in their school or community.

Who is a global citizen?

A global citizen is someone who understands that they belong to a wider world community and that their actions, however small, can affect people living thousands of miles away.

• Local identity: in the past, people saw themselves as belonging to a village, town or country, such as a Lagosian or a Nigerian.
• Wider identity: a global citizen adds a sense of belonging to the whole world.
• Mindset: global citizenship is a way of thinking, and it needs no special job or position.

What has made the world a “Global Village”?

The world is called a Global Village because events in one place now affect people everywhere.

• The internet: news, photographs and messages travel across the world in seconds.
• Travel: people, ideas and diseases move quickly between countries.
• Trade: goods and services are bought and sold across borders.

What are the key traits of a global citizen?

A global citizen has three key traits: awareness, respect and responsibility.

• Awareness: they stay informed about what is happening around the world.
• Respect: they value diversity, such as different religions, races and cultures.
• Responsibility: they feel a duty to help make the world a fairer and more peaceful place.

Simple tip: you can love your country and care about the rest of the world too. Being a global citizen does not mean loving your country less.

What is the difference between a national citizen and a global citizen?

A national citizen is a person who belongs to a particular country and enjoys its rights and carries out its duties.

A global citizen is a person who also sees themselves as part of the whole world community and cares about its shared problems.

Why does global citizenship matter?

Global citizenship matters for three main reasons: shared problems, the economy, and peace and security.

1. Shared problems: climate change, pandemics (like COVID-19) and plastic pollution do not stop at borders. We can only fix them by working together.
2. The economy: the phone in your pocket might have parts from China, software from the US and minerals from Africa. Trade connects us all.
3. Peace and security: when we understand other cultures, we are less likely to have conflicts or wars based on misunderstandings.

What are human rights?

Human rights are the basic rights that every person is born with, regardless of where they live.

• Universal: they belong to every person in every country.
• Equal: rich and poor, young and old, all have the same basic rights.
• Protected: a global citizen speaks up when these rights are denied.
• In Nigeria: fundamental human rights are set out in Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution.

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)?

The UDHR is a document created by the United Nations that lists the rights everyone should have.

What is social justice?

Social justice is fair treatment of all people, whatever their background.

• Speaking out: global citizens speak against bullying, racism and unfair treatment of people because they are different.
• Shared freedom: if one person’s rights are taken away, the whole world is a little less free.

How do global citizens protect the planet?

Global citizens protect the planet by acting as stewards of the environment, which means looking after the Earth for everyone.

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is using the Earth’s resources, such as water, wood and oil, carefully so that enough is left for future generations.

• Present need: we use resources to meet today’s needs.
• Future need: we leave enough for our children and grandchildren.

What are the ways a global citizen protects the Earth?

• Reducing waste: using less plastic and recycling when possible.
• Saving energy: turning off lights when leaving a room.
• Saving water: closing taps firmly and not wasting water.
• Planting trees: trees give shade, clean the air and protect the soil.
• Education: teaching others why trees and clean oceans are important.

What can you do to act as a global citizen?

You can act as a global citizen right where you are, in your school or community.

What small steps lead to big change?

1. Read and learn: follow world news and learn about a country you have never visited.
2. Be kind online: the internet is a global space, so spread encouragement and avoid spreading hate.
3. Volunteer: help at a local charity or organise a “clean-up day” in your neighbourhood.
4. Show empathy: try to “walk in someone else’s shoes”. If you meet someone from a different tribe or country, ask about their life instead of judging them.

• “Station Earth”: think of everyone as crew members on one shared station, so helping one another and protecting the planet gives everyone a better life.

Evaluation

1. Define a global citizen.
2. State the three key traits of a global citizen.
3. Name one product you use every day that comes from another country.
4. State two ways a student can use the internet to act as a global citizen.
5. Name one problem in your community that is also a problem in other parts of the world.

Assignment

Write half a page on global citizenship. Explain sustainability in your own words, list three ways a global citizen can protect the Earth, and describe two things you can do in your school or community to act as a global citizen.