Global Citizenship is increasingly important in today’s society  and preparing our children by giving them the opportunities and tools that will enable them to succeed in a global environment – one that is thoroughly connected by modern technology, and economically, socially and politically interdependent – is one of the best ways we can equip them for this interconnected future.

So, the question is, “What does that preparation entail?”

One of the central tenets of global citizenship is Global Citizenship Education (GCED).

In today’s globalised society, our kids will benefit immensely from the ability to communicate and work with a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds, all with varying perspectives and experiences. And since a classroom is in effect a microcosm of a larger world, and one in which we see a lot of diversity of gender, ethnicity and language, it provides a perfect starting point for creating “global competence”.

The overarching requirement of GCED is, first and foremost, to inspire in our children a curiosity of the world and to instil an awareness of, and appreciation for, people across different cultures and in other countries around the globe. We must teach our children not only to understand these cultural differences but to also embrace them.