Our definition of active global citizens and core educational principles:
AFS defines active global citizens as human beings whose informed, compassionate, and ethical compass drives them to lead lives and make decisions that contribute to a more just, equitable, peaceful and sustainable world. The key characteristics of this definition build on the longstanding AFS educational approach and serve as core guiding principles in the development and implementation of all our educational programs and offers:
- Whole-person approach: Active global citizenship intertwines socio-emotional, cognitive and ethical dimensions of a person’s human development.
- Applicable across all AFS audiences: Active global citizens are more than just our participants. They also include AFS families, teachers, volunteers and staff.
- A compass for individual and collective decision-making: This metaphor suggests an internalized mindset that guides a person’s decision-making in daily life pointing to the advancement of a more just, equitable, peaceful and sustainable life on the planet for all.
- An emphasis on “becoming” and life-long personal transformation: Developing such a compass is more than showcasing knowledge about the world or having a skill, it is about becoming a kind of person— socio-emotionally, cognitively and ethically— able to make “good” decisions, keeping others and the planet in mind.
- Rooted in experiential learning and leaving one's comfort zone: The mindsets and dispositions for active global citizenship are typically developed through experiences characteristic of in-depth and extensive engagement with differences or a given issue - in a new culture or context, for example. These experiences often involve leaving one's comfort zone in a structured and guided manner, that encourages experimentation and practice based on insights gained from experience and reflection.
- A view of learners as able to contribute purposefully to the relevant issues of our time: In this version of the framework, the UN Sustainable Development Goals offer a backdrop for capturing the most important local, global and intercultural issues currently deserving of active global citizens’ attention.
- Generative: As times, and contexts change this definition seeks to be adaptive to emerging developments.
Four dimensions of active global citizenship
Becoming an active global citizen takes a lifetime of practice. Global citizenship education programs and offers are about helping individuals to gain or increase their ability in four areas of development crucial for active global citizenship:
- Value & belong to a common and diverse world:
- Active global citizens know themselves and see themselves as belonging to a common and diverse world for which they care, responsibly committing to uphold values of human dignity and diversity. For example, they are able to:
- Value and appreciate our common humanity.
- Value and appreciate our planet.
- Understand the self and their own identities.
- Understand how they themselves are influenced by multiple relationships and cultures.
- Value human dignity.
- Value difference and diversity.
- Understand the complex relationship between diversity and commonality.
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Inquire critically about the world beyond immediate environments:
- Active global citizens inquire critically about local, global and intercultural issues beyond their immediate environments, showing curiosity to manage information from reliable sources and being critical of how information is used. For example, they are able to:
- Ask relevant questions to understand the world, including local and global issues.
- Recognize the interconnectedness of local, national, and global issues, structures and processes.
- Find and analyze information from across broad sources.
- Reason with evidence.
- Commit to seeking well-founded insights.
- Demonstrate critical media literacy, being alert to fake news and misuse of digital tools.
- Recognize that knowledge is provisional and subject to bias.
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Understand and relate to others across differences:
- Active global citizens engage in understanding and relating to others across differences, being able to take perspective with empathy and compassion, and committing to dialogue and respect. For example, they are able to:
- Recognize how beliefs, values, life experiences, conditions of inequality and discrimination influence people’s views.
- Seek to understand others’ perspectives across differences and respond to others with care and solidarity.
- Build relationships based on respect and civil dialogue, irrespective of cultural differences.
- Recognize others’ emotional states.
- Understand socially appropriate verbal and non-verbal communicative norms.
- Understand the effects that different communication styles can have on other people.
- Understand how every language expresses culturally shared meanings in unique ways.
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Take action toward collective well-being:
- Active global citizens are committed to taking action, considering local and global challenges, and oftentimes working with others, to put into practice informed, ethical, and reflective actions (from small personal ones to collective community-level ones) that contribute toward a more just, equitable, peaceful and sustainable world. For example, they are able to:
- Believe in their own ability to make a difference in the world to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals agenda.
- Be sensitive to opportunities for engagement as citizens to contribute at local, national, and global levels.
- Seek to understand and find inspiration in actions taken by others in the past.
- Cooperate with others in actions to achieve collective goals.
- Show resilience and care for self and others to overcome obstacles in the face of challenges in the process of taking action.
- Seek different approaches to achieve particular goals – for example, using voice and influence to raise awareness, change practices, change cultural norms, and change policy.
- Commit to values of peace, justice, equity, and sustainability in any action taken.