Be A Global Citizen!

Learning from our differences is hard work. It can be frustrating when we are faced with a person who does not seem to share the same beliefs and values that we hold. What can be done to surmount these constraints that society places on us? Well, the Cynics of old can tell us more about how cosmopolitanism helped challenge conventional norms. I look at its history and definition as well as provide an example into the relevant discourse around cosmopolitanism. Enjoy!

Let's begin to unpack the question: What is global citizenship? There are many notions of what is global citizenship and this episode offers greater insight into the etymology of this neologism. What do we mean by 'global' and 'citizenship' ? What possibilities are out there to transform our notion of citizenship into something more suitable for the great challenges we face as a society?

In this episode, we look at what Ikeda views to be the 3 essential qualities of a global citizen. The main reference for our discussion comes from Ikeda's 1996 speech at Columbia University, Teachers College. Enjoy!

In this episode, I discuss how Daisaku Ikeda embodies the idea of a 'citizen of the world.' From his humble origins to the numerous, decades-long peace building initiatives he has done, Ikeda has shown through his actions what global citizenship looks like in practice. This introduction to Ikeda serves to anchor our upcoming episode on his thoughts on global citizenship, principally the three qualities of a global citizen.