World citizen

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This article is about the concept. For about the related award, see Citizen of the World.

World Citizen flag by Garry Davis

World Citizen badge http://www.worldservice.org

World citizen has a variety of similar meanings, often referring to a person who disapproves of traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship.

An early incarnation of this sentiment can be found in Socrates, who said, "I am not an Athenian, or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.".^[1] The Tamil poet, Kaniyan Poongundran wrote in Purananuru, "To us all towns are one, all men our kin". In later years, political philosopher and Founding Father of the U.S.A. Thomas Paine would declare, "My country is the world, all men are my brethren and my religion is to do good." World citizenship has been promoted by distinguished people from Walter Cronkite^[2] to Garry Davis, who has lived for 60 years as a citizen of no nation, only the world. Davis founded the World Service Authority in Washington, DC, which issues the World Passport (usually not considered a valid passport) to world citizens.^[3]

In 1956 Hugh J. Schonfield founded the Commonwealth of World Citizens, later known by its Esperanto name "Mondcivitan Republic", which also issued a world passport; it declined after the 1980s.

Bahá'í Faith

The Bahá'í Faith promotes the concept through its founder's proclamation (in the late 19th century) that "The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."^[4] As a term defined by the Bahá'í International Community in a concept paper shared at the 1st session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, New York, U.S.A. on 14–25 June 1993.^[5] "World citizenship begins with an acceptance of the oneness of the human family and the interconnectedness of the nations of 'the earth, our home.' While it encourages a sane and legitimate patriotism, it also insists upon a wider loyalty, a love of humanity as a whole. It does not, however, imply abandonment of legitimate loyalties, the suppression of cultural diversity, the abolition of national autonomy, nor the imposition of uniformity. Its hallmark is 'unity in diversity.' World citizenship encompasses the principles of social and economic justice, both within and between nations; non-adversarial decision making at all levels of society; equality of the sexes; racial, ethnic, national and religious harmony; and the willingness to sacrifice for the common good. Other facets of world citizenship—including the promotion of human honour and dignity, understanding, amity, co-operation, trustworthiness, compassion and the desire to serve—can be deduced from those already mentioned."^[5]

Other uses

In a non-political definition, it has been suggested that a world citizen may provide value to society by using knowledge acquired across cultural contexts.^[6]

In some scenarios, a savvy businessperson who has travelled the world would be able to use knowledge about resources and products found abroad to create business where value can be maximised.

• The United Nations Correspondents Association issues an award called Citizen of the World.
• It may be used by activists such as the World Service Authority that promote an integrated, supranational world government.
• It may sometimes refer to persons promoting internationalism, predicated on the closer cooperation of sovereign states.
• Oxfam UK has an educational programme on global citizenship.
• The Boy Scouts of America offers a merit badge called Citizenship in the World.

See also

• Anationalism, an Esperanto-based movement for the suppression of nationalism.
• Anti-nationalism, the humanist or humanitarian form of which generally corresponds to the world citizen concept.
• Anti-patriotism
• Cosmopolitanism
• Cosmopolitan democracy
• Garry Davis, creator of the "World Passport" and founder of the World Service Authority
• Global citizenship
• Global Citizens Movement
• Global civics
• Global justice
• Global democracy
• Mundialization
• Nutopia
• Perpetual traveler
• Postnationalism
• Transnationalism
• Third Culture Kids, people that grew up in a culture different from their own
• World city
• World government
• World Passport

Notes

1. ^ WORLD CITIZENS AUSTRALIA
2. ^ Walter Cronkite -- world federalist, WorldNetDaily.com, Commentary by Joseph Farah
3. ^ My Country Is the World By Garry Davis
4. ^ Bahá'u'lláh (1994) [1873-92]. Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. p. 167. ISBN 0-87743-174-4. http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/TB/. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Bahá'í International Community (1993-06-14). "World Citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development". 1st session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. New York, NY. 
6. ^ "the utmost global citizen". Global Culture. 2007. http://global-culture.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/22/the-utmost-global-citizen/. 

References

• "For the Love of the World". Time (magazine). June 13, 1949. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,800294,00.html. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

• "Thoughts & Afterthoughts". Time (magazine). October 9, 1950. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,935500,00.html. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

• Briggs, Caroline (July 23, 2005). "Sad farewell to 'world citizen'". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4710759.stm. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

• Thompson, Allan (December 14, 2006). "A double standard for politicians' dual citizenship". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/article/147620. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

• Singh Jaiswal, Anjali (August 19, 2005). "Straight answers". The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1205489.cms. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

• E. Dougherty, Jon (February 2, 1999). "Groups promote global governance". WorldNetDaily. http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=15123. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

• Kaye, Margaret (June 7, 1995). "People: Douglas Mattern: toward a world without borders". Palo Alto Online. http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/news/1995_Jun_7.PEOPLE07.html. Retrieved 2007-05-11. 

• Bahá'u'lláh (1988). "Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas". US Bahá'í Publishing Trust. http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/TB/. Retrieved 2008-03-05. 
• A World Citizen Program site
• Primary School Global Citizenship site
• Cosmopolitanism at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Global Culture Essays on the influence of Global Citizens
• Living in the World Risk Society by Ulrich Beck at the London School of Economics
• Great Transition Initiative Paper Series Global Politics and Institutions, paper #3 , and Dawn of the Cosmopolitan: The Hope of a Global Citizens Movement, paper #15, explore the potential for the emergence of a cosmopolitan identity and corresponding institutions.

External links

• "Civis Mundi". Matthew R. Foster. 2009-04-08. http://www.civismundi.net/. Retrieved 2009-04-08. "Civisne Mundi Es? Civis Mundi Sum!" 

• "World Citizens". http://www.wctz.org/. 
• "World Citizens Foundation". http://www.worldcitizen.org/. 
• "World Government of World Citizens". http://www.worldservice.org/. 
• "Association of World Citizens". http://www.worldcitizens.org/.