We hear it time and time again. We must all become global citizens, especially farmers. But what exactly does this mean? Is it really just words?
To Graham Pike, dean of international students at the University of Vancouver Island in Nanaimo, B. C., global citizenship starts in an unexpected place. It starts by seeing the world as two seemingly contrary things.
The world is a very diverse place, but it is also increasingly interconnected. To be a citizen of the world, Pike says, is to be able to work easily and happily within both those notions.
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Within that framework, ethnicity is like a guidebook in a new city. If you don’t understand ethnicity, you can’t know all the great opportunities that are out there, let alone how to get to them.
Developing an understanding of other people and different cultures has never been more important as a goal of education, says Pike, who helped create the Global Classroom Initiative for Prince Edward Island schools while he was the dean of the faculty of education at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Whether they live in rural or urban Canada, today’s students will spend an increasing portion of their lives in multi-ethnic communities where they will encounter diverse beliefs, practices and traditions. Other cultures will impact on our lives, and we will impact on them.
As a wealthy nation, Canada has enjoyed an influence greater than would be expected for a country with a small population, points out Pike. But this is changing, he warns, as China and India become more prosperous and have more impact on the global economy. Canada also relies on immigration so we can expect to continue to see an influx of cultures into Canadian society.
To give his students in the faculty of education more global awareness, Pike had them complete their last teaching assignment in one of 27 countries. This was a good experience for the students and it had a profound impact on their careers, says Pike. Getting outside your area helps you to evaluate your own situation, to develop critical analysis skills and to ask why do we do things the way we do, explains Pike. It also exposed them to other cultures. “P. E. I. isn’t diverse like Toronto or Vancouver,” he points out. As a result of their travelling experience, the students developed a heightened sense of confidence so they took more risks in their teaching. It also inspired their interest in global awareness and they tended to include this in their teaching curriculums.
Pike was also involved in the development of Prince Edward Island’s Global Classroom Initiative which was spearheaded by Farmers Helping Farmers, a grassroots organization with a long history of humanitarian work in the rural areas of Kenya.
Armed with a Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) grant, a global awareness curriculum was created for Grade 3, 6 and 9 as well as additional high school courses. The impact of poverty, AIDS, malaria, gender inequality, land use, water concerns, education, and war are addressed in an age-appropriate manner.
By writing letters to Kenyan children and receiving their replies, the Canadian students come to understand what life is like in Kenya and are able to put their own lives into more of a global context, says Carolyn Francis, co-ordinator of the Global Classroom Initiative.
Christoph Weder, a beef farmer from the Alberta Peace region who has travelled extensively is also a big believer in the benefits of global awareness. As with other Canadians on the path to becoming global citizens, Weder finds that his travels have shaped how he thinks about his opportunity as a Canadian farmer.
As Canadians, Weder says, we are stuck in a self-centred view of the world. “When we look back at Canada from elsewhere, we get a different view of the world,” he says. “We see what we have instead of what we don’t have.”
For example, farmers in Canada have about $100 million available to them for market development that they don’t have in Brazil, Weder says. “Too many Canadian farmers just like to whine but whining is like going back and forth in a rocking chair. You don’t get anywhere.”
A global perspective also shows we overemphasize production at the cost of marketing. “Everything is geared to production here,” Weder says. “We have production paralysis. We need to put more emphasis on marketing.”
Becoming a global citizen doesn’t have to involve travel, however. Increasingly, the Internet is creating new ways to learn about other cultures and other places.
For example, Taking It Global’s website (is geared to those aged 13 to 30 and describes itself as the largest online community of youth interested in global issues and creating positive change. The site puts young people in contact with others from around the world to talk about their lives and discuss solutions to problems ranging from poverty to cultural issues.
Some people believe it is our obligation to help those less fortunate than ourselves in other parts of the world. “We live in a world built on inequality and it is our responsibility to work towards a world that is just,” says a passionate Hasnat Ahsan, youth and campus co-ordinator for Oxfam Canada, a humanitarian organization that works to eradicate global poverty and further social justice. Oxfam Canada brings students together for leadership training once a year and then supports those students for the following year as they raise awareness in their local communities. “Youth are the key to change,” says Ahsan.
There is a personal payback when it comes to helping those less fortunate than ourselves. “When we help others we also benefit ourselves, says Dalas Al-Waheidi, executive director of Free the Children, a humanitarian organization whose motto is children helping children through education. “Those who help others, help themselves… it is very meaningful for them.”
Free the Children also helps children feel empowered in a world where they can feel overwhelmed by all the negative news. “We give children the tools to turn education into action,” Al-Waheidi explains.
Free the Children is involved in every school board across Canada. They frequently go into the classroom to raise awareness and then work with local leaders in the schools on fundraising or other initiatives.
Kids learn that they can be leaders today, Al-Waheidi says, echoing Weder’s belief that the world is waiting for us to catch up. “They do not have to wait for tomorrow.” CG
Use the Internet, schools or
organizations to put your children in touch with other children around the world. It will help them see they can make a difference.
We hear it time and time again. We must all become global citizens, especially farmers. But what exactly does this mean? Is it really just words?
To Graham Pike, dean of international students at the University of Vancouver Island in Nanaimo, B. C., global citizenship starts in an unexpected place. It starts by seeing the world as two seemingly contrary things.
The world is a very diverse place, but it is also increasingly interconnected. To be a citizen of the world, Pike says, is to be able to work easily and happily within both those notions.
Within that framework, ethnicity is like a guidebook in a new city. If you don’t understand ethnicity, you can’t know all the great opportunities that are out there, let alone how to get to them.
Developing an understanding of other people and different cultures has never been more important as a goal of education, says Pike, who helped create the Global Classroom Initiative for Prince Edward Island schools while he was the dean of the faculty of education at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Whether they live in rural or urban Canada, today’s students will spend an increasing portion of their lives in multi-ethnic communities where they will encounter diverse beliefs, practices and traditions. Other cultures will impact on our lives, and we will impact on them.
As a wealthy nation, Canada has enjoyed an influence greater than would be expected for a country with a small population, points out Pike. But this is changing, he warns, as China and India become more prosperous and have more impact on the global economy. Canada also relies on immigration so we can expect to continue to see an influx of cultures into Canadian society.
To give his students in the faculty of education more global awareness, Pike had them complete their last teaching assignment in one of 27 countries. This was a good experience for the students and it had a profound impact on their careers, says Pike. Getting outside your area helps you to evaluate your own situation, to develop critical analysis skills and to ask why do we do things the way we do, explains Pike. It also exposed them to other cultures. “P. E. I. isn’t diverse like Toronto or Vancouver,” he points out. As a result of their travelling experience, the students developed a heightened sense of confidence so they took more risks in their teaching. It also inspired their interest in global awareness and they tended to include this in their teaching curriculums.
Pike was also involved in the development of Prince Edward Island’s Global Classroom Initiative which was spearheaded by Farmers Helping Farmers, a grassroots organization with a long history of humanitarian work in the rural areas of Kenya.
Armed with a Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) grant, a global awareness curriculum was created for Grade 3, 6 and 9 as well as additional high school courses. The impact of poverty, AIDS, malaria, gender inequality, land use, water concerns, education, and war are addressed in an age-appropriate manner.
By writing letters to Kenyan children and receiving their replies, the Canadian students come to understand what life is like in Kenya and are able to put their own lives into more of a global context, says Carolyn Francis, co-ordinator of the Global Classroom Initiative.
