Offset, let's set the stage: the world is becoming more global and interconnected every 24-hour interval. From multinational corporations to climate change to social and political movements, humanity'southward fate is increasingly intertwined.

Moreover, we are in the early on stages of an historic shift of identity — increasingly less tied to any item location — which will have far-reaching implications for business, government and society akin.

Against this backdrop, debates about globalization are taking place at an unprecedented level. And yet, we seem to have well-nigh forgotten about the role of global citizenship. Information technology is imperative that we turn these tides.

There are two kinds of global citizens: individuals, who share a set of values and responsibilities; and corporations, who have focused on globalization and seem to have left global citizenship behind. I am focused on existence a function model for individuals, helping corporations become improve global citizens, and highlighting the importance and voices of global citizens everywhere.

'The shared human experience'

Global citizenship is about the shared homo experience. It acknowledges and celebrates that, wherever we come up from and wherever we live, nosotros are here together. Our well-being and success are ultimately interdependent. We have more to acquire from one another than to fear nigh our future.

Global citizenship is also nearly shared values and shared responsibleness. Global citizens understand that local events are significantly shaped and afflicted by global and remote events, and vice-versa. They champion fundamental human rights in a higher place whatsoever national police or identity, and social contracts that preserve elements of equality among all people.

Diversity, interdependence, empathy and perspective are essential values of global citizenship. Global citizens harness these values and are uniquely positioned to contribute in multiple contexts — locally, nationally and internationally — without harming one community to benefit another. They foster and promote international understanding.

Global citizens include individuals, corporations, global nomads, "glocals," immature and onetime, large and small, for-turn a profit and non-profit, public and private, introverts and extroverts, men and women and children and anyone in betwixt. Global citizenship and long-term, visionary leadership go mitt-in-mitt: Individual leaders who espouse shared values, and corporate citizens whose governance, ethics, business organisation model and investment strategy create — not merely extract — value in each and every place they affect.

Global citizenship is non the aforementioned as globalization. Globalization — the process by which organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale — is driven past economics, business and money. Information technology's about the catamenia of products, capital, people and information. Global citizenship, on the other hand, is driven past identity and values. Global citizens build bridges, mitigate risk and safeguard humanity. While globalization is under hot contend today, we take never needed global citizens more than now.

Image: Medium

Why does global citizenship matter?

Global citizens are not born; they are created. Children do not have an innate understanding of their shared humanity; they learn this over time. The importance of education and enabling global perspectives cannot be understated.

Historically, global citizenship was rooted in a common desire to forbid state of war. Mutual reasoning was that the more than we knew about each other, the more likely we would ensure peace, progress and prosperity. More recently, the Human Genome Projection has shown us — for the offset fourth dimension in human being history — that scientifically, nosotros are all 1. New technologies also enable us to connect with more people in more ways than ever earlier, allowing us to observe our similarities and differences, meliorate understand our interdependencies, and aggrandize our worldviews.

Yet many people don't feel this mode or accept not had such experiences. Around the world, we meet people who lack a sense of belonging: they practise not feel a deeper connection to other places, people or cultures. Ofttimes they exercise not feel as though they even belong at habitation. Moreover, especially in developing countries, people who take been unable to participate in the "digital revolution" take also been left out of these conversations. Connectedness is not universal.

In the corporate realm, all too often in recent decades we have seen companies that accept put corporate interests above those of individuals, communities and the surround. Nosotros read about unethical behavior, corruption, rent-seeking, egregious labor practices, environmental deposition, and worse. These activities stand for the antithesis of what the world needs.

Global citizenship helps span these gaps and rectify these realities, and global citizens are its ambassadors. Doing this is non only most mindset; it is virtually actions, lifestyles and building greater connections over time.

Why now? What's different near today?

Despite the fact that we've been living in an increasingly global globe for centuries, debates about globalization today are raging unlike almost ever before. From Brexit to the U.South. presidential election, ascension nationalism and refugee crises, we meet backfire and misunderstandings all-embracing. Global citizenship has always been important. But it is now urgent to highlight its importance to society, business, and the world at large.

We are in the early on stages of an historic shift of identity. Increasingly, we are less tied to whatever particular location, social construction, or nation-state. This is a massive shift, which we (read: people and organizations everywhere) are broadly not aware of or prepared for. It requires a re-grinding of our frames of reference and lenses on modify. It also has a broad range of implications. Here are some of the nigh important:

Technology: The internet is borderless and globalization has gone digital. Smartphones and other mobile devices give the states an unprecedented level of global interconnectedness. New technologies have an incredible democratizing ability, for those who tin admission them. If we couple this interconnectedness with global citizenship values, then the world opens upwards — and gives vocalism and opportunity — to far more people.

Leadership: Globalization and global citizenship are not the same. Globalization has brought unprecedented benefits to many, but not all. Successful leaders are global citizens, whether they are CEOs, prime ministers, community leaders or children. Whether and how nosotros build a truly inclusive, sustainable future will depend on our ability to aid new generations of leaders to become global.

Business: Global businesses, in particular multi-national corporations (MNCs) are bearing the burden of today's globalization debates. And they should. For decades, and even centuries, MNCs have extracted more than they have contributed. They have benefited a few (typically executives and shareholders) at the expense of others (often those without a phonation: workers, communities and the environment).

Nevertheless, globalization has added immense value to the global economy (to the melody of 10% of global GDP). More interconnected countries and emerging markets have benefited well-nigh from this trend, in terms of economic growth. So it is not that globalization itself is bad, nor that information technology is going away someday soon.

This is where global citizens are crucial, because they sympathize both global and local contexts. For example, while globalization has narrowed inequality amongst countries, it has exacerbated it within them. Hence the solutions are more about targeted domestic policy changes than closing borders or deregulation. In terms of business, information technology'southward time to revise MNCs' strategies to ensure they generate global prosperity, engage society and contribute to a greater skillful.

Politics: Many politicians see globalism as a affliction, and nationalism equally the cure. But this is a faux dichotomy. "Deglobalizing" will non achieve the goals of peace, progress and prosperity. Rather, nosotros must wait to global citizenship's shared values for lasting answers.

Youth, pedagogy and workforce mobility: New technologies break down barriers for learning, development and earning income. Today'south youth tend to see the world — and themselves — as more global, borderless and fluid. And one in every vii people in the world today is already an immigrant.

Yet these themes are full of unknowns alee, from the automation of jobs to the "youth bulge" in many emerging markets. High-skilled workers may be less tied to whatever particular location or profession, while low-skilled workers may have ever-fewer options. Global citizens who sympathise the layers of implications will be fundamental to developing responsible solutions.

Surroundings and climate change: In that location is probably no other outcome that more clearly underscores our interconnectedness than climate modify. The world depends on collective stewardship that transcends any geopolitical border or economic system. One of the many essential roles that global citizens play is to protect and enforce global compacts. The health of the planet, and club, hinges on global citizens leading this charge.

Cities and urbanization: We are living in the urban millennium. By 2100, more people volition live in cities than exist in the world today. Cities are the engines of global growth. They are full of opportunities likewise every bit challenges. They present a classic case of "glocalism": the virtually successful cities are both continued globally and able to accost local needs… in other words, in perfect alignment with the values of global citizenship.

Global citizenship is non a one-size-fits-all concept, nor is it a panacea. But information technology is an extremely powerful tool in our 21st century toolbox for building a more sustainable, resilient and empathetic globe. Anybody can play an important part. The world is waiting for you.