Global Citizenship Education: The Spirit of Goodwill in Minority-Majority Relations

Michael Galloway 

The necessity of resolving the longstanding (often ancient) tension between racial and national groups across the world has never been greater than the present. The hatred, mistrust, and prejudice which exists between races and nations impede humanity’s forward march into the coming era. These separating walls must be brought down, and a culture of cooperation, sharing, and goodwill be established if humanity is to function with the vision, integrity, and unity which the future demands. “It is in the minds of [people] that the defenses of peace must be constructed”[1] declares the Preamble to the constitution of UNESCO. Global Citizenship Education (GCED) is a well-established approach to the redeeming of ancient prejudices; it reaches into the very depths of mind and consciousness to create the many cultures of goodwill which world peace and prosperity demands.

The whole problem of minority-majority relations can be subdivided into racial and national components. On one hand, racial and ethnic minority populations exist in every nation on earth and their relationships with majority groups are often strained; at the international level, smaller and less-developed nations also constitute a minority in relation to the larger and more powerful. Racial and national superiority, sometimes subtle and often disguised as pride, underly the whole problem of human relationships. The world is full of individuals who understand and embody the truth that ‘hatred ceases only by love and pride only by humility,’ but the achievement of such moral alignment on a large scale, by an entire nation, has remained beyond our reach.

The problem of minority-majority relations, in both its racial and national subdivisions, cuts across the complex web of social, political, and economic relationships which comprise human civilization. Human and civil rights, secured by international but not always national law, also bear relevance to the problem and its solution. The sheer number of racial and ethnic groups each with their complex histories and national allegiances adds additional complexity to the problem. To resolve these barriers and establish right relationship, this complexity must be understood in its fullness; ancient grievances must be untangled, positive cultural and social understanding built, and importantly the political and economic components underlying the grievances must also be resolved. Likewise, cultivating the right type of nationalism (which supports the spirit of international unity) must consider not only the moral and ideological barriers, but also the political, economic, and security concerns which today underly the basic and often irreconcilable conflict between national and international responsibility.

Even a cursory investigation into this “problem of the minorities” affirms the inter-relatedness of all humanity’s major problems and thus the importance of holistic and cross-disciplinary solutions. Though these interconnections are fundamental to any solution, in their complexity there is the danger of obfuscating one of the major underlying causes: a misplaced sense of personal and cultural identity.

Identity formation is the special prerogative of all self-conscious beings and largely determinative of one’s character; the moral alignment of that identity stretches from the extremes of the selfish and materially minded individual through to the man or woman of goodwill and high moral fiber. One’s identity (essentially the personality) is a product of any number of environing forces and is often conditioned by the ideas imposed upon them in childhood or by dominant voices in their communities or the media. Yet, researchers project that life in the 21^st century will require the regular reconstruction of identity throughout one’s life to cope with the continuous change and uncertainty of our times.[2]  Thus the importance of educational cultures which support and cultivate self-determination with regard to identity formation. This requires that the faculty of will be developed along right lines: wisely employed by the soul—the Thinker, the voice of the conscience—via a mind consecrated to the good. What is needed is a holistic type of education, one which spans all ages, which supports not only the cultivation of the independent and free-thinking mind, but also a right moral direction founded on universal principles of goodwill by which an inclusive identity can be formed and re-formed throughout one’s life.

The idea that education and identity are linked is well recognized by scholars from various disciplines.[3] To resolve the problems of racial prejudice and national pride—in other words to establish right relationship between these larger groups—what is needed is an education which aids the individual to recognize themselves as part of a more inclusive group. The widespread focus in UN, civil society and educational circles on Global Citizenship Education (GCED), offers just that.

GCED is less a curriculum and more a broad educational framework or ideology. Defining it is difficult for there is no universal definition of GCED nor even global citizenship. An academic survey of studies on global citizenship suggests that it can be boiled down to eight different types: political, moral, economic, cultural, social, critical, environmental, and spiritual.[4] Wikipedia provides a simplified definition which summarizes these basic themes:

Global Citizenship is the idea that one's identity transcends geography or political borders and that responsibilities or rights are derived from membership in a broader class: "humanity". This does not mean that such a person denounces or waives their nationality or other, more local identities, but that such identities are given "second place" to their membership in a global community.[5]

Global citizenship and its relationship to GCED is made clearer when we look at those organizations promoting it on the world stage. For instance, Oxfam defines a global citizen as “someone who is aware of and understands the wider world – and their place in it… They take an active role in their community and work with others to make our planet more peaceful, sustainable and fairer.”[6] UNICEF, similarly, states that “a global citizen is someone who understands everybody has rights and is committed to working towards a world where everyone can realise their rights… someone who believes in global justice and acts to make the world a safer, fairer and more sustainable place in which human rights are protected and respected.”[7]

GCED generally seeks to support the ideals global citizenship by providing “a framework for learning, reaching beyond school to the wider community…”  More specifically, for Oxfam “[it] is all about encouraging young people to develop the knowledge, skills and values they need to engage with the world.” Whereas for UNESCO, who is charged directly with supporting Member States to implement GCED,[8] it is described through a three-pronged approach: cognitive (knowledge and thinking skills), socio-emotional (values, attitudes, and social skills supporting peaceful coexistence), and behavioral (practical application and engagement).

GCED does much to address the problem of minorities—of separative nationalism on one hand as much as racial discrimination and prejudice on the other. Surveys of literature analyzing its efficacy confirm its success, at least in terms of supporting “global learning objectives.”[9] However, it is important that GCED, if it is ever to fulfill its true potential and establish ‘right relationship’ in the fullest sense of the term, must be more than a laundry list of do’s and don’ts or sets of skills to be mastered and implemented locally and globally. Conrad Hughes suggests that rather than approaching GCED in terms of the actions of an ideal global citizen, it should instead focus on higher order moral imperatives such as compassionate wisdom; it should be founded on “an approach to life whereby other people and the world around us deserve our attention and respect.”[10] Such an approach necessarily must go beyond ‘educational propaganda,’ a paradigm primarily of the 20^th century, and unleash the full potential of the enlightened, inspired, and free will of humankind.

GCED reaches its fullest potential when, in addition to its material objectives, it also supports the steady cultivation of men and women of goodwill. Goodwill is one of the most basic spiritual qualities of the human being and the great untapped resource at the heart of every human community. These men and women of goodwill “hold and advocate no miraculous solution of world problems but they know that a spirit of goodwill, particularly if trained and implemented by knowledge, can produce an atmosphere and an attitude which will make the solving of problems possible... It is the production of this atmosphere and the evocation of this attitude which is the principal work of the men of goodwill and not the presentation of some cut and dried solution.”[11] This atmosphere of goodwill is incredibly consequential to the way the whole problem of minority-majority relations is approached, and it is just this sort of atmosphere that GCED can help cultivate.

True goodwill goes beyond tolerance; it merges compassion and love with the creative and sacrificial will. The men and women of goodwill naturally stand midway between opposing groups as they seek  to create an atmosphere where discussion, compromise, and cooperation become possible. This ‘spirit of goodwill’ requires, above all, wise discernment and the treading of the noble middle path which the Buddha advocated.

As the spirit of goodwill resonates through a community, and as it informs the thinkers, the higher energies of the soul begin to find expression, leading  individuals organically to the recognition that  all men and women are brothers and sisters in one global family. What is needed is an education as unbiased either by moral/religious doctrine or by secular materialism. Through a universal affirmation of the divine spirit in the human, tracing the variety of ways in which this divinity is recognized by different cultures,  the heart of the student can be touched as the mind is encouraged to develop a clear understanding of the causes and solutions to the problems of the time. While such an education need not be religious but it will naturally include reflection on what it means for each person to find their own way on the path to becoming a more good and loving individual.

The true expression of divine love comes not from a focused effort to be loving and love others despite their forthcomings. Love is not built up from below, but rather is unleashed from above when all impediments to the free flow of this divine force are removed. When one can remain detached and unmolested by the failings of the concrete mind, then criticism and irritation die out and love automatically inspires the soul and pours forth to all and sundry—without limitation or hesitation. What is important in an educational environment is not to suppress the critical mind, but to encourage students to think about what is truly good and beautiful and right in today’s complex world, and to identify where the good, the beautiful and the true are being expressed.

When enough individuals in any society embody the principles of goodwill and are guided by the inclusive vision and loving, sacrificial will of their own souls living “not unto themselves, but for others,” then societies, races, and even nations will transform, and the walls of separateness, once so strong, will crumble from their very foundations. This spirit of goodwill—already so alive today in the world—must continue to be cultivated, educated, and set to work. GCED has an important role to play in this process, but it must keep these ‘higher order’ moral imperatives in mind.