“I put blue first because safety should come before everything.” said a 7-year-old while layering colored sand into a bottle, each color representing children’s rights.

Global Education Is More Than Geography

When people hear “Global Education,” they often picture maps, flags, or international festivals. But it’s more than facts and celebrations. Global Education is about understanding our role in a shared world—connected not only to our neighborhoods but to the planet we all depend on.
Children show us this every day. They don’t wait for permission to care. With the right tools, they create bold, surprising ideas that remind us: global citizenship is lived, not memorized.

Belonging Everywhere

Global citizenship doesn’t mean giving up your culture or having to visit every country. It means recognizing that we are all connected, and that your actions can affect people across the world—just like theirs can affect you.

It’s the idea that:

You can love where you come from and still feel connected to the bigger human family.

Caring about clean water, fairness, and safety isn’t just local—it’s global, because those needs are universal.

Even the smallest voice, like a child’s, can help shape a kinder, fairer world.

Children remind us of this every day. They don’t divide people into “us” and “them.” Instead, they show us that belonging everywhere starts with simple acts of empathy and care.

Real Stories from the Classroom

After discussing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, students created sand bottles to symbolize their rights:

Red for education

Green for play and nature

Yellow for family and belonging

Blue for safety and protection

Each bottle looked different, yet all carried the same message: children know their rights, and they know which ones matter most.

Another favorite was the Eco-Friendly Slime Lab. While making slime, students brainstormed inventions to protect the planet—biodegradable toys, ocean-cleaning slime, and more. Messy, fun, and full of practical ideas.

How Do Children Learn Global Citizenship?

Global citizenship grows through both knowledge and experience. That’s why our lessons follow a simple rhythm:

📖 Reading & Reflection – Short stories on fairness, endangered species, or human rights.
🎨 Hands-On Projects – Arts and experiments that make abstract ideas concrete.
🔬 STEAM Activities – Science and design challenges that spark problem-solving.
🌎 Cultural Experiences – Music, dance, and traditions that build global awareness.

Oxfam highlights six principles of global citizenship: empathy, social justice, diversity, environmental care, collaboration, and action. At YWCA South Florida, we bring these to life through our Five Cs: cooperation, creativity, critical thinking, competition, and curiosity.

Why It Matters

These projects aren’t just fun—they build responsibility. In YWCA South Florida’s 2024–2025 Global Education program, 97% of students said they enjoyed the lessons, and 100% said they learned something new.

The impact shows up in everyday choices:

A child refusing to “build a city” on a lake because “that’s where animals drink.”

Students designing posters that read “No More Thirst.”

Young voices learning they can make a difference.

What You Can Do

You don’t need a classroom to nurture global citizenship. Try it in small ways:

Ask Big Questions: Turn everyday news into discussions about fairness and justice.

Watch & Reflect: Try videos like Children’s Rights or All About Empathy.

A Call to Partners

At YWCA South Florida, we know this work is stronger with partners. We’re seeking schools, community organizations, funders, and mission-driven businesses to help us:

Bring Global Education to more classrooms.

Equip children with skills to lead and problem-solve.

Build a generation ready to care for people and planet.

📩 If you share this vision, get in touch with us today to explore partnership opportunities: aclavijo@ywcasouthflorida.org

By Andrea Clavijo

What Global Education Really Means— and What Kids Teach Us Every Day