3 Global citizenship

Figure 4 Football hits the back of the net

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A football adorned with various world flags hitting the net of a goal.

Figure 4 Football hits the back of the net

Global citizenship refers to the concept of recognising and embracing the interconnectedness of the world and viewing yourself as a member of a global community. It goes beyond national boundaries and emphasises the responsibilities and rights that individuals have as members of the global community. Sport provides people with a global perspective and creates social cohesion though building shared cultures and histories (Thibodeau, 2020). Exposure to international competitions and diverse cultures broadens individuals’ understanding of external influences, promoting a global mindset that is essential in today’s interconnected world.

In the Spotlight

If you are wondering how global citizenship relates to you, here is Leanne’s explanation. Here she discusses inclusivity and how important it has been within her career.

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LEANNE

I think through the programmes of work that I run now, which is a multitude of programmes and not just dance and sport or dance for the arts, it’s – for me, one of the biggest things that I believe that has managed to have so much impact on all the people that I work with is being inclusive. A lot of people don’t understand that actually being inclusive is what gets people through the doors. My work long ago stopped becoming about being a great dancer. It was like, no, let’s get people through the doors to enjoy dance. And the only way you’re going to do that is by being inclusive. What does inclusivity mean? It means being friendly, being approachable, and making sure people know that they have a safe space to come. That, I would say, is probably my magic dust over why I’m here still 22 years later is making sure that we provide spaces and places that everyone is welcome and not excluding anybody because of race, gender, sexuality. You’ve got a-- even down to ability with dance. We know that a lot of dance and arts revolves around the technical skill. We’ve never been about that. It’s all about people coming through the doors and having a good time and doing the stuff that I did many years ago, sticking to the same ethos, getting people through the doors so that they feel good about themselves and leave happier than they came. And that still is my main ethos today.

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There are several examples of famous athletes and coaches who have exemplified global citizenship through their actions in sports, for example:

• Megan Rapinoe (Football)

  Advocate for gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice. She has used her platform to speak out against discrimination and inequality, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and equal opportunities for all.

• Eliud Kipchoge (Athletics)

  Ambassador for causes related to conservation, environmental sustainability, and community development in Kenya, promoting unity and peace, using his sporting success to inspire others and contribute to positive change.

• Jurgen Klopp (Football)

  Recognised for his humanitarian efforts and commitment to social causes, actively supported charities working on issues such as poverty, homelessness, and education.

• Yusra Mardini (Swimming)

  Advocate for refugee rights and the plight of displaced individuals. She represented the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Rio Olympics and shared her inspiring journey as a refugee.

These athletes and coaches serve as inspiring examples of individuals who have leveraged their prominence in sports to promote global citizenship values, address social issues, and make a positive impact in their communities and beyond. Of course, we appreciate that not everyone has the platform that these individuals have, but this isn’t to say you don’t have capacity to develop global citizenship through your engagement in sport.

Employers recognise the value of global citizenship as an employability skill because it aligns with the needs of the global marketplace and promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment. It demonstrates an individual’s ability to collaborate across borders, adapt to diverse cultures, and contribute positively to the organization’s global objectives. In the next section you will look at some specific examples of how you could develop your global citizenship through sport.

In the Spotlight

Tune in to George’s reflections on his coaching adventures in another country. Now, don’t worry if you haven’t had the chance to work abroad yourself. Instead, take a moment to ponder how interacting with people from diverse backgrounds can broaden your experiences and help grow your skill set.

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GEORGE

So when I coached in America, it was a real eye opener because in lots of different countries, the view and philosophy on sport is often very different. And America is the same, especially with football or soccer, as they call it over there. The way that they look at soccer and the things that they prioritise in the sport is perhaps very different than what we would do in the UK. And again, in the UK, football was one of our main and biggest sports whereas at the time in America when I worked, it was still a growing sport. So the way that people look at it and view it, it was very, very different. Going back to that skill of collaboration was really important. I had to work with lots of different coaches from across the UK and also from Europe. So being able to work with people from different areas of different accents or languages and different backgrounds, and again, different philosophies and way of doing things. Really important that we could all work together to put on a good event for the children and for the teams that we work with. And now, I think that from that experience in working with all of those different people from all of those backgrounds and beliefs and ways of life, now work in a company that sort of has over 100 staff, and we work with 35 different schools on a weekly basis across a wide area. So we have thousands of children coming into our care every day, and different parents, different teachers, school governors. So there’s lots and lots of different people that we have to be able to work with and be respectful to and, again, try to work efficiently with everybody within our organization and outside of our organization as well. And I think if I hadn’t had that experience in America with those lots of different people, then I probably wouldn’t be as comfortable now as I am working with such a wide audience of people and children as well.

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