One Globe, One Village
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.The topic of my speech is “One Globe, One Village”.First, I’d like to begin with a story.
A few month ago, my sister came back from Germany with her newly-married German husband Mark.Once, when Mark and I strolled along the East Lake, we found that an old woman in rags somehow was lying in front of us.With her dirty hands reaching out, she begged us for money.While I hesitated, Mark took out some changes, squatted down and gently put the coins in the woman’s hands.I tried to tell him he might be deceived by the old woman for the cases like this has been reported.However, he said, “I believe she is cornered and really needs help.”
Though Mark did not label himself as a global citizen, he did show some connotations of this term.Global citizenship is a form of identity based on membership in a community of humanity.It involves a willingne regard all human beings as fellow citizens.It involves a recognition of the obligations that flow from membership.
From Confucius to Socrates, from Albert Einstein to Stephen Hawking, Bethune, Samaranch,Annam, these are the people from the different ages.But one thing is the same.It is the great contributions they made to the world, the moral and the material achievements through their personal efforts.Not every one can become a giant in history.But like Mark we can become an ordinary citizen in this global village.We can start by being kind to continents and boundaries.Everyone has the potential to be a Global Citizen, and is somewhere along the path towards that goal.
So,
Let us begin our great miion in small affairs.
Let us act locally with global intentions.
And let us always remember global citizenship starts at home!
