Caring about global issues is only the first step
The World we live in is going through a constant change. In the past 10 years our civilisation has developed to such a great extent, and with such rapidity that the world we knew at the turn of the century does not exist anymore. So why is it that the problems we had back then are still the same? We talk about evolution, growth, development, new discoveries, technology, and yet by the time you will finish reading this article around 50 children will have died of hunger.
It is not that the problem is a lack of resources. The money, the means, the possibilities are all there. The problem is that you, who are reading this article whilst eating lunch or chilling on your sofa, you don’t care. What really keeps us from solving what we call “Global Issues”, those issues that are considered so big that they concern the whole world, is a lack of interest from our part. It is us, yes, us students who are studying for our future, who have to take interest in these issues. Because, whether we like it or not, we are the future. We are the next generation of leaders.
In 2003, JF Rischard, the former World-Bank Vice-President for Europe, perceived the importance of these global issues, and wrote a book, High Noon – 20 Global Problems, 20 years to solve them, in which he describes imminent issues, such as poverty, the lack of human rights, that can only be solved through global cooperation. That’s where GIN comes in. The Global Issues Network was born as a network between 4 schools, including ISM, with a precise mission: “to help students realize they can make a difference by empowering them to work internationally with their peers to develop solutions for global issues”. Ever since it started in 2006, the Global Issues Network has grown to such an extent that the schools, organizations and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) that are a part of it are now hundreds and hundreds. It is so that there are now regional forums – such as the one held in Zurich last October – annual continental conferences and bi-annual global summits to bring together, from all around the globe, students and people who share a common goal: to change the world.
But it is still not enough. Caring about the issue and discussing it is not going to solve it. In order to solve a global issue there are three essential factors. The first is caring. If you don’t care about an issue, how are you possibly going to solve it? The second step is to be furious. If it does not make you furious, you will not take action. Take the example of world hunger. Say you care about it. But if it does not infuriate you that this issue is responsible for millions of deaths each year, whilst people around you just waste food as if it were nothing, then you will never proceed to the next step. This final step is to take action. It is the crucial step, the most important one, but it cannot exist if the other two are not present. If you don’t care, you won’t act. If you care but are not furious about it, you’ll wait for someone to take action. And if you act without caring, then you will never take it seriously, and your action is useless.
So start caring. Then be infuriated. And now, act.
It is not that the problem is a lack of resources. The money, the means, the possibilities are all there. The problem is that you, who are reading this article whilst eating lunch or chilling on your sofa, you don’t care. What really keeps us from solving what we call “Global Issues”, those issues that are considered so big that they concern the whole world, is a lack of interest from our part. It is us, yes, us students who are studying for our future, who have to take interest in these issues. Because, whether we like it or not, we are the future. We are the next generation of leaders.
In 2003, JF Rischard, the former World-Bank Vice-President for Europe, perceived the importance of these global issues, and wrote a book, High Noon – 20 Global Problems, 20 years to solve them, in which he describes imminent issues, such as poverty, the lack of human rights, that can only be solved through global cooperation. That’s where GIN comes in. The Global Issues Network was born as a network between 4 schools, including ISM, with a precise mission: “to help students realize they can make a difference by empowering them to work internationally with their peers to develop solutions for global issues”. Ever since it started in 2006, the Global Issues Network has grown to such an extent that the schools, organizations and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) that are a part of it are now hundreds and hundreds. It is so that there are now regional forums – such as the one held in Zurich last October – annual continental conferences and bi-annual global summits to bring together, from all around the globe, students and people who share a common goal: to change the world.
But it is still not enough. Caring about the issue and discussing it is not going to solve it. In order to solve a global issue there are three essential factors. The first is caring. If you don’t care about an issue, how are you possibly going to solve it? The second step is to be furious. If it does not make you furious, you will not take action. Take the example of world hunger. Say you care about it. But if it does not infuriate you that this issue is responsible for millions of deaths each year, whilst people around you just waste food as if it were nothing, then you will never proceed to the next step. This final step is to take action. It is the crucial step, the most important one, but it cannot exist if the other two are not present. If you don’t care, you won’t act. If you care but are not furious about it, you’ll wait for someone to take action. And if you act without caring, then you will never take it seriously, and your action is useless.
So start caring. Then be infuriated. And now, act.
Tags: GIN, Global, Issues, Network, Zurich, 2009, Article, Conference
Replies to This Article
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Permalink Reply by ISBangkok on -
Good article Irene, you really conveyed your urgency and emotions with your choice of diction. I hope you "act" as you encourage others to and not turn this whole article into a pretentious and hypocritical piece. Good luck trying to convince your capitalist peers into caring about the world.
Yenning
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Permalink Reply by Irene Nocivelli on -
Hi Yenning,
I am very glad you liked my article,
and about acting, I could not agree more.
I am currently trying to carry out what I myself said should be done.
I hope you will do the same.
Irene
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Permalink Reply by ISBangkok on
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This is a very well written article and I agree with most of your points. However, I would also like to add that the only way to actually get more people to care, is to inspire. When more people are inspired, people will actually start caring about a particular issue. But it's a good article overall.
Christine
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Permalink Reply by Irene Nocivelli on
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Hi Christine,
Thank you for your reply, I agree with your point about inspiring.
It is a very interesting point, but this article is based on what the principal of the host school in Zurich for the October conference said in his welcome speech to us students.
Irene
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Permalink Reply by ISBangkok on
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This a great written article. I agree with you that even though a lot of people do care about these Global Issues, they do little to solve them. However, this part kind of confuses me, "Caring about the issue and discussing it is not going to solve it. In order to solve a global issue there are three essential factors. The first is caring." You said that caring isn't enough to solve everything but the first step to end these problems is to care.
Helen
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Permalink Reply by Irene Nocivelli on
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Hello Elen,
I am sorry if I have not been too precise. What I meant is that caring is not enough on its own, but it is the first step towards resolving an issue. If you do care but just discuss about the issue, nothing will happen.
I hope this clarifies your doubts.
Irene
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Permalink Reply by ISBangkok on
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I like your article. It brings up the debate of whether actions are actions with or without care and meaning behind them. I just wonder if all actions are useless when there isn't care fueling it. Sometimes, care and meaning will come after the action and experience itself.
Lily G.
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Permalink Reply by Alastair Dove on -
I think this is a fantastic email as so many people have the will to do something and the brains to solve but they lack the intiative or resources to follow through with it. I think you highlight this point very well.
Well done Irene
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