Youth-led Advocacy Initiative for Global Citizenship, Responsibility, and Cooperation
The Tunisia-part of the "Youth-Led Advocacy Initiative for Global Citizenship, Responsibility, and Cooperation" Workshop, co-organized by Columbia Global Centers | Tunis, Columbia Global Centers | Istanbul, SMU- South Mediterranean University (MSB- Mediterranean School of Business, MedTech- Mediterranean Institute Of Technology), Anadolu Üniversitesi, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, and the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, took place in Tunis on the 13th and 14th of June.
The goal of this project is to bridge the gap in educational programs and curricula on global citizenship and sustainable development. With a youth-led, bottom-up approach, the project aims to advocate for a curriculum update in selected universities in Tunisia and Türkiye. The objective is to introduce a multidisciplinary undergraduate course on global citizenship that covers essential topics including sustainable development, climate change, international migration, one health, health equity, social inclusion, prevention of stigma, racism, and discrimination, as well as global diplomacy and cooperation.
By providing students with the necessary knowledge and skills, the project seeks to enable them to assume active roles in building more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, and secure societies, as defined by UNESCO's concept of education for global citizenship outlined in SDG 4.7. The project endeavors to empower the youth to become agents of positive change and contribute to creating a more sustainable and equitable world.
The two-day workshop in Tunisia kicked off at MSB - Mediterranean School of Business, bringing together delegates from Columbia University, Bogazici University, Anadolu University, SMU (South Mediterranean University), Columbia Global Centers | Tunis & Istanbul, as well as guests from Tunisian universities, companies, and civil society.
The event featured interactive poster sessions and breakout activities, providing a platform for exchanging ideas, knowledge, and experiences related to global citizenship. Educators, researchers, students, and professionals actively participated in engaging discussions and thought-provoking Q&A sessions.
The second day of the workshop, held at CGC Tunis, was dedicated to charting the future of the project, defining next steps, and fostering partnerships for further collaboration.
Ultimately, the event served as a significant milestone, promoting the empowerment of youth and advocating for a curriculum update that aligns with the principles of global citizenship, responsibility, and cooperation. It is through endeavors like these that we can create a more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable world, where individuals are equipped with the tools to address the pressing challenges of our time.