Every day we’re bombarded with stories and images of conflict, loss, environmental decline and poverty — yet our sympathy for these issues is lost as quickly as we change the channel.
These issues, as well as sweatshops and labels, colonisation and freedom of expression have been covered by Global Focus the last two years.
Our lazy mentality is to sit back and expect these problems to fix themselves. It’s not cool to help’, we say. Besides, who’s going to listen to me?’
The truth is, when it comes to all these important social issues — a decision to take action and possibly save people’s lives, should be based on more than the possible decline of one’s social status, or whether or not it’s too much effort.
Saving the world — it’s easier than it sounds. There are heaps of ways to take action, and they apply to so many different issues. Just like Captain Planet says: “The power is yours” — JOEL
Learn [v.]: Gain information; findout more about a topic
Although the word learn’ conjures up dull images of boring afternoon classes and monotonous teachers and textbooks, finding and learning new information about global issues can actually be both interesting and eye-opening.
If you’re wanting more than you get in newspapers and the six o’clock news, the Internet is a great place to start finding out more about global issues and also what other people are taking action on (see: Link Up).
Be warned though: unlike some media outlets which slightly gloss over the horrific realities and scale of things like poverty and war — some sites are nothing but raw and shocking material.
A couple of good places to start:
New Internationalist, a magazine which focuses on the big issues.
BBC — there’s so much that goes on in the world which doesn’t make it down to New Zealand media… go and see for yourself!
Google News — this site trawls for the most popular stories worldwide, and provides all different sources, so you can see the different perspectives.
Indymedia — an international, independent, grassroots media which focuses on social justice issues, which also allows you to post your own news — JOEL
Inform [v.]: Communicate knowledge or information
That means talking! And we all love to talk, don’t we? Talk about whatever issue it is that interests or concerns you at your school assembly, at meetings, to your friends, to your neighbours across the street, to your local Council, to the Government, to the world!
Inform can also mean writing to share information. Writing to newspapers and magazines, on Internet forums, to Members of Parliament — just to whoever you think can help you save the world.
The Ministry of Youth Development has some cool guides on their website on how to talk to big groups and assemblies and how to write media releases, letters to the editor, submissions to Parliament, and to politicians.
Nkosie Johnson, a child born HIV-positive in South Africa campaigned to stop discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS. At age 11 he spoke at an international conference saying: “Please help people with AIDS — support them, love them, care for them.” Now that’s informing — NICOLE
Perform [v.]: Present or enact artistic work
Yes, your poetic words, bright colours or funky dance moves have the ability to help fight poverty, conflict, prejudice. In fact, you can help promote change for any major global issue, while having loads of fun at the same time.
The possibilities and ideas are as endless as the world of arts itself. From reading a poem, to singing a song for Smokefreerockquest, writing a play about poverty — you’re only limited by your imagination.
One of the most well-known examples is the Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), started up by Brazilian Augusto Boal in the 70s, which artists all around the world use today. TO teachings say that theatre is language, and lucky for the world, TO believe in every human’s right to dignity and use their art as a way of confronting the issues and promoting change. TO has inspired work on youth crime in Australia, development in Vanuatu and caste discrimination in Nepal — to name a few!
Back here, a group of students from Wellington’s Onslow College ruffled some local feathers recently with their controversial Stage Challenge performance Safe Sex. Deemed too risqué, their performance helped raise awareness of thriving STIs, which is a big concern both locally and globally.
If you’re a bit more reserved about expressing yourself, go to Taking it Global express and contribute to their global gallery of visual art which is about inspiring thinking and understanding on a global level — JOEL
Organise [v.]: Form, establish, or coordinate something
This might be a protest, a boycott, a concert, an event, a meeting, whatever rocks your boat. Overseas there are many recent examples of young people organising action for a better world.
Last year the provincial government of Quebec, Canada cut $103 million from bursary programmes which gave students money to pay for university fees. At the same time, they also cut $150 million from social assistance and welfare benefits to the poor, while giving the rich tax cuts.
Not surprisingly these moves angered Quebec’s students, so the major student unions organised a huge student strike. Students refused to go to classes and instead took part in street demonstrations and blockades. Around 100,000 marched through Montreal, Quebec’s capital. At the height of the strike 230,000 out of Quebec’s student population of 450,000 were involved. The government was eventually forced to back down on the cuts.
In South Africa, where privatisation of water and electricity has left many poor, usually black, communities unable to pay their bills and forced into substandard living conditions.
Youth in poor communities, like Soweto, have been organising community groups to resist water and electricity disconnections. Risking arrest and harassment by the authorities the Vulumanzi Boys (water opening boys) teach others how to reconnect their house’s water supply if the company cuts it off. Other groups reconnect their neighbour’s electricity. The whole community protests if the authorities try to stop them.
By taking action young people can make a difference! — CAMERON
Change [v.]: alter or modify your own actions
Gandhi pretty much hit it on the head when he said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”.
The easiest step you can take toward changing the world is changing your own actions and attitudes. And when it feels like you’re just the little guy who can’t do a thing to change an issue that affects people worldwide, it can also be a very empowering action.
If you don’t think sweatshop labour is a nice way to do business, stop buying products which use it; if you don’t believe we should eat animals, start ordering the vegetarian option; if you’re worried about the environment, make sure you buy environment-friendly products and recycle everything you can.
People make personal choices like this every day, and enough people make the right choices, we can make a difference. As a wise graffiti artist once wrote, we’ll find “peace through respective action” — TESSA
Create [v.]: Bring something into existence, produce or invent
Creating something to help better the world can be extremely satisfying, especially knowing it came from your own mind.
It could be a new organisation that you’ve created, or a website, a performance, a story, a song, a cure for cancer, a Frankenstein for the 21st century — just something that can help something (or someone) in some way that has been born out of a crazy idea in your own very mind.
Four young guys from Wellington decided to set up their own aid organisation to create a documentary about their experiences in Ghana.
According to Shaan Turner from Project Exposure: “We need to harness that young energy and take advantage of the fact that young people are usually not burdened by skepticism and cynicism that old age brings” (from interview in White Fungus magazine) — NICOLE
Link up [v.]: Join. connect. or unite with others
That means get out there and meet people who share a common interest or goal with you!
Look on the Internet or keep an eye on community noticeboards for groups in your area that you may like to become a part of. They keep going by working together. There are also plenty of web-based communities.
A couple of excellent starting points:
Taking it Global — you can talk about global issues with people around the world.
Idealist — the name says it all really. Great info sharing and community site.
This article was written as part of the Global Focus a collaborative project of Tearaway Magazine and the Global Education Centre. It was first published in Tearaway magazine and is reprinted here with their permission. Illustrations By Gavin Mouldey
Between August and October 2005 a group of dedicated students from Athena Montessori College in Wellington started investigating poverty with the Global Education Centre. What is poverty? Is it even a problem in Aotearoa New Zealand? What has it got to do with us? What can we do about it? As the questions started flowing, the answers followed, and the need to do something fun and interesting that would also make a positive difference started to grow.
After researching how other muralists (such as Diego Rivera) got their point across, and carefully considering the message they wanted to portray, the group got to work.
As a young person working for peace, there are definitely moments where I get frustrated, overwhelmed and cynical. This trip to Japan provided an opportunity for me to connect with thousands of other young people who are passionate about peace. This experience reignited my hope and inspiration.
Annually, the world spends US$1 trillion on military, less than 10% of this budget could eliminate poverty. Today 30, 000 nuclear weapons exist, each having 200,000 times the force of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. These weapons of mass destruction are ready to be used at the touch of a button.
Globalisation’, free trade’, neo-liberalism’ (call it what you will - the economic policies supported by global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank ) have been protested about and opposed by tens of millions of people around the globe. Why are so many people so angry? In the Western World, before 9/11, coverage of violent anti-globalisation protests’ often splattered the news in the mainstream media. 9/11, according to the mainstreammedia signalled the death of the movement. However, such feelings have not died and, in fact, in many developing nations they have become more intense.