In her closing speech to the Conservative Party Conference, Theresa May declared:
“If you believe you’re a citizen of the world, you’re a citizen of nowhere. You don’t understand what the very word ‘citizenship’ means.”
Her words triggered a wave of responses as people across the country rejected her demand to choose between a national identity and a global identity, defending their position as a #proudcitizenoftheworld.
Read More: In Defence of Global Citizensip — A Response to Theresa May
In response, we asked Global Citizens to send a personal message to Theresa May, explaining what the term means to them. In less than a week, we received over 500 messages defending and celebrating what it means to be a citizen of the world.
Here’s what you had to say when we asked: “Why are you proud to be a Global Citizen?”
"Nationalism, by definition, divides into us versus them, the kind of thinking that has inflicted devastating wars on humanity over millennia. In so connected a world, the appeal to nationalism is not only nostalgic, it is profoundly unrealistic."
"The British Diaspora is spread across the whole globe. Some of our ancestors did wonderful things; some did bad things. What they did changed the world and what we each do continues to impact on the world."
"National identity is vital, but today's world is calling for us to also have a global conscience and feel responsible for each other, in order to solve the challenging issues our planet and its inhabitants are facing."
"Our planet is so small. Everything we do to the earth will have repercussions. Innocent people suffer along with the greedy and the guilty. I am a Global Citizen because we are all needed, working as one, to preserve the wonders of this world. Global warming knows no boundaries. We cannot stick our heads in the sand. We know what damage we are doing; it can never be undone."
"I want to live in a multicultural Britain. We would be so dull without our neighbours."
"I am proud to be a Global Citizen because we all share a common humanity. As soon as we treat others in an inhumane way, we are denying our own humanity."
"It was purely by chance that I was born in the UK; it was an absolute certainty that I was born as a member of the global community."
"We are all connected. What happens on Planet Earth concerns me. If you are not a citizen of earth, please go back to your planet of origin."
"Humans beings are both 'global' & 'local' citizens. More than ever in the history of the planet we must work together."
All responses have been kept anonymous.