Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in February 2026 to reflect Global Citizen’s latest impact and current global context.
It’s easy to feel small in a world this big. There are headlines about climate disasters, conflict, rising costs, and systems under pressure. It can feel like everything is happening at once, and like one person couldn’t possibly make a difference.
But here’s something equally true: progress has always started with people who chose to care.
Right now, about 808 million people are projected to be living in extreme poverty, around 272 million children and youth are out of school globally, and more than 666 million people still live without access to electricity, indicating that the current rate is insufficient to reach universal access by 2030. Behind each number is a person. A child who wants to learn. A parent who wants steady work. A community that wants reliable power so schools, clinics, and businesses can function.
The scale is large. But so is the possibility. And when we see those numbers not just as statistics, but as people, that’s where global citizenship begins.
What Does it Mean to be a Global Citizen?
At its core, being a Global Citizen means believing that extreme poverty can be eliminated, and that progress accelerates when people choose to take action. It means believing that where someone is born should not determine whether they can go to school, access quality health care, or build a future. It means understanding that the world is more connected than ever — and that what happens in one place often shapes opportunity somewhere else.
But most of all, it means participating. Not because you have all the answers. Not because you’re an expert. But because you care.
A Global Citizen stays curious. Learns the facts. Pays attention to what’s happening beyond their immediate circle.
And when there’s a meaningful way to contribute — whether it’s signing a petition, sending a message, showing up to an event, volunteering, or sharing information — they take action.
Most importantly, it means recognizing that when millions of people speak up together, they can influence priorities and help move real-world decisions forward in the mission to end extreme poverty within our lifetime.
Global Citizens recognize the power of advocacy, of shining a light on overlooked issues to rally people worldwide and encourage sustained support from those positioned to drive meaningful change — governments, the private sector, philanthropists, and volunteers.
They recognize advocacy as a tool that complements the vital work of on-the-ground organizations to ensure access to food and water, education, health care, and more, for the communities most in need. And they also recognize advocacy as a vital part of the mission not only to respond to humanitarian crises, but to help prevent them in a way that’s long-term and sustainable.
No single action changes everything. But millions of small actions, taken together, can influence priorities, unlock funding, and move decisions forward.
Why it Matters Now More Than Ever
The world is at a turning point. Technology is reshaping work. Climate impacts are affecting communities. Education systems are adapting. Energy access is expanding — but not fast enough. At the same time, people everywhere want to be part of something bigger than themselves. That instinct — to care, to connect, to contribute — is powerful.
When individuals, institutions, businesses, and communities align around shared goals, progress accelerates. History shows that coordinated effort can expand access to education, health services, and opportunity at scale.
But it requires participation.
How Do You Become a Global Citizen?
You don’t need a title. You don’t need a big platform. You don’t need to have it all figured out. If you care about the direction the world is heading — and want to help shape it — you’re already thinking like one.
Becoming a Global Citizen is simple. Download the Global Citizen app to learn about the issues shaping our world and take meaningful action — from sending a message to decision-makers to supporting initiatives that expand opportunity and protect the planet.
How Global Citizen Turns Participation Into Impact
Global Citizen is an advocacy platform that helps people transform concern into action. Through campaigns, events, partnerships, and digital tools, Global Citizens encourage governments, corporations, and philanthropies to invest in solutions that expand opportunity and strengthen essential systems.
Since the movement began, Global Citizens have helped secure more than US $49 billion in commitments from governments, corporations, and philanthropists to address a broad range of issues and support organizations and programs working around the world. These commitments have impacted the lives of more than 1.3 billion people to date. Global Citizen’s overarching vision is to end extreme poverty within our lifetime. Every commitment is tracked over time — because what matters isn’t just the promise, but the progress.
Global Citizen believes:
- Extreme poverty can be eliminated.
- Access to opportunity should not depend on geography.
- Education, jobs, energy, and health systems are interconnected.
- Collaboration moves progress forward.
- Participation — even small steps — contributes to meaningful change.
The world is complicated. The challenges are real. But so is the possibility for progress when people decide to participate.
Global citizenship isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up. It’s about choosing to care when it would be easier not to — and taking one step, however small, toward something better.
If you’re ready to take that step, download the Global Citizen app to learn more and start taking action and how you can help today.
And if you’d like to see how collective action translates into real-world results, you can explore our impact reports and track how financial commitments are progressing over time. Transparency matters — because what counts isn’t just the promise, but the follow-through.