Citizenship education is an important vehicle for learning about today's society. A sense of moral responsibility is crucial and begins long before children start school.

Schools provide an opportunity to share opinions, discuss issues and inform the young citizen about relevant aspects of public life. Teachers cannot impose their views on young people, but discussions and analysis can lead to pupils being able to debate issues and to see the differences in viewpoints. Discussion of moral issues, learning to use appropriate language and concepts, taking other people's perspectives, negotiating class or school rules and discussing issues of shared concern can all assist children in becoming more morally sensitive and aware of their own rights and responsibility. Helping pupils understand issues underlying events in the news can also be an effective form of social and moral education. They should also be given responsibilities for them to learn to trust others and be trusted.

Teachers sharing information about the world outside the school demonstrates the link between individuals and the wider community. Visiting speakers can form strong links with the outside world and promote learning about society. Citizenship education also encourages pupils to think about their actions, values and beliefs.

Citizenship education has strong links with aspects of personal, social and health education and promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Citizenship also has elements in common with religious education, history, geography, English, art, science and technology as well as economic and environmental awareness. It can also be promoted through a wide range of experiences including:

• Community visits
  
• Speakers
  
• Debates
  
• Forums
  
• Youth parliaments
  
• National and international exchanges

Citizenship can include awareness of:

• Legal and human rights
  
• Responsibilities
  
• Empowering people
  
• Qualities and values
  
• Learning through experiences
  
• Social and moral responsibilities
  
• Community involvement
  
• Political literacy
  
• Democracy
  
• Co-operation and conflict
  
• Equality and diversity
  
• Fairness and justice
  
• Rules, laws and human rights
  
• Freedom and order
  
• Community
  
• Power and authority
  
• Power to make a difference

The following sites give further information on Citizenship:

• Citizenship foundation
• Council for education in world citizenship
• Institute for citizenship

• is aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as a world citizen;
• respects and values diversity;
• has an understanding of how the world works economically, politically, socially, culturally, technologically, and environmentally;
• is outraged by social injustice;
• participates in and contributes to the community at a range of levels from the local to the global;
• is willing to act to make the world a more equitable and sustainable place;
• takes responsibility for their own actions.

• millions suffer from hunger, homelessness and health problems·
• war affects us all· we've seen global changes in the climate
• hazardous waste is exported to non-industrialized areas of the world
• pesticides used globally damage the environment
• deforestation, soil erosion, destruction of habitat and extinction of species is common
• A project to solve one problem has created other problems

• Surf the web. Find out the name of the national newspapers of different countries and visit their sites.
  
• Build an e-relationship with your counterparts elsewhere in the world.
  
• Volunteer to work abroad for a year or two.
  
• Visit another country.
  
• Attend international conferences.
  
• Look for both the similarities and differences in countries other than your own.

• be aware of rights and responsibilities
  
• develop beliefs and values
  
• work with others within inter-dependent local, national and global communities
  
• belong to the world
  
• be fascinated by what's happening in other countries and cultures
  
• learn through travel
  
• acquire knowledge, skills and ability through international and inter-cultural experiences
  
• use international knowledge to resolve local challenges