Report on International Travel as a Catalyst for Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development

This report analyzes the proposition that international travel serves as a critical tool for fostering global understanding and advancing key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It synthesizes arguments advocating for travel as a means to combat xenophobia, build peaceful societies, and uphold principles of justice and equality.

Fostering Global Citizenship Through Education and Exposure (SDG 4, SDG 16)

Travel expert Rick Steves posits that international travel is a profound educational experience, essential for developing global citizenship and combating xenophobia. This perspective aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education), particularly Target 4.7, which calls for education that promotes a culture of peace and an appreciation of cultural diversity. The core arguments include:

• Travel provides a necessary perspective on one’s home country by viewing it from a distance.
• Engaging with different peoples and cultures is presented as an effective method to dismantle prejudice.
• It is argued that if citizens were to travel internationally before voting, it would contribute to a more stable and just world, directly supporting the aims of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Promoting Peace and Reducing Conflict by Building Bridges (SDG 16, SDG 17)

A central theme is the imperative to build connections rather than walls between nations and peoples. This strategy is fundamental to achieving SDG 16 by promoting peaceful and inclusive societies. The report notes that constructing barriers, whether literal or figurative, is counterproductive to global stability.

• Historical examples such as the walls in Berlin, Belfast, and the Holy Land are cited as structures that exacerbated conflict rather than resolving it.
• The concept extends to metaphorical walls that create division within a nation, undermining social cohesion.
• Advocacy for building bridges to the 96% of humanity outside one’s own country supports SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), emphasizing global solidarity.

Upholding Justice, Strong Institutions, and Civil Liberties (SDG 16)

The report connects the principles of global citizenship to domestic responsibilities, referencing foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence. The ideals of equality, liberty, and unalienable rights are presented as universal values that align with SDG 16. Civic engagement is highlighted as a mechanism for protecting these rights.

1. Protest Against Tyranny: The “No Kings Day” rallies, which mobilized millions of Americans, are cited as an example of citizens actively opposing the establishment of absolute tyranny, a core tenet of ensuring just institutions.
2. Advocacy for Civil Rights: The “Good Trouble Lives On” movement, inspired by Representative John Lewis, exemplifies nonviolent protest aimed at protecting citizens’ rights and undoing the damage caused by racism and division.
3. The Role of Protest: Citing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the report affirms that protests are a vital component of a healthy nation, enabling self-correction and safeguarding democratic norms and civil liberties.

Reducing Inequalities and Fostering Empathy (SDG 10)

A significant focus is placed on the need to dismantle discriminatory attitudes and recognize common humanity, which is the central aim of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The act of travel and cross-cultural dialogue is proposed as a direct method to achieve this.

• The act of “othering” and building walls of fear and suspicion are identified as key drivers of inequality and injustice.
• The report includes a poetic excerpt from a Hispanic high school student to illustrate the power of empathy:

“how would they feel, those tearing us apart,
if they sat with the people
they seek to blame,
and realized, deep down, we’re really the same?”

This sentiment encapsulates the report’s conclusion: that the continuous work of fostering empathy and recognizing shared humanity is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building a more peaceful and equitable world.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The article extensively discusses the importance of protesting against “tyrannical rule” and policies that “erode democratic norms and civil liberties.” It highlights the role of nonviolent protest in protecting the rights of citizens and holding institutions accountable, which is central to building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. The theme of building bridges instead of walls to prevent instability and conflict also directly aligns with this goal.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article addresses inequality by focusing on the need to “undo the damage done by racism, by ‘othering,’ by building walls of fear and suspicion between one another.” The inclusion of a poem by a Hispanic student about immigrants and the concluding thought that “deep down, we’re really the same” speaks directly to reducing inequalities based on race, ethnicity, and origin.
3. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article presents travel as a form of education. Travel guru Rick Steves is quoted advocating for international travel as “the best way to fight xenophobia.” His belief that “if everyone travelled before they could vote, this world be a more stable, just and beautiful place” frames travel as a crucial tool for fostering global citizenship and cultural understanding, which is a key aspect of quality education.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
   • The article highlights protests like “No Kings Day” and “Good Trouble Lives On” as examples of citizens participating in the democratic process to “correct course.” Kareem Abdul Jabbar is quoted saying, “protests are a vital part of making change,” which underscores the importance of citizen participation in governance.
2. Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
   • The protests mentioned are explicitly aimed at protecting “the freedoms we enjoy as Americans” and “civil liberties.” The reference to John Lewis’s call to “Get in good trouble…” when participating in nonviolent protest is about exercising fundamental freedoms to protect the rights of citizens.
3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, colour, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
   • The article’s call to “undo the damage done by racism, by ‘othering'” and the sentiment in the student’s poem to sit with “the people they seek to blame, and realized, deep down, we’re really the same” directly supports the goal of social inclusion for all, regardless of origin or ethnicity.
4. Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity…
   • Rick Steves’ argument that travel helps people “learn more about home by looking at it from a distance” and builds “bridges to the other 96% of humanity” positions travel as an educational experience that promotes global citizenship and an appreciation of cultural diversity, directly aligning with this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Number of participants in peaceful demonstrations (Implied Indicator for Target 16.7)
   • The article provides a specific figure for one protest: “the nationwide ‘No Kings Day’ attracted five million Americans in 2,100 cities.” This suggests that the scale and frequency of citizen participation in peaceful protests can serve as a measurable indicator of a responsive and participatory society.
2. Percentage of the population engaging in international travel for cultural exchange (Implied Indicator for Target 4.7)
   • Rick Steves’ observation about the “surge in travel from the U.S. to abroad” while also noting that “the one half of the population that is not travelling are the ones that need to travel” implies that the rate of international travel is a key metric. An increase in this rate would indicate progress toward fostering global citizenship.
3. Reduction in sentiments of racism and xenophobia (Implied Indicator for Target 10.2)
   • The article’s central goal is to “fight xenophobia” and “undo the damage done by racism.” While not providing a quantitative metric, it implies that a reduction in these divisive attitudes is the ultimate measure of success. Progress could be gauged through surveys on social cohesion and attitudes toward different ethnic and racial groups.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: bendsource.com