HOW DO YOU DO ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP?

Due to the inequlity and injustice we still face in the year 2016, there is still A lot we as citizens of the earth can do to improve our globe. Luckely there's a big number of people already doing benefitial, developing and improving work, and maybe a even bigger number of people wanting to engage in such kinds of projects(me including). 

People belonging to the first group of people i mentioned above(the ones already doing active work) may wonder why people as myself, belonging to the second group of people(the ones wanting to engage) dont do anything about it. 

I Think I may have the answer for that.

Active citizenship can be many things, but i believe that the term is most commonly used if you engage in protests, demonstrations, debates - things that all requires a more  provocating mindset. I dont argue that the above-mentioned things aren't active citizenship,

But in my opinion active citizenship Can be so much more. But it took me some time to realize. 

Beforehand i was trying to identify myself with the role as a protester, because i thought that was how you did active citizenship, and i wanted to become an active citizen. But i found it very difficult, due to the fact that i'm just not that kind of person. This resulted in me having a non-succesful experience with doing active citizenship, and therefore losing the courage and the motivation. 

With the rest of the global citizenship course I have, during my time in Thailand, visited A lot of organisations working as active citizens. We have amongst others met with Forum Asia working with human rights, AAPP  With political prisoners and thai Peace foundation working to promote development in the ghetto-area of Bangkok. 

Seing how these organisations work, and how each organization worked diffrently totally widdened my perspective. Experiencing an Ngo from the inside made me realize how important the people behind the demonstrations and campaigning also are in order to reach out with the message, and also how important they are as active citizens. 

Now i found a type of active citizenship i could identify myself With and one i could actually achieve.

With other words, i found out the importance of always having to have yourself A 100 percent with you when you start up something. Finding your own way is they key to succes. You can so easily get Lost in translation, because so many people constantly influence you. But being honest and true to yourself gets you so much longer. 

// Ida