By “Ice” Anawat Wongupanun

Awarded Special Judges Prize in the 4th Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Thailand, Northern region.

We can change the world. We’re the only ones who can. Nobody can force us to do what is right or what is best for the world; but as Global Citizens, each and every one of us has a responsibility to this planet, a responsibility for its future. This is especially true for the younger generation because the world is our inheritance, our future-- we need to be the “knights in shining armor” for the planet and its people.

We are surrounded by global disasters that we prefer to think are not our responsibility: millions of people in Africa are suffering from famine and drought; another 30 million all over the world are suffering from AIDS; 42 million in Burma are suffering from suppression by their own government; and tens of thousands of migrant workers in the Gulf Region and elsewhere are being mistreated and abused. It is more comfortable to turn away from these facts but these problems are ours because we all share one home-- one planet. We must help each other for survival’s sake.

Does that sound too dramatic? Global Issues are not threats, they’re not extremist or pessimistic views of the world: they are facts. Global warming is definitely a measurable fact. Too many tons of carbon dioxide emissions have led to global temperatures’ rising which upsets and unbalances the ecosystem of the world. This results in not only weird weather occurrences around the world but also glaciers melting, sea levels rising and more frequent and intense heat waves. People need to become aware of the facts. We must take a stand, shout out, and make others aware of the existence of the pain and suffering throughout the world.

The term of “Global Issues” entered our vocabulary only about half a century ago. At the start of the League of Nations, Global Issues were addressed and special committees set up to monitor them. More than six decades later, a different set of Global Issues are still causing pain and grief around the globe. Most of us know about these issues, but how can we become deeply enough aware to take action? The good news is that we don’t have to start from the beginning. The infrastructures for what governments should do are already in place. The Millennium Goals are goals that every member of the United Nations should complete or take part in by 2015. These goals are eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing global partnerships. No country should have an excuse for not completing these goals.

Personally, exposure to and realization of the pain and suffering of the world has led me to become a person who recognizes, expresses concern and tries to help the community. By participating in Model United Nations, I was able to see that changes cannot be achieved overnight. Issues such as Global Warming cannot be resolved quickly, but they can be resolved. Last year, I was able to gain the support of my class in trying to contribute to the community as Global Citizens. We raised 20,000 baht through a succession of fundraisers. The money we raised, all 20,000 of it, was donated to Support the Children’s Foundation, which is an orphanage in Chiang Mai for HIV/AIDS positive children. These children face a life threatened by disease and without the right care and support, they will die. This year, my class plan to raise 30,000 baht to donate to Opportunities for Poor Children, a Burmese refugee camp in Mae Hong Son who are in desperate need of supplies for survival. My philosophy is based on the fact that we are all human, we all live on one earth and to see other humans suffering when it can be stopped or, at the very least, be eased is like seeing me suffer.

In the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” by Al Gore, a picture was shown taken four billion miles away on the Voyager 1. Al Gore then points out a tiny speck, a single pixel in the picture which is our home, all lives, histories and futures contained on a single pixel-- a pixel that is on the verge of several major catastrophes. Only we can prevent those catastrophes from happening. Only we have the power and capability to do so, it’s just a matter of having the will. One person’s, one group’s dedication to change can spread. Taking a simple stand, posting on a web forum or blog can raise awareness. Every person can take a stand, especially us. We can join campaigns like “Stand Up Against Poverty”, a campaign to end poverty and to tell our governments that they have no excuse to not complete the United Nations Millennium Goals by 2015. On October 17 th-18 th of every year, all the people at Stand Up events stand up within these two days and the organizer then registers them on the website. Over 43 million took part this year to raise awareness. There is strength in numbers, as proved countless times throughout the history of the world. Stand Up Against Poverty has demonstrated this by increasingly gaining public and media attention.

It is crucial for us to play our part whether we raise awareness, raise funds for poor people, or participate in events that go towards resolving Global Issues. Even posting on a web forum or a website about these global issues can raise public awareness. Doing a fundraiser, whether big or small, is a great way to raise awareness and raise funds at the same time. We are the ones who can raise awareness through publicity, because those who are facing starvation in Africa do not have the time or the resources to speak out.

We, the young generation, the youth, can make a difference by raising awareness, attracting the attention of the public, and donating fund-raised money to causes that involve resolving Global Issues. Right now, Burmese Immigrants in the north of Thailand are shivering with little or no protection against the cold in the winters, whilst African children are suffering from malnutrition and other such diseases. Donating to these causes is donating to the good of the world, and whether we like it or not we all live in one world which we must help to preserve. The future of the world lies in our hands -- only we can save ourselves from tearing each other and the Earth apart. We’re all humans and we’re all global citizens; if we can’t save each other who can?

To read the other essays click the links below:

"Ann" Chatriya Lertwicha's essay

“Isabel” Nathagan Seiermann's essay