“When Alan Kurdi drowned in the Mar and was found lying lifeless on a Turkish beach in early September 2015, he unwittingly sparked a media frenzy and an outcry of international protest over what has become the largest forced displacement of people since World War II,” is how the essay begins.
Wynter cites the figure of the child Alan Kurdi as a symbol of the refugee crisis, an event that sparked a major international mobilization.
“Following the arrival of thousands of refugees in Europe, Turkey, Lebanon, and elsewhere, a debate ensued over their right to asylum. While across Europe far-right politicians and governments attempted to capitalize on fear and erect borders—both physical and cultural—between their people and the refugees, other leaders have courageously embraced the historic task that fell upon them and sought a way to resettle the thousands of asylum seekers,” she adds in the essay.
Throughout this episode, he reflects on the concept of global citizenship—a set of beliefs and values that transcend nationalities.
Global citizens are those who are sensitive to global issues. “It is the idea that we are all citizens of the world (…) it is a utopia toward which we are moving, one that is constantly being redefined and constructed,” the graduate clarified during an interview.
While there are global events that challenge this concept, according to Wynter, there are trends moving in that direction, such as human rights and the development of international law.
Wynter spoke in the interview about his experience at the Global Youth Forum. Fifty-one people from 36 countries across various regions worked in groups for a week on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. “We were assigned Goal 10, which is to build sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities. And because of my work at an NGO, I focused on the word ‘inclusive’ and explained it from a social and educational perspective,” said the graduate.
There was interest at the forum in learning about different perspectives on global citizenship. “That’s why I shared my own experience working at the NGO Proyecto Shoá, which conducts workshops in public and private high schools across the country, addressing issues of discrimination and, especially, indifference.”
Languages, he added, play an important role: “They can help foster multicultural understanding and promote global citizenship.”
In his work at Proyecto Shoá as executive director, he seeks to raise awareness through education. “The goal is for students to learn about history, reflect on the present, and change their attitudes.”
Wynter will continue working on human rights and the development of international law. “My hope is to study at a law school in the United States and begin working in that field,” he concluded.