Global Citizenship Begins at Home
张欣山东大学
Ladies and gentlemen：
Today，more than ever before，the world is a part of our everyday lives．We are linked tO others on every continent socially through the mediaand telecommunication，culturally through the movements of people，economically through trade．．．．Everyone shares a part in running the earth；everyone shares the responsibility of making the world a better place．This iswhat I’ve learned from a grandma in the United States．
At Times Square in New York City，a white·haired aged lady was seenstumbling up and down the square day in and day out．Although peoplemistook her for a poor homeless senior citizen，she was in fact watching andstudying with close intent the pedestrians at the square，searching for anxiouspeople in need of help．
At the sight of a small child running aimlessly about all alone，she wouldcome up and say,“Are you lost，my child?Where is your mom?’’Seeing a depressed girl，gloomy with worry，she would step up and tenderlYask，“Baby，is there something upsetting you?Share with me what is pressingon your mind．I might be able to help．”Time and time again，she saved young men and women，some jobless，someready to give up entirely on everything．She also brought school childrenback tO their homes as well as mentally-handicapped old folks who got lostand couldn’t find their way back home．She rescued kidnapped girls on theirfirst visit to New York，and even persuaded the heinous criminals to turnthemselves in．
Following this lady’S example，many New Yorkers spontaneously unitedas voluntary rescuers under the slogan“Approach strangers and talk withthem!”As soon as they found someone in need of help，they would come upand talk with this person．
Maybe we are still taught to be wary of strangers，but once we get beneaththe surface．we’1l find that there iS more that unites US than divides US．Thus it is essential to be nice to strangers，no matter where we are，home orabroad，or who we are，Chinese or otherwise，as long as we strive to becomequalified global citizens．
Yes，in this globalized world，none of US could be completely independentfrom each other．Just as Thomas Paine said，“My country is the world．Mycountrymen are mankind．"
Thank you!
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