Our Brother's Keeper: My 25-Year Journey Cultivating Global Citizenship Communities with Adolescent Youth

Our Brother's Keeper: My 25-Year Journey Cultivating Global Citizenship Communities with Adolescent Youth

“Our essential ethical challenge as educators is to broaden and deepen the capacity of our students to imbue their lives with a profound curiosity of mind and a spirit of empathy. But our ethical mission need not—nor should it—end there.”... " We are charged with co-creating concrete pathways of connection with people and cultures beyond our daily lives—to respond empathically to the outstretched hand of the distant, non-intimate other on a global scale." How can we move students from passive empathy to active global solidarity? In this book, Mark Hyman, Ed.D. examines over twenty-five years of “experiments” in nurturing global citizenship values and practice in adolescent youth. Through a candid survey of successes and failures, you will explore: Transnational Connections: Founding global citizenship communities that bridge the gap between local classrooms and the world. - Theory into Practice: Integrating the "face-to-face" ethics of Emmanuel Levinas into middle school pedagogy. - Action-Learning: Real-world initiatives ranging from landmine removal in Bosnia to school construction in Ethiopia. For educators, this text is a guide and an inspiration for your own journey as a global citizenship teacher-facilitator. For the "citizen of the world," it is a testament to the power of global citizenship in our modern world. Since 1999, Mark Hyman, Ed.D., has been a recognized leader in global citizenship education, specializing in the design and implementation of transformative, action-learning initiatives for middle school youth. As the founder of the nonprofit Global Care Unlimited, Inc., he has devoted his career to cultivating global citizenship by moving beyond traditional pedagogy and engaging young people in meaningful international participation. Dr. Hyman's work is distinguished by his ability to mobilize communities in response to complex humanitarian challenges. Under his leadership, Global Care Unlimited has carried out several impactful international initiatives, including: Bosnia (1999-2003): Community-based landmine removal efforts that restored safety and usability to post-conflict regions. Cambodia (2004-2006): Programs supporting survivor rehabilitation and the revitalization of cultural heritage to promote long- term resilience. Awassa, Ethiopia (2008-2010): Strategic planning and construction of a K-8 school, expanding access to education and supporting regional development. Building on this extensive field experience, Dr. Hyman currently serves as Program Director of the Global Humanitarian Collaborative, where he continues to advance innovative, participatory approaches to global education and humanitarian engagement.