How to Be an Active Citizen and Spark Change | Gabriel Marmentini | TED
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In this section, the speaker discusses the concept of citizenship and how it goes beyond just being born as a citizen. Citizenship is portrayed as something that needs to be earned through life experiences and efforts.
Being a Citizen vs. an Individual
- The speaker reflects on his own upbringing, highlighting that true citizenship requires preparation and effort.
- Unpreparedness for citizenship is seen as a common trait among Brazilians, irrespective of background or demographics.
- Citizenship is depicted as a journey that individuals undertake, requiring knowledge acquisition and real-life experiences.
Citizenship Metamorphosis Process
The speaker introduces the "citizen metamorphosis process," outlining four essential ingredients necessary for becoming an active citizen in society.
Ingredients for Active Citizenship
- Citizenship involves solving public problems and choosing issues that resonate with personal values.
- Emphasizes the importance of collaboration across sectors to address societal challenges effectively.
- Basic components include political knowledge, engaging in plural dialogue, fostering civic empathy, and community protagonism.
Active Citizenship Components
Detailed breakdown of the key components essential for active citizenship, focusing on political knowledge, plural dialogue, civic empathy, and community protagonism.
Key Components of Active Citizenship
- Plural dialogue encourages engaging with diverse perspectives to foster personal growth.
- Civic empathy extends beyond individual interactions to encompass understanding and addressing community needs.
The Power of Citizenship and Community Involvement
The speaker emphasizes the importance of individual empowerment within communities to drive change and highlights the impact of active citizenship in solving public problems.
Small Revolutions Lead to Big Changes
- The speaker advocates for looking within one's community for opportunities to make a difference, emphasizing individual protagonism and the power individuals hold.
Empowering Individuals as Change Makers
- It is possible to transform individuals from mere spectators into change makers by creating a journey that is simple, fun, meaningful, and tangible.
Building Active Citizenship through Practical Steps
- Designing a journey that includes safe spaces, embracing mistakes as part of the process, and training individuals for citizenship can lead to impactful outcomes such as teaching political knowledge and facilitating dialogues on important issues.
Engaging in Public Problem-Solving
- After being trained for citizenship, individuals can monitor the government, formulate local diagnoses of public problems, create public policies using available methodologies, advocate for their ideas in municipalities, and collaborate with the government to improve society.
Empowering Citizens: Examples of Impactful Initiatives
The speaker shares inspiring examples of individuals who have become active citizens by initiating public policies that address community needs.
Transforming Ideas into Public Policies
- Magda and Vitor developed a mobile application to assist the elderly in accessing services; Rafael initiated Skateboarding Week to provide opportunities for youth; Folashade proposed stimulating cultural tourism by involving traditional communities in creating experiences for tourists.
Approval Processes and Community Impact
- These initiatives were presented to city councils, approved, or awaiting approval. Despite challenges, progress has been made towards implementing these policies that cater to community needs.
Fostering Citizenship from Childhood
The speaker underscores the importance of instilling values of citizenship from an early age to effect systemic change in society.
Cultivating Citizenship Values Early On
- Highlighting examples of individuals who have engaged in public problem-solving since childhood serves as a reminder that systemic change begins with raising children as active citizens from the start.
Lifelong Commitment to Citizenship