Barack Obama’s Half-Sister Maya Soetoro-Ng Talks About Being A Global Citizen

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I was delighted to read this interview in the New York Times with Barack Obama’s half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, whose father was Indonesian.  In it, she describes their mother and her remarkable approach to sharing the world with her children.

Here’s my favorite quote in the article:

Interviewer: You were ahead of the multicultural curve.

Maya Soetoro-Ng:  That’s one of the things our mother taught us. It can all belong to you. If you have sufficient love and respect for a part of the world, it can be a meaningful part of who you are, even if it wasn’t delivered at birth.

That’s a beautiful statement and it summarizes perfectly the value of a global education.  You see, it’s not about the global economy.  The highest purpose of a global education has nothing to do with beating anyone or getting ahead or being more marketable because you’ve been abroad and speak another language or two.  Those are perks, absolutely, but they’re not what matters most. 

Getting a global education–a global perspective, really–is the ultimate way to become a part of something far, far bigger than your own career or community.  Becoming an engaged and compassionate global citizen means that you are connected to the world by virtue of your own humanity and awareness. 

It’s one thing to know about the rest of the world.  It’s another to have it become a part of who you are and what you do. 

I guess this is my day to be soft and maternal.    Even though I’m including plenty of facts, tips and strategies in my book, The World Is Your Campus, the intention is to share with parents the ways in which we can help our children carry the world in their hearts. 

It might sound corny.  I don’t care.  The truth is that a global education is the single most important gift we can give our children–and the world. 

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Filed under Barack Obama, Maya Soetoro-Ng, global citizen, global economy, global education, multiculturalism

Tags: Barack Obama, global citizen, global economy, global education, Maya Soetoro-Ng, multiculturalism, The World Is Your Campus