What sort of world do we wish to inaugurate?

As the world emerges from the covid pandemic, it is good to remember the signs of hope that have been there all along from the small gestures of kindness to the heroic efforts of those on the frontlines, from strangers lifting their voices in song across balconies a year ago to the recent Jersualema dance challenge sweeping around the world. This pandemic has shown us the that we are all truly interconnected, for better or for worse. Desmond Tutu reminds us that we are all in this together and that our humanity is bound up together. We are members of one human family and when some members are hurting, we all are hurt. He goes on to say, “For us to engage in the practices that will ensure that we all prosper, we must come to know that each of us is linked in the chain of our common humanity.” ¹

As we move into the light of a new day, there is radical hope in embracing our shared humanity. Let’s seek to see ourselves in others. Let’s seek to see the whole picture through discovering others’ perspectives beyond our own. Let’s seek to see the invisible among us and to remember the power of being seen and heard. As we do so, we can reflect on some of the following questions:

As we have come to understand more poignantly over the last year that we are indeed part of one global community, we need to remember that our neighbors are both local and global and that we can make choices every day that help make the world better for all. As Tutu noted, “When we step into our neighborhoods, we can engage in the practices of good neighborliness or we can choose not to. The quality of life on our planet now and in the future will be determined by the small daily choices that we make as much as by the big decisions in the corridors of power.” ² As we move forward into a post-pandemic era, we must remember that actions matter and what we do impacts others. What daily actions will we take to support the most vulnerable among us? To improve the quality of life for others? How will we uphold justice and dignity for all in the human family? In the end, how will we be good neighbors to each other? Let us commit to taking action to address the racial injustices and inequities faced by our neighbors. Let us commit to being a good neighbor, as we live in authentic solidarity with each other, aspiring to be compassionate, generous and kind, knowing that we can find our greatest joy in showing love to all and that in doing so, we are embracing the oneness of our humanity.

¹ Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu, “Made for Goodness and Why This Makes All the Difference,” p. 193

² Ibid. P. 72-73

About the Author

Darla K. Deardorff, Ph.D., is executive director of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) and author/editor of 10 books and over 60 articles and book chapters on intercultural competence, international education and internationalization of higher education. She is also affiliated faculty at numerous institutions around the world and works with the United Nations, OECD, European Commission, among other international organizations.