Citizens of the Middle East, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Rwanda live with the emotional and psychological pains of terrorism on a daily basis. It is incredible to witness people finding ways to cope in order to conduct routine activities. Americans have witnessed the trials and tribulations of other countries firsthand since September 11th. Many world citizens believe that the tragedy is the United States’ rude welcome to the world community. A major challenge from this point on is to build a world community that can collaborate in combating terrorism, world hunger, and other forms of social injustice. The World Conference on Racism in South Africa was an attempt to do so, but power struggles among constituents created barriers. The United Nations is considered a threat to the super power hierarchy, so it has not been successful. The list below is useful for helping individuals understand what is needed to build a world community bounded by common interests. Trainers and managers can use it to facilitate dialogue among groups of people struggling to cope with making sense out of the tragedy. Understanding that one is not alone in a struggle is a foundation for recovery. Perhaps Americans will not have to make extreme changes away from an open society.

1. Discuss the differences in governance, economic, and social structures of countries in different parts of the world.

2. Learn about the role that religion plays in the lives of people in different parts of the world.

3. Learn about gender roles in three different parts of the world.

4. Learn about the ways in which different countries are economically tied to one another.

5. Discuss the various national holidays prevalent in different parts of the world.

6. Discuss how human rights are linked to different countries’ economic and political circumstances.

7. Learn about how ethnic minorities are differentially treated in different countries.

8. Discuss how differential access to modern weapons determines how warring factions engage in combat.

9. Learn about the source of resentment and mistrust towards western countries, such as the United States and Great Britain.

10. Determine what you can do to work towards a world community of people with equal rights and the possibility of reaching personal potential.