A NEW HUMAN-CENTERED MODEL OF IDENTITYA New Standard for Ethnic Identity, Citizenship and NationsENGLISHI believe we need to rethink how we define identity in the modern world.A person's identity is not a single label.Identity is everything that distinguishes one individual from another.A person can have many different identities and characteristics:Family and ancestryEthnic and cultural backgroundGenetic ancestry and DNABlood groupDate and place of birthGenderAgeLanguageReligion or beliefEducationProfessionSkills and experienceHobbies and interestsPolitical or philosophical viewsIdeological affiliationsCity of residenceCommunity membershipCitizenshipThe list is almost endless.However, no human being uses all of these identities in the same way at the same time. A person may be a child at one stage of life and elderly at another. A person may have one profession today and another tomorrow. A person may live in one city and later move to another.These are different dimensions of an individual's identity.ETHNIC IDENTITYEthnic identity should be considered separately from citizenship.An Ethnic Identity Card should be a voluntary system that allows individuals to identify their ancestry, cultural heritage, language and historical community.It should not replace citizenship.It should not determine a person's rights as a human being.It should not create a hierarchy between people.Every individual should have the right to know and voluntarily declare their own ethnic and cultural identity.CITIZENSHIP IDENTITYCitizenship is a legal relationship between an individual and a state.A person who legally meets the requirements of a country's citizenship law is a citizen of that country.Citizenship should therefore be separated from ethnicity.A citizen should have equal legal rights and responsibilities regardless of ethnic origin.At the same time, every person living in a city should respect the laws and social rules of that city.NATIONAL IDENTITYNational identity is another dimension.In my view, a nation is not simply a passport or a government.A nation can include a shared historical memory, culture, language, traditions, values and social institutions.People who identify with a nation and live according to its laws and social framework can participate in that national community.At the same time, individuals should not be forced to abandon their ethnic identity in order to belong to a nation.













