Meet Fionn, a typical Global Citizen
Fionn, aged 27, lives in a shared two-bed apartment in Rathmines, a lively, diverse suburb on the south side of Dublin, about 2km from the city centre. It’s close to Rathgar, the affluent suburb where Fionn grew up in a middle-class household that valued education, debate, and civic responsibility. It’s also nearby Ranelagh where he went to a fee-paying school. Fionn knows how lucky he is to have had a relatively privileged upbringing and education, though he does regret that his school didn’t teach through Irish, a shortcoming he’s working on improving by attending informal Irish language meet-ups and through Duolingo.
Fionn has a degree in politics and a master’s degree in international relations from UCD, giving him a strong academic grounding in global politics, development, and economics. He is a young professional, who works fulltime as a policy analyst with a fintech company that specialises in sustainable finance. Fionn is single. His social circle consists mainly of fellow graduates, young professionals who work in tech, policy, law, and NGOs, and longtime school friends. He’s financially secure but increasingly frustrated by the impossibility of buying a home, especially in Dublin ─ even with a steady salary and careful budgeting.
He does worry at times about potential conflicts in his employer’s investment portfolio and wonders what a workplace with greater ethnic diversity and gender balance would be like. Really, he’d like to be working for one of the big NGOs or in a good role as a public servant, like some of his friends. But his job pays him well, allowing him to enjoy a good standard of living in a notoriously expensive city, and to travel and see the world on his annual leave.
Fionn worries about climate change and tries to be sustainable where he can. He commutes to work by bike, or otherwise walks. He’d like to use public transport more, but experience has taught him that it’s unreliable and inefficient. For his next trip, he’s planning to ‘slow travel’, using only train, bus and boat. He’s a regular in his local refill shop which he tries to use as much as possible to stock up on food essentials. He believes in buying less but better and favours ethical brands that are actively engaged in reducing their carbon footprint, such as Camper, New Balance and Patagonia.
Fionn is health- and fitness-conscious and regularly runs along the nearby Grand Canal. He’s also a regular at drop-in meditation sessions at an integrative health centre close by. He is a vegetarian and likes to cook from scratch. On Saturday mornings, he goes to Temple Bar Food Market to buy fresh, organic, locally grown vegetables. He likes live music, cinema, reading and attends talks in his spare time, mainly on geopolitics.
Fionn often feels torn between focusing on Ireland’s domestic crises ─ especially housing ─ and his conviction that Ireland must remain outward-looking and compassionate. He regularly donates to international development organisations, particularly ones supporting aid to Gaza in recent times, and by signing petitions and joining organised marches.
Quick Look:
Where do we find Fionn?
Cycling to work, at the local refill store, at farmers markets, vintage and charity shops, running along the Grand Canal, at the farmers market, at a group meditation session, at a Gaza march, choosing slow travel, at music festivals (All Together Now, Forbidden Fruit).
What influences Fionn?
TV news, Social media (Instagram and TikTok for explainers), Newspapers (Irish Times, Guardian, NY Times, Al Jazeera), Podcasts (Blindboy, The Rest is History, Inside Politics), Special interest groups (Stop Climate Chaos).
Avenues for engagement
Use analysis, not just emotional appeals alone. Use intelligent, calm, confident tone. Use evidence-based arguments. Good quality photography, video content and case studies. Instagram and TikTok for paid and organic content. Activations at festivals.
Messaging Recommendations to reach Global Citizens like Fionn
The Global Citizen is justice and solidarity-driven, therefore, messaging should focus on the theme of exploitation being driven by powerful countries and the impact of the legacy of colonialism. The Global Citizen believes aid should be administered by multilateral organisations and overseas aid organisations, meaning they are likely following one if not more of your channels, and will react positively to calls to action like volunteering, donating, marching, signing petitions and so on. Overall, messaging should emphasise global citizenship and systemic inequality.
Focus on: Climate justice and unequal impacts, Global financial systems, debt, and trade rules, Multilateralism and international cooperation, The role of institutions (UN, EU, international financial institutions, e.g. the World Bank). Show how you address root causes, not symptoms. Link climate justice overseas with climate responsibility at home. Use just transition narratives. Offer meaningful ways to contribute beyond simple charity.
Explore Fionn’s narrative more below.
