Citizen International envisions a world in which people better understand each other, what they have in common and are willing to take individual and collective action to make the world a more peaceful, equal, and sustainable place.

Citizen International's programs are guided by the following core values, all of which are inherent in the ethos of global citizenship.

1. Equality, rights and agency are inherent in all human beings – all human beings, no matter what condition or crisis they may find themselves to be in, are inherently equal, with inalienable rights and agency.
2. Humankind is interdependent – a global economy, along with technological advances in communication and travel have brought the peoples of the world a lot closer together, yet even in this interconnected world, misperceptions persist.
3. Opportunity is empowering  – ensuring the opportunity for education, skills training and life experience empowers individuals to become responsible, involved and self-reliant citizens, laying the foundation for long term solutions to conflict and worldwide social problems.
4. We can all learn from each other – assistance should never be one sided, anytime help is given to an individual or a population it should be seen as a potential for an exchange of ideas or practices and an opportunity to learn from one another.
5. Think in the long-term – focusing on the long-term helps ensure that opportunities for prevention are not missed and that investments in communities can grow into lasting positive social change, an approach that is less costly in both economic and human terms.