The paper introduces the Global Definition of Social Work as an important milestone of international discourse on social work. Outlines historical background of the Definition, inclusive the debates which characterised the development of the draft, and new features of the Definition accepted in 2014. The preliminary issue of the global definition is, whether there exists, or is possible to exist a universal social work. The paper introduces the main topics and point of views in the debates concerning the issue. It formulates the conclusion that the role of the Definition is not so much to describe the reality, nor to lay down the norms of social work, but should be understood as an accomplishment of global discourse of social workers. The task for Hungarian social workers is not to learn the Definition and to comply with the „norms”, but to develop their own discourses on issues represented in the Definition.