Good News Agency – Year VII, n° 1
Weekly - Year VII, number 1 –
20 January 2006
Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi,
Ph. D.
Rome Law-court registration
no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.
Good News Agency carries
positive and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary
work, the work of the United Nations, non governmental organizations, and
institutions engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn
out” in the space of a day. Editorial research by Fabio Gatti. Good News Agency
is published in English on one Friday and in Italian the next. It is
distributed free of charge through Internet to the editorial offices of more
than 3,700 media in 48 countries, as
well as to 2,800 NGO and service associations.
It is a service of Associazione
Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, NGO associated with the United Nations Department of Public
Information. The Association
has been recognized
by UNESCO as “an actor of
the global movement for a culture of peace” and it has been included in the web
site http://www3.unesco.org/iycp/uk/uk_sum_monde.htm
International legislation – Human rights – Economy and development – Solidarity
Peace and security – Health – Energy
and Safety – Environment and wildlife
Religion and spirituality – Culture and education
The Idea and the Future of the Earth Charter
Canada
becomes the first State to ratify the Convention on the Protection and
Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
December 22 2005, Canada has become the first State to
ratify the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of
Cultural Expressions, which was adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference last
October. The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, welcomed this first
ratification of the new Convention. Stressing that “the defense of cultural
diversity is at the core of the Organization’s mandate,” he recalled that
“UNESCO has elaborated a range of standard-setting instruments to protect
cultural diversity, to be found not only in tangible and intangible heritage,
but also in contemporary forms of creativity.”
The result of a long process
of maturation, including numerous meetings of independent and then governmental
experts, the convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of
Cultural Expressions seeks to reaffirm the links between culture, development
and dialogue and to create an innovative platform for international
cooperation. It follows UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity
adopted in 2001, which recognized cultural diversity as “a source of exchange,
innovation and creativity”, a “common heritage of humanity” that “should be
recognized and affirmed for the benefit of present and future generations.”
The new Convention reaffirms
the sovereign right of States to elaborate cultural policies with a view “to
protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions and reinforce
international cooperation” while respecting human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
The Convention will enter into
force three months after its ratification by 30 States Parties.
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=31297&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Georgia:
Government meets teachers' demands following rally
January 11 - A rally organised
by EI affiliate the Educators and Scientists Free Trade Union of Georgia
(ESFTUG) was successful in persuading the Parliament of Georgia to increase the
funding of education during the budget discussion. 3000 teachers gathered in
Tbilisi on 13th December, marching to the parliament. Regional representatives
spoke of their problems and demanded that the government meet them. After the
rally, the Georgian Minister of Education & Science invited ESFTUG to
discuss their demands. The results of this 3 hour meeting were: the minister
promised that no school would be closed without prior consultation with, and
consent of, trade union organisations; funding of schools will now be
determined according to the needs of individual schools; a joint committee will
be established to investigate ways of ensuring an adequate pension for those
teachers who have reached retirement age.
Shortly after the rally, the
Ministry of Finance allocated additional funding for the education sector with
the provision within the 2006 budget for raising further sums.
While welcoming these
developments, Manana Gurchumelidze, General Secretary of ESFTUG emphasised that
the union is “determined to continue our efforts to provide our teachers with
normal working conditions, adequate wages and well-deserved pensions.”
http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/20060111.htm
Baha'is
honor champion of human rights
London, 3 January (BWNS) -- A
former British parliamentarian, Sydney Chapman, received the inaugural
Blomfield Award for Human Rights at a ceremony organized by the United Kingdom
Baha'i community's national governing council and the Barnet Baha'i community.
The Baha'is of the United
Kingdom have established the Blomfield Award -- named after Lady Blomfield, a
prominent early British Baha'i -- to present to individuals in British public
life who have offered consistent and exceptional support towards the defence of
Baha'is in countries where they are persecuted for their religious faith,
notably in Iran. (…)
http://news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=420
Sierra
Leone / Liberia: 15 families reunited
December 23, 2005 - On 21
December the ICRC reunited 15 Liberian minors with relatives, several years
after armed conflict forced them to flee into Sierra Leone, where they lost
contact with those at home. Aged between nine and 19, the youngsters lived with
foster families in various refugee camps in Sierra Leone. Once the long process
of tracing loved ones was complete, they were taken from the camps by road to
Freetown and then flown aboard an ICRC aircraft to Monrovia and Voinjama in
Liberia, where relatives were waiting for them. For the first time in many
years they will be able to spend Christmas with family.
Since the hostilities in
Sierra Leone ended in 2002, the ICRC has reunited more than 2,300 minors from
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire with their immediate families
or closest remaining relatives in West Africa.
January 17 (e-Civicus) - The African leg of the World
Social Forum (WSF) will be held 19-23 January 2006 in the Malian capital,
Bamako. With a host of issues on the agenda including war and militarism,
global trade and debt. However, organisers plan to ensure that key development
issues such as HIV/AIDS, human rights, democracy and governance will also be
discussed in a broader perspective. For more information, visit
www.ipsterraviva.net/Europe/article.aspx?id=2825
UN
envoy says South Asian Trade Pact is a boon for Least Developed Countries
New York, 3 January - The United Nations envoy for the world’s
vulnerable countries, Anwarul K. Chowdhury, has hailed the entry into force of
the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement as a boon to the region’s
four Least Developed Countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal. SAFTA,
which became operational on 1 January 2006, is an agreement between members of
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, who also include India,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka. “SAFTA’s recognition of the special needs of LDCs as
deserving preferential treatment is an outstanding example of the role regional
trade arrangements can play in assisting weaker countries to overcome their
vulnerabilities and reap the full benefits of economic integration,” he said.
“The agreement will boost the exports of the four LDCs, reinforcing their
poverty reduction efforts and propelling them to sustainable development.”
The agreement requires member
countries to reduce their tariffs on products from the four LDCs to between
zero and five percent within three years, compared to a time-frame of seven
years for the other members. It calls upon the member countries to give
technical support to the four LDCs to expand their trade with other SAFTA
countries. The agreement also urges other SAFTA members to take direct trade
measures, such as concluding long and medium-term contracts that enhance
sustainable exports from the four LDCs. (…)
http://www.un.org/ohrlls/
New
US$15 million IFAD loan to assist the rural poor in Falcon and Lara States of
Venezuela
Rome, 29 December 2005 – Poor
farmers and wage-worker families living in 28 micro-watersheds in the Falcon
and Lara states will benefit from a new development project in the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela. The US$23
million Sustainable Rural Development Project for the Semi-Arid Zones of Falcon
and Lara states (PROSALAFA II), will be co-financed by a US$15 million loan
from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and US$4
million from the Andean Development Corporation (CAF). The Government of
Venezuela will provide US$3 million and project beneficiaries will contribute
US$1 million. (…)
At least 27 percent of project
resources will be used for the rehabilitation and conservation of
micro-watersheds, helping to promote the sustainable use of natural resources.
The project will launch training and environmental education programmes geared
towards providing a better understanding of the importance of existing natural
resources. The project will also support soil and water conservation measures,
an incremental water supply for drinking and agricultural production as well as
a more efficient use of semi-arid rangelands for goat-raising. In addition, the
project will assist small entrepreneurs, rural youth and groups of small
farmers through training, capacity-building, natural resource management and
technical assistance services. (…)
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2005/47.htm
US$29.3
million IFAD loan will empower remote rural households in China
Rome, 16 December 2005 – A new
development programme will benefit more than 300,000 poor rural households in
China’s South Gansu Province. The US$81.0 million programme will be financed
partly by a US$29.2 million loan from the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD). The Government of China will contribute US$31.9 million. An additional
US$4.7 million grant will be provided by the World Food Programme. (…)
The programme will create the
basis for economic production by promoting irrigation, terracing and tree
planting to arrest soil degradation and increase agricultural output. It will
also improve infrastructure, ensuring better access to clean drinking water,
health services, education and financial services. Through training and
capacity building, the programme will help rural poor people increase
production of both on and off-farm activities, and increase their food
security. Literacy classes and skills training will enable women and girls to
become active decision-makers and confident borrowers, helping them generate
more income. (…)
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2005/46.htm
Voices Against Poverty: Say “No Excuses!”
January 17 (e-Civicus) - To
raise awareness of the world's commitment to end poverty, the United
Nations Millennium Campaign has produced a global media initiative
entitled "Only with your Voice". The campaign urges people
to insist "no
excuses, promises must be met" and become
a friend of the Campaign by signing the Millennium
Campaign Pledge. For further details, see
www.millenniumcampaign.org/site/pp.asp?c=grKVL2NLE&b=496093
The Norwegian MDG Campaign
January 17 (e-Civicus) - The Norwegian MDG Campaign
has kick-started its 2006 campaign with the slogan "Et løfte er et løfte -
Keep the promise". The word "Løfte" ("promise") will
serve as the essence of the campaign which will especially address
families with children under the age of 12. The Norwegian MDG Campaign was
launched in 2004, spearheaded by UNICEF, the UN Association, UNDP Nordic Office
and FK Norway. For more information, see:
www.millenniumcampaign.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=grKVL2NLE&b=190470&ct=1751799
CCF
assists famine stricken areas in Kenya
January 13 - Christian
Children’s Fund (CCF) is assisting families in drought stricken areas of Kenya
with provision of water, food and essential items such as clothing, jerry cans
and utensils. In addition, CCF is continuing its ongoing program of deep well
drilling to lessen the effects of the drought and resulting famine.
Kenya has been experiencing a
prolonged drought in most areas since late 2004, and the drought is projected
to continue well into 2006. The result of the prolonged drought is famine which
now has affected 10 percent of Kenya’s population; that number is expected to
increase significantly during February and March, which are traditionally
extremely hot, dry months in Kenya. Nine out of 22 semi-arid and arid districts
are the most severely affected. Deaths as a result of the famine are being
reported. As the drought and famine continue, it is expected that without
increased intervention, children will drop out of school and deaths among the
most vulnerable (children, expectant mothers and the elderly) will increase.
(…)
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=4707
Government of Japan provides
US$2.256 million to Liberia’s children
Monrovia, Liberia, 12
January -- The Government of Japan has contributed US$2.256 million to
UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, to protect Liberian children from
infectious diseases, including malaria and acute respiratory infections. (…)
The funding is targeted to
provide Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) services to more than 450,000
Liberian children and will fund training and supplies to strengthen the
capacity of health care workers at the community level to treat and prevent
childhood illnesses. To protect children from malaria, long lasting insecticide
treated bed nets will be distributed to every child under the age of five and
to all pregnant women in Lofa, Grand Gedeh, and Maryland counties. Pregnant
women in the three counties will also be targeted to receive two-doses of the
ant-malarial drug sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.(…)
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_30682.html
Gates
Foundation grants two Africare food security projects
Washington, January 10 -- Africare is pleased to announce receipt
of two generous grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which will
support responses to drought and food crises in Niger and Zimbabwe. Funding in
the amount of $1,022,686.00 will go toward two critical emergency programs
which will address drought resistance crop production in both Niger (Improve
Agriculture Production and Natural Resource Management) and Zimbabwe (Gokwe
Integrated Recovery Action (GIRA)).
The provision of funding for
two independent projects will energize Africare’s longstanding commitment to
empowering communities throughout Africa. Two separate proposals were submitted
to the Global Health Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in a very
competitive pool for project funding. These awards will span the period of
December 1, 2005 through June 1, 2007. (…)
Africare developed in 1970 in
response to a severe West African drought that plagued Niger and neighboring
countries in the Sahel. Since its formation, Africare has demonstrated the same
vigor in emergency responses and long-term sustainable development. (…)
http://www.africare.org/news/news_release/gatesfoundation.html
ADRA
receives nearly $15,000 from Hamburg Church in Pennsylvania
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA,
January 10 -The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) received a
generous donation of $14,749 from the Hamburg Community Seventh-day Adventist
Church in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, as part of their annual Christmas offering to
benefit ADRA projects. (…) The money will be used in a variety of projects
listed in ADRA’s Original Really Useful Gift Catalog, an annual catalog
produced by ADRA. (…)
Some of the projects chosen by
the Hamburg Church include medical kits for a ADRA health center in the
Philippines, providing access to clean water for a village of 40 families in
Somalia, distributing emergency relief supplies for typhoon and flood survivors
in Vietnam, and sending children to school in the Philippines.
ADRA is present in 125
countries, providing community development and emergency management without
regard to political or religious association, age, or ethnicity.
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=4706
2005:
Record year of EU contributions to WFP
WFP's
operation in Pakistan is the latest to receive a contribution from the European
Commission
Brussels, 30 December 2005 -
With a contribution of a 4 million euros from the European Commission
Humanitarian Office (ECHO) for Pakistan today, the European Commission (EC) has
provided its largest contribution since 1992 – some 214 million euros - to WFP
operations around the globe in its effort to save lives and feed the hungry
poor. (…)
The EC has been instrumental
in helping WFP to alleviate hunger in more than 28 poor countries across the
world where hundreds of thousands of people were threatened by starvation
during a year of intense man-made and natural catastrophes. (…) As in previous
years, the EU has again been a strong supporter of WFP in Uganda, Southern
Sudan and Eritrea, to name only a few of the crises that do not make everyday
headlines.
The European Commission is the
second largest donor to WFP, but its contribution goes beyond the signing of a
cheque. (…)
2005 has been the most
challenging year the humanitarian world has faced since World War II, with
disasters affecting tens of millions of people across the developing world like
the Indian Ocean Tsunami, drought and locusts in Niger, the continuing conflict
in Darfur, the hurricanes Katrina and Stan, and finally the devastating
earthquake in Pakistan. There is little reason to think that the challenges in
2006 for the humanitarian and development community will not again be immense.
(…)
http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=1979
Save
the Children receives $500,000 grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for
South Asia earthquake response
Westport, CT, USA, December
21, 2005 – Save the Children today announced that it has received a 1-year,
$500,000 grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to address the long-term
recovery needs of families, with an emphasis on women and children, affected by
the October earthquake that struck Pakistan and India. This is one of four
grants that the Hilton Foundation has made to help the Pakistan earthquake
victims, bringing its total commitment for the South Asia earthquake to $1.2
million. (…)
Based in Los Angeles , the
Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by the late hotel entrepreneur and
business leader, Conrad N. Hilton, who left his fortune to the foundation with
instructions to help the most disadvantaged and vulnerable throughout the world
without regard to religion, ethnicity or geography. (…)
http://www.savethechildren.org/news/releases/release_122105.asp
"Age
of Connectivity" - Caring Communities for the 21st Century: Imagining the
Possible
10 February 2006, International
Conference 10am - 6pm UN Headquarters, New York
The quantity of life change
has become a quality of life challenge! Join experts from the fields of urban
planning and development, information and communication technologies, finance,
government, business, and health, to
discuss and exchange ideas. As part of a series of Interlinked Congresses
addressing the "Age of
Longevity" held in cities around the world, this conference is
organized in coordination with the United Nations Programme for Human
Settlements (UN-Habitat), UN Programme on Ageing, Department of Economic and
Social
Affairs, Department of Public Information, NGOs, and the private sector. The Conference is in support
of the Commission for Social
Development and highlights the winning projects of the 2005 ICT Student
Design Competition. (…)
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Kim
Hak-Su (invited), Under-Secretary-General.Executive Director, United Nations
Economic and Social Council of Asia and
Pacific (ESCAP). Co-Chairs: Dean Fadi Deek, Professor of Information Systems
and Mathematical Science, College of
Science and Liberal Arts, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Dr.
Michael Gurstein, Clinical Professor,
School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology ( NJIT), Chair,
Community Informatics Research Network. (…)
Registration Deadline 3
February 2006: icccworld@earthlink.net
Overview
of ITF donations received and memorandum of understanding signed in Dec. 2005
January 5 - In December 2005
ITF received four donations in total amount 3.200.319,64 USD. On 13 December 2005 United Nations
Development Program donated funds earmarked for ITF demining activities in
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in amount 340.000,92 EUR. On 16 December 2005 BiH (Ministry of Treasury) donated funds earmarked for ITF structure
support in amount 2.200.000,00 USD. On 23 December 2005 Walnut Creek donated
funds earmarked for ITF demining activities in BiH in amount 2.512,81 USD. On 30 December 2005 Austria (Austrian
Development Agency) donated funds earmarked also for ITF demining activities in
BiH in amount 500.000,00 EUR. In year 2005 ITF raised 27.785.654,66 USD of
donations. On 20 December 2005 ITF signed Agreement with Austrian Development
Agency in amount of 500.000,00 EUR – funds are earmarked for ITF demining activities
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (…)
International Trust Fund For
Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) is a humanitarian, non-profit
organization devoted to eradication of the landmines from the ground in the
region of South-Eastern Europe and the world.
A
unique approach to mine risk reduction: Azerbaijan’s “Safe Play Areas”
Author:
Kendrah Jespersen
Baku, Azerbaijan, 19 December
2005 - Fifteen new “Safe Play Areas”
opened in the past month in some of Azerbaijan’s most mine-affected
communities. These playground areas, built to provide a mine-free place for
children to play safely and to promote mine risk reduction messages, were built
and designed by community volunteers in a unique initiative by the ICRC and
local branches of the Azerbaijan National Red Crescent Society. (…)
The “Safe Play Area” project
is a unique ICRC initiative that involves engaging communities and local Red
Crescent Society volunteers in the planning, design, construction and
maintenance of children’s playgrounds in mine-affected communities located
close to Azerbaijan’s frontline areas. These playgrounds provide an alternative
safe place to play for children who are otherwise often restricted to their own
yards, or else venture into open fields and places where there is a high risk
of encountering a mine. This project has been implemented with the intention of
moving beyond traditional mine risk education (MRE) methods such as posters,
stickers and booklets which can sometimes fail in their effectiveness or loose
their sense of importance over time. (…)
http://www.icbl.org/layout/set/print/news/safe_play_areas_project
European
Commission provides €8 million for victims of crises in Northern and Southern
Caucasus (EU)
13 December 2005 - The
European Commission has adopted two new humanitarian aid decisions totalling €8
million for victims of the ongoing crises in Chechnya (€6 million) and Georgia
(€2 million). In Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan, this decision finances the
distribution of basic and supplementary food for the most vulnerable people,
supports primary education and vocational training as well as psychological
assistance for people, especially children, affected by war-related trauma. It
also provides mine-risk education
The first aid package will
complement the previous decision for victims of the conflict in Chechnya. The
recipients will include internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable
groups in Chechnya as well as IDPs in Ingushetia and Dagestan. The second aid
package will support the most vulnerable people in Western Georgia, in
particular those affected by the unresolved conflict between Abkhazia and Georgia.
Funds are being allocated via
the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) under the
responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel and will be channelled through
international agencies operating in the region. (…)
http://www.landmine.de/en.titel/en.news/en.news.one/index.html?entry=en.news.0bac3ad974200000
The
Amahoro (Peace) Coalition Open Center
Appeal
for an Open Center for Peace and Reconciliation !
TFF Amahoro (Peace) Coalition
in Burundi, December 6, 2005 - Twelve of the best Burundian NGOs - youth,
women, teachers, media, scholars, former militaries, etc - have joined forces
to set up the first ever learning center in support of one of the world's most
promising - but internationally unknown - peace processes.
Competent and experienced,
they will foster peace and improve life among their 7 million fellow citizens
in Burundi, the world's third materially poorest country with so much talent
and energy. Burundi must be rewarded for having recognised in earnest that war
is rubbish and peace is realistic and possible. This is your 2006
people-to-people peace project. It's a TFF-initiated project. Do something
positive today: read, spread the message and donate! Even the smallest support will
make a huge difference.
Burundi - Isn't it time we
rewarded this country for its peace process?
When someone wants to start a war, there are always arms dealers
standing ready. Seemingly unlimited resources are made available. When people
decide to put war behind them, media pays no attention and wealthy governments
ignore them unless, that is, it is a "strategically important” country.
Burundi is another name for one of the world's most impressive and promising
peace processes. A good story. But it doesn't receive a fraction of the small
humanitarian aid it needs; more and more Burundian are starving - as can be
seen from some of the news articles below.
TFF is one of the few
organisations that follow and support the peace process in Burundi - through 12
fine civil society organisations in the country. You can read much more here,
at our Burundi Forum.
http://www.transnational.org/forum/meet/TFF_Forum_Burundi.html
Helen
Keller International exceeds vitamin A supplementation goal
Conakry, Guinea, January 5 –
Helen Keller International (HKI) exceeded its goal for vitamin A supplementation
in Guinea, reaching more than 2 million children from November 10-13,
2005. The days were part of the
country’s second national vitamin A distribution campaign, which targeted
children from six months to five years old using an innovative door-to-door
strategy. First Lady of Guinea Madame
Henriette Conte launched the campaign in Conakry with representatives from HKI,
UNICEF and the World Health Organization in attendance.
This most recent campaign
coincided with the fourth National Immunization Days for the eradication of
polio and received great support at both the national and local levels. (…)
A recent HKI study in
sub-Saharan Africa showed that 42.4% of children under five are at risk of
vitamin A deficiency, though as many as 65% are at risk in some regions of
Guinea. Vitamin A supplementation has
been proven to reduce under-five child mortality by 25% to 35%, saving the
lives of over 645,000 children per year.
HKI set and ambitious target to reach 1.9 million Guinean children with
supplements and exceeded that goal by reaching more than 2 million. (…)
http://www.hkworld.org/about/press_releases/GuineaNIDsVAS2005.htm
Rotary
members begin the New Year by protecting children from polio in India
Evanston, Illinois, USA, 2
January — Over the holidays, Canadian and US Rotary members prepared for their
trips to India, where they will help immunize approximately 75 million children
against polio — a crippling and sometimes fatal disease that still threatens
children in parts of Asia and Africa.
The Rotary members — all
contributing their personal resources to cover trip expenses — will depart for
India on or around January 5, and will return toward the end of the month.
While in India, the volunteers will participate in an intense vaccination
campaign with the goal of immunizing every child under the age of five against
polio in the northern states of India, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They
will systematically go house-to-house and village-to-village, to administer the
drops of the oral polio vaccine children.
India is one of three
countries in Asia and only six in the world classified as polio-endemic
(Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Niger and Egypt). India, which once
held more than 70% of the global burden of polio cases, could be polio-free
within the next six months, having only reported 57 cases so far in 2005. (…)
Through Rotary International,
the fight against polio has been largely driven by volunteers. Never before
have individual volunteers and the influence of the private sector played such
a core role in a global public health effort. "Rotary and its 1.2 million
volunteers worldwide is an integral part of the global polio eradication effort.
It is this volunteer network that is at the heart of Rotary's role in the
global effort to eradicate polio. Rotarians are making a difference — whether
that be in collectively committing well over US$600 million to the effort, or
participating in immunization campaigns in the remaining polio-affected
countries." Dr LEE, Jong-wook, Director-General, World Health
Organization. (…)
http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/presscenter/releases/2006/252.html
Pakistan:
Relief work continues despite poor weather
January 3 - After being
grounded for two days by torrential rains in Muzaffarabad, in
Pakistan-administered Kashmir, ICRC helicopters were able to take to the air on
3 January and re-supply basic health-care units in Cham, Pathika and Chinari.
ICRC medical teams reported
that many tents in villages and settlements had collapsed under the weight of
rain and snow when the bad weather set in on 1 January. No major increase in
the number of patients coming to the basic health-care units with illnesses
related to the cold weather has yet been observed. However, it is expected that
many patients will arrive in the coming days should the cold snap continue, as
forecast. (…)
On a happier note, a baby girl
was born in a basic health-care unit run by the German Red Cross in the
afternoon of 2 January. Both mother and daughter were fine and went home before
nightfall.
Two
new malaria treatments available in 2006
First medicines developed by Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) will be easier to use and less expensive than current ACTs, but action is needed to make sure the treatments reach patients.
Washington, DC, 13 December
2005 - Two new, non-patented malaria treatments will be available in the global
fight against the disease by the second half of 2006, the Drugs for Neglected
Diseases initiative (DNDi) announced today at 54th annual American Society of
Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Conference. (…)
DNDi's innovative FACT Project
(fixed-dose, artemisinin-based combination therapy) has brought together
academic, public and private partners from around the world to address the need
for more effective tools to battle malaria. These two new ACTs are the first
medicines developed by DNDi since its inception in 2003. (…)
(top)
Green
Power 5 - Development & Management of Resources and Energy Security
International Conference on
Sustainable Power Development - IndiaCore, Council of Power Utilities and World Energy Council 2-3 February 2006, New Delhi, India
January 17 (e-Civicus) - This biennial conference focuses on sustainable energy development.
Green Power 5 will explore the latest, most relevant technologies and examine
them in the context of current and future energy requirements while addressing
the concerns related to energy security. It will analyse the numerous benefits
of adopting these technologies even while it provides a realistic framework for
incorporating them. For more information, visit www.greenpower5.com/ic-conf/12-feb06-green-power/index.html
Will
2006: Environment is a trade union priority
Brussels, 16 January (ICFTU
Online) - The World Trade Union Assembly on Labour and the Environment was
officially opened on Sunday 15 January in Nairobi, at the head office of UNEP.
Trade unions from all over the world are debating the best ways to engage in
concrete action in the struggle for a sustainable environment.
This meeting - a joint
initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Sustainlabour
and the Varda group - brings together more than 160 trade unionists from all
over the world. Non-government organisations and employer representatives have
also been invited to
take part. The primary objective of the meeting is to ensure more effective
trade union action on the environment. Three working days have been set aside
to review concrete case studies of practical initiatives in the sixty-odd
countries represented in Nairobi.
The debates cover a range of
topics such as corporate social responsibility, health and safety at work and
trade union action for equitable and sustainable access to resources and
services, along with climate change and energy policies, their mitigation and
adaptation measures and their consequences on labour. Campaign action on
asbestos and AIDS also features on the agenda. The conclusions of this
extensive programme is expected to result, on Tuesday morning, in a series of
recommendations and concrete trade union actions. (…)
Rotary at work in Nigeria: “Improvement of Maternal
Health – Prevention and Treatment of Obstetric Fistula”
A project of the “Rotarian
Action Group for Population & Development”(RFPD)
The Rotarian Action Group for Population & Development was founded
in 1996 and has 20.000 members worldwide, about half of them each in developing
and developed countries. RFPD creates awareness and takes action on population
issues through Rotary Clubs, Rotaract Clubs (Rotarian youth) and Inner Wheel
clubs (spouses).
With a project called “Improvement of Maternal Health –Prevention and
Treatment of Obstetric Fistula” in Kaduna and Kano State, Nigeria, amounting to
one million Euros, the Rotarian Action
Group (RFPD) contributes to the UN-Millenium Development Goals. The target
group includes approximately 5 million women of child-bearing age and their
families. In a comprehensive approach maternal mortality, which is unusually
high in these areas of Nigeria, will be reduced. At the same time the project
tackles the increasing fistula problem in developing countries, the “Leprosy of
the 21st Century” as it is called.
The general project “Improvement of Matermal Health” started in July
2005 and is supposed to be completed by June 2008. Info:
Prof. Dr. Robert Zinser, robert.zinser@t-online.de
Liberia:
UN envoy hails youth participants in clean-up campaign
14 January – The senior United
Nations envoy for Liberia today praised thousands of the country's youth who
have participated in a campaign to clean up Monrovia ahead of Monday's historic
inauguration of President-elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Alan Doss made his comments at
a ceremony in the capital which marked the culmination of a 10-day exercise
called “Youth in Action,” involving nearly 4,000 young volunteers who helped
beautify the city through a massive clean-up effort. “Several years ago you
might have carried guns, but you put them down and you picked up spades” Mr.
Doss told participants. “It is these spades which will rebuild this country. It
is you that will rebuild this country.”
Over the past ten days, the
young volunteers removed more than 250 truckloads of garbage, brushed and
painted roadsides, patched potholes and repainted many buildings, bridges and
road signs throughout the capital, according to the UN peacekeeping mission in
the country (UNMIL), which provided logistical support.
In its own efforts to help
clean-up Monrovia, UNMIL has removed over 100 wrecked vehicles from the
roadsides, repaired potholes, removed nearly 200 truckloads of trash, and made
repairs to Roberts International Airport and other vital infrastructure. (…)
http://www.un.org/apps/news/ticker/tickerstory.asp?NewsID=17163
WWF
associate organization signs sustainable tourism agreement in Patagonia
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 6
January – WWF's associate organization, Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina
(FVSA), has signed a cooperation agreement with local authorities to promote
conservation in the United Nations-protected Valdés Peninsula in the Patagonia
region of Argentina. The cooperation agreement — signed with Argentina’s Chubut
Province and the Península Valdés Natural Protected Area Administration — seeks
to implement a sustainable tourism plan for the protected area, including the
establishment of a visitors centre at the whale watching town of Puerto
Pirámide. (…)
In September 2005, FVSA
acquired 7,360ha of the San Pablo de Valdés wildlife reserve, which includes
12km of pristine coastline. The acquisition gives FVSA access to management
decisions in the nearby Valdés Peninsula coastal and marine protected area and
UNESCO World Heritage site. (…)
Peninsula Valdés is marked by
its vibrant coastlines, a stunning array of tall cliffs, rocky reef and exotic
marine mammals, including the southern elephant seal, sea lion, southern right
whale, and Magellan penguins. The area is also home to more than 60 species of
birds, as well as several species of terrestrial mammals, such as the grey fox,
guanaco, and mara. (…)
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=55540
US Seminar: Faith and Social ResponsibilityWashington, United States, 15 December 2005 (BWNS) -- Suheil Bushrui, the holder of the Baha'i Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland, participated in a seminar on "Faith and Social Responsibility" with His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales last month. Held at Georgetown University on 3 November 2005, the seminar brought together 40 senior religious leaders and scholars from various faiths. The purpose of the event was for faith leaders to discuss best practices on faith-based practical initiatives on employment, education, and community regeneration. The seminar featured a round table discussion in the presence of Prince Charles, who was visiting the United States. Seminar moderators were Dr. Jane McAuliffe, Dean of Georgetown College, and Professor John Esposito of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. During the exchange of ideas, Professor Bushrui said that although beliefs and social ordinances differ among faith traditions, all the religions are fundamentally united. (…)
Georgetown
University, the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in America, was founded
in 1789 by Archbishop John Carroll. (…) Source: Bahá'í International Community
(For a story on Professor Bushrui, see: http://news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=282
)
Human Rights Advocates Programme
Centre for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University, August - December 2006, New York, USA - Application
Deadline: 28 February 2006
January 17 (e-Civicus) - This programme brings human rights leaders from the Global South and
marginalised communities in the U.S. to Columbia University to engage national and international
policymakers on impacts of the global economy on their communities. In order to
advocate more effectively, HRAP builds crucial skills for strategic planning,
fundraising, utilising the press and media, and building sustainable
organisations. During their residency, the Advocates are given numerous
opportunities to engage NGOs, corporations, governments, foundations, the
United Nations, and international financial institutions. For more information,
visit www.columbia.edu/cu/humanrights/training/adv/hradv_pgm.htm
Tsunami,
one year later—School for International Training and Sarvodaya launch Master’s
Program
January 5 - Responding to the
needs of communities affected by damage from the December 2004 Indian Ocean
tsunami, World Learning’s School for International Training (SIT) has
collaborated with Sarvodaya—one of Sri Lanka’s most respected development
NGO’s--to offer a one-year service-learning Master of Arts in Sustainable
Development. Based entirely in Sri Lanka, the program is designed to provide a
12-month M.A. degree in sustainable development while contributing to the
recovery efforts of local communities.
SIT has long been a provider
of innovative experientially-based Masters programs designed to develop global
citizens with knowledge and skills required to be effective change agents.
Sarvodaya is a leading NGO in the sustainable development field. World Learning
CEO, Carol Bellamy, commented, “at a time when educational institutions are
being challenged to contribute to society, this program stands out. Students
will acquire a world class education, while also contributing to the rebuilding
efforts.”
The M.A. program begins this
week, with 22 students from 14 U.S. states, 1 from Washington DC, and 4
students from Sri Lanka set to participate. (…)
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=4696
Newport
doctor will return to Pakistan with film crew to show aid efforts there after
October quake.
By Michael Miller
January 4 - Salman Naqvi has
ventured to Pakistan twice in the last three months, witnessing firsthand the
devastation that an earthquake brought to the country. In October, the Newport
Beach physician spent eight days in a medical tent, treating any patients who
walked in; just before New Year's, he returned to visit tent villages where
survivors were huddling in the winter chill. Later this month, Naqvi is heading
to his country of birth again -- and this time, he's taking the world along for
the ride. Naqvi, 43, who runs his own pulmonary and critical-care practice, will
venture to Pakistan on Jan. 23 with a documentary film crew sponsored by Relief
International. The film, narrated by actor Ben Kingsley, is part of a larger
series that Relief International is planning on natural disasters around the
world. Naqvi will assist the crew as a translator, consultant and liaison with
Pakistani authorities. "There's a lot left to do, but hopefully we've
started something that will progress into something big," the Irvine
resident said about his work in the ravaged country.
In December, Relief
International -- a Los Angeles-based organization that sponsored Naqvi's
previous trips to Pakistan -- hosted a party in Beverly Hills with Naqvi,
Kingsley and film director Richard Attenborough in attendance. Relief
International had recently launched the Gandhi Project, in which aid workers
screened Attenborough's 1982 film "Gandhi" in Palestinian schools and
refugee camps to teach them about nonviolence.
With the Gandhi Project
accelerating, Relief International opted to begin a film series of its own.
Public relations director Jennifer Norris said the final results would be short
documentaries, about a half an hour in length, that the agency would market to
public television stations. At the party, Naqvi met Kingsley and Attenborough and
agreed to participate in the film project. (…)
http://www.ri.org/press_release/South_Asia/Daily_Pilot_01_04_06.pdf
Free
computer courses lead to jobs
Banjul, The Gambia, 1 January
(BWNS) -- A graduation ceremony last month has boosted the number of computer
graduates from classes offered free by the local Baha'i community to more than
900. Since 1998, the Baha'is have arranged the classes to help people who
cannot otherwise obtain computer skills to get a job. Students have ranged from teenagers to the middle-aged, and
include both men and women, said local Baha'i spokesman Faramarz Shams. Many
graduates use their newly-gained skills in jobs that they have obtained after completing
the courses, Mr. Shams said. "The students come from the Islamic,
Christian, and Baha'i communities and include teachers, students, and business
people," he said. The courses, offered at basic and advanced levels,
usually involve two sessions of two hours per week for three months. The
teachers are Gambian Baha'is and Baha'i youth volunteers from the United
Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. The country's only television station
and both its major newspapers regularly cover the graduation ceremonies. On 18
December 2005, 56 students received their graduation certificates.
http://news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=419
Transcend
Peace University -March Semester 2006
Johan Galtung, the Rector of
TPU and one of the founders of peace studies, invites you to join practitioners
and students from around the world on-line.
http://www.transcend.org/tpu
With faculty and Course
Directors drawn from amongst the leading scholars and practitioners in their
fields internationally, TPU is the world's first truly global, on-line Peace
University designed for government and NGO practitioners, policy makers and
students at any level working in the fields of peace, conflict transformation,
development and global issues. Since 1996 450+
on-site skills institutes have been offered for 9,000+ participants around the
world, using the TRANSCEND manual "Conflict Transformation by Peaceful
Means," published by the United Nations. In the 2006 March Semester TPU
will offer 32 courses (posted on the web site).
Starting date: March 20, 2006.
Ending date: June 15, 2006
* * * * * * *
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THE IDEA AND THE FUTURE OF THE EARTH CHARTER
by
Vicky Rossi – TFF Peace Antenna
Peace
Antenna Interview with Mr Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Earth Charter Commissioner,
Chairman, Fundación Cultura de Paz, former Director-General of UNESCO. Rossi
interviewed Federico Mayor at the Earth Charter +5 Conference, Amsterdam, 7-9
November 2005.
Background
to the creation of the Earth Charter
The idea of creating a new
charter to promote the fundamental principles for sustainable development was
declared by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development
in 1987. However, despite the impetus of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the
drafting of the Earth Charter remained incomplete. In response to this delay,
in 1994 Maurice Strong, the secretary general of the Earth Summit and chairman
of the Earth Council, joined together with Mikhail Gorbachev, founding
president of Green Cross International, to launch a new Earth Charter
initiative. In 1997 an Earth Charter Commission was created to oversee the
initiative and an Earth Charter Secretariat began work within the Earth Council
in Costa Rica.
Contributions from individuals
and organisations, from experts and grassroots communities, were compiled by
the Earth Charter Commission's drafting committee and finally approved at a
meeting in the UNESCO HQ, in Paris, in March 2000. On 29 June 2000, the Earth
Charter was officially launched at the Peace Palace in The Hague. Its mission
is to establish "an ethical foundation for the emerging world community"
and "to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for
nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace."
The Earth Charter has 4 main
principles/pillars, each of which has 4 sub-principles:
1) Respect and Care for the Community of Life
i) Respect Earth and life in
all its diversity.
ii) Care for the community of
life with understanding, compassion and love.
iii) Build democratic
societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.
iv) Secure Earth's bounty and
beauty for present and future generations.
2) Ecological Integrity
i) Protect and restore the
integrity of Earth's ecological systems, with special concern for biological
diversity and the natural processes that sustain life.
ii) Prevent harm as the best
method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a
precautionary approach.
iii) Adopt patterns of
production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth's regenerative
capacities, human rights and community well-being.
iv) Advance the study of
ecological sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of
the knowledge acquired.
3) Social and Economic Justice
i) Eradicate poverty as an
ethical, social and environmental imperative.
ii) Ensure that economic
activities and institutions at all levels promote human development in an
equitable and sustainable manner.
iii) Affirm gender equality
and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development and ensure universal
access to education, health care and economic opportunity.
iv) Uphold the right of all,
without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human
dignity, bodily health and spiritual well-being, with special attention to the
rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.
4) Democracy, Non-violence and Peace
i) Strengthen democratic
institutions at all levels and provide transparency and accountability in
governance, inclusive participation in decision-making and access to justice.
ii) Integrate into formal
education and life-long learning the knowledge, values and skills needed for a
sustainable way of life.
iii) Treat all living beings
with respect and consideration.
iv) Promote a culture of
tolerance, non-violence and peace.
Earth
Charter +5 Conference, Amsterdam, 7-9 November 2005
On the occasion of the Earth
Charter +5 conference held at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, 7-9
November, I spoke to the former Director-General of UNESCO (1987-1999) Mr
Federico Mayor, one of the Earth Charter Commissioners and Chairman of the
Fundación Cultura de Paz.
Vicky
Rossi: How would you summarize the ethos and intention behind the Earth
Charter?
Federico
Mayor: The Earth Charter is the final result of a big disappointment because
we were working very, very hard in the year 1992 for the World Summit in Rio de
Janeiro on sustainable development and particularly on the environment. We must
take into account now that we have an environment and that we must transfer
this environment and this Earth that we are utilising to the next generations.
We realised that that was not the case, so we prepared - I can assure you - one
of the best UN summits that has ever been prepared. We were working very hard
and very late, and we were drafting documents related to the soil, the oceans,
the air - everything was taken into account.
As you know, Agenda 21 contains all sorts of excellent
recommendations, but we realised, when leaving Rio de Janeiro, that the United
Nations was not really taken into account. After the end of the Cold War there
was a dynamic aimed at not reinforcing the United Nations, but rather keeping
the UN as it was, and instead creating things like the G7 and G8. At the time,
we had the feeling - I say "we" as I was Director-General of UNESCO
then - that we must take the excellent guidelines of Agenda 21 and reflect on
these main points in one topic through what could be a World Council on Earth.
Particularly in order that the education of the children, but also education at
different levels, could transmit the essence - let us put it this way - of Rio
de Janeiro. And this was done.
Maurice Strong, who was at that time also the secretary general
of the Summit in Rio de Janeiro, created the Earth Council in Costa Rica. Then
different people were asked to participate in the drafting of what is now the
Earth Charter: Mikhail Gorbachev, who at that time was President of the Green
Cross, was requested to participate; so too was Ruud Lubbers, who was then the
Prime Minister of this country - the Netherlands - and also very supportive of
the Green Cross; then of course UNESCO was asked to participate because we were
one of the leaders - we have the Oceanographic Commission, for example, we have
hydrologic programmes, we have so many projects related to what is now the
Earth Charter. So those are the origins of the Earth Charter. We wanted to
provide the world with the essence of the Rio World Summit.
Vicky
Rossi: You made reference to a World Council, where would you place the Earth
Charter Initiative in terms of its similarities and differences vis-à-vis the
World Wisdom Council of the Club of Budapest or the World Future Council?
Federico
Mayor: We consider that we must be seen to be those who have produced this
particular tool, but we do not want to have any kind of "structure",
although that is valid for the Club of Budapest. I have even suggested that the
Culture of Peace concept should also be brought in. The same goes for
declarations like the Declaration of Human Rights. Otherwise, we give the
impression that we are the "sellers" of this one document. No, no, no. If we are the sellers of anything, it is of the
ideas that lie behind the Charter and these ideas are things like human
dignity, respect for all other persons, respect for nature, equality and
solidarity. These are the important things.
Today, at the session of the Earth Charter Commission, at the
proposal of Steven Rockefeller, it was decided not to change the preamble to
the Earth Charter because we consider that it really gives three or four elements
for general awareness raising and, in particular, for those who are in power,
that are essential for good governance: that is, you must be responsible, you
must realise that in this world we are all in the same boat.
Vicky
Rossi: Would you say, then, that the Earth Charter is in essence a Charter of
Human Duties and Responsibilities similar to the "The Universal
Declaration of Human Responsibilities" by the InterAction Council, the
"Trieste Declaration of Human Duties" (also known as the "Carta
of Human Duties") by the International Council of Human Duties and the
very comprehensive "Declaration of Duties and Human Responsibilities"
by the Valencia Third Millennium Foundation?
Federico
Mayor: Of all the documents that I am currently familiar with, I think that there
are two which are particularly related to human responsibilities such as those
outlined in the Valencia Third Millennium Foundation Declaration. One of them
is the Earth Charter because it emphasises that we must respect each other and
we must always have in mind the human race. The Charter says that we are
"committed" to doing certain things and this, in my view, is the
strongest expression of responsibility. I am "committed", not I am
aware or I am involved. I am "committed".
Let's look at the Earth Charter preamble itself, which I think
is very important. Here you have the mission. It says, "We must join
together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for
nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a Culture of Peace."
But then it says that in order to fulfil these four broad commitments, it is
necessary to….. These are the commitments (pointing to the 4 main
principles/pillars of the Earth Charter) - and this is the action (pointing to
the sub-principles below each of the 4 main pillars). So, each of us must
behave in such a way that we "respect Earth and life in all its
diversity", "care for the community", "build democratic
societies" and "secure Earth's bounty and beauty".
Vicky
Rossi: Would you say that the 1st Earth Charter principle, "Respect and
Care for the Community of Life", is an over-arching principle comprising
the other three?
Federico
Mayor: Yes, that is exactly the way, but each of the four main Earth Charter
principles is also itself an over-arching point of reference; so, to put these
four main commitments into practise (pointing to the 4 main principles/pillars
of the Earth Charter), you need to carry out the action plan (pointing to the
sub-principles below each of the 4 main pillars).
In the same way, if you take the Declaration of a Culture of
Peace, you will see there are declarations and then a plan of actions. It
states that to achieve A, you must do the following things. For example, in
education, you must do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 - as examples of concrete actions.
To promote democratic principles, you must carry out the following 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7 actions. To ensure equality between women and men, you must do the
following 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 actions.
Vicky
Rossi: Could you provide some examples of the kinds of initiatives that are
going on at the governmental, civil society and grass roots levels to promote
the Earth Charter?
Federico
Mayor: There are very many different initiatives being implemented, for
example, there are some Central Asian countries [e.g. Tatarstan] that have
already officially recognised the Earth Charter, at the governmental level.
Then in my country [Spain], I have been discussing world citizenship education
with government ministers and I have suggested that they should refer in
particular to the Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration on Tolerance,
which is currently very important for the co-existence of different immigrant
groups, and the Earth Charter. The Spanish government has now advised the autonomous
regions that they should follow this lead. Then, the Catalan government has
integrated the Culture of Peace into their statutes, so now the Culture of
Peace is officially incorporated into all of the schools there.
It is our intention with the Earth Charter to "advise"
- because it is not necessary to put this as a "compulsory" thing -
at all levels of government. I have focused especially at the city level. When
we think about "power", we tend to think about power in the
government, but we have other local powers too. One very sure place to go is
the city because "citizens" live in the "city" and as such
one of the most important ways of mobilizing support for the Earth Charter is
in the cities.
On another point, although it is wonderful if we can from time
to time appear in the most well-known journals and newspapers - through an
editorial or an article - there are publications which exist apart from the
normal mass media, that is, there are hundreds of thousands of people who
receive free of charge their bulletin, their proceedings. For example, in
Spain, all teachers receive 2 kinds of journals related to their teaching
profession. These professional publications are very good for wide-spreading
things like the Earth Charter because they are free of charge. So, it would be
good to be in the journals for lawyers or the journals for health
professionals, etc. This is a wonderful way of wide-spreading the concept of
the Earth Charter because if you are reading the newspaper, perhaps you would
not take as much notice of an article on the Earth Charter as you would if you
were reading one in a professional, monthly publication. So this is another way
of concrete action.
Vicky
Rossi: As well as finding new ways of raising awareness amongst people and
governments on the Earth Charter, what do you hope the Earth Charter +5
conference here in Amsterdam will achieve?
Federico
Mayor: Normally, I must tell you sincerely, that most of the +5 meetings are
meetings of complete disappointment. Most of them. With regards the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), these were a necessity because we realised that
instead of getting better we were going backwards. For example, in the very
important issue of people that are living on less that $1 a day, we were seeing
that instead of reducing the numbers, we were getting worst. So the MDGs were a
real necessity, but the Millennium +5 was a disaster. It is true that in the
middle was 11 September 2001, but the net result has been "nothing" -
very, very little has been done - and this happens in nearly all the +5.
The Earth Charter, however, I must tell you is another kind of
event as you can see. The people who have been working with the Charter have
been doing quite a good job. Many NGOs and institutions around the world have
realised that the Earth Charter is a good thing. In particular, the reaction of
young people has been very interesting. I can accept that young people can find
many answers in the Earth Charter. So, in short, I think the +5 of the Earth
Charter is much better than the normal +5. In any case, it is having a catalyst
effect, which is good, because even if somebody thinks they haven't really done
a lot yet with the Charter, now they will have a new impulse for action.
Vicky
Rossi: Is there a link between the 3rd Earth Charter principle, "Social
and Economic Justice", and the drafting of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs)?
Federico
Mayor: I see the Earth Charter as a tool for the MDGs because it is more of an
over-arching declaration. In turn, the MDGs are an expression of how to put
into practise many of the principles contained in the Earth Charter. [Vicky Rossi: In a
speech on Tuesday 8 November, Maurice Strong indicated that the MDGs came after
the Earth Charter -the drafting of the Charter began in 1997 - and that the
MDGs were in many ways stimulated by the Earth Charter.]
As I said before, at the Millennium +5 nothing happened despite
the "solemn" declarations made by governments. However, on 22 July
2005, Secretary General Kofi Annan gave proposals for the Millennium +5 saying,
"Well, whatever we have done or not done, let us now concentrate
on…." But then "Hurricane Bolton" came and well… Nevertheless,
the outcome has not been bad as now they say that they recognise that the
United Nations is indispensable. This is not bad. It was better in the
Declaration and it was better, in my view, in the document of the Secretary
General, but the official outcome, "We recognise that now more than ever
the United Nation…", means that we must try an in-depth reform, but not
just of the Security Council. For example, we should make the General Assembly
50% States, 30% elected people from the different countries - then we will be
"We, the peoples" - and 20% NGOs and institutions. If they say,
"No, this is impossible", well, the League of Nations was like this.
The only institution that remains from the former League of Nations is the ILO
(International Labour Organisation). The ILO has one third States, one third
patronat and one third workers. Then, this is a good example. You see, before
the War they already recognised that if you say, "We, the peoples",
then you cannot only put the States.
On another theme, now they are saying that we must work to
establish what unites the different cultures and not what separates them. Here
again is an immense space for work because this is the Alliance of
Civilizations. What we need to say is that we can accept everything except
imposition, except violence. But we can accept everything. We must also accept
that we are not the good and the others are not the evil. We must accept that
all of us need to make many improvements in our beliefs. For example, in the
context of the Alliance of Civilizations, one European leader said, "We,
the civilized…" And I thought, "Oh, no, that's exactly against what
we're talking about here." An Alliance of Civilizations means that we
cannot say that we are the civilized ones. We are one civilization that is
willing to have contact with other civilizations.
*This transcript represents an accurate but
non-verbatim representation of the original interview.
(Courtesy of the Author and
TFF, the Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research) http://www.transnational.org/forum/meet/2006/Rossi_FedericoMayor.html
* * * * * * *
Next issue: 10th February.
* * * * * * *
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