HRH Prince El Hassan hosts March 5, 2008 at the hotel Adlon
The "Global Marshall Plan" was the third agenda item at a meeting attended by representatives from civil society, business, politics, media and science on the 16th of May 2003. From this first gathering we began an experiment of the possibility to combine the strengths of these various sectors into an integrative process. Subsequently supporters in Austria, Germany and the USA achieved an initial collaborative groundwork worth noting.
On this - though obviously Western influenced - basis we want to move to the next level and enter an international phase. In order to solve the challenges facing humanity, the collective intelligence of the global consciousness must be interwoven. Therefore on the 5th of March 2008, HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan hosts an event at Berlin's Hotel Adlon regarding the Coalition for the Global Commons.
The different international representatives should determine the various possibilities for a worldwide consultation process and what first steps should be taken so that together we may convey a worldwide paradigm shift - a prerequisite for global change.
Naturally not everyone who would like to contribute something can be physically present at the Adlon. However, those who financially support our ideals will be at least nominally present by having their name published on either page two or three of the brochure.
More information
Your name stands in a historic document
We are presenting a revised edition of our brochure worldwide for our conference at the Adlon worldwide that pamphlet – it can be found in PDF format online. On the pages two and three, we have published the names of all donors whose contributions were earmarked for the consultation process, and from which this process was first made possible, as a small token of our appreciation.
Already over € 40,000 has been raised by 300 donors! Fantastic. We say thank to you by placing your name into this hopefully historic document.
All contributions made before the 11th of February 2008 via www.globalmarshallplan.org, fax +49 40 822 90 421, by telephone +49 40 822 90 420 or email, will be in the brochure for the conference at the Adlon. You are also more than welcome to increase your donations as well. Higher donations will be placed more visibly, and there are still upper echelon pledges available.
All presentations for this historic event are honorary; the Hotel Adlon, as well as the media and PR agency, are also gifts. Your contributions exclusively finance the coordination capacities of the Global Marshall Plan Foundation Secretariat. We sincerely thank you for your generous contributions.
CIVICUS joins the International Consultation Process
"The Coalition of the Global Commons is a very ambitious process that connects with much of the work of CIVICUS" stated Joe Cressy, the Coordinator of the Office of the Secretary General of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation in regards to becoming a partner in the International Consultation Process. CIVICUS is an international organization that focuses on strengthening global civic action with their global headquarters based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Global Marsahll Plan Initiative has worked with CIVICUS and on CIVICUS initiatives since 2005, which includes membership status in their organization and a cooperative participation at the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) conference in Beirut 2006.
We welcome CIVICUS to the Consultation Process and are certain their involvement will motivate others in the call for a Coalition for the Global Commons.
Process Progress and new Partners
From the January 18-19 meeting in Fulda, the Global Marshall Plan Initiative was able to make significant progress for the Coalition for the Global Commons, namely preparation for the March 5th meeting at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin hosted by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, and forge new partnerships. The intensive two days have produced new materials, such as a refined Mission Statement and an updated brochure, as well as an ever increasing list of participants and partners.
A special note should be made of our the new partnership solidified in Fulda with Professor Kruse, whose contribution will primarily focus on improving the IT capacities of the Consultation Process. The cutting edge technologies he and his team have created inspire inquiry, refine information evaluation and enhance communication possibilities, and most of all extend the reach of our ideals. An interactive demonstration of these capabilities, by Professor Kruse himself, will make up the second part of our agenda at the conference in Berlin.
We would like to thank all the participants who were able to bring their concerned and concentrated efforts to our
working weekend in Fulda. We work torwards the Berlin conference, now only weeks away, with greater confidence
and enthusiasm.
Introduction paper by Patricia Webb Holland
The International Consulation Process has already started in the United States. James Quilligan conducted four events recently at Carnegie Mellon University and Penn State University to elicit feedback on global commons issues from community and academic representatives.
Also see the scholarly introduction to a new paper on the Convention on the Global Commons, written by doctoral student Patrica Webb Holland of Penn State University.
New video
Kevin Hansen produced a video on global issues. He also calls for a Global Marshall Plan in the address (see section #4).
http://stateoftheunion2008.com
The Initiative in the daily news
04/11/2008 - 04/13/2008
United States
Generosity Weekend is a national weekend of action, held annually and dedicated to a new way of achieving national security for the United States. Preliminary information is available here.
06/16/2008 - 06/18/2008
Glasgow
A unique global youth forum encouraging young people to engage with critical challenges facing their communities, countries and the world
The CIVICUS Youth Assembly will be held immediately prior to the World Assembly in Glasgow and has rapdily established itself as a unique global youth forum encouraging young people to engage with critical challenges facing their communities, countries and the world. It will offer an exceptional opportunity to meet and work with other young women and men who are really making changes for the better. It will give young people an opportunity, programme and space to develop and commit to unified action internationally. The dates of the Youth Assembly are 16th -18th June 2008.
06/18/2008 - 06/21/2008
Glasgow
Acting together for a just world
The overall theme of the 8th World Assembly will be Acting Together for a Just World, with a focus theme of People, Participation and Power.
People, Participation and Power involves people coming together to access, engage and participate in the various spheres of governance at the local, national and international levels. Civil society has long bemoaned the fact that governments do not appear to listen to the voice of the people. What therefore is the role of civil society in governance?; why is its participation so resisted?; what does civil society need to do to overcome these challenges? Business seems to be more successful at getting governments to hear their views; Can we learn anything from some of the methods they employ?
Once again the 2008 programme will include plenaries, mini-plenaries, learning exchanges – such as a visit to the Scottish Parliament – workshops, film screenings and networking opportunities.
For more about the CIVICUS World Assembly, visit http://www.civicusassembly.org or email civicusassembly@scvo.org.uk
06/30/2008 - 07/04/2008
Melbourne/ Australia
Globalisation for the Common Good: An Interfaith Perspective
Melbourne, the Major Events 'capital' of Australia, is preparing a warm welcome for participants at the 2008 International Conference, Globalisation for the Common Good - at historic Trinity College, the first College established within The University of Melbourne.
Melbourne is recognised as the Interfaith Centre of Australia and is proud of its multicultural and multi-faith communities. The city will also host a series of events prior to World Youth Day in July 2008 and host the 2009 Parliament of the World's religions.
The GCG 2008 programme is designed to achieve three objectives:
* To explore the far-reaching ramifications of conflict in the Middle East (broadly defined) for the religious, cultural and political landscape of the Asia-Pacific region;
* To bring together in fruitful interaction the insights of several disciplinary traditions (in particular religious studies, cultural studies, international relations, history, sociology and law);
* To illuminate and strengthen the connections between the Middle East and the geographic regions which constitute Asia Pacific, in particular West Asia, South Asia, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.
Previous conferences have been held in Oxford (2002), St Petersburg (2003), Dubai (2004), Kericho, Kenya (2005), Honolulu (2006) and Istanbul (2007). The Melbourne conference will be the first in the series to be held with a clear Asia-Pacific focus. For background information on the initiative and details of previous conferences visit: http://www.globalisationforthecommongood.info/.
This major international conference is organised by the Centre for Dialogue (La Trobe University; Melbourne, Australia), Trinity College (University of Melbourne), the Melbourne College of Divinity, and the Asia-Pacific Institute for Inter-Religious Dialogue (Australian Catholic University).
The Conference is jointly convened by Dr Kamran Mofid and Professor Joseph A. Camilleri (Director of the Centre for Dialogue and Professor of International Relations, La Trobe University).
For more information please click here.
