Prince El Hassan addresses the General Assembly
On May 22nd, ten weeks after the Berlin meeting, HRH Prince El Hassan of Jordan gave the key note address to the UN General Assembly on the issue of Human Security in which he spoke of the Global Commons.
The speech was met with many positive responses, such as the representatives of Japan, Mexico, Egypt and India.
During the press conference, which took place in the afternoon session, the Coalition for the Global Commons was also highlighted by Prince Hassan.
The speech as well as the press conference are available in UN-TV's online archive.
The speaking notes are available here.
Promotion of Civil Society Network
In October, Frithjof Finkbeiner will meet the heads of South American Civil Society. This meeting aims on a better networking with organizations in Latin America and on introducing the Coalition for the Global Commons to them.
Second German federal state makes their support official
The Nordrhein-Westfalen Parliament has voted in support of the Global Marshall Plan Initiative. This unanimous decision was made during a session last Wednesday in DĂĽsseldorf. Through the inter-party developed proposition, the parliament committed itself to the UN Millennium Development Goals and specifically to halving poverty by 2015.
“The Parliament stands behinds the proposal as a means to realize the goals of this initiative,” affirmed Chris Bollenbach (CDU). The role of the federal states should not be underestimated in formation of development policy. Nordrhein-Westfalen is often regarded as initiating progressive policy.
“This decision underscores the interest in a one-world policy,” stated Andrea Asch (Greens) regarding state obligations.Renate Hendricks of the SPD noted, “Creating a balance between Northern and Southern countries is one of the most important tasks at hand.” Christian Lindner, the Vice-Chairman and General Secretary of the FDP in Nordrhein-Westfalen emphasized the particular significance of “fairer educational opportunities for the weakest and poorest countries.
The resolution includes key elements of the Global Marshall Plan Initiative and contains clear statements including: "Under the basic principles of ecological responsible, the forces of competition, including those in international markets, must be set within terms of sustainability. Primary targets in this campaign are the irresponsible exploitation of natural resources, environmental polluting, as well as poverty and social tensions.”, and “[Agriculture and small business enterprises represent] the basic elements necessary to battle hunger and poverty [that should be] supported and facilitated through micro-finance and micro-insurance programs."
Bollenbach identified the negotiations between the often wary opposition parties as an “arduous voting process”. The strenuous effort was worthwhile, however, as it created an atmosphere enabling all participants to come to positive results. Michael Fromm, country coordinator of the Initiative, is also pleased with the results: “The Global Marshall Plan Initiative in
The text of the resolution (in German) can be found here.
Source: Jörn Wiertz, Regional Group Düsseldorf.
Speech by Paul Collier on TEDTalks
Around the world right now, one billion people are trapped in poor or failing countries. How can we help them? Economist Paul Collier lays out a bold, compassionate plan for closing the gap between rich and poor.
To the video
Gapminder World lets you explore the changing world from your own computer. Moving graphics show how the development of all countries of the world by the indicators you choose.
Gapminder is a non-profit venture promoting sustainable global development and achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals by increased use and understanding of statistics and other information about social, economic and environmental development at local, national and global levels.
The Gapminder Foundation produces videos and web service showing major global development trends with animated statistics. Thus making statistical data more accessible.
You can use these products for your presentations and even create your own graphs.
News articles on the Global Marshall Plan and Plant for the Planet
Plant for the Planet
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.
