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Re: Federico Mayorl High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace. Henry Breed to: Elena Stroganova 15/09/2015 04:09 PM
Dear Ms. Stroganova --
Many thanks for your prompt and helpful response.
Under a copy of this email, I am sending Mr. Mayor's papers to Gill Annito this afternoon.
Kind regards --
Henry Breed RECEIVED ( ) EP 16 201 Henry Breed PoJDica1 Adriror lJimedNanOM +L212.96l.1161 w JX:.Lo\CrtIJCALID +1.917.Zl9.1374 c &v Yom; NY10017 bmed4jun.org
From: Elena Stroganova/NY/UNO To: Henry Breed/NY/UNO@UNHQ Date: 15/09/2015 11:46 AM Subject: Re: Federico Mayor/ High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace.
Dear Mr. Breed,
The materials can be sent to SG via 8G's Central Records Unit (attn: Gill Annito, Room 3783).
Thank you, Elena
From: Henry Breed/NY/UND To: Elena Stroganova/NY/UNO@UNHQ Date: 15/09/2015 11:06 AM Subject: Federico Mayor/ High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace.
Dear Ms. Stroganova --
At last week's High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace, former UNESCO DG Feder ico Mayor spoke with the 8G privately, mention ing some material that the SG then expressed interest in seeing. After the meeting, Mr. Mayor gave me a printed version of the material, asking that I convey it to the SG. Would the best way to do so be to send the papers to you by pouch? I'd be grateful for your advice. Kind regards -- Ftl.ED Henry Breed
Hen.ry Breed Political Athisor lJ.nDedNaiiom +L212.963.1161 w ])(;ACltIJCAE.ID +1.911.zl9.7.114 e Ne\v Yom; NY'10011 [email protected] Federico Mayor Zaragoza Presiderite
Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco Pabell6n C C/Einstein, 13 - Bajo - 28049 Madrid tel. (+34) 91 497 37 01 e-mail [email protected] fax (+34) 91 497 37 06 1) Joint Declaration
2) Planetary Emergency (I)
3) Humanity must face today challenges that can reach points of no return: letters to President Barack Obama and to the NGO (II)
4) Articles "Publico":
-1170 years after the United Nations and UNESCO: commemoration or celebration?"
-IiAction and reform of the United Nations, before it is too late".
Federico Mayor President Foundation for a Culture of Peace Madrid - Spain
Tel.: + 34 91 49 7 37 OJ. Fax: + 34 91 497 3706 http://www.fund-culturadepaz.org Blog: http://www.federicomayor.blogspot.com undacicn (ultur d Paz Joint Declaration
We, individuals and institutions that are profoundly concerned about the earth's
present state, particularly by potentially irreversible social and environmental
processes, and about the lack of an effective, democratic multilateral entity respected
by all that is essential for world governance at this extraordinarily complex and
changing time,
URGE YOU
to adhere to this joint declaration in order to contribute to the rapid adoption of the
following measures, the grounds for which are attached hereto as Documents I and II.
1- Environment
The current tendencies, resulting from a deplorable economic system based solely on making fast profits, must be urgently reversed to avoid reaching a point of no return.
Both President Obama _lIwe are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it"- as well as Pope
Francis _11( ••. ) intergenerational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us" have with wisdom and leadership warned of the immediate actions that must be taken concerning climate change. We must invent the future. The distinctive creative capacity of human beings is our hope. As Amin Maalouf has underscored,
"unprecedented situations require unprecedented solutions".
We live at a crucial moment in the history of mankind in which both population growth and the nature of our activities influence the habitability of the earth (anthropocene).
All other interests must be subordinated to an in-depth understanding of reality. The scientific community, guided by the "democratic principles" so clearly set forth in the
1 UNESCO Constitution, should counsel political leaders (at the international, regional,
national and municipal levels) concerning the actions to be taken, not only in their role
as advisors, but also to provide foresight. Knowledge to foresee, foresight to prevent.
It is clear that accurate diagnoses have already been made but that they haven't led to
what is really important: the right and timely treatment.
Communications media and social networks must constantly strive to achieve a
resounding outcry, a sense of solidarity and responsibility, adopting personal and
collective resolutions at all levels -including radical changes in institutions- capable of
halting the current decline before it is too late.
As President Nelson Mandela reminded us, "the supreme duty of each generation is to
properly take care of the next".
2-Social inequality and extreme poverty
It is humanly intolerable that each day thousands of people die of hunger and neglect,
the majority of them children between the ages of one and five, while at the same time 3 billion dollars are invested in weapons and military spending. This is particularly true when, as is currently the case, funds for sustainable human development have been unduly and wrongfully reduced. The lack of solidarity of the wealthiest toward the poor has reached limits that can no longer be tolerated. For the transition from an anti-ecological economy of speculation, delocalization of production and war to a knowledge-based economy for global sustainable and human development, and from a culture of imposition, violence and war to a culture of dialogue, conciliation, alliances and peace, we must immediately proceed to do away with the (G7, G8, G20) groups of plutocrats and re-establish ethical values as the basis for our daily behaviour.
3-Elimination of the nuclear threat and disarmament for development
2 The nuclear threat continues to pose an unbelievably sinister and ethically untenable
danger. Well-regulated disarmament for development would not only guarantee
international security} but would also provide the necessary funds for global
development and the implementation of the United Nations} priorities (food} water}
health} environment} life-long education for all} scientific research and innovation} and
peace).
For these so relevant and urgent reasons
WE PROPOSE
Calling an extraordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly to adopt
the necessary urgent social and environmental measures and, moreover, to establish the guidelines for the re-founding of a democratic multilateral system. The " new UN
System" with a General Assembly of 50% of States representatives and 50% of
representatives of civil society, and adding to the present Security Council and
Environmental Council and a Socio-Economic Council, has been studied in depth. In all cases, no veto but weighted vote.
***
In view of the poor progress made toward fulfilling the Millennium Objectives (ODM) and} given the present lack of solidarity} increased social inequality and subordination to the dictates of commercial consortia} no one believes that the Sustainable
Development Objectives (SDOs) to be adopted in September will actually be implemented.
The solution is inclusive participative democracy in which all aspects of the economy are subordinated to social justice.
Jose Luis Sampedro left a fantastic legacy to young people: "You will have to change both ship and course", The attached report (I) outlines recent events and projects that
3 leave room for optimism. Human beings, who today may express themselves freely thanks to digital technology, now have global awareness while, moreover, decision making is increasingly influenced by growing numbers of women, the cornerstone of this new era. A historical turning point is drawing near that will enable us to take the reins of our common destiny in our own hands.
......
4 -1-
Planetary Emergency
The Paris Environmental Summit that will be held next December cannot fail to take urgent measures to safeguard the habitability of the earth.
Positive signs to be taken into account:
1. Pope Francis' Encyclica on Ecology. 2. President Obama's significant decision, with an emergency plan against climate change. 3. President Mikhail Gorbachev's speech at the International Climate Change Symposium in Rome, 27-29 May 2015. 4. The Agreement signed by the mayors of capitals and major cities under the direction of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. 5. President Francois Hollande's constant efforts to achieve a consensus on the specific measures to adopt at the Paris Summit. 6. Other relevant contributions of individuals and institutions of international renown, as well as the communications media. 7. Recommendations and willingness to participate on the part of the scientific, academic, artistic and intellectual communities. 8. A re-founding of the United Nations: faced with the need for immediate action in view of the potentially irreversible nature of ecological processes, the possibility of holding an Extraordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly to adopt the necessary urgent measures and, in addition, to establish guidelines for the re-founding of a multilateral democratic system. This is warranted in view of the poor progress made toward fulfilling the Millennium Objectives (MOs) and, given the present lack of solidarity, increased social inequality and subordination to the dictates of commercial consortia, no one believes that the Sustainable Development Objectives (SDOs) to be adopted in September will actually be implemented.
1 r
***
1. Pope Francis' Ecology Encyclical
As did Pope Saint John XXIII in his Encyclical Pacem In Terris to the "entire Catholic world" and "to all men and women of good will", Pope Francis has shown a special interest in entering into dialogue with all people concerning "our common home".
He warns, as did Paul VI, that "every effort to protect and improve our world entails profound changes in lifestyles, models of production and consumption, and the established structures of power which today govern societies"... And he underscores the extent to which "concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and interior peace" are inseparable.
His "appeal" commences by underscoring that "The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change". And he adds, "Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded".
"I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all... We require a new and universal solidarity".
He then emphasizes the importance of science and education: "...drawing on the results of the best scientific research available today, letting them touch us deeply and provide a concrete
2 foundation for the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows...; change is impossible without motivation and a process of education".
On specific points he provides a detailed analysis of the human activities that, in view of their present intensity, have a clear impact on environmental quality: "...a number of scientific studies indicate that most global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and others) released mainly as a result of human
IJ activity... the intensive use of fossil fuels ... deforestation... •
Pope Francis doesn't tiptoe around the issues: "If the present trends continue, this century may well witness extraordinary climate change and unprecedented destruction of ecosystems, with serious situations... a rise in the sea level. Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods. It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day... There is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced, for example, substituting fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy".
He then refers to the need to ensure access to "fresh drinking water" as a basic fundamental and universal human right... To hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor..., because both everyday experience and scientific research show that the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest".
And, thus, the "foreign debt of poor countries has become a way of controlling them, yet this is not the case where ecological debt is concerned. In different ways, developing countries, where the most
3 important reserves of the biosphere are found, continue to fuel the development of richer countries at the cost of their own present and future. The developed countries ought to assist poorer countries to support policies and programmes of sustainable development".
"There is no room for the globalization of indifference",... and he deems it "indispensable" to establish a "legal framework which can set clear boundaries and ensure the protection of ecosystems; otherwise, the new power structures based on the techno economic paradigm may overwhelm not only our politics but also freedom and justice".
"The natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone...", And he concludes: "Ecological culture cannot be reduced to a series of urgent and partial responses to the immediate problems of pollution, environmental decay and the depletion of natural resources. There needs to be a distinctive way of looking at things, a way of thinking, policies, and educational programmes, a lifestyle and a spirituality which together generate resistance to the assault of the technocratic paradigm... All of this shows the urgent need for us to move forward in a bold cultural revolution".
Also noteworthy are the Pope's reflections concerning the special responsibilities of the Christian community and the need to be aware of and to take into account the customs, practices and traditions of indigenous peoples.
In the section in Chapter Four on "Justice Between Generations", he firmly states that these duties are not optional, but rather a matter of basic justice, since the earth that we have received also belongs to the generations to come.
4 Any potentially irreversible process requires immediate and effective action: "The effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now. We need to reflect on our accountability to those who will have to endure the dire consequences/J .
And he insists that it is urgent to find effective solutions worldwide.
The Pope recalled the Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, twenty years after the Stockholm Declaration, and underscored how little progress had been made when Rio+20 was held where a "wide ranging but ineffectual outcome document" was issued. There are many international agreements that are never implemented. What is needed is an agreement on systems of governance for the whole range of so-called "global commons"... to reduce pollution and ensure the development of the poorer countries and regions.
Thus, it is urgent to achieve the re-founding of a multilateral democratic system to for once and for all replace the unacceptable shameful plutocratic groups (G6, G7, G8... G20) that have marginalized the United Nations with their neoliberal doctrines.
In conclusion, I find this statement in the Encyclical particularly relevant: "It is essential to devise stronger and more efficiently organized international institutions, with functionaries who are appointed fairly by agreement among national governments and empowered to impose sanctions",
2. President Obama's significant decision, with an emergency plan against climate change
President Obama is proving his ability to implement the ideals that may provide a solution to the most urgent challenges of today.
5 Despite the irrational resistance of the powerful Republican opposition, he has dared to fittingly face the serious problems besetting his country and the world in general.
He soon distanced himself from the neoliberal doctrines imposed by his predecessor while still in office at the end of 2008 (which the European monetary union obsessively followed and continues to do so), establishing through the Federal Reserve incentive funds for employment, public works and relocalization of production. Obama likewise implemented "Medicare", a democratic goal since 1946 He legalized the status of over five million immigrants in the United States, reached out to Muslims rather than declaring them part of the "axis of evil", and he has sought and achieved an excellent agreement with Iran rather than invading the country as Bush Jr. did in Iraq, accompanied inexplicably by Tony Blair and with the even more inexplicable cooperation of Jose Marfa Aznar. Obama promotes the use of words rather than force ... and a few days ago, as if that were not enough, he announced a significant change of course with respect to the environment. To do so he used his veto powers to paralyze a law approving the construction of the giant Keystone XL oil pipeline. And now, with his "Clean Power Plan", greenhouse gas emissions are to be limited in the second most polluting country on earth, after China.
The annual cost of reducing emissions until 2030 has been estimated to be 9 billion dollars... an amount that is quite "doable" if compared to military spending in the US, which President Obama has also reduced. In addition to this excellent and courageous decision concerning climate change, he has also recently established an initiative in high-performance computing -a million calculations per second- to be able to accurately predict climate change.
"We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it", said the President when presenting his program. And aware of the points of no return that mean that decisions of this nature cannot be
6 postponed, he added: " ... when we deal with climate change the possibility of being too late must be not forgotten",
The United States has experienced the highest temperatures during the first fourteen years of this century, and 2014 beat all previous records. In contrast to the incredible reckless attitude of the Republican Party (and despite the fact that the Pentagon considers climate change as a US security threat), in his speech President Obama showed respect for and confidence in the recommendations of scientists: "Science tells us we have to do more if we want to protect our economy and our children's health." "Climate change is no longer just about the future...; lt's about the reality that we're living with every day, right now",
China and the US are responsible for 45% of the world's CO2 emissions. In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last December an agreement was announced to reduce emissions in the US by 28% in 2025 and that China would cease to increase them in 2030. China emits 7.9 tons of carbon dioxide per capital the US 16.4 tons and the EU 7.4 tons.
3. President Mikhail Gorbachev/s speech at the International Climate Change Symposium in Rome, 27-29 May 2015
President Gorbachev, founder of the International Green Cross and the World Political Forum, delivered a speech in Rome that should certainly be taken into account in the preparation and
implementation of the Paris accords: "In December 20151 world leaders will gather in Paris to negotiate a binding agreement to reduce global carbon emissions. It will be the twenty-first UN climate summit since 1992. Two decades of climate negotiations unfortunately have been accompanied by mounting emissions and rising temperatures. The World Meteorological Organization has pronounced 2014 as the warmest year on record for the planet.
7 Climate scientists say the window of opportunity for strong action on climate is rapidly closing, but that we can yet stabilize global atmospheric temperatures and put the world on a path to sustainable development. In fact, Paris is the last chance to stay below 2 degrees Celsius beyond the pre-industrial temperaturel/.
Politica I leaders have largely ignored processes that are transforming the biosphere, creating multiple crises -food water, energy, poverty, climate... In fact, we are facing a crisis of our present developmental model.
President Gorbachev also proposed urgent efforts to improve relations between the West and Russia through dialogue, consensus and serious improvements in international governance, to enable the implementation of a joint agenda addressing problems of security, energy, economic cooperation and sustainability.
4. The Agreement signed by the mayors of capitals and major cities under the leadership of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo
City governments may be strong promoters of a culture of non violence, solidarity and peace, including peace with the environment. Individual peace, peace in our towns, in the workplace, in schools and at home... Fundipau has devised an excellent program in Barcelona to enable city governments to promote peaceful conflict resolution based on mediation. Atyme is doing the same in Madrid.
The idea is to broaden and implement the already significant world network of Mayors for Peace.
Under the direction of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, a declaration has been prepared on "Climate Change: European Commitment and Local Solutions". It is not only an excellent initiative but, in view of the Climate Summit to be held in Paris in December, a proposal that comes at an especially significant time.
8 The statement dated March 25} 2015 underscores that "If climate change is global} solutions are first and foremost local. Because large cities are at the crossroads of these two levels} they are at the forefront of the fight against climate change. This is why we} the European capitals and metropolises that represent more than 60 million inhabitants and have significant investment capacity have decided to join forces and strengthen the instruments that will lead us toward the energy and environmental transition". In Paris} the immense strength that the synergy of municipal power may have will undoubtedly playa prominent role in ensuring the success of this important Conference.
In effect} the number of cities that are showing concern for environmental degradation is constantly growing} although the immense media powers of the "markets" have converted many citizens into passive and subjugated spectators.
But fortunately} today people can now express themselves and those who were previously silent and obedient subjects have become citizens capable of participating and mobilizing.
The Climate Change Declaration underscores that it is imperative to progressively replace present urban transport systems with more fuel -efficient ones (electric cars} cable cars} underground rail networks...) and heating and air conditioning that use renewable energy sources.
The EU} which has set so many bad examples in the last few years with its neoliberal harassment having reached incredible limits (to the point of appointing governments without elections in Italy and Greece} cradle of democracy) could now set good guidelines to be followed worldwide if it takes notice of the agreement reached by the European mayors} concisely outlined in the Declaration. And the United Nations} whose necessary participation is justly underscored in the text} could act as a catalyst for achieving global consensus. As a scientist and former Director General of UNESCO in Paris (an
9 institution that has worked so diligently since the 1950s on hydrological, geological, oceanographic and, in general, projects concerning the biosphere, including the leading Man & Biosphere program), I would like to express to Mayor Hidalgo, and to all of the mayors who have or will sign the Declaration, my warmest wishes for the success of their municipal governments' contribution to the Summit. They can't disappoint us this time. The inhabitants of the earth and future generations hope to be able to continue to experience the mystery of existence with dignity.
The forward-looking organization "Futuribles", also located in Paris, has expressed this with great clarity: "Cities will become the protagonists and the motor for change worldwide".
Pope Francis likewise underscored the crucial role of citizens in protecting the environment: "Unless citizens control political power -national, regional and municipal- it will not be possible to control damage to the environment. Local legislation can be more effective, too, if agreements exist between neighboring communities... I am referring to an ecological citizenship".
5. President Francois Hollande's constant efforts to achieve a consensus on the specific measures to adopt at the Paris Summit
In the last few months President Francois Hollande has intensified concerted activities to achieve a consensus at the Climate Summit. As an example, he obtained Parliament's approval of the Energy Transition Act.
In close collaboration with Minister of Ecology and Energy Segolene Royal and Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius, Hollande has produced concrete proposals as to how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the 49 countries (29 from the EU) responsible for 55% of those emissions. But the number of countries and objectives must still be increased ... because temperatures must not exceed +2Q Centigrade with respect to 1997. Time is of the essence and, as
10 underscored in Pope Francis and Obama's messages, it is essential to obtain specific commitments to protect the environment worldwide, to fulfill our responsibilities to future generations that can no longer be postponed.
6. Other relevant contributions of individuals and institutions of international renown, as well as the communications media
- INDIVIDUALS
-Former President Mario Soares, one of our most lucid contemporary figures and a tireless worker for peace and social justice, also underscored soon after the Laudato 51 Encyclical was issued that it is essential to take immediate action, pointing to the Pope's valor and courage to denounce the "high cost for the poorest and the increase of privileges for the wealthiest".
-Roberto Savio, renowned journalist, political analyst and, above all, provider of solutions, offered some excellent recommendations for the great transitions on the horizon in his "Global Governance and Common Values: the Unavoidable Debate". Concerning the conference of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change he said: "It is known that some members of the Republican Party in the United States are financed by energy giants, and it goes without saying that they will do everything they can to boycott any deal on climate change that U.s. President Barack Obama may try to agree to... It is also known that a number of scientists dissent from the thinking of the more than 2,000 scientists whose work has contributed to presenting the link between human activity and deterioration of the climate. Of course the dissenting voices have received a disproportionate echo in conservative media. Moreover, in some cases, there is evidence that some of them have been receiving funds from the fossil fuel industry".
11 -In relation to the Papal Encyclical, Leonardo Boff just published an . excellent article entitled "The Magna Carta of Integral Ecology: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor". Its excellent commentaries reflect the wisdom of the commentator: "The tender and fraternal spirit of St. Francis of Assisi is present through the entire text of the Encyclical Laudato 51..." And he ends with the final words of the Earth Charter that the Pope likewise quoted, "Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life".
-Two years ago Professor Emilio Munoz undertook to analyze four fundamental aspects required to adequately meet the challenges of our times: awareness of the environment, energy, lifestyles and values. In his proposals, which should form a part of the urgent matters to be addressed, he refers to the blatant disregard for ethical values vs. economic interests. There are two key words that should always inspire any recommendations: sharing and cooperation, solidarity and working together to be able to successfully complete such important and urgent tasks.
-INSTITUTIONS
-World Academy of Art and Science
In the last few years the contributions of Garry Jacobs and Ivo Siaus of the World Academy and World Universities Consortium have been particularly relevant in the conceptual design of a "new paradigm" that may provide a solution to the great challenges presently facing mankind.
The International Conference on Anticipation to be held in Trento on November 5-7 will make a significant contribution toward achieving the radical changes that present tendencies demand.
12 One of the distinctive abilities of the human species is the power to anticipate, to foresee and prevent. The WAAS has undoubtedly served as a watchtower, providing not only accurate diagnoses but also timely treatments, especially with respect to social and environmental processes that may reach a point of no return.
Studies carried out to-date address population growth; increased knowledge resulting from longevity; food, water and health requirements; gas and waste production; emigration; the new concept of employment in the digital age; new types of employment; mechanization; new means of transport and renewable energies; and natural disasters.
The education and empowerment of women are fundamental for achieving their effective participation and genuine democratic governance, an indispensable stage for the new era. Under the presidency of Heitor Gurgulino, the WUC supports the crucial role that institutions of higher education play in these moments of such radical change.
-International Peace Bureau
With headquarters in Geneva, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient IPB has for .many years played a particularly significant role in seeking peaceful resolution for many types of conflicts. Under the direction of Ingeborg Breines, Colin Archer and Reiner Braun, it is conducting an excellent global campaign to limit military spending and for nuclear disarmament with a view not only of including both objectives in the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda, but to also to achieve significant funds (UN Green Climate Fund) from part of the huge investments currently being made in weapons and military spending (approximately 3 billion dollars daily). In September, 2016 a conference will be held in Berlin on "Disarmament for
13 DevelopmentlJ that could mark the beginning of the great transition from a neoliberal economy of speculation, delocalization of production and war to an economy based on knowledge for global sustainable and human development.
-Club of Rome
In 1970, the Club of Rome, with exemplary foresight (as was to be expected of Aurelio Peccei) had already established 'The Limits to Growth" vs. unlimited intellectual capacity ("No Limits to Learning", 1979).
This institution was one of the forerunners, with a far-reaching vision of how to proceed, and with foresight that has enabled it to carry out analyses and take timely action.
The speed of events that occur without any ethical regulation render foresight and prevention more difficult at present.
The Spanish Chapter of the Club of Rome, under the presidency of Isidro Faine and aided by the experience of Honorary President Ricardo Dfez Hotchleiner and Vice President Jose Manuel Moran, has performed the important task of warning of the urgency of adopting immediate measures, since otherwise the analyses and projections of so many institutions will have been to no avail. Given its prominence and popular appeal, the Club of Rome's Spanish Chapter is presently a principal actor with respect to the planetary emergency to which we refer.
7. Recommendations and willingness to participate of the scientific, .academic, artistic and intellectual communities
For the first time in history the time for silence is over: human beings, who until recently were confined intellectually and
14 physically to very limited spaces} may now express themselves freely.
As for the communications media} we must ensure that the public realizes that "lnforrnatlon" is superior to "news" that} as the word "news" means} only reports unusual and extraordinary events. Knowledge of reality as a whole is essential to be able to transform it in depth.
The role of the artistic} scientific} educational} philosophical} Le.} intellectual communities is ·essent ial for citizen mobilization and participation.
Ensuring an acceptable legacy for the coming generations is the
II principal commitment of "We} the Peoples... } and having been transformed from subjects to full citizens} they will rebel against a system that invests thousands of millions of dollars daily in weapons and military spending for the security of a few} while the majority of mankind lives in inhuman conditions.
Those who are accustomed to using foresight as an essential part of their daily activities -members of "creative communitiesll- should position themselves at the forefront of those assuming commitments and responsibilities. As Garry Jacobs and Roberto Poli from the WAAS have underscored} "multiple voices are needed to be raised in a resounding outcry to create and design their own future".
The solution is life-long education for all. Not only in schools or homes} but in society as a whole and for society as a whole} commencing with political leaders and parliamentarians. The scientific community in particular has a mission that it often fails to fulfill: advising parliaments} municipal councils} etc. in specialized areas and} above all} providing them with foresight.
15 8. Re-founding of the United Nations
As indicated above} faced with the need for immediate action given the potentially irreversible nature of ecological processes} an Extraordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly should be held to adopt the necessary urgent measures and} in addition} to set forth guidelines for the re-founding of a multilateral democratic system.
Several countries have asked that "global citlzenship" be made the major focus of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The speakers who at the 1995 Copenhagen Social Development Summit recalled that "the people should be placed at the center of development" had a great impact. I had the opportunity to participate actively in that summit and I must confess how disappointed I was at the almost immediate disregard of the "mercantilists" for the social context recommended there. Any new vision of social development is unthinkable without the direct participation of a duly reinforced United Nations.
In my brief introductory table of contents I mentioned the United Nations} crucial role in correcting present tendencies. Much is said of the "welfare society" without immediately underscoring that 80% if mankind lives outside of the most prosperous neighborhood of our global village} surviving in progressive levels of poverty and neglect.
In 1979 the US Academy of Sciences indicated that not only were
carbon dioxide emissions on the rise} but also that CO 2 re-uptake by the oceans -the earth's lungs- was decreasing. The large oil companies led by Exxon Mobile immediately reacted} creating a foundation in 1981 that attempted to neutralize the Academy's warnings} using the findings of hired pseudoscientists. Despite
16 Newsweek's publication ten years later of its article "The Truth of Denial", news of the criminal tactics of those whose greed prevents them from seeing beyond their immediate profit was} once again} relegated to the opaque dregs of irrelevant media sources. And} once again} what should never have been forgotten was forgotten.
Many of the first efforts to protect the environment originated in United Nations institutions. I have already made reference to some of UNESCO}s activities carried out since the 1940s} but I should also mention the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) as an entity devoted specifically to the prevention of damage to the environment.
In the anthropocene only a United Nations} with weighted votes and no veto measures} can rise to the occasion to responsibly adopt the measures that the whole of humanity demands. In a G7 meeting in Elmau (Germany) on June 8} 2015 the evident environmental
damage was addressed} recommending reducing CO 2 emissions and the creation of a Green Climate Fund. But} once again} it is clear that this isn't the level at which problems of this nature} so relevant for the common destiny of humanity} will be solved. Are-founded United Nations could not only order the pertinent measures at the global level} but could also coordinate appropriate actions in the event of natural disasters.
*** CONCLUSION
It is time to take immediate action on a worldwide scale. The environment knows no borders. Nor does it recognize equal human dignity. It is clear that "politics must not be subject to the economy} nor should the economy be subject to the efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy" (Pope Francis)... because it is now} not later -as President Obama underscored- that we must facilitate the
17 "new beginning" that the Earth Charter urges us to seek, guided by the "democratic principles" set forth in the Preamble of the UNESCO Constitution, for the historical transition from a culture of violence and war to a culture of conciliation and peace. From force to words.
18 - II -
Humanity mu st face today challenges that can reach points of no return:
letters to President Barack Obam a and to the NGO
Humanity must face today challenges that can reach points of no return. In
dealing with this kind of processes potentially irreversible, to postpone the
adoption of measures would be an intolerable and guilty irresponsibility: the
deterioration of the environment; the human tragedy of the refugees and
emigrants; the demented actions of the so called "Islamic State"; the war in
Syria... and the daily genocide of thousands of persons dying of hunger while 3
billion dollars are invested in armament and military expenditures... With a
reasonable part of this amount, global sustainable development could be
implemented.
It's a real human emergency to act, applying all knowledge available in order to
stop and reddress the present trends.
For all these reasons, I publish the letters recently written to the President of the United States, Barak Obarna, and to the NGos of the United Nations.
We are drafting at present a Joint Declaration requesting to convene without delay an Extraordinary Session of the UN General Assembly -with the consensus of all the countries, because global threats require global actions- in order to adopt measures on the most pressing issues mentioned above, as well as a
"road map" for the refoundation of a United Nations System capable to deal with the new possibilities and dangers of the digital era and the anthropocene.
The Joint Declaration will be published as well in the next weeks. http://www.fund-culturadepaz.org/indexeng.htmI
2 The President
Madrid} July 20} 2015
FM/15/0763
H. E. Barack Obama President of the United States of North America
Distinguished and dear Mr. President}
I have requested Ambassador James Costos to kindly forward to you this letter} because your extraordinary leadership in very relevant questions is giving hope to many peoples and enlightening somber horizons. It is necessary to act right now in issues that} because of their potential irreversibility} can reach a no return point} especially in social and environmental aspects of human life.
As former Minister of Education and Science in Spain (1981-1982) and former Director General of UNESCO (1987-1999) I have been able to witness and participate in some turning points of contemporary events} and I am particularly worried at present because of the conceptual and practical progressive deterioration of the living conditions worldwide. According to the UNESCO}s Constitution} the world should be "guided by democratic principles" and} through education} the citizens should be "free and responsible".
The neoliberalism promoted by the Republican US Party has marginalized the United Nations and substituted them by plutocratic groups (G6} G7} G8...G20) and} even worse} the ethical values have been displaced by the market ones.
The terrible balance is that every day die of hunger more than 20}000 human beings at the same time that 3 billion dollars are invested in armament and military expenditures.
Humanity has entered in the anthropocene and nevertheless there is no} after so many activities} projects and proposals (UNESCO UICN} 1948; Man and Biosphere} 1971; Helsinki} 1972; Rio de Janeiro} 1992; Kvoto .), a real} proportionate} intelligent and creative reaction. The Arctic is melting} the climate change is evident} the social disparities and lack of Page 2 FM/15/0763 support for development increase at the same time that, according to a recent report of Oxfamjlnterm6n, 85 individuals have a wealth superior to the 50% of humanity (3 billion peoplel),
The United Nations' priorities -food for all, water access, health services, environment care, education and peace- could now be attained by the first time in history, because for the first time in history as well, the "peoples", as enshrined in the first phrase of the Charter of the UN, are able to express themselves freely, they can have a global consciousness and become world citizens and, even more important, the women, "cornerstones" of the new era, according President Nelson Mandela, have a progressive role in the decision-making according to their inherent human faculties and not acting in a male mimetic way.
Today, for the first time, "the voice of the peoples" can rapidly lead to a genuine democracy. Democracy at personal, local, regional and international levels is the solution. Peoples' participation, essential for real democracy, is feasible at present.
You, a courageous and imaginative leader, are readdressing many present trends, even if, in your own country, you must overcome the opposition of a secular short sighted and antidemocratic Republican Party.
Your decisions concerning immigrants, medicare, military budget, relations with other countries and Islam, etc. etc. deserve an immense recognition. It will be very timely to convene an extra-ordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly, in order to adopt some crucial decisions on environment and world priorities for a dignified life, at the same time that a new design of the UN System is presented to "invent the future", as President J. F. Kennedy said in June 1963.
The "new UN System", with t '" General Assembly of 50% of States representatives / 4 and 50% of representatives of civil society, and adding to the present Security Council an Environmental Council and a Social Economic Council, has been studied in depth. And all-together with Karel Vasak, Javier Perez de Cuellar, Boutros Boutros Ghali, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Mario Soares, Juan Antonio Carrillo Salcedo... a text of a Declaration on Democracy has been drafted. (httP5: IIdecIaraciondemocracia.wo rdpre55. comI )
A transition from an economy of speculation, productive delocalization and war to a knowledge-based economy for sustainable and human development, to "save the succeeding generations" from extreme poverty could then take place.
Finally, what really matters is the transition from a culture of imposition, domination, violence and war to a culture of encounter, conversation, conciliation, alliance and peace. From force to word!
Page 3 FMj15j0763 Mr. President: in few months you will meet in the UN with Pope Francis} who has already shown his lucid views on economy} solidarity and ecology. I am sure that a joint proposal {and perhaps seconded also by other prestigious leaders as former Presidents Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, Mario Soares...) could trigger many other supports and be the starting point of "the new beginning" proclaimed in the "Earth Charter",
Sorry} Mr. President} for this long letter. But you said "We can", Now} Mr. President} "You can",
With highest esteem}
Federico Mayor http://www.fund-culturadepaz.org/doc/Letter-BarackObama.pdf 2015 NGO Conference at the United Nations
Dear organisers,
You are right: the 70th anniversary of the UN is truly an event by NGO's,
for NGO's. My most sincere recognition and congratulation to all those
that have timely promoted the participation of civil society in the activities
of the UN, so relevant at present for the future of mankind. Progressively,
the neoliberalism imposed by the republican US party has marginalised
the UN and substituted them by plutocratic groups. (G6, G7, G8... G20)
and, even worse, the ethical values have been displaced by the market
ones.
The terrible balance is that everyday die of hunger more than 20 thousand
human beings, at the same time that 3 billion dollars are invested in
armament ---/ in ~ military x.> expenditures. '-../ \....---V
Humanity has entered in the anthropocene and never the less there is no,
after so many analysis, projects and proposals (UNESCO UICN, 1948 and
Man and Biosphere, 1971; Helsinki 1972; Rio de Janeiro 1992...) a real,
proportionate, intelligent and creative reaction. When we face potentially
irreversible challenges -as happens in social, pathological and
environmental processes- the measures cannot be postponed because the
possibility exists of reaching no return points.
Pope Francis has recently clearly warned about the intergenerational responsibility, and president Obama has said something that we must all keep in mind: "We are the first generation that suffers the climate change and the last one that has the opportunity of acting to control it".
1 · "
"Unprecedented situations must be addressed with unprecedented
solutions", has written Amin Maalouf. And we are now precisely living
moments in which, for the first time in History, is feasible to invent the
future. "We the peoples.../J as foreseen with impressive farsightedness in
the charter of the UN we'll be able to participate actively in the decision
making. During centuries, in a men-driven society, a culture of imposition
and confrontation has prevailed. Civil society was completely absent of
the ' power scenarios, particularly the women. Living in a very restrictive
context, both from the territorial and intellectual point of view, unable to
know what was happening in the rest of the world, citizenship was
obedient, ~ silent and fearful. ~ ~
Now, particularly taking advantage of the digital technology, global
consciousness is being progressively built up. More women are involved
with their inherent values in the governance at local, national, regional
and international level and non-presential participation can take place.
Now it is time for action. The time of resignation is over. The transition
from a culture of war to a culture of peace and non-violence can be a
reality in a short period of time. From force to word. Disarmament for
development.
Peace is in our hands. It is in our hands to firmly promote everyday, with
our behavior, a full role of the civil society for understanding and
conciliation...
For all the reasons mentioned above I would very much like to join you the
2 25th-27th August at the United Nations Headquarters in New York,
particularly important at the celebration of the 70th anniversary. The
United Nations must be re-founded. In a extraordinary session of the
General assembly could be dealt with the more urgent (potentially
irreversible) issues: environmental and social inequalities. In the same
session the decision could be adopted for a "roadmap" leading to a new
structure of UN System. This "new UN" will have a General Assembly of
50% representatives of States and 50% representatives of civil society,
adding to the present Security Council and Environmental Council and a
Social-Economic council. ..
We cannot accept the progressive marginalization of the UN: the present governance of the world is a disaster.
With the very best wishes,
Federico Mayor http://www.fund-culturadepaz.org/doc/Letter-NGO UN.pdf
3 70 Years After the United Nations and UNESCO, commemoration or
celebration?
The United Nations represents a new design for global governance,
with .admirable clarity, foresight and solidarity built into the UN
system's design as a whole and the ethical principles and the
keywords (sharing, cooperation, commitment) on which it was
founded. The UN Charter commences with a phrase that today
given that human beings may now progressively express themselves
freely- constitutes one of the most lucid guidelines for action: "We,
the Peoples... have determined to save succeeding generations from
the scourge of war". It contains the cornerstones of the building
that we must now construct: people; commitment to future
generations; and preventing war, that is, building peace. Peace
among ourselves, peace with the environment, peace at the
personal, local, national, regional and international levels.
The UNESCO Constitution clearly 'states that humanity must be
guided by "democratic principles" and that equal dignity is the basis
of all human rights. Article I underscores that education is being
"free and responsible" and to be so, it is essential to "promote the
free flow of ideas by word and image".
After World War II immediate aid was provided the vanquished
through the Marshall Plan and matters essential for "the Peoples"
were addressed with the creation of institutions specializing in food
(FAD), health (WHO), labor (ILO) and, noteworthy for how urgently
1 it was founded and implemented, an organization for education, science, culture and communication (UNESCO).
Rapid action programs from these institutions sought to prevent a repeat of 1919 in which the Republican Party blocked the United
States' membership in the League of Nations, created by President
Woodrow Wilson to ensure that diplomacy and dialogue would prevail over conflict (these international programs include wide ranging environmental actions in geology, hydrology and oceanography; the creation in 1948 of an International Union for
Conservation of Nature, the 1971 Man and Biosphere Program, and especially the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights to ensure human beings' "freedom from fear"...
But that didn't happen: States acting alone, as representatives of
"the peoples", veto, the arms race, loans instead of aid, exploitation instead of cooperation... Later, after the Soviet Union fell and the
Commonwealth of Independent States was founded without bloodshed, thanks to the unexpected action of Mikhail Gorbachev; after the abolition of the abominable racism of apartheid, also thanks to the unexpected capacity for conciliation of Nelson
Mandela...; when everything pointed to peace (the end of the civil wars in Mozambique and EI Salvador, renewal of peace negotiations \ in Guatemala...), the Republican Party, with the United Kingdom as its acolyte, imposed its ambition for domination. The United
Nations was relegated to a secondary role, replacing it with groups of plutocrats (G-6, G-7, G-8... G20); the United States withdrew from
2 UNESCO in 1984, followed by the United Kingdom, in the absurd
belief that the value of ideas can be bought with money... And in
1989 during the jubilant ceremony to adopt the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, President Bush, Sr. decided that the United
States would not sign it ..., while the World Trade Organization was
directly placed outside of the scope of the United Nations... In that
regard, many years ago the World Bank insidiously eliminated "for
Reconstruction and Development" as its "last name",
The results of this "partial securitv" that only protects 20% of
humanity and of "globalizing neoliberalism" are obvious: an economy of speculation, delocalization of production and war (I will
never tire of repeating that each day over 20,000 people die of hunger, the majority of whom are children between the ages of one and five, while at the same time 3 billion dollars are invested in weapons and military spending); the debilitation of the Nation
State; chaos and total inefficiency in global governance (G7 without
Russia, G8 with Russia, G20 with emerging countries... when it's clear that the only ones that are really important are the "Gl11 and
"G21/, Le., the United States and China); Europe that is now exclusively a monetary union, dependent on and strictly adhering to a neoliberalism that even President Obama has refused to follow, thus achieving a spectacular improvement in the American economy through significant investment and job incentives and creativity in R&D+I, despite radical opposition from conservative
Republicans..., and -while invoking reasons of "national security1/ achieving long-desired goals such as a the medicare system,
3 legalization of the situation of over five million immigrants and
reducing defense spending... and offering an outstretched hand to
Islam (Iran) instead of attacking it as the "axis of evil", re
establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba... and, above all,
radically changing the US's bloody interventionist policies in Latin
America (Operation Condor) through friendly, although sometimes
tense, relations...
Europe, without a political and economic union, with no charted
course, whose citizens have historically been welcomed in other
countries, is now rejecting refugees and immigrants with an
inadmissible lack of solidarity, having drastically reduced aid to
development while embracing an economy totally dependant on
the markets. Instead of being a symbol of democracy and
imaginative initiatives, today neoliberal Europe is an area of
conceptual and political confusion.
The world's present problems, and especially those that may soon
reach a point of no return, are undoubtedly quite different from
those that existed when the United Nations was founded on
October 24, 1945. The number of member states has quadrupled
and there are many non-state protagonists on the global scene,
some of them terrorists, the majority pacifists with a desire to help, but all of whom make this a totally different narrative. The United
Nations has undoubtedly had a significant influence in preventing world wars ... but having been weakened by the passing of world governance to other international entities, it is no less true that the
4 present ethical, social and political disaster requires an urgent re
founding of efficient democratic multilateralism before it is too late
(and I must once again emphasize the irreversible processes in
course).
Many of the activities of the United Nations system have resulted in
laws and actions that benefit the whole of mankind -rights of
women, indigenous communities and the disabled, ... the Law of the
Sea ...- but, once again, the problem is ensuring compliance... in a
global context in which the United States, with its powerful
Republican Party, has not signed or implemented conventions such
as the one mentioned previously as an example, or others as
significant as the International Criminal Court.
At the United Nations so" anniversary I sponsored UNESCO's Declaration of Principles on Tolerance whose Article I reads:
"Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich
diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways
of being human. It is fostered by knowledge, openness, communication and freedom of thought, conscience and belief.
Tolerance is harmony in difference. It is not only a moral duty, it is also a political and legal requirement. Tolerance, the virtue that makes peace possible, contributes to the replacement of the culture of war by a culture of peace". In addition, the first major meeting on social development was held in Copenhagen, adopting eight
"commitments" that would have addressed (through innumerable meetings and conference) economic development, but what is
5 really essential, a" life of dignity for all human beings. And, likewise,
that same year the World Conference on Women and Development
was held in Beijing.
Now, having reached this zo" anniversary, and prompted by the possibility of facing irreversible situations that seriously affect the
habitability of the earth, it is now essential to re-found the United
Nations system. Otherwise this will merely be a commemoration,
not a celebration. This would be the only way to celebrate those 70
years, because it would result in the rebirth of the United Nations
that President Roosevelt envisioned in 1944.
In 2012 published "The Urgent Need for Democratic
Multilateralism11 , and since then I have insisted (particularly in several blogs and in contributions to the CEIPAZ Yearbooks) on the need to propose and urgently implement democratic governance on all levels (personal, local, national, regional and global), re-founding a United Nations adapted to our times in which all countries of the earth are threatened with the inescapable task of preventing irreversible damage to the quality of life on our planet. The Earth
Charter is a document that should inspire action in that regard.
If now, urged by unprecedented global problems which require unprecedented and global measures, the re-foundation of the UN System was accelerated, the zo" anniversary would be a celebration. Otherwise, again, could be only commemoration, a last opportunity. Urgent action and a "road map" for a "revisited" UN
6 are feasible, as I present in a forthcoming article. The future is to be invented. We can do it. It is our hope.
Federico Mayor
September 1, 2015
7 \: , 't I '
Action and reform of the United Nations, before it is too late
Let us look into the eyes of our descendants} of the children and of
the needy} and firmly take action against those who} in the present
chaos of irresponsible economic policies} may lead humanity toward
an untenable situation from all points of view. Both Pope Francis in
his Ecology Encyclical -"...now is the time for action"- and President
Barak Obama -"we are the first generation to feel the effects of
climate change and the last generation who can do something
about it" (1)- have alerted us to the risks of this situation and future
perspectives} urging that measures be adopted.
It is particularly urgent to take action on education at all levels} to
raise awareness of our current responsibilities} to cease to be
subjects and become full citizens and to gain the foresight now
available through digital technology; and to achieve full gender
equality} the true cornerstone of this new era. This should be the
important mission assigned to the United Nations through UNESCO:
to provide our schools} parliaments} town councils and
governments with "educated" people} that is} people who are "free
and responsible", as underscored in Article I of the UNESCO
Constitution. Education to be} education to learn to be/ rather than
to have} as reports such as the PISA surveys urge us to be} being
produced by strictly economic and commercial organizations. We
should be guided by the ideas of Paulo Freire or Edgar Morin... which are those who promote self-esteem, creativity, and the full
exercise of the distinctive talents of the human species.
What we see happening globally (so little aid for Haiti and Nepal...,
neglect of refugees and immigrants, decrease in subsidies for
development, the nuclear threat, impunity for trafficking of all kinds
worldwide...) can only be solved through a re-founded United
Nations with the full respect of all countries.
The war in Syria, Yemen, Somalia,... the situation in Ukraine, ... the reaction against the so-called Islamic State (that requires strong concerted action on a worldwide scale instead of a lack of transparency in actions such as providing aid to terrorists for "intra religious" reasons) are absolutely indefensible realities. In other respects, an efficient United Nations and appropriate "watch towers" would have made the outcome of the Arab spring quite different from what it is today. .
On several occasions the United Nations has debated and approved international strategies to reduce natural disasters (1989, 1994,
1999, 2005, 2012...). They have been used as topics of discussion, but the recommendations have always fallen on the deaf ears of the
"market society". What we should bear in mind is that throughout the world between 2002 and 2011 there were 4,130 natural disasters in which 1,117,527 people died ... During the last two decades, for the first time in history human
beings have ceased to be invisible, anonymous, silent and
obedient..., confined both territorially and intellectually to very
limited spaces, and the "We, the Peoples" principle of the United
Nations Charter is progressively becoming a reality... It is now
possible to re-found the United Nations system, based on
representation from civil society, on representation from member
states as well as from the population at large. Yes, it is now possible to achieve the transition to an economy of solidarity based on
knowledge for global sustainable and human development.
The major priorities established by the United Nations worldwide
(food, access to drinking water, health, protection of the environment, universal education, peace) cannot be achieved without genuinely democratic international governance. In addition, upon eliminating nuclear threats, it would be advisable to guarantee security through pertinent alliances entered into under the guidance of a Security Council with weighted composition and functions and, if possible, to likewise implement a major project sponsored by the International Peace Bureau in Geneva: disarmament for development. To do so it would suffice to cut present military spending by 35% in order in a few years to achieve that great social transformation worldwide. Today it is now possible to achieve the transition from a secular culture of imposition, violence and war ("si vis pacem/ para bellum") to a culture of dialogue, conciliation, alliance and peace. Today it is now possible to achieve that great transition from force to words, through voices united in a great popular outcry the world over, so that the 21st
century may at last be the century of the people. Voices united to
promptly eliminate the current contradiction between democracy
at the local level and groups of plutocrats that dominate
international politics and in which the major powers refuse to
recognize, or only occasionally recognize both general and specific
international courts.
James A. Paul, founder of the ONG Working Group on the Security Council, recently wrote an article concerning the zo" anniversary underscoring that the time has come for the people to take energetic action and that "rather than waiting for disaster to arrive in full force, citizens should demand now a functional, effective and strong world body, democratic and proactive, protecting the environment, advancing peace and working in the people's interest".
Professor Juan Antonio Carrillo, a major defender of International
Law and whose works continue to guide the paths that we must promptly follow, had already warned in 1998 that: "it is essential to contribute to achieving an international order based on equality, solidarity and the notion of international community. These goals, reminiscent of those expressed in Article I of the United Nations
Charter, may seem na"ive and Utopian. But they are the basis for my firm conviction that each human being and each human community has the positive obligation to be his brother's keeper in this unjust, chaotic and convulsive world in which we are destined to live." t ~ I f
Obviously, the historic realization of these ideals would require an
institution embracing.the international community as a whole, that
is, the transition from an international order based on the
independence of sovereign states to one of interdependence based
on the totus orbis of the international community. It is clear that
references are not lacking. There have been many lucid alerts,
initiatives and proposals. The problem is that until now the
"peoples" remained silent. But they can now speak up and they are
going to do so. There are radical changes on the horizon.
Several weeks ago I sent President Barak Obama a letter
(http://www.fund-culturadepaz.org/doc/Carta-BarackObama.pdf)
in which I expressed my conviction that, particularly together with
Pope Francis, he could promote a rapid worldwide movement in
favor of holding an Extraordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly to adopt the appropriate measures to avoid points of no return with respect to both environmental and social
processes. At that same session a "roadrnap" would be approved to
as soon as possible re-found democratic multiiaterolism, with a United Nations capable of making the "vve, the Peoples" principle
of the UN Charter a reality by creating a General Assembly of 50%
representatives from member states and 50% representatives from
institutions of civil society. A Social Economic Council and an
Environmental Council would also be added to the present Security
Council. Vetoes would be replaced by weighted voting. In
specialized areas, scientific opinion would be taken into account.
Thus, in environmental matters the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) would be
considered.
At present, together with the Spanish Chapter of the Club of Rome, the World Academy of Art and Science, the International Peace
Bureau, the World Political Forum and former President Mikhail
Gorbachev's Green Cross Foundation, and with support from the artistic, scientific, educational and university communities, we are drafting a proposal to implement a United Nations system that would guarantee adequate world governance.
Soon thereafter we then would submit to that General Assembly the final text of our Universal Declaration of Democracy as the only context in which human rights may be exercised and equal dignity for all may be achieved. This would be the "new beginning" proclaimed in the last section of the Earth Charter. This would represent to save the succeeding generations from these horrible and bloody images of children, women and men abandoned to their own, and from the Earth conditions deterioration for a dignified life. Cooperation and not conflict... This would be a zo" anniversary celebration that would mark the commencement of the historic transition from force to words.
Federico Mayor Zaragoza
September 1, 2015