Until today, several hundred people have ordered our new publication-subscription. For a donation of 120 Euro/year, the subscribers will be provided with relevant and interesting literature dealing with topics like globalization.The first shipment dispatched this week contained the following books:

- Franz Alt/Rosi Gollmann/Rupert Neudeck: Eine bessere Welt ist möglich (€ 19,00)
- Robert-Jungk-Bibliothek für Zukunftsfragen - Pro Zukunft 1/2006 (€ 7,00)
- Andreas Bummel - Internationale Demokratie entwickeln - Developing International Democracy (€ 7,00)
- Johannes Kaup- Wege zu einer gerechteren Welt - Von den UN-Millenniums-Entwicklungszielen zum Global Marshall Plan Buch (€ 9,50)
- George Monbiot - United People. Manifest für eine neue Weltordnung (€ 21,00)
- John Perkins - Bekenntnisse eines Economic Hit Man. Unterwegs im Dienste der Wirtschaftsmafia (€ 19,00)
- R. Pestel, Franz Josef Radermacher (Hrsg.) - The Promise of a European Way (€ 15,00)
- Theodore Roscak - Alarmstufe Rot (€ 18,00)
- Christoph Stückelberger, Hella Hoppe - Globalance (€ 8,00)

Unfortunately, the subscription is not yet available in English. However, since the German subscription is turning out to be a great success for the Initiative. We might be able to offer it also in English soon. If you would like to order the suscription for your German friends or business partners, please go to:
Subscription (in German)

170 delegates of the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) from all over the world met in Beirut from 13 to 15 March 2006. Frithjof Finkbeiner participated for the Global Marshall Plan Initiative in the meeting. Some results of the meeting: GCAP will continue until the end of 2007.

- GCAP will continue until the end of 2007. - GCAP got the slogan: "together for equality."
- The next white band "day" lasts a month beginning with the UN General
Assembly, IMF and World Bank meetings and ends at the day of poverty, namely 17 October 2006.
- The White-Band action period after the next one will take place in June/July 2007 (G8-summit and the half time of the MDGs).
- The demand for coherent international order framework was included into GCAP's appeal: "We call on donor governments and institutions to establish a fair an just world order in which international financial institutions (especially World Bank, IMF and WTO) operate within the broad principles enshrined under UN commitments and human rights obligations to better regulate world economy."
- Germany's dual-presidency in the G8 and the EU in 2007 push the activities of the German GCAP platform, which VENRO coordinates, into the global focus. VENRO will continue to use the campaign name "Deine Stimme gegen Armut" (Your Voice Against Poverty).
- Chancellor Merkel's promise to put a fair global framework onto the agenda of the G8 meeting, is very important for us. Following the principle "united in direction - diverse in contribution", the Global Marshall Plan Initiative plans to actively engage in the future international white band activities, especially in connection with the G8. The goal of our Initiative's contribution should be to mobilize society for white band and above all to make the population aware of structurally caused poverty.
- The white band continues to be the only common and unifying symbol of GCAP and could come in various forms. Worth considering is the use of the arm bands with "Together for Equality", or "Balance the World".
The year 2007 opens a historic timeframe for our demands. We should focus many of our activities on this globally supported great chance and at the same time keep in mind that two years ago during the British dual presidency a name recognition of 87 % was reached.

More information about GCAP

In the up-coming 15 months we would like to take the chance that Germany's dual presidency in the EU and the G8 in 2007 is offering by mounting an intelligent campaign with our strategic partners. As a first step, decision makers and mentors will receive our books "European Hope - Strategy of Growing Together" and "Best of" (working title). The aim is to show them some alternatives to today's global system that are adequate to take on the challenges of globalization; and furthermore, to make familarize with the idea of a Global Marshall Plan.
Among the authors are Jeremy Rifkin, Prince El Hassan bin Talal and Hans Gert Pöttering. An overview of all authors is available here. (pdf, 33 kB)

We need your help to make this first step a real success:

a) Cover
The covers of both books have been harmonized with each other regarding structure and color. We are interested in your opinion:
Cover "European Hope" (pdf, 213 kB)
Cover "Best of" (pdf, 136 kB)
Please email your thoughts on the covers to Sabine Stoeck.

b) Shipping
The books will be shipped as a set in the beginning of May. It is essential to win over decision makers, disseminators and the society so that they can influence important political processes towards a World in Balance. Whom should we address? Please give us names and addresses.

a) Informative meeting in Austrian Parliament
On 21 February 2006, the Global Marshall Plan Initiative was presented and discussed in the Austrian Parliament. The National Council's President, Prof. Dr. Andreas Khol, the Eco-Social Forum Europe, the Umweltdachverband (an environmental umbrella organization) and the Institut fĂĽr Umwelt-Friede-Entwicklung (Institute for Environment-Peace-Development) invited to this event. For more information see the website of the Eco-Social Forum Europe. (in German)

b) Ă–DP party convention
The chairman of the Ecological Democratic Party (ödp) in Bavaria, Bernhard Suttner, presented the Global Marshall Plan within the framework of the party's convention on 1 March. The party supports the Initiative since 2004. An excerpt from his speech in German can be found here. (in German)

The Global Marshall Plan Initiative congratulated Michail Gorbatchev on his 75th birthday. A supporter of the Initiative handed over the letter in person. Mr. Gorbatchev's response to the letter: "I know this Initiative, it's a good one." Please read the letter. (in Russian and German, pdf, 130 kB)

a) China
Dr. Harald L. Förster, lecturer at the IVTIU - Montan University Leoben (Austria), presented the Global Marshall Plan Initiative at the "7th World Congress on Recovery, Recycling and Reintegration" in Peking (25 – 29 September 2005) and discussed it in different forums with many participants.

b) South Africa
At the conference "Social Entrepreneurship. Partnerships to Strengthen Social Cohesion – The Role of Government, Business, Religious Networks. A German - South African Dialogue to Foster Cooperation Between The Western Cape and Bavaria" (24 – 26 February 2006) Prof. Ulrich Bartosch from the University of Eichstädt (Germany) presented the Global Marshall Plan Initiative. He talked to a number of decision makers from civil society and politics and provided them with information on the Initiative.

a) Dr. Josef Riegler and Prof. Dr. Anton Moser presented the Global Marshall Plan Initiative at the "Höhere Bundeslehr- und Forschungsanstalt Raumberg-Gumpenstein" (Steiermark/Austria) on 15 March 2006. Within the scope of a symposium, the concept and contents of the Initiative were discussed with the students of the HAK Liezen (business school) as well as with guests from the region and scientists from the research center Gumpenstein.
Please read the texts by Josef Riegler (in German):

Problemlösung mit der Ökosozialen Idee (pdf, 100 kB)
Ă–kosoziale Marktwirtschaft und Global Marshall Plan (pdf, 100 kB)

b) Dr. Josef Riegler gave a lecture about "Christian Faith and Politics.Contradiction or necessary supplement?" at a meeting of the Association of Christian Businessmen in Graz on March 17th, 2006.
Please find his speech (in German, pdf, 50 kB) here.

c) Klaudius Gansczyk presented the Initiative at the Catholic Academy Schwerte on 4 March. Please find his report here. (in German, pdf, 20 kB)

There are no new articles in English. For the press review in German please visit the German Newsletter or go to the Global Marshall Plan website.

There are currently no international Global Marshall Plan events planned. For events in Germany and Austria please visit the German Newsletter or go to the Global Marshall Plan website.

Please send us your comments on this newsletter, our website or the Initiative itself: office@globalmarshallplan.org


We do not take responsibility for the contents of articles written by external authors.

Global Marshall Plan news editors - Global Marshall Plan Initiatve
Helge Bork, Andrea von Lehmden, Frithjof Finkbeiner (V.i.S.d.P.R.)
Global Marshall Plan Initiative
Coordination office
Steckelhörn 9
20457 Hamburg
Germany

The Global Marshall Plan Initiative pleads for an Eco-Social Market Economy by the means of a Global Marshall Plan.

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