Auspicious beginning with more than 80 international participants
On invitation from Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, representatives from various sectors of society gathered from the 4th to the 6th of March to launch an international consultation process and discuss its initial design. More extensive information from the working meeting will be reported in the following edition of the newsletter.
Here is what a few participants had to say:
"Dear Mr. Finkbeiner,
There is no one else so unwavering in their optimism as you are. Thus I see no one better suited for this kind of movement, which is currently so needed."
Rupert Neudeck
"Handl's method of generating collective art stimulates creativity in the participants. In this case the building of a Globe by everyone was a brilliant idea, and will remain as a wonderful memory in the minds of all the participants that contributed to it."
Zeki Ergas
"After a 27-hour return to California and 12 hours of sleep, I am beginning to readjust after the incredible conference we all attended in Berlin. It stretched me in many ways, changing my life in the long-term.
The activities you designed for us on Wednesday afternoon were especially challenging--much like the task we have undertaken! One of the participants commented to me that
pounding a design out of that brass plate was a metaphor for our work, meaning that it's easy enough to draw a picture (create the ideas), but the material we are working with is resistant."
Patricia McBroom
I am honoured to have participated in such a worthwhile meeting in Berlin, which brought together leaders from civil society, academia, politics, media and other sectors to address our global challenges. I would like to thank the organizers, and especially His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal, for hosting this thought provoking meeting and encouraging global dialogue.
Personally and as a representative of the United Nations, I strongly believe in the ideals of the Global Marshall Plan and hope that the action plan will be aligned to the global UN priorities and principles so that our efforts mutually reinforce each other.
Bader Al-Dafa
This confernce would not have been possible without the donations and support of several people, whom we would like to heartfully thank once more. In addition to which Dr.Gerhard Waniek spontaneously covered the 2000 Euro costs for the March 4th and 5th dinners, and Kevin Hansen added 1000 US Dollars.
The updated English version of the consultation process brochure has been published and is available through our online shop. If you would distribute the brochure and other information over the process, we would greatly appreciate it.
Organizations from all over the world join the International Consultation Process
'Bringing local and global solutions together', and 'Your gateway to cleaner, greener 21st century economies' are respective slogans for Globalisation for the Common Good and New Markets Media LLC, the latest partners to Coalition for the Global Commons, and succinctly summerize the thematic strengths they will be bringing to the process.
Nancy Roof, editor of Kosmos Journal, recently accepted the call to action for the Coalition for the Global Commons, and is the newest patner in the Consultation Process. Kosmos Journal's current areas of concern are certainly within the scope of issues the Consultation Process hopes to touch upon, such as the Global Agenda and Global Governance, an Integral Worldview and Global Values, Global Spirituality and Global Consciousness, Global Civil Society and Global Activism, and Science and Technology.
Ethical Markets Media LLC describes itself as "the first TV financial lifestyle magazine series reporting on new definitions of success." They use non-traditional media methods to promote the idea that there are other approaches to capitalism that go beyond zero-sum gain and materialism. Refer to their website for a more complete overview of their work.
Globalisation for the Common Good is an organization dedicated to bridging the interests of sectors of society, while maintaining a concern and awareness for the spirituality. This interdisciplinary initiative has a presence throughout the world and works on a variety of issues. More information can be found on their website
Die Umwelt-Akademie ("The Environment-Academy") focusses on promoting ecologically and economically sustainable development. They see themselves as a forum for science, politics, economy and society to foster dialogue and discussion among these actors which shall lead from knowledge to action.
We welcome these new partners to Coalition for the Global Commons and we look forward to a strong collaboration of efforts.
CIVICUS annual conference a prime international platform for partner network building and training stakeholders for the global commons
The Global Marshall Plan is currently preparing a workshop on the Coaltion for the Global Commons Consultation Process in the form of a 'Teach In' for the upcoming CIVCUS World Assembly, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, 18-21 June, 2008.
The stronger the numbers, the stonger the impact. We need your support to make the most of our participation at this international assembly. Sponsorship is always welcome and here you will find a cost estimate for the Global Marshall Plan representatives coming to about 600 Euros per person and a link to our online donations page.
At the Teach-In, we expect to attract participants who are interested in understanding, teaching and communicating how their work in specific issue areas is linked to the overarching set of global issues, and how adherence to this global agenda maximizes the attainment of single-issue goals, establishes a more effective international policy network, and builds solidarity among diverse groups and individuals in pursuit of these ends. Trainees will also be asked to participate in and help organize the multi-stakeholder consultations.
The goals of this multistakeholder consultation process are parallel to those of the 2008 World Assembly and its theme, ‘People, Participation & Power’. Like CIVICUS, we believe that a comprehensive plan for the global commons must involve direct input from all constituencies (governments, businesses, media, academia, and civil society organizations), that these groups should represent a diversity of economic regions and social sectors, and that their discussions should include all of the world’s key interrelated issues. We recognize that only through active participation in decision-making at every level of governance can the common people of the world fully claim our rights as human beings and establish sovereignty as global citizens to meet our interdependent problems through united and focused action.
New book by Zeki Ergas available in our shop
The collection of essays by Zeki Ergas, member of the Writers for Peace Committe of PEN international and longtime supporter of our Initiative, touches upon many of the issues of the Global Marshall Plan Initiative and is giving impulse for further elaboration of these.
In Search of a Better World is about:
Humanity and the planet are at risk. They face existential challenges.
Only Reason is not enough, Love of Humanity is also needed. That's the Spiritual Dimension pre-requisite.
Extreme poverty is a crime against humanity and must be eradicated.
The Human Rights -- political, economic, social, cultural, to development, to health, to peace ... -- of people must be promoted and protected.
The empowerment of women is essential, their contribution can help to build a culture of peace, and abolish the culture of war introduced by the patriarchal society.
Unlimited economic growth is an impossibility in a world of finite resources. Humanity will have to learn to live frugally and avoid consumerism, including revolting luxury.
Therefore, to have a sustainable development, a social, economic, political ecological and spiritual revolution is needed.
The Initiative in the daily press
04/09/2008 6:00 pm (local time)
Brussels
50th lecture since the creation of the EU-Chapter!
Dear colleagues,
The next Aurelio Peccei Lecture takes place on April 9th,
it will be the 50th lecture since the creation of the EU-Chapter!!
We are pleased to invite you at this special event which
will deal with Innovation delivered by our member
Spyros Konidaris ex-European Commission.
We will be pleased to welcome you at this special lecture.
Here you will find the original invintation.
For planning and logistical reasons,please send your registration for the lecture as well as for dinner to cor.eu.secretary@gmail.com.
With best regards,
Prof. Raoul Weiler
President EU-Chapter (CoR-EU)
Club of Rome
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.
