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By Michael Lerner
In an op-ed published in the October 8th edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, entitled "Say NO to the War in Afghanistan," Rabbi Michael Lerner says:
The escalation of war in Afghanistan may be only a stalking horse for an even larger war in Pakistan as the United States seeks to secure the nukes there that might fall into the hands of terrorists. These newly proposed wars are only the Obama phase of what is likely to be an endless 21st-century crusade called "the war on terrorism."
Yet what we justifiably fear - terrorists acquiring a nuclear weapon and detonating it in the United States - cannot be prevented by the United States imposing itself on one country after another in the Middle East or elsewhere. A more plausible strategy is to address the grievances and problems that lead people to want to strike out against the West in general, and the United States in particular.
Lerner goes on to explain why some people in third world countries have legitimate reasons to resist the spread of the West's capitalist marketplace-driven values that inevitably accompany its military, politcal, economic and cultural penetration of "traditional societies," and why the US would be better off to foster a "strategy of generosity" to replace its current "strategy of domination." He calls for a Global Marshall Plan as the first step to implement this alternative to the endless and unwinnable war in Afghanistan.
[...]
To read Rabbi Lerner's op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle: click here.
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Eco-Social Market Economy and Gobal Marshall Plan in the Context of the Global Commons
Sharing knowledge, combing intelligence and realizing common projects have been the focus of the Global Marshall Plan Foundation since its creation six years ago. The challenges we face today are global. That's why we need to invest in methodologies to combine the collective intelligence on a worldwide basis without the necessity of travelling extensively. But how can we accomplish that?
The Global Marshall Plan Foundation invited to the second World Commons Forum to test methods for such an international exchange. Based on the experiences of Berlin and Salzburg we are now working on a concept of institutionalization of the forum. All partners, who are willing to develop the World Commons Forum with us are welcome to do so. The current concept, outlining the framework for such a forum, can be found here.
One of the core demands of the Global Marshall Plan, the Eco-Social Market Economy aroused interest among the participants of the World Commons Forums ins Salzburg on 29 and 30 September. Former EU Commissioner Franz Fischler presented the issue. It was one of 15 projects which were pursued in workshops in the course of the two day meeting.
To the presentation by Franz Fischler (pdf)
After each presentation, all of the participants had the chance to give their input. This was done through an interactive computer network and a special software. The feedback given by the participants were used in the workshops. You can see all feedbacks at world-commons-forum.org.
To the workshop results (pdf)
Nobel economics prize for Elinor Ostrom
Nobel economics prize winner Elinor Ostrom is a professor at Indiana University. [...] A political scientist from Indiana University whose work exploring how people come together to preserve their collective resources may provide important clues in the fight against climate change has become the first woman to win the Nobel prize for economics.
Elinor Ostrom, 76, shares the award with fellow American academic Oliver Williamson, 77, whose work focuses on a similar area of the relationship between individuals, companies and government.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the pair had been chosen to win the 40th prize in economic sciences because they both challenged established thinking on economic governance – a poignant statement given that the global financial crisis has left perceived economic wisdom looking more than a little tarnished.
For Ostrom, the award came, as she revealed, as an "immense surprise". To rise to the pinnacle of her area of learning has been an immense journey, as she has had to struggle against her own weaknesses and the impediments of the system.
At school in Los Angeles she suffered from stuttering. Paradoxically, it was partly as a result of the treatment for her speech impediment that she was given – she was put into debating society – that she acquired a love of argument and of thinking about policy.
She also faced the hurdles common to most women of her generation entering the sciences – she was discouraged from taking a PhD when she applied for graduate school.
Her field of study has been striking for how cross-disciplinary it is. Early on she gained a reputation for bringing economics, political science and sociology together.
What interests her is how common property can be managed successfully through groups in society. One of the first subjects that interested her was management of water resources.She has also looked at the management of fish stocks, pastures, woods and groundwater basins.
The findings of her research have been striking, as the Nobel committee pointed out, because they have challenged the established assumption that common property is poorly managed unless it is either regulated by government or privatised. She has shown how disparate individuals can band together and form collectives that protect the resource at hand.
That is an important message at a time when policymakers are grappling with how to cope with global warming. Again, it challenges a conventional assumption that without regulation or the action of private enterprise, no progress to change individual behaviour can be made.
"A lot of people are waiting for more international co-operation to solve [global warming]," Ostrom said being told she had won the award. "There is this assumption that there are public officials who are geniuses, and that the rest of us are not.
"It is important that there is international agreement, but we can be taking steps at family level, community level, civic and national level … There are many steps that can be taken that will not solve it on their own but cumulatively will make a big difference."
[...]
Source: The Guardian
Photo: Indiana University
Essay by Zeki Ergas
At the World Commons Forum Silke Helfrich presented an introducton to the Global Commons , which inspired Zeki Ergas, a long time supporter of the Global Marshall Plan, to the following essay.
Towards Sustainable Qualitative Development
I - What Is the Commons?
There are several questions humanity will have to grapple with consciously and deliberately in the coming years: How can we live in a way that does not endanger life for our descendents? How should we work, get around, power ourselves, feed ourselves, house ourselves? How many of us should there be? Everyone living has a stake in the answers. In these times of trial, it is useful to recall the words of Marshall McLuhan: There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.
The concept of commons goes a long way to answer the questions asked in the previous paragraph. Let us begin by an example which illustrates two of the most important principles or values concerning it which could be defined as: temporary use, as opposed to permanent ownership and abuse; and sharing. Together, these two principles or values increase the overall quality of life for a majority of people. And, not only in the present and for ourselves, but also, and more importantly, in the future for the generations that will follow ours. So, here is the example:
We are in cruise-boat. Deck-chairs have been put out on the upper deck for the comfort of the passengers. Let us assume that: one, the chairs are in a proportion of one to three passengers; two, the chairs cannot be reserved for the whole day by putting beach towels, or other occupation-symbols, on them; and three, the cruise is composed of two parts, lasting one week each. During the first part of the cruise, the arrangement described above makes it possible for all the passengers to occupy the chairs for short periods of time, say, up to a maximum of two to three hours per day. During the second part of the voyage, however, the new passengers that come on board insist that the rule of no permanent occupation of the deck-chairs should be scrapped. They are able to impose their will. Now the passengers can occupy the chairs for the whole day, and for several days in a row. As a result, the majority of the passengers are now unable to relax on the deck-chairs. As a result of this, tempers become frayed, conflicts and arguments break out, and the majority of the passengers are unhappy.
Read more
More essays by Dr. Ergas can be found at www.mediaforfreedom.com
Teaser photo: www.cnas.org/projects
The Dresden Manifesto
Conclusion of the 2nd WORLD CULTURE FORUM in Dresden, Germany, and publication of a final communiqué since 2007, the WORLD CULTURE FORUM has highlighted the role played by cultures and civilizations in providing ultimate guidance on how to manage the interaction between individuals and nations.
The Forum interprets "culture" as embracing our various cultures and civilizations from an integrative perspective. At the same time, the Forum mobilizes the potential of the cultural sector in the narrower sense as an effective mechanism for transforming thinking.
Even before the current global financial and economic crisis began, the WORLD CULTURE FORUM promoted the recontextualization of the economic sphere as a component of culture, following in the tradition of the Club of Rome, the World Ethos movement, and the Goi Peace Foundation.
To the manifesto (pdf)
Send us your pictures!
Hermann Waterkamp whose advertising agency developed the campaign to support the children in their quest for climate justice presented the campaign idea at a conference in Austria.
Click on the image to open the presentation (pdf).
If you know celebrities in your country who want to participate, here's the photo briefing for the photographer for download. Of course you can also make your own photos with your teacher, mayor, just any adult you can think of. Send them to us by email with a short description of the persons depicted: info@plant-for-the-planet.org.
We want to thank the photographers Andreas Biedermann, Anita Bischoff, Per Eriksson, Annette Koroll, Bernd Schumacher, Markus Seidel and Jens Umbach who volunteered to take the photos.
During Climate Week children all over the world went public
One million trees from the children of Botswana
Maiken Hamaluba met the former EU Commissioner for Agriculture
At the World Commons Forum in Salzburg , Austria on 20 September 2009, Maiken promised on behalf of the children of Botswana to plant a million trees.
Stop talking. Start planting.
Former EU Commissioner Franz Fischler gladly had his picture taken for the campaign.
One million trees for Austria announced by nine-year-old girl
Vera gets support from Governor Burgstaller for the campaign "Stop talking. Start planting."
On 29 September Vera from Vienna promissed that the Austrian children will plant a million trees in their country. Governor Gabi Bugstaller who was present when Vera made the pledge, willingly had her photo taken for the campaign.
One Million trees for Poland
Natalia Szutenbach and her class made a promise on behalf of the Polish children
Liam Felsch presented the students' initiative at a sustainability conference in Munich
Liam Felsch gave an impressive 70 second statement on Friday 11 September 2009 in the city hall in Munich addressing 500 adults at the conference "Nachhaltigkeit trotz(t) Krise." Each speaker had 99 seconds. Liam was the only child and Liam was the only speaker not to exceed the time limit. In a few seconds Liam explained what it is all about.
Ellen Weller, a participant, wrote afterwards: "You have been fabulous! You did a great job, very professional and cogenial. I was impressed by your aplomb when the moderator wantey you to take the microphone […] You presented the Plant-for-the-Planet message in only 70 seconds in a very impressive and effictive way like none of the other (adult) speakers! [...] My compliments and respect for this achievement – you are a superb Climate Ambassador!"
The Initiative in the media
All articles in German
10/24/2009
Worldwide
Get involved!
We're calling on people around the world to organize an action on October 24 incorporating the number 350 at an iconic place in their community, and then upload a photo of their event to 350.org website.
For more information, please consult 350.org.
11/04/2009
Visby, Sweden
A two-day workshop using a pattern laboratory approach
Practical information
Dates: Workshop 4–5 November; the core group will also meet on 6 November.
Venue: Gotland University, Visby, Sweden
Main conference language: English. Some support for Russian and Spanishspeaking
participants may be available.
The hosts
SWEDESD is the Swedish International Centre of ESD. One of its objectives is to have ESD practitioners and researchers examine in depth the elements of an effective SD pedagogy, to critically explore its boundaries and to experiment with new approaches and methods.
Global Action Plan (GAP) International is an NGO network that has worked with sustainable behaviour change since 1990. To accelerate learning, GAP has been developing the concept and practice of “Pattern Laboratoryâ€. It goes beyond simply sharing “best practiceâ€, and is a systematic approach to enabling practitioners to make their learning accessible to others by focusing on patterns of behaviour, and in particular on mental patterns that shape behaviour.
The workshop
This international workshop of practitioners and researchers will explore and synthesize what is known about an effective pedagogy for sustainable development, i.e. a pedagogy that has a transformative effect on individual and collective behaviour contributing to sustainability. It will provide a space to reflect on experience, and to develop new solutions in co-operation with other leadingedge researchers and practitioners. The workshop will build on recent ESD explorations, and will lay the basis for a new platform for learning and action for SD. It is expected that subsequent to the workshop some participants will organise similar workshops in their countries or regions, thus contributing to an ongoing process of learning and sharing within and between regions.
Participation
Participation is limited, and is by invitation. Each participant is expected to bring a case study. We aim for a balance between researchers and practitioners, between men and women, and between different regions and economic systems. There is no participation fee, accommodation and meals in Visby will be provided. Most participants will be expected to cover their own travel costs to and from Visby; a small fund is available for travel grants for a few participants. This announcement is directed specifically to people and groups known to have experience in the subject area. Feel free to circulate it within your own network.
If you would like to nominate a participant – yourself or someone else –
the next step is for your nominee to apply for an invitation, stating (in no more than half a page) why s/he would like to attend. A simple on-line form is provided for the purpose.
In the absence of web access, a file for printing can be requested from secretariat@globalactionplan.com.
More information
There is more information about the process before, during and after the conference.
If you would like to discuss the laboratory process, please contact Miriam Sannum, sannum@delta.telenordia.se You can get background notes concerning a pedagogy for sustainable development.
If you would like to discuss pedagogical research aspects, please contact Professor Olena Pometun, pometun@hotmail.com. You can get an introduction to the ‘pattern language’ concept.
If you would like to discuss pattern language, please contact Nadia McLaren, nmclaren@iprimus.com.au. We have also made some sample draft pattern descriptions available.
If you would like to discuss pattern descriptions, please contact Charlotte Carlsson, lotten.carlsson@gmail.com
...about SWEDESD
...about GAP
12/12/2009
Worldwide
More information will follow soon
12/13/2009 09:00 am (local time)
Santa Clara
Community Non-Violence Conference an Pre-Parliament Meeting including a Workshop on the Global Marshall Plan
Experience the difference that one community can make when those who are part of religious and spiritual communities, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, business, and grassroots community groups come together to reflect on issues of mutual concern, explore the good work that is currently being done in our community, imagine possibilities, and discover the inspiration to take simple but profound steps toward hearing each other and healing our earth.
OVERCOMING POVERTY & THE MILLENIUM GOALS WORKSHOP: Realizing a Global Identity (Marshall Plan)
An open process to consider the moral premises behind the Global Marshall Plan. It is the only viable plan, yet, to address Earth's twin crises of global starvation & environment. We'll inquire why Europe is already implementing much of the Global Marshall Plan while America seems indifferent. What can we learn about the US and ourselves from this continental divide? Is it Individualism? History? Cynicism? Surplus Powerlessness? How can we best make a difference?
Workshop host: Dr. Michael Glandon, Director of Multidisciplinary Laboratory for the Global Marshall Plan
Workshop contributors: Neil Penn, Bob Burns and Llyod Ferris.
Where:
Santa Clara University
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053
For more information, please visit www.carrythevision.org
