Opportunities & Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for a New Paradigm

Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm

A comprehensive framework for global

Economy – Ecology – Education – Health – Security – Governance

at Palais des Nations, UN Headquarters, Geneva, June 3, 2013

In collaboration with the ‘Fondation pour Genève’ and the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to UNOG

Click here to visit the UNOG website

      Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm, Geneva, June 2013

Concept of the Conference


­The Issue

The world faces an unprecedented dilemma. Expanding opportunities are emerging side by side with intensifying problems. The proliferation of money, technology, education and global interdependence which have been the main drivers of global development is accompanied by rising levels of financial instability, pollution, unemployment, inequality, arms proliferation and social unrest. Persistent poverty co-exists side by side with unprecedented prosperity. Rising levels of inequality and unemployment are spreading discontent and social unrest at a time when social welfare nets are overstrained by an aging population. Economic growth is depleting the world’s natural resource base at an alarming rate while threatening long term catastrophic changes in climate. The competition for scarce resources is aggravating nationalist competition at a time when international cooperation is essential for coping with common global challenges. Globalization is breaking down the barriers insulating national economies, making states increasingly vulnerable to destabilizing impacts from beyond national borders. Proliferation of nuclear and other weapons poses new threats to national and regional security. Humanity seems driven by mutually exclusive, contradictory goals leading to apparently insoluble problems.

These multiple challenges share common attributes:

  • They all transcend narrow disciplinary boundaries
  • They are interrelated and interdependent and defy solution by partial, sectoral approaches.
  • They are all global in nature and cannot be fully addressed without coordinated actions by the international community.
  • Approaches to resolving these challenges are subject to conflicting claims, priorities and interests.

The lack of significant progress on addressing these issues in recent years has raised doubts about the collective capacity of the human community to effectively address them.

Quest for a New Paradigm

Each of these global issues is a subject of on-going analysis by leading organizations around the world. Many strategies have been formulated and projected for dealing with one or two of them in isolation, often at the expense of the others. Solutions to ecological problems usually involve economic tradeoffs that neglect the rising aspirations and expectations of developing societies and are also unacceptable to most prosperous nations. Efforts to balance budget deficits and control inflation appear to be in conflict with efforts to stimulate growth and generate sufficient employment opportunities for all job seekers. Investments in security typically neglect the destabilizing impact of rising levels of unemployment on social stability. Managing ever growing global financial resources is undermined by the reluctance of national governments to cede authority to international institutions.

There is presently no consensus as to whether real, effective solutions are possible to address the full spectrum of global challenges and what those solutions should be.

Is there any way in which the apparently mutually contradictory goals of prosperity, security, sustainability and social justice can all be realized?  

Today, the global community is broadly conversant with the seriousness of the problems, but it is far from convinced that viable solutions exist for addressing them. The visible absence of political will reflects and results from an absence of mental conviction and social endorsement. Generating mental conviction and social endorsement are the first essential steps toward effective action. The premise for this initiative is that there are in fact viable solutions to fully address all of these apparently conflicting challenges, but that they can only be found by looking beyond the prevailing framework of values, ideas, strategies, policies, and institutions on which current solutions are based. An essential condition for addressing these challenges is to present a comprehensive conceptual framework that sets forth the enabling conditions, governing values and principles, strategies and necessary steps.

There is need for a new paradigm with the following characteristics:

  • It fully comprehends the interrelationships and interdependence of all dimensions of global society and social development.
  • Its goal is to optimize human welfare and well-being for all human beings.
  • It recognizes that universal human values are not merely inspiring ideals. These values are the only viable basis on which sustainable progress for humanity is achievable.
  • It gives central importance to the full development and utilization of Human Capital as the driving force and Social Capital as the most essential enabling technology for rapid social evolution.

The World Academy of Art & Science recently launched an initiative bringing together like-minded organizations and individuals to identify the core elements of an integrated perspective, a comprehensive strategy and detailed policy framework capable of addressing these multiple challenges founded on a more fundamental paradigm change.

The Geneva conference was the second step in a series and was followed by discussions in Alexandria, Egypt, North America and other locations.

One outcome of the conference was a definitive report examining the interrelationships between peace, security, economy, employment, global governance, rule of law, ecology, social process, technology, organization, education, research, culture and individuality and setting forth the elements of a comprehensive, integrated approach to effectively address the multiple challenges posed by their complex interactions. 

Geneva Conference

A conference at the Palais des Nations, Geneva will be conducted on June 3, 2013 with participation from major international organizations and NGOs.

The objective of the conference was to identify elements of a comprehensive approach for dealing with the major challenges facing humanity today.

The conference addressed the following fundamental questions in an interrelated manner:

  1. Economy & Employment: How can global food security, full employment and abolition of poverty be achieved within a decade?
  2. Energy & Ecology: How can global living standards be raised to middle class levels without depleting or destroying the environment or depriving future generations of the capacity to sustain these achievements?
  3. Human Capital – Education, Health & Welfare: How can global levels of education and public health be raised to OECD level?
  4. Money & Finance: How can the necessary financial resources be generated and mobilized to achieve the goals described in the first three questions?
  5. Security: How can we permanently eliminate war and WMD that threaten to destroy all other development achievements?
  6. Global Governance: How can we design and implement systems of global governance capable of implementing necessary measures to achieve the other five goals for the welfare and well-being of all?

The scope of discussion encompassed

  • Common root causes of the multiple global crises
  • Ideas, principles and values on which comprehensive solutions need to be based
  • Strategies, policies, proposals, legal and institutional mechanisms
  • Actionable steps

      

Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm

A comprehensive framework for global

Economy – Ecology – Education – Health – Security – Governance

at Palais des Nations, UN Headquarters, Geneva, June 3, 2013

In collaboration with the ‘Fondation pour Genève’ and the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to UNOG


9:00 am Registration (In front of the Council Chamber)
9:30 am – 10:15 am

Opening Session: Global Challenges & Opportunities (Council Chamber)

Issue: Is there a way in which humanity can realize the apparently conflicting goals of prosperity, security, sustainability and social justice?

Speakers:

Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva: welcome remarks and Keynote address.
Theme: Adapting to the new global order: The role of the United Nations and partnerships

Dr. Ivo Šlaus President, World Academy of Art and Science
Theme: Goals and issues that need to be addressed by a new paradigm for global development

Dr. Rolf Heuer, Director-General, CERN
Theme: Organizing science & technology for global development

H.E. Ambassador Alexandre Fasel, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva
Theme: Strategic challenges and opportunities: institutional responses and options

Mr. Ivan Pictet, President, Fondation pour Genève
Theme: Global leadership in crisis: mobilizing political will for change: a private sector perspective

Moderator: Mr. David Chikvaidze, Director, UNOG Library

10:15 am – 10:30 am Coffee Break
10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Session 2A: Economy & Employment (Council Chamber)

Issues: How can global food security, full employment and abolition of poverty be achieved within a decade? How can the necessary financial resources be generated and mobilized to achieve the goals of global development?

Moderator: Mr. Garry Jacobs, Chairman, World Academy of Art and Science
Rapporteur: Dr. Zbigniew Bochniarz, Treasurer, World Academy of Art and Science

Speakers:

Theme: Major challenges for achieving global prosperity
H.E. Ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre, Permanent Representative of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva

Theme: Role of trade policy in addressing global challenges.
Ambassador Luzius Wasescha, Chairman, Diplomatic Club of Geneva

Theme: Need for new economic theory
Mr. Ian Johnson, Secretary-General, Club of Rome
Mr. Orio Giarini, Trustee and program Coordinator for New Economy, World Academy of Art and Science

Theme: Strategies to meet the global food challenge
H.E. Ambassador Minelik Alemu Getahun, Permanent Representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva

Theme: Integrated Strategies for global full employment
Mr. Jose M. Salazar-Xirinachs, Assistant Director-General for Policy, International Labour Organization
Mr. Patrick Liedtke, Managing Director, BlackRock
Mr. Garry Jacobs, Chairman, World Academy of Art and Science

Theme: Criteria for an equitable global financial system
Ms. Suleika Reiners, Policy Officer, World Future Council

12 Noon – 12:30 pm Discussion
10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Session 2B: Energy & Ecology (Room III)

Issue: How can global living standards be raised to middle class levels without depleting or destroying the environment or depriving future generations of the capacity to sustain these achievements ?

Moderator: Prof. Liliana Andonova, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
Rapporteur: Dr. Momir Djurovic, President, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences

Speakers:

Theme: Major challenges in achieving sustainable development
H.E. Ambassador Luis Gallegos Chiriboga, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ecuador to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva
H.E. Ambassador Juan José Gómez Camacho, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva

Theme: Equitable strategies for managing and enhancing global resources
Dr. Ernst von Weizsäcker, Co-President, Club of Rome
Dr. Anders Wijkman, Co-President, Club of Rome

Theme: Sustainable strategies to meet global energy needs

Prof. Neven Duic, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture University of Zagreb
Dr. Momir Djurovic, President, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences

Theme: The future of water – strategies to meet the challenge
Dr. Alexander Likhotal, President, Green Cross International
Prof. Makane Mbengue, Associate Professor of Law, Univ. of Geneva

11:40 am – 12:30 pm Discussion
12:30pm – 2:30pm
Luncheon for the speakers and contributors generously offered by the Fondation pour Genève.
Speaker: Mr. Peter Maurer,
President of the International Committee of the Red Cross
“Challenges to Humanitarian Action”

Delegates’ Restaurant, Palais des Nations (by separate invitation only)

2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Session 3A: Human Capital (Council Chamber)

Issue: How can humanity fully tap the potential of a human-capital and social-capital based strategy for global development ?

Moderator: Dr. Colum Murphy, President, Geneva School of Diplomacy
Rapporteur: Dr. Heitor Gurgulino de Souza, former Rector UNU, Secretary General, The International Association of University Presidents, Brazil

Speakers:

Theme: World University: Global Strategy for Higher Education
Ms. Margarete Baddeley, Vice Rector, University of Geneva
Dr. Juri Engelbrecht, Vice-President, Estonia Academy of Science

Theme: Global strategy for a healthy humanity
Mr. Pierre-François Unger, State Councillor for Regional, Economic and Health Issues
Dr. Alberto Zucconi, President, Person-Centred Approach Institute

Theme: On line Education
Ms. Janani Harish, Mothers Service Society, India

Theme: International cooperation in science as a model for other global activities
Dr. Herwig Schopper, former Director-General of CERN

3:40 pm – 4:30 pm Discussion
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Session 3B: Governance & International Security (Room III)

Issues:    How can we evolve a global cooperative security system that permanently eliminates war and the threats posed by WMD ? How can we design and implement system of global governance capable of implementing necessary measures to achieve the other five goals for the welfare and well-being of all ?

Moderator: Dr. Khalid Koser, Deputy Director and Academic Dean, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
Rapporteur: Amb. Theodor Winkler, Director, DCAF

Speakers:

Theme: Evolution of global rule of law
Dr. Winston Nagan, Professor, Director, Institute for Human Rights, Peace and Development, University of Florida at Gainesville

Theme: Disarmament and development
H.E. Ambassador Abdul Samad Minty, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland
Mr. Marc Finaud, Senior Advisor, Emerging Security Challenges Programme, Geneva Centre for Security Policy

Theme: Disarmament and the end of war
H.E. Ambassador Sujata Mehta, Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament

Theme: The end of war?
Mr. David Harland, Executive-Director, Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

Theme: The role of religion in our work for justice and peace
Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary, World Council of Churches

Theme: Democracy and global security
Dr. Emil Constantinescu, former President of Romania

Theme: From competitive to cooperative security
Mr. Alain Délétroz, Vice President, International Crisis Group
H.E. Ambassador Bertrand de Crombrugghe, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Discussion
4:30 pm – 4:45 pm Coffee Break
4:45 pm – 5:45 pm

Closing Session: Reports from the Sessions & Conclusions (Council Chamber)

Issue: On what essential ideas, principles, values, strategies, policies, and institutional mechanisms should the new global paradigm be founded? What steps could be proposed?

Reports by Rapporteurs from the parallel sessions (5 min each) :

Dr. Zbigniew Bochniarz, Session 2A
Dr. Momir Djurovic, Session 2B
Dr. Heitor Gurgulino de Souza, Session 3A
Amb. Theodor Winkler, Session 3B

Speakers:

Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva
Dr. Ivo Šlaus, President, World Academy of Art and Science
Mr. Garry Jacobs, Chairman, World Academy of Art and Science

Moderator Mr. David Chikvaidze, Director, UNOG Library

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Reception for all participants, offered by the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva (Delegates’ Restaurant, 8th Floor, Palais des Nations)

 

Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm, Geneva, June 2013

Conference Participants


Speakers | Participants

Speakers:

  1. Prof. Liliana Andonova: Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
  2. Dr. Margareta Baddeley: Vice Rector, University of Geneva
  3. Dr. Zbigniew Bochniarz: Treasurer, World Academy of Art and Science
  4. H.E. Juan José Camacho: Permanent Representative of Mexico to the UN Office and other International Organizations at Geneva
  5. Mr. David Chikvaidze: Director, UNOG Library
  6. H.E. Luis Gallegos Chiriboga: Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ecuador to the UN Office and other International Organizations at Geneva
  7. Dr.  Emil Constantinescu: former President of Romania
  8. H.E. Bertrand de Crombrugghe: Permanent Representative of Belgium to the UN Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland
  9. Dr. Heitor Gurgulino de Souza: former Rector UNU, Secretary-General, the International Association of University Presidents, Brazil
  10. Mr. Alain Délétroz: Vice President, International Crisis Group
  11. Dr. Momir Djurovic: President, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences
  12. Mr. Neven Duic: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Navala Architecture, University of Zagreb
  13. Dr.  Juri Engelbrecht: Vice-President, Estonia Academy of Science
  14. H.E. Mr. Alexandre Fasel:  Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN Office and other international organizations at Geneva
  15. Mr. Marc Finaud: Senior Advisor, Emerging Security Challenges Programme, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
  16. H.E. Minelik Alemu Getahun: Permanent Representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the UN Office and other International Organizations at Geneva
  17. Mr. Orio Giarini: Trustee and Program Coordinator for New Economy, WAAS
  18. Ms. Janani Harish : Mothers Service Society, India
  19. Mr. David Harland: Executive-Director, Geneva Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
  20. Dr. Rolf Heuer: Director-General, CERN
  21. Mr. Garry Jacobs: Chairman, World Academy of Art and Science
  22. Mr. Ian Johnson: Secretary-General, Club of Rome
  23. Dr.  Khalid Koser: Deputy Director and Academic Dean, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
  24. H.E. Laura Dupoy Lasserre: Permanent Representative of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay to the UN Office and other international organizations at Geneva
  25. Mr. Patrick Liedtke: Managing Director, BlackRock
  26. Dr. Alexander Likhotal: President, Green Cross International
  27. Mr. Peter Maurer: President, International Committee of the Red Cross
  28. Prof.  Makane Mbengue: Associate Professor of Law, University of Geneva
  29. H.E. Sujata Mehta: Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament
  30. H.E. Abdul Samad Minty: Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland
  31. Dr. Colum Murphy: President, Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations
  32. Dr. Winston Nagan: Professor, Director, Institute for Human Rights, Peace and Development, University of Florida at Gainesville
  33. Mr. Ivan Pictet: President, Fondation pour Genève
  34. Ms. Suleika Reiners: Policy Officer, World Future Council
  35. Mr. Jose Salazar-Xirinachs: Executive Director, International Labour Organization
  36. Dr. Herwig Schopper: Former Director-General, CERN
  37. Dr. Ivo Šlaus: President, World Academy of Art and Science
  38. Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva
  39. Rev. Dr.  Olav Fykse Tveit: General Secretary, World Council of Churches
  40. Mr. Pierre-François Unger: State Councillor for Regional, Economic and Health Issues
  41. Dr. Ernst von Weizsäcker: Co-President, Club of Rome
  42. Ambassador Luzius Wasescha: Chairman, Diplomatic Club of Geneva
  43. Dr. Anders Wijkman: Co-President, Club of Rome
  44. Ambassador Theodore Winkler: Director, DCAF
  45. Dr.  Alberto Zucconi: President, Person-Centred Approach Institute

Participants:

  1. Mr. Tamer Aboalenin: Journalist, Swiss & UN Corrspondent Kuwait News Agency
  2. Dr. Pascal Achard: Chief Medical Officer, UNOG Medical Services Section
  3. H.E. Ms. Iruthisham Adam: Ambassador & PR of the Maldives Mission
  4. Mr. Clemens Adams: Director, UNOG Division of Administration
  5. Ms. Andrea Aeby: Conseillère, Département fédéral des affaires étrangères DFAE, Mission permanente de la Suisse auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies et des autres organisations internationales à Genève
  6. Ms. Mariana Aguilar: Socialiste International Women
  7. Ms. Veronica Aguilar: Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  8. Mr. Michael Akerib: Vice President – Academics, Swiss UMEF University
  9. H.E. Dr. Abdolazeez Al Otaibi: Ambassador & Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the WTO
  10. Mr. Mohamed Ali Ould Sidi: Club diplomatique de Genève, also Coordinator, ILO’s integrated programmes in Arab Countries and Liaison with the ILO ROAS
  11. Mr. Khalid Al-Mamari: ITC27- GCSP
  12. Mr. Arthory Alonwu: Counsellor Nigeria
  13. Mr. Bradley Anderson: Geneva
  14. H.E. Graça Andresen Guimaraes: Amb. And PR Mission of Portugal
  15. Ms. Carmen Elena Araujo: Attache, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  16. Ms. Regina Asariotis: UNCTAD
  17. Ms. Nanda Avalist:
  18. Mr. Jens Bammel: Secretary General, International Publishers Association
  19. Ms. Rashad Hamid Baratli: GCSP
  20. Ms. Mireille Barbier: President, ONG Hope International
  21. Ms. Madeleine Barbru: UNIDIR
  22. Mr. Antoine Barbry: Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
  23. Mr. Antonio Barchetti: Helios Life Association (NGO)
  24. Mrs. Ursula Barter-Hemmerich: NGO
  25. Mr. Christophe Baudorre: La Sauge, Suisse
  26. Mme. Nurdan Bayraktar Golder: La Consul Général de Turquie
  27. Ms. Patricia Benoit-Guyot: Chef du Protocole, UIT
  28. Mr. Stéphane Berthet: Secr. Gen. Univ. Of Geneva
  29. Mrs. Blandine Blukacz-Louisfert: UNOG Library
  30. Mr. Robert Blum: Cercle Diplomatique, Genève
  31. Ms. Monique Blum: Cercle Diplomatique, Genève
  32. Mr. Rita Boateng: Student, Webster University
  33. Mr. Vadim Bobylev: Avenue de Budé 37 1202 Geneva
  34. Ms. Aitana Bogdan: ITC-GCSP
  35. Mr. Jean-Marc Boillat: FSPI, and a former ambassador of Switzerland
  36. Dr. Maurizio Bona: Advisor to the CERN DG, in charge of International Organizations
  37. H.E. Mr. Ridha Bouabid: Permanent Observer for the International Organization of la Francophonie to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
  38. Mr. Stephen Browne: Director, Future UN Development System (FUNDS) Project, Geneva, Senior Fellow, Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, The Graduate Center, City University of New York
  39. Mr. Claude Bruderlein: Strategic Adviser, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
  40. Mr. Edward Burger: Project Assistant, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces
  41. Ms. Yasmin Burton: Geneva
  42. Ms. Wendy Campana: Assistant, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  43. Mrs. Luisa Celaya: Geneva
  44. Mr. Ovidiu Cernei: JT International SA, Geneva
  45. Ms. Allison Chandler: Program Assistant, International Peace Buraeu
  46. M. Rong Chen: Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
  47. Ms. Cecil Cherrier: UNRISD
  48. H.E. M. Slimane Chikh: Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Organization of Islamic Conference
  49. Mr. Jean-Luc Chopard: Chief of Protocole, Chancellerie d’Etat (CHA), Service du protocole, Republic et Canton de Geneve
  50. Mr. Stephan Chopard: NGO
  51. H.E. Ms. Maria Ciobanu: Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Romania to the UN Geneva
  52. Mr. Mehmet Kerem Coban: Student, Graduate Institute at Geneva
  53. Mr. Xavier Colin: Geneva
  54. Ms. Jacqueline Cote: IHEID
  55. Ms. Virginia Cram-Martos: UNECE, Director of the Trade and Sustainable Land Management Division
  56. Ms. Marion Crepet: UNMAS intern
  57. Mr. Daniel C. Crosby: Partner, King and Spalding
  58. Ms. Blandine Cupidon:
  59. Shokouhe Daghigh-Omrani: France
  60. Mr. Eric Dalhen: WAAS invitee
  61. Ms. Tatjana Darany: Directrice Générale, Fondation pour Genève
  62. Ms. Vanessa Daskon: Helios Life Association (NGO)
  63. Mr. Antoine De Malartic: Geneva Center of Security Policy
  64. Ms. Marie-Josée De Saint Robert:
  65. Mr. Roland De Stickere: Retiree, UNOG Security
  66. Ms. Anne Dienelt Dienelt: Geneva
  67. Mr. Victor Do Prado: WTO, Directeur de la Division du Conseil et du Comité des négociations commerciales
  68. Ms. Anastacia Dogaeva:
  69. Mr. Ralph Doggett, Jr.: Geneva Social Observatory
  70. Ms. Esuna Dugarova: UNRISD
  71. Nada Dugas: Director, External Relations, Procter and Gamble
  72. H.E Mr. Petru  Dumitriu: Permanent Observer of the Council of Europe.
  73. Dr. Anna Durich Barchetti: Helios Life Association (NGO)
  74. Mr. Jan Dusik: UNEP (Europe), Acting Director and Regional Representative
  75. Ms. Cirstin Ehlers: NGO
  76. Mr. Peter Eichenberger: Primary Rotary International Repr. to UN/ECOSOC Geneva
  77. H.E. Ms. Amanda Ellis: Ambassador and Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the UN Geneva and other international organizations
  78. Ms. Rewa El-Oubari: UNRISD
  79. Mr. Luis Espinosa: Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  80. Mrs. Sally Fegan-Wyles: UNITAR Director
  81. Ms. Aude Feltz: International Peace Bureau
  82. Mr. Mario Filadoro: Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND), Programme Officer
  83. Ms. Simonetta Florissi: Geneva
  84. Mr. Tom Foster-Smith: External Relations Coordinator, British Council
  85. Dr. Georgios Fradelos: Geneva
  86. H.E. Mr. Luis Gallegos Chiriboga: Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ecuador
  87. Mr. James Gan: Student, Bellevue College
  88. Ms. Ani Gasparian: NGO
  89. Ms. Thérése Gastaut:
  90. M. Nahusenay Belay Gebremedhin: Student, Graduate Institute of Geneva
  91. Ms. Stella Gheevas:
  92. Mr. Subhash Ghimire: UNRISD
  93. Mr. Christoph Glaser: NGO
  94. Mr. Olivier Gonnet: Executive Head, ONG Hope International
  95. Ms. Albina Goossens: Accredited journalist
  96. Ms. Roswitha Grass: CMDC Board Member
  97. Mr. Gustav Grob: President ISEO and CMDC, Geneva
  98. Mrs. Iratxe Guerero Adnan: Geneva
  99. Ms. Katherine Hagen: Geneva Social Observatory
  100. H.E. Mr. Abdul Md. Hannan: PR of Bangladesh
  101. Wiebke Harms: WFUNA
  102. Mr. Christophe Hartmann: Participant ITC 27/ Geneva Centre for Security Policy
  103. Ms. Sarah Heerboth: Geneva Social Observatory
  104. H.E. Mr. Aleksandar Heina: Ambassador, Embassy of Croatia
  105. Ms. Ingrid Heindorf: WAAS invitee
  106. Dr. Sonia Heptonstall:
  107. Mr. Omar Hernandez: Máster Oficial en Cooperación al Desarrollo, Especialista en Ayuda Humanitaria Internacional Internacionalista
  108. Mr. Lakshman Hewavitharana: Helios Life Association (NGO)
  109. Ms. Michael Hindley: Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND)
  110. Ms. Karin Hjalmarsson: Office for Disarmanent Affairs, UNOG
  111. Mr. Artak  Hovhannisyan: Second Secretay of the Permanent Mission of Armenia
  112. Ms. Zuzanna  Huebschmann: Geneva
  113. Mr. Harri Ihring: Club Diplomatique de Genève
  114. Mr. Neytcho Iltchev: UNOG Records Management Sub-Unit. Library
  115. H.E. Mrs.  Gulnara Iskakova: Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN Geneva
  116. H.E. Mohammad Sabir Ismail: Amb. And PR Iraqi Mission
  117. Ms. Analucia Jacome Jacome: Attache, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  118. Ms. Tautvydas Janusonis: Intern at the Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the United Nations Office
  119. Mr. Fabiola Jaramillo De Gallegos: Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  120. Mr. Landing Jatta: Geneva
  121. Mr. Raul Javaloyes: UNCTAD
  122. Ms. Monique Javouhey: Compagnie des Filles de la Charité de Saint Vincent de Paul, ONG
  123. Valeska Jeandupeux: Fondation pour Genève, Adjointe de direction
  124. Ms. Maja Jovovic Schmidt: Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Montenegro to the UN Geneva
  125. Mr. Jett Joyce: Geneva
  126. Mr. Klaus Kabelitz: General Manager of Le Richmond (Dorchester Collection)
  127. Mr. Jean-Marie Kagabo: ILO, Relacion Extérieurs Département des partenariats et de la coopération au développement”
  128. H.E. Dr. John Kakonge: Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Kenya to the UN Geneva
  129. Ms. Goda  Karazijaite: Intern at the Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the United Nations Office
  130. Ms. Karolina Kartus: UNECE
  131. Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli: ILO (accompanying Mr. Jose Manuel Salazar-Xinirachs)
  132. Ms. Mary Kitler: Geneva
  133. H.E. Ms Filloreta Kodra: Ambassador of Albania to the UN Geneva
  134. Dr. Lev Komlev: Geneva
  135. Mr. Peter Konig: Geneva
  136. Ms. Christine Konig: Geneva
  137. M. Jakun Koo: UNEP-ETB
  138. H.E. Mr. Matjaz Kovacic: Ambassador & PR of Republic of Slovenia to the UN Geneva
  139. Ms. Marcia Kran: OHCHR, Director, Research and Right to Development Division
  140. Mr. Yuriy Kryvonos: Political Affairs Officer UNODA Geneva
  141. Ms. Isabelle Clotilde Kung: ICK
  142. Mr. Yuriy Kyrvonos: UNOG Geneva Branch
  143. Ms. Anne Lafeber: Translator, UNOG
  144. Mr. Thomas Laker: Judge, United Nations Dispute Tribunal, UNOG
  145. Mr. Jan-Willem Lammens: UNESCO – GVA
  146. Ms. Hannelore Lee-Jahnke: Honorary President CIUTI, UNIGE
  147. Ms. Evelyn Lemoigne: OMAEP
  148. Ms. Fritz Lenze: Geneva
  149. H.E. Mr. Denis Lepatan: Ambassador & Charge d’Affaires a.i. and DPR, Philippine Mission to the United Nations
  150. Ms. Ana Leurinda: CAPSDH/NGO”
  151. Ms. Suzanne Levesque: Secrétaire générale, Richemont International SA
  152. Ms. Sotta Long: Market Knowledge Manager Market Knowledge Unit, Private Fundraising and Partnerships UNICEF Geneva
  153. Mr. Jan Lonn: Secretary General, International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations (ISMUN)
  154. Mr. Edouard-Emile Luy: Consul Honoraire de Sierra Leone
  155. Ms. Alisha Macintyre: Regional Director, FIRST Israel
  156. Mr. Laureline  Cécile Magnin: Geneva
  157. Mr. Omar  Mahmoud: UNICEF Geneva
  158. Ms. Tayebi Maktabi: Geneva Social Observatory
  159. Ms. Tukmadiyeva Malika: Geneva Center of Security Policy
  160. Ms. Elena Manaenkova: Sous-secrétaire générale, WMO
  161. Mr. Monica Martinez: Minister, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  162. Ms. Annegret Mathari: Geneva
  163. Dr. Rita Mazzanti: Head IAEA Liaison Office in Geneva
  164. Mr. Michael Mckay: McKay
  165. Mr. Jon Mclin: Geneva
  166. Ms. Dalia Mehiar: Geneva Social Observatory
  167. Ms. Laura Elise Messinger Pereira: Student, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
  168. Dr. Gabriel Minder: Académies suisses des Sciences (SATW)
  169. Mr. Maxime Mitterand: Geneva
  170. Ambassador Alfonso Morales: Deputy Permanent Representative of Ecuador
  171. Prof. Bernard Morard: Faculté des sciences économiques et sociales (SES) de l’Université de Genève
  172. Ms. Barbara Moser-Mercer: Faculté de traduction et d’interprétation (ETI), Directrice, Département d’interprétation
  173. Chameso Mucheka: Zimbabwe Mission
  174. Ms. Lilia Muggler:
  175. Mr. Peter Mulrean: US Mission Deputy Representative
  176. Mr. Jason Munyan: UNCTAD
  177. Ms. Oksana Myshlovska: Graduate Institute of International and DevelopmentStudies
  178. Mr. Yuri Nazarkin: Professor, Geneva School of Diplomacy
  179. Mr. Remigius Ng’Umbi: Tanzania Ministry of Defence, participant of the International Training Course in Security Policy (27 ITC)
  180. Mr. Duy-Lam Nguyen: Student, IHEID – Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
  181. Ngoc Nguyen: UNCTAD
  182. Mr. François Nordmann: Ambassadeur
  183. Ms. Florence Notter: Fondation pour Genève
  184. Mr. Samuel Obe: Geneva
  185. H.E. Mr. Luc-Joseph Okio: PR Republic of Congo
  186. Mr. Cristian Olarean: Geneva Center of Security Policy
  187. Ms. Sofya Omarova: Student, Graduate Institute at Geneva
  188. Mr. Javid Osmanli: University of Fribourg
  189. Mr. Karim Ouahidi: UN Dispute Tribunal, OAJ, UNOG
  190. Mr. Leon Pablo Aviles: Minister, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  191. Ms. Lydia Panchenko: UNECE
  192. Mr. Anna Pannenko: GCSP
  193. Ms. Sarah Parker: UNRISD
  194. Mr. Igor Paunovic: UNCTAD
  195. Ms. Irina Pavlova: PhD Candidate, Graduate Institute at Geneva
  196. Mr. Christian Petrossian: Geneva
  197. Ms. Nadiia Petrychenko: GCSP
  198. Ms. SIMONNE Piazzini: Secretaire Générale, Agence des cites unies pour la cooperation Nord sud
  199. Ms. Oksana Pidufala: registered by Alina Truhina of the The World Bank- Geneva
  200. H.E. Ms. Karen Pierce: Ambassador & Permanent Representative of the UK Mission to the UN Geneva
  201. Ms. Ljudmila Popovic: WAAS invitee
  202. H.E. Mr. Milos Prica: Ambassador Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN Geneva
  203. Mr. Gilbert Probst: WEF Managing Director
  204. Ms. Rémy Prohom: GCSP
  205. Mr. Sukai Prom Jackson: JIU (Inspector)
  206. H.E. Dr. Riek  Puok Riek: Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Sudan to the United
  207. Ms. Roxana Radu: Student, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
  208. Ms. Najimia Rahimi: Senior Programme Officer, WIPO
  209. Mr. CP Ramachandran: WAAS invitee
  210. Mr. Fabio Ramirez Cortes: Fabio Ramírez Cortés
  211. Mr. Masayo Kondo Rossier: OCHA
  212. Ms. Carolina Roy: Vice-President Assistant, Legal & Diplomatic Affairs International Institute of Humanitarian Law Geneva Liaison Office to the UNOG
  213. Ms. Nadine Ruprecht: UNRISD
  214. Ms. Jutta Saase: WAAS invitee
  215. Ms. Hélène Sackstein: Reporters sans frontières
  216. Mr. Richard Sadoune: Sunrise
  217. H O Sandberg V. Greenock: Club diplomatique de Genève
  218. Mr. Saulo Bahia: WAAS invitee
  219. Ms. Eliane Schenk: Ambassador, President, Founder, NGO Prince Yang International NGO
  220. Dr. Bozena Schmid-Adamczyk: Club diplomatique de Genève
  221. Mr. Francois Schmitt: Représentant principal de l’OMAEP auprès de l’ECOSOC à l’ONU Genève, Vice président de la Coalition des ONG pour les OMD
  222. Dr.  Andre Schneider: CEO, Sidécp SA Groupe
  223. Mr. M’hamed Sebentoute: Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP)
  224. H.E. Mr.  Fodé Seck: PR Senegal
  225. Ms. Frédérique Seidel: World Council of Churches
  226. Ms. Monica Serlavos: Student, Graduate Institute at Geneva
  227. Ms. Zubair Shahid: UNRISD
  228. Ms. Rimma Shakirova: Student
  229. Ms Samar Shamoon: WIPO
  230. Ms. Marie Sicat:  UNCTAD
  231. Ms. Alena  Sindelar: Geneva
  232. Mrs. Biba Slaus: WAAS invitee
  233. Mr. Si-Jin Song: Geneva
  234. Mrs. Nicola Spafford Furey: Vice- President, Earth Focus Foundation
  235. Col. Peter Steiner: Military Adviser, Permanent Mission of Austria to the UN Geneva
  236. Mr. Matthew Stephenson: PhD Candidate,Graduate Institute of Geneva
  237. Oern  Stuge: Club Diplomatique
  238. Ms. Ina Stumpe Douffiagues: Head of Communications, Litasco SA
  239. Ms. Carolina Suarez: Assistant, Permanent Mission of Ecuador
  240. Mr. Guilherme Suedekum: Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland
  241. H.E. Dr. Rajab Sukayri: Ambassador & Permanent Representative of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  242. Mr. James Sundquist: Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND), Intern
  243. Mr. Serge Suys: Participant ITC 27/ Geneva Centre for Security Policy
  244. Mr. Kader Sylla: Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
  245. Zohreh Tabatabai: Managing Director, Quince Partners
  246. Dr.  Ruzanna Tarverdyan: Founding President, The Geneva Consensus Foundation
  247. H.E. Dr. Nanguayalai Tarzi: Ambassadeur, Représentant Permanent de l’Afghanistan 
  248. Ms. Alessandra Tenga: Geneva
  249. H.E. Mr Thani Thongphakdi:  Ambassador & PR of Thailand
  250. Ms. Kira Titaeva: NGO
  251. Mr. Magdalena Tovar Olivera: Geneva
  252. Mr. Amadeo Trambajolo: Chargé d’Affaires of Italian Mission
  253. Ms. Alina Truhina: The World Bank – Geneva
  254. H.E. Mr. Shalva Tsiskarashvili: Permanent Representative of Georgia to the UN Geneva
  255. Mr. Mathias Tüscher: Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP).
  256. Ms. Nadine Van Dijk: UNRISD
  257. Mr. Jordi Vaque: UNRISD – consultant
  258. Mr. Michel Veuthey: Minister Counsellor/DPObserver Malta
  259. Ms. Annie Vieira De Mello:
  260. Mr. Nikola Vujasinovic: Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP)
  261. Ms. Soraya Walli: intern, Earth Focus Foundation
  262. Ms. Una Walsh: Geneva
  263. Mr. Hanjie Wang: Student, IHEID
  264. Ms. Lynda K Wardhani:
  265. Mr. Raoul Weiler: WAAS invitee
  266. Ms. Ilisa Weinberg: Geneva Social Observatory
  267. Dr. Hartmut Wetzel: Geneva
  268. Mr. Eddy Weyens: Geneva Center of Security Policy
  269. H.E. Mr.  Triyono Wibowo : Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Indonesia to UN Geneva
  270. Ms. Laurence Wiedmer: Ville de Genève, Cheffe, Service des relations extérieures
  271. Mr. Ibrahim Jibir Wudil: Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP).
  272. Mr. Shufang Zhang: UNRISD Project Coordinator
  273. Mr. Hui Zhao: Third Secretary, China Mission

Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm, Geneva, June 2013

Opening Addresses


 

Left to Right: David Chikvaidze, Alexandre Fasel, Ivo Šlaus, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Rolf Heuer, Ivan Pictet

Opening keynote address by Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
United Nations Under-Secretary-General
Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva
 
“Adapting to the new global order:  the role of the United Nations and partnerships”

Mr. Ivo Šlaus, President of the World Academy of Art and Science
Distinguished Panellists,
Distinguished Ambassadors,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a privilege to welcome you all to the Palais des Nations. This time we have come together to discuss acute problems of today’s international situation.

Geneva represents an ideal platform for a deeper reflection on where we are headed as the international community and which kind of future we wish to build on. The international conference on Syria, which is taking shape now, is another demonstration of Geneva’s enduring value as a global hub. We appreciate the Host Country represented by Ambassador Alexander Fasel for its consistent support to the United Nations. We also welcome the presence here of State Councillor Pierre-François Unger. Let me also thank the Fondation pour Genève and its President Mr. Ivan Pictet participating in this event, highlighting again the valuable role that the Foundation and the Diplomatic Club, led by Ambassador Luzius Wasescha, play in building bridges across the different communities in Geneva.

I am grateful to see so many representatives of the entities that make “International Geneva” unique. This conference is intended to take time out of daily technical and policy discussions to pool our experience and know-how to come up with fresh and forward-looking ideas and solutions.

I am grateful to our partners in the World Academy of Art and Science – and in particular its President Ivo Šlaus and its Chairman Garry Jacobs – for organizing the event with us. The World Academy has a long and distinguished tradition for cutting-edge thinking that goes across boundaries, leading to creative approaches. I believe that your motto – “Leadership in thought that leads to action” – is very appropriate for our discussions today.

The world is undergoing profound changes, and we need both political will and immediate action to react to this transformation.

Political, economic and social balances are shifting. New dynamics have come into play, moving centres of gravity – from west to east, and from north to south. As just one example, it is projected that by 2020, the combined output of the three leading South economies – China, India and Brazil – may surpass the aggregate production of the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada.

While some of these developments begin to address long-standing global imbalances, they also bring new contradictions and inequalities. 1.1 billion people still live below the internally-accepted poverty line of 1.25 dollars a day. Over 785 million people have no access to clean drinking water and 2.3 billion lack sanitation. The world is more connected than ever before, but still close to 4.5 billion people – predominantly in the developing world – are not online, and 1.5 billion people do not even have electricity.

At the same time, we are experiencing increasing division and distrust among communities – both ethnic, religious and national. Despite our increasing interconnections, we in the human family also feel more distant from one another. We witness growth in extremist rhetoric and action based on religious and ethnic hatred.

Well-known mechanisms and tools no longer seem adequate to respond effectively to these negative trends. The international conferences are not delivering the results we need: despite years of negotiation, the Doha Round of trade negotiations remains blocked….we have no legally-binding agreement to curb carbon emissions post-Kyoto…and in this very Chamber, the Conference on Disarmament has not been able to agree even a Programme of Work for over 16 years.

Against this background, we need to embrace a different type of governance – a new paradigm for how we work together to build a better world. Let me highlight three key components of this governance, which I hope may become issues of our discussions today.

First, nurturing partnerships. The challenges we face are interconnected. No single country, no single institution can confront them in isolation. Individually, they have neither the capacity nor the expertise. Let me give you an example: Over 200 million people are without jobs – of these, some 75 million are young people. We cannot hope to create meaningful and sustainable employment without involvement of the private sector. And this is not simply an economic issue, it is a political one. Lack of employment has already led to the undermining of social stability in many regions and countries, to the mistrust of just and efficient governance.

Second, reaching across boundaries. We are all aware that the challenges before us touch upon many disciplines. Climate change, for example, has a core scientific component, in analyzing the phenomenon and its consequences, and in proposing solutions. But these solutions have to be agreed and implemented at a political level. Therefore, we still have a long way to go in including different types of knowledge at the policy level, in particular from the scientific, technological and academic communities. As policy-makers, we need to get better at reaching out for the knowledge that we need so that we base decisions on the latest evidence and thinking. I am therefore particularly pleased that we have with us today representatives of these communities. I hope this can become a model to follow, and I welcome therefore the presence today of the Director-General of CERN, Professor Heuer, who is also a strong advocate for such an engagement.

Third, embracing different models. No one size fits all. We need to embrace different types of governance models for different issues. The large-scale multilateral negotiations, driven by Governments, still have value. There will be contexts and issues where they are the only way of doing business. But they cannot stand alone. Action through regional organizations. Action through smaller groups of like-minded States. Action led by civil society, or at sub-national level. These are complementary, not competing, models.

Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have posed as the overarching question for this session: Can humanity realize the apparently conflicting goals of prosperity, security, sustainability and social justice? I believe that the answer is yes. But it will require a new way of doing business, probably with the three elements that I have just outlined at the core and with a strong United Nations bringing these elements together.

Some observers consider the new governance a threat to the United Nations. I see it as a unique opportunity for it to play a more important role in connecting the different layers and partners for a cohesive and coherent global approach.

I am grateful to the outstanding speakers and skilful moderators and rapporteurs who will take part in all our sessions today. It is their input that gives us today a good chance to have an in-depth look at the problems we have to confront. The final session will bring together the different threads of the debates. The aim is a truly inclusive exchange.

Thank you very much for your active involvement.

Goals and issues that need to be addressed by a new paradigm for global development

Welcome address by Ivo Šlaus, President, World Academy of Art & Science

The contemporary world is plagued by numerous problems, threatened by e­conomic, ecological, social, political and moral crises. Each of these subjects has been subject to in-depth analysis and endless expert discussion. This is the time to focus on solutions, rather than on further analysis. The lack of significant progress on addressing these issues in recent years has seriously raised doubts about the collective capacity of the human community to effectively address them. Do solutions really exist for the complex multidimensional problems confronting humanity today? Is there any way in which apparently mutually contradictory goals of prosperity, security, sustainability and social justice can all be realized? If so, what is lacking? Do we even know of approximate solutions? Do we at least know “solutions” that are not worse than the present problems? Our record is not very good. In the 20th century many attempts to remedy problems and reduce threats led the world into even greater calamities. We should be guided by the course proposed by Hippocrates: Try to help so as not to inflict damage on a patient. Not to act would be a mortal sin of omission that would lead to destruction, so act we must. This conference co-organized by the United Nations Office in Geneva and the World Academy is a call for solutions – a call for ideas, out-of-the-box ideas. It is a call for a paradigm change.

In the past we have made several important paradigm changes, at least in science.  Although the physical world, the particles composing it and laws governing it, did not change for the last 14 billion years, our understanding of the physical world has been dramatically altered; first by the Copernican Revolution, then much more through Quantum Physics and the Theory of Relativity, when our concepts of time, space and certainty changed radically. In place of perfect certainty, we have realized that our physical world is based on the uncertainty principle, and that uncertainty still allows quantum electrodynamics to predict with accuracies of one in billions. Our social world is even more complex that the physical. Human beings and society change constantly and the laws governing them evolve over time. We change ourselves and we change the world we live in. It would be vain, even preposterous, to assume that the laws we formulated millennia ago for that different period and very different people are still valid today. Although we resemble in many ways our predecessors from before the Agricultural Revolution, we are in fact very different!

Addressing the current problems and threats confronting humanity today requires a fundamental paradigmatic change! It is not enough to merely change the course. We must change the paradigm, but which one? And how? Again, Physics, the simplest of all sciences, can help. We realized that the conception of time has changed, but we preserved the Newtonian laws in domains where they are still valid. The situation in the socio-economic-political domain is much more complex. First, it is a moving target, rapidly moving! So, our first conclusion should be that the new paradigmatic change we look for has to be dynamic, not static! Our second conclusion should be that whatever the new paradigm is, it has to be consistent with the existing paradigms in domains where they remain valid and useful, if there are any.

There is one area in which the old paradigm must clearly be abandoned. Although humanity has enjoyed several long intervals of peace, war and violence have been endemic throughout our history. The new paradigm must absolutely call for elimination of violence. No war, no violence – under any circumstances! There is no domain where violence is acceptable! No war, no weapons of any kind, much less weapons of mass destruction or their 21st century successors. Let the incomplete steps initiated by Reagan and Gorbachev in Reykjavik become a reality. Abolish nuclear weapons now! Instead of MAD – Mutually Assured Destruction – let us focus on mutual economic development.

The new paradigm may still retain the principle of competition, for competition helps to release human energy, innovation and creativity; but competition is augmented and complemented by cooperation (as biologists from J. Maynard Smith and W. Hamilton argued almost half a century ago). Private property is another feature of the existing paradigm which we cannot dispense with, but private only within limits. Private ownership of the oceans, water, air, would be disastrous. As Mahatma Gandhi said, the world has enough to satisfy everyone’s need, but not for everybody’s greed. It is essential that we recognize the value of need as supreme. Greed is a threat to those afflicted by it, but also to those advocating it. At a time when income inequalities have increased from the ratio of 5:1 approved by Plato and 20:1 endorsed as the maximum by J.P. Morgan to thousands and thousands to one, it is time to remember that humans are social animals, that the Golden Rule is imbedded in our biology, that we need each other and that human capital is our most precious capital. Human capital is the basic foundation stone of the new paradigm. It is the source of all our creativity and innovation and, as Aristotle claimed, it is the main source of our happiness too!

The world faces many problems, but they are all interconnected and interdependent. They will not lend themselves to fragmentary, piecemeal solutions. We need to evolve a comprehensive, holistic approach, but one that is at the same time individualized so as to be applied to different conditions. We cannot rely on the model of physical science for our answers, but we can and should apply the same intense creativity and imagination that have enabled physical science to answer the famous Thales’ question “How and from what is the world made?” That creativity is our greatest resource for meeting difficult challenges and availing of the expanding opportunities that lie ahead.

Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm, Geneva, June 2013

Conference Papers & Presentations


Opening Session: Global Challenges & Opportunities

Issue: Is there a way in which humanity can realize the apparently conflicting goals of prosperity, security, sustainability and social justice?

Speakers:

Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva: welcome remarks and Keynote address.
Theme: Adapting to the new global order: The role of the United Nations and partnerships

Dr. Ivo Šlaus President, World Academy of Art and Science: Opening address
Theme: Goals and issues that need to be addressed by a new paradigm for global development

Session 2A: Economy & Employment

Issues: How can global food security, full employment and abolition of poverty be achieved within a decade? How can the necessary financial resources be generated and mobilized to achieve the goals of global development?

Moderator: Mr. Garry Jacobs, Chairman, World Academy of Art and Science
Rapporteur: Dr. Zbigniew Bochniarz, Treasurer, World Academy of Art and Science

Speakers:

Theme: Integrated Strategies for global full employment
Mr. Garry Jacobs, Chairman, World Academy of Art and Science: Presentation

Session 2B: Energy & Ecology

Issue: How can global living standards be raised to middle class levels without depleting or destroying the environment or depriving future generations of the capacity to sustain these achievements ?

Moderator: Prof. Liliana Andonova, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
Rapporteur: Dr. Momir Djurovic, President, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences

Speakers:

Theme: Equitable strategies for managing and enhancing global resources
Dr. Anders Wijkman, Co-President, Club of Rome: Presentation

Theme: The future of water – strategies to meet the challenge
Dr. Alexander Likhotal, President, Green Cross International: Paper

Session 3A: Human Capital

Issue: How can humanity fully tap the potential of a human-capital and social-capital based strategy for global development ?

Moderator: Dr. Colum Murphy, President, Geneva School of Diplomacy
Rapporteur: Dr. Heitor Gurgulino de Souza, former Rector UNU, Secretary General, The International Association of University Presidents, Brazil

Speakers:

Theme: World University: Global Strategy for Higher Education
Dr. Juri Engelbrecht, Vice-President, Estonia Academy of Science: Paper

Theme: Global strategy for a healthy humanity
Dr. Alberto Zucconi, President, Person-Centred Approach Institute: Presentation

Theme: On line Education
Ms. Janani Harish, Mothers Service Society, India: Paper       Presentation

Theme: International cooperation in science as a model for other global activities
Dr. Herwig Schopper, former Director-General of CERN: Presentation

Session 3B: Governance & International Security

Issues:    How can we evolve a global cooperative security system that permanently eliminates war and the threats posed by WMD ? How can we design and implement system of global governance capable of implementing necessary measures to achieve the other five goals for the welfare and well-being of all ?

Moderator: Dr. Khalid Koser, Deputy Director and Academic Dean, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
Rapporteur: Amb. Theodor Winkler, Director, DCAF

Speakers:

Theme: Evolution of global rule of law
Dr. Winston Nagan, Professor, Director, Institute for Human Rights, Peace and Development, University of Florida at Gainesville: Paper

Closing Session: Reports from the Sessions & Conclusions

Issue: On what essential ideas, principles, values, strategies, policies, and institutional mechanisms should the new global paradigm be founded? What steps could be proposed?

Reports by Rapporteurs from the parallel sessions:

Dr. Momir Djurovic, Session 2B : Report          Presentation
Amb. Theodor Winkler, Session 3B:

Speakers:

Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva: Closing remarks
Mr. Garry Jacobs, Chairman, World Academy of Art and Science: Closing remarks

Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm, Geneva, June 2013

Conference Photos


Clockwise: David Chikvaidze, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Ivo Slaus, Garry Jacobs

Left to Right: David Chikvaidze, Alexandre Fasel, Ivo Šlaus, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Rolf Heuer, Ivan Pictet 

Left to Right: Juri Engelbrecht, Raoul Weiler, Heitor de Souza, Alberto Zucconi,
Winston Nagan, Herwig Schopper & Saulo Casali Bahia

Council Chamber, Palais des Nations

Left to Right: Colum Murphy, Heitor Gurgulino de Souza, Janani Harish,
Margarete Baddeley, Pierre-François Unger,
Herwig Schopper & Juri Engelbrecht

Left to Right: Janani Harish, Saulo Jose Casali Bahia, Heitor
Gurgulino de Souza, Winston P. Nagan, Ljudmila-Mila Popović,
Momir Djurovic & Alberto Zucconi

Janani Harish, Zbigniew Bochniarz & Ljudmila Popovic

Zbigniew Bochniarz, Momir Djurovic & Orio Giarini

Zbigniew Bochniarz, Janani Harish, Jüri Engelbrecht, Raoul Weiler,
Ivo Šlaus, Ljudmila Popovic, Garry Jacobs, Momir Djurovic,
Heitor Gurgulino de Souza, Saulo Bahia,
Winston Nagan & Alberto Zucconi

Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century: Search for New Paradigm, Geneva, June 2013

Conference Closing Remarks


Keynote address by Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
United Nations Under-Secretary-General
Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

Mr. Ivo Šlaus, President of the World Academy of Art and Science
Mr. Jacobs, Chairman of the World Academy of Art and Science
Distinguished Speakers, Moderators and Rapporteurs
Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for taking part today and sharing your views. I know that we may not have had as much time as we would have liked for discussion, but I hope that you have all taken full advantage of the coffee breaks and other opportunities to talk and to network. It is my hope that new connections have been made here that can lead to further collaboration.

I will not attempt to sum up our discussions. Our distinguished moderators have already done that very well. Concluding our discussions today, I wanted to simply highlight a couple of key messages:

One of the recurring themes today has been the importance of translating theory into practice. In many areas, we actually know what the problems are, and we know what to do. The challenge is in implementation, through a systemic approach that allows all interests to be accommodated.

New concepts have been put forward. I am sure that ideas such as the “governance cloud” and “the G-0 world”, as well as the correlation between democracy and stability in the world, will continue to generate discussion.

We had an interesting discussion on what global leadership is, and how it is being practiced. Many speakers identified the current constraints of short-term electoral cycles and the imperative of immediate results as part of the failure to develop adequate long-term strategies.

Another theme that has come up in many is the relationship between politics, science and education. Many speakers highlighted that priorities in these areas have to be based on democracy and human rights.

Another overall conclusion is that the future is a resource-constrained world. The competition for water, land and energy will be fierce, and hence will be creating an inherently unstable world, with more conflicts and inequalities.

Until now, price and value have been given to traditional sectors of the economy. If we want to beat further environmental degradation and destruction, we need to give proper value to sustainable goods. We need to maximize resource productivity. We need a resource-efficient strategy that goes beyond conventional economic policy frameworks.

Employment was another key point. All agreed that the issue of employment is too important to leave to the markets. What we need to figure out, as the international community, is what kind of growth path will create good, decent jobs in the future

So, how do we move forward from here?

I take four key conclusions with me from today’s debate:
First, we need a vision for sustainable energy in an interconnected world. Second, we need a new logic for economic development that gives priority to science and education. Third, we need economic, financial and political reform that deals with the current short political cycles to enable long-term strategy. And finally, we need a change of the value and pricing system to reflect the current sustainability challenges.

As Ambassador Fasel said at the opening this morning, this meeting has increased the quality of the debate at all levels, further enabling us to have an informed dialogue on our interconnected challenges.

I thank again the World Academy of Art and Science, as well as the diplomatic community, the international organizations in Geneva and the Swiss Government, for the excellent collaboration that culminated in today’s conference. I wish to take this forward and I hope that all of you will be ready to continue our in-depth reflections on how to build the world that we all want.

Thank you very much for your active involvement.

Closing Remarks by Mr. Garry Jacobs
Chairman & CEO, WAAS

A Creative Moment

We have much to be grateful for. In spite of appearances, the world is a far more peaceful place than any time in the last half century. In the past 65 years since the founding of the UNO, the world avoided a third recurrence of world war. Battlefield deaths are at an all-time low. The number of democracies has risen fivefold. The long looming threat of nuclear war has receded since the end of the Cold War, though it is yet to be vanquished. Our more peaceful world is also a more prosperous one.  Over the past 200 years world per capita income has risen twelvefold in spite of a sevenfold rise in population – a remarkable achievement in the history of humanity.  Yet in spite of these achievements, we are still a world beset with pressing problems and threatening crises – political, financial, economic, social and ecological.

What is it that opposes our progress? There are no nations seeking global conquest and empire today. There is no Cold War between opposing military blocs. Our greatest obstacle seems to be the persistent dead weight of old ideas and outmoded ways of thinking that resist change and refuse to disappear. In spite of our remarkable progress, we seem to have run out of creative ideas to effectively cope with the challenges we confront.  We are unable to see our way clearly into a better future, because we are blinded by our vision and memories of the past. We cannot see beyond the status quo. Many say what we lack most today is great leadership. They yearn for another FDR, Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi or Gorbachev to lead us from the morass. But what if the very idea that we depend on great individuals for our collective progress is an outdated idea whose time has passed?

Throughout history we have seen the creative power of ideas. Ideas can lead even in the absence of great leaders. An influx of creative ideas from Classical Greece spurred the cultural and social revolution of the Renaissance.  An influx of new thinking about democracy, socialism, universal education, evolution, relativity and uncertainty spurred the scientific, technological, political, economic, and social revolutions of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Today we live in a world where ideas can lead. Ideas have immense power to change the world.  As Victor Hugo once wrote, “No one can resist an idea whose time has come”. A new paradigm based on ideas, principles and values appropriate to the 21st century can rapidly transform this world of pressing challenges into one of ever-expanding opportunities.  We need new ideas to lead us in the 21st century. We need leadership in thought which will lead to effective action.  This is the mission of the World Academy.

Of all ideas, values are the most powerful.  It has been said that it takes centuries of human experience to make a little recorded history and centuries of history to create a little civilization and centuries of civilization to form a drop of culture. Culture represents the distilled essence of human wisdom acquired over many centuries and the quintessence of culture is universal values which tell us how to live together in peace and harmony, how best to survive, grow, develop and evolve as a species.  It was the value of liberty that inspired the great revolutions of the past few centuries. It was the value of equality that ended slavery, empire, and colonialism and still fights on to defeat other forms of social injustice. It is the inherent, intrinsic value of the individual that has unleashed the remarkable creative energy and achievements of the post-War era. Yet for all our progress, we still have far to travel to fully realize these sacred values in our individual and collective lives.

A new paradigm must be founded on a reaffirmation and elevation of the values which underpin our civilization, government, institutions, laws, policies and activities. Today, we have heard more than forty thoughtful observers and actors on the international scene share with us their vision of the possibilities and opportunities that await us. They reinforce the view that the individual and global community – the human microcosm and macrocosm – are each infinite in its potential for development. Their messages were positive and full of hope, saturated with the reaffirmation of universal human values that can lead us into a better future. 

Speaker after speaker affirmed the rights of our common global community as well as the fundamental rights of every individual human being to peace, freedom, right livelihood, economic security and social justice. They stressed the need for value-based economic theory that seeks to promote human welfare and equality rather than growth for growth’s sake. They called for a paradigm shift from competitive to cooperative security, from an inherently unstable system where each nation seeks to enhance its own security by measures that increase the insecurity of others to one in which all cooperate to enhance the security of all at far lower levels of military spending. They argued for expanding the very notion of security from a narrow military-political conception to encompass the economic, social, psychological and ecological dimensions of human security.  They reminded us of our collective responsibility to future generations and urged us to act in the interests of all humanity. They reasoned that the social systems we live in have been fashioned by our own minds and hands, not any immutable laws of Nature, and that we have the power to change them if we have the will. They demanded that the rule of law be based on true principles of democracy and founded on the will of the people – of humanity as a whole – not on the power of money or the unlimited, unconditional sovereignty of nation-states. They projected new ideas, evolutionary creative ideas that can build a better future for us all.

The discussions today are only one step in a process initiated by the Academy earlier this year in Trieste. It will be carried forward later this week at the Library of Alexandria and subsequently in other meetings around the world. Yet already we can perceive the first sketchy outlines of a paradigm emerging, a paradigm still without a name, yet one founded on basic human rights, fueled by the dynamism of creative human energies, and aspiring to build a world whose principal aim and objective is the welfare and well-being of all human beings.

We are living in remarkable times and have been witness to some great creative moments in history. In 1933 the most capitalistic and individualistic of all nations proclaimed its responsibility to ensure the economic security and social welfare of all its citizens. In 1945 the founding of the United Nations marked the end of centuries of incessant warfare on this continent. Two years later Indian Independence signaled the beginning of the end of colonialism. The fall of the Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain in 1989 marked a new stage in global peace and development. It was followed in quick succession by the establishment and rapid expansion of the European Union, an unprecedented experiment in human unity, which has made war in Europe ‘unthinkable’; the founding of the WTO to promote free and fair trade; and the birth of the first truly global social institution – the Internet – the most powerful instrument of individual empowerment and social cohesion ever created, whose full creative potential is yet to be realized. 

What the world needs now is not another great leader, but another great creative moment – a moment energized by fresh creative ideas, supported by dynamically progressive institutions, and inspired by universal values that express our collective aspiration for a better life and a better world.