| Issues | September 2005 Newsletter | |||
| Programs |
A TIME FOR NEW BEGINNINGS
On September 14, about a week from when most readers will receive this Newsletter, the UN will, in its sixtieth year, host the largest gathering of heads of state and of government in the history of the world. The agenda of this august gathering will be to take action on a wide-ranging set of reform proposals put forward in several major documents, the most important of which are the report of the sixteen-member High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change appointed by Kofi Annan in November 2003; the plan of action devised by 250 experts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the target year, 2015; and the Secretary-General's own report, In Larger Freedom: Towards development, Security, and Human Rights for All. The recommendations in these reports are, in my judgment, for the most part eminently sensible. With good will and a willingness to make modest compromises, almost all of them should be capable of realization. A major feature of the cited reports is that they highlight the inexorable link between so-called "hard" and "soft" threats to human security, the former including wars and acts of terrorism, which are mainly the concerns of the one-fifth or so of humanity living in developed nations, and the latter including abject poverty, disease, illiteracy, massive denial of human rights, and genocide, which are mainly the concern of the remaining four fifths. To quote Kofi Annan: "[W]e will not enjoy development without security, and we will not enjoy security without development, and we will not enjoy either without respect for human rights." Thus, the need for reform is urgent and failure to implement significant changes within and outside the UN system is likely to exact a fearsome price. The main stumbling block in the way of reform, unfortunately, is our own myopic government. The neo-cons at the helm just don't (or rather won't) get it. They oppose significant strengthening of the UN for fear that it might become a rival and more legitimate source of authority at the global level. The fact that President Bush took advantage of the Senate recess and appointed the notorious UN basher, John Bolton, as our Ambassador to that body, despite great opposition in Congress, testifies to our administration's fear and distrust of an empowered UN. On a more positive note, in this country, as in the world as a whole, civil society and the public at large are increasingly aware of the dangers of the neo-con program and are mobilizing to oppose it. Citizens for Global Solutions is on the cutting edge of this opposition. Here in Minnesota, the manifestations of citizen concern are evident numerous ways: in demonstrations, peace vigils, study groups, organized meetings, and other activities, a great many of which are sponsored by the now 63 organizations represented in the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers (MAP). The Minnesota Chapter of CGS has newly attracted to its Board a number of dedicated, talented and high-energy individuals, folks like Wayne Wittman, a Korean War vet who was among the founders of both MAP and Chapter 27 of Veterans for Peace, and whose efforts in the cause of peace were recently recognized at the national VfP convention; Catherine Guisan, who over the past year gave sixteen talks in six countries on European integration and related subjects, and Patricia Jurewicz who will shortly be representing the Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy in trade-related discussions at the UN sponsored by the Department of Public Information. All the new Board members have much to offer and I and the continuing CGS officers and Board members look forward eagerly to working with them. It promises to be an exciting and productive year. Joe Schwartzberg, President, Minnesota Chapter, CGSThe state has become too big for the small things and too small for the big things. The small things call for delegation downwards to the local level … The big things call for delegation upwards, for coordination between national policies, or for transnational institutions. --Paul Streeten, 1992 THIRD THURSDAY GLOBAL ISSUES FORUM
When? The third Thursday of each month, 7:00 - 9:00 pm. September 15: NUCLEAR HISTORY YOU WERE NEVER TAUGHT IN SCHOOL All nuclear weapons states have harmed their own people without informed consent. U.S. government studies confirm that contamination from nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and 60s was spread across the country. The U.S. nuclear establishment is now preparing new tests and planning a new plutonium pit production facility. Long-standing nuclear clean-up goals are not being met, threatening vital water supplies. A proven way to shut down nuclear weapons plants and halt testing is to make widely known nuclear weapons' devastating effects on people's health and the environment. This briefing will examine the US nuclear track record in making national security decisions and how that affects us, our families, and the world. Presenter: LISA LEDWIDGE. Lisa is the U.S. Outreach Director at the Maryland-based Institute for Energy and Environmental Research and edits the quarterly IEER newsletter, Science for Democratic Action. She telecommutes from Minneapolis. Check out IEER's information-rich web site, www.ieer.org. October 20: "THE PEACEKEEPERS" This powerful feature-length DVD, produced by the National Film Board of Canada, relates to an actual UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and provides a forthright report of a desperate struggle to save a failing state. It shifts back and forth between the UN headquarters in New York and the operations in the field and candidly reveals little understood complexities that peacekeeping missions inevitably face. DR. MICHAEL ANDREGG will lead a round-table discussion following the film.November 17: INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE: REALISTIC GOAL OR DANGEROUS UTOPIA? LEARNING FROM THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE In the last fifty years Europe has undergone a major political transformation, moving from war as its oft-chosen method of conflict resolution to institutionalized, non-violent methods. However, a new treaty that would establish a Constitution for Europe was rejected by the French and Dutch peoples in recent referendums. Is European integration grinding to a halt? How should we assess past accomplishments and new challenges? What lessons does the European experience have for the United States and the world? Presenter: CATHERINE GUISAN. Raised in Switzerland by a Swiss-Greek family, Catherine Guisan now teaches political science at the University of Minnesota where she obtained her Ph.D. in 2000. Her book on the ethical politics of European integration, Un sens à l'Europe: Gagner la paix (1950-2003), was published by the prestigious Parisian firm, Odile Jacob in 2003. Dr. Guisan has since lectured widely in Europe and the United States on European integration and international governance.The world needs a centre, and some confidence that the centre is holding:: the United Nations is the only credible candidate. --External Affairs Committee, House of Commons of Canada
OTHER COMING EVENTS Wednesday, September 14, 6-9 p.m. THE PEOPLE SPEAK, 2005
DEFINING THE US-UN RELATIONSHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
6:00-7;00 pm: Register, eat, and network
Speakers: FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Organized by the United Nations Association of Minnesota with major support from the United Nations Foundation; Citizens for Global Solutions is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event. Saturday, September 17, 8:00 pm. At the historic Fitzgerald Theatre, 10 E. Exchange St., downtown St. Paul WILL PEACE WIN? Featuring JONATHAN SCHELL, acclaimed author of The Fate of the Earth and
The Unconquerable World; columnist for The Nation, Fellow at Yale University Presentation: $25 regular seating ($15 discounted rate), $50 premium seating, backstage wine reception with Jonathan Schell, $100. Tickets available through FNVW at 651-917-0383. Citizens for Global Solutions is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event. Thursday, September 22, 5:30 pm Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis THE IMPACT OF US FOREIGN POLICY IN AFRICA: PROGRESS AND POTENTIAL Tuesday, September 27, 7:00 pm Free and open to the public Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis HAMMARSKJOLD, RALPH BUNCHE AND THE CONGO Sponsored by the American Swedish Institute in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of Dag Hammarskjöld, 2nd Secretary-General of the UN; both he and his associate, Ralph Bunche, were Nobel Peace Prize Laureates (Bunche being the first African American so honored). Citizens for Global Solutions is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event. Thursday, October 13, 7:00 pm Free and open to the public White Bear Lake City Hall, Highway 61 at 3rd Street, White Bear Lake REVITALIZING THE UNITED NATIONS Thursday, October 27, Noon - 1 pm. Westminster Town Hall Forum Westminster Presbyterian Church, Nicollet Mall at 12th Street, Minneapolis DAG HAMMARSKJOLD: DIPLOMAT, PEACEMAKER, INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANT Sponsored by the American Swedish Institute in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of Dag Hammarskjöld. Citizens for Global Solutions is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event. TO STAY POSTED, check in on our webs site, www.globalsolutionsmn.org and also that of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers, www.mapm.org. There's lots going on. PRESIDENTIAL ACTIVITIES: Over the past year Joe Schwartzberg has spoken on UN reform and related topics in New York (at the UN itself), Ottawa, Montreal, San Francisco, Fort Worth, Newark, Duluth and various venues in the Twin Cities metropolitan region. |
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