Interns@BIC

 As a Social Media Intern at the Bahá'í International Community’s UN Office, I have participated in the early stages of developing a new webpage focused on gender equality. The webpage will experiment with new formats of informing and engaging audiences in the discourse on advancing the equality of women and women, importance of men's involvement and encouragement, and the transformative effects that women's empowerment can have on economic, political and social advancement.

Using social media to facilitate meaningful conversations among institutions and grassroots movements has required a lot of brainstorming, and I am sure it will require even more experimentation by the Bahá'í International Community and the worldwide Bahá'í community in the future. The most important lesson I have learned is that whatever social media is used—whether a blog, an online discussion, or newsfeeds of stories from around the world and from NGOs at the U.N.—the purpose should be to inspire meaningful interactions. Social media is most useful as a forum of exchange among people and organizations already involved in the process of social change, and the outcome of engagement in social media forums will hopefully be the translation of ideas, conversations and reflections into concrete action.

My name is Zijian Wang. I am currently a junior in Bard High School Early College in New York. My one-month internship at the Baha'i International Community’s Office in New York recently came to an end. Time flies. My first entrance into the Office seems just like yesterday.

I have accomplished a lot during this short stay, culminating in a presentation to the staff on “Rethinking Poverty.” The presentation was heavily based on the annual publication of the UN Department on Economics and Social Affairs (DESA), titled, “Rethinking Poverty.” In brief, the publication gives an overview on the current poverty-line approach that the UN and most other international organizations use to measure levels of poverty; it provides a detailed analysis of the weaknesses of this approach; and introduces the ‘social exclusion method’ to poverty measurement that the UN is considering to replace the deeply flawed poverty-line approach. 

[View full Power Point presentation]

Using the poverty-line approach, poverty is measured in monetary terms. The   poverty line is calculated based on the minimum income or expenditure per capita (or per household) to satisfy people's basic needs. There are many problems with this approach. Among them:

1. The number of people considered to be living under the poverty line can be dramatically changed by very small changes in the poverty line, since many people in developing countries live around the poverty line. For example, in Rural India, only 6.4% of the population is under the World Bank Poverty Line at $1 per day. However, 81.9% of the population lives on less than $2.2 per day.
2. The approach ignores the sustainability, volatility and inequality dimensions of poverty and overlooks all of the relational dimensions. By relational dimensions, I mean relationships between the community and individuals that affect individuals’ chances of getting out of poverty. One example of the relational dimension is racial discrimination—it is hard for a person of color to get out of poverty in certain countries because of his/her racial background.
3. The fact that some people endanger their long-term viabilities to satisfy their short-term needs is not taken into consideration. For example, some households are forced to sell their property, such as land, because they need money immediately due to emergencies. However, according to the poverty-line approach, these households appear better off given the additional income from the sale of their property.
4.  Neither the gap between the rich and the poor, nor the power structures of societies which influence people's economic mobility are taken into account.
5.  The approach makes the erroneous assumption that all dimensions of poverty can be quantified in monetary terms. 

[View full Power Point presentation]

The social exclusion approach that the UN is considering as an alternative measure of poverty can potentially address the problems of the poverty-line approach. This approach focuses on social groups such as women and migrant workers rather than individuals or households. Relational dimensions of poverty are covered and inequality is also part of the discussion. To put it simply, the social exclusion approach gives a holistic view of poverty while the poverty-line approach is mainly based on numbers.

In conclusion, my experience as an intern at the Bahá'í International Community’s Office was fantastic and useful by any standard. In addition to the research above, I also prepared background materials on: the main themes of the Rio+20 conference (the ‘green’ economy and an institutional framework for sustainable development) and on the right to food. At the Bahá'í International Community, I did real work. I didn’t feel like an outsider or someone simply working for free. Rather, I was given real work and my opinions and views were respected and usually accepted. Interning at this Office was an enriching experience.

The 18^th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development began on May 3^rd and will end on May 14. At its 11^th session (2003), the CSD decided that its work would be organized in 7 two-year cycles, with each cycle focusing on selected thematic clusters of issues. My participation was primarily with the Youth Caucus, which gathered young delegates from around the world to contribute to and learn from the Commission. This year, the main areas of discussion are transport, chemicals, waste management, mining and the 10 Year Framework of Programmesfor sustainable consumption and production. The concepts of capacity building and the empowerment of individuals have also been prominent in discussions at the Commission this year.

Government delegates and civil society representatives have repeatedly stressed that at the heart of development is the ability to devise strategies that respond to the needs of local populations. One representative said that if we are to bring our solutions to developing countries, we must also bring our problems. Every country faces problems unique to their circumstances. Plans for development should be devised in consultation and collaboration with the people who understand the nature of the issues and are directly affected by them.

Development work is carried out to contribute to the well-being of a population in need of assistance. This, however, does not imply that the population in question is incapable or does not have the ability to improve its situation.  In a discussion about empowerment, a delegate from Tanzania said that in her country, spirituality is part of the culture. Often, when development projects are created by individuals unfamiliar with Tanzanian traditions, they do not celebrate this part of life. She runs an NGO that works with 3000 women in Ghana to raise awareness about issues affecting women, such as genital mutilation. This is done through the use of drama and the arts.  The reason it is successful, she says, is because they work with healers and spiritual leaders and thus gain the trust and acceptance of the community.

The concept of capacity building is an important element in sustainable development. The recognition that every individual has the potential to become an instrument of change in his or her community is one that can be easily forgotten. Lack of resources and opportunities can be misinterpreted as lack of knowledge and capacity.  The Bahá’í international Community, in its statement to the Commission (CSD18) titled “Rethinking Prosperity: Forging Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism” says:

“It is not enough to conceive of sustainable consumption and production in terms of creating opportunities for those living in poverty to meet their basic needs. Rather, with the understanding that each individual has a contribution to make to the construction of a more just and peaceful social order, these processes must be arranged in a way that permits each to play his or her rightful role as productive member of society.”

This is an issue unavoidably connected to the theme of consumption and production. The unfair distribution of goods has lead to a culture where the majority of the world’s population lives in poverty while a small number consume most of the earth’s resources.  In order for organic change to take place, we need a transformation in the very structure of society so that will reflect the interconnectedness and the interdependence of the world’s peoples. Although it may seem idealistic,  at the simplest level, it implies that every individual is endowed with the potential to contribute to the advancement of society and must be given the opportunity to do so.

For the remainder of this session of the Commission, countries will continue to discuss ways to orient development aims and strategies towards the needs of local populations in order to deal more effectively with poverty, the food crisis, and climate change, amongst other things. It is becoming clear that efforts should be made to build the capacity of individuals and to implement decisions and policies that respect the right of every person to contribute to the progress of his or her community.

Development efforts are most fruitful when they grow organically with the available resources of a community. Although much of what is being discussed is still only at the level of theory and discourse, it is nevertheless generating new thinking and ideas that will in turn affect development efforts at the grassroots level. It is heartening to see that many countries express their concerns regarding development and the state of the world and agree, at least in discussions, that in order to deal with them, they must work together.  

During the past three weeks of my internship at the Baha’i International Community's office at the United Nations, I have had the opportunity to attend several events as part of the Commission on the Status of Women. As a result I have met many inspiring people who are working in the fields of human rights and development. I am 23 years old and just finished my degree in Journalism and Political Science. Being here has allowed me to see in action many of the concepts and principals I have studied. I have already learned a great deal about the involvement of individuals and organizations in contributing change to the communities and countries they live in.

On March 15, the 54^th Commission on the Status of Women is coming to an end after two weeks. This year, the Commission undertook a 15 year review on the lessons learned since the adoption of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995.  

Apart from the formal meetings of the Commission, there are side events that registered participants can attend. I was able to attend a panel discussion titled “The Advancement of Women and the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief,” which was organized by the NGO Committee on the Freedom of Religion or Belief.

The panelists included Dr. Merve Kavakci, professor of International Affairs at George Washington University and Asma Uddin, attorney and editor-in-chief of Altmuslimah, an online magazine about women in Islam. The two speakers talked about Muslim women’s right to wear the hijab, or the headscarf, without fear of discrimination. Dr. Merve pointed out the importance of culture and religion in the Muslim world and how these relate to democracy. She also spoke about empowerment as it relates to Muslim women and how, for many, wearing the hijab is empowering. She used examples of secular Turkey (where she is from) and France to show that the ban of hijab has been a source of disempowerment for many women.

Ms. Uddin spoke about the need for the freedom to interpret religious scripture in one’s own way.  She went on to say that imposing one’s perspective on others, in her example enforcing laws against the hijab, is to disconnect them from their chosen spiritual path.

The panel discussion took a slightly different direction from the one originally intended as one of the invited speakers, Vice-Chair of CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), was not able to attend. Her speech was intended to provide a broader perspective on the issue of women’s freedom of religion and belief. Nevertheless, hearing other women’s contributions and speaking with them made me think of how violation of this freedom affects women around the world.

A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life shows that 70 percent of the world’s population live in countries with religious restrictions. This study, titled Global Restrictions on Religion, finds that 64 nations have high or very high restrictions on religion.  Even more upsetting is the fact that women are the one of the main groups being affected by these violations of human rights.  

In the panel discussion, Iran and Saudi Arabia were mentioned as examples of countries where the hijab is a mandatory dress code for all women, regardless of religious affiliation. Some people also commented on the need to hear about other forms of oppression perpetrated against women, caused by lack of the freedom of belief, namely, imprisonment, torture, deaths by stoning and honor killings which are committed against them in impunity, only because an act seen as dishonoring to their families.

Freedom of religion or belief also comes into play when addressing issues such as female genital cutting and traditions where girls are circumcised against their will. The right to freedom of belief, therefore, must also protect individuals who choose not to believe. It must give a voice to those who choose not to follow the dogmas and traditions that degrade their nobility and disrespect them as individuals with the right to make decisions.

In a statement on the Freedom of Religion or Belief, the Baha’i International Community pointed out four issues related to this freedom that require more attention: 1) the right to change one’s religion or beliefs, 2) the right to share one’s belief with others, 3) the responsibilities of the international community and national governments vis-a-vis marginalized and peacefully organized religious communities and 4) the responsibilities of religious leaders vis-a-vis the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief.

Although the panel discussion touched on the subject of women’s freedom to believe, there needs to be more frank and open discussions around this topic. This was the first time the Commission on the Status of Women addressed this issue and, in this way, opened way to more dialogue in the future. The right to hold a belief or to change it is an important part of human development. Through it individuals can search for meaning and purpose. In order to take positive steps towards the equality of men and women, it is crucial that we engage in unbiased and informed discussions that seek to formulate solutions to the many forms of oppressions faced by women around the world.

My father worked in development in Tanzania. As a child I learnt about reforestation, the use of indigenous seeds to grow trees (see why are trees important?), sustainable development and I watched as aid organizations spent millions in the area. I personally saw the impact of erosion on communities, roads and cropland. I was raised to appreciate biodiversity, to work towards protecting trees (see tree factsheet), and the environment. I agree with the statement by Norway’s Environment Minister that “cutting down rainforests is not done (by indigenous peoples) for evil reasons” and “there is a need to change economic reality” that makes deforestation a cheap source of fuel.

As a small child, I saw the impact of burning forests to create charcoal, the difficult choice between affordable fuel and the environment. My parents took me to rainforests where I got to see animals found nowhere else in the world. I spent my weekends and holidays in National Parks appreciating the diverse dangerous beauty of nature. This is why I found the UN Collaborative Programme
on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN REDD) side events so interesting. I believe that the preservation of rainforests is crucial in the fight against climate change. There is no way to avoid the reality that deforestation must be reduced. It is encouraging to see that states are engaging with the process and beginning to address practical (and possible) ways to slow down climate change.

Two years ago, Norway launched the International Climate and Forest Initiative. Speaking at a side event at the Forum (more), the Environment Minister (Erik Solheim) mentioned that the next step in the initiative is the Oslo Climate and Forest Conference on the 27^th of May. The event is aimed primarily at donor states and rainforest states but all governments and civil society representatives are welcome to attend. He outlined how UN REDD is trying to incorporate existing frameworks into one but stressed that—“politics is local—it may be linked to global processes / principles or influenced by global norms / pressure”. He gave the example of Brazil, where the indigenous peoples, when supported by the law of the land and local government are effective in conservation efforts in their rainforests.

Mr. Erik Solheim mentioned a fundamental paradox in his thinking, which I shared, namely regarding “conditionality”. After seeing the impact of conditionality’s on Tanzania’s ecosystem – I have been staunchly against conditionality on economic aid and policy. Yet when it comes to the rainforest, I take a personal position that advocates for full conditionality on the environment. It has been shown that indigenous forests are more resilient to natural disasters, and to climate change! Our efforts now need to be coordinated, focused and wide scale. National ownership is necessary, benchmarks are needed; planning processes need to be in place and implementation be phased and monitored. This is hard but it is our future.

A different side event organized by the World Bank highlighted the role of Indigenous Peoples in Biodiversity Conservation. Ms. Claudia Sobrevila, Senior Biodiversity Specialist, provided statistics on current World Bank projects, and portfolio mentioning funding instruments such as Global Environment Facility (GEF), and Natural Resource Management (NRM) Projects. She briefly outlined the multiple values of sustainable development from an economic perspective.

Ms. Sobrevila noted that the World Bank is looking into the economic value of bio-diversity and continue to fund projects “focused on terrestrial and marine protected areas , including indigenous land”. She discussed a shift from requests for funding for indigenous to multifocal projects. Multifocal projects incorporate biodiversity, climate change, land degradation and desertification. Her presentation was valuable because it highlighted a shift in funding, increases in community development and showed that there is an increasing focus on “food security”. Out of a total of 596 projects undertaken by the World Bank, 109 support indigenous peoples and only 34 have indigenous people managing funds directly.

Conclusion

It struck me that it is vital to embrace our diversity, to accept the challenge of retaining our differences (our bio-diversity) but to work together to achieve unity, peace and understanding. But more than that, it made me realize that we have to go stop being complacent, and embrace the heritage of the past while creating a sustainable future. We need to continue to develop without causing irrevocable damage to our planet, present and futures.

During the Forum, aspects of mankind’s biodiversity such as language, identity, cultures, ecosystems, peoples and human rights were mentioned. Prior to these events, I thought biodiversity referred to different species of plant and animal life; it was the first time I had ever encountered the term in relation to humanity.

Biodiversity is vital to human society (More) yet it appears to be an issue that is often viewed in isolation. What is becoming increasingly apparent is that it is vital to protect biodiversity. You cannot separate human beings from the natural environment.  The growing economic cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation alone makes it impossible to ignore the issue. In my opinion, biodiversity must be integrated into national social and economic infrastructures to make development more sustainable.

Reflections: Identity and Language

The Forum is not my first experience interacting with indigenous peoples. I grew up in a small village in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania (East Africa). This experience involved my total immersion and integration into a completely different culture. As I was five, I started attending the local primary school (Kitweru) and quickly learned to speak Kiswahili (English Swahili dictionary if you want to experiment.

As I spent my formative school years learning how to think, read, write and count in Swahili... my younger brother spent his days happily following a Hehe cow herder around). My red-haired (very Irish looking), pale brother soon spoke fluent Hehe, learned the customs and the stories around the elderly cow herders’ fire. The elderly gentlemen raised my brother with the identity of a member of the Hehe tribe, and to this day—he is most comfortable barefoot in Ruaha National Park. I learned to appreciate the rich knowledge that exists about indigenous peoples. I learned what plants are good to brush your teeth with, what trees bleed glue and which will kill or blind you. It will always be a part of what makes who I am. The point I am making is that while learning the language and absorbing the culture was important…I discovered the more important lessons were learning from nature, developing a symbiotic relationship and indigenous people’s knowledge is part of that.

Continuing to deplete natural resources at the rate we currently are— is not an option because we rely on trees for the air we breathe, we rely on agriculture to provide us with the food we eat and it is naïve to believe that we can continue this rate of destruction without consequences. Passivity is not an option. It is time to act, to think, to investigate, study, and to support one another, to advance together.

It is “estimated that one of the world's languages disappears every 14 days, an extinction rate exceeding that of birds, mammals or plants” (K. David Harrison, Swarthmore College). According to UNESCO, “languages need at least 100,000 speakers to survive, war and genocide, fatal natural disasters, the adoption of more dominant languages all contribute to the loss of language”. Currently, eight countries account for more than half of all languages (These are Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, Mexico, Cameroon, Australia and Brazil). There is little we can do to escape the inevitable. Languages change, languages are born, language die. 

UNESCO estimate that there are currently “6,000 languages spoken in the world today, most of them in several dialects (UNESCO Atlas of Endangered and Extinct Languages). Only a few of those, such as Latin, Ancient Greek and Sanskrit, have been kept alive artificially.” In the past 300 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the death and disappearance of languages. Today, 3,000 or more languages that are still spoken are endangered, seriously endangered or dying. A language becomes endangered when less than 30 % of the children speaks or learn to speak it but there are other factors at play (more). Hebrew is a language success story…as it is now revived and spoken by about 5-7million people in Israel alone.

To me, the forum highlights the value of a model for the “integration of the world’s cultures and peoples that may lie in the complexity and coordination that characterize the human body. Within this organism, millions of cells, with extraordinary diversity of form and function, collaborate to make human existence possible. Every least cell has its part to play in maintaining a healthy body; from its inception, each is linked to a lifelong process of giving and receiving. The growing consciousness of a common humanity lying beneath the surface of our different identities is redefining our relationships with each other as peoples, as nations, and as co-stewards of our natural environment. The understanding that we are all interrelated, part of an indivisible human family is becoming the standard by which our collective efforts are judged is becoming more accepted” (see Transforming Collective Deliberation: Valuing Unity and Justice). It is especially apparent here, that differences should and can be celebrated simultaneously with progress, development and working towards a more inclusive and fair future.

The Forum raised the question of dialogue, of respecting opinions and creating mechanisms for effective communication where all opinions are considered and discussed.  It is important to note that “On its own, a diversity of perspectives does not provide communities with a means to bridge differences or to resolve social tensions”. Participants must eventually be willing to be flexible and to work together to achieve a practical (workable) solution in a unified manner. The aim is not to create idealized unity. Rather, to bring about“ one that acknowledges differences and strives to transcend them through a process of principled deliberation. It is unity in diversity.

In social environments characterized by corruption, fanaticism, bad governance, violence, conflicting groups and entrenched discrimination communities are weakened resulting in great vulnerability makes exploitation or oppression a possibility. The basis for our cultural unity (in diversity) must therefore be justice.

Act now!

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. Therefore, we have the unique opportunity to discover how to take action…whether that means planting trees in your area or finding out how you can contribute to what is being done in your country (see country profiles)! You may want to see Newsweek’s interactive site of “100 places to remember before they disappear” or Wade Davis’s 2003 TED talk on culture.

The loss of biodiversity, like most global problems, is something that cannot be solved immediately. Yet we are running out of time and what we are losing cannot be easily replaced.

Saba

An Introduction

From the 19^th - 30^th April 2010, I’m attending the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues being held at UN Headquarters in New York. The Forum is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council with a mandate to discuss “indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights". It is the primary mechanism through which the voices of the world’s indigenous peoples are heard at the UN. I’d like to share with you some thought about my learning process, my experience and the concepts I’m encountering during this set of meetings…in a three part series of short pieces.

Ban Ki-moon on opening panel

Background

In September 2007, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly supported by an overwhelming majority of Member States. Despite being non-binding, the declaration is important because it "sets out the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues" More...

The adoption of the Declaration represented a significant step forward because it established standards that could be used to eliminate human rights violations, assist in combating the marginalization and discrimination of the approximately 370 million indigenous people around the world. Initially, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA voted against the Declaration, considering it incompatible with national laws. In 2009, Australia reversed its decision and endorsed the Declaration. Last week, at the opening ceremony of the Forum, New Zealand announced that it had decided to endorse the Declaration, in so far as it didn’t contravene national laws. This decision was welcomed by the approximately 2000 participants at the Forum. This year’s meetings were opened by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (pictured above on the opening panel) who reminded us that "Indigenous cultures, languages and ways of life are under constant threat from climate change, armed conflict, lack of educational opportunities and discrimination.”

This year’s theme--“Development with Culture and Identity”--acknowledges that biodiversity is being lost due to numerous factors, including unsustainable development and cultural assimilation.

In the following two blog postings , I’ll share my reflections about my  experiences at the Forum and explore some  key themes from my personal perspective.

Ruha

The Bahá’í International Community was present at the 13^th session of the Human Rights Council and, as a member of the delegation, I was able to get a glimpse of the complexity of the UN human rights machinery. I found most interesting the exchanges between Ms. Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and members of the Human Rights Council. Ms. Jahangir presented a report which outlined early warning signs of discrimination and violence on the grounds of religion or belief. The report’s Addendum contained summaries of communications with member states, including the Rapporteur’s requests for state visits. It was interesting to read the states’ responses (or lack thereof) to these requests.

During this session, the Bahá'í International Community delivered two strong statements. The first statement stressed the importance of the freedom of religion or belief and the implications of the violations of this right. It reemphasized the position taken by the current and former Special Rapporteur: it is not for governments to decide what constitutes a religion, but it is the right of individuals to denominate their beliefs. (View video). The second statement concerned the situation of the seven Bahá'ís on trial in Iran (View video). The Bahá'í International Community stated that the conditions of under which the seven former Bahá'í leaders have been imprisoned (for close to two years) are a violation of international human rights law and parts of the Iranian Penal Code; these include: the circumstances and conditions of their imprisonment,  particularly the initial solitary confinement; the announcement of charges a year following the arrests; the denial of access to lawyers; and the commencement of trial nine months after the charges were issued.

After the interactive dialogue, I was able to take part in an informal discussion with the Special Rapporteur, organised by the NGO Committee on freedom of religion or belief. In that exchange, the Rapporteur commended on the work done by civil society in support of her mandate. She noted that civil society had been instrumental in providing her information needed to carry out her mandate. She also encouraged NGOs to use mass media to ensure that the international community remains focused on threats to and violations of international human rights.

A new Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief will be appointed at the next Council Session. From what I have seen, Ms. Jahangir has done a tremendous job of carrying out her mandate. I am interested to see who will be appointed to this position and how he/she will carry on the mandate.

Ruha Matin

(Intern at the Bahá'í International Community’s Office in Geneva)

Sabá

Fifteen years ago, the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen) identified poverty eradication as one of the three pillars of social development. Since then, poverty eradication has become a major focus of development efforts, as reflected in the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals that aim to halve extreme poverty by 2015. According to statistics, there has been some success in meeting these goals.

Assessing Progress: Eradication of Poverty

I attended a side-event titled “rethinking poverty”. At this event, the current criteria used to quantify poverty was deemed controversial and a barrier to true poverty eradication. Furthermore, the progress portrayed by existing statistics was also brought into question. For example, when China is removed from the existing statistics (for the year 2005) the number of people living in extreme poverty increases from 1.1 billion to 1.2 billion. The stressed that “investment in human development and capability” is needed. The panelist from the International Labor Organization stressed the need for more “equity orientated policies”. The panelists agreed that the most important challenge was the need to “rethink how we communicate poverty”. (See Rethinking Poverty—an executive summary of the World Social Situation 2010.)

The main theme of the Commission was social integration. The panelists noted that the social perspective of development requires addressing poverty in all its dimensions. The focus must be placed on a people-centered integrated strategy. It was mentioned that a properly conducted Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA) contributes to national debate on policy options and promotes national ownership of strategies that could potentially contribute to the “operationalization of Copenhagen’s commitments”. I found this breakout session very interesting. The extremes of wealth that exist are a stark contrast with the reality of extreme poverty under discussion. The current economic crisis shows how fragile wealth actually is. The panelist from UNICEF talked about the unpublished multidimensional poverty analysis of 2010/2011. Problems of defining, indentifying (the nature/ extent of) and measuring poverty proved persistent. Panelists articulated the need not only to rethink ways of tackling poverty, but also ways of being heard by policy makers so as to allow them to make decisions in line with the latest research. Yet, I found it interesting that they had not changed their methods of communication to attempt to solve the problem. To my further surprise, panelists mentioned that countries showing the best recovery from the global economic crisis were the ones that did not follow the international “script” for economic recovery.

I am still pondering the questions posed by the panelists: How do you strengthen governments to help them differentiate between good and bad policy advice? What is the optimal mix of domestic and international poverty eradication policy? How are reports / data actionable?

As a recent graduate of a Masters Program in Business Studies in Government, I found the topic very thought provoking. The research was relevant and thorough. I look forward to learning more during my year here. I hope my brief blog provides a taste of what it is like to be an intern experiencing a UN Commission for the first time.

(Also see the Bahá'í International Community’s statement on poverty, “Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward as One”)

Sabá

I recently attended the 48^th Session of the UN Commission on Social Development (CSocD) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The priority theme of this year’s Commission was social integration and the focus of statements of many member states. As an intern, I was able to attend the majority of the open meetings. I took pictures for the Baha’i World News Service and filmed the delegate from Singapore, Mr. Ming H. Chong, reading the Bahá'í International Community’s statement to the Commission.

As I attended my first UN Commission, I was also able to attend some side-events on topics such as freedom of religion or belief (in relation to social integration) and migration.

Delegate (Ming H. Chong) and interns attending the Commission on Social Development at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Investing in Youth Leadership and Volunteering

A recurring issue at the Commission was the impact of the economic recession on recent graduates and youth. The challenge of unemployment and the lack of opportunities for young people seemed to be a warning to governments not to overlook young people when considering employment initiatives. This is vital because the current (and rising) level of unemployment among 18-24 year olds appears to be a clearly identified yet unresolved issue. As a recent graduate in that age bracket, I do understand the challenge that unemployment poses.

Speakers at an event on ‘Youth Volunteering: Social Integration and Decent Work’ stated that, ”exclusion has the face of the youth” and that, “young people are an asset not really realized”. This made a lot of sense to me in light of all the work that Bahá'í communities are doing around the world to develop programs to empower junior youth (aged 11-14), to build their capacity and to help them to participate in the betterment of their communities.

Personally, I feel that it is important for youth to realize that they have power. Our capacity for resilience, risk taking, idealism, innovation, flexibility, hope, and courage should not be underestimated. I believe that our willingness and desire to change the status quo provides us with the ability to change the world.

In light of the dilemma of social integration, one panelist discussed the danger of “self-exclusion” and how society needs to “stand together”. She talked about her own personal experience of wanting to “wait until she was ready” but then realized that if we wait, nothing will ever happen. Based on her personal experience she stressed that we “cannot be afraid of the negative possibilities” and we have to just go for it. This made sense to me as it mirrored the feelings I have when initially considering something outside my comfort zone. I tend to focus on the negatives; the financial cost, the challenges, and obstacles. I take comfort in the idea that I am not ready...yet. I eventually realized that the worst that can happen is that I do nothing and stagnate but when I just go for it, I tend to have positive experiences and rise to the challenge.

The panelists noted how important it is to focus on our commonalities such as our shared humanity and understand that we all have a role in developing the world. They stressed the importance of becoming the change that we want to see without fear of the unknown and without giving power to self-doubt.

Ms. Flavia Pansieri, the Executive Coordinator of United Nations Volunteers, stressed that “volunteering can become an important tool for individual growth and learning” and provided booklets showcasing case studies from around the world. Although it is completely true, I had never considered it from that perspective. I am currently volunteering at the Bahá'í International Community’s United Nations Office for a year. I am learning so much about about internal functioning of the United Nations. I am living in New York City and that in itself is beyond an amazing experience. I am beginning to believe that I can spend a lifetime here and still be constantly discovering new...everything!

But I also realize that it is not always possible to volunteer full-time. So check out http://www.onlinevolunteering.org/en/vol/ and gain all the benefits of volunteering internationally while never leaving your computer.

Krisy

The setting

Krisy Moore, Joanna Dafoe and Melody Mirzaagha support youth voices at the Copenhagen negotiations by wearing the  Youth Caucus T-shirts: "How old will you be in 2050?

There is much to say about the climate negotiations that took place in Copenhagen this past December and, as such, writing this blog post is somewhat of a difficult assignment. First, perhaps it would be best to describe the atmosphere and physical location of the gathering. At times, the climate negotiations felt more like a massive two-week indoor music festival (without the music) than a UN gathering. The meetings brought thousands of people (over 15,000 just in the first week) from all over the world together in one venue—the Bella Center. The diverse crowds of environmentalists, students, indigenous, women’s rights, health and anti-poverty activists, concerned citizens, scientists, government officials and media personnel made walking around the 77,000 square-meter building a daunting task.

Some of the Bahá'í International Community's delegates on a mission to find dinner.

Having only attended the first week of the negotiations, I can only discuss the happenings that took place during that time. If you ask anyone present for the first few days of the gathering what the atmosphere was like, undoubtedly their answers would contain words such as ‘intense,’ ‘energetic,’ ‘exciting,’ and ‘passionate.’ They would probably also describe the opening days as ‘stressful,’ ‘overwhelming,’ and ‘hectic.’ What I found particularly amazing about the events of the first week were the creative expressions of activism that members of civil society staged in the hallways, cafeterias, and various other locations within the Bella Centre. Such actions ranged from banners with slogans calling for an end to the Canadian Tar Sands, chanting, impromptu plays, comedic and satirical magic shows about carbon trading, a group of aliens walking through the Bella Centre asking to be taken to the ‘climate leaders,’ songs, a youth led ‘rainstorm’ and much more. There was no shortage of meetings, lectures or actions to attend.

The Bahá'í International Community’s delegation

One of the many creative actions that occurred in the hallways of the Bella Centre.

The Bahá'í International Community’s delegation consisted of 21 people from all over the world. I was so impressed with this group—I had no idea how many knowledgeable, successful and active Bahá'ís were working on environmental issues in various capacities. In fact, Bahá'ís established the International Environmental Forum a professional organization, with over 215 members in 56 countries across five continents, that facilitates learning about the application of spiritual and ethical principles to the challenges of the environment and sustainable development.

The Bahá'í International Community’s delegation included academics, scientists, environmental and social justice activists, medical professionals, students, farmers, concerned citizens and development professionals. We joined numerous working groups (including, but not limited to the Women’s Caucus and the Youth Caucus). The members of our delegation attended morning press conferences held by their home governments; attended various lectures on topics such as climate change and human rights; and collaborated with many participating NGOs—sharing the Bahá'í International Community’s statement on climate change as well as contributing to the discourse language and concepts that illumined the necessity for unity and oneness as driving forces for sustainable solutions to climate change.

Opening session of the negotiations.

The Bahá'í community of Denmark extended to the BIC delegates the utmost hospitality and generosity. They graciously opened their homes to the delegates and worked tirelessly to host evening discussions and events at the Copenhagen Bahá'í Centre. Drawing on the expertise of the Danish Bahá'í community as well as the Bahá'í International Community’s delegates, discussions at the Bahá'í Centre focused on topics such as alternative energy, gender and climate change, the role of religious communities in combating climate change.  These events were well attended and attracted delegates from various NGOs. After a day of racing to attend meetings and lectures at the Bella Centre to attend the evening gatherings at the Bahá'í Centre, I was always so happy and grateful for the opportunity to indulge in the amazing food that was provided after each event!

A concerned citizen marched through the streets of Copenhagen carrying this sign.

I felt really proud of the accomplishments of the Bahá'í International Community’s delegation at the climate negotiations. Discussions about the ethical dimensions of climate change were widespread throughout the gathering, which afforded us the space to make frequent contributions to the conversations. We connected and collaborated with passionate and hardworking people, met members of our governments, distributed our statement, and worked consciously to attend the conference with an attitude of service. I learned so much from this experience. When I returned home to Canada, I wrote an essay for my graduate Security Studies class that explored the ways in which climate change is impacting the security of women in the developing world. I was able to use many of the materials I received during the negotiations to guide my research. I would like to turn this paper into a presentation that I will share with others in my community.

Monica

During my internship at the Bahá'í International Community's United Nations Office I have had the chance to be involved with several social development projects, including working with the NGO Committee on Social Development (CSocD).  One of the bounties of this opportunity is that it has allowed me to gain an insight into the work of the Bahá'í International Community and other NGOs particularly in collaboration with the UN Commission on Social Development. Much of the work of the NGO Committee on Social Development (http://ngosocdev.wordpress.com) involves staying informed with worldwide social development issues and activities, delivering group statements to the UN, and voicing ideas and positions on key social development issues.

More recently the NGO Committee for Social Development with the support of the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) undertook a research project in search for examples of Social Integration in Action. The purpose of this survey was to present the UN with a grassroots perspective on social integration and to learn more about building stable and integrated societies worldwide with the following statement from the Committee

Work in progress

The survey findings were collected through qualitative research via an online link

( http://www.un-ngls.org/socialintegration/  ). The results provided examples of Social Integration in Action from 190 countries.  The survey involved questions that presented examples of good practices in terms of each organization's overall mission and goals.

Some very touching examples were given. In communities within regions of South America, South Africa, India and Vietnam, religious groups have instinctively taken the initiative of building more stable conditions for the less fortunate when education and jobs have been scarce. Building local libraries and providing reading and writing classes have helped provide basic yet crucial education that others take for granted in more developed regions of the world.

The Bahá'í International Community along with the other NGOs that are a part of CSocD Committee meets once a month in the Baha'i Offices. During the time I participated in the meeting the Committee chair presented the survey conclusions. It was my responsibility along with my fellow intern, Fei Wang to compile and organize the information into a final document for the Committee to distribute as a complete report. This consisted of organizing survey responses from 190 nations from Asia, Africa, South America, United States, and Middle East, each with their own unique stories obstacles and achievements.

Outcomes of CSocD meeting

During the meeting I attended, some very interesting points concluded the laudable effort of the Committee's year long research. The topics discussed consisted of the barriers to social integration such as unemployment, migrant workers , lack of education, macroeconomic policies and discrimination of gender and race. I found that overall the approach the Committee had taken was consistent with those of Bahá'í  principles. It concluded that the Committee believed that social integration from a grassroots level should effectively engage the communities themselves, placing importance on education, equality of genders, and the elimination of prejudice. I found that many of the viewpoints shared by the Committee reflected those of the Bahá'í  principles which are evident in the Bahá'í Writings: "Among other teachings and principles Baha'u'llah counsels the education of all members of society. No individual should be denied or deprived of intellectual training, although each should receive according to capacity. None must be left in the grades of ignorance, for ignorance is a defect in the human world. All mankind must be given knowledge of science and philosophy...." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 108).

Survey Findings

The findings indicated that in order to start building integrated communities one needs to consider close relationships within smaller communities. Therefore the solutions and recommendations derived from the conclusion of the findings were considered to be as the following:

• commitment of education for all should be enlisted from a community level,
• a greater emphasis should be placed on the responsibilities of the governments to take active steps to ensure equal rights,
• Policies should be created to link programs of social integration and human development to create jobs and income,
• Governments need policies and legislation to promote gender equality and must have zero tolerance,
• Governments need to implement just and humane immigration laws,
• Governments need to establish "a global economy" to provide for the well being of all just for the profit of few.

The survey also outlined a number of social integration barriers at the grassroots level. These included: unemployment, being a migrant, gender inequality, lack of education, macroeconomic policies, lack of participatory process, poor governance and weak government and discrimination of gender and race.

A great emphasis was placed on creating one unified global economy that provides for the well being of all. To me this raises a valid point that no longer should our world be seen as segregated countries but rather as a nation as a whole with the need for communities to come together. As Bahá'ís we are encouraged to be involved in building united communities with current systematic activities implemented to provide moral education through children's classes, placing an importance on education and eliminating the differences between genders. These grassroots initiatives seek to create a social environment conducive to building a community at every level of society. 

Personal encounter

The insight I gained through working with the Committee is that it is first up to the individual to commit to making a change.   Every small effort makes a difference, and it is only when each person strives to work from the ground level up that we are then able to shift these gradual cultural changes and work towards a higher degree of integration in our communities.

Mary

In order to help put together a compilation on Baha’i concepts related to development, my current research assignment has been to look at many Baha’i documents that explore the theme. What’s really striking is the degree to which an integrated approach to development is stressed. I think it might be easy to sometimes think of the different aspects of societal life, be they education, health, or anything else, as being somewhat independent of one another when they’re actually not. If the goal of development is to bring prosperity to mankind, it’s important to look at prosperity holistically. In the very basic way that I see it, education, for example, helps provide knowledge regarding how to stay healthy, and being healthy provides a better opportunity to receive an education. Likewise, when people are both healthy and educated, they are better suited and able to be active participants in their society, and so on. These are, I admit, very obvious statements, but the idea of integration, from what I understand, moves beyond this simple physical or material synthesis; while these aspects must be working together, there are other factors that must be considered as well.

In many of the papers, there were paragraphs and even entire sections dedicated to the concept of human nature. The documents seemed to be explaining that if we are concerned with the well-being of people, then it’s essential that we look at the fundamental truths that create the foundation of who we are as human beings. Many of the Baha’i documents challenge the common assumptions about human nature that are underpinning ideas of ‘progress’ or ‘civilization’.  These assumptions often focus on our physical needs and ambitions, suggesting that the most essential aspect of our being is a material one. The documents suggest that this viewpoint is, in actuality, nothing more than a distortion of what it means to be human. It ignores some of the other basic attributes that we exhibit every day. For example, economics tells us that people are driven by self-interest, but then what are we to make of sacrifice, or an orientation towards service for the common good? Some might say that any act of sacrifice or service stems from selfish desire, but I think that this kind of thinking is only evidence of a one-dimensional view of the individual. People are, after all, complex, and saying that every individual is guided solely by this one basic principle of self-interest is likely missing a bigger picture. A largely ignored part of this bigger picture most certainly includes the spiritual dimension of human beings.

If we really want to try to improve lives, I think it only makes sense that we examine the full spectrum of what it is that brings fulfillment to people. I’m not sure anyone can deny that spirituality has in the past, and even in today’s more secular climate, continues to play an integral role in individual and community life. It then follows that we start including a spiritual dimension in our developmental outlook and goals; I think that this will allow for a more complete diagnosis and solution to so many of the questions we face today.

Therese

A few days ago the UN General AssemblyThird Committee passed a resolution on Combatting the Defamation of Religions.  The proponents of this resolution argue that there is a need to protect religious minorities from stereotyping and to prevent messages of religious hatred from being disseminated.  I agree that there is such a need.  However, upon further consideration, and certainly after attending a panel discussion on this topic a couple of weeks ago, I have become convinced that focusing on combatting the defamation of religion will not achieve this aim, but rather create multiple problems of its own. 

Map showing press freedom rankings for different countries.  Source: Wikimedia commons.

On the normative level, such a move is very dangerous, because it obscures the fundamental concept of human rights.  This resolution associates the protection of religions with the protection of individual human rights.  Making the leap of giving human rights to religions is inconsistent with the principle of human rights and international law in general.  Individuals have human rights because they are human.  Thus, a legal system with human rights at its core would seek to protect the individual from abuse by government, other individuals, and more impersonal forces like the market.  Seeking to extend the same protection to beliefs, ideas, and practices, will in the end do individuals a great disfavour, irrespective of their religion or beliefs. 

In practice there are two immediate problems that arise when seeking to apply the concept of rights to religions.  The first is the conflict of interest that may arise when the rights of an individual are in conflict with those of a religion.  The resolution implicitly opens the door for restricting individual rights (particularly the right to freedom of expression) in the name of religion.  Among other things, the resolution explicitly condemns the use of various media to incite violence and xenophobia, or “discrimination against any religion” or religious symbol. 

Clearly, I am not in favour of incitement to violence and xenophobia either, and am glad that most countries already have laws that impose reasonable restrictions on free speech in these areas (though they could be better enforced).  But focusing on religions (as opposed to individuals with diverse beliefs) primarily serves to muddle the issue.  For what is a religion?  And what constitutes discrimination against a religion? 

This brings me to the second problem, which is that this resolution implicitly makes the government the official watchdog of religion.  Governments would be tasked with defining (a) which sets of beliefs constitute 'valid' religions, (b) which of the hetrogeneous beliefs held by the followers of a religion constitute the 'pure' and inviolable core of that religion, and (c) what constitutes defamation of this sacred core. 

It is easy to perceive that the scope for misuse by undemocratic governments is large.  It would justify the suppression of free speech on the grounds that religious principles are being defamed.  It would permit restrictions on religious minorities, should their beliefs be deemed defamatory to other religions by the government.  Suppression of the rights of women in the name of religious tradition would become justifiable under international law.  It is a true pandora's box of human rights violations, as in the extreme sense, the existence of one religion can be construed as the defamation of another.  

What, then, ought to be done?  The issue is really one of adequately enforcing existing legislation that protect individuals, especially religious minorities, against defamation and incitements to violence, and to make sure that they can freely practice their religion.  Such measures would reap the benefits intended by the Defamation of Religion resolution, but avoid the pitfalls. 

A second course of action is for each individual to excercise the right (and responsibility) that comes from having freedom to speak our opinion.  Indeed, more free speech is the best way to counter defamatory and ignorant speech.  When confronted with bigoted and malicious opinions, we should speak, blog, write to the newspapers, go on radio, and so forth, and set them right. 

Mary

This is only the fourth week of my internship here at the BIC, and my experience so far has already been wonderful. I am a 20 year-old student at Columbia College, Columbia University, studying East Asian Languages and Cultures. Already living in New York City, I thought I wouldn’t have a better occasion to apply as an intern to this wonderful NGO. What made me so excited to come to the BIC was the chance to see first-hand how Bahá'í ideals and perspectives are contributed to the wider dialogue at the UN. It really is amazing to have the opportunity to witness the practicality of the Bahá'í  teachings at an international level. Also having the opportunity to do my part to help with the work already being done is just icing on the cake. My tasks so far have allowed me to see how the BIC applies some of the principles of the Bahá'í  Faith to the world’s current problems. These principles, which include—among others—the oneness of mankind, the equality of men and women, and the elimination of all prejudice, are extremely relevant to issues the UN grapples with. I must say, the work is immensely gratifying, and I can’t help but be excited to be here.

At the moment, the BIC is working on a document that describes the role of consultation in facilitating participation. Consultation, from a Bahá'í standpoint, is integral to solving any kind of problem; it is a process that implicitly requires a number of people who will bring their understanding to a situation. The matter is then to be discussed with a “purity of motive” that can stem from being mindful that the purpose of consultation is to arrive at the truth. In this way, everyone has the same intentions. No one looks to promote personal interests, as all ideas become a collective resource. There are no hidden agendas that anyone seeks to push; the one unified agenda is to find the truth.

With this in mind, I was asked to help do some research on approaches to participation by looking at both Bahá'í -related content and papers from the UN and other large organizations. What manifested itself so quickly was how complementary the two are. It seems that the world is working toward what it called ‘participatory decision-making’, whereby a number of people, including those most affected by the upcoming change or decision, gather to deliberate on an issue of common concern and to decide on the best course of action. Such inclusive dialogue is, as mentioned, central to the Baha’i view of consultation. Abdu’l-Baha, the son of the Founder of the Bahá'í  Faith, wrote “the views of several individuals are assuredly preferable to one man", and that “the shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions” . The way the Bahá'í  Writings relate directly to contemporary problems is very exciting to me. It allows for a smooth integration of moral and spiritual perspectives into present-day issues.

I’ve also been helping put together the 2009 Year in Review for the BIC—a report that documents the work being done by this Office over the past year. The BIC is involved in so many different councils, commissions, and committees; its presence and participation extend to many different facets of the UN and NGO community. Being an intern the BIC is such an amazing experience and opportunity; it’s definitely not worth missing. 

Therese

On September 23rd, the Baha'i International Community launched an appeal to leaders about the Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change.  As today is Blog Action Day, and as this year's topic is climate change, I though I'd ask a few questions of Ms. Tahirih Naylor, the BIC representative to the UN focusing on global prosperity and the environment. 

I asked Ms. Naylor to explain a bit about what motivated the BIC to initiate this appeal.  She replied that one of the major reasons was the urgency of time, as there are only so many days left to the Copenhagen Conference.  "We really wanted to support the Secretary General's efforts to draw together the leaders of the world for a Summit that focused on coming up with a solution, and to mobilize them to reach a fair, ambitious, and binding agreement in Copenhagen." 

Another reason, she said, was that an appeal from civil society to the leaders of the world would underline the partnership between the people of the world and their leaders.  "While we all have responsibility to do what we can in our own lives," she explained, "leaders are in a special position to take action on climate change.  Therefore, we wanted to encourage them to do so." 

When I first heard about the appeal, I thought it was an important aspect to examine, because the tremendous consequences of climate change creates a strong moral imperative to act.  However, I sometimes worry that such 'high-minded' approaches risk becoming nothing more than wishes for a better world.  So I asked how focusing on the moral and ethical dimensions of climate change can change the way in which people and their governments take action on climate change. 

"It is so easy to get lost in the economic and political elements of the negotiation process," said Ms. Naylor.  "A focus on the moral and ethical dimensions of climate change helps us get beyond the technical wrangling.  It elevates the debate and provides a greater type of motivation.  It helps people and leaders connect with a long-term vision of human prosperity." 

She also pointed out that morals and ethics are a good yardstick of our actions.  This is crucially needed at a time when people are weighing their steps on how to move forward.  Rather than compare ourselves to what other countries are doing, we ought to use a moral and ethical framework to measure our actions.  Even though the policies and negotiation processes will be unique for every country, the ethical imperative of the situation is the same for everyone.  Just like climate change transcends our borders, so do moral and ethical values. 

To me, this explained a bit about how focusing on the moral and ethical dimensions of climate change can, indeed, have very concrete implications for how we take action on climate change.  I was therefore very pleased to hear that the response to the appeal has been very good, and many organizations have been interested in joining.  The plan now is to transform the appeal, with the permission of the other signatories, into something that can be used at the Copenhagen Conference.  The BIC will be there along with many other organizations, and I sincerely hope that they will succeed in infusing the negotiation process with a profound sense of the moral and ethical dimension of the challenge facing humanity and the planet.

Therese

During the past few days I've been listening in on the discussion of the 3rd Committee of the UN General Assembly.  Perhaps one of the clearest threads running through the reports and the delegates' discussion has been the challenge of countries facing multiple crises: climate change, the financial crises, the food crises, and scattered natural disasters risk cancelling out the steps made towards global poverty reduction over the last decades, and dampen future prospects.  One of the areas of direct impact has been the rising unemployment levels around the world. 

It is hard to overstate the importance of employment.  At the aggregate level, full or near-full employment is one of the primary aspects of healthy economic development.  For individuals, having decent work (in terms of safety and dignity) with adequate remuneration and job security often means the difference between living in poverty and having sufficient income to provide for oneself and one's family.  Work is the best means for an income. 

Yet it strikes me that focusing on the economic value of work, though crucial, does not capture the full value of work, which extends even beyond making ends meet.  Having myself recently finished university and begun looking for permanent employment, I am beginning to understand how important work can be for maintaining motivation, feeling like an integrated part of society, and for contributing what I have to give.  Unemployment, on the other hand, can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and social exclusion. 

A BIC statement on work highlights that, "work, no matter how humble and simple, when performed with an attitude of service, is a means to contribute to the advancement of our communities, countries, and global society.”

The value of work thus lies in its role in furthering the prosperity and capabilities of ourselves and others.  Indeed, according to the Baha'i Writings, work carried out in a spirit of service to others is elevated to the rank of worship.  Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, wrote, "It is incumbent upon each one of you to engage in some occupation—such as a craft, a trade or the like. We have exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship of the one true God."  It is thus at the intersection of economic, social, psychological, and spiritual well-being. 

Creating the economic and political conditions that promote full employment and decent work for all is therefore a global challenge of the highest priority.  But the extremely unequal distribution of wealth and productive assets (including education, land, infrastructure) in the world today contributes to making productive work unavailable to large groups of people in many countries.  Social safety-nets and welfare should of course be created mitigate the effects of an economic downturn, and provide for those with limited ability to work.  However, such safety-nets are fiscally hard to maintain in poor and/or stagnant economies.

There is therefore a moral imperative for those in a position to create employment to act. Again, drawing on the Baha'i writings "if a judicious and resourceful individual should initiate measures which would universally enrich the masses of the people, there could be no undertaking greater than this, ... for such a benefactor would supply the needs and insure the comfort and well-being of a great multitude."  Those with inordinate riches should expend them "for the promotion of knowledge, the founding of elementary and other schools, the encouragement of art and industry, the training of orphans and the poor—in brief, if it is dedicated to the welfare of society.

As I see it, the value of work therefore encompasses the need for every individual to earn a living for themselves and their family, but also goes beyond this.  Through our crafts and professions we can also gain socially and spiritually, and serve the overall well-being of the community.

Therese

As I have been attending talks and blogging about climate change over the past few days, I have thought about the scientific, political, and economic aspects of climate change.  And then I was struck by an idea that perfectly captured how I felt about the ongoing climate change negotiations.

Since I was young, I have loved to read about heroes, fictional and real, who had the problems of the world thrust upon them through no fault of their own.  And they were human, they made mistakes, they doubted, they were afraid.  But one thing united them all: they arose for the sake of others and faced their fears; they had courage.

Today the world is facing climate change, a calamity of unprecedented and unpredictable proportions, a calamity that will submerge countries (first in line are small island states and Bangladesh), lay lands barren through droughts and floods, and cause violent and unpredictable spells of extreme weather. (See the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report, ‘Synthesis Report.’)).  It is the stuff stories are made of, set on a beautiful blue pearl of a planet speeding through endless space, faced by imminent catastrophe, with so much potential, so much to save, and so little time.  A potential best-seller if I ever saw one.  And there are heroes: Farmers doing their best to feed their families despite the droughts(2), activists who dedicate their lives to protecting the environment and raising awareness, scientists researching the issue, and millions of people making changes in their every-day lives. 

I do not wish to belittle their efforts in any way, but I am afraid it will not be enough.  For where, I ask, where are the leaders with whom we have entrusted the responsibility to, as their titles signify, to lead humanity through this challenge?  Where are the valiant princes and noble rulers of the earth?  So I remain dissatisfied...  I was never very fond of tragedies, and this has the potential to be a truly memorable, indeed unforgettable, one.  One that will rival the finest Shakespearean tragedy, and make Hamlet and Macbeth seem cheerful by comparison. 

However, I am yet hopeful that we may turn out to be in an epic drama, not a tragedy, of global proportions.  I am hoping to see, out of the corner of my eye, the knights in shining armour come charging in on the international political arena, full of energy and courage, ready to act.  We have talked for two decades about climate change.  Now is the time to courageously step forward and bravely propose, commit,  enact, and make the green future a reality. 

Courage is the true characteristic of any heroic leader, and that is what the story sorely lacks to date.  Heroes who have the courage to face the press and the polls, the campaign-funders and each other, and who do not fear going down the green road before anyone else does.  Where is this courage to do what science, humanity, and ultimately, our deepest moral convictions tell us is the only responsible course of action?  This courage must be born from the heartfelt conviction that humanity shares one common fate, and that we are all connected. Most leaders will not lose their homes and livelihoods from global warming, but they must act for the sake of those who will. 

Will world leaders come to the Copenhagen Climate Conference, armed with love for justice and the knowledge of the oneness of humankind, and establish an international climate regime that is fair, ambitious, and binding enough to secure our common future?  Will they brave their fears and become the heroes of future generations?  Or will they, like princes in Denmark before them, succumb to prevarication and inaction, bringing us one step closer to global tragedy? 

In the opening session of the Climate Summit at the UN on the 22nd of September, presidents and prime ministers spoke about the challenge of climate change.  General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon urged leaders to take action and to make the Copenhagen Climate Change conference a new path forward.  For me, the Climate Summit did not herald a new era of climate change politics.  Yet I could see in it the promise of new possibilities.   

Of the leaders who spoke, all appreciated the gravity of the situation and stated their commitment to taking action.  The two major countries on which any agreement in Copenhagen will depend, USA and China, extolled both their present level of commitment to clean energies and their intention of doing even more.  China stated its commitment to cut its carbon-dioxide emission intensity by a "wide margin."  And US President Obama pledged America's commitment, recognizing that developed countries have a responsibility to lead.  Neither sought to deny the existence of climate change, nor did they (verbally) shirk their responsibility for doing something about it. 

Promising as this was, I couldn’t help wishing that these leaders would put even more on the table, make more concrete proposals.  It was therefore encouraging to hear the newly elected prime minister of Japan express his resolve to make Japan a climate leader, and reduce emissions by 25% of 1990 levels by 2020.  The urgency of the challenge was poignantly presented by the President of the Maldives, whose country's existence is imperiled by rising sea-levels.  The Maldives have themselves committed to become carbon neutral by 2020. 

At first I didn’t know what to make of this.  The political changes on the topic of climate change have been slow.  And to me this was also too slow.  But they are moving in the right direction, and more than once did the speakers say that climate change is not just a challenge, it is an opportunity to change for the better.  And this consciousness is crucial in a world where oil is running out, where international cooperation is still a challenge, where global inequalities persist, and which has been marked by a mindset of short time-horizons. 

This aspect of the climate change debate has been explored in the Baha'i International Community statement on climate change.  Developing an adequate institutional framework for intergovernmental cooperation is crucial for our efforts to manage climate change. The cooperative skills and institutions we must develop for adequately dealing with the issue can serve as the basis for further cooperation on other international issues, such as economy and disarmament.  This challenge presses on us, yet again, something we should have learned long ago: humanity is one.  When we as individuals, societies, governments, fully understand what it means for humanity to be collectively facing a global challenge of tremendous consequences, we can no longer stand by and watch the suffering of others.  This is, in the words of the Baha'i International Community, the "opportunity to take the next step in the transition from a state-centered mode of interacting on the world state to one rooted in the unity which connects us as the inhabitants of one biosphere."

With the impacts of climate change becoming ever more apparent, the clock is ticking for individuals, communities, and ultimately their governments to take action on climate change.  Governments of the world have yet to collectively commit to emission reductions that are ambitious, fair, and binding enough to secure our common future on the planet.  While the scientific consensus is clear, a binding agreement between governments remains elusive.

Climate change is perhaps the largest and most urgent example of the "tragedy of the commons" to date.   If only a handful of countries reduce their emissions, they risk bearing the economic cost of trying to protect the environment, while at the same time suffering from climate change caused by others.  Why should individual governments lower their countries' CO2 emissions without being assured that others will do so as well? 

There is no denying that this global problem requires a global solution.  There is also no denying that this has proven politically challenging to bring about.  But while governments are lagging, I am still heartened to see that our thinking about the problem is evolving, and for the better.

In particular, I am thinking about how civil society has organized itself on the global level in preparation for the Copenhagen Conference in December 2009.  For example: a coalition of organizations (NGOs, faith groups, and unions) from around the world has come together under the banner of the Global Campaign for Climate Action and organized the tcktcktck campaign. Tcktcktck has 25 major partners (including Oxfam International, Greenpeace, and WWF), some of whom themselves have hundreds of member-organizations around the world.

The tcktcktck campaign seeks to mobilize people and organizations to call on their leaders to save the planet at the upcoming Copenhagen Conference.   They call on governments to create a deal that is ambitious, fair, and binding.  And as their name suggests—tick tick tick—time is running out.   Last year, the campaign mobilized over 114 million people across the globe; this year, they hope  to surpass that number. The  aim is to raise awareness, and, by doing so, changing the political context as well.  "If we can change the context of political will, we can make failure to act an electoral liability," says Kumi Naidoo, Chair of the Global Campaign for Climate Action.

Over the course of the Climate Week I will continue to blog about climate issues and events.  In the coming three months, I’ll also blog about other topics related to human rights and global prosperity.