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Lets discussion begin / read web documents
Rob WHEELER, WP21 team
Thursday, October 31, 2002 10:53 AM
Dear friends,
I think it is most appropriate that Karl-Heinz Thier has started us off on
such an interesting direction in regards to this first month's discussion.
Again, the given theme is the Values, Principles, and Visions for a World
Parliament, and the peaceful and just society, that it can help to create.
Balancing Unity and Diversity
Karl-Heinz has identified a number of values that he thinks are important
for establishing such a society; beginning with a balance between unity and
the global recognition of common interests - along with - the
decentralization, control, and development of life and society in one's own
region. This is a value that has long been recognized within the Alliance
for a Responsible, Plural, and United World (here-in after referred to as
the Alliance). This value of balancing diversity with plurality and
individual and local sovereignty with the greater common good is also
recognized by many, if not most, of those that are interested in
strengthening and reforming global governance.
The question, however, is: how can we develop, respect, and blend the two
simultaneously within a form, structure, and processes of global governance?
How can we establish a world parliament that at the same time recognizes and
builds on the activities and decision-making of local communities and
regions around the world, integrating societal and governmental processes at
all levels? These are questions both for the consideration of our visions
for what a world parliament can become; what values it needs to promote and
be built on; and also for our more detailed and in-depth discussions in the
months to come.
Read and Respond to the Documents on the WP21 Website
Please consider the values which Karl-Heinz has identified and respond to
this or suggest your own. In addition, we have posted several documents on
the WP21 E-Forum website that we would like you to read to prepare for the
discussion.
I would suggest that you begin by reading the statements of values and principles that you will find in the WP21 website under the section called Values, Principles and Purposes.
While you are of course welcome to read the entire documents, the parts that
are most relevant are the one page listings of specific principles which
could be used for a world parliament or for governance (at all levels) in
general. The Common Statement on World Democracy, developed by the World
Citizen Foundation, lays out a set of principles by which it claims our
global institutions ought to operate. We can consider whether these are
acceptable and sufficient for guiding the World Parliament.
Similarly, the Alliance's Working Group on Citizenship and Governance has
come up with a listing of Basic Principles for Governance. It includes the
purposes and functions under which our democratic institutions ought to
operate. Here we can consider whether these are appropriate for the
creation of the WP or need further modifications and additions. The summary
list of principles can be downloaded from the Alliance website. The complete
document is also available with the summary but is only in French.
Also both the GPAN Preamble and the Charter of Human Responsibilities
include principles for creating an equitable and workable world. You can
access the list of principles in the Charter by clicking on * go * at the
bottom of the 1st page.
Please feel free to comment on or respond to these statements of principles,
to the questions that we raised in our introduction for this discussion, or
to give your own input relative to the topics at hand. Please also remember
to follow the rules of writing and discussion and to be as brief and concise
as possible. Thanks,
Rob Wheeler, WP21 Facilitator
WP21 Alliance Forum on a World Parliament for the 21st Century
E-mail : world-parl@forums.alliance21.org
Fax 1 717 264 5036
Information, inscriptions, désinscriptions: germa@alliance21.org
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