A Chronicals . 2003. By Michel Rocard.
Michel Rocard, co-president of the new International Collegium for Ethics, Politics and Science and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Collegium Association (www.collegium-International.org), was Prime Minister of France and is currently President of the Commission cultural affairs and information of the European Parliament.
Here are excerpts from his phone conversation with Russell Taylor of the UN Chronicle
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What are the objectives of the Association of the International Ethics, Politics and Science Collegium?
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The initiative was proposed in New York in February 2002 by a group of statesmen and academics inspired by the intellectual and moral leadership of the President of Slovenia, Milan Kucan, and by the aspirations formulated in the Millennium Message. by Secretary General Kofi Annan. We are all deeply concerned by the deterioration of the planet, the loss of ecological balance, deforestation and climate change, which profoundly affect our lives, as well as the lack of effective remedies to deal with epidemics, such as AIDS and malaria. We felt the need to overcome the scandalous differences in access of members of the human family to basic public goods which engender new forms of violence, wars and terrorism. Clearly, a new effort is needed to improve the quality of global governance, an effort that can be undertaken by a collective body made up of philosophers, economists, sociologists and biologists, as well as former government leaders. and current ones, which have demonstrated great democratic effectiveness and whose efforts command respect.
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Thus constituted, the Collegium aims to meet specific challenges and offer recommendations or advice on actions to be taken to improve global governance. Our appeal has already been signed by some sixty personalities from all parts of the world who share the conviction that the Collegium can help forge an ambitious new vision for the future. As you can see, this is a “soft power” path rather than “hard power”. The recommendations presented by the Collegium will not be binding on anyone.
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Globalization is a reality. Whether in the economy, global financial regulations or the environment, it is absurd to oppose globalization. It is anchored in our societies. But the problem is to make sure that it meets the basic needs and the rights of the citizens of the world. This will be one of the main goals that the Collegium will pursue, to transform global independence into an instrument aimed at the well-being of mankind, not at the domination of the rich and powerful.
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How do you see the relationship between the Collegium and the UN?
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The Secretary General will be informed first, but not exclusively, of the Collegium's recommendations. In return, the Collegium should be able to answer questions formulated by the UN, such as the measures needed to reduce the AIDS epidemic, control climate change and indicate urgent measures to be taken in its areas. In fact, we hope that the legitimate and moral authority of the Collegium will prompt the Secretary-General to ask us to make ad hoc recommendations.
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In June, I discussed this initiative with Mr. Annan and asked his opinion. He was in favor of it and shared our conviction, expressed initially by President Kucan, that the meeting of statesmen and intellectuals could be an asset in promoting a better quality of world governance.
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The members of the Collegium, all eminent personalities, were chosen at a meeting held in October in Slovenia. What were the results ?
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The main result was the draft of a Declaration of Interdependence emphasizing the need to move from interdependence as a fact to interdependence as a goal to be achieved over the century, namely an interdependence of rights and rights. needs of all the inhabitants of our planet. Once it is accepted by all Collegium members, we intend to promote it, which should take place on February 26, 2003 at UN Headquarters in New York. Then, the Collegium will meet on April 2 in Brussels, at the headquarters of the European Union, then on June 1 in Geneva, on the occasion of the next session of the G8 Summit to be held in France.
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It is a very ambitious program.
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And which we badly need. We are not too optimistic about formal UN reforms. We believe that it will take time for the Security Council to be more effective, for Member States to no longer block decisions using their veto power and for the Economic and Social Council to be given greater authority. But we must not waste time. We must get to work. Before having formal institutional mandates and decisions, a voice must be heard, establishing ethical authority based on the belief of all Collegium members that it is necessary to save our planet and humanity.
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He spoke on the telephone with Russell Taylor of the UN Chronicle .