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2
Oct

Global Risks Call for Joint Action

Climate change, Ebola outbreak and other global risks can only be tackled with joint cooperation, as the discussants concluded. They agreed not only that global civil society is necessary and feasible, but that these talks need to be carried out of the scientific community and taken into the world, out on the street. Moreover, global civics are compared to a tree that needs to be planted and carefully attended until it grows big and green.

Participants also concurred that education is crucial in developing a proper mindset and a global outlook. In fact, it should start from very early age, such as primary school and that global civic education should be integrated into every school subject.

Apparently, principles that guide global civics are embedded in many major religions, such as Confucianism or Ubuntu. Participants reminded of the golden rule to treat others the way you would like to be treated yourself.

It seems climate change is a game changer and lot will depend on the way humanity responds to this threat. In addition to it, other issues that could mobilize are cybersecurity, nuclear non-proliferation, biological threats, pandemics, religious extremism, human rights, and economic development issues. Although it is hard to forecast how the world will look like twenty years from now, everybody agreed that currently lies the best time to work on global civil society.

  • Anna Kiefer‚ Program Assistant, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Relations
  • Giselle Laffont‚ Journalist, Argentina‚ Wallace Chwala‚ University of Nairobi
  • Divya Arya‚ Founder and President of the Intercultural Youth Council
  • Hakan Altinay‚ Non-resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution (Moderator)