changing course, reclaiming our future...values, meanings and strategies 61 6. reclaiming our...

Changing Course, Reclaiming Our Future

Report of

the 30th Anniversary Conference

of the Right Livelihood Award

Edited by Sharan Srinivas

conference_book.indd 1 1/3/2011 6:30:58 PM

Changing Course, Reclaiming Our Future

Report of

the 30th Anniversary Conference

of the Right Livelihood Award


Published by Neo Sentuhan Sdn Bhd

Blok 88-3-26, Kompleks Sri Wonder,Lintang Sungai Pinang, 10150 Penang, Malaysia.

E-mail: [email protected]: www.neosentuhan.com.my

ISBN 978-983-43841-3-5

Right Livelihood College c/o Centre for Policy Research and International Studies,

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, with financial support from

Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Lund University, Sweden.

Copyright © 2010 Right Livelihood College

Changing Course, Reclaiming Our Future:

30th Anniversary Conference of the Right Livelihood Award. 2010. Reports of sessions are not meant to be comprehensive.

Reports of cluster events do not necessarily reflect the views of the organisers and

are not endorsed by them.

Cover, design and layout by Adrian Cheah, Neo Sentuhan Sdn Bhd, Penang, Malaysia

Prepress Services by Eefar Lithographic Sdn. Bhd., Penang, Malaysia

Printed by Jutaprint, Penang, Malaysia

Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Changing Course, Reclaiming Our Future: Report of the 30th Anniversary Conference of the Right Livelihood Award /edited by Sharan Srinivas.

ISBN 978-983-43841-3-5 1. Social change. 2. Social problems. 3. Social movements. I. Sharan Srinivas 303.4


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 3DocumentationTeam 5Foreword 6

1. Introduction 9

2. ReversingtheCommodificationoftheGlobalCommons 11

2.1 ProtectingourBiologicalDiversity• OurFightAgainstCommodificationofLife 12• BANG–TheBigSqueeze–SixConvergingTrends andOurUncommonFuture 14• CenterforDevelopmentResearch(ZEF)Event:SustainableUse ofNaturalResourcesandEnvironmentalConservation 15• IFOAM-ColaboraClusterEvent:InspirationsforLivingChange 16• BfNClusterEvent:StoptheLossofBiodiversity 20

2.2 TheGlobalWaterCrisis• OurFightAgainstCommodificationLife 22• TheGlobalWaterCrisisandtheMovementstoProtect theWaterCommons 22

2.3 CulturalDiversityandIndigenousPeoples’Rights• GTZClusterEvent:ValuedasaPremium?DeterminingtheImportance ofBiologicalandCulturalDiversity 24• GermanCommissionforUNESCOClusterEvent:DiversityMatters! inNatureandInSociety 25

3. ChangingCourse,RedefiningProgress:TowardsPeopleCentredDevelopment 29• GlobalPolicyChanges 30• ParticipationandCollectiveCreativity 31• GermanDevelopmentInstitute(DIE)ClusterEvent:ChangingCourse

–TowardsaSustainableWorldEconomy 33• Fredrich-Ebert-StiftungGlobalPolicyForumEuropeClusterEvent: GlobalCivilSociety,DemocracyandGlobalGovernance 35

4. BuildingPeace,StrengtheningJusticeandAdvancingHumanRights 39

4.1 TowardsaNuclearWeaponFreeWorld• BonnInternationalConversionCenter(BICC)ClusterEvent: PeaceonEarth–InitiativesforDisarmament,NonViolenceandDialogue 41


4.2 Women’sRightsinWarandPeace• Women’sWar 42• MedicaMondiale,IFZ(InternationalWomen’sCentreBonn)andGerman

SocietyforTechnicalCooperation(GTZ)ClusterEvent:ChangingCourse–WithWomenintotheFuture 43

• CenterforDevelopmentResearch(ZEF)Event:Conflict,SocialJustice andGender 46

4.3 Peace,Justice,ReparationsandReconciliationforVictimsofWar andTorture• PalestineandIsrael 48• ConflictTransformationinGeneralandAfghanistaninParticular 49• AdvocatingReparationsforallWarVictims 51• BonnInternationalConversionCenter(BICC)ClusterEvent: PeaceonEarth–InitiativesforDisarmament,NonViolenceandDialogue 53• DeutscheWelleClusterEvent:HumanRights,CivilSociety, GlobalisationandtheRoleoftheMedia 54

5. Re-orientingEducation,HarnessingUniversitiesforSocialTransformation 57• HarnessingUniversitiesforSocialTransformation:FloatingIdeas 58• AlanusHochschuleClusterEvent:Re-orientingModernEducation: Values,MeaningsandStrategies 61

6. ReclaimingOurFuture:StrategiesfortheWayForward 65• HowtoAmeliorateOurTechniquesof“ProducingChanges” ThroughOurOrganisationsandInstitutions 65• WorldCaféDiscussions 66

7. Conclusion 77

References 80AnnexI: ConferenceProgrammeOverview 81AnnexII: IFOAMDeclarationforLivingChange 83AnnexIII: OpenLettertoRLALaureatesbytheRLCJuniorScientists 86AnnexIV: ListofParticipatingLaureates 87AnnexV: PartnerOrganisations 90AnnexVI: AbouttheYouthFutureProject 97AnnexVII: YouthFutureManifesto(1stVersion) 98AnnexVIII: AbouttheRightLivelihoodCollege 102


3REPORt OF tHE 30tH ANNIvERSARy CONFERENCE OF tHE RIgHt LIvELIHOOD AwARD

Acknowledgements

Areport like this one would not be possible without the coming together ofmany hearts and minds. This collaboration happened in a great way in theCityofBonn,GermanyfromSeptember14–19asgovernmentagenciesatthe

international,federal,stateandlocallevels,businessesandNGOsassembledalongsideacademia,activists,entrepreneursandstudents tohaveadialoguewithsome75RightLivelihoodAward (RLA)“AlternativeNobelPrize” laureates.Theconferencediscussedanddebatedthemosturgentcrisesfacinghumankindaswellasofferingcreativesolutionsthatcanhelpuschangecourseandreclaimourfuture.

Iwouldfirstliketothankallparticipatinglaureates.Youwerethecentreoftheconferenceand for one week, we were challenged by your ideas, inspired by your experiencesandmovedby your courage toovercomeobstacles in the faceof dire adversity.Thedisseminationofthisreport,arecordofthecollectivesynergyofideasthatflowedoutof the conference,will hopefully inspiremanymoreheroes to riseup andmeet thechallengesoftomorrow.

Secondly,Iwouldliketooffermycongratulationstotheconferenceorganisers;theCityof Bonn and the Right Livelihood Award Foundation, and to the co-organisers, theFoundation for Environment and Development North Rhine Westphalia and theFoundationforInternationalDialogueoftheSavingsBankinBonn,fortheirtirelessworkinbringingeveryoneandeverythingtogetherinaseamlessfashion.

Aneventofthisscaleandreachwouldalsohavenotbeenpossiblewithoutthegenerosityofourpartnerinstitutions.MysincerethankstothepartnersDeutscheBundesstiftungUmwelt (DBU), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) and GermanForeign Office and the Stiftung Mercator. I also thank the Lund University Centerfor Sustainable Studies (LUCSUS) for its financial contribution to the publicationand dissemination of this report. In addition, I would like to thank all our clusterevent organisers, the conference supporters Bundesministerium für wirtschaftlicheZusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ), European Regional Development Fund(ERDF),theStateGovernmentofNorthRhine-Westphalia,DeutschePost,DeutscheTelekomandourmediapartnersnatur+kosmosandoekomverlag.Yourcontributions,bothfinancialandinkind,madethisconferenceatrulymemorableeventwitha longlastingimpactonallparticipants.

Iwouldliketoreserveafewwordsofappreciationfortheyoungmenandwomenwhorepresented the Right Livelihood College (RLC) and rapporteured all the conference


4 CHANgINg COURSE, RECLAIMINg OUR FUtURE

sessions. The genuine enthusiasm and commitment with which you served at theconference,andyourhighlevelofengagementwiththelaureatesandtheissuesgivesushopethatthelaureates’workwillbecontinuedandtakenforwardbythenextgeneration.My thanks toall the twenty five JuniorScientists for their serviceand for theCenterforDevelopmentResearch/ZentrumfürEntwicklungsforschung(ZEF),UniversityofBonn,andtheDeutscherAkademischerAustausschdienst(DAAD)forfacilitatingandsponsoringtheJuniorScientistsprogrammerespectively.

Indeed,whatmadethisconferencedifferentfromseveralotherswastheemphasislaidon building a strong connection between the laureates as change-makers and youngacademics.An independently run conferenceorganisedby theYouthFutureProject1,whichranparalleltothemainconference,didjustthatandinvolved120undergraduatestudentsfromallovertheglobe.Manylaureatesvisitedthisyouthconferencethroughouttheweekandengagedinaproductivedialoguewithparticipantsbyfacilitatinganumberofthematicworkshops.CongratulationstotheorganisersoftheYouthFutureProjectfordevelopingandmanagingthissuccessfulinitiative.

Finally,IwouldliketothanktheSeniorScientists,representativesofthevariousRightLivelihood College campuses across the globe at Universiti Sains Malaysia, LundUniversity,AddisAbabaUniversity, theUniversityofBonnandallotherglobalRLCstaff,fortheiractiveparticipationduringtheconferenceandstrengtheningthe“academic-activist”link.SpecialthanksarealsoduetoElinaAndersson,AnwarFazal,BirgitJaeckelandTillStellmacherforreviewingthemanuscriptandprovidingvaluableinputs,andalsotoBijanKafiandOlevonUexkull,fortheircontributions.

Ihope thateachof youwillbeas inspiredreading this reportas Iwaswhilstputtingit together.While Ihave exercisedduediligence editing the rapporteurs’ reports andtranscriptsthatformthebasisofmuchofthisreport,Iapologiseinadvanceforanyerrorsandomissions2.Thefollowingpagesconfirmthatsolutionstothemostpressingglobalproblemsexisttodayandarejustwaitingtobereplicatedandscaledup.Theconference,andthisreport,isacallforaction.Letusputtheseideasintopracticeinoureverydaylives,walkthetalkandrealisetheimpossibletogether.

Sharan SrinivasProgrammeManager,RightLivelihoodCollege

c/oCentreforPolicyResearchandInternationalStudies(CenPRIS),

UniversitiSainsMalaysia,Penang,Malaysia

10November2010

1. For more details regarding the youth Future Project, please refer to Annex vI of this report. to read the manifesto released at the conclusion of the youth Conference, please refer to Annex vII of this report.

2. there were a few cluster events that were not covered due to no rapporteur being present at the event. Further, as some events had parallel sessions running concurrently, certain sessions were not covered due to absence of a rapporteur at the session. Further, on Friday, 18 September and Saturday, 19 September, various public events were held in North Rhine westphalia where laureates interacted with people from the state (students, children, NgOs etc). Unfortunately, due to an absence of rapporteurs, these events did not become part of this report.



CHANGING COURSE, RECLAIMING OUR FUTURE

Documentation Team

PrincipalWriter:SharanSrinivas

Reviewers: ElinaAndersson AnwarFazal BirgitJaeckel TillStellmacher

Contributors: AhmadShoaibHamed,Afghanistan AbdalhadiAlijla,Palestine AnnaKropina,Russia BiniamSamuel-Fitwi,Eritrea CamilaMoreiraCastro,Brazil CarolinaMorenoHernandez,Mexico CosmasKombatLambini,Ghana DavidMeurers,Germany EarlyRahmawati,Indonesia EdoMahendra,Indonesia ElenaMajiaVillacis,Ecuador EmmanuelJ.Mensah,Ghana EmmanuelK.Derbile,Ghana GeorgeWilliamsNtambaazi,Uganda IrendraRadjawali,Indonesia JanLaurensGeffert,Germany JanoschPrinz,Germany KarinaReinbold,Brazil LindaKleemann,Germany NavneetKumar,India NirmalyaChoudury,India PresleyA.Ifukor,Ghana RajeshwariMellegowda,India RichardBaah,Ghana ThomasKretzschmar,Germany


� CHANgINg COURSE, RECLAIMINg OUR FUtURE

Foreword

Atmealtimes,therewasnosafetable.Withinmomentsoffindingaseat,Iwassurrounded and confounded by conversations I could never have anticipated–hair-raisingstoriesaboutminersinTurkeyandChile;oftortureintheCongo

andGuantanamo:ofstrugglesagainstdamsinBrazilandIndia;ofanti-nuclearworkinFrance and Japan; alternative communities inFinland; people power inStuttgart andheroicwomeninPalestineandtheBalkans–all storiessodifferent frommyworldofponderousUNconferencesandpreposterouscorporatetechno-fixes.Itisdisturbinganddisorienting.Iamusedtogettingupeachmorningprettymuchpersuadedthatthefateoftheknownuniverserestsonmyshoulders.But,everybreakfastinBonntaughtmeaboutotheruniversesthatIdidnotevenknow.

TherearetimeswhenIhavethoughttheseRightLivelihoodgatheringsadistraction.AsmuchasIcouldadmireotherpeople’sworkandwonderattheirsuccessesandfortitude–itwasnotmywork–anditwaseatingintomyalreadyoverwhelmedagenda.

Atour30thanniversaryinBonn,forthefirsttime(forme),itallkindofcametogether.Thoughwidely–evenwildly–different,wenowseemtofittogether.

Itshouldnothavebeensucharevelation.Ihavealwayscringed,inprotestmarches,atthechant,“thepeopleunitedwillneverbedefeated”feeling,inmygut,thatthepeopleunitedwill always be defeated – but, the people in their diversity can succeed. The amazingdiversityoftheRightLivelihoodlaureatesisourstrength.Ourabilitytounderstandotherstruggles,seetheconnections,andsupportoneanotheracrossvastlydifferentcultures,geographyandexperiences,giveusaperspectiveandapotentialweneedtodevelopmuchfurther.

Accompanyingoursometimesdiscombooberatingdiversityisourcommonfocusontheperiphery.Oneperson’speriphery,ofcourse,canbe–infact,alwaysis–someoneelse’sheartland.But,here,Imeanthatmanyofustendtoworkontheperipheryofthemajorpowers–withthosewhohavebeenmarginalisedbythem.Forallofus,theperipheryisalsotheedge.Weoftenworkinstrangeterritoryandweoftenworkattheboundarywheredifferentculturesorrealitiestouch.AmongtheRightLivelihoodlaureates,Ithink,we share a kind of peripheral vision that attunes us, especially, to the edges and theperspectiveofthemarginalised.Historyteachesthatthegreatchangessweepinfromtheperiphery;frommarginalisedcommunities–betheyindigenous,artistic,intentionalorwhatever.



If youaremarginalisedand livingon theperiphery,pattern recognition isdesperatelyimportant.Wehavetobegoodatpickingupthecluesaboutwhatishappeningandwhatiscoming.Certainly,forourworkand,forsomeofusnotme,oursurvivaldependsonthis.

So,inBonn,wecametogetherfromourdiversitiesandourperipheriestouseourlifetime-forgedpatternrecognitionskillstolearnfromoneanotherand,perhaps,toidentifythewaysahead.

It’sacliché,Iknow,buttryingtoevendiscern–muchlessdirect–laureatesisliketryingtoherdcats.Wewereabreakfastsmorgasbordofcatalystsandcatastrophs,demandingaction;predictingdestruction;asoftencantankerousaswewereoccasionally comedic.RaulMontenegrotaughtmethatthereisbiodiversitycollapseandculturalerosionwithorwithoutclimatechange,NeshanGunasekarataughtmehowtousetheWorldCourt,HansPeterDürrtaughtmepeace (andphysics!),FrankieLappébroughtmehopeandAnwarFazalremindedmethatthereisalwayshumour…andtomorrow.Thatisimportantlearningandmaybe,evensomepartofarecipe.

But Iwould likeus togo further.Withoutdetracting from– in fact,building from–ourdiverselocalandglobalstruggles,Iwishwecouldcollectivelydescribethelong-termpathwaystoabetterfutureandtheurgentimmediatestrategiesneededtogainstrengthintheperipheryintheturbulentdecadesthatareunavoidablyahead.InMay2012,HeadsofStatewillgatherinRiodeJaneirotomarkthe20thanniversaryoftheEarthSummitof1992.Itisasymbolicmomentwecanuse.2012is,moreaccurately,Stockholm+40–the40thanniversaryofthe1972UNConferencethatlaunchedintergovernmentalworkontheenvironment–or,morehonestly,Stockholmsyndrome–40sinceso littlehasbeenaccomplished.Morephilosophically,2012isalsosilentSpring–50becauseitalsomarksthe50thanniversaryofthepublicationofRachelCarson’sgroundbreakingbook.Theagendaproposedforthe2012summitisnotjustclimateandenvironmentnorevenagricultureandeconomybutitmustaddressthewholestateofourworld.Civilsocietyandsocialmovementswillbe involvedinthe2012meetinginlargenumbersandthatmaygiveusourbestopportunity to launchanewsocialagendaaddressingpatriarchy,peace,poverty,environment,economy,justiceanddemocracy.AhalfcenturyafterRachelCarson,weneedtojointheBoliviansincallingforaCharterfortheRightsofMotherEarth.ItistimeforPachamamaandtoputanendtoMachopapa.Ontheeveofthe100thanniversaryofthebeginningofWorldWarI(the“WartoEndallWars”),weneedtodemandthebeginningofnegotiationstocreatethePeacetoEndAllWars.WeneedtonegotiateanewglobalunderstandingoftheCommonsthatwillturnbacktheownershipoflifeandlife’sresourcesincludingthewater,seeds,soilsandskies.



This,Iknow,soundshopelesslynaïve.Weareinthemidstofmultiplecrises.But,thesecrisesplaceusatamomentinhistorywhentherewillbegreatchanges–and,ifnotourchanges,theywillbetheirchanges.ManyofuswillmeetagainattheWorldSocialForumand/oratnationalandregionalforums.LetuscontinuetheconversationswebeganinBonn.

Pat Mooney,RLA1985


1.

Introduction

InanessayentitledThe Search for a New Human Story,JacobvonUexkull,founderoftheRightLivelihoodAwardandtheWorldFutureCouncil,madeagrimobservation:that“ourmodernstory,whichwassupposedtousherinthebestofallworlds(“the

endofhistory”)isincreasinglyofferingtheworst;theendofthematerialsecuritiesofpre-modernitywithouttheimmaterialsecuritiesofpre-modernity”(2010).

Indeed, the 30th Anniversary Conference of the Right Livelihood Award in Bonn3occurredata timewhenglobal leadersandgovernmentsare failinghumanityand theplanetonseveralfronts.Despitetheonsetofclimatechangeandaclearindicationofitscatastrophicpotential,stateslargelyremainreluctanttotaketoughdecisionsandadvocatefor thechange in lifestylesandconsumptionrequiredtomitigate its impact.Despiteacenturyof immense sufferingcausedbywar to someof themostvulnerablemembersofcivilianpopulations,thedevelopmentofacorpusofinternationalhumanitarianandhumanrightslawandthecreationofseveralinternationalcourts,egregioushumanrightsviolationscontinueonadailybasisandimpunityremainsaproblem.Andfinally,despitetheeffortsofgovernmentsandinternationalaid,charityanddevelopmentagencies,over2.7billionpeople,alargechunkofhumanity,struggleinmiserylivingonlessthantwodollars a day, lacking access to education, health and basic services (UN MillenniumProject2010).

DagHammarskjold,theillustriousformerSecretaryGeneraloftheUnitedNationsoncefamouslysaidthattheUnitedNationswas“notcreatedinordertobringustoheaven,butinordertosaveusfromhell”.ThelaureatesoftheRightLivelihoodAwardhavegonemuchfurtherthanthat.Attheconference,weheardhowSurvivalInternational(RLA1989) has, after a long campaign, won a significant battle against the Government ofBotswanawhichallowedtheBushmeninBotswanatoreturntotheirancestrallandsfromwheretheyhadbeenevictedfrombythegovernment.WeheardhowtheBasic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to Remedy for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law,whichTheoVanBoven(RLA1985)hadalargeroleindrafting4,wasinDecember2005finallyadoptedbytheUN General Assembly (UN GA/RES/60/147 2005). This document unambiguously

3. Hereafter referred to as “the conference”.4. theo van Boven drafted these principles in his capacity as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Reparation to victims of gross violations of Human Rights.



andforthefirsttimeplacesanobligationonstatestonotonlyprovideeffectiveaccessto justice to those who claim to be victims of a human rights or humanitarian lawviolation,butalsocommitsthemtoprovidingvictimswitheffectiveremedies,includingreparations.SEKEM(RLA2003)revealedtoushow,byputtingthehumanbeingasitstoppriority,itsentrepreneurialandinnovativeapproachledtoagenerationofSEKEMsocialentrepreneurssuccessfullyconductingorganicfarmingintheEgyptiandesertandimprovingtheirlives.Therearemanymoreexamplesoflaureateswhose“outofthebox”solutionshavenotonlypreventedandrolledbacklocalandglobalcrisesbuthavealsoshownthewaytowardsamorepeacefulandsustainablefutureforhumankindandourplanet.

Ataninternalconferencesessionthemed“BANG–TheBigSqueeze–SixConvergingTrends and Our Uncommon Future”, Pat Mooney (RLA 1985) argued that “we arein an unusual moment, where many crises and opportunities are converging togethermuchfasterthaninthepast”.Throughouttheconference,participatinglaureatesclearlyunderlinedboththeurgencyofthecrisesfacingusandtheopportunitiesthatcanandmustbeseizednotonly toavertglobalcatastrophe,butalsotoallowus thechancetowriteourownnewhumanstory.Topicsdiscussedrangedfromfindingwaystohaltandreversethegrowingcommodificationoftheglobalcommons–waterandourculturalandbiologicaldiversity– toexploringnewpossibilitiesofharnessinguniversities for socialtransformation.Laureatessharedtheirexperiencesinmakingpeaceandworkingtowardsajustpost-conflictreconciliationprocesstoallowthehard-wonpeacetobesustainable.Theconferencewasalso,aboveall,aplatformforlaureatestomakealliancesandstrategizeto find ways to unite and work together in a way that exponentially increases theircollective impact.AsFranciscoWhitaker (RLA2006) rightlystatedat theconference,“we75 laureates can thinkwearenot important,but societydoes.Together…we canget theattention fromourgovernments”.Thepowerof collectiveaction shouldneverbeunderestimated.Theideasandproposalsputforwardattheconference,ifadopted,nurtured,multipliedandacceleratedhavetherealpotentialtoshapeachangeincourseinglobalpoliciesandpracticesthatourworldurgentlyneeds.


2.

Reversing the Commodification

of the Global Commons

JusticeLionelMurphy’sopinioninthefamous“TasmanianDamcase”of1983clearlystatedthat,

“thepreservationoftheworld’sheritagemustnotbelookedatinisolationbutaspartofthecooperationbetweennationswhichiscalculatedtoachieveintellectualand moral solidarity of mankind… the encouragement of people to thinkinternationally,toregardthecultureoftheirowncountryaspartofworldculture,toconceiveaphysical,spiritualandintellectualworldheritage,isimportantintheendeavortoavoidthedestructionofhumanity.”

–Commonwealthvs.Tasmania1983,57-58

When ratified in 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) made agroundbreakingpronouncementbyaffirminginitspreamblethat“theconservationofbiologicaldiversity is a commonconcernofhumankind”.Thiswas the first time thatinternational law placed a clear obligation on states to be “responsible for conservingtheirbiologicaldiversityandforusingtheirbiologicalresourcesinasustainablemanner”(ConventiononBiologicalDiversity1993,preamble).On28July2010,theUNGeneralAssemblyadoptedaresolutionrecognisingaccesstocleanwaterandsanitationasahumanright, calling on states and international organisations to provide financial resources,buildcapacityandtransfertechnology,particularlytodevelopingcountries,inscalingupeffortstoprovidesafe,clean,accessibleandaffordabledrinkingwaterandsanitationforall(UN/GA/64/292).

The realisation that protection and promotion of our biological and cultural diversityis importanthasunfortunatelynotprevented it frombeing threatenedbya seriousandrelentless onslaught of commodification unleashed by the forces of globalisation. Thetragedyoftheglobalcommonspositsthatthese“publicgoods”belongingtoallhumanitywill be depleted due to persons prioritising short-term incentives over the commongood.Thistragedyhastransformedfromatheoreticalconstructtoaworryingreality.Attheconference,weheardabout laureates’battlesagainst theproliferationofGeneticallyModifiedOrganisms(GMOs),thegrowingprivatisationofwaterresourcesandthebattletopreservetherightsandculturalheritageofindigenouspeople.LaureatesmadeitclearthattherewasavastchasmbetweenthepromisesmadebystatespartytotreatiessuchastheCBDandtheimplementationoftheseconventionsandresolutionsatthegroundlevel.



2.1 Protecting our Biological Diversity

Our Fight Against Commodification of Life

Gustav-Stresemann-Institute.V.Wednesday,15September2010

Facilitatedby theSeikatsuClub (RLA1989), this internalworkshop sawadiscussiononthefighttomaketheworld“GMO-free”,andalsotouchedonthetopicsofspeciesconservationandfoodsecurity.OegwaraTaeko,representingtheSeikatsuClub,beganthesessionwithabriefexplanationofthesituationinJapanvis-á-visGMOs.Accordingtothem,Japanisanetimporteroffood,andagoodproportionofsuchimportsareGMOs.Asnospecificationorinformationisplacedonfoodlabels,JapaneseconsumersareusinghighamountsofmaizeandsoyaintheirregulardietwithoutevennoticingthattheseareGMOs.Ms.TaekoexplainedthattheSeikatsuClubopposesgeneticallymodifiedfoodforthreemainreasons:

• Thattheywerenotsubjectedtoadequatesafetytesting.

• Thattheyconstitutedanunacceptablerisktotheenvironment.

• Tocombat‘corporatecontrol’overfood.

Asaconsumercooperative,Ms.TaekoexplainedthattheSeikatsuClub’sworkinvolvescreatingawarenessaboutGMOsamongconsumersandcreatingastablemarketforGMOfree crops in Japan.Thedifficulty theSeikatsuClub faces, according toMs.Taeko, iscompeting with low priced GMO products whilst non GMO products remain highlypriced.TheworkshopsubsequentlydiscussedthequestionofhowGMOcropsarebeingofferedatlowerpriceswhentheyhavehigherproductioncosts.

VandanaShiva(RLA1993)respondedtothedebatebystatingthatalthoughGMOfarmingindeedhashigherinputcosts–theseedlingsbeingconsiderablymoreexpensivethanthetraditionalones-producersindevelopedcountrieshavestrongsubsidiesprovidedbytheirgovernments.Asaresult,theycanofferlowerpricesinthefinalmarketsandpricesarelargelyassignedbypowerfulcorporations,notnecessarilyrelatedtoproductioncosts.

On the issueofbiopiracy,Dr.Shiva said thateverything in theworld ispirated fromonethingortheother,andarguedthatGMOsalwaysgohandinhandwithpatenting.Accordingtoher,corporationsclaimthattheyhave inventedsomething,but inrealitytheyhaveonlymodifiedwhatisinnature.Warningofthestrongsocialimplicationsofthissortofcorporatismandtheriseofpricesofagriculturalinputs,Dr.Shivagavethefollowing example to illustrate the difficulty faced by farmers as a result of corporatebehaviourvis-á-visGMOs:



Since 1997, when Monsanto first entered the Indian market, there have been

around200,000suicidescommittedbyfarmerswhowereindebt.Theintroduction

of BT cotton in the country has devastated the lives of cotton farmers. BT has

broughtnothinggoodinthelivelihoodsoffarmersbutispushingthemtowards

suicide.Astudyconductedbymyteamhasrevealedthat84%ofthefarmersuicides

in Maharashtra state were due to a debt trap caused by cultivating BT cotton.

Farmersused to spend ameager amountof 4-10 INR/kilo for cotton seedsbut

nowhave to investnearly3600INR/kilo forBTcottonseeds.Monsantoargues

thatBTcottonneedsnopesticides,buttheamountofpesticidesusedforcotton

cultivationhasdoubledintheMaharashtraregionaftertheintroductionoftheBT

variety.Corporatepowerisalsobringingpressureongovernmenttoamendalaw

statingthatrestoringownseedmaterialbyfarmersisanillegalactivity,something

Navadhanyaisprotestingagainst.Farmersareinaverydifficultpositionandusually

theydonotfindinthemarketanychoiceotherthanGMOs.

PercySchmeiser(RLA2007)corroboratedDr.Shiva’sremarksbysharinghisexperiencedealing with the issue of commodifcation in Canada. Where earlier a farmer used tocultivatetraditionalcornfor8US$perkilo,coststodayhavespiralledtoapproximately50US$perkiloofcorn.TappioMatlar,representingFinnishVillageAction(RLA1992)commentedthatthesituationwasverydifferentinFinland,whereGMOswerestrictlyprohibitedandsaidthattheFinnishgovernmentonlysupportedorganicandbiologicalfoodcultivation.Mohd.AzmiAbdulHamid,representingSahabatAlamMalaysia(RLA1988)saidthatthirdworldcountries’desireforgoodtraderelationswithsuperpowersputtheirnationsunderhighthreatofbeinginundatedwithGMOsasaresultofpotentialtradeagreementscomingintoeffect.

Wrappingupthediscussion,workshopparticipantstooknoteofthefollowingevidencethat real change is possible in the battle against global commodification of biologicalresources:

• ThattheSeikatsuClubisactivelyworkingtoofferconsumersfreealternativestoGMOsandpreservelocalplantandanimalvarieties,

• That the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has challenged Monsanto by puttingdowninputpricesandisfollowingpesticide-freefarming,

• ThattheNavdanyanetworkinIndia,foundedbyVandanaShiva,hassafeguardedabove9,000varietiesofseeds,protectingbiodiversityandtraditionalknowledge,

• ThatFinlandremainsanentirelyGMOfreecountry,and

• That, inCanada,PercyandLouiseSchmeiserhave, inacourageousdefenceoffarmers’rights,challengedMonsanto’sabusesincourt.



BANG – The Big Squeeze – Six Converging Trends and Our Uncommon Future

Gustav-Stresemann-Institute.V.15September2010

Facilitated by Pat Mooney and Niclas Hällström from the What Next Forum, thisworkshopaimedtobringtodiscussionissuesraisedinMr.Mooney’sbookBANG What Next? Collusion, Convergence or Changes in Course? Mr.Mooneypresentedsixmajortrendsthathearguedwerecomingtogetheratatimeofcrisisto“squeeze”policymakersdownaverynarrowanddangerouspath.Inbrief,thesetrendsare:

• Thelossofdiversepeoples,cultures,plants,animals–evenwholeecosystems–isacceleratingattheverymomentwhenfood,fuel,waterandclimatepressuresshowhowgreatlyweneeddiversity.

• Thecrisisenvironmentisanopportunityfor“shocktherapy”tocontroltheworld’sbiomass andmajorplanetary systemsbyoffering geo-engineering as a relativelycheapandpainlesssolution.

• Governments and industry are pushing a suite of technologies – most notablysynthetic biology and nanotechnology – in order to avoid more expensive orunpopularchanges.

• These extraordinarily powerful and high-risk technologies are also remarkablyaccessibleandcreatenewthreatstonationalsecurity,democracyanddissent.

• Asameansofsocialcontrol,butalsoforprofit,developmentsinneurosciencesandgenomicsarechallengingnotonlyhumanreproductionbuttheverydefinitionofahumanbeingthroughso-called“humanperformanceenhancement”.

• Thespeed,scopeandscaleofchangeencouragescorporatisation,anevertighterconvergencebetweenmajorgovernmentsandindustriestomaintaincontrolinthemidstofcrisis.

Mr. Mooney elaborated ‘The Shock’ of the condition of the world today (agriculturalerosion, ecosystem collapse, cultural extinction, gender disappearance, and culturalwipeout),‘TheTherapies’suggestedbythelargecorporations(geopiracy,geo-engineering,nano-technology, and synthetic biology), and “The Payoffs” (massively-destructiveindividuals, mass monitoring, mass markets and “mass-national” corporations). Healsopresentedhis ideaof“conventional strategies”: thebigplayers try toconvince thesocietythattheycouldprovideasolution,buttheconsequencesaresuchthattheyendupreclaimingbenefits suchasownershipoverresources throughthecontrolofpublicsector.



Workshop participants extensively discussed the effects of biotechnology andnanotechnology.Thecaseoftheseedindustry,wheremorethan700companiesexistedinthe1970scomparedtohardly10companiescontrollingmorethan70%oftheseedtradetoday,wasalsodiscussed.This,theparticipantsfelt,highlightedhowbigcompanieswereabletocontrolandrestrictthemarketandpeople’saccesstobiodiversity.

Attheendoftheworkshop,Mr.Mooneytoldtheparticipatinglaureatesthatsince“Rio+20isbeingtakenseriouslybygovernments,weshouldproposeacounterproposition,asgovernmentsaretendingtoacceptnanotechnologyandotherproblematicsolutions”.“Whatwouldbeourstatement?”,heasked.

Aftersomediscussion,theparticipants,ledbyFranciscoWhitaker,committedthemselvestotheelaborationofapetitiontospurthecampaign“HandsoffMotherEarth-StopGeo-engineering–ourHomeisnotaLaboratory”.FranciscoWhitaker,TonyClarke(RLA2005)andMr.Mooneytooktheresponsibilitytodraftthepetitionandtheyhopedtouse theremainderof theconferencetoget thesupportandsignaturesofall theotherlaureates.

Center for Development Research (ZEF) Event: Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation

CenterforDevelopmentResearch(ZEF),Walter-Flex-Str.3.D-53113Bonn17September2010,9:00a.m.–5:00p.m.

ThesessionbeganwithBirselLemke(RLA2000’)stressingtheimportanceofstandingupandfacinggovernmentswhentheyaregoingtowardsthewrongdirectiononenvironmentalissues.Ms.Lemkebrieflyexplainedhowshehad,bydraftingadeclarationandworkingonasignaturecampaign,beenabletogainthesupportof488membersofparliamenttoenactanew,environmentallyfriendlymininglawinTurkey.Ms.Lemkeconcludedherremarksbyemphasisingtheimportanceofknowingthe“enemy”andbuildinganefficientcommunicationstrategytopromoteenvironmentalissuesinthemedia.

Mohd.AzmiAbdulHamid,representingSahabatAlamMalaysiaaffirmedthatthemediawere very important and called for NGOs to craft an intelligent strategy to deal withthem.Healsoaffirmedtheimportanceofholdinggovernmentsaccountablewithregardto environmental issues. Vijaya Chauhan, representing Narmada Bachao Andolan(RLA‘91)explainedthatpersonsinherorganisationworkedwiththenativepeopleofGujarattomakethemawareoftheproblemsthattheNarmadaDamsprojectwouldcauseto irrigation and the water supply. She questioned the notion of “development”, andwonderedwhobenefited fromthis typeofdevelopment.Lamenting thecorruption intheIndiangovernment,Ms.ChauhanalsopointedoutthattheWorldBankandcertainothercompaniessupporttheNarmadaDamsproject.


1� CHANgINg COURSE, RECLAIMINg OUR FUtURE

Asthefloorwasopenedfordiscussion,juniorscientistsoftheRightLivelihoodCollegeidentifiedthefollowingwaysinwhichtheycouldsupportthelaureatesintheirefforts:

• ExperientialLearning–Scientistscanliveinthecommunitieswherelaureatesareworkingtounderstandthelocalcultureandthereafterinvolvethecommunityinaparticipatorymannertoobtaininputstosolveproblems.

• Research–Scientistscouldassist indevelopinga theoretical frameworkfor thelaureates’issues.Theycouldalsoassistthelaureateswithcompilingandsimplifyingdocumentaryevidenceonenvironmentalviolations.

• International Networks – Scientists can use their networks and the media topublicise the laureates’ issues and campaigns.They can alsouse the alternativemediatocreatefurtherpublicawareness.

In addition, junior scientists requested the laureatespresent to give thema chance tovolunteerintheirprojects,stronglyaffirmingthattheyconsideredthelaureatestobebothrolemodelsandasourceofinspirationforthem.

IFOAM5 – Colabora Cluster Event: Inspirations for Living Change

Gustav-Stresemann-Institute.V.16September2010,9:00a.m.–5:30p.m.

BACKGROUND

Agriculture–Ecology–Diversity–Fairness–Sustainability–Foodsecurity–Consumption

Despite the Millenium Development Goals, which aimed at reducing the hunger in the world by half by 2010, the number of starving people grows. At the same time, the diversity of our seeds diminishes because resources are owned by large corporations focused on the sale of genetically modified seeds. Industrial agriculture – widely acclaimed until recently – depends on huge subsidies to survive. As a consequence, market prices are distorted at the expense of people in the “Third World“. In addition, fertilisers and pesticides are based on finite fossil fuels. Our planet is on the brink of a gigantic agricultural revolution. As demanded by the World Agricultural Report we need a global transformation towards an ecological, regional and sovereign agriculture. This event will bring together pioneers from all over the world and will present viable solutions and successful new models.

5. International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements



DISCUSSION

Aroundtwohundredpeoplegatheredatthisclustereventtoexchangeideaswithlaureatesontheimportantissuesoforganicagriculture,foodsecurityandtherightsoffarmersandconsumers.Participantsstressedtheneedtobuildaconsensusbasedonanewparadigmofthinkingthatplacesorganicagricultureatthecentreofworldfoodproductionsystems.

JakobvonUexkull,founderoftheRightLivelihoodAward,madeanopeningstatementandsetthetoneoftheclustereventbysharinghisvisionfortheAward–toencouragesocietytoembraceandlivechange.HeexplainedhowheinitiatedtheRightLivelihoodAward and urged the participants at the cluster event to spread the word of what isdiscussedattheevent.Hestressedthatitisnotnecessarytoreinventthewheel.“Often,wecanlearnfromothershowtomakeitbetter”,heexplained.

Helmy Abouliesh, of the SEKEM group, made a speech where he discussed organiccost-competitiveness. He asked the questions: “Are we in the organic movements abletocompetewithmainstreamfoodsystems?Areweofferingcheaperormoreexpensivealternatives?Howwilltheseevolveinthefuture?Aretheseonlydreams?”

HesubsequentlyexplainedthehistoryofSEKEMandhisfather’sdream–toturnthedesertgreenbyusingorganicagricultureandtoapproachallpartsoflifeanddevelopmentinasustainable,holisticandharmonicway.

“When I sharemy thoughtswithbusiness leadersorpoliticians, theydonot takemeseriously.They showmeexamplesofhoworganic farming is tooexpensiveorhas toolowyields.Theydonotthinkthatorganicfarmingcanbemainstream”,explainedMr.Abouliesh.

He,however,disagreedwiththeiranalysisandsaidthatthecruxofthematterwashowcosts were measured. If costs took into account the costs for water, energy, fertilisers,ecosystem services, climate change mitigation and the effects of organic food on theenvironment and the people who eat them, they would look very different. Arguingthat the current models of accounting cannot go on for much longer, Mr. Aboulieshremarked that a change inmeasuring “costs”would clearly show thatorganic farmingwouldbemuchcheaperinreality.Nevertheless,Mr.Aboulieshendedhispresentationby stating that organic farming,while good, can still get better as it is still not alwayssustainable.Mr.Aboulieshsaidthatthelimitingfactorfororganicagricultureisfindingexperiencedpeopletoworkinthefieldandclaimedthatresearch,innovationandpeoplewereimportant,movingforward.

Pat Mooney made an intervention where he once again emphasised how advances intechnologysuchasbiomasscontrolandsyntheticbiologydonotsolvetheproblemsofglobalhunger.



FrancesMooreLappé(RLA1987),democracyadvocate,worldfoodandhungerexpertandfounderoftheSmallPlanetInstitute,madeapresentationontheparadigmshiftinfoodpolicy.Ms.Lappésaidthatthereasonshewroteherbook The Myth of Hunger wastocreateawarenessonfoodpoliticsandtoprovethattherewasanabundanceoffoodforthepoor.Theproblem,accordingtoher,isitsdistributionandpoliticsthatdidnotallowpoorfarmerstobeabletoaffordfoodinmostdevelopingcountries.“Hungerisnotduetoalackoffoodbutrathertheinabilityofhungrypeopletogainaccesstotheabundantamountsoffoodthatexists”sheexplained.

Shefurtherelaboratedhowmostofthepredictionsinherbookonhungercametopassas a result of the current food crisis in several developing countries – food prices areincreasinglyskyrocketingandtheUNMillenniumDevelopmentGoalontheeradicationofhungermightnotbeattainedwithinthestipulatedtime.

PercyandLouiseSchmeisermadeapresentationentitledGenetic Engineering-Learning and Strategising for a GMO-Free World. TheyallegedthatMonsantoandotherbigcorporationsare mounting a campaign to encourage farmers to denounce their neighbours if theynoticedthattheyareusingGMOswithoutpayingroyalties.This,theyfelt,isunderminingthesocialfabricofcommunities.

The Schmeisers subsequently gave the following example which illustrated howcorporationsweredamagingfarminginCanada:

In 2004, our farm was contaminated by a Monsanto rapeseed and we sued the

company.First,theyofferedtorepairthedamagebyremovingalltherapeseedplants

fromourplot,butonlyifwepromisednottosuethecompanyagainandnotmake

public anything that had happened. Of course, we refused such conditions and

togetherwithourneighboursmanuallyremovedtheplants.Consequently,wesued

Monsanto,abillionairecompany,forthe640dollarsthatwepaidourneighbours

forourhelp.Aftertwoyears,thecompanywasforcedtopaythisamount.

“Allbigcorporationsareinterestedinmakingmoney;unfortunately,totakeacorporationto court isusually very expensiveandmany farmersdonothave themeans todo it”,stressedtheSchmeisers.

WhenapersonintheaudienceaskedhimifitispossibletohaveaGMOfreeworld,Mr.Schmeiserstatedthatthefollowingimportantstepsmustbetakenforthistohappen:

• Farmersmusthavetherighttousetheirseeds.

• Farmersshouldkeepondevelopingvarietiesofplants.

• Civilsocietymustincreaseawareness,inordertoreducesupportfortheuseofGMOs.



• Theroleofscienceisveryimportant:consequencesofGMOsonhumanhealthareveryuncertain,amongotherreasons,becausetherearefewstudiescarriedoutindependentofindustry.Asaresult,scientificresearchisveryoftenbiased.

Alsoaddressing the issueofpreservingbiodiversity,MelakuWorede (RLA1989) toldparticipants how the Ethopian seed back he founded is functioning successfully, withfarmersbeing includedasexpertpartners inall its activities–breeding, selectionandin-situconservation.

VandanaShivabeganherpresentationattheclustereventbydenouncingtoday’soil-basedandinput-dependentagriculturebyproclaimingagrimreality.“Despitetheincreaseduseofagrochemicalsandthepromiseofindustrytotacklehunger,Indiahasactuallydoubleditshungrypopulation.ThereisaparadoxinIndiaandtheworldwhichisthateconomicgrowthandhungergrowtharebothgrowing”,sheremarked.Dr.Shivafurtherunderlinedthepointthatgeneticengineeringwasnotyield-increasingbuttoxin-increasing.Warningthatthecontinuedtrendoffarmersswitchingtoindustrialagriculturewouldleadtothedisappearanceofsmallholdersandtheriseofcorporations,Dr.Shivaarguedthatpeoplecanandmustfightfortheirrightstochoosewhattheyeat,whattheygrowandforfooddemocracy.

Speaking on the issue of climate change, Dr. Shiva said that while the industry hadreactedbylookingtofindtechnocraticsolutions,farmersallovertheworldhaveactuallydevelopedclimateresistantvarieties!Dr.Shivaendedherremarksbyemphaticallystatingthatorganicagricultureisthefuture.

Maria Selete, representing the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais sem Terra(MST)6,(RLA1991)discussedtherelatedissueofillegallandgrabbingbylandlordsandmultinationalcorporations,athreatwhichshepointedoutwasbecomingever-presentinBrazil.Ontheissueoforganicagriculture,Ms.SeletespokeofMST’ssuccessfulorganicseed enterprise, theBioNatur Network for Agroecological Seeds,launched in2007.Despitethechallengesfacedbyhermovement,Ms.Seleteexpressedoptimismtowardsthereformprogramme being undertaken by the Brazilian government, specifically applauding arecentlawwhichimposesarequirementthatpurchasedgovernmentfoodbeproducedbysmallfamilyfarmersandsettledfarmers.

ThisclustereventwasnotableinthatitconcludedwiththedraftingandsigningoftheIFOAM Declaration for Living Change7,which,amongotherthingsdemanded“thatagricultureand foodsecuritypoliciesofcommunities,governments,private sectorandcivil society at local, national, regional and global levels (...) aim for sustainability indevelopment,includingecologicaldiversity,socialwelfareforallandeconomicviabilityofsystems”.

�. the Landless workers’ Movement, based in Brazil.7. Included as Annex II of this report.



BfN8 Cluster Event: Stop the Loss of Biodiversity

FederalAgencyforNatureConservation,Konstantinstr.110,53179Bonn16September2010,10:00a.m.–2:00p.m.

BACKGROUND

Environmental protection – Landscape management – Biodiversity – EndangeredSpecies–Ecosystems

The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation provides the German Environment Ministry with professional and scientific assistance in all nature conservation and landscape management issues and in international cooperation activities.

International agreements like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the risk assessment of genetically modified seeds are also part of the agency’s agenda. This event will unite experts, youths, representatives from politics and Right Livelihood Award laureates from all around the world to discuss how we can counter the destruction of ecosystems and how we can strengthen worldwide efforts to preserve our natural heritage.

DISCUSSION

This event united experts, youths, representatives from politics and Right LivelihoodAwardlaureatestodiscusswaystocounterthedestructionofecosystemsandstrengthenworldwideeffortstopreserveournaturalheritage.

Beate Jessel, President of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation,commenced the sessionbydefiningbiodiversity “as thediversityof genes, species andecosystems”. She said that she considered the decline of biodiversity to be the mostpressingenvironmentalproblemaftertoclimatechangeandsaidthatitismainlycausedbyhabitatlossanddegradation,overexploitation,climatechangeandinvasivespecies.

“In1992”,shecontinued,“theinternationalcommunityagreedontheConventiononBiologicalDiversity (CBD)and set thegoal to significantly slowdown the rateof lossofbiodiversityby2010”.Unfortunately,monitoring shows that this goalhasnotbeenachievedinanycountryoftheworld.Implementationgaps,incoherentpoliciesandlackofknowledgeandfinancialresourcesarethemostimportantreasonsforthis,sheargued.Now,with thenextCBDconferenceof stateparties takingplace inNagoya, Japan inOctober2010,anewparadigmneedstobedeveloped,toensurethat“biodiversityandecosystemservicesarepreserved,valuedand,insofaraspossible,restoredfortheirintrinsicvalueandsothattheycancontinuetosupport[humankind]”,sheconcluded.

8. Bundesamt fur Naturschutz (german Federal Agency for Nature Conservation).



UrsulaHeinen-Esser,ParliamentaryStateSecretaryfortheGermanFederalMinistryofEnvironmentspokeafterMs.Jesselandmadesomebriefremarks.Sheanalyzedthefailureofstatestoreachthe2010CBDtargetsandattributedthistothefactthatconservationofbiodiversityhasnotbeentakenintoaccountinotherpoliticalsectors.SheappreciatedtherecentformationofaspecialistgroupcalledIntergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services(IPBS),whichisthoughttobecomethebiodiversityequivalenttothe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Finally, she pointed to theimportanceoftheupcomingmeetingsattheUNGeneralAssemblythefollowingweekaftertheconferenceandtheNagoyasummit,statingthat“weareontherighttrack,buttherecanbenoslowingdown”.

Laureatespresent at the cluster eventmade important contributions to thediscussionandarguedthatamovementtowardsorganicagriculturewouldbeinthegreaterinterestsof preserving biodiversity. Sunderlal Bahuguna, representing The Chipko Movement(RLA 1987) revealed that industrial agriculture results in the addiction of farmers topesticidesandchemicalfertilisers.“Thismeansintheworldofnutrition,weareeatingpoison!”heexclaimed.VandanaShivareiteratedherpointthatitwas“oneofthebiggestdelusionsofourtimethatorganicagriculturedoesnotproduceanequalamountoffoodasconventionalagriculture”.

NathanWitkop,environmentaleditoratDeutscheWelleandsessionfacilitatorposedaprovocativequestiontothelaureates,“Ifdemocracyisthesolution,isitalsonotpartof theproblem,becausepoliticiansaregivingpeoplewhat theywantratherthanwhatweneed?”ReneNgongo (RLA2009) responded, “I believe thatdemocracy is part oftheanswer,buton theotherhand, I strongly fear that international corporationswillcontrolmostdemocracies.Aclearmessagethatgoesouttotheconsumersisimportant”.MichaelSuccow(RLA1997)agreedthatcivilsocietyhadanimportantroleineducatingconsumers,addingthat“ifcorporationsgoglobal,consumermovementshavetogoglobaltoo”.

TheclustereventendedwithmostofthelaureatesexpressingagloomyoutlooktowardstheupcomingNagoyasummit.Dr.Shivahopedthattheissuesofbiopatents,syntheticbiology and geoengineering would be discussed there. Mohd. Azmi Abdul Hamid,representingSahabatAlamMalaysia,expressedhisfearsthatrepresentativesofSoutheastAsiancountrieswereliabletobemanipulatedbyinternationalcorporationsatthesummitduetotheirignoranceandconfusionregardingtheissuestobediscussed.



2.2 The Global Water Crisis

Our Fight Against Commodification of Life


MaudeBarlow(RLA2005)madeabriefinterventionattheworkshop,statingthatjustlikewhatishappeningwithregardstootherpublicgoods,thereareongoingtrendsofcommodificationofwaterworldwide.Thesetrendsinclude:

• Privatisationofpublicsanitisationservices.

• Increasedconsumptionofbottledwater.

• Growingwatermarkets.

• Casesof investorsbuyingwholewater systems in somecountriesofAfrica andSouthAmerica.

• Recyclingofwater.

• Desalinationofwater.

• Pollutedwatermarkets.

The Global Water Crisis and the Movements to Protect the Water Commons


MaudeBarlowbegan thisworkshopbypointingout that theglobalwater crisis is thegreatestcrisisofourtimeanditalsoconstitutespartofthegreaterclimatecrisis.“Thecrisisisdeepening”,shewarned,“andmanyterritorieshavealreadyphysicallyrunoutofwater”.Dr.Barlowsubsequentlysuggestedfiveprinciplestoovercometheglobalwatercrisis:

• Waterwillteachushowtolive(waterprotection,harvesting,sourceprotection,decreasedpollutionatalllevelsofsociety).



• Water as a common good (No one owns water. Water belongs to the earth,the futureandall species.Wateruse shallbeprioritisedbasedon theneedsofcommunity).

• Waterasahumanright(fightagainsttheprivatisationofwater;itcannotbeboughtorsoldforprofit).

• Waterasapublic trust (watermustbeprotectednot for fewbut for thepublicbasedonanecosystemsapproach).

• Water itself has rights (water has value and rights outside of its usefulness forhumanbeings).

Thediscussionwhichfollowedcentredaroundadebateonwaterasprivatepropertyversuswaterasacommongood.ItwasobservedthattheprivatisationofwaterinsomecountriessuchasAustralia,hasledtowaterpollutionanddeteriorationofwatersources.

Participating laureates agreed that there is no water scarcity on a global scale. Theyacknowledged,however,thateveryecosystemhasitsowncapacityandifthatisexceeded,awatercrisiswillerupt.Laureatesagreedthatamuchbetterportrayalofwaterproblemsinthemassmedia,filmsandbooksisneeded.

TheworkshopconcludedwithlaureatesagreeingwithDr.Barlowthatwaterwasapublicgood and that privatisation should be carefully checked. They further accepted that aglobalmovementforwaterneedstobeorganisedandthatthemediahavetobeusedtospreadpublicawarenessontheissue.



2.3 Cultural Diversity and Indigenous People’s Rights

GTZ9 Cluster Event: Valued as a Premium? Determining the Importance of Biological and Cultural Diversity

LaRedouteBadGodesberg,Kurfürstenallee1,53177Bonn16September2010,10:00a.m.–3:00p.m.

BACKGROUND

Biodiversity – Culture – Development – Agents of change

Experts are recognising with increasing clarity the enormous importance of biologicaldiversityforhumanlife.Yetthefundamentalroleplayedbyfunctioningecologicalhabitatsinsafeguardingfutureprospectsforlife,andindeedsurvival,hassofarneitherpenetratedthepublicconsciousnessnorbeenincludedintheeconomicassessmentofbiodiversity.

On a global scale, non-sustainable use of natural resources is the dominant pattern,leadingtoacontinuouslossofbiologicaldiversity.Thislossofbiodiversityisinextricablylinkedwithalossofculturaldiversity,forexample,theknowledgeofthepropertiesandusesofplants,togetherwithrelatedtraditions.

Theeventcentresonthequestionofhowachangeofcoursecanbeachievedinthewayweapproachandassessbiologicaldiversityandtheimportanceweattributetoculturaldiversity.Four“AlternativeNobelPrize”laureatesdistinguishedfortheirinvolvementinsocialandecologicalmovementsandchangeprocesseswillmeetandenterintoadialoguewithexpertsfromthespheresofpolitics,internationalcooperation,academia,industry,mediaandwithcivil-societyactivists.

DISCUSSION

Thisclustereventstartedwithparticipantsbeingaskedthequestionofwhether itwasjusta coincidence that80%of theworld’sareasofhighbiologicaldiversityareat thesametimeareasofhighculturaldiversity.Participatinglaureatesopinedthatwhilstlivinginharmonywithnatureisakeyfactorthatpreventslossofbothculturalandbiologicaldiversity,thecommodificationofdiversity–inbiologicalandculturalterms–isnotapropermeanstofacecurrentglobalchallenges.

Basedonhisnearlyfortyyearsofexperiencefightingfortherightsofindigenouspeoplein thePeruvianAmazon,EvaristoNugkuagIkanan (RLA1986) said thathumankindhasreachedaturningpointandthatachangeincourse ismorethannecessary.“The

9. Deutsche gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit (german society for technical Cooperation)..



powersoftheworldleadhumankindtotheedgeofsuicide!”heexclaimed.Mr.Ikananvoicedhisdispleasurewiththecurrentlyproposedmeasurestomitigateclimatechange– such as REDD (Reducing of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) – astheyneglectindigenouspeople’srights.Despiteanemergingrecognitionoftheserights,Mr. Ikanan said thatdialoguebetween indigenouspersons andgovernments couldbefurtherimproved.InresponsetothequestionofwhyhestillattendsUNclimatechangenegotiations,Mr.Ikananwrylysaid,“Wego,learnandfight”!

Juan Pablo Orrego (RLA 1998) entered the debate by stating that he often wonders“whysomepeople live inharmonywithnatureandothersdon’tandthereforedestroyit”.Hesaidthathumankindhassomehowforgottenthatit“waspartofthebiosphere”.Mr.Orregowasoptimisticenough to suggest that,“unlikeameteorite,wecanchangecourseandavoidmajordisasters”.On thequestionof indigenouspeople,Mr.Orregohighlightedthattheyarenotlivinginabackwardwayandthatadifferentconceptionofwhatconstitutesdevelopmentneedstobeconsidered.

The discussion subsequently moved from theory to practice with Hannumunappa RSudarshan(RLA1994)givingsuccessfulexamplesofhowheandhisorganisationhaveimprovedtribaleducation,usedtraditionalknowledgesystemsandpromotedtraditionalhealth practices. His advocacy contributed to the passage of the Tribal Forest RightsAct,2006,whichwasabigstepforwardinensuringtheprotectionandmaintenanceoftraditionallivelihoodsinIndia.Mr.Ikananvoicedhisfearsonwhetherlegislationwillbeenoughtoresolvebiopiracy,givingtheexampleofknowledgebeingusedcommerciallydespiteintellectualpropertyrightsbeingconferredtocommunitiesviaagreements.Evenaslaureatestriedtoidentifywaysofeffectivelytransferringtheknow-howofsuccessfullocalinterventionsinternationally,theyofferedtoco-operatewiththeGTZtodevelopbusinessplansforsmallsocialenterprisesthatwouldbehelpfulinimprovinglocalinterventions.

German Commission for UNESCO Cluster Event: Diversity Matters! In Nature and in Society

16September2010,10:00a.m.–1:30p.m.ConferencehalloftheGermanCommissionforUNESCO,Colmantstrasse15,Bonn

This private cluster event aimed at bringing new momentum to scientific research ontheinterfaceofbiologicalandculturaldiversityanditalsoaimedataddingthespecificperspective of “resilience” and “vulnerability” to investigating this interface. A specialfocuswaslaidonculturallandscapesandcitiesinindustrialisedcountriesasopposedtothewell-establishedresearchonthenexusofboth“diversityregimes”intropicalregions,suchastheoverlapofhotspotsoflanguagediversitywithhotspotsofbiodiversity.



TheeventintendedtoconnecttheinternationaldiscoursesorganisedinthepurviewofUNESCOandUNEPwiththepracticalexperiencesofRightLivelihoodlaureates(MrStephenCorry,SurvivalInternational,UnitedKingdom;MrMattiMäkeläandMrTapioMattlar,FinnishVillageAction,Finland;andMrAndrásBiró,Hungary)aswellaswiththeresearchcarriedoutbyleadingGermanscientists,bothfromnaturalscienceandfromthehumanities.TheRightLivelihoodLaureates reportedon their specificexperienceshavingtodowithbiodiversityandculturaldiversity.

Theparticipantsoftheworkshopagreedthattheinterlinkagesofbiodiversityandculturaldiversityarenot sufficientlywellunderstoodyet. “Resilience”and“vulnerability”wereacknowledged as potentially suitable heuristic tools to elucidate these interlinkages,although the conceptual usefulness was also called into question by some. It becameclear that existing research in this field so far focuses too much on either one or theother“diversityregimes”.Successfulresearchontheinterlinkageshastouseappropriateconcepts from the very beginning. Future research should focus on specific, concretecases.Follow-upwasagreedupon.

16September2010,3:00p.m.–5:00p.m.EventhalloftheLVR-LandesMuseumBonn,Colmantstrasse14-16,Bonn

BACKGROUND

Cultural diversity – Environment – Identity – Biodiversity – Indigenous knowledge

The ensuing public event presented the work and achievements of seven Right Livelihood laureates to the general public of Bonn (open invitation to all citizens) and continued to discuss the connections between cultural diversity and biodiversity. The laureates shared their thoughts on ways to preserve not only biodiversity, but the diversity brought about by many indigenous groups whose languages, traditional knowledge and land use systems are severely being threatened.

DISCUSSION

Takingofffromthemorningdiscussions,itwasreiteratedintroductorilythatconnectionsbetweenboth“diversityregimes”donotonlyexistasregardsquestionsofmaintenanceof cultural identity in traditional and indigenous communities, but also how the twodiversitiesareinterconnectedinaglobalperspective,inindustrialsocietiesaswell.Itwasemphasised that biodiversity and cultural diversity are not only quantitative concepts.Societiesarenotculturallydiverse,ifverydifferenthumanbeingsorcommunitiesco-existside-by-side–livingtogetherrequiresstructuresenablingthedifferentpartsofsocietytomutuallybenefitfromeachotherandfromdiversity.Innatureaswell,lifeisnotdiverseifmanyspeciessimplyco-exist–biodiversityalsoreferstofunctioningecosystems.Theconceptofdiversitythuscomprisesthesustainable,positiveinteractionofseparateunits



andsustainabilityassuch.Diversityinnatureandsocietyincreasestheresilienceagainststressfactorssuchasclimatechange.

Andras Biro (RLA 1995) discussed the issues of the Roma minority community inthecontextofculturaldiversity.HerelatedhowtheRomahavefrequentlybeenforcedto change their lifestyle, occupation and cultural habits. He spoke briefly on how hein 1990 established the Hungarian Foundation for Self-Reliance to advocate for theagricultural and entrepreneurial self development of the Roma and offer incomegeneratingopportunitiestothematthelocallevel.Mr.BiroindicatedthatwhatmakeshisorganisationdifferentisthattheyneverimposeaparticularsolutionbutmerelyhelptheRomatocomeforwardandfindsolutionsfortheirownproblems.Forhim,asforalllaureatespresent,culturaldiversityreferstoanenormouslyimportantconcept:therightofgroups,communities,villagesorindividualstochoosetobedifferent.Essentially,hisorganisationprovidesanopportunityforchange,anditisuptotheRomatodecidehowtheywanttochange.Mr.BiroexplainedthathisorganisationalsoprovideszerointerestloanstotheRoma,ofwhichnearly75%issuccessfullyrepaid.

TapioMattlarandMattiMakela, representingFinnishVillageAction,describedhowlarge-scale rural depopulation occurred in Finland in the 1960s. “In 1974, FinnishVillageAction came into thepicture andbegan theprocessof rural regenerationanddecentralisationinFinnishvillages”,saidMr.Mattlar.AccordingtoMr.Makela,FinnishVillageActionhasbeensuccessfulbecauseitnotonlyguardsthelocalcommunity’sculture,traditionsandnaturalenvironment,butalsohelpsinadoptingmoderntechnologyforthebettermentof village society.Workingon theprincipleof “development from thebottomup”, itprovidesbasic facilities likehealthcare,postal and transport services tovillagestohalturbanmigration.Makingapointthatculturaldiversityandbiodiversitywereconnected,Mr.Mattlardescribedhowhehasreintroducedendangeredspeciesandnewplantstoplaceswheretheyusedtogrowtwohundredyearsago.

Mr. Stephen Corry, representing Survival International (RLA 1989) spoke brieflyabouthowSurvival Internationalworks for the rights and interestsof eightydifferent“tribal”communitiesintheworld.Throughcampaigns,educationanddisseminationofpublications,Survival Internationalhashelpednumerouscommunities to regain theirlandandsecuretheirfuture.Mr.CorrygaveanexampleofhowSurvivalInternationalhaswagedatwentyyearcampaigntosecure10millionhectaresofrainforestforacommunityinBrazil. “Tribalpeoplearedifferent fromus.Theyhavedifferent cultures, languagesandneedsbutareneverthelesshappywiththeirlives.Wedon’tforcethemtolivelikeus,but insteadprotecttheirrightstoliveastheychoose”explainedMr.Corry.Criticisingcompanies and governments for only thinking about profits and not understandingtribalpeople,Mr.CorryallegedthatevencertainNGOshavefallenpreytogovernmentinfluence.



Mohd.AzmiAbdulHamid, representingSahabatAlamMalaysiagavetheaudienceabriefhistoryof the situation in theMalaysian stateofSarawak,where thedestructionof the rainforestwith the involvementof foreign corporations reached itspeak in the1970s.Makingthelinkbetweenbiologicalandculturaldiversity,Mr.Azmisaidthat itwasonlywhentheindigenouscommunityoftheregionstartedtotakeinitiativethattherainforestmovement tohalt deforestationwas born in1978.Mr.Azmi concluded hisinterventionbyofferinga few thoughtsonhowbiologicalandculturaldiversity couldbesafeguarded.“Publicawarenessshouldbecreated,andpeopleshouldraisetheirvoiceagainstdeforestation.Thebottomupapproachiscrucial–localcommunitiesinsteadofgovernmentandNGOsshouldtaketheleadinprotectingforestbiodiversity”,hesaid.

MichaelSuccowreportedonhisexperiencesinestablishingnationalparksandbiospherereserves, togetherwithUNESCO, from1990onwards.Thenadeputyminister in theformerGermanDemocraticRepublic,hewascentral inusing thegoldenopportunityofGermanreunificationtopreservetherichnaturalheritageofthiscountryforfuturegenerations.Hecontinuedthisworkincountriesemergingfromformersocialistregimes,suchasTurkmenistan,AzerbaidjanorMongolia.Heunderlinedkeyconceptsofmodernapproachestonatureconservationthatalwaystakeintoaccounttheeconomicandsocialneedsoflocalcommunities,conservationofculturallandscapesthroughsustainableuseas well as involving communities in planning and governance. UNESCO’s biospherereserveshavebeenacentralinnovationinthisregardastheyofferahigh-levelsetofgeneralrulesofmanagementandconservationstandardswhosesubstanceiscreatedlocally.

The cluster event ended with the participating laureates and participants reachingconsensusonthefollowingpoints:

• Diversityisaconceptthatneedsbetterexplanation.Properconceptsofdiversitydonotstopatcountingdifferencesandtheyshouldavoid,atallcosts,tocreateartificial boundaries between alleged “cultures” or “races”. Diversity is aboutpositivesustainableinteractionandaboutthefreedomofchoice.Thereismuchmoreneedofbuildingappropriatepublicawarenessondiversity,bothinthefieldofinter-humanrelationsaswellasregardsnature.

• Approaches starting from the concept of diversity will not favour top-downgovernmentorbig-NGOintervention,butwill favourbottom-upapproachesaswellasdiversityininstitutionalregimes.Biodiversityconservationwithoutlocalcommunitiesisnotachievable.

TheGermanCommission forUNESCOalsopresentedon thisoccasionof thiseventtheGermanExecutiveSummaryofUNESCO’sWorldReportonCulturalDiversityof2009.


3.

Changing Course, Redefining Progress:

Towards People Centred Development

WhentheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)wereannouncedin2000,theinitiativewaslargelygreetedwithoptimismasworldleaders“convincinglyexpressedaglobaldeterminationtoendsomeofthemostchallengingand

vexing problems inherited from the twentieth century (and) conveyed the hope thatextreme poverty, disease, and environmental degradation could be alleviated with thewealth, thenewtechnologiesandtheglobalawarenesswithwhichwehadenteredthetwenty-firstcentury”(Sachs2005,211).StatesmenplacedsustainabledevelopmentattheheartoftheglobalagendabyadoptingtheMDGs,andsettingcleartargetsforreducingpoverty,hunger,disease,illiteracy,environmentaldegradation,anddiscriminationagainstwomenby2015.

Tenyearslater,itisclearthat,despitesomeprogress,mostnationswillnotbemeetingallorevensomeoftheMDGsby2015.AtaconferencepanelsessionorganisedbytheBonnInternationalConversionCenter(BICC),ReneNgongobemoanedthecontinued‘paradox of inequality’ which saw ordinary people in several developing countriesremainingpoordespitethepresenceofabundantnaturalresources inthosecountries.Hesuggestedfiveelementstobreakoutofthisparadox:

• Reinforcementofthecapacityofcivilsocietytobringtransparencyinattractinginvestmentandgoodgovernance.

• Minimisesocialimpactsofnaturalresourceexploitation.

• Bringtheabovemeasurestoreality.

• Establishanationaldebateaboutresourcedistribution.

• Createandstrengthenefficientpublicinstitutions.

Mr.Ngongo’sconcernsweresharedbymanyotherlaureatesthroughouttheconference.Despite promulgation of the MDGs and myriad global strategies, campaigns and



intervention,civilsocietyhasstruggledtomakelastinginroadsintotheendemicproblemsof poverty and hunger. At the conference, laureates called for a redefinition of whatconstituted“progress”andarethinkinglobaldevelopmentstrategy.Laureatesdemandedthatpoliticiansandcorporationsmovebeyond theerroneous idea thatenvironmentalprotection is in conflict with economic development, arguing instead that economicdevelopmentisdependentontheenvironment.Finally,laureatesemphasisedthatfuturedevelopmentstrategiesandprogrammesshouldbeasparticipatoryaspossibleinordertosucceedandprovidelong-termsolutions.

Global Policy Changes


Thisinternalworkshop,facilitatedbyRLAfounderJakobvonUexkull,focusedontheperceived conflict between economic development and the environment. Importantly,participatinglaureatesnotonlycriticisedapolitical failurebutalsoafailure of civil societytochangethedirectionofdevelopmentorprovidegenuinesolutions.

Participants agreed that rivalries, different values, goals and the lack of a commonagenda of various global civil society organizations have prevented them from unitingandworkingtogetheroncertainissues.Laureatesfeltthatthereisaneedtore-thinkcivilsociety strategies toexertpowerand influencechanges ineconomicmodels.Laureateswereoftheopinionthatthetimefordrasticchangeshascomeandstatedthattheentireeconomicmodelofdevelopmentneedstobeurgentlytransformed.Itwasthoughtthat,asmanyproblemsatthecommunitylevelareidenticalacrossjurisdictions,strategicalliancesbetweenlaureatescouldmakeanenormousimpactonsocialtransformationglobally.

The workshop concluded with participants calling for the following policies to beadvocatedandadopted:

• Shiftingofthetaxburdenfromlabourtoresources.Globalcommongoodsshouldbeplacedintrusts,withsustainableusagecapsandfeesdistributedas“commonrent”toallcitizens.

• Reductionofcorporateliabilitylimitsandgivingstrongincentivesforcorporationsto pursue goals other than maximising profits. Public corporations must bemandatedtoworkforthecommongood.Therearealreadymillionsoforganisationsearningenoughtolive,whilstpursuinggoalsotherthanmakingprofits.

• Creationofnon-inflationary“newmoney”tobeissuedonlyagainstperformance.Theconceptof“newmoney”,asproposedbytheWorldFutureCouncil,suggests



thatexistingmechanismsofInternationalMonetaryFund(IMF)SpecialDrawingRightsbeconvertedtocreatenewinterest-freemoneytofundtheglobalrenewableenergy transitionwith currentlyunusedproductive capacities.Mr. vonUexkullfeltthatintroductionofnewmoneywouldchangepowerrelationshipsand“hasahugepotential to restoreplanetaryhealth and savehuman lives sacrificedbyostensiblefundingshortages”(2010).

Participation and Collective Creativity


This internal workshop was hosted by Ponna Wignaraja, representing ParticipatoryInstituteforDevelopmentAlternatives(PIDA-RLA1982).Itsobjectivesweretofocusonparticipatorymethodologicalapproaches,shareexperiences,debateiftrueempowermentwaseconomicorpsychologicalanddiscusswaystopreventthe“microcreditoverburden”of thepoor.Mr.Wignarajabeganthesessionbystating that scientistshave twomajorchallenges: to bring peace to conflicts and to eradicate the worst manifestations ofpoverty.Thefacts,hesaid,showthatthenumberofpoorpeopleintheworldtodayisunacceptablyhighandalsoindicatedthatconflictisnotconduciveforgoodgovernanceanddemocracy.

Speakingontheissueofhunger,FrancesMooreLappéarguedthatthereismorethanenoughfoodintheworldandthatfoodscarcityhasbeenartificallycreated.Ms.Lappécalled for power to be restored to thepeople and said that the current system,wherepowerhasbeengiventoautocraticsystemsandleaders,hasledtoboththescarcityoffoodandasenseofpowerlessness.Tobreakthisviciouscycle,Ms.Lappésaidthatpeopleandcivilsocietyneedtobreakwiththecurrentlanguageusedtodescribedemocracy.“IntheUnitedStates,democracyshouldbecalled“privatelyheldpower”andnotademocracyforitscitizens”,sheremarked.Ms.Lappesuggestedseveralstrategiestobuildagrassrootsmovementtorestoredemocracyincluding:

• Movingtowards“participatorybudgets”.InsomeplacesinBrazil,thepeoplecanallocateamountsofmoneyfromthegovernment’sfundstowardshelpingsectorsthattheyconsiderneeditthemost.Thishelpsreducecorruption.

• Usingvideosasempowering tools. In India,Delhiwomenare trained invideomaking and they produce films and radio programmes about issues affectingthem.

LedumMittee,representingMovementoftheSurvivaloftheOgoniPeople(RLA1994)agreedwithMs.Lappeonthelackofpeople’sempowermentandsaidthatpowerinhis



country (Nigeria) is seenas something reserved forakingor leader.Mr.Mittee spokeabouttheproblemsof“oilwithoutdemocracy”andsaidthatthissituationoftenleadstomoneybeinglimitedtoafewpersonswhothenbecomedependentontheoiltokeeptheirpower.

Mr.Mitteedescribedtheactivitiesofhisorganisation,whichworkswithdisadvantagedgroupsinsidethevillages,includingwomenandyouthtobreakcorruptionpatterns.Bylocating the struggle against corruption in the language of the people, his movementhasbeenabletospreadawarenessandunderstandingontheissuesofoilpollutionandempowerthemtoinfluenceachangeincourse.“Socialmovementshavedevelopedavoice;however,therearestillchallengestoourwork.Peopleareneededtocreatedemocracy”,heconcluded.

“Solvingthefundamentalquestionofwhoownsthelandisrelevantinpovertyeradication.Thiswillhelpindeterminingthestructureofpower.Thepeople,andnotthegovernment,have to own the land”, argued Swami Agnivesh (RLA 2004). He also called for theeradicationofpovertytobeseenfromaspiritualstandpoint.

Ontheissueofmicrocredit,“wecanonlyhelpthepoorthroughdialoguewheretheyareprovidedwithloans,notgrants,forthemtotaketheirowndecisions”remarkedAndrásBiró.However,DipalBarua,representingGrameenShakti(RLA2007’)warnedthatthepoorsometimestakeoutmorethanonemicrocredit loanfromdifferentNGOswhichthenbecomeaburdenforthemtoservice.

Attheendoftheworkshop,thelaureatespresentagreedonthefollowingpointstomoveforward:

• ThattheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundationshouldencourage“CrossCuttingCommonProjects”bylaureates.

• Thatthepoorcannotalwayssolvetheirproblemsindividually.Theremaybetheneed for a trusted and trained external facilitator to first assist the group andthenstepbacktoallowtheinternalfacilitatortosustainthegroup.Theexternalfacilitatorcouldsubsequentlyassist inareaswhere thegroup lackscapacity,e.g.Administrationandaccounting.

• That laureates consider how their work can be of benefit to neighbouringcountries.

• ThattheRightLivelihoodCollegeencouragesyoungscientiststoconductresearchthattouchuponorimprovetheworkofacollectionoflaureates.



German Development Institute (DIE) Cluster Event: Changing Course – Towards a Sustainable World Economy

DIE,Tulpenfeld6,53113Bonn16September2010,10:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.

BACKGROUND

Global economic governance – Globalisation – Development – Sustainability – Growth – Co-operation

Thiscluster-eventwillbringtogetherRightLivelihoodAwardlaureateswithexpertsoftheGermanDevelopmentInstitutetodiscussissuesofglobalisation,sustainableeconomicdevelopmentandglobaleconomicgovernancewiththeaimtoidentifypossiblepathwaystowardsasustainableworldeconomy.

Thefollowingquestionswillberaised:

• Bottom up or top down: how to ensure a transition to a sustainable worldeconomy.

• Thefutureofglobaleconomicgovernance.

• Nationalstrategiesforsustainabledevelopmentandtheworldeconomy.

• South-southcooperation–newperspectivesforsustainabledevelopment.

• Thecontributionofsocialentrepreneurstoasustainableworldeconomy.

DISCUSSION

Atthefirstpanel,titledDe-Globalisation: The Way Forward,participatinglaureatesdiscussed the different attitudes and perceptions of what constitutes growth anddevelopment, focusing on sustainable and alternative means towards economicdevelopment.Laureatesonthepanel,includingTonyClarke,ManfredMax-Neef(RLA1983)andAliceTepperMarlin(RLA1990)agreedthatthecurrentglobalfinancialcrisisis theclearest indicationthatexistingeconomicmodelshavefailedandcalledfornewmodelsofdevelopmenteconomicsthatencompassecologicalandenvironmentalissuesaswellasculturaleconomics.



Laureatesonthepanelexpressedconcernaboutthe“tripleEs”whichareatthecoreoftheglobalcrisis:

• Economy–thecurrentfinancialmeltdownanditsimpact.

• Environment–climatechange,greenhousegasemissions– theseproblemsarenotgoingaway.

• Energy–theloomingendofconventionalfossilfuelextractionandtheneedforunconventionalfuelextraction.

Laureates stated that the global financial crisis is a result of free movement of capitaltravelling around the world with less government regulation and the rise of “globaleconomicgovernance”ledbytheIMF,G-20andWorldBank,allofwhichlackpoliticallegitimacy.

Following the first panel, Helmy Abouleish of the SEKEM group gave a keynoteaddressentitledSocial Entrepreneurship – A New Business Model for Corporations.Explaininghowtheprevailingmodelofeconomicproductionhasfailedtoaddresstheissues of population growth, education, water, biodiversity loss, climate change, foodsecurity,povertyandhealth,Mr.AbouleishsuggestedthattheSEKEMmodelofsocialentrepreneurshipcanbelookedintoasanalternativemodelfordevelopment.Accordingto Mr. Abouleish, SEKEM has been incredibly successful in promoting all sorts ofagribusinessthatgrowproductswhichmanybelievednevercouldgrowinEgypt.

FollowingMr.Abouleish’saddress,theclustereventsplitintoseveralworkinggroups.AgroupentitledCivil Society – Shaping Globalisationdebatedtherelationshipsbetweenthestate,marketandcivilsociety.NicanorPerlas(RLA2003)highlightedtheneedforcivilsocietyorganisationstogainlegitimacywithinthecommunities/societywhichtheysetouttoserve.Hecalledformorecapacitybuildingforactivistsandtrainingsthatwouldincreasetheircriticalanalysisskills,makethemmoreawareofparticipatorymethodologiesandhelpthembemoreculturallysensitiveintheirwork.

AnotherworkinggroupdiscussedThe Challenge of Corporate Social Responsibility. Ms.TepperMarlindiscussed issuesofhowbigcompaniescouldpromoteprogrammesorinitiativesthatcreateawin-winsolutionandnetworkwithNGOsandgovernmentinorderto improvethecommunity.Shestatedthatformostcompanies, therehadtobeaneconomicargumentwhyacorporationshouldnotspendmoneyonanadvertisementinstead of investing it on corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. She alsointroduced participants to the SA8000 standard for certification of CSR activities,remarkingthatBrazil,IndiaandItalyhavedonethemosttousethesestandards.Amixtureofgovernmentinitiativesandincentivesandabigcompanytakingtheleadandactingas



a“nationalchampion”ofthecause,hasledtoimpressiveresultsinthesecountries,Ms.Marlinexplained.

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Global Policy Forum Europe Cluster Event: Global Civil Society, Democracy and Global Governance

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung,GodesbergerAllee149,53175Bonn16September2010,11:00a.m.–3:00p.m.

BACKGROUND

Civil society – Global governance – Campaigning – Social change

Atthebeginningofthemillennium,criticaldebateaboutglobalisationgavebirthtotheWorldSocialForum(WSF).WiththecaseoftheWSFinmind,theWorkshopaimstobringtogetherexpertsfromacademia,politics,civilsocietyandsocialleadersaroundtheworldtodiscusswaysinwhichglobalcivilsocietycouldgaininfluenceinpublicpolicyandplayamajorroleinimplementingalternativepolicies.

Howcanglobalcivilsocietybuildanenduringspaceinsupportofsocialchangeandasocialdimensionofglobalisation?

Howcan“spacesforreflection”, liketheWordSocialForahelptotranslateideas intopublicpolicy?

How can civil society gain influence in international decision-making at state andinternational institution levels? Are concrete outcomes best reached by single-issueadvocacynetworks?

HowcanabridgebebuiltbetweenthediscoursesofPortoAlegreandglobalpolicymakinginWashington(IMFandWorldBank)andNewYork(UN)?

DISCUSSION

This cluster eventwasheldwith the twinobjectivesof facilitatinga criticaldiscussionregarding the role of civil society in tacklingurgentproblems and strategisingways toincreasecivilsociety’seffectivenessinaddressingthoseproblems.

Prof.JanAartScholteopenedtheworkshopbyatheoreticalintroductiononthetopicGlobal Governance and Civil Society. Prof. Scholte began by arguing that nationalgovernmentsarevictimsoftheirownsuccessstoriesastheinterconnectedprocessesthatresultfromglobalisationleadtocatastrophessuchasthefinancialcrises.Hestatedthat



thecriticalchallengethatcivilsocietyfacestodayrelatestotheirroleincontributingandinfluencingtheglobalgovernanceprocess.Prof.Scholtepointedoutthatoneshouldbecognizantoftherealitythatglobalgovernancenotonlyincludesgovernmentalnetworksbutalsotheprivategovernancethattakesplacethroughcivilsocietyactorsandprivatenetworks.

Prof.Scholtefurtherarguedthatcurrentglobalgovernanceisnotdemocraticandwentsofarastosuggestthatitisimpossibletodemocratisetheprocessofgovernanceattheglobal level.Whileacknowledgingthatcivil societyhadmadesignificantcontributionstowards thedemocratisationprocess, especially in termsof acting as a “watchdog”,heunderlinedthepointthattheseachievementswereverymodest.Heexplainedthatcivilsocietysufferedfromthetendencytoservesomegroupsmorethanothersandalsobecauseitoftenadoptsthesamehierarchythatalreadyexistswithinsocietywhichmakescertaingroupsdominant.

In addition, Prof. Scholte stressed the following limitations which constrain thedemocratisationofglobalgovernance:(a)aninabilitytoincludethosewhoaretraditionallynotparticipatingintheprocessand(b)adifficultyingainingmoreinfluenceforthosewho do not have the influence. He nevertheless agreed that the World Social Forum(WSF)canbeagoodforumforthosewhowanttoreinforcetheirpassions,visionsandideas.

FranciscoWhitaker sharedhis experience lookingbackon10 yearsofWSFs as spacefor civil society to coordinate actions and articulate shared visions for change towardglobalsocialjustice.Withregardtourgentproblemstoday,hediscussedtheproblemofglobalwarmingandcriticisedthewayitishandledashefeltithadbecomeyetanotherwayofmakingmoney for corporations.Further,hecriticised the traditional approachof civil society for not engaging in the political process and not entering politics. Dr.Whitaker’svisionwasforcivilsocietytotransformitselfintoanactivepoliticalactorthatcould influence thedecision-makingprocessandputgovernmentsunderpressure.Heclaimedthatitisanenormouschallengeforcivilsociety,adiversegroupofactorswithdiverseknowledge,tocometogether.Dr.Whitakeradvocatedthatcivilsocietyshouldbeconsensusoriented,horizontallystructuredandabsentofhierarchies.

AnwarFazal(RLA1982andDirector,RightLivelihoodCollege)arguedthatthestruggleofcivilsocietyforchangeisalongstruggleandintergenerational.Hementioned“sevenchakras” that could help increase the effectiveness of civil society in addressing theproblemsitfaces:

• Understandingandengagingpowerandpolitics.

• Multiplyingleadership,creatingleadersandnotjustfollowers.



• Flatandopenorganisations:thinkingeverywheretomakesureeveryoneisgivenspace.

• Creativeideasandtoolsforthinkingofconcreteactionandrememberingthedaysofaction.

• Thinkingstructurally,notjustexpressingsymptoms.

• Thinkinglongterm–waysofkeepinguptheenergyevenafterasuccess.

• Establishingamechanismtocontinuetheprogressmade.

Marcos Arana, representing the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)(RLA1998)observedthat,inhisexperiencewiththebreastfeedingmovement,theWHOandUNICEFrespondedbycreatingandadoptingan internationalbreastfeedingcodeonlyasaresultofpublicprotestsledbycivilsociety.

“Hungerintheworldisnotduetoascarcityoffoodbutascarcityofdemocracy.Democracyistherightofpeopletohaveavoiceandifpeoplehaveavoice,hungerwouldnotexist.Therefore,countrieswhichsufferfromhungerlackdemocracy”,arguedFrancesMooreLappé. Ms. Lappé further elaborated that government, free markets and civil societyare the threepillarsofdemocracyandcivil society is thekeeperofvalues.Shefurtherunderlinedtheneedforallpeopletounderstandconceptssuchasthefreedomofspeechandwhatconstitutesafreemarket,andwarnedoftheprivatesector’spowerovertakingthestatepower.

JürgenStetten,oftheFriedrichEbertStiftung(FES),sharedhisexperienceasformerNewYorkdirectorworkingwithcivil societyorganisationsonUNdebates.HearguedthatmanycivilsocietygroupshavechosentoprotestagainsttheWTOandtheBretton-WoodsInstitutionsandhenceunder-utilisedtheUNwithregardtolobbyingtheirissues.Mr. Stetten concluded the cluster event by suggesting that civil society can overcomechallengesfacingitbyundertakingthefollowingactivities:

• Addressing symmetries that address the link between power and civil societygroups.

• Engagemorestronglywithparliaments.

• “Lobby” international organisations via the “capitals”, i.e. the member states’governments and engage the governments of “rising powers” on global policyissues.


4.

Building Peace, Strengthening Justice

and Advancing Human Rights

Thepreambleof theCharterof theUnitedNationsbeginswith two importantobservations: that the UN was created “to save succeeding generations fromthe scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to

mankind,andtoreaffirmfaithinfundamentalhumanrights,inthedignityandworthofthehumanperson…”.ThetragedytodayisnotonlythatinternationalhumanitarianlawandfundamentalhumanrightshavebeenrepeatedlyviolatedinthemostegregiousmannerfromCambodiatoRwandaandfromBosniatoPalestine,butthatboththeUNandtheinternationalcommunityhavebeenlargelyineffectiveinpreventingwar.War,adailyrealityformanyintheworld,continuestobring“untoldsorrow”manytimesovertomankind.Despiterepeatedpledgesthattheworldwould“neveragain”allowgenocidetooccuraftertheHolocaust,theinternationalcommunityfailedtostopthemurderofcloseto800,000TutsisinRwandain1994(Gourevitch1996,166)andcontinuestobeunabletobringanendtotheviolenceandkillingsinDarfur.

Amidstthedinofself-congratulatoryproclamationsofthecontinuingadvancementofscienceandhumancivilisation, therehavealsobeenalarming“advances” inweapons,technology and techniques used to increase human suffering. The most vulnerablemembersofsociety–theelderly,womenandchildren–areoftenthevictimsofthese‘advances’.AsIngeGenefke(RLA1998)observeswithrespecttotorture,“thedepthstowhichatorturerwillgocannolongersurpriseme.Thereisnolimit.Sexualatrocities,psychologicalhorror”(Larsen2010,20).Furthermore,thecontinueddevelopmentandproliferation of nuclear weapons has led to humanity having to live uneasily with “apossibilityoftheirlifesnuffedoutinaninstant,ortheirhealthdestroyed,alongwithalltheycherish,inawartowhichtheirnationmaynotevenbeaparty”(Weeramantry1996,470).

At the conference, laureates came together to share experiences on their successfulcampaignsforpeace,justiceandthepromotionandprotectionofhumanrights.Theirexperiencesrevealedthat it ispossibletomovefromviolencetopeace, fromhatredtoreconciliation,andthat international lawcanhavea tangible impactagainst impunity.Laureatesdiscussedstrategiestoensurethatvictimsofhumanrightsabusesgainreparations



anddebated the roleof themedia inpromotionofhuman rights.They revisited andquestionedwhetherexistingeffortstowardsnucleardisarmamentweregoingintherightdirection.Finally,theystrategisedonwaystobringmorewomenintopeacenegotiationsandresolvedsomeofthemostintractableissues,includingthePalestinianquestion.

Historyhasshownthatstatesoftenlackcourageousleaderswillingtoinvesttheirpoliticalcapital in thedefenseofhumanrights.At theconference inBonn,however, laureatesmadeitclearthatwecannotaffordtowaitforstatestotakeaction.Laureateshaveshownhow civil society and individuals can actively contribute to building a peacebasedonjusticeandreconciliation,andeffectivelyadvocateandcampaignagainsthumanrightsviolationsandillegalwars.AsformerUNSecretaryGeneralKofiAnnanobservedwithregardstohumanrightsviolationsandactsofaggression,only“ifstatesbentoncriminalbehaviourknowthatfrontiersarenottheabsolutedefense…willtheynotembarkonsuchacourseofactioninexpectationofsovereignimmunity”(Franck2001,194).



4.1 Towards a Nuclear Weapons Free World

Bonn International Conversion Center (BICC) Cluster Event: Peace on Earth – Initiatives for Disarmament, Non Violence and Dialogue

UniClubBonn,Konviktstr.9,53113Bonn16September2010,10:00a.m.-5pm

BACKGOUND

Peace – Conflict healing – Disarmament – Human rights

Theaimofthisclustereventistheimplementationofdialogueandnetworkingbetweeninternationalandnationalpeaceandconflictresearchers,ontheonehand,andlaureatesoftheRightLivelihoodAward,ontheotherhand,inordertofindabasisforcommonactivitiesinthefuture.

Paneldiscussionsfocusedonthefollowingtopics:

• Nuclearnon-proliferation:onthewaytoglobalzero–wherearewenow?

• Ethnicconflicts–solutionsfromtheoryandpracticalexperience.

• Victimsofwar–achallengeforpeaceandconflictresolution.

• Resourcesforafairerworld.

DISCUSSION

Neshan Gunasekara, representing Christopher Weeramantry (RLA 2007), made aspeechatthefirstpanelofthisclustereventwhereheindicatedthattheuseofnuclearweaponsviolateeveryprincipleofinternationallawincludingtheGenevaConventions,Environmental Law and the Laws of War. Arguing that their use is a crime againsthumanity,Mr.Gunasekaraaffirmed that the illegalityofnuclearweapons“isamatterbeyondallsensibleargument”.Heelaboratedonthenuclearweapons’impactonthepast(allthathumanityhasevercreated),thepresentandfuturegenerations.Subsequently,hestronglyrefutedtheargumentthattheweaponscouldbeusedbasedona“doctrineofnecessity”andexplainedthateffortsareunderwaywithinternationallawyersattemptingtotakethequestionofthelegalityoftheuseofnuclearweaponsinany circumstancebacktotheInternationalCourtofJustice.HehopedthattheCourtwouldissueanewopiniontoclarifytheissueonceandforall.



4.2 Women’s Rights in War and Peace

Women’s War


Facilitated by Christina Hagner, representing Kvinna till Kvinna (RLA 2002), thissessionsawadiscussionontheissuesofviolenceandsexualabuseagainstwomen,aswellaconsiderationofthemeanstoenablevictimstogetbacktotheirnormallives.Workshopparticipantsconsideredwaystoidentifyperpetratorsofcrimesagainstwomenandbringthemtojustice,improvetheself-organizationofwomentovoicetheseissuesandincreasewomen’srepresentationinpeacenegotiations.

Ms.HagnerbegantheworkshopbyintroducingKvinnatillKvinna(KtK)asaSwedishorganisationfoundedin1993withtheaimofempoweringandpromotingwomen’sself-reliance and self-esteem. “Our work focuses on creating meeting places for women todiscussproblemsandfindsolutions”,sheexplained.

Subsequently,thefacilitatorpresentedthedocumentaryWomen’s Warwhichtellsthestoryof sexual violence in conflict areas – Bosnia and the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).Thefilmdisplayedtheuniqueexchangeofexperiencesandknowledgebetweenwomen’sorganisationsintheBalkansandtheDRC.WomenfromBosniasharedtheirthoughtswithCongolesewomenwhoarecurrentlyaffectedbysexualabuseandviolence.Possiblewaystocopewiththetraumaticexperienceswerecontrasted.

Afterthedocumentarywasshown,participantswereaskedtoexpresstheirimpressionsinsmallgroups.Intheplenarysessionwhichfollowed,JoannaForbes(daughterofPatrickvanRensburg,RLA1981)praisedtheexchangeinitiative.Sheemphasisedthat“sharingisgood”.Ms.Hagnerpointedoutthat“therearesofewresponsiblepeoplethathavebeenconvictedforthesecrimesagainstwomen”.CathyEpstein(wifeofSamuelEpstein,RLA1998)statedthat“womenareusuallyleftoutofthetableinpeaceagreements”.ThispointwasaffirmedbyMs.Hagnerwhotoldparticipantsthatonly7%ofpeacenegotiatorsarewomen. Ruth Manorama (RLA 2006) argued that “violence against women happenseverywhere”andprovidedexamplesfromIndiawheremanywomenbelongingtotheDalitcommunityacrossthecountryhadbeensubjecttoviolenceandatrocitiesatpeacetime.

“When women are organised and voice their concerns, things can change”, said Ms.Hagner.SamuelEpsteinsuggestedthatanominationfortheNobelPeacePrizewouldbehelpfultomakepeoplemoreawareoftheissueofsexualviolenceinconflicts.Dr.Epsteinalsoprovidedtheideaofusingmoviesasameansofraisingawarenessandpromotingsolutions.



Participantsconcludedfromtheworkshopthatfourmainapproachesneededtobetakentoaddresstheproblem:

• Exchangingviewsamongvictims:Theparticipantsagreedthatsharingexperiencesisimportant.Bysharing,victimscanexchangeviewsandexperiencesonhowtodealwithindividualsituations.Inaddition,theycanlendsupporttoeachother.InstitutionssuchasKtKactasfacilitatorsforthisprocess.

• Identifyingperpetratorsandbringingthemtojustice:Inordertohelpthevictimstogetbacktotheirnormallives,participantsfeltthatitwasimportanttotakesuitableactionagainsttheperpetrators(identificationandpunishment).Sofar,onlyafewofthoseresponsiblehavebeenconvicted.

• Self-organisation of women to voice the issue: Participants emphasised that self-organisationofwomenisthebestwaytoensurewomen’ssecurity.Theyexpressedabeliefthatthisiskeyto“changingthings”.

• Increasingwomen’srepresentationinpeacenegotiations:Participantsaffirmedthatwomenarecurrentlyunderrepresentedinpeacenegotiations.Theyhighlightedthatinsomecases,women,arethefirsttostartpeacetalksafterceasefires.Assuch,participantsconsideredwomenaskeypeaceactorsandencouragedtheirempowerment.

Inherconcludingremarks,Ms.HagnersaidthatintheUNresolutiononwomen,peaceand security (S/RES/1325), the international community acknowledged that sexualviolence against women in conflicts is an important issue. “However, resolutions andacknowledgementsalonearenotsufficient.Thenumbersofvictimsofsuchcrimeshavebeenmassive.InBosnia,thenumberofvictimsisestimatedat20,000-25,000;inCongoaround500,000sincethewarin1996–andstillcounting”,sheexplained.Participantsagreed that further actions need to be taken and that there should be no room forpessimism.

Medica Mondiale, IFZ (International Women’s Centre Bonn) and German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Cluster Event: Changing Course – With Women into the Future

Room`K1´atWissenschaftszentrumBonn,Ahrstraße45,53175Bonn-BadGodesberg.16September2010,2:00p.m.–6:00p.m.

BACKGROUND

Women rights – Conflict healing – Peace – Health – Security – Civil society



Despite constitutionally acknowledged equality before the law and despite several UNresolutions,weare still far fromhaving reached true equality, effectiveprotectionandrealparticipation.Infact,wehavetorecognisethatpolitics,mediaandsocietaldecision-makersfailtoadequatelyacknowledgetheachievementsofwomenactivistsinthefieldsofsecurity,conflictprevention,rebuildingsociety,economyandtheimplementationofconventions on human rights – achievements, which are proven to have led to moreequalityandsocialjusticeandtolesspoverty.

Duringrecentwarssexualisedviolenceagainstwomenwascommonandhastraumatisedwhole generations. Women suffer from discrimination and gender-based stereotypes,fromdestructionanddirectviolence.Femaleimmigrantsorillegallyworkinglabourersareexposedtopersecutionandharassmenteverywhere.Sexualisedviolenceandbadhealthcareforwomenleadtoseverehandicapsandsocialisolation.

“Changingcourse–withwomentowardsthefuture”:Underthisleitmotif,thisclustereventaimstomirrorthediversityoffemaleinitiativesforpeaceandtoemphasisethefactthattherewillbenopeaceintheworldwithoutpeacebetweenthegenders.

DISCUSSION

Theobjectivesofthisclustereventwereasfollows:

• Raiseawarenessforwomen’sself-organisation,self-helpandsolidarityinareasasdiverse as support of survivors of sexual violence in post-conflict societies andsocialandeconomicmarginalisation.

• Sharetheachievements,commitment,energyandconfidenceamongstwomen’sorganisations.

• Connect the work of the RLA laureates to women’s issues on the agenda inGermany.

• Stressthatwomenarestillwidelymarginalisedandthatwomen’s issuesarenottreatedwithadequateintensityatthenationalandinternationallevel.

• Stresstheneed/chancetodisplaywomen’scapacitiesinordertomakeachangetowardsmoresuccessfulpeacenegotiations,andsocialcooperationingeneral.

• Addresscurrentlypressingconcernsforwomen.



Participantsstressedthecapacitiesofwomen(theabilitytolisten,patienceandempathy)which canbeused inpolitical, economic and social contexts and their endeavours tofight against marginalisation, victimisation and exclusion of women. Ruth Manoramadescribedherworkasastrugglefor“dignity,equityandjustice”.Allparticipantsagreedthatwomenarebeingmarginalisedandaresufferingfromsexualviolence,andexperienceextradifficultystrugglingforsocialandeconomicself-organisation.Participantsdescribedhowtheself-organisationofwomen,focusingonthetwoareasofsupportforsurvivorsofviolentconflicts(rangingfrommedical,psychologicaltreatmenttopoliticaldemandsforrights)andofsecuringlivelihoods,contributestoa“changingcourse”.

Participating laureates examined the case of peace negotiations at the internationallevel, particularly the cases of Bosnia, the Democratic Republic Republic of Congoand Afghanistan and noted that women were grossly underrepresented at these peacenegotiationsnotwithstandingthefactthattheynotonlyconstitutedmorethanhalfofthesurvivingpopulationbutalsousuallysufferedthemostdueconflictrelatedatrocities.LaureatesMonikaHauser(RLA2008),VesnaTerselic(RLA1998)andChristinaHagnerofKvinnatillKvinnacriticisedtheunwillingnessofinternationalactorstopressfortheincorporation of women into peace negotiations and accept women’s organizationsdemandstosetuptruthcommissions.Participantsemphasizedthatthedifferencebetweensupportingandpoliticizingthesufferingofwomenisathinbutimportantlinetowalk.

Inaddressingthepowerofself-organisationandcreationoflivelihoodsforwomen,RuthManorama and Namrata Bali, representing the Self-Employed Women’s Associationshared their experiences from India, detailed how the improvement of the economicsituation of women serves as a facilitator for an increased power share in social andpoliticaltermsforwomen.Ms.BaliandDr.Manoramaavowedthatwomenwhocreatea voice for themselves by organising themselves and making a living are often able toovercomestructuralbarriersofclass,genderandcaste.

Atthecloseoftheevent,theissueofhowwomenactivistsrelatetomenwasdiscussed,with participants wondering why virtually no men were present at the cluster event.Althoughnodefinitiveanswerswerearrivedat,thereseemedtobeaconsensusthatmoredialogueneedstotakeplace,withrecognitionoftheneedtochangerequiredfromthemen’sside.

Participantscriticisedthelackofeffortsofstateactorstogivewomen’sissuestheirdueattention.JanoschPrinz,rapporteuringtheevent,observedthattheenergeticinteractionbetweenthepanelistsandtheaudienceunderlinedthesalienceofthetopicsdiscussedandthelaureates’commitmenttotheseissues.



Center for Development Research (ZEF) Event: Conflict, Social Justice and Gender

CenterforDevelopmentResearch(ZEF),Walter-Flex-Str.3.D-53113Bonn17September2010,9:00a.m.–5:00p.m.

Atthisworkshop,participantsweretreatedtoinspiringpresentationsbyDekhaIbrahimAbdi(RLA2007)andRuthManorama,whopresentedtheirworkandthechallengesthattheyarecurrentlyfacing.

Ms.AbdibegantheworkshopbygivingashortintroductionofKenya’sconflicts,inordertoclarifythecontextofherwork.Onherpeacebuildingwork,Ms.Abdisaid“itstartedintheprivatesphere,mostlyfocusingonwomen.Attheverybeginning,itwasimportanttoconvincewomenthattheyarealsopartoftheproblemandthattheyshouldnotseethemselvesasvictimsofthesystem.Womenshouldworktogetherwithmentobringandconstructthepeace”.

Later,Ms.Abdiexplainedhowshetriedtocreateabroadermovementforpeace,bringinginthewholecommunity.Sherevealedhowitwasimportantforhernottobeintimidatedinherquest forpeace, arguing that itwas“not (about) fearing,butchangingpeople”.“I am not against my government; I am doing something for my community, for mycountry”,sheaffirmed,whilstadmittingthatsomegroupsaremoredifficulttochange,suchaspoliticians,whohaveveryshort-termgoals.

Ms.AbdicreditedregimechangeinKenyaforopeningthewindowofopportunityforpeace.Yet,sheemphasisedthatshehad,beforethat,managedtorootherideasofpeaceinhercommunity,throughalotofpatienceandmotivation.

Touchingonhersuccessfuluseofalternativedisputeresolutionmechanisms,Ms.Abdiexplained how sheworked successfully withmediators to settlemany conflicts on theborderwithKenya,SomaliaandEthiopia.“Themediatorsdealwithmanyissues,fromwatertomarketbasedones,inordertoensuresecurityinthisregion.SupportedbytheMinistryofDevelopment,thesemediatorsarepresentedasanalternativeformalpowerstructures,butincludedinthedecisionprocess”,sheadded.

Ms.Abdidescribedhow,withthedevelopmentofherwork,sheestablishedacentretospreadandinstitutionaliseherpeaceideas.WithCEPAR(CenterforPeaceandAppliedResearch),heraimistoprovideeducationformanydifferentpeople,linkingpeacewithotherrelatedissues.Nevertheless,shementionedthatshestillfacesmanychallengestoinstitutionaliseheractivistknowledgeatapeaceuniversityandtransferallherpracticalknowledgeinpeacebuildingtotheory.



Ms.Abdiinitiatedadiscussiononhowshecouldmobilisesupportandbuildheruniversity.Participantsidentifiedlegal,practicalandphysicalissuesandalsodiscussedquestionsofhumanresources.TheystressedthatitwasanecessitytomovestepbystepandsuggestedthatCEPARpartnerwithestablisheduniversities and institutions suchas theDAAD,GTZ,RightLivelihoodCollege,UnitedNations,UniversitiSainsMalaysia,AddisAbabaUniversityor theAfricanUnion.Finally, participants suggested thatMs.Abdi shouldseekinternationalsupportfortheprojectthroughthemediaandsocialnetworks.

Asanimmediateoutcomeoftheworkshop,UniversitiSainsMalaysiaandtheUniversityofAddisAbabarepresentativesbothcommittedthemselvestocollaborateandassistwithMs.Abdi’sworkwhereverpossible.

RuthManoramabeganherpresentationbygivingabriefintroductiontoparticipantsonthesocialstratificationthatthecastesystemhascreatedinIndiansociety.Sheexplainedthatpersonsaredividedbybirthintothesesocialpositions,withnochanceofchange.Even though there aremany affirmative actionpolicies designed tobreak down thesedivisions, Dr. Manorama argued that discriminatory practices remain common as theenforcementoftheselawsisverypoor.

Dr.ManoramaelaboratedthatherworkfocusesonviolenceagainstDalitwomen.“Thediscriminationbetweencastesneedstobeaddressed.ItisanissuenotonlyinIndia,butalsoinSriLanka,BangladeshandmanyAfricancountries”,shestated.Dr.ManoramaalsomentionedthattheUnitedNationshasalreadydraftedadocumentofprinciplesandguidelinesfortheeliminationofdiscriminationonthebasisofcaste.However,shesaidthattheIndianGovernmentisblockingitsadoption.

Openingthefloorfordiscussion,Dr.Manoramacalledonparticipantstoprovidestrategiestoovercomecastediscrimination.Participants suggested intensiveeducationof judges,dialogueandmediationprocessesbetweentheuppercastesandtheDalitsandtheuseofinternationaljournalstoexposetheissue.Dr.Manoramacalledfora‘deseducation’ofthepresenteducationalcurriculuminIndia,whichshefeltmerelyreaffirmedtheexistingsocialstructure.SheconcludedbyremindingparticipantsthatDalitscouldnotsucceedinendingcastebaseddiscriminationwithoutthesupportofeveryone.Participantsechoedthisviewpointbyendorsingtheconceptof“unityindiversity”.



4.3 Justice, Reparations and Reconciliation for Victims of War and Torture

Palestine and Israel


Facilitated by Felicia Langer (RLA 1990), participants at this workshop discussedpossibilities forpeace in theMiddleEast and focusedon identifyingways tomobilizeinternationalpublicopinionandputpressureonIsraeltoenditsviolationsofinternationallaw.AbdulhadiAlijaandDavidMeurers,whorapporteuredtheeventmadethefollowingobservationsontheproceedingsofthisworkshop:

TheMiddleEastconflicthasbeenofconcerntotheworldformanyyearsandwe

are still far from solving it. Instead of waiting for governments and responsible

officialstofindawayout,participantsoftheRightLivelihoodAwardAnniversary

Conferencedecidedtogetinvolvedthemselves.HereinBonn,theycametogether

and–afterremindingthemselvesofthemostimportantmilestonesinthehistory

oftheMiddleEasternconflict–discussedunconventionalconceptsoftakingthe

peaceprocessforwardusingthecredibilityoftheRightLivelihoodAwardees.

Ms.LangergaveabriefoverviewoftheIsraelioccupationoftheWestBankandGazaStrip, which she alleged is “accompanied with countless crimes such as deportationsandevictions”.Sherecountedhow,asanimmigranttoIsraelin1950,shewitnessedtheterriblesituationofthePalestiniansthere.This,shesaid,hadagreatimpactonherlife.

“Untiltoday,theWestBankandtheGazaStriparecolonisedandhousesaredemolished.Israeli checkpointsdivide the landandmake life in theWestBankunbearable. Israelmaintainsawallthatdisrespectsbordersbothsidesformerlyagreedon.Gazaisthebiggestopenairprisonontheworld.In2008-09,IsraelbombedGazafor22daysandcausedthedeathof960civilians”,explainedMs.Langer.Nevertheless,sheemphasisedthattherecenteffortsofcivilsociety,suchasthe“GazaFreedomFlotilla”inMay,havebroughtinternationalattentiontothesituationintheGazaStrip.Ms.Langersaidthat,asaresultoftheflotillaandtheIsraeliarmedforces’brutalresponse,theGermanBundestagvotedunanimouslyagainsttheblockade,whichwasaremarkableoccurrence.

Mohd. Azmi Abdul Hamid, representing Sahabat Alam Malaysia, affirmed that civicactivismisnecessarytoacceleratetheprocessoffindingasolutiontotheIsraeli-Palestinianconflict.“Peoplearereadytobeengaged,butjustdon’tknowwhattheycando.SoItellthemwhichproducts toboycottandwhat isworthprotestingagainst.The feedback isoverwhelming”,hesaid.Mr.AzmialsodescribedhowhehadrecentlyconvincedfortyfouractiviststovisitGaza,wheretheybothmetwithlocalNGOsandwitnessedthedestruction



oftheGazawar.“Throughactivism,wecanattracttheattentionofourgovernmentandmakeitmoredifficultforthemtoignorethisissue”,concludedMr.Azmi.

Inherclosingremarks,Ms.Langerobservedthatapre-requisiteforadurablepeacewasunitybetweenFatahandHamas,andcalledfortheArabworldtointensifyitseffortstoencouragebothsidestoreconcile.AbdulhadiAlija,oneoftherapporteurswhohappenedtobefromPalestine,concurredwithMs.Langerandarguedthatnationalreconciliationbetweenthetwofactionsshouldbethetoppriority.Mr.AzmisaidthathewouldbeveryhappytoinvolveotherlaureatesinhisfuturePalestinianprojects,includingapeacemarchtoGazathatheisplanninginDecember.Thismarch,heexplained,wouldinvolvemanyNGOsapproachingtheGazabarrierfromdifferentsidestokeepthePalestinianissueinthemindsofthepeople.“Alllaureatesareinvitedtoparticipateandhelpthisprojecttosucceed”,concludedMr.Azmi.

Conflict Transformation in General and Afghanistan in Particular


Facilitatedby JohanGaltung (RLA1987), this session focusedon conflict resolution,specificallyfocusingonthecaseofAfghanistan.Prof.Galtungindicatedtoparticipantshowtocomprehendaconflictandmovetowardsresolvingitbyusingathreestepprocessdescribedasfollows:

• Mapping the conflict, where a sorting map is used to examine different actors’perceptionsabouttheidealstate,thepresentstate,thestatethatscaresthemthemostandapointinhistorytheywouldwanttoreturnto.

• Looking at the legitimacy of the goals and means of the parties involved in theconflict.

• Transcendingtheconflictusinglegitimategoalsandmeans.

AccordingtoProf.Galtung,themajoractorsinAfghanistanincludetheTaliban,warlordsand women. Whereas the Taliban demand complete withdrawal of all foreign troopsfromAfghansoilandrenouncealleffortsaimedatsecularisationofthecountry,Afghanwomendemandequalrightsandtreatmentwithintheirsocietyandwarlords insistondecentralisationandgreaterregionalautonomy.

Prof. Galtung also touched on the role of the important external actors, namely, theUSA,centralAsiancountries,Iran,PakistanandChina.HestatedthattheUSAexplicitlylegitimisesitspresenceinAfghanistanbyclaimingtopromotedemocracy,humanrights



andwomen’srightswhilstalsohavingastrategicinterestincontrollingnaturalresourcessuch as oil. “However noble the goals of promotion of democracy, human rights andwomen’srightsare,theyarebeingchannelledthroughillegitimatemeans”,arguedProf.Galtung.HealsocriticisedtheWesternpowersfortheirignorance,inparticular,fortheirvery limitedunderstandingof Islam, the localcultureand thesocialorderdirectedbyIslamicvalues.

Prof. Galtung strongly affirmed that any intervention in Afghanistan needs to becompatible with Islamic values and operationalised in partnership with other Islamiccountries tobeeffective.Hesuggested that thecurrentconflict inAfghanistancanberesolvedthroughdetailedunderstandingofthelocalcultureandcalledforthewithdrawalof“infidel”troopsasanecessaryfirststep.Inhisview,aneventualsolutionwouldinvolveincludingcertainTalibanelementsasawatchdogoverIslamicvalueswithinaloosefederalstatewithstrongregionalautonomy.HecalledforAfghanistaninthefuturetobestronglyintegratedaspartofalargerconfederationwithitsneighboursinCentralandEastAsia,includingIran,PakistanandTurkey.

Angie Zelter, representing Trident Ploughshares (RLA 2001) asked Prof. Galtung toelaborateonthemethodologyhefollowedtoextractperceptionsfromdifferentactors.Prof.Galtungrespondedthatitisveryimportantintheconflictresolutionprocesstoaskquestionsandthentrytotranscendtheviewsofactorsbysuggestingoptions.

Christina Hagner, representing Kvinna till Kvinna, spoke briefly about the exemplaryroleplayedbywomen’sorganisationsduringtheBalkanwars,andaskedProf.GaltungifhesawanyroleforwomenorganisationsactingaspeacefacilitatorsinAfghanistaninthenearfuture.Prof.Galtungrespondedbystatingthat,giventherightopportunities,Afghanwomencanbeveryvocal.HealsoassertedthatwomenfromprogressiveIslamiccountries,suchasTunisiaandTurkey,willbeabletoplayamuchmoreeffectiveroleinthisregardascomparedwithAmericanfeminists.ReiteratingtheneedfortheWesttounderstandbasic Islamic values to engage in fruitful dialoguewith theAfghans, Prof.GaltungstressedthatoneofthereasonswhymediatingtheAfghanconflictissodifficultisbecausetheUnitedStateswillneveracceptthatithadcommittedmistakesinthepast.Gettingallpartiestoadmitthattheyhavecommittedmistakesinthepastisanessentialpre-requisiteforapeacefulresolution,statedProf.Galtung.

JuanGarces (RLA 1999) questioned Prof. Galtung on whether theUnited States feltthreatenedbyarisingChinaandifitwantedtohaveapresenceinAfghanistantoputpressureonChina.WhilstProf.Galtungagreedpartiallytotheproposition,totheextentofconcedingthatoneofthelatentgoalsoftheUSAinits“Afghancampaign”istohaveapresenceincloseproximitytoChina,hedisagreedthatChinawillthreatentheAmericanempireinthenearfuture.AsthediscoursewithintheworkshopturnedfromAfghanistantoChina,Prof.Galtungcommentedthathavingliftedsome400millionChinesefromoutofpoverty,theChineseleadershipfeelsthatitcannowplayapositiveroleinassistingthepovertystrickenglobalsouth.



Advocating Reparations for all War Victims

Gustav-Stresemann-Institute.V.September15,2010

Thisworkshop was facilitated by Vesna Terselic and Katarina Kruhonja (RLA 1998)andcentredonsharingofexperiencesanddiscussionofstrategiesonhowtosuccessfullyadvocate for reparations for war victims. In her opening remarks, Ms. Terselic brieflyexplainedherworkintheformerYugoslaviaandsaidthat,intheBalkans,theproblemisthattherewasverypoordocumentationofwarcrimes.“Allvictimshavetherighttotruth,justiceandreparations”sheaffirmed.

Ms.Terselictouchedontheproblemsofbringingwarcriminalstojustice,elaboratinghowveryfewofthemanycaseshavebeentakenupbythelocalcourts,despitetheincreasingeffortsofprosecutors.“Familymembersofthevictimsexpectreparationsbutlegislationand the formal justice system favour the majority”, she alleged. Ms. Terselic said thatherorganisationnotonlyprovidespsychologicalsupportforvictims,butalsoadvocatesstronglyforreparationsforthem.ShestatedthatCroatiaisalreadyprovidingreparationsand expressed hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina will enact legislation guaranteeingreparation for victims soon. Dr. Kruhonja echoed Ms. Terselic’s comments and alsoemphasised the importance of monitoring war crimes which is crucial as evidence infacilitatingreparationsforvictims.

Elena Zhemova, representing Memorial (RLA 2004) explained how her organisationfocuses its work on historical research and the present day human rights situation inRussia.ShestatedthatherorganisationadvocatesforthevictimsofWorldWarII,ataskmadedifficultduetothelackofdocumentationofvictims.“Howcanwegotocourtsforvictimsofmanyyearsago?”,sheaskedworkshopparticipants.CommentingonthepresentdaysituationinRussia,Ms.ZhemovastatedthatwarisstillongoinginChechnya.

TheovanBovengaveabriefintroductionofhisworkasUNSpecialRapporteurindraftingtheBasicPrinciplesandGuidelinesontheRighttoRemedyandReparationforVictimsofGrossViolationsofInternationalHumanitarianLaw,andexpressedhissurprisethatthedocumentwasfinallyadoptedbytheUnitedNationsaftertwelveyears.

Dr.vanBovensaidthatinhisexperience,hefoundthatmanyvictimsandtheirfamilydidnotnecessarilywantmoneybutwantedthetruthtobeknownandacknowledged.“Reparationtoallwarvictimsshouldbeinclusive,notexclusive.Monumentsforvictims,assymbols,aresometimesimportantforreconciliationaswell”,heargued.Dr.vanBovenalsomadetheobservationthat,inmanycases,victimshadnoaccesstoreparationsastheyhadnopower.



SusanneKjaer,representingIngeGenefkeandtheInternationalRehabilitationCouncilforTortureVictims(IRCT),explainedthatherorganization,theICRT,workedtoprovidemedicaldocumentationofthetortureundergonebyvictimsandguidelinesonhowtodocument thevictimsof torture. Inaddition, theyprovidedvictimsmedicalaswellaspsychologicalsupport.

Subsequently, theworkshop focusedon identifying challenges facedbyparticipants intheirwork.Ms.Terselicspokeaboutaprobleminfindingfundsfordocumentationofvictims,statingthatprospectivefundersaremoreinterestedinprovidingfundsforactivitieswhich promote reconciliation. In response, she made the argument to funders thatdocumentationofvictimsisthefoundationformeaningfulpeaceandreconciliation.

Dr.vanBovenexpressedsatisfactionthat,atthegloballevel,theinternationalcommunityhasacceptedtherightofindividualstoreparations,butadmittedthatthereareproblemsattheimplementationlevel.“Itisaproblemaswellthatcertaincountriessimplyignoreanddenythattortureevertookplace”,lamentedDr.vanBoven.HeaffirmedMs.Terselic’spointthatitisadifficulttaskfindingfundingfordocumentationactivitiesandpointedoutthattheEuropeanUnionhasstoppedfundingrehabilitationactivities.

Ms. Zhemova agreed that progress has been made on the documentation issue, butarguedthat it iscritical thateveryvictimisnamedandthat it remainsvery importantto continue raising public awareness. She provided the example of Germany, where aspacehasbeenestablishedfordiscussionsamongstelderlypeopleregardingWorldWarII.“Thisissimplebutimportant”,sheconcluded.Dr.vanBovenagreedwithMs.Zhemovathatthereisaneedtocontinueworkingonwaystofindtheidentitiesofdeceasedvictimsofwar.“Peoplearenotnumbers”,hesaidemphatically.

Ms.Kjaeremphasisedthe importanceofpreventionandproposedthatvictimsshouldbeprovidedtrainingsothattheycanbecomeactivecampaignersagainstwarandtortureinthefuture.Shealsoraisedtheissueofprotection.“Inmanycases,victimsareafraidtospeakup,andsoaredoctorsandnurses.Thisisstillachallenge.Whowillprotectthevictims?”sheasked.

Atthecloseoftheworkshop,allparticipantsagreedthatitisimperativetofocuseffortsonacknowledgingeveryvictimasthisbothcontributestothepreventionoffuturewarandtortureandalsode-legitimisesthewaritself.“Itisimportanttouseeveryopportunitytodemandmorejustice!”concludedMs.Terselic.



Bonn International Conversion Center (BICC) Cluster Event: Peace on Earth – Initiatives for Disarmament, Non Violence and Dialogue

UniClubBonn,Konviktstr.9,53113Bonn16September2010,10:00a.m.–5:00p.m.

Atthesecondpanelsessionofthisclusterevent,DekhaIbrahimAbdiexaminedethnicconflict, its resolution and the transformation from theory to practice. She explainedhowethnicconflictisnotastandaloneissueandexpressedhervisionofharnessingthecollectivewisdomof societyand transforming thevictimsandperpetratorsofviolenceintoaresourceforpeaceassocietalmediatorsandnegotiators.

Atthethirdpanelsession,KatharinaKruhonjaspokeonthevictimsofwar,arguingthatorganisations should not wait until the war is over to begin the treatment of victims.Similarly,sheopinedthatpeacebuildinginthemiddleofaconflictanddealingwiththepastareimportantelementsofreconciliation.Dr.Kruhonjaalsocalledforinternationallawtoberigorouslyimplementedandforperpetratorsofwarcrimestofacejustice.Shementioned that she is working on an initiative to create a new truth commission foralltheex-Yugoslavstates.Inresponsetoaquestionaskedbyaparticipantontheneedfor international courts, Dr. Kruhonja affirmed that they were needed in the formerYugoslaviabecausethelocaljudiciarythatexistedintheimmediateaftermathofthewarswastoobiasedtowardsoneethnicgroup.

Subsequently, Susanne Kjaer read an address by Inge Genefke to participants whichaffirmedthatvictimsshouldhavefullaccesstojusticeandrehabilitation.Describingtortureas “an instrumentofpowerof repressive regimeswith theaim toextract information,breakdownindividualsandcreatefearincommunities”,Dr.Genefkearguedthattortureisdamagingnotonlythroughthetraumaitinflictsbutalsobyinstillingawarenessthatbasichumanrightsareneitherguaranteednorrespected“Tortureisinthiswayathreattoreconciliationanddemocraticdevelopment”,sheargued,whilststressingtheurgentneedforpunishmentoftorturers.

TheoVanBovensubmittedtoparticipantsthatthefocusshouldbeonreparationsforwarvictimstopavethewayforreconciliationandpeacebuilding.ArguingthatUNresolutionsshouldberespected,Dr.vanBovenstated that thereare fourkeypillars for successfulconflictresolution:justice,reparation,therighttoknow,andestablishingthefacts.



Deutsche Welle Cluster Event: Human Rights, Civil Society, Globalisation and the Role of the Media

DeutscheWelle16September2010,10:00a.m.–5:00p.m.

BACKGROUND

Human rights – Media – Civil Society – Globalisation

TheeventwillstartwithapressconferenceatDeutscheWelle(DW).Afterwards,therewillbearoundtablediscussionbetweentheRightLivelihoodAwardlaureatesandDW-expertsabouttheroleandresponsibilitiesofthemediawithregardtohumanrights,civilsocietyandglobalisation–whichwillalsobethethematicalfocusoftheDeutscheWelleGlobalMediaForum in2011.Theeventwill concludewith interviewsand talkswitheditors.

DISCUSSION

Participants came together at this cluster event to discuss the challenges faced by themedia in safeguarding and promoting human rights in their respective countries andinternationally. Several media practitioners from Deutsche Welle were present at theevent.

Zafrullah Chowdhury stressed that because of the visibility given by the media, manylaureates are able to survive and continue their work. “Many times, local newspapersareignoredbythegovernment,butwheninternationalmediareportsonthesituation,thereisbiggervisibility”,explainedDr.Chowdhury.Atthesametime,Dr.Chowdhurydiscussedhowduringtimesofwar,theinternationalmediaoftenfocusonforeignsoldiersratherthanthelocalpeople,leadinglocalstofeelabandoned.

LedumMittee,representingtheMovementoftheSurvivaloftheOgoniPeople,affirmedthatthemediahaveatremendousroletoplayinsafeguardinghumanrights,butwarnedthatthemediatodayfacesthechallengeofneutrality.Mr.Mitteeopenedaninterestingdebatebyquestioningwhethermedianeutralityatalltimesisdesirable.“Governmentssometimestrytodrivethemediaandinfluencetheirreportsandimpressions.Asfarashumanrightsareconcerned, themedia shouldbeable to recognise thegoodand thebad”,heargued.Despitetheseconcerns,however,Mr.Mitteereiteratedthatasdevelopingcountriesremainsverysensitiveastowhatisreportedaboutthemintheinternationalmedia,mediapressurecouldinmanycasesleadtoactionandpositiveresults.



Alla Yaroshinskaya (RLA 1992) discussed the example of the Chernobyl disaster asan illustrative case study. “The government determined what could or could not bepublished. Even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, media were not given accessto several documents” she revealed. Ms.Yaroshinskaya added that in some countries,journalistshavetopractiseself-censorshipdespitetherenotbeingofficialcensorship.“Ifonecriticizessomeimportantpoliticians,onecangetinrealtrouble”,sheclaimed.

Ashortdiscussionensuedontheabilityofcomputersandtheinternettohaveanimpactonmediareportingonhumanrightsissues.Mr.MitteesaidthatproblemsofinadequateelectricityandaffordabilityensurethattheelectronicmediumdoesnotplaytheroleitshouldbeplayinginAfrica.AccordingtoMr.Mittee,ascomputeraccessisstillabigissueinAfrica,theformalpress–writtennewspapersandradio–stillplaysthemostimportantrole.Ms.YaroshinskayarespondedbystatingthatthesituationinRussiaisverydifferentashardcopynewspapersaredying.“Regardingpoliticalissues,theinternethasabigrole,andsocialnetworkslikeFacebookaredoingagreatjobinspreadingawareness”,shesaid.Nevertheless,Ms.YaroshinskayaconcededthatinRussiatoomanypeoplecouldnotaffordtoaccesstheinternetoraffordcomputers.Dr.Chowdhuryexpressedscepticismaboutthe effectiveness of online social networks to break down barriers, arguing “Facebookisforyoungpeoplewhoarenotinterestedinpoliticsbutinbusiness”.Furthermore,headdedthattheBangladeshgovernmentfrequentlythreatenedtobanaccesstoFacebookbecauseofitsusebyoppositionmovementsandgroupscriticalofthegovernmentanditspolicies.


5.

Re-orienting Education, Harnessing

Universities for Social Transformation

Aslaureatesstrategisedontoolsandplatformstheycouldusetoaccelerate,replicateand multiply their collective impact, several felt that educational institutions,universities inparticular,couldplayakeyrole insocial transformation.Many

universitiesaroundtheworld,oflate,havestartedmovingtowardsamoreholisticvisionfor theuniversity’s role in society.ProfessorTanSriDzulkifliAbdulRazak, theViceChancellorofUniversitiSainsMalaysia(USM),Penang,MalaysiaarticulatedsuchavisionforhisuniversityinapublicationTransforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow 2009: Laying the Foundation:

Forthegoalof transforminghighereducationforasustainabletomorrow,USM

believesthatitwillbemoreassertiveinmovingforwardthesustainabilityagendaby

reinvigoratingandtransformingitsteachingandlearningprogrammes…andvarious

servicestoprovidemoremeaningfulqualityoutcomesthatembracethevaluesof

equity, accessibility, availability, appropriateness and affordability. Ultimately, it

aimstosupportthedrivetoimprovethewell-beingofhumanity,thebottombillion,

in particular. In other words, these efforts are geared to contribute towards the

attainmentofglobalvisionsasendorseduniversallysincetheRioSummitin1992

(2010,x)

One of the most concrete outcomes of the 25th Anniversary Conference of the RightLivelihoodAwardwasthecreationoftheRightLivelihoodCollege(RLC)whichforthefirsttime,providedforasystemicplatformlinkingacademicsinuniversitieswithactivists,winnersoftheRightLivelihoodAward.ItisperhapsnosurprisethatUSM,inlinewithitsvisionstatement,agreedtohosttheglobalsecretariatoftheRLC.Atthetimeofwriting,LundUniversity’sCentre forSustainableStudies (LUCSUS) inSweden,AddisAbabaUniversityinEthiopiaandtheCenterforDevelopmentStudies(ZEF)attheUniversityofBonn,GermanyhavebecomeRLCpartnercampuses.AsthevariousRLCcampusesbegininvolvinglaureatesthroughrequestingthemtosupervisefellowsandinternsdoingresearchintheirfieldsandhostingthemforlectureseries,seminarsandworkshops,thepotential ofuniversitiesbecoming effectivehubs, incubators, catalysts,multipliers andacceleratorsofthelaureates’workwillberealised.



At several sessions in theconference, laureatesdiscussedanddebatedwaysonhow tomake their engagement with universities most effective. The RLC and several othermechanismsoflaureate-universityengagementwereexplored,andseverallaureatessharedtheirdifferentperspectivesonhowbesttogoaboutstrengtheningtheacademic-activistlink.

Harnessing Universities for Social Transformation: Floating Ideas

Gustav-Stresemann-Institute.V15September2010

This workshop was facilitated by Anwar Fazal, Martin Almada (RLA 2002) andIbrahim Abouleish. It began with a number of presentations by laureates and theirrepresentatives.

SharanSrinivas,representingtheRightLivelihoodCollege(RLC),describedtheRLCasamodelforharnessinguniversitiesforsocialtransformation.Theidea,hesaid,wastoinvolvetheyoungergenerationofacademicsinmeaningfulresearchrelatedtotheworkofthelaureatessothatthelaureates’workwasstrengthenedandsothattheirmovementsdidnotdiewiththem.Mr.SrinivasgaveabriefhistoryoftheRLCandthewaysinwhichitwasworking.HementionedthattherewereeightworkareasthattheRLCwantedtofocuson:

• Lecturesbylaureates.

• Postgraduate fellowships – USM was providing up to five fellowships a year fordoctoralresearchersworkingontopicsrelatedtoalaureate’swork.

• Internships – allowing interested students to intern with laureates. This builtcapacityforlaureateswhorequireditandallowedstudentstogainvaluableskillsandexperience.

• Internationalseminarsandworkshopsledbylaureates.

• Publications–scientificworktohelplaureatesgettheirachievementspublishedinacademia.

• Films.

• Days of Action series – using UN Days of Action to mobilise students and theuniversitycommunityaroundlaureates’causesandissues.



• Upscaling–expandingandcooperatingonprojectsandlaureates’issueswithotheruniversitiesandlikemindedinstitutionsaroundtheworld.

Subsequently,Mr.SrinivasdiscussedsomeofthechallengesandconstraintsfacedbytheRLC,includingtheintrinsicallybureaucraticnatureofuniversities,thefundingchallengessuchnovelideasfacedandscepticisminuniversitiesastowhatbenefitshostingtheRLCbroughtforthem.Nevertheless,hearguedthatthereweremanyopportunities.“TheRLCcouldbeamobiliserforanewwaveofstudentactivismandcouldbeahubofcollectiveaction”,hesaid.

MartinAlmada’spresentationrevolvedaroundanothernovel,innovativeidea:theideaof having a floating university on a ship where human rights and ecology are taught.MartinAlamada said thatheworkedat theUNESCOinParis for15years,wherehesufferedbecausehumanrightsandecologywentinoppositedirections.Hewonderediftheycannotgohandinhand.

Thefloatinguniversity,Dr.Almadastated,willbeinstalledinashipcalledtheEsmeraldathatbelongstotheChileanarmy.“TheEsmereldaonlyuseswindandsolarenergy,andcanthereforebecalleda“greenship”.MartinGreen(RLA2002)hasagreedtoinstallphotovoltaic cells at the ship”, remarked Dr. Almada. Dr. Almada expected that thefloatinguniversitywouldbelaunchedinfiveyearstime.

Ibrahim Abouleish of SEKEM made a presentation about Heliopolis Universityfor Sustainable Development, a university he described as being transformational,transcultural, transdisciplinary,transpersonal,transsectoralandintegral.Withthecorevalueofsustainabledevelopment,Dr.Abouleishmadeanin-depthpresentationabouttheactivitiesofhisuniversityandthesocialinnovationlabsithousedthataimedtospurinnovation.

Aguest to theconference,ArnaudDelebarre fromtheUniversitédeHenriPoincaréat Nancy University presented a course that will take place at Ecole supérieure desSciencesetTechnologiesdel’Ingénieur(ESSTIN)deNancyontheweekfollowingtheconference.Theobjective of the course is to train engineers in findingnon-scientific,sociallyacceptablesolutions.Dr.DelebarreexplainedtheAIR(atelierpourinventerundavenirresponsable)workshoptobeheldwiththreeRLAlaureatesand150studentsatESSTIN.

NeshanGunasekara,representingChristopherWeeramantryscreenedashortdocumentarydescribingthe“TrainingforTrusteeship”(TFT)programmewhichJusticeWeeramantry’sWeeramantry International Centre for Peace Education and Research (WICPER) hasbeen conducting. TFT involves gathering student leaders from different religions andbackgrounds from across Sri Lanka and showing them through lectures and activitieswhateveryindividualcoulddoforthebettermentoftheircommunityandcountry.


�0 CHANgINg COURSE, RECLAIMINg OUR FUtURE

NaakowGrantHayford,representingJohanGaltung,madeapresentationontheworkof theTranscendPeaceUniversity (TPU) foundedbyDr.Galtung.TPU,according toMr.Hayford,hasadigitalcampusandon-siteactivities.Itoffers12weekonlinecoursesbasedontheexperienceofitsmembers.Mr.Hayfordstatedthattherearepresently350membersfrom80differentcountriesinthenetwork.

ThefinalpresentationoftheworkshopwasmadebyZafrullahChowdhury(RLA1992)whospokeabouttheInternationalPeople’sHealthUniversityinBangladesh,bornoutof the idea thatuniversities areoften educating students in awrongmanner andnotencouragingthemtoseeksolutionstopracticalproblems.“Entrybarriersarebecominghigherandhigher.WhenIwenttouniversity,poorstudentshadtheopportunitytogotouniversity;now,thisisnolongerthecasebecauseoftheprivatisationofuniversities.Becauseofthis,theideaofaPeople’sUniversitywasborninthelateeighties”,explainedDr.Chowdhury.

Atthispoint,thefloorwasopenedfordiscussion.NamrataBali,representingtheSelfEmployedWomen’sAssociation (SEWA) (RLA1984) spokeof theproblem facedbygrassrootsorganisations suchasSEWA inhaving their courses accredited.Oneof thesolutions,Ms.Balisuggested,couldbeforsuchorganisationstolinkupwithestablisheduniversities. On Mr. Srinivas’s suggestion that universities become centres of studentactivism, Lennart Olsson, Director of the Lund University Centre for SustainabilityStudies (LUCSUS) said“Mainstreameducationisdoneatmostuniversities,butthereare islands of progressive universities that might be able to transfer their ideas to themainstream world. Universities are usually not good at activism. Activists are good atactivism.Inmyview,universities’roleistoinvestigateactivismtomakeitbetter”.

Brook Lemma Marmaru, representing Addis Ababa University explained how therewas a recent realisation at his university that its programmes were not empoweringthe community and that its research was not benefiting society despite tremendousinvestments.Asaresult,Dr.Marmarusaidthattheuniversityisnowlookingtopartnerwith universities all over the world in search for new ideas and initiatives. HirutWoldemariam,VicePresidentforExternalAffairs,StrategicPlanningandPartnershipsatAddisAbabaUniversitycorroboratedDr.Marmaru’spoints,indicatingthatheruniversitywasundergoing“atremendoustransformationprocessandinitiatingbetterpoliciesforthebettermentofsociety”.

RashidahShuib,DirectorofUSM’sWomen’sDevelopmentResearchCentre(KANITA)arguedthatseveralnewmodalitiesfortransforminguniversitiesareneeded,notonlyintermsofteachingbutforthegenerationofnew,effectiveandtimelyknowledgedesignedtomakean impactonthecommunity.“Academicsshouldstrive tobeactivistsandbemoreresponsiblefortheirownsocieties!”saidProfessorRashidah.


�1REPORt OF tHE 30tH ANNIvERSARy CONFERENCE OF tHE RIgHt LIvELIHOOD AwARD

MycleSchneider(RLA1997)challengedworkshopparticipantsbystating“Wearefacingfundamentalchallengeswithradicalrupturesverydifferentfromwhatweareusedto.Weneedaradicalnewchangethatisphenomenallyspeedytoaddresscommunityproblems”.Mr.Schneidergavetheexamplesofthe“excesswinterdeath”crisisfacedbyEuropeandtheglobalenergycrisistoillustratehispointthatthereneedstobeanurgentchangeinthinkingandaction.Prof.Fazalagreed,statingthatthereisaneedforradicalstructuralchanges.Prof.Fazalcalledonactivists,academicsanduniversitiestobeeverreadyfortheopportunitiesfortherapturethatmayariseatanytime.“Wearetoooftennotreadyforthegreatopportunitiescreatedbychallengesandcrises”heargued.

Laureatesandparticipantsreachedbroadconsensusonthefollowingpointsatthecloseoftheworkshop:

• A possible solution for accreditation/certification problems faced by grassrootsorganisationswouldbetopartnerwithestablishedinstitutions.

• Universitieswhichwanttobecomesocialtransformersneedtousetheircomparativeadvantageinordertogetacceptanceandfunding.

• Twosteps forward for the futurewouldbe to lookatexistingstructuresandtry totransformthemandcreatenewstructuresinordertoachievethemoreradicalchangesrequired.

Alanus Hochschule Cluster Event: Re-orienting Modern Education: Values, Meanings and Strategies

AU,Villestr.3,53347Alfter16September2010,10:00a.m.–5:00p.m.

BACKGROUND

Education – Responsibility – Engagement – Creativity

Withinthecontextofglobalisation,collectiveresponsibilityhasarisenforhumanitytosustainbothnaturalandsocialecologies.Incontributingtothistask,educationneedstonotonlyfosterscientificandtechnologicalformsofknowledgebutalsonourishhumancapabilities such as critical insight, moral maturity and social engagement. Althoughthemoderneducationparadigmoftenfailstoadequatelyrespondtothissecondneed,fascinatingandviablealternativesexistbeyondthisparadigmwhichcommunitiesaroundtheworldseektopreserve,revitaliseandtransform.



Thisclustereventoffersauniquepossibilitytoshareexperienceswithleadingproponentsofthesealternativesaswellastocommonlydevelopnewvisionsofeducation.

DISCUSSION

Thisclusterevent,organisedbytheAlanusUniversityofArtsandSocialSciences,beganwith comments by Sulak Sivaraksa (RLA 1995). Dr. Sivaraksa began by calling for arethinkingofeducation.“Thereisaneedforrequestioningof“oldstyle”education.Doweeducateourselftogetabetterjob?”hequestionedtheaudience.“This,”heargued,“isareductionisttypeofeducation.Thereisaneedtoredefineoureducation”.

RaulMontenegro(RLA2004)presentedhisthoughtsbasedonhisempiricalworkwithlocalpeople.Hearguedthatthereisadangertooursocietynowadays,ashumancontactwithnaturehasbeenreplacedbycontactwiththeartificialworld.“Oneofourbiggeststupiditynowadaysisouracceptanceoftheideathathumanandnaturebelongtotwodifferentsystems.Thereisaneedtochangethisparadigm”,heexplained.

Dr.Montenegroalsoraisedtheissueofthedangerofcertaingroupscontrollingsocietybycolonisingthebehaviourofpeople.Heallegedthatreligion,militaryeducation,civiceducationand themassmedia are responsible for thisphenomenon.Dr.Montenegrocoined the notion of “factories of homogenisation” to describe the above mentioneddifferenttypesofeducationwhichsuccessfullycolonisedminds.“Educationtodayislikeafactoryproducingclones!”heargued

To correct these trends, Dr. Montenegro called for adoption of a “transeducation”mechanismtoreplace theold-fashionededucationsystem.Heexplainedthenotionof‘transeducation’asfollows:

“Transeducation” is related to the transcultural processsees to developsustainablepatternsofliving.Universitiesarepartoftheproblemastheyproduce elites. The problem nowadays is that most human minds haveborders,andthechallengeistoremovetheseborders.ItisnotthepurposeofeducationtoproducepeoplewithlongCVs,buttohavepeoplewhoareabletofindtherightanswersfortherightquestions.

Participating in the debate, Nicanor Perlas agreed that “there has been an extremecommodificationofoureducationsystem”.Hegavetheexampleofgeneticengineering,nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and endeavours that engineer thoughts and“commodifiedconsciousness”,andsaidthatitisinterestingthatourmoderneducationalsystemprepareustoaccepttheseasnatural.Mr.PerlasfurthercitedtheexampleofIQmeasurement,whichheregardedsymptomaticofthedesiretoequatehumanbiologicalprocesseswithanumericsystem,sothatitcanbemeasuredandcommodified.



“Thestruggleistocreateasocietywhichquestionsthewholeprocess.Sincecivilsocietyhastheculturalpower,itshouldtaketheleadtoreframethewholeprocessofdevelopment.IhavebeentryingtoconvincepeoplegloballyaswellasinThePhilippinestocreateasocietywhichactsasastrongcounterforcebyexaminingandevenchallengingdetrimentalnationalpoliciesorcorporatepractices”,saidMr.Perlasinhisclosingremarks.


6.

Reclaiming Our Future: Strategies

for the Way Forward

Identifyingwaystomoveforwardonseeminglyintractableissuesandconflictsdrovemuchoftheconferenceproceedingsthroughouttheweek.Oneinternalworkshop,facilitatedbyRaulMontenegrofocusedspecificallyonhowtoamelioratetechniques

of‘producingchanges’throughlaureates’organisationsandinstitutions.

How to Ameliorate Our Techniques of “Producing Changes” Through Our Organisations and Institutions


Facilitated by Raul Montenegro, the workshop originally aimed to assess and reviewthevarietyofnon-violenttacticsthathavebeenusedsuccessfullybynon-governmentalorganisationstoaccomplishspecificgoals.

After discussing several examples of non-violent action, the importance of garneringmedia attention to these actions was emphasised. “The issues of the poor are usuallymarginalised and kept under the carpet worldwide”, noted Ruth Manorama. StephenCorry,representingSurvivalInternationalsaidthathefeltthatthemediais“reportingonissueswhichtheythinktheaudienceisinterestedin,suchastheactivitiesofcelebrities”.

Hans-PeterDurr(RLA1987)spokeontheimportanceof“newmedia”.“Theinternetoffers cheap and easy ways of distributing information to numerous recipients, thushavingthepossibilityofbecominga“weaponofmasstransformation””,henoted.Otherlaureates,however,raisedthequestionoftheshortattentionspanofmodernmediaaswellas thedangerof informationoverflowwhichleadstodesensitisationandreducedeffectivenessofmessages.“Peoplestopreadingbadnews.Themedia’sattentionspanisashortone.Soonehastodevelopastrategytokeepissuesvisible”,arguedMarcosArana,representingIBFAN.


�� CHANgINg COURSE, RECLAIMINg OUR FUtURE

Dr.Aranasubsequently spokeabout theneed topromote information thatprovidesafeelingofbelongingandstatedthatslogansandsymbolscanaccomplishthisandthuscommunicateissuesefficiently.“Informationneedstostimulatepeopletoseeproblemsandtalkabout it toeachother,otherwise itwillbecomeavirtualstrugglewithvirtualresults”,heremarked.

Severallaureatesdiscussedthefailureofacademicsandscientiststoworkwiththepeople,with some complaining of an ivory tower mentality which prevented direct linkagesbetweenscientistsandthepoor.Dr.Montenegrosuggestedthatwrittenexperiencesofsuccessfulcivilsocietymovementsmaybeabletofacilitatesuccessesinotherorganisations,andcalledforan“openbookonfighting”.

Asaconcreteoutcomeoftheworkshop,participantsagreedtolaunchaWikipageonvariousactivismstrategies/methodsandagreedthatthiswouldcontributetotheimprovedfunctioningofglobalcivilsocietymovements.Itwasalsoagreedthatcreationofthistoolwouldbeanopenprocessandthatanyonecouldcontribute.Dr.Montenegroconcludedthatinformationaboutsuccessfulactivitiesfromdifferentpartsoftheworldwillnotonlyincreaseknowledgeonhowtoresolvetheseissuesbutalsocontributetoapositivepointofviewonthecapabilityofindividualsandcommunitiestoproducechange.

World Café Discussions

Onthefinaldayoftheconference,laureatesgatheredtogetheramongstthemselvesanddiscussedstrategiesof“jointaction”totaketheirworkforward.

Theconferenceorganisersusedthe“WorldCafé”formatforthefinalday’sproceedings.Laureatessatindifferentroundtables,eachtableheadedbyahostlaureate,anddiscussedthe questions of “Where do we stand in our work today?”, “What connects us?” and‘What can we do together?’ After a specified amount of time, all the laureates at thetable,barringthehost,wouldleaveandfindanewtable.Thisinnovativeapproachsawmuchcirculationandminglingoflaureates,intimatediscussionandthebuildingofnewsynergies,alliancesandfriendshipsamonglaureates.Attheendofthesession,tablehostsmadepresentationstotheentireconferencebodyontheconclusionsthetablehadcometoonthequestionsposed.Laureatesagreedtoformworkinggroupsonspecificissues,gavefeedbackandsuggestionstotheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundationandcalledforunity,solidarityandregularcommunicationamongthemselves,specificallyfocusingonassistinglaureateswhoselivesandlibertywereunderthreat.

Itwasclearatthecloseofthesessionthat,byunitingaroundspecificissuesinaconcertedmanner,laureateshavethepotentialtotakeeachother’sworkonwardsandupwardsandcreateamassivecollectiveimpact.



WORLDCAFéTABLE1

Host:RosalineBertell(RLA1986)Session1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Thistabledeclaredthattheoverarchinggoaloftheirworkisensuringabetterworldbyputtinghumanfacestohumanandenvironmentalproblems.Humanvoicesareheart-movingstoriesthatdotwothings:(1)theyfosterahealingofpastmisdeedsand(2)theyformthefirststepstowardchartingthecourseformovingintoabetterfuture.

Thetabledeclaredthattheirworkwasto:

• Educatetheheartandthehead.

• Strivetochangepublicopinionbyprovidinginformationaboutthedegradationoftheearthandthesufferingintheworld.

• MobilisetheworldtofocusonthePalestinianproblem.

• Givevoicetothesufferingofoppressedpeople.

• Highlighthowtheenvironmentisdestroyingecologicalspecies(e.g.trees,seals)andhumanity.

• Preventfutureweatherwars.

• Advocateforenforcementoflawsoncrimesagainsthumanityandtheearth.

Session2:Whatconnectsus?

Participating laureates at the table summarized that the following actions connectedthem:

• Actions toward creating a compassionate world by inspiring current and futuregenerations.

• Showcasingbestpracticestoinspireyouthsforabetterfuture.

• Removingobstaclestoabetterandbeautifulfuture.



Session3:Whatcanwedotogether?

Participantsatthetableresolvedtodothefollowing:

• Supportoneanother’scauses.

• DraftanewcharteronglobalmanagementfortheUnitedNations.

• MaketheEarthCharteracceptedandadoptedbytheUnitedNations.

• Haveprecisetargetgroupsto/for/onwhomissuesaretobeimplemented.

• Useindividualemailstosendmessagesmeantforindividuallaureatesanduselistservsfordisseminationofgeneralinformation.

WORLDCAFéTABLE2

Host:MartinPacheco,representingSERVOL(ServiceVolunteeredforAll)(RLA1994)Session1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Atthis table, laureatesrecognizedeachother’sachievementsat the local,nationalandinternational level and stated that each of their projects have a long way to go. Afterhearingfromeachother,laureatesagreedthatalltheirprojectshadalottodowithworkingatthecommunitylevelon“holistichumandevelopment”.


Laureatesidentifiedthattheysharedastrongsolidaritywithhumanbeingsandtheearth.Theparticipantsstressedthatinjusticewasunacceptableandthattheymustunitetofightitsvariousmanifestations,whetherdirectedagainsthumankindoragainsttheearthanditsorganisms.


Participating laureatesagreedthatthereneedstobeastrengtheningof thepositionoflaureatesasaninternationalpressuregroupandcollectiveactor.TherewasasuggestionthatlaureatescollaboratewiththeRightLivelihoodCollegetocreateamechanismwhichtheycouldusetorapidlyexpresstheirresponsestocriticalcurrentissues.Mr.Pacheco,spokesperson at the table, argued for rapporteurs from the Right Livelihood AwardFoundationorRightLivelihoodCollegetobesenttomonitorsituationswherevertheyarisetoassistinthisregard.



Laureatesatthetablecalledformoreregularandfrequent“in-group”communication.Further,theysuggestedthattheRightLivelihoodCollegeserveasafacilitatorforresearchonthecorethemesoftheRLA.Theynotedthatgettingthehumanresourcesandfundingtodothisresearchwouldbethegreatestchallenge.

WORLDCAFéTABLE3

Host:PonnaWignaraja,representingPIDA(ParticipatoryInstituteforDevelopmentAlternatives)Session1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Laureateswereunequivocal incondemningworlddevelopmentforgoinginthewrongdirectionandstatedthatmanyyearsoftheirstrugglehavebroughtverylittleresults.Itwasobservedthatnewprojectsandnewmethodologiesareneededtochangereality.Theparticipantscalled for thedevelopmentofdemocracyat thecountry levelasa startingpoint.


Participantsagreedthatwhatconnectsthemiscommitment,butadmittedthatthiswasalsowhatcharacterisescorporationsandother“enemies”.Laureatesalsostatedthatwhatdistinguishedthemfromothersisthattheyseepeopleastheirfocalpointandthattheyworkforthemarginalised.


Laureatescalled forwiderdisseminationof theirwork.Further, theyexpressedahopethatdeeperco-operationattheregionallevelwillbeplannedandrealised.Finally,thosepresentatthetablearguedthatthecurrentparadigmofmaterialisticdevelopmentshouldbesubstitutedwithamodelofdevelopmentgroundedinspiritualandethicalvalues.

WORLDCAFéTABLE4

Host:AlynWare(RLA2009)Session1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Laureatesfocusedonchallengesandopportunitiesfacingtheirwork.Theyidentifiedfourcriticalchallengesthatneedtobeovercome:

• Violence, especially violence against women, is still an important issue to fightagainst.



• Humanrightsareyettobeguaranteedtoall.

• The“DemocracyDeficit”needstobeovercomeinNGOsandgrassrootsorganisationsandtheverypooroughttobeincludedinthediscourse.

• Theintegrationofspiritualvaluesindecisionmakingshouldbepromoted.


At the conclusionof a fruitfuldialogue, the table agreed that theywere connectedbyPassion,Action,IssuesandVision(PAIV).Inthissense,theyhopedto“PAIV”thewaytothefuture.Despitethis,participantsclaimedthatthelaureatesareonly“pre-connected”andhave tomake an effort to transform this into a real connection. Itwas suggestedthatthelaureatesactivelyconnectwitheachotherandworkinsmallgroupsonspecificissues.


Laureatesmadeseveralsuggestionsforfuturecollaboration,including:

• Creationofamailinglistwithimportantandcondensedinformationaswellasanarchiveofexistingachievements.

• Creationofanemergencynetworktoassistfellowlaureatesincrucialmatterssuchascourttrials,arrests,etc.

• Creationofataskforcetosupportfellowlaureatesinurgentneedby,interalia,signingapetitionorsendingadelegationtotherespectiveregion.

• Draftingethicalstandardsformultinationalcorporations,incollaborationwiththeRightLivelihoodCollege.

WORLDCAFéTABLE5

Host:Dr.RashidahShuib(Director,Women’sResearchActionCentre(KANITA)andMember,RLCSteeringCommittee)Session1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Laureates expressed a belief that they are empowering people by reaching out to thegrassrootsandbuildingvaluablenetworksaroundtheglobe.Theynotedthattheyhavehelped to create a list of alternatives to existing political, economic and leadership



structuresbutconcededthatthereisaneedforfurtherreflectiontoidentifyhowtomakethesealternativeswidelyaccepted.


Laureatesaffirmedthattheirdedicationtohelpthepoorandpromotesocialjusticeandhuman rights in the world builds a strong connection between them despite existinggeographic and social disparities. However, participants also underlined that thisconnectioninitselfisnotenoughandobservedananurgentneedformoreunityamongthem.Theycalledforanorganisationtobuild,maintainandpromotethenetworkamongthemaswellastheneedfora“bigbang”.


Participatinglaureatesatthetablemadethefollowingsuggestions:

• ThatthereneedstobeachangeintheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundation’sprocedurethat includes establishing a more interactive mechanism for consultation with thelaureates,particularlywhentheirnameisusedinthepromotionoftheFoundation.Dr.Rashidah,spokespersonofthetable,describedtheconcernofmemberspresentat the table thatpersons servingat thevariousRightLivelihoodCollegecampusesshouldhavevaluesthatdonotcontradictthevaluesandspiritoftheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundation.

• ThatthereshouldbeafocusonincreasingthecapacityandqualityofboththeRightLivelihoodAwardFoundationandtheRightLivelihoodCollege.ThefutureisintheRLCwhereresearchisconducted.

• ThatRight Lifestyle Conventionintroducinganalternativelifestyleshouldbeinitiated.

• Thatlaureates“raisetheirvoice”byactingtogether.

WORLDCAFéTABLE6

Host:KatharinaKruhonjaSession1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Participants at this table narrated their achievements, which included documentingviolence, supporting survivors, promoting human rights and improving awareness oftheseissuesinsociety.Theycritiquedexistinginternationalmechanismsandcalledforreflectiontothinkabouthowthesecouldbereformed.




Laureatesconcludedthateachofthemfirstachievedachangeofsocialnormsandthenlaterreformedlegislation.Theyacceptedthatmanyofthemdonothavestrongconnectionsattheinternationallevelandalsofacedifficultiesincommunicatingwitheachotherduetolackofacommonlanguage.Affirmingthattheydonotusetheir“collectiveweight”oftenenoughinthefiveyearperiodbetweenRLAconferences,participantsstatedthatwhatunitesthemistheirstruggletomaketheworldabetterplace.


Laureates reiteratedacallmade in2005 for theFoundation to translateall importantdocuments into common languages. The table also suggested that the RLC facilitatemeetingsbetweenlaureatesworkingonsimilarissuesinorderforthemtolearnwhateachotherhasdone.

Thelaureatesunderscoredthepointthattheyneedtodraftawrittendeclarationwhichspecifiesacommontopictheycouldallcontributetointhecomingfiveyears.Toenablethis,participantssuggestedthatworkinggroupsshouldbeformedtoresolvespecificissuestogether and report back on progress made at the next conference in five years time.Echoingcallsmadeinothertables,therewasacallfortheformationofaworkinggrouptosupportlaureateswhoselivesareindanger.

Laureatesalsoprovidedsomefeedbacktotheorganisersoftheconference.Theyfeltthat,at the next conference, they would prefer more time among themselves for exchange,includingafullfirstdaytogettoknoweachother,aswellasafullfinaldaytogether.

WORLDCAFéTABLE7

Host:AnwarFazalSession1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Participating laureates at this table reached consensus that a lot of progress on theirissues had been achieved following their receipt of the Right Livelihood Award. TheyhighlightedhowtheAwardhascreatedabasisfordeepeningeffortsoftheexistingwork,moving forward with new and innovative solutions to other pressing problems whilstbuildinggreaterallianceswithbothlocalandregionalinstitutions.Whileacknowledgingthat considerable challenges still persist, participants felt that the RLA platform giveshopeandinspirationtoforgeahead.




ParticipantsfeltthattheRightLivelihoodAwardisthekeyconnectingfactor.Moreover,theynotedthatasharedfeelingofangeranddismayattheillstheyseeintheirrespectivesurroundingsissomethingthatconnectedthem.Participantsfeltthattheysharedasenseof global citizenship and recognised the opportunity to connect with the scientific/academic community through the Right Livelihood College. They affirmed that thiswouldgivefurtherlegitimacytotheirworkanddeepenthebondstheyshare.


Laureatesidentifiedthedocumentationandglobaldisseminationoftheirworkthroughaudiovisualmediaasanimportantprojectthattheycouldworkontogether,inco-operationwiththevariouscampusesoftheRightLivelihoodCollege.Participantsaffirmedthattheyouthinitiativeandtheengagementofgraduatestudentswiththeworkofthelaureatesareexcellentmeansofdeepeningtheimpactandbroadeningtheworkofthelaureates.TheyaffirmedtheRLC’svisiontoachievethisthroughmediumssuchasinternshipsandgraduateresearch.

WORLDCAFéTABLE8

Host:ChristinaHagner(representingKvinnatillKvinna)Session1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

LaureatesexpressedacertaindegreeoffrustrationwiththedecisionmakingprocessoftheRLAandtheRLC,consideringthattheirnameswerebeingusedbytheseorganisations.TherewasaconsensusthatthereisaneedtoredesignandrevisetheworkoftheRLAFoundationtomakeitmoreeffective.Participantsalsobemoanedthelackofinformation-sharingandnetworkingbetweenthelaureatesandaffirmedtheneedtocontributemoretotheFoundation’swork.


Laureates reiterated the need for solidarity among themselves and expressed a feelingofhelplessness that they cannotdomorewhenoneof them isunder threat orbeingpersecuted.The caseofMordechaiVanunu (RLA1987),whohasbeenharassed andincarceratedbytheIsraeligovernmentwasextensivelydiscussed.Participantsagreedtobuildastrategytoworktogetherinanefficientmanner.Theysuggestedworkingtogetherontopicalissuesthatareinterdisciplinaryinnature.




Laureatessuggestedthefollowingwaystoworktogether:

• Showsolidaritywitheachotherandhelpeachotherduringdifficulttimes.

• Createanetwork(notanorganisation)forexperiencesharing.

• Trytosetupa“FOCUS”meetingeveryyearwhichaimstofindawaytoworktogetheronspecifictopics.

• Setupworkinggroupsamonglaureatestoresolvespecificissues.

In addition, participants affirmed the need to engage junior scientists in their workandcalledontheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundationtotakeupamoreparticipatoryapproach in itswork, involvingasmany laureatesaspossible in the formulationof itsprogrammes.Ms.Hagner,spokespersonforthetable,reiteratedthepointthatlaureatesshouldreallyusethestrengththeybroughttogethertofightforthreatenedlaureates.Sheconcludedherremarksbysaying“nothingisimpossible.Theimpossibleonlytakesalittlebitlongertoachieve.Thatisforeverybodytothinkabout”.

WORLDCAFéTABLE9

Host:PeterSchweitzer(representingPlentyInternational,RLA1980)Session1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

Participantsatthistablehighlightedtheneedforthelaureatestobecomemoreproactive,ratherthanjustreactingtoemergenciesthatoccurred.Theyalsocalledonlaureatestounitearoundthreeorfourissuesforgreaterimpact.Manyatthetablealsopointedoutaneedformoresharingofexperiencesamonglaureates,withhostMr.Schweitzersaying,“Weallwanttoknowwhateveryone’sbeendoing.Andwewantawaytosharethat”.


Mr.Schweitzer said “oneof the things thatwe’re all inbusinessof ismiracles.And Ican’t count thenumberofmiracles that Ihave seen and experiencedover the courseofmydoingthiskindofwork,andIknowweallhavehadmiracles.Let’ssharethose.Miraclesgiveushope”.LaureatesatthetablealsocalledfortheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundationtosharepersonalemailaddressesofthelaureateswiththeentiregroupforbettercommunication.




Laureates at the table called for “the hat” to be passed around to support initiativesstartedbythelaureatesandtheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundation.Inparticular,Mr.SchweitzercalledfortheWorldFutureCounciltobesupportedasheconsideredittobeveryimportant.

WORLDCAFéTABLE10

Host:FrancesMooreLappéSession1:Wheredowestandinourworktoday?

According toMs.Lappé, tablehost, participating laureates felt that there shouldbe areflectiononwhattheAwardhasachieved,withaprojectionforthefuture.“OnewayofthinkingaboutthatisperhapstheneedtocasttheRightLivelihoodlaureatesnotjustasthedoersofgoodthings,butasreallyanearlywarningsystemforPlanetEarth”shestated.


Laureatesatthetableexpressedasenseofunityandsuggestedthatthiscouldbeusedtospearheadjointactionatanationalorregionallevel.


Laureates expressed theneed to capitalise onnew technologies such as Skype tohaveregular meetings to know and learn from one another. They also suggested that thecollectiveidentityofthelaureatesbestrengthenedbyhavingarotatingrepresentationoflaureatesontheboardoftheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundationitself.


7.

Conclusion

Astheabovechaptersindicate,thethreatstoallthatwecherishandindeed,thecontinuedexistenceofhumankinditself,constituteaclearandpresentdanger.Atthe30thAnniversaryConferenceof theRightLivelihoodAwardinBonn,

laureates made impassioned presentations that revealed how the livelihoods of manyfarmingcommunitieshavebecomeendangeredduetotheproliferationofGMOseeds.Theyshatteredmythsbyclearlypointingouthowandwhyglobalhungerisaresultnotofa lackof foodbutof truedemocracy.Theyexposedhowhardwonandestablishedtreatybasedandcustomaryinternationallawsprotectingtheenvironment,victimsofwarandthehumanrightsofallhavebeensystematicallyerodedbypoliticianswhohavenotonlyfailedtorespectthem,buthaveactivelyrenegedontheirimplementation.Allthesedevelopmentsremainovershadowedbytheundeniablefactthatourgenerationremainsunder“theshadowof themushroomcloud…(a) fearwhichhashung likeablanketofdoomoverthethoughtsofchildreninparticular…anevilinitself(which)willlastsolongasnuclearweaponsremain”(Weeramantry1996).

Equally important was the consensus emerging from the conference that we shouldnot be lured into accepting easy solutions and “quick fixes” to mitigate these threats.Laureatesforcefullyarguedagainstsolutionssuchasgeo-engineeringanddebunkedthefalseassertionthattechnologicaladvancesin,andof,themselvescanalleviatethethreatsofclimatechangeandthedepletionofconventionalsourcesofenergy.Laureateswarnedthatcivil society should treat these“solutions”withutmost scrutinyas theirproposerswereoftenalignedwiththeverypersonsandgroupsthathadcausedtheproblemandnowwantedtoprofitfromthetragedytheyhadcaused.Laureateswereunitedincallingforworldleaderstomaketoughchoicesandexplaintothepublictheinevitablechangesinconsumptionpatternsandindeed,inthewayoflifethatneedtobemadetorollbacktheharmfuleffectsofclimatechangeandenvironmentaldegradation.

Allthesesoberingdosesofrealityarenottosaythattheatmosphereattheconferencewasoneofpessimism.Change-makingand“walkingthetalk”willneverbeeasy,andoneshouldtakeheartfromtheinspiringwordsofNelsonMandelawhosaid“thereisnoeasywalk to freedomanywhere,andmanyofuswillhave topass throughthevalleyof theshadowofdeathagainandagainbeforewereachthemountaintopofourdesires”.Letusremember thatactivistsandchange-makers throughouthistoryhavebeensuccessful



inachievingmonumentalchangeagainstallodds.Theenfranchisementofwomen,theabolitionofslaveryinmostjurisdictions,andtheendofapartheidinSouthAfricaarejustafewexamplesofthis,andRightLivelihoodAwardlaureateshaveachievedandareachieving sustainable change and the “impossible” every day. The recent UN GeneralAssemblydeclarationthatenshrinedwaterasahumanrightisjustoneexampleofthepalpablechangeincourseRLAlaureateshavebroughtaboutwhichhasshakentheglobalworldorder.

AttheRLABonnconference,RLAlaureatesexpressedsolidarityforeachother’scauses,and shared experiences and “best practices” which could be used by other laureatesfacingsimilarissuesandchallenges.Lookingatthebiggerpicture,therewasalsobroadagreementamongthelaureatesthattheyoungergenerationneedstobelinkedintotheirworkfor it tobesustainableandsothatthehard-wongainsmadebythelaureatesarenotfritteredawayovertime.SeverallaureatesnotedthattheRightLivelihoodCollege,itselfaninitiativeofthe2005RLAconferenceinSalzburg,couldserveasanincubatoroflaureates’ideasandavehicleforthetransmissionoflaureates’knowledgeandskillstothenextgeneration.

Therewasalso,aboveall,recognitionintheconferencethatthereneedstobebroaderalliancesandunitywithincivilsocietyforprogresstobemade.Laureatesexpressedtheneedtothinkbeyondthenarrowconfinesoftheirworkandlookathowseveraloftheirissues were inextricably linked. The rights of indigenous communities are threatenedwhenever theenvironment they live incomesunderattackbycommercialenterprises.Climatechangehasadirectimpactonpovertyandisalreadycausinganinfluxofrefugeesinseveralpartsoftheworld.Severaloftheinter-stateandintra-statewarsoverthelastfewdecades and thehuman rights violations thathaveoccurredduring the course ofthesewarshavebeendirectlymotivatedbyadesiretocontrolandexploittheresourcesofthedwindling“globalcommons”.Severalpetitionsweredrafted,afewworkinggroupsof laureates were formed and many alliances were cemented in Bonn which have thepotentialtomultiplyandacceleratethecollectiveimpactoftheRLAlaureatesonahostofcausestheyarefightingfor.

TheRLAlaureatesamounttoabeaconofhope,alighthouseinastormysea.TheRLABonnConferencesawtheirflamesustainedandrenewed.Forthemanytirelessactivistswhotoilinisolationinfarawaylandsandsometimesquestiontheirabilitytosucceedinthefaceofpowerfuladversariesanddeepseatedresistance,takeheartfromthestoriesencapsulated in this reportand knowthatyourgoodworkwillpaydividends. In thewordsofJimmyCarter“itwouldbenaïvetothinkthatpeaceandjusticecanbeachievedeasily. However,withfaithandperseverance,complexproblemsinthepasthavebeenresolvedinoursearchforjusticeandpeace”.



Theconferencesaware-emphasisonthetruemeaningofdemocracy.Today,toomuchpowerhasbeen surrendered tounaccountable actorswho claim toknowwhat is bestforus.These actorshave clearly failed.Aswe reach a crucial period in thehistory ofcivilisation,weasconcernedcitizensmuststandupandstandunitedtoadvocateforandchartaradicalchangeincoursetoreclaimourcommonfuture.



REFERENCES

Convention on Biological Diversity. 1993.

Franck,ThomasM.2001.AreHumanRightsUniversal?Foreign Affairs80,no.1:120-200.

Gourevitch,Philip.1996.AfterGenocide-AconversationwithPaulKagame. Transitionno.72:162-194.

HighCourtofAustralia.1983.Commonwealth v Tasmania.1983HCA21.

Larsen,Thomas.2010.Inge Genefke’s Fight Against Torture.Charleston,USA:ServingHouseBooks.

Noor,ShuhaidaMdandChaiMingHock.2010.Transforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow. Penang:USMPress.

Sachs,Jeffrey.The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time.2005.NewYork:PenguinPress.

UNMillenniumProject.2006.“FastFacts:TheFacesofPoverty.”Accessed18October<http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/resources/fastfacts_e.htm>

UnitedNations.2005.General Assembly Resolution 147.UNGA/RES/60/147.

UnitedNations.2010.General Assembly Resolution 292.UN/GA/RES/64/292.

UnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme.2010.TheUNDPinEgypt.Accessed20October.<http://www.undp.org.eg/MDGs/MDGs.htm>

VonUexkull,Jakob.2010.The Search for a New Human Story. UnpublishedManuscript.

Weeramantry,C.G.1996.LegalityoftheThreatorUseofNuclearWeapons,AdvisoryOpinion. I. C.J. Reports:429-555.



ANNEx ICONFERENCE PROGRAmmE OVERVIEW

30YearsRightLivelihoodAwardChangingCourse–ReclaimingOurFutureProgramme

Tuesday,14September

AlldayArrival,Checkin,RegistrationatGustav-Stresemann-Institute(GSI)Gustav-Stresemann-Institute.V.LangerGrabenweg68D-53175Bonn-BadGodesbergPhone:+49(0)228/8107-018:00 WelcomeDinner(Laureates&organisers)intheGustavStresemann Institute WelcomebyJakobv.Uexküll(RLAF),Ms.Hohn-Berghorn (CityofBonn)Wednesday,15September

7:30–9:00 Breakfast9:00 Touch-downforOrganisationalMattersoftheday PresentationRightLivelihoodCollege(AnwarFazal)10:00 DeparturefromGSItoMuseumKoenig10:30 OfficialfestivewelcomeandopeningattheMuseumAlexanderKoenig •SpeechesbytheMayorofBonnandJakobvonUexkull •SigningoftheGoldenBookofBonn

ZoologischesForschungsmuseumAlexanderKoenigMuseumsmeileBonnAdenauerallee16053113BonnPhone:+49(0)228/91220

11:45 Receptionandlunch13:00 ReturntoGSI14:00–16:00 Internalworkinggroups16:00–16:20 Coffeebreak16:20–17:30 Internalworkinggroups18:30 DeparturefromGSI: BoatCruiseontheRiverRhinewithBuffet



20:00 Somelaureatestoleaveforeventsincitycentre(Paneldiscussion, filmevent) Restcancontinueontheboat,laterreturntoGSI

Thursday,16September

7:30–9:00 Breakfast9:00 Touch-downforOrganisationalMattersoftheday9:30 DeparturefromGSI: 12thematicallyclusteredevents/workshopswithseverallaureates andlocalexperts,organisedbyhigh-profileinstitutionsinBonn, includingworkshopswithyouthconferenceparticipants17:30 ReturntoGustavStresemannInstitut(GSI)18:30 DeparturefromGSI: DinnerhostedbytheCityofBonnatthePetersberg,theformer GuestHouseoftheFederalRepublicofGermany

Friday,17September

7:30–9:00: Breakfast9:00 Touch-downforOrganisationalMattersofthedayFrom9:30onw.Departure: DayofmeetingsinNorth-RhineWestfalia:interactingwithNGOS, schools,institutions,etcinBonnandthestateofNorthRhine Westphalia,ca25events,incl.workshopswithyouthconference participants,RLAworkshop18:00 DinnerinGSI

Saturday,18September

7:30–9:00: Breakfast9:00 Touch-downforOrganisationalMattersoftheday9:30–12:30 Internalworkinggroups12:30–14:00 LunchinGSI14:00–16:00 FinalinternalsessionatGSI18:30 DeparturefromGSI:19:00 Goodbye-Dinner:Laureates,friendsandconferenceorganisers

Sunday,19September

Departureday



ANNEx IIIFOAm DECLARATION FOR LIVING CHANGE

IFOAMDECLARATIONFORLIVINGCHANGEORGANICAGRICULTUREOFFERSSOLUTIONS

FORGLOBALCHALLENGES

We, Laureates of the Alternative Nobel Prize (Right LivelihoodAward),VandanaShiva(India),Percy&LouiseSchmeiser(Canada),Ibrahim&HelmyAbouleish(Egypt),FrancesMooreLappé(USA),

TaekoOgiwara&IkukoSasaki(Japan),MelakuWorede(Ethiopia),MariaSaleteCampigotto(Brazil)andPatMooney(Canada);

COMINGTOGETHER

To meet, at the invitation of the International Federation of the OrganicAgricultureMovements(IFOAM),COLABORA,concernedcitizensandadvocatesforchange;

ExPRESS

Our deepest concerns about prevailing agriculture policies, research anddevelopmentagenda,andprivatesectorstrategiesfavoringshort-termindividualprofits, to the detriment of the long-term sustainable use of natural resourcesfor the benefits of all, causing unnecessary and unacceptable hunger, poverty,climatechangeanddestructionofhabitatsandbiodiversityforhumanbeingsandNature;

DECLAREOURCONVICTION

1. That we believe in the capacity of Nature to decently and healthily feed agrowinghumanpopulation,providedhumanbeingshonorthevalueofnatureand establish strategies based on the intensification of naturally occurringecologicalprocesses.

2. That respectforhumanbeingsandforallformsofdomesticatedandwildlifehasthepowertoestablishanewcultureofdialogueandprogress,thuscreatingunprecedentedsynergiesbetweenecologyandeconomyforthebenefitofall.

3. That only farming that nourishes Nature and supports biological activities,efficientuseofwater, climate, seeds,breedsandnaturallydeveloped soils–



ratherthanindustrialagriculturalthatcreatesdesertedmonotonouslandscapesand relies on external energy – can guarantee food for all, now and in thefuture.

4. That positivedevelopmentrequiresalegalframeworkthatprioritisestherightofruralcommunitiesandtheirpeople,regardlessoftheirrace,culture,religion,genderandage,toaccesstheirownlocalnaturalresourcesinordertoprovidefortheirneedsandaccessrelevantknowledgeoftraditionalandsciencebasedecologicalfarmingpractices.

5. That thepowerofconsumersinruralandurbanareasworldwidecanputtheworldonapathtosustainability,providedtheyhaveaccesstofullytransparentinformationabouttheimplicationsoffoodproductionforthehealthoftheirfamiliesandforthehealthofallpeopleandnaturalenvironmentinvolvedinthesupplychain.

ANDDEMAND

1. That agriculture and food security policies of communities, governments,private sector and civil society at local, national, regional and global levelsimplementthecomprehensiveIAASTDrecommendationsandthattheyaimfor sustainability in development, including ecological biodiversity, socialwelfareforallandeconomicviabilityofsystems.

2. That threats toNatureandsociety,posedbyhighrisk technologies suchassynthetic agriculture inputs, biotechnology, agro-fuels and nanotechnology,aremade transparent toall and that the interestofNature,of smallholdersandlandlessruralpopulations,ofdomesticatedspeciesandofconsumersareprioritisedoverprofitsoftheirproponents.

3. That theprinciplesofOrganicAgriculture(Ecology,Health,Fairness,Care)guide power holders on thoughtful decision making and disseminators ofinformationonsignificantmessaging.

4. That thepotentialsoforganicapproachesareincreasinglyadoptedbyfarmers,processorsandmarketersofagricultureproducts,soastoachievesustainablenaturalenvironmentsandsocietiesthroughouttheworld.

Bonn,Germany16September2010



THE DECLARATION IS ENDORSED By:

PARTNERS: Katherine DiMatteo (IFOAM, USA); Markus Arbenz (IFOAM,Germany); Bernward Geier (COLABORA, Germany); Willy Douma (Hivos,Netherlands);BenjaminGräub(Biovision,Switzerland);KerstinLanje(Misereor,Germany);MartienLankester (AvalonFoundation,Netherlands);ClausRättich(Biofach, Germany); Jörg Schallehn (Vermögensakademie, Germany); AndreasSchriber(Biovision);JakobvonUexküll(RightLivelihoodAward,Sweden).

DIALOGUEPARTNERS:ElizabethCruzada(MASIPAG,Phillipines);ThomasDosch (Bioland/IFOAM EU, Germany); Rupert Ebner (Slow Food, Germany);UlrichGundert(BrotfürdieWelt,Germany);HansHerren(Biovision/MillenniumInstitute/IAASTD, USA/Switzerland); Bärbel Höhn (Federal Parliament,Germany);BarbaraKeller(FrauenfürdieVielfalt,Germany);AndréLeu(IFOAM,Australia); Beatrix Tappeser (Vereinigung deutscher Wissenschaftler, Germany);MelanieWeber-Moritz(Verbraucher-Initiativee.V.VI,Germany);HubertWeiger(BUND,Germany).

SUPPORTERS:GeorgAbel(Verbraucher-Initiativee.V.VI);NoraBruggermann(CenteronSustainableConsumptionandProduction,CSCP);UdoCenskowksy(OrganicServices);AlexanderGerber(BundÖkologischeLebensmittelwirtschafte.V.,BÖLW);SigridGrossmann(ECOVIN):SusanneGura(VereinzurErhaltungder Nutzpflanzenvielfalt, VEN); Ines Hensler (IMO); Robert Hermanowski(Forschungsinstitute für biologischen Landbau, FIBL Deutschland); MichaelKuhndt (Center on Sustainable Consumption and Production, CSCP); DieterOverath(Transfair);MarionRhein(Demetere.v.);ElkeRoeder(BundesverbandNaturkost Naturwaren Herstellung und Handel e.V.); Helmut Röscheisen(Deutscher Naturschutzring); Gerhad Roth (Ökosoziales Forum Deutschland);JörgSommer(DeutscheUmweltstiftung);ChristaThomas(SchweisfurthStiftung);EdithvanWalsum(ILEIA);AngelavonBesteen(ÖkologischerÄrztebunde.V.);Alexander Wandel (World Future Council); Uli Zerger (Stiftung Ökologie &Landbau).

Andthe300participantsoftheIFOAMInspirationforLivingChangeconferenceinBonnandworldwide,throughtheinternet.



ANNEx IIIOPEN LETTER TO RLA LAUREATES By THE RLC JUNIOR SCIENTISTS

OpenLetterbyRightLivelihoodCollegeRapporteurstotheLaureatesOntheoccasionoftheConferenceonthe30thAnniversaryoftheRightLivelihoodAwardintheCityofBonn,Germanyat18September2010.

We, the young minds of science and research, declare that we can contributeeffectivelytotheworkofthelaureatesthroughaholisticapproachonresearchanddevelopmentinwhichthelaureatesserveasrolemodelsofinspiration.

Thisholisticapproachshouldincorporatenewperspectivesinacademicresearchthat take into account socioeconomic, political and ecological dimensions.The engagement in academic activism and taking responsibility of the existingchallengesandactionsforsolutionshouldalsobeencouraged.Inaddition, theparadigm-shiftonresearchingenderissuesshouldbeemphasised.

Thisnewapproachshouldalsotakeintoaccountthenecessityonthelegislationandrelevantconstitutionalprovisionsforcriminalcharges,notonlyagainstcompaniesandgovernmentbodiesbutalsoagainstindividualswhoareresponsiblepositionsoftheseagencies.

This new approach should consider the importance of public education andawareness as well as experiential learning with the aim to build a closer linkbetweenthesocietyandtheworkofthelaureates.

Local-context orientation and problem-based documentation should be atthe forefront of Right Livelihood College strategy. In addition, internationalnetworking,alliancebuilding,andexperiencesharingarecriticalpointsonwhichthecooperationbetweenthelaureatesandacademiashouldbebased.

Inadditiontoactivism,theoreticalframeworksshouldbeutilisedforexplaininglocalissues.Nevertheless,theadaptationofthistheoreticalframeworkatthelocallevelisalsocrucial.Theself-reflexiveeducationasacomplementtoinstitutionalisededucationshouldbefurtherpromoted.

Finally,wehave to remember topromote the concept thatunity indiversity isoneofthemostfundamentalprinciplesforchangingcourseandreclaimingourfuture.



ANNEx IV LIST OF PARTICIPATING LAUREATES

1. Abdi,DekhaIbrahim,Kenya.2. Agnivesh,Swami,India.3. Almada,MartínDr.,Paraguay.4. ATCC–VereinigungderBauernvonCarare(Representative:MauricioHernandez),

Columbia.5. Barlow,MaudeDr.,Canada.6. Bertell,RosalieDr.,Canada.7. Biró,András/HungarianFoundationforSelf-Reliance,Hungary.8. CentreJeunesKamenge(Representative:GuillaumeHarushimana),Burundi.9. Chipko Movement (Representatives: Sunderlal Bahuguna and his wife Vimla),

India.10. Clarke,TonyDr.,Canada.11. CSMR–CommitteeofSoldiers’MothersofRussia(Representative:Dr.IdaKuklina),

Russia.12. DunaKör(Representative:Dr.JuditVasarhelyi),Hungary.13. Dürr,Hans-PeterProf.Dr.,Germany.14. Epstein,SamuelProf.Dr.,USA.15. Fazal,AnwarProf.Dr.,Malaysia.16. Galtung,JohanProf.Dr.,Norway.17. Garcés,JuanDr.,Spain.18. GonoshastayaKendra/Dr.ZafrullahChowdhury,Bangladesh.19. Goodman,Amy,DemocracyNow!,USA20. GrameenShakti(Representative:DipalBarua),Bangladesh.21. Hauser,MonikaDr.,Germany.22. IBFAN–InternationalBabyFoodActionNetwork(Representative:MarcosArana).23. InternationalRehabilitationandResearchCentreforTortureVictims(ICRT)

Representative:SusanneKjaer,Denmark.24. KSSP–KeralaSastraSahithyaParishat(Representative:Dr.PallathKumaran

Ravveendran),India.25. Kruhonja,KatarinaDr.,Croatia.26. KvinnatillKvinna(Representative:ChristinaHagner),Sweden.27. Kylätoiminta(Representatives:TapioMattlarandMattiMäkeläoftheVillage

ActionAssociationofFinland),Finland.28. Langer,Felicia,Israel.29. LEDEG–LadakhEcologicalDevelopmentGroup(Representative:Mohd.

Hasnain),India.30. Lemke,Birsel,Turkey.31. Marlin,AliceT.PresidentandFounderofSocialAccountabilityInternational.32. Max-Neef,ManfredProf.Dr.,Chile.



33. Manorama,RuthDr.,India.34. Memorial(Representative:Dr.ElenaZhemkova),Russland.35. Montenegro,RaúlProf.Dr.,Argentina.36. Mooney,Pat,Canada.37. Moore-Lappé,FrancesDr.,USA.38. MOSOP–MovementfortheSurvivaloftheOgoniPeople(Representative:Ledum

Mitee),Nigeria.39. MST–MovimentodosTrabalhadoresRuraissemTerra,Brazil.40. Ngongo,René,DemocraticRepublicofCongo.41. NugkuagIkanan,Evaristo,Peru.42. Orrego,JuanPablo,Chile.43. NarmadaBachaoAndolan,(Representative:Chauhan,Vijaya),India.44. Perlas,Nicanor,Philippines.45. PIDA–ParticipatoryInstituteforDevelopmentAlternatives (Repesentative:Dr.PonnaWignaraja),SriLanka.46. PlentyInternational(Representative:PeterSchweitzer),USA.47. SAM–SahabatAlamMalaysia(Representative:Mohd.AzmiAbdulHamid),

Malaysia.48. Scheer,HermannDr.,Germany.49. Schmeiser,Percy&Louise,Canada.50. Schneider,Mycle,France.51. SeikatsuClub(Representatives:TaekoOgiwara,IkukoSasaki,RyokoShimizu),

Japan.52. SEKEM/Dr.IbrahimAbouleishandHelmyAbouleish,Egypt.53. SERVOL–ServiceVolunteeredforAll(Representative:MartinPacheco),Trinidad

&Tobago.54. SEWA–Self-EmployedWomen’sAssociation(Representative:NamrataBali),

India.55. Shiva,VandanaDr.,India.56. Sivaraksa,SulakDr.,Thailand.57. Succow,MichaelProf.Dr.,Germany.58. Suciwati,WidowofMunir,Indonesia.59. Sudarshan,Hanumappa,Dr./VivekanandaGirijanaKalyanaKendra(VGKK),

India.60. SurvivalInternational(Representatives:StephenCorry&LindaPoppe),UK.61. Terselic,Vesna,Croatia.62. TridentPloughshares(Representative:AngieZelter),UK.63. Turner,JohnF.Charlewood,UK.64. vanBoven,TheoProf.Dr.,Netherlands.65. vanRensburg,Patrick,Botswana,SouthAfrica.66. Ware,Alyn,NewZealand-Aotearoa.67. Weeramantry,ChristopherJudge,SriLanka(Representative:Gunasekera,Neshan)



68. WhitakerFerreira,Francisco,Brazil.69. Worede,MelakuDr.,Ethiopia.70. Wolde-Yohannes,LegesseDr.,Ethiopia.71. Yaroshinskaja,Alla,Ukraine.



ANNEx VPARTNER ORGANISATIONS

Organisers

TheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundationwasestablishedin1980tohonourandsupportthose“offeringpracticalandexemplaryanswerstothemosturgentchallengesfacingustoday”.Ithasnowbecomewidelyknownasthe“AlternativeNobelPrize”andtherearenow141laureatesfrom59countries.PresentedannuallyinStockholmataceremonyintheSwedishParliament,theRightLivelihoodAwardisusuallysharedbyfourRecipients.Besidesthefinancialsupport,itenablesitsRecipientstoreachouttoaninternationalaudiencethatotherwisemightnothaveheardofthem.Often,theAwardalsogivescrucialprotectionagainstrepression.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.rightlivelihood.org

TheCityofBonn,Germany’sUnitedNationsCity,providesnewplatformstoconstructivedialogueonthenational,internationalandsupranationallevels.Timeandagain,freshmomentumgoesoutfromBonnanditsactorsontheroadtowardsworldwidesustainabledevelopment.Whetherclimate,desertification,water,soil,biodiversity,orearlywarning–BonnhasdevelopedintotheGermancompetencecentreforenvironment,developmentandhealth.Thissynergynetworksofpolitics,organisations,industry,science,cultureandbymorethan150NGOs.AmongthelatterarenotonlyGermanorganisationsengagingininternationalissuesandactivitiesbutalsoapproximately20internationalnon-governmentalorganisationswhichhaveestablishedtheirheadquartersinBonnsince1990.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.bonn.de



Co-Organisers

TheFoundationforEnvironmentandDevelopment,NorthRhineWestphalia’smissionistoprotectnaturalresources,fightpovertyandpromoteglobaljustice,aOneWorldphilosophyandhumandignity.Thefoundationassistsnon-profitenvironmentanddevelopmentorganisationsbyprovidingprojectconsultancyandfinancialresources.ProjectsmustbegearedtowardspeopleinNorthRhine-Westphalia.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.sue-nrw.de

TheFoundationforInternationalDialogueoftheSavingsBankinBonnsupportstheinternationaldialogueandcooperationintheFederalandUnitedNationsCityofBonn.BonnisaninternationalandcosmopolitancityandholdsauniquepositionamongstotherGermancities.ThecityandtheregionofBonnthereforehavethebestpotentialtobecomeahubforinternationaldialogue.TheFoundation’saimsaretopromoteinternationalunderstanding,developmentcooperation,Europeanintegrationandstudyandresearchinthefieldsofinternationalpoliticsandhistory.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.sparkasse-koelnbonn-stiftungen.de



Partners

TheDeutscheBundesstiftungUmwelt(DBU)isoneofEurope’slargestfoundations.Itpromotesinnovativeandexemplaryenvironmentalprojectsrelatingtotopicsofenvironmentaltechnology,environmentalprovisionandresearch,natureprotectionandenvironmentalcommunication.Thethreemaincriteriaforobtainingasubsidyareinnovation,theexemplaryandmodelcharacterandtheenvironmentallybeneficialresultofaninitiative.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.dbu.de

TheGermanAcademicExchangeService(DAAD)isthelargestfundingorganisationintheworldsupportingtheinternationalexchangeamongstudentsandscholars.Itsactivitiesgofarbeyondsimplyawardinggrantsandscholarships.DAADsupportstheinternationalisationofGermanuniversities,promotesGermanstudiesandtheGermanlanguageabroad,assistsdevelopingcountriesinestablishinguniversitiesandadvisesdecision-makersonmattersofcultural,educationanddevelopmentpolicy.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.daad.de

StiftungMercatorisoneofGermany’slargestfoundations.Itinitiatesandfundsprojectsthatpromotebettereducationalopportunitiesinschoolsanduniversities.InthespiritofGerhardMercator,itsupportsinitiativesthatembodytheideaofopen-mindednessandtolerancethroughinterculturalencounters,encouragingthesharingofknowledgeandculture.Thefoundationprovidesaplatformfornewideastoenablepeople–regardlessoftheirnational,culturalandsocialbackground–todeveloptheirpersonality,becomeinvolvedinsocietyandmakethemostoftheopportunitiesavailabletothem.



Supported by

The State Governmentof North Rhine-Westphalia

University Partners

Natur+kosmosmagazinefocusesonnature,environmentandsustainablelifestyleandoffersanin-depthviewoftheglobalcorrelationsbetweenman,natureandtechnology.natur+kosmosgivesavoiceforthosewhoareaheadoftheirtimesandwhoactivelypromotenewideas.Overtheyears,natur+kosmoshaspresentedscoresofRightLivelihoodAwardandtheirprojectstoitsreaders.Foraselectionofthesearticles,pleaserefertowww.natur.de/rla

OekompublishingistheleadingspecialistpublisherofecologyandsustainabilityinGermanyThekindofbooksoekompublishers–fromrenownedauthorssuchasHans-PeterDürr,DonellaMeadowsandJosefReichholf–havewaystoabetterfutureandopenupnewprospectsforenvironmentandsociety.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.oekom.de

media Partners



medicamondialeisagerman-basednon-governmentalorganisationstandingupforwomenandgirlsinwarandcrisiszonesthroughouttheworld.medicamondialesupportswomenandgirlshavingexperiencedsexualisedviolence,regardlessofpolitical,ethnicorreligiousaffiliation.Togetherwithwomenfromaroundtheworld,medicamondialeiscommittedtohelpingwomentoleadadignifiedandself-determinedlife.

TheBonnInternationalWomen’sCenter–ifz–evolvedin1999fromeffortstoputintopracticethegoalsoftheLocalAgenda21.ItwasfoundedbywomenactivelydedicatedtoworkforthethenForeignResidents’AdvisoryCouncil(Ausländerbeirat)oftheCityofBonnandtheAgendaWorkingGroup“WomenOneWorld”.Theifzhasapproximately170members,comingfromEurope,Asia,AfricaandAmericaaswellasorganisationsdedicatedtoworkforpeace,refugeesandwomen.Itsupportsthecauseofpeaceandhumanrightsandworkstoachievemorejusticebetweenmenandwomen.

TheDeutscheGesellschaftfürTechnischeZusammenarbeit(GTZ)isafederallyownedorganisation.Itworksworldwideinthefieldofinternationalcooperationforsustainabledevelopment.ItsmandateistosupporttheGermanGovernmentinachievingitsdevelopmentobjectives.Itprovideviable,forward-lookingsolutionsforpolitical,economic,ecologicalandsocialdevelopmentinaglobalisedworld.

DenkwerkZukunft–StiftungkulturelleErneuerung(DenkwerkZukunft–FoundationforCulturalRenewal)wasfoundedon6October2007.ThemostimportantaimoftheFoundationisarenewalofWesterncultureinordertoqualifyitforthefutureandmakeitgenerallyapplicable.Thisrequiresabasicchangeintheunderstandingofculture.DenkwerkZukunftwantstocontributetothischangedunderstandingandatthesametimefurnishnewideasforaculturalrenewal.

Cluster Event Organisers



Friedrich–Ebert–Stiftungmaintainsitsownrepresentationsin70countriesofAfrica,Asia,theMiddleEastandLatinAmerica.Itsstaffareengagedinprojectsinthefieldsofsocio-politicaldevelopmentandeconomicandsocialpromotion.Inaddition,itmaintainsofficesintheWest,whereitfostersdialoguebetweendemocraticforceswiththeaimofbringingaboutabalanceofinterests,resolvingconflictsanddrawinguppolicyoptions.

GlobalPolicyForumisanindependentpolicywatchdogthatmonitorstheworkoftheUnitedNationsandscrutinisesglobalpolicymaking.GPFworksparticularlyontheUNSecurityCouncil,thefoodandhungercrisis,andtheglobaleconomy.Itpromotesaccountabilityandcitizenparticipationindecisionsonpeaceandsecurity,socialjusticeandinternationallaw.

DeutscheWelleisGermany’sinternationalbroadcaster:online,on-screenandovertheair.ItprovidesaEuropeanperspectivetoaudiencesaroundtheworldandpromotesinterculturaldialogue.

TheGermanFederalAgencyforNatureConservation(BundesamtfürNaturschutz,BfN)isthecentralscientificauthorityoftheGermanfederalgovernmentforbothnationalandinternationalnatureconservation.

IFOAM’smissionisleading,unitingandassistingtheorganicmovementinitsfulldiversity.Itsgoalistheworldwideadoptionofecologically,sociallyandeconomicallysoundsystemsthatarebasedontheprinciplesofOrganicAgriculture.

COLABORAisactiveintheareasofecologicalagri–andfoodculture,andpromotessustainability.Itmainlyworks–alsoattheinternationallevel–inthefollowingsectors:communications,events,consultancyandfundraising.



TheGermanCommissionforUNESCO(DUK),basedinBonn,isaNationalCommissionestablishedunderArticleVIIoftheUNESCOConstitution,andisthusthelinkbetweenGermanyandUNESCO.Itactsasanintermediaryofforeignculturalandeducationalpolicy,andissupportedbytheForeignOffice.

TheLVR-LandesMuseum,Bonn,hostedthisclusterevent.

TheGermanDevelopmentInstitute/DeutschesInstitutfürEntwicklungspolitik(DIE)isoneoftheleadingresearchinstitutionsandthinktanksforglobaldevelopmentandinternationaldevelopmentpolicyworldwide.TheDIE’suniqueresearchprofilecombinesresearch,consultingandprofessionaltraining.DIEbuildsbridgesbetweentheoryandpracticeandworkswithininternationalresearchnetworks.

AlanusUniversityisastate-approvedprivateUniversityofArtsandSocialSciences.Itisaplaceofarts-basededucationandacademicresearch.TheUniversityoffersawiderangeofcoursescoveringbothartisticandacademicdisciplines.

TheDevelopmentandPeaceFoundation(SEF)aimstoshapepolicyresponsestoglobalisationthroughaninterdisciplinaryandinternationalapproach.SEFeventsandpublicationsrepresentacontributiontothepromotionofworldwidepeaceandsustainabledevelopment.

Asanindependent,non-profitorganization,BICC(BonnInternationalCenterforConversion)isdedicatedtopromotingandfacilitatingpeaceanddevelopment.

Followingthemotto“Observing,Analysing,Acting”,Germanwatchhasbeenactivelypromotingglobalequityandthepreservationoflivelihoodssince1991.



ANNEx VIABOUT THE yOUTH FUTURE PROJECTTake Action – Change the World

HumanRights,empoweringthepoor,peacefulconflictsolution,religioustolerance,protectingnatureandtheenvironment,developingalternativeeconomicsystems,armsreduction,conservingresources,establishingspiritualityandethicsinpoliticsandbusiness.Thesearethegreatchallengesofourtime.TheideafortheYouthFutureProjectwasbornoutoftheambitiontobringyoungpeopletogetherwithlaureatesoftheRightLivelihoodAwardtodiscussideasandconceptsforapeacefulandenvironmentallysustainablefuture.

Accordingtotheorganisersoftheconference,“Ourfutureconcernseveryone.LaureatesoftheRightLivelihoodAwardnotonlydevelopedinnovativetheoreticalapproachestodevelopingsolutions,butalsopracticewhattheypreach.Theyturntheirthoughtsintopracticalinitiatives.Weaimtoinformyoungpeopleabouttheirideasandenablethemtotakeaction.”

TheYouthFutureProjectaimstocreateaworldwidecommunityincooperationwiththelaureatesandmanyinternationalsupporters,strivingtoraiseawarenessofsustainabilityamongourgeneration.Toimplementsomeofthelaureate’ssolutionsinasustainableway,youngpeople’sinvolvementisvitalforprogress.Allovertheworld,youngpeoplewillbethepioneersanddecisionmakersoftomorrow.Theyareeagertolearnaboutwhatkindofnewapproachestoeconomics,ecology,education,andconsumerbehaviourcanberealised.

Forthisreason,aconferenceforstudentsbetweenages18and26tookplaceinBonnfrom14th–19thSeptember,2010inclosecooperationwiththeRightLivelihoodAwardconference.

Duringtheconferenceabout120youngpeoplefromsometencountrieshadtheopportunitytoenterintodialoguewithAwardrecipients,meettheminperson,andparticipateinlectures,paneldiscussions,workshops,andactivitiespromotinginspiringprojects.EventsinvolvingourpartnerNGOsandyouthinitiativescomplementedtheprogram.TheYouthFutureProjecthopestocontinuetoserveasaplatformforsolution-orientedanalysisaswellasforthedevelopmentandsupportofprojectstakingontoday’sgreatchallenges.

Formoreinformation,visitwww.youthfutureproject.org



ANNEx VIIyOUTH FUTURE mANIFESTO (1ST VERSION)18September2010

PreambleInthepastdays,120youngpeoplefromallcontinentshavereflecteduponthecurrentstateofourplanetandrealizedthatthebasisofourfuturelivelihoodscontinuestobedestroyed.OurYouthConferenceisaneventontheoccasionofthe30thanniversaryoftheRightLivelihoodAwardthatbroughtAlternativeNobelLaureatestogetherhereinBonn.Morethan30RightLivelihoodlaureateshavesharedtheirknowledgeandexperienceinworkshopswithyoungpeople.AsparticipantsoftheYouthConference,wetookabroadlookatthecurrentglobalsituation.Weaskedourselveswhatwecoulddotostoporevenreversecurrentdestructivedevelopments.Wealsodiscussedwhatweastheyounggenerationexpectfromtoday’sdecisionmakersinpolitics,society,andbusiness.Dividedintosevenmaintopics,thegroupof120participantshasagreeduponthefollowingYouthFutureManifesto.Furthermore,GermanyouthdelegatesdeliveredanextendedversionofthismanifestototheUNMillenniumGoalsConferenceinNewYork:

1.Peace,Disarmament,ConflictResolution

Whathastobeachieved?• Aglobalunderstandingofrespectandbenevolenceaswellastherealisationthatall

thingsareinterconnected.• Theinnerpeaceofeveryhumanbeingisthestartingpointinthestrugglefora

peacefulworld.• Insteadofexpectingsecurityfrominternationalmilitarytreaties,securityneedstobe

establishedonalocalandhumanlevel.

Whatdowedoaboutit?• Topromotepeace,weencourageinterculturaleducationanddialogue.• Wecreateneutralspaces,inwhichconflictpartiescanenterintoadialogueand

achievechange.• Wecondemninstitutionsandcorporationsthatprofitfromwarandexploitation.

WhatPolitics,Business,andothersneedtodo?• Theinternationalcommunityneedstooutlawweaponsofwarandfinallyenterinto

negotiationstocondemntheproductionandproliferationofweapons.• Weappealtothemediaandpoliticianstoexposethetrueintentionsbehindwarsand

conflicts.



2.Climate,Environment,Health

Whathastobeachieved?• Anthropogenicclimatechangehastobeminimized.Humanityisadjustingand

mitigatingeffectsofclimatechange.Webecomeindependentfromfossilfuelsandnuclearenergy.

• Environmentalprotection,especiallytheprotectionofbiodiversity,isregardedastheprotectionofhumanity.Society,culture,andtheeconomyflourishonthebasisofsustainability.

• Peopleleadahealthylifestyle.Preventivecare,aswellasmedicaltreatment,isgivenahigherpriority.

Whatdowedoaboutit?• Weneedtoeducatethosesurroundingusaboutprocessesofclimatechange.• Webuylocalandseasonalproductsthatarefairlytradedandorganicallyproduced.• Westrivetominimizeourcarbon-dioxidefootprintinoureverydaylives.

WhatPolitics,Business,andothersneedtodo?• Decisionmakersneedtocombinetraditionalknowledgewithmodernresearchand

makeitpubliclyaccessible.• Completetransitiontorenewableenergies.• Preservethediversityoflifebyavoidingmonocultureandgeneticallymanipulated

corpsinagriculture.

3.HumanRights,InternationalConventions,CulturalDiversity

Whatdowedoaboutit?• ConsciousConsumption:Wemakeaconsciouseffortnottoconsumeproductsthat

wereproducedundercircumstancesviolatinghumanrights.• Weeducateourselvesaboutproductionstandards,especiallyaboutproduction

methodsviolatinghumanrights.Weactivelyinformothersabouttheseissues.• Weinfluencedecision-makersinpoliticsandbusinessbypetitionsandcampaignsto

implementfairtradepolicies.

WhatPolitics,Business,andothersneedtodo?• Decisionmakersinpoliticsandbusinessneedtosanctiontradewithnationsthat

violatehumanrights.• Allnationsoftheworldguaranteehumanrights.• Educationalinstitutionsraiseawarenessforissuesofhumanrightsandinternational

law.



4.Poverty,Hunger,DevelopmentAid

Whathastobeachieved?• Nobodyonthisplanethastostarve.• Regionalisationoftheeconomy:Profitsneedtobenefittheregionwhereproduction

takesplace.• Establishastrongorganicagricultureworldwide.• Smallfarmerswillbesupportedandincludedindecisionprocessesofagriculture

policy.

Whatdowedoaboutit?• Consciousconsumption:Wedecidetobuyseasonalproduce,eatmorevegetables

andlessmeat,aswellasfairtradeproducts.• Weraiseourawarenessforglobalcontextsanddrawthenecessaryconclusionsfor

thelocallevel.• Wedoeverythingtoconvincethepeoplearoundustoactaccordingly.

WhatPolitics,Business,andothersneedtodo?• Businessforthepeopleandnotjustforprofit.• Decisionmakersinpoliticsandbusinessstrivetomobilisefarmersallovertheworld

topromoteorganicagriculture,toensurelong-termsustainability.• Createincentivesforlocalindustriestoprocesslocalresources.

5.AlternativeApproachestoEconomics

Whathastobeachieved?• Decentralisationoftheeconomy.• Afairinternationalframeworkofrulesfortheglobaleconomy.• Internationalandresponsiblesharingofknowledge.

Whatdowedoaboutit?• Reflectuponourownconsumerbehaviourandactaccordingly.• Createthinktanks,socialenterprises,andsocialventures.• Webuylocalandseasonalproducts.

WhatPolitics,Business,andothersneedtodo?• Entrepreneursallovertheworldenterintoabindingpledgeforsocialresponsibility

ofbusiness.• Createfairrulesfortheglobaleconomy.• Companieshavetheobligationtocoverthecostsofthesocialandenvironmental

effectsoftheiractivities.



6.CivilSociety,AlternativePolitics,Globalisation

Whathastobeachieved?• AnempoweredCivilSocietyhasthelegitimatemeanstodirectlyinfluencepolicies,

suchasabasicincomeandopen-sourceintellectualproperty.• Politicaldecision-makingneedstobecompletelytransparent• Citizensusetheexistingmeansofdirectdemocraticparticipation.

Whatdowedoaboutit?• Weincludefriendsinthedebate.• Wecreatelocalandglobalnetworks.• Wereflectonourworldview.• Welearnabouttheworldanditsculturesandgatherinspiration.

WhatPolitics,Business,andothersneedtodo?• Politicaldecision-makingprocessesaremadetransparent.• Educationalandculturalinstitutionsinitiateandfosterdebatesaboutcurrentissues

andpossiblesolutions.

7.Values,Religion,Spirituality

Whathastobeachieved?• Peoplehaveahealthyspacetodevelopandreflectontheirownvalues.• Societyisorientedtowardaethicsandmoralethatencourageslife.• Moreopennesstospiritualityinallspheresoflife.

Whatdowedoaboutit?• Wewanttorespectandloveallpeople,creatures,andlife.• Wealwayswanttoactmindfullyandfillouractswithmeaning.• Iamconsciousofmyownfreewillandtakeresponsibilityformyactions.

WhatPolitics,Business,andothersneedtodo?• Thesciencesandspiritualityopenupforamutualexchangeofperspectives.• Itisgenerallyacknowledgedthatthinkingconstructsrealities.• Thereligionsoftheworldenterintoadialogueandopenuptoenablethesolution

ofcurrentproblemsofhumanity.



TheRightLivelihoodCollege(RLC)isaglobalcapacitybuildinginitiativeoftheRightLivelihoodAwardFoundation.ItaimstoharnessandspreadtheknowledgeandexperienceoflaureatesoftheRightLivelihoodAward,popularlyknownasthe“AlternativeNobelPrize”.Itdoesthisthroughpromotionofeducation,research,publicunderstandingandpracticalactivitieswhich:• Contributetoaglobalecologicalbalance.• Areaimedateliminatingmaterialandspiritual

poverty.• Contributetolastingpeaceandjusticeintheworld.

Foundedin1969inPenang,Malaysia,UniversitiSainsMalaysia(USM)offers800coursesatundergraduateandpostgraduatelevelstoapproximately20,000students.Theuniversityhascurrently24schoolsconductingacademicprogrammesandmorethan20centresofexcellencespecialisinginresearchactivities.

In2008,USMwaschosenasMalaysia’sAPEXUniversity–AcceleratedProgrammeforExcellence.AsthechosenAPEXUniversity,USMwillbeacceleratedforexcellenceandnurturedforworldclassstandingamongsttheworld’suniversities.USMalsohasitscommitmentto“TransformingHigherEducationforaSustainableTomorrow”.

TheRightLivelihoodCollege(RLC)’sglobalsecretariatishostedbytheUSM’sCentreforPolicyResearchandInternationalStudies(CenPRIS).CenPRISisaresearchhub,servingasthefocusofUSM’seffortsinconsultancyservices,researchandgraduatesupervisionrelatedtopublicpolicyandinternationalstudies.

Website:www.usm.my/cenpris

ANNEx VIIIABOUT THE RIGHT LIVELIHOOD COLLEGE



LundUniversityCentreforSustainabilityStudies,LUCSUSisaplatformforeducation,researchandcooperationinsideandoutsideacademiaonquestionsrelatedtosustainabledevelopment.LUCSUSisafacultyindependentcentreatLundUniversitythatcurrentlyhasabout30employees,ofwhomabouthalfaregraduatestudentsinsustainabilityscience.

Theeducationconsistsprimarilyofourinternationalmaster’sprogrammes,LUMES(LundUniversityMastersProgrammeinEnvironmentalStudiesandSustainabilityScience).Researchisconductedoftenininternationalcooperation,forexample,undertheEUframeworkprogrammes.

Since2008,ithascoveredtheLinnaeusprogramLUCID(LundUniversityCentreofExcellenceforIntegrationofSocialandNaturalDimensionsofSustainability).

Website:http://www.lucsus.lu.se/

In1950,EmperorHaileSelassieIdeclaredthefoundationoftheUniversityCollegeofAddisAbaba.ItwasrenamedHaileSelassieIUniversityin1962andthenAddisAbabaUniversityin1975.Atthetime,therewereonly33studentsenrolledcomparedtothecurrentnumberofmorethan40,000students.

Startingfromonlyonediplomaandcertificategrantingdepartment,namelybiology,theUniversitytodaycomprisesmorethan25faculties.In2010,AddisAbabaUniversitybecametheRLC’sfirstpartnercampusinAfrica.

Website:http://www.aau.edu.et



TheUniversityofBonnisaresearchandeducationcentrewith200yearsoftraditionandabout30,000studentsfrommorethan100countries.TheCenterforDevelopmentResearch(ZEF),anindependentresearchinstituteattheUniversityofBonn,becameRLC’spartnercampusin2010.ZEFconductsinterdisciplinaryandappliedresearchoncrosscuttingsocio-political,economicandenvironmentalproblemsinAfrica,AsiaandLatinAmericawiththeoverallgoaltocontributetosustainabledevelopment.

Since1997,ZEFrunsthe“BonnInterdisciplinaryGraduateSchoolforDevelopmentResearch”PhDprogrammewhichisuniqueintermsofitsinterdisciplinaryset-up,internationalityandsize(around140PhDstudentsfrommorethan70countries).Particularfocusisgiventostrengthenthecapacityofhighlyqualifiedscientificstaff,advisers,andmanagersfrompartnercountries.

ZEFranksamongtheworldwideTop10ofscienceandtechnologythinktanks.

Website:www.zef.de.


www.rightlivelihood.org/college


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