International figures blast widening economic disparity<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Lille, France<\/p>\n
More than 400 social, political and business leaders who
\ngathered in France from around the world, have raised concerns
\nover the widening economic gap within and between countries and
\nthe concentration of economic and political power in increasingly
\nfewer hands.<\/p>\n
These, together with threats to the diversity of cultures and
\nthe exploitation of natural resources \"are creating unrest and
\nconflicts worldwide and giving rise to deep concerns about the
\nfuture of the planet,\" the leaders say in their communique titled
\nCharter on Human Responsibilities.<\/p>\n
\"We are now at a new crossroads in human history,\" the charter
\nsays.<\/p>\n
The charter also criticizes the pervasive power of the
\ninternational market which it says is undermining the traditional
\nrole of states, and international economic institutions which
\nwere accused of failing to close the economic gap worldwide.<\/p>\n
Scientific institutions were more interested in pursuing their
\nown interests than analyzing and addressing the interacting
\nglobal issues that confront humanity, it says.<\/p>\n
The charter calls on all people and nations to act
\nresponsibly, to promote dialog and solidarity and to heal all
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
The charter was issued at the end of the so-called World
\nAssembly which ran from Dec. 2 to Dec. 10 in Lille.<\/p>\n
Participants from five continents included business leaders
\nand executives, political leaders, labor union activists, local
\ngovernmental officials, artists, journalists, philosophers,
\nscientists, non-governmental organization activists,
\nbusinesspeople, youth, farmers and fishworkers.<\/p>\n
Indonesian participants included NGO activist Bambang Ismawan
\nand Sylvia Tijong Jong Nio Kwee and a student from the University
\nof Indonesia, Berly Martawardaya.<\/p>\n
Former Minister of Research and Technology AS Hikam was also
\ninvited but he failed to attend.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting is another milestone in human history to tackle
\nthe future challenges,\" Pierre Calame, director of the Paris-
\nbased Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation for the Progress of
\nHumankind (FPH), which sponsored the meeting, told The Jakarta
\nPost<\/p>\n
The foundation was established in 1982 based on funds provided
\nby Charles Leopold Mayer (1881-1971), a French chemist,
\nfinancier, researcher, philosopher and philanthropist. Its goal
\nis to promote the progress of mankind through science and social
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
Prior to the World Assembly, the foundation, together with
\nseveral partners, started organizing meetings in several
\ncontinents to address the world's social, political and economic
\nissues.<\/p>\n
In 1994, it started to build a worldwide network called
\nAlliance to further examine the problems and to find solutions to
\nthem.<\/p>\n
The series of meetings held by the Alliance network then
\nclimaxed with the World Assembly in Lille.<\/p>\n
According to Calame, the charter produced at the Lille meeting
\nwas only a draft which was not expected to be completed until
\nMarch next year.<\/p>\n
Once the final text of the charter was approved by all
\nAlliance members, the organization expected governments
\nthroughout the world to sign it.<\/p>\n
Once all nations had signed, the charter would become the
\n\"third pillar of the world principles\" after the Declaration of
\nHuman Rights and the United Nations Charter for Peace and
\nDevelopment, Calame said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/international-figures-blast-widening-economic-disparity-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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