16 October 2009

"World Culture Forum" appeals to G20, calls for UN Parliamentary Assembly

The World Culture Forum in Dresden

Image: Kanal 8

More than 80 national and international opinion leaders and over 500 guests from all around the world participated in the second "World Culture Forum" convened in Dresden, Germany, to discuss the creation of "a culture of balance." One of the basic questions involved was how cultural, spiritual, intellectual, religous and artistic values can be put on an equal footing with economic thinking. "I have a feeling that the economy is just beginning to learn lessons from the crisis: sustainability and responsibility for future generations instead of short-term profit-seeking," said Hans-Joachim Frey, the Forum's initiator.

The forum of representatives from politics, business, science, religion, arts, and media closed with the adoption of a manifesto which was addressed to the heads of states and governments of the Group of Twenty (G-20). The document points out, among other things, that the G-20 represents "two-thirds of the world population and over 90% of world economic output." According to the statement, the forum considers it "an important step toward more democracy at world level" that it was decided at the recent summit in Pittsburgh to have the G-20 supersede the Group of Eight as "main forum" for the coordination of issues associated with the global economy, finances and resources. "We need the G-20 to coordinate global processes," the communiqué stresses. The forum calls upon the G-20 to take action to bring about "a transition from market fundamentalism to an ecologically and socially regulated global market economy." As part of this agenda, the manifesto asks the G-20 leaders to commit to the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA).

Individuals who participated in the forum and support the manifesto include Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher, co-founder Global Marshall Plan Initiative, Sir Sri Ravi Shankar, International Art of Living Foundation, Prof. Dr. Georg Milbradt, former Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony, actor Armin Müller-Stahl, Volker Hassemer, former Vice-president of the Federal Constitutional Court, Aiman A. Mazyek, Secretary General of the Muslim Central Council in Germany, Petra Bahr, Cultural Council of the German Protestant Church, Dr. Gerhard Prätorius, Director of CSR and Sustainability, Volkswagen AG, Hiroo Saionji, President Goi Peace Foundation, and Prof. Dr. Ervin László, Club of Budapest. The forum convened from 8 to 10 October.

Download manifesto