Keynote Speech
H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser
High Representative for the
UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS
at the
POSITIVE ECONOMY FORUM SAN PATRIGNANO
THIRD EDITION
SAN PATRIGNANO, 7 – 8 APRIL 2016
Italy
H.E. Ms. Letizia Moratti,
Professor Jacques Attali,
H.E. Mr. Andrea Gnasi, Mayor of Rimini,
Excellencies,
Distinguished,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be in the beautiful city of Rimini, to participate in this third edition of the San Patrignano Positive Economy Forum, organized under the leadership of visionary Ms. Letizia Moratti, Co-Founder of San Patrignano Foundation, in partnership with eminent thinker Jacques Atalli, President of Positive Planet and the Mayor of Rimini, Andrea Gnasi.
Positive economic action for the benefit of present and future generations lies at the heart of the UN 2030 agenda for achievement of its sustainable development goals. Resilient, dynamic and equitable economic development, based on care for the environment and respect for social and cultural dimensions should underpin all our efforts. The goals of the San Patrignano Positive Economy Forum highlight the need “to restore the long-term priority in our decisions and actions.” Because “it is the only way to address the economic, environmental, technological, social and political challenges,” we will face in 2030.
The long-term perspective is essential, but our immediate problems and challenges are critical. An overview of the first 15 years of this century leaves one almost in a state of shock, when you compare the way our world could be, given its store of natural resources, its accumulated wealth, advances in technology and medicine, the expansion of human capability, and the way events have actually unfolded. This includes numerous local and regional wars, invasions, ethnic cleansing, mass dislocation of populations, disease, refugee crises, terrorism and civil strife.
This is not to mention the challenges of expanding income inequality, climate change, ocean and land degradation and other environmental and social issues that affect millions of people worldwide. These issues have to be addressed strategically, urgently, and with a great sense of purpose if we expect 2030 to present us with a better outlook than we have today.
These realities require concerted efforts by governments at national, regional and local level, the private sector and other civil society groups. In other words, it requires solid partnerships across all sectors of society. Our will and our shared capacity for partnership was evidenced in 2000 with the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals, and more recently in 2015, with the adoption of three interlinked agendas for sustainable development: the Addis Ababa Action Agenda to Finance Sustainable Development, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the COP21 on climate change.
These three agendas are critical because they compel us towards a holistic approach to sustainable development. Sustainable development requires us to deal with problems in their relationship to each other. Whether we are talking about science, or the interaction amongst species, or the interaction of different ecosystems, we need to think in terms of inter-linkages. This also includes the economic, social and political sphere since sustainable development calls on countries to deal at the same time with efficiency and equity, which is not only complex, but weighed down with value judgements.
At the United Nations, we have long emphasized the pivotal role played by the economics in sustainable development, which is crucial if we are to address income inequality and poverty eradication. The issue of income inequality has received fresh attention by economists who cite this an increasingly global problem affecting even the developed world. It is a major issue for our economic agenda if a small group of people increasingly own most of the world’s capital and resources. A world with a diminishing middle class, restricted mobility and increasing levels of poverty is not sustainable.
Sustainable Development Goal 11, which calls on the international community to “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” stresses the importance to “support positive economic, social and environmental links.” Contemporary challenges and opportunities reaffirm the advantage we can collectively gain, by adding the cultural component to this recipe for sustainable societies.
Culture is intergenerational and represents a way of life. It defines our behavior, our beliefs and our values. Therefore, we should not dismiss the impact that culture holds in the creation of the societies we need for the future. And this does not mean that culture has to be divisive element within of between societies.
This is where the role of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations comes into sustainable development equation. We aim at going deeper to highlight the root causes of inequalities, intolerance, social and economic exclusions. UNAOC focuses on mediation before and after culturally and religiously based conflicts. An important element of this is working with our youth. We bring young people from across the world, to address global challenges in the context of cultural and religious diversity. Since the first edition of our Summer School, almost 500 youth representing 119 countries participated. We have provided mentoring and financial support to young entrepreneurs from the Euro-Mediterranean region, among others.
Up to now, 60 young entrepreneurs coming from 23 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea took part in this initiative. Since 2010 our Fellowship Program supported by the German Government has brought together over 200 young civil society leaders from the MENA region along with young leaders from North America and Europe. It engages the Fellows in intercultural dialogue to broaden their understanding of culturally sensitive topics.
The impact is even more dramatic when you consider the work done by those who participate in our projects. Since 2008 our Youth Solidarity Fund has provided seed funding to 46 outstanding youth-led initiatives that promote long-term constructive relationships between people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Coming from 30 different countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, the work of the supported organization impacted over 700,000 people. Additionally the impact of the NGOs, which were recipients of the Intercultural Innovation Award (IIA) have benefited over 600,000 people from 88 countries around the world. Our program is in partnership with the BMW Group. We select innovative and sustainable projects of non-profit organizations that promote dialogue and understanding.
Our engagement with youth continues during our 7th Global Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, which will be carried under the theme “Living Together in Inclusive Societies: A Challenge and A Goal” on April 24-25, 2016. We will organize a youth event, which will be a unique international opportunity for civic and intercultural participation for 150 young people. They have been selected from diverse backgrounds to discuss common issues and to network.
One of the main lessons learned from these various initiatives is simple: if the seeds of understanding and stability are not planted in the hearts and minds of the young men and women today, we will not achieve peace or economic development tomorrow. Therefore, our activities focus both on the individual and on collectivity. I envision this strategy as one of the keys to renew our economies focused on community building.
In mentioning “community-building,” this is where the efforts of the community of San Patrignano meet UNAOC’s.
The Community of San Patrignano is a success story. Its members demonstrate selfless love for humanity and building a resilient community from the ground up. Inspiring young men and women live side by side, from the results of their daily efforts.
These young men and women do make a change by focusing their energy on crafting, creating, and sustaining positive business models.
They make a change by transforming their pain and suffering into positive energy for the improvement of a whole community that sustains itself through entrepreneurship. This process reminds me of the cycle of life. It is a cycle from birth, to growth and maturity. We see today that this cycle is being threatened at its core with challenges such as violent extremism and terrorism.
Last January, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the “Action Plan to Prevent Violent Extremism.” One of the main approaches is to address the root causes that drive people, particularly youth, to commit such acts of violent extremism. The plan clearly states, “We have to empower youth and identify better tools to support young people as they take up the causes of peace, pluralism and mutual respect.” It is worth mentioning that UNAOC participated in the Ad-Hoc committee that put this “Action Plan” together.
The Community of San Patrignano has found one of the solutions to the greatest threats we face, when we look at their model. They have found the “HOW.” Its members involve hard-to-reach young people.
They empower a portion of society that is vulnerable. We know that vulnerability of our youth leads to disastrous consequences. Take a look at the waves of violence carried by young people under age 25 against their own communities. No region of the world is safe. In less than a year, the world witnessed deadly terrorist attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, France, Turkey, Kenya, and now Belgium to name just a few. There are thousands young “foreign fighters” traveling to conflict zones. Many of them return and at random slaughter human life.
At San Patrignano, vulnerability is targeted through vocational training and consistent support. After gaining the required experience, they train each other and give back to the community. They are survivors who become entrepreneurs.
Ms. Moratti is taking the success of San Patrignano to another level with the initiative of “E4 Impact”, aimed at fostering Sustainable Development through impact entrepreneurship. She sets the bar higher by transferring the successful community showcase from the local to the international level in Uganda, Nigeria and Kenya, with a more centered educational perspective.
The effectiveness of this model is undeniable and contributes to the long-term investment towards more peaceful and inclusive societies. This is why we have signed an MoU with Ms. Moratti in order to enhance this shared vision of concerted effort.
I strongly believe that working together with organization like yours will enable us to boost our potential in solving youth problems and dilemmas. During this process, we at the UNAOC should leave no one behind, just like the community of San Patrignano leaves no one without help.
Thank you.