Globalization is a fact of life. But I believe we have underestimated its fragility. It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity. We have to choose between a global market driven only by calculations of short-term profit, and one which has a human face. Today, no walls can separate humanitarian or human rights crises in one part of the world from national security crises in another. What begins with the failure to uphold the dignity of one life all too often ends with a calamity for entire nations. We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children. If one is going to err, one should err on the side of liberty and freedom. In the rush for justice it is important not to lose sight of principles the country holds dear. New threats make no distinction between races, nations or regions. A new insecurity has entered every mind, regardless of wealth or status. The United Nations, whose membership comprises almost all the states in the world, is founded on the principle of the equal worth of every human being. From this vision of the role of the United Nations in the next century flow three key priorities for the future: eradicating poverty, preventing conflict and promoting democracy. |