Two golden lines coming from opposite directions like writing from right to left and left to right, approach each other,
and seem to collide but just before collision they both start rising, crossing each other's path and continue
rising together until they spark the light that they can maintain only together.
Welcome to
The Intercultural Communication and Leadership School
The ICLS prepared and submitted to the European Commission (EC) its comments on the EC strategy working document entitled EU 2020. We hope this would positively contribute to collective thinking and finding solutions for the main challenges facing Europe.
1. We welcome the initiative of the European Commission to design EU 2020 "as the successor of the Lisbon strategy". This note, as invited by the Commission, is to point out what we see as inconsistency between the title, one of the subtitles and the text of the document and recommends some remedies to such inconsistencies, by aligning the title with the content of the document and by enriching the second part of the text so that it more corresponds to its subtitle and addresses a decisively important aspect that seems to have been overlooked when the document was drafted.
2. The title of the Working Document "EU 2020" suggests more than discussing only the economy in the European Union. Europe's citizens and societies are inseparable from the European economy but the document does not live up to the expectations raised by its title to address citizens and the full context of society within which the economy functions. The second key priority of the Working Document (" Empowering people in inclusive societies ") does not fully discuss, again, what the title promises, only one important aspect of it, job creation.
3. Even if the title of the working document would be made more precise, e.g. "EU 2020: an economic strategy", the dominant economic value of a truly inclusive society, an empowered and therefore participating citizenry (as envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty) and the generational sustainability of both society and economy would need to be addressed in the document more seriously than the current draft does. Some statements in the document, like "having a job is probably the best safeguard against poverty and exclusion" would need to be revised by more substance-based, interdisciplinary thinking on social exclusion and its political and economic consequences.
4. Our recommendation is, that during the expected revision of this working document, the Commission proposes to the Council, firstly, the recognition of social diversity, cohesion and inclusion as a key economic factor for Europe and treating it accordingly by designing the necessary management and investment strategies in that key economic factor.
5. Secondly, we recommend that the Commission proposes to the Council to address the demographic challenges of most European societies with a corresponding and potent social and economic strategy. The existing divisions and limited social inclusion between different ethnic, religious and cultural population groups in many European societies and the lack of population growth in most groups with the main exception of those of immigrant origin, combined with high youth unemployment exactly within those population groups, if not adequately addressed, would be hindering the chances of robust economic development in European societies.
6. Finally, we believe that no 21st.century long-term economic strategy paper can omit the increasingly strong impact of climate change on economy and society. The document's references only to a green economy, instead of an interdisciplinary approach to climate protection and its economic and social-political consequences, would in our view not stand the test of the forthcoming decade. We recommend placing the economic and social aspects of climate protection in the place it realistically deserves in the strategy.
7. We look forward to the publication and taking into account of these comments by the European Commission.
Rome, 14 January 2010
Geza Tessenyi, President
Guido Orlandini, Secretary General
The Intercultural Communication and Leadership School (ICLS), www.intercivilization.net"
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Highlights of events in 2009
14 December: Council of Europe Youth Centre, Strasbourg:
The ICLS 'Micro Cosmos Intercultural' East London pilot project (see below under 19 November) is the only winner from the European Union countries of the UN Youth Solidarity Fund as communicated by UN staff to the ICLS.
10 December: United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 15), Copenhagen:
On International Human Rights Day, the ICLS and The Intercivil Society are holding a parallel event of COP 15 at the Headquarters of the European Environment Agency (EEA). The event is held for launching a citizens' initiative for a 'Partnership for a Good Climate in Society and Nature' (see the text on www.intercivil.net ). The initiative is for strengthening the good governance of diversity through intercultural cooperation on climate protection. The implementation will start in Europe in 2010 through the ICLS and its partners, followed by projects beyond Europe implemented by The Intercivil Society.
One of the Directors of the EEA, an Executive Director of the Nobel Peace prize winner IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), one of the Vice Presidents of the European Parliament and the Leader of the Delegation of the European Parliament to COP 15 are guest speakers (see video below) at the parallel event.
19 November: United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, New York / East London:
ICLS wins the United Nations Youth Solidarity Fund grant for its 2009- 2010 project in East London entitled Micro Cosmos Intercultural. The project is one of the 12 winners, selected from 530 applications from 99 countries around the world. The ICLS is carrying out the project with grassroots community organizations in Tower Hamlets - East London, with PRAXIS Community Projects as the main local partner.
4 November: European Parliament, Brussels:
The Final of the 'AtmosphEUROPA Contest for Young Leadership Talent from Minorities of any kind' is celebrated by the ICLS and The Intercivil Society in the European Parliament in Brussels. The former President of the European Parliament, a Minister from the EU Swedish Presidency and the European Commission (DG EAC Representative) opened the event.
The winners of the popular cyber-vote are:
1. Giovanni Padovani,
2. Viktor Huszàr,
3. Halil Cikmazkara.
Hans-Gert PÖTTERING and Selina ULLAH introduce the ICLS in the European Parliament.
20 October: European Environment Agency, Copenhagen:
The EEA senior management officially offers the ICLS to hold a 'side event' at their Copenhagen headquarters during the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP15) in December. The event is being organized for launching the initiative called Partnership for a Good Climate in Society and Nature. The initiative is about practical steps to protect the climate through intercultural cooperation by people who are most affected by climate change. It is based on the ICLS concept of 'Climate protection as an instrument of peace building' between different local communities.
5 - 7 August: United Nations sixth Youth Assembly, New York:
The ICLS youth representative, Maja WARNSTAM, participates at the world youth assembly, meets European and other youth representatives and UN staff. Maja is asked and delivers the report about the Youth Assembly for the front page of the official website of the Alliance of Civilizations: unaoc.org
13 July: European Parliament, Brussels:
The Secretary General of the European Parliament, Klaus WELLE authorizes the ICLS for the use of EP premises and facilities for the Final of the AtmosphEUROPA Contest free of charge, "considering the importance and the interest of this activity". Cooperation continues with the European Parliament Press Service and other technical services.
11 June: European Commission, DG Education and Culture, Brussels:
The ICLS representative prepares and submits, as rapporteur, the final report on the conclusions of the Working Group on the follow up of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The report is unanimously adopted by the European Active Citizenship Group, the main civil society partner of DG EAC. After adoption, DG EAC distributes the conclusions among EU members and its other partners.
11 June (2): British Council, Belfast:
At the invitation of the British Council in Northern Ireland, the ICLS President Geza TESSENYI and the ICLS Coordinator for the UK, Mansoor ABBASI, jointly make a keynote speech at a conference on the integration of new migrants in Northern Ireland. Geza and Mansoor also meet local community organizations and refugees at an evening meeting organized by the Corrymeela Community. At a barbed-wired gate of the Belfast Wall, dividing the Catholic and Protestant parts of the city, they shoot a video for the Contest for young leadership talent from minorities (AtmosphEUROPA).
8 June: Platform for Intercultural Europe, Brussels: The ICLS, through its Secretary General, Guido ORLANDINI, becomes member of the management Board of the newly created European umbrella organization on intercultural dialogue.
4 June: Al Azhar University, Cairo:
United States President Barack OBAMA gives a speech about relations between the world's Muslims and the West and endorses a number of concepts and principles the ICLS has been advocating and practising since its inception in 2001-2002 and which are being mainstreamed in intercultural practice and supported by the European Commission and its Executive Agency EACEA. The US President explicitly recalls the importance of the work of the UN Alliance of Civilizations.
May: ICLS, Rome and in cyberspace:
The ICLS is distributing information as provided by the European Commission about reasons why to vote at the European elections.
6 April: Turkish Government and United Nations, Istanbul:
The ICLS is one of the winners of the 'Marketplace of Ideas' of the Alliance of Civilizations Second Forum. The President of ICLS, Geza TESSENYI speaks at the plenary of the Forum. The Forum is opened by UN Secretary General Ban KI-MOON, Turkish Prime Minister ERDOGAN, Spanish Prime Minister ZAPATERO and High Representative SAMPAIO and attended, among others, by European Commissioner Jan FIGEL and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Terry DAVIS.
Geza has meetings with Messrs Sampaio and Davis and gives a press interview to the UN media team present.
25 March: European Parliament, Strasbourg:
The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert PÖTTERING, lends his patronage to the AtmosphEUROPA Contest for young leadership talent from minorities of any kind. The patronage of the European Parliament is extended later on under the newly elected President of the EP, Jerzy BUZEK.
10 February: UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Lisbon:
Former President and UN High Representative Jorge SAMPAIO announces cooperation between the UNAoC and the ICLS and his support to the ICLS project Good Governance of Diversity through Intercultural Cooperation.
