Preparations for the ‘UN Summit of the Future’, which is to take place on 22 and 23 September in New York, are in the final spurt. Democracy Without Borders provides information:
While governments are busy putting final touches on an official outcome document, the Pact for the Future, a platform of civil society groups released its own 'People’s Pact for the Future' (PDF). Published by the Coalition of the UN We Need (C4UN), the document 'represents the culmination of nearly two years of work to articulate a set of recommendations, based on numerous civil society-led online, regional, and global consultations, to determine what participants agree is necessary for the United Nations to meet the needs of humanity and the planet today.'
A diverse group of organisations and networks united by a common cause want to send an open letter to the UN member states before the summit. Organisations wishing to join the campaign have until 6 September to do so.
The UN Charter is proclaimed in the name of "We the Peoples of the United Nations”, yet, too often, the voices of the world’s people are shut out. The world is facing a series of compounding crises, which are global and intergenerational. The exclusive nature of the United Nations dramatically limits its ability and legitimacy to mobilise effective collective action to confront the critical challenges of today and tomorrow in the best interest of all.
There are many more initiatives from civil society that I can't even list here. You don't need to be a clairvoyant to tell you that none of these wishes will come true. There may be some promises that are then celebrated as a great success, but experience has shown that they are not realised or come to nothing. I have already expressed this several times in my articles. Democracy Without Borders is also sceptical about this.
Democracy Without Borders, which was involved in the consultations on the People’s Pact, strongly welcomed the document’s “bold approach” and “forward-thinking proposals”. At the same time, the organization expressed its disappointment with the current draft of the intergovernmental outcome document. “In the field of participation in global governance, the intergovernmental pact lacks specific recommendations”, said the group’s Executive Director, Andreas Bummel.
What will it be like after the summit, when everyone involved has realised the results? Will the NGOs continue to run nicely in the hamster wheel of the UN system? Or will some finally come to the realisation that things can't go on like this? Is it time for a new approach, time for a new world organisation alongside the United Nations? A world organisation that actually represents humanity and not the nations?
It wouldn't have to be many at first, but if some of the disappointed NGOs took the initiative to start building the United Mankind Organisation, it would be a start. Such a project is of course huge, but it can start small. The NGOs do not have to give up their previous activities within the framework of the UN. One does not exclude the other. But they would then have a second track that would stabilise their work considerably. Thanks to their experience in many coalitions, they also have the necessary connections. And who other than civil society would be better suited to represent the interests of humanity?
Therefore, I appeal to all those who feel addressed: Don't give up, don't continue to tread water, but start a new way!