Dear Editor;
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Pope Benedict have both recently called for global solutions to global problems. For this to happen, we require two things: a change in our consciousness so that we recognize the earth’s resources are finite, and more effective international institutions that can keep us from destroying each other and the environment.
The Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) is a civil society initiative that promotes the changes we will need in both consciousness and global governance. The idea is to begin with an advisory body at the UN - a citizens’ watchdog with clout - that gradually transitions into a world parliament. This would be similar to the development of the European Parliament that now has co-decision powers and is elected by over 490 million voters of the European Union.
Although just launched in April ‘07, the campaign already has support from participants in 116 countries including academics, Nobel Prize winners and over 480 current parliamentarians.
I urge your readers to join activists all over the world working towards a global community and an effective, accountable United Nations.
Larry Kazdan
World Federalist
Movement Canada
Vancouver, B.C.