This May, over 300 leaders from around the world gathered at the United Nations for the fourth annual University for a Night to share ideas and experience about a critical issue: how to narrow the gap between rich and poor around the world.

This report attempts to capture the key recommendations that came out of the 30 frank and spirited table discussions. Some of these recommendations - such as the call for much greater support for girls' education - are similar or even identical to recommendations in previous years. But the conversation this May differed from previous years in three important ways.

First was a greater recognition of the terrible personal, political and economic impact of violence at all levels of society - from within families to street crime to ethnic and international conflicts. There were differences of opinion about whether violence is a cause of poverty or a symptom of it - it is probably both. What was agreed was that much effort must be made to prevent violence.

A second difference this year was greater attention to the role of technology in helping to narrow the gap between rich and poor. Many participants raised serious concerns about the global technological revolution, warning that the digital divide may be growing and might exacerbate current economic and social injustices. Nonetheless, technology, particularly in communications networking, health and agriculture, was put forward as a key approach to narrowing the gap-provided it is used in ways that actively involve, empower and benefit people, countries and regions most in need.

The third, related, issue was globalization itself, with events such as the protests at the World Trade Organization in Seattle as a backdrop to the table discussions. University for a Night participants differed on their assessment of globalization today, with most stating that globalization holds both tremendous potential and a tremendous threat to more widespread prosperity. The key, then, will be developing policies and initiatives that ensure that all members of society can participate in and benefit from the global economic revolution.

We wish to extend our deepest thanks to the generous sponsors of the event, including our Founding Sponsor, the Chase Manhattan Private Bank and our Leadership Sponsors, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Lucent Technologies. Thanks too to the CEOs of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Charlie Heimbold, and of Lucent, Rich McGinn, for their provocative plenary remarks, and to our other plenary speakers-Ruth Cardoso, First Lady of Brazil and Mark Malloch Brown, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.

We also thank our host, the Mission of Brazil to the United Nations and Ambassador Gelson Fonseca of Brazil, as well as all our other Distinguished Faculty, Moderators and participants.

Sincerely,

Peggy Dulany Chair		S. Bruce Schearer President

 
 

Report Contents	Chair & President's Letter	Plenary Remarks	Recommendations	Synergos
Sponsors	Table Topics & Faculty	Organizations	About University for a Night