Report Contents
 Chair & President's Letter
 Sponsors
 Plenary Remarks
 Topics, Faculty & Hosts
 Recommendations
 Organizations
 Summary Report (PDF)
 
 
 University for a Night 2003 
 The Synergos Institute

Globalization is often defined as increasing economic connections between people, businesses and countries. University for a Night participants pointed out that economic globalization can, and indeed must, be complemented by what might be called "social globalization" through greater transnational dialogue, cooperation and alliances. Here are some of their recommendations to strengthen this social component of globalization.

Ernesto Garilao of the Asian Institute of Management listens to Mahesh Sharma of Cambridge College.

Capitalize on Diaspora and expatriate networks. Advances in transportation, communications and technology have enabled people to relocate away from their home communities and countries to an unprecedented extent. These advances also enable people to maintain connections with their home communities -- and these connections should be leveraged to increase the flow of resources and ideas back to poorer communities and countries. This includes not only resources from expatriates in professional occupations, but also from semi-skilled and even unskilled workers who maintain strong ties to their home communities.
Examples of groups working on this issue: American India Foundation, Inter-American Development Bank, Government of Mexico, Ministry of Economy of Spain

Increase the advocacy capacity of poor and excluded people and of poorer countries. A systemic problem in much national and international development policymaking is lack of participation of poor people. Without such participation, even the most well-intentioned public policies are unlikely to truly meet the needs of the poor. Moreover, poorer communities and excluded people often possess ideas and resources that should be leveraged and built upon. Building true engagement of the poor in public discourse is essential.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Highlander Center, Society for Participatory Research in Asia, Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children

Learn from, highlight and build upon from success stories in overcoming difficult poverty problems. Poverty and inequity have remained as scourges despite unprecedented technological and economic advances of the last 50 years. But significant achievements are being made everyday to address these problems. Drawing attention to success can be a cost-effective means of replicating or adapting effective approaches.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: Ashoka, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Public Media Center, RESULTS

Encourage and support young people's philanthropy. Observers predict that several tens of trillion of dollars in wealth will be transferred between generations in the next five decades. Ensuring that some of this wealth is used for social good, and used effectively, is vital. Young people around the world have proven to be effective philanthropists when they become engaged in giving early.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: Global Philanthropy Forum, Global Philanthropists Circle

Strengthen the infrastructure of philanthropy. The environment in which philanthropy is practiced affects its sustainability and impact. Greater professionalization of the philanthropic sector and more sharing of best practice information is necessary to ensure that the most is made of every philanthropic dollar. Philanthropy support organizations and donor collaboratives can help here. At the same time, more supportive tax policies and increased public education about philanthropy can increase the total amount of resources made available.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: Association of Foundations of the Philippines, Council on Foundations, Mexican Center for Philanthropy, The Philanthropic Initiative, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Southern Africa Grantmakers Association

Work with policymakers to incorporate international environmental and social agreements into trade policy. Significant agreement and understanding have been achieved in a variety of regional and global agreements over the last two decades, addressing such important issues as the environment, health, human rights and development. But more concrete mechanisms are needed to implement these agreements. By incorporating explicit environmental and social policies into trade agreements, the energy of globalization can be directed not only toward economic growth but also toward broad-based sustainable and social development.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: Earth Council, Economic Policy Institute, International Labour Organization

Mobilize resources and actions to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in concert with broader efforts to improve health care systems. HIV/AIDS is the most pressing global health crisis and requires special attention. But many of the actions needed to stop the spread of the virus are similar to those needed to address other diseases. These include public education among vulnerable populations, more widespread access to medicine health services by the poor and improved attention to sanitation.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: African Medical & Research Foundation, Government of Brazil, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Children's Fund

Pursue a range of approaches to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Preventative, long- and short-term approaches should not compete with each other. Measures such as microbicides and condoms can empower individuals to protect themselves. At the same time, efforts must be made at the highest levels to attack the root causes of the disease and ensure that a vaccine is found and made available to those who need it. Capacity is needed at all levels of society -- from the individual person to the local, national, regional and global levels.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: Bristol-Myers Squibb, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation, Southern African HIV/AIDS Intermediary Grantmakers Collaborative

Provide incentives for developing countries to protect their natural environment and cultural patrimony. Too many developing country governments face difficult choices such as between overexploiting the natural environment to meet urgent social needs and preserving it while neglecting the immediate welfare of their citizens. Insofar as these natural and cultural resources are of value to all of humankind -- and to future generations -- mechanisms should be put in place to bring support from global sources. One example is budget support to encourage energy efficient transportation and heating rather than more polluting technologies. Another is support for the development of sustainable tourism.
Examples of organizations working on this issue: Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations Environment Programme
 

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