UN Reform Conference Launches Year-Long Campaign to "Empower the UN"

By Bill McCarthy, President of the Unity Foundation

The "Towards a Democratic United Nations For the 21st Century" Conference in San Francisco brought together people from five continents to address the need to reform and democratize the United Nations. Over the course of four days in June the participants forged a detailed Action Plan for a year-long campaign under the banner of "Empower the United Nations".
The conference began with an inspiring address by Robert Muller, former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, former Vice President of the World Federalist Movement, and Honorary Chair of the Conference. Dr. Muller stated how vitally important this conference was because of its alignment with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's UN Reform Panel.
On the second day, attendees were treated to a series of educational panels including: "Alternatives to War" - to abolish the scourge of war and terrorism; "Human Rights" - to implement human rights and responsibilities; "International Law" - to accept the jurisdiction of international law and world courts; "Social and Economic Justice" - to work toward responsible globalization based on human rights, labor rights, and a healthful environment to benefit all people; and "The Creation of a People's Assembly in the United Nations."* In all, thirty-two experts addressed these important topics. There were many passionate and empowering speeches including those of Tad Daley, Founder of the Campaign for a New UN Charter and Andrew Strauss, Professor of International Law at Widener University.
Dr. Daley stated that "We the Peoples" must not just work to prevent particular wars, but exercise our power to end war itself. The best strategy to this end is a redesigned, democratized and empowered UN system complete with executive, judicial and legislative powers capable of representing the whole of mankind — a true "Parliament of Humankind".
Professor Strauss presented a practical step-by-step plan to create a People's Assembly within the next few years. The idea is to approach twenty to thirty nations, beginning with the smaller countries, and ask them to begin to elect delegates to a Global People's Assembly. After a period of time, the larger nations would witness the process of democratization in the smaller countries, and begin to see that this is the logical road to democratizing the countries of the world and ultimately the United Nations.
Empowered by the speeches of the previous day, everyone at the conference worked throughout Saturday the 26th in one of the five commissions. At the end of the day, the reports from the commissions were presented at a Plenary Session before being turned over to the Campaign Committee which will use them as part of a year-long media campaign to reform and democratize the UN. In the evening there was a Gala Celebration with musical performances, a tribute to Dr. Rasmi Mayur and the presentation of a Peace Pole to Dr. Lucile Green, the founder of the San Francisco People's Assembly and the guiding light of the UN Reform Conference.

While the conference may have ended on Sunday, June 27, with a special ceremony and music, the work of the Campaign Committee continues. They are now busy developing the year-long media campaign, running a new website (www.EmpowertheUN.org) and editing video presentations from the conference, which will be airing on "Positive Spin" television programs over the next four months. In addition, our spokesperson, Andrew Strauss and Tad Daley, have already been invited to speak at special events in Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Denver.