Wiring a web for global good | Gordon Brown

Introduction

The speaker expresses delight in being away from Westminster and Whitehall.

Delight in Being Away

• The speaker expresses delight in being away from the calm of Westminster and Whitehall.

Impactful Pictures and Events

The speaker discusses powerful pictures and events that have had a significant impact on society.

Examples of Impactful Pictures and Events

• Kim, a nine-year-old Vietnamese girl whose back was ruined by napalm, awakened the conscience of America during the Vietnam War.

• Birhan, an Ethiopian girl, launched Live Aid after being rescued from near death.

• A picture of a man standing before a tank in Tiananmen Square became a symbol of resistance.

• A Sudanese girl's picture with a vulture hovering in the background shocked people into taking action against poverty.

• Neda, an Iranian girl shot at a demonstration, became an icon for the YouTube generation.

Unlocking What We Cannot See

The speaker emphasizes that what we see unlocks what we cannot see.

Unveiling the Invisible

• What we see has the power to unlock invisible ties and bonds of sympathy that bring us together as a human community.

• These impactful pictures demonstrate our ability to feel the pain of others and believe in something bigger than ourselves.

• There is a moral sense across all religions, faiths, and continents that compels us to act when we witness injustice or problems that need rectification.

Moral Sense Across Borders

The speaker highlights the existence of a moral sense across borders and its connection to modern means of communication.

Global Ethic through Communication

• There is a global ethic that commands attention from people of every religion, faith, or no faith.

• Modern technology allows us to communicate instantaneously across borders and find common ground with people we may never meet.

• We have the capacity to organize and take collective action to address problems or injustices.

• This unique age in human history marks the creation of a truly global society.

Responsibility for Realizing Potential

The speaker emphasizes our responsibility to ensure everyone has the chance to realize their full potential.

Fulfilling Responsibility

• Our responsibility is to provide equal opportunities for individuals to reach their full potential.

• A moral sense and global ethic should guide our actions, regardless of religion, faith, or lack thereof.

Modern Means of Communication

The speaker discusses the power of modern means of communication in effecting change.

Harnessing Technology for Change

• Modern technology enables us to combine our moral sense with effective communication and international organization.

• This combination presents an unprecedented opportunity to fundamentally change the world.

• Foreign policy can no longer be controlled solely by elites; it must consider public opinions expressed through blogging and other forms of online communication.

Historical Examples

The speaker reflects on historical examples where modern means of communication could have made a significant impact.

Missed Opportunities in History

• William Wilberforce's campaign against the slave trade could have been enhanced with pictures and modern means of communication.

• Eglantyne Jebb's efforts in creating Save the Children could have been amplified through widespread communication.

Examples of Modern Communication's Impact

The speaker provides examples where modern means of communication had a significant impact on events.

Impactful Use of Modern Communication

• In 2001, a million people texting each other about corruption brought down President Estrada in the Philippines (referred to as "coup de text").

• Mobile phone photographs prevented election fixing in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe.

• Blogs from monks in Burma exposed repression and garnered international attention.

• People in Iran use blogging and changing addresses to prevent the security services from finding them.

The Power of Moral Sense and Communication

The speaker emphasizes the power of combining moral sense with communication for global change.

Changing the World through Moral Sense and Communication

• The combination of our moral sense, effective communication, and international organization provides a unique opportunity to fundamentally change the world.

• Foreign policy must consider public opinions expressed through modern means of communication rather than being controlled solely by elites.

150 Years of Progress

In this section, the speaker discusses the historical progression of societal challenges and the need for global cooperation to address them.

Evolution of Challenges

• 150 years ago: The main problem was ensuring the right to education for young people.

• 100 years ago: The focus shifted to fighting for the right to vote in most European countries.

• 50 years ago: The emphasis was on securing social security and welfare rights.

• Last 50-60 years: Campaigns against fascism, anti-Semitism, racism, apartheid, discrimination based on sex, gender, and sexuality gained momentum.

Nelson Mandela's Message

This section highlights a conversation with Nelson Mandela and his perspective on global challenges.

Amy Winehouse Concert

• The speaker recalls being with Nelson Mandela at a concert in London where Amy Winehouse performed.

• Nelson Mandela was surprised by her appearance and asked about her identity.

Nelson Mandela's Reflection

• Amy Winehouse jokingly mentioned that she had something in common with Nelson Mandela as her husband had also spent time in prison.

• Inspired by this comment, Nelson Mandela took the stage and summarized the challenges faced by humanity.

• He highlighted his own struggle against racial oppression and apartheid as a significant accomplishment.

The Challenge of Building a Global Society

This section emphasizes the need for global collaboration to tackle poverty, climate change, security issues, human rights violations, and development disparities.

Global Challenges

• Poverty eradication and climate change require collective efforts from all nations.

• Global problems like financial crises cannot be solved by individual countries alone but necessitate international cooperation.

The Great Project of Our Generation

• The speaker believes that our generation's primary task is to build a truly global society based on shared values and effective institutions.

• The combination of a global ethic and advanced communication capabilities provides us with the power to achieve this goal.

The Need for Global Institutions

This section emphasizes the importance of establishing global institutions to address climate change, financial stability, and development disparities.

Climate Change

• The absence of a global environmental institution hinders efforts to combat climate change effectively.

• An agreement is needed to create such an institution during the Copenhagen conference.

Financial Stability

• National supervision alone cannot ensure stability in the face of financial crises.

• Global economic institutions are necessary to sustain growth, promote job creation, and share prosperity worldwide.

Development Disparities

• A proper partnership between rich and poor countries is essential for sustainable development.

• Investment in agriculture is crucial to enable self-sufficiency in food production in impoverished regions.

Human Rights and Security Challenges

This section highlights the need for addressing human rights violations and security challenges globally.

Humanitarian Crises

• Countries like Burma, Zimbabwe, and Sudan face severe human rights abuses and unnecessary wars that could be prevented through international cooperation.

New Section

This section discusses the story of a young boy named David and the failure of promises made by the United Nations to help people in difficulty in Rwanda.

David's Story

• The transcript mentions a young boy named David, aged 10, who aspired to become a doctor and enjoyed making people laugh.

• Unfortunately, David and his mother were tortured to death.

• David's last words to his mother were "Don't worry. The United Nations are coming."

• However, the promised help from the United Nations never arrived, leaving David's belief in our promises shattered.

New Section

This section emphasizes the need for creating global institutions for peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and security in conflict-ridden states.

Creating Global Institutions

• The speaker argues that we have the means to create a truly global society.

• It is important to establish institutions that can address peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and security in conflict-ridden states.

• This generation has an opportunity to create these global institutions with President Obama in America and collaboration from around the world.

New Section

This section highlights the importance of creating global institutions for environment, finance, security, and development.

Global Institutions for Problem Solving

• The speaker emphasizes the need for global institutions that can address environmental issues.

• Additionally, there is a need for institutions related to finance, security, and development on a global scale.

• These institutions should promote fairness, responsibility, and the desire to bind the world together.

• The goal is to tackle problems that are universally recognized.

New Section

This section draws a comparison between Cicero's speeches in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece.

Cicero's Speeches

• In Ancient Rome, when Cicero spoke to his audiences, people used to turn to each other and say "Great speech."

• However, in Ancient Greece... (transcript ends abruptly)

The transcript ends abruptly without providing further information about Cicero's speeches in Ancient Greece.