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Leading economist calls for global reform
LONDON, United Kingdom, 14 July 2004 (BWNS) -- A leading economist has joined
his voice to the growing doubts about the capacity of existing international
institutions to tackle the world's problems.

Augusto Lopez-Claros, the chief economist with the World Economic Forum in
Geneva, told an Association of Baha'i Studies conference here that humanity
is
trying to face its challenges but its institutions are simply incapable of
delivering adequate solutions.

His address was one of the keynote talks at the conference, held 2-4 July
2004
at the University of London's Institute of Commonwealth Studies, which aimed
to explore Baha'i views on the theme of "Power and Responsibility."

Mr. Lopez-Claros, who is a Baha'i, pointed to new challenges in the modern
world like the increasing globalization of business and the radical change in
the service industries caused by alliances between distant nations.

"Our current institutions were not designed for these changes nor for the
challenges posed by the environmental crisis, AIDS or terrorism," Mr.
Lopez-Claros said. "Political structures are hierarchical, rigid, and slow.
Some governments are adapting but most are struggling."

The result, Mr. Lopez-Claros said, is a growing public dissatisfaction with
politicians and politics. "Only a global framework and global institutions
can
address certain problems," he said.

One of the conference organizers, Nazila Ghanea-Hercock of the Institute of
Commonwealth Studies, said that "Power and Responsibility" are of concern in
a
number of disciplines, including governance, science, medicine, and the
media.

"A lot of people feel disempowered from sources of authority," she said. "We
need to discuss how humanity deals with this issue in order to progress."

Scholar and author Moojan Momen described ways in which the Baha'i community
offers a promising model for secular institutions, taking into consideration
the fact that many people feel they don't have a say in their society, and
that a balance must be found between individual freedoms and centralized
authority.

"In the Baha'i model, power does not rest with individuals but institutions,"
Dr. Momen said. "Baha'i consultative practice provides a safe and encouraging
environment for people...to express their views. Devolution to local decision
making has been the evolving hallmark of [Baha'i] planning processes."

Dr. Momen said the balance between individual freedom and central authority
was explored by Baha'u'llah in a letter to Queen Victoria of Britain.

"On the one hand He applauded British efforts towards elected democracy but
on
the other He condemned excesses of liberty. Certainly the Baha'i experience
in
these areas could be fruitfully examined as a model for change."

Another speaker, Nahal Mavvadat, from the University of Birmingham, described
an evolving maturity in medical treatment where patients are being
increasingly encouraged to take an active role in their own healing.

"A new paradigm for medicine would temper scientific knowledge and wisdom
with
human virtues such as compassion, trust, and a commitment to living according
to spiritual laws," Dr. Mavvadat said.

Among the distinguished guests was Professor Moshe Sharon, who holds the
chair
for Baha'i studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Professor Sharon, who is not a Baha'i, addressed the conference on the
challenges he faced in translating Baha'u'llah's Book of Laws, the
Kitab-i-Aqdas, into Hebrew.

The conference was organized by the Association for Baha'i Studies -
English-Speaking Europe. The Association of Baha'i Studies has 20 affiliates,
each dedicated to the study and application of Baha'i teachings.

(Report by Rob Weinberg.)

(Photos by Hamid Jahanpour.)