CONTENTS

Introduction 3

The Island of Hope Statement- Fiji Consultation 4

Youth Voices Against Globalization 17

Serve God Not Mammon Statement 19

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he world Council of Churches, The World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Councilof European Churches have in 2001 organized consultations on churches’ response to eco-

nomic globalization. These consultations are part of a series which will take place regionally andglobally till 2005. The idea is that after all consultations are done, an ecumenical group will beappointed to prepare a message of the churches on economic globalization which will be pre-sented to churches and subsequently to the WCC Assembly in 2006.

This Dossier is composed of statements made by the consultations which were held in BudapestHungary, June 2001 and Fiji- The Pacific in August 2001.

The Fiji Consultation was preceded by a consultation of Youth on the same subject. The youthstatement is included as well.

This 7th dossier is named “The Island of Hope: An Alternative to Economic Globalization”, inorder to trigger thoughts and actions on alternatives to economic globalization from the islandsof the Pacific Region and other regions of the world. A document on the “The Island of Hope” asa concept will be published and shared with the churches.

The dossier is aimed at only availing this information to our readers while inviting comments.

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representatives of fifty-onechurches, ecumenical and civil

society organizations, from twenty-ninecountries, we met in Nadi, Fiji fromAugust 12-16 at a Global Conference onEconomic Globalization: The Island ofHope. We share the conviction of the Pa-cific Churches and commit ourselves tothis vision as well:

“Spirituality, family life, tradi-tional economy, cultural values,mutual care and respect are com-ponents of the concept of the Is-land of Hope which prioritisesrelationships, celebrates qualityof life and values human beingsand creation over the productionof things. The Island of Hope isan alternative to the project ofeconomic globalization whichentails domination through anunjust economic system.” 1

As we begin the millennium thechurches find themselves confrontedby the consequences of the process ofeconomic globalization. It has be-come apparent to many of us that thenegative aspects of economic global-ization are incompatible with thereign of God and our discipleshipwith Christ. There is something seri-ously wrong with an economic sys-tem that produces so much sufferingand poverty, exploitation of labourand widespread environmental dev-astation.

1 from the Island of Hope : The Pacific ChurchesResponse to Economic Globalization, p.. 13

This global conference met in the Pa-cific Island of Fiji at the invitation ofthe Pacific Conference of Churches(PCC) and the World Council ofChurches (WCC). Central to themeeting was the presentation of adocument called “The Island ofHope” that will be distributed by theWCC together with this statement.For the Pacific Churches “The Islandof Hope” represents life-centred val-ues deeply rooted in Pacific commu-nities, which provide an orientationfor a just and sustainable economyand a life of dignity.

Today the ecumenical movement isfaced with a profound challenge. Thischallenge is posed by a competing vi-sion to that of oikoumene, the unity ofhumankind and the whole inhabitedearth2. This competing vision is partand parcel of economic globalization.In its negative effects economic glob-alization becomes an expression ofthe emerging global system of domi-nation, of one ideology, one politicalsystem, one international coalition ofthe wealthy and the powerful.

The Christian vision of One World isa vision of compassion for the weakand the marginalized. It is a vision ofcooperation with all people of good-will in defense of creation. It is a vi-sion of solidarity with those forced tosurvive the tidal waves of injusticesweeping across our globe.

2 oikoumene is the Greek word for the whole in-habited earth, God’s household of life; the wordoikos means house or household so that economyis about the ordering of the household and ecol-ogy about its logic.

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Churches and many people havecome to recognize that this is a “kai-ros”3 − a time for resistance and atime for alternatives. It is a time forthe churches to offer prophetic guid-ance and leadership to the world. Inorder to do this the WCC has beenconsulting itsmember churchesaround the worldto find acceptablealternatives. Otherconsultations inBangkok and Bu-dapest helpedchurches to betterunderstand and challenge not only thelogic of economic globalization, butalso the underlying paradigm, themajor actors, and the loss of sover-eignty and democratic control it en-tails. In Fiji we were inspired by “TheIsland of Hope“ presented to us bythe churches of the Pacific Islands.

3 Kairos is another Greek word for the right mo-ment, a moment of crisis and a chance for some-thing new to begin, when a clear Christian wit-ness is required. The “kairos document” was awake up call in the struggle against apartheid.

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VISION

The “Island of Hope” is a fitting expressionof the global, ecumenical concept of theKingdom of God in the Pacific context. Je-sus called us into this Kingdom of God.God’s inheritance is one of generosity andreciprocity and the sharing of communal re-sources. It requires hospitality to thestranger and the affirmation of all humanbeings as sisters and brothers in the familyof God.

The values of globalization as the people ofthe Pacific experience them, stand in starkcontrast to the values of the Kingdom taughtby Jesus4, while the traditional values of thePacific Island societies are similar to King-dom values.

We are not saying that the traditional valuesof Pacific Island societies are identical withthe Kingdom of God as preached by Jesus.We are all too conscious that negative forceswere also at work and traditional ideals werenot always lived out in Pacific societies.However, if the best of Pacific’s lived tradi-tions are put together, they offer viable al-ternatives to the destructive ways associatedwith globalization.

“The Island of Hope” is life-centred, af-firming the very soul of the Pacific Island-ers. The concepts of whenua, fenua, enua,vanua5 all mean that the land is the people’sidentity, life and soul. Land is people, re-sources, cultures, beliefs, spirituality, lan-guages, social systems, and the sea. Thepractical outcome of this understanding iscommunitarian sharing and distribution ofresources with the absence of the selfishpursuit of wealth. While Western economicsrevolve around profit and economic growth,

4 cf. Island of Hope document p.125 This is a common word, only differently pro-nounced in different Pacific languages.

the traditional economies of the Pacific areconcerned with people and the total qualityof their lives; caring and concern for otherswithin the extended families and compas-sion for all people, especially for the sickand elderly are values of the communities;respect, hospitality, generosity, and forgive-ness are other marks of the traditional com-munities. Nobody is excluded.

The land, the sea and people are integralparts of one entity. Subsistence farming, asustainable agriculture and the sensitivity ofthe sacredness of the trees and the sea arepart of their identity. While traditionallythese values operated mainly within thecontext of the wider family or clan, Jesuschallenges us to extend them to all, becausewe are all members of the family of God.

Over many years the World Council ofChurch has articulated criteria to help itsmembers discern the difference between is-lands of hope and reefs of despair. In thepresentation on the Island of Hope we rec-ognize our own ecumenical journey. For ex-ample:

• Responsibility – one of the oldest tradi-tions of the Christian Church is thatpower and privilege carries equivalentsocial responsibility. The most powerfulpeople, churches, nations and corpora-tions bear the most responsibility foraddressing the problems of the world. Itis also true that we must be accountablefor the consequences of our actions.

• Justice – The Christian Churches followJesus Christ and the Prophetic traditionin demanding a right relationship withGod and with our neighbours. Thismeans recognizing and defending the

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human rights of all God’s children andan equitable sharing of all the world’sresources.

• Participation – The dignity of every per-son is compromized without the right toparticipate in decisions which affectthem. The World Council of Churcheshas consistently supportedthese historic struggles.

• Sustainability – Humantechnological capacity isstruggling with the sin ofpride by refusing to ac-knowledge that only Godis without limits. Theecological limits of theglobe are being challengedas well as the social limitsof human communities.

• Peace – The Kingdom of God is aKingdom of Peace, not violence, aKingdom of Reconciliation not milita-rism. God can only be glorified whenpeace on earth is enjoyed by ALL thepeople of God, especially women andchildren, minorities and the vulnerable.

• Integrity of Creation – The Kingdom ofGod includes the whole of creationwhich sighs together in anticipation ofthe coming reign of Peace.

Our challenge today is to discern whetherthe current vision of economic globalizationrepresents a world of compassion or indif-ference, a world of solidarity or dominationand oppression, an ocean of hope or despair.

The Island of Hope challenges us to recog-nize God’s presence in all of the cultures ofthe world. When we affirm the integrity oflocal culture, we resist the temptation tostand alone, each on our own island, for asdisciples of Christ we are called to stand to-gether.

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ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION: MEANING AND LOGIC

Economic globalization has differentmeanings for different people, groups andcommunities. Highlighting the basiccharacteristics, we may define economicglobalization as a process of

• transnationalization of capital, mostprominently ensuring the mobility offinance capital round the globe, roundthe clock,

• process of centralization of capital viamergers and acquisitions,

• transnationalization of production, e.g.the sales of foreign affiliates of trans-national corporations (TNCs) is over$14 trillion as against an export tradeof just half of it,

• standardization of consumer tastes,

• legitimization of the process by theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF),World Bank (WB) and World TradeOrganization (WTO).

• unprecedented concentration of powerin the hands of self-appointed “rulers”in the economy, the media and otherspheres of life without legitimizationby democratic processes.

The theoretical rationale of this process isrooted in the assumptions of neo-classicaleconomics. Making no reference to basicneeds of the community, this economicparadigm assumes that wants are unlim-ited, while the means to satisfy them arelimited. The most efficient allocation ofthese scarce resources is secured throughsetting the prices via the competitivemarket mechanism. The recurring themeof IMF, World Bank, WTO literature issummed up in the expression “set pricesright”. Given this organizing principle,earth’s resources become raw materialsand the global commons, such as theocean, atmosphere, forests and even indi-vidual labour power are subordinated tocapital.

Indeed, it legitimizes exclusion and non-participation of the weak and less en-dowed by its own logic. It rationalizesexpansion unto the end of the earth andhas coined such widely used phrases like“developed countries”, “developingcountries”, “least developed countries”and so on. The big truth that developmentof a community is culturally rooted issimply thrown overboard. Now what arethe consequences?

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THE IMPACT

In the midst of increasing plenty, rapidtechnological advancement, export-ledgrowth (devaluation, export-zones etc.),we encounter deepening poverty, includ-ing unemployment (“jobless” growth),intolerable inequality, destruction of life-support systems and continuing exclusionand marginalization. The number of ab-solute poor in South Asia has doubled inless than three decades. Although povertyhas decreased in East Asia, the number ofabsolute poor is around 278 million, big-ger than the size of USA’s population.

Africa and its peo-ple exemplify theworst case of ex-clusion and depri-vation. Environ-mental degradationputs additionalpressure on poorcommunities. Af-rica has a largerefugee populationin distress. Thesituation is furtheraggravated by theHIV/Aids pan-demic. The numberof people who earnless than one dollarper day is over 1.5billion of which70% are women.

People in the in-dustrial countries also increasingly be-come victims of economic globalization.The rate of unemployed people, poorpeople, street children is also growing inhighly industrialized countries. In thefield of employment, the key words undereconomic globalization regime are in-formalization, casualization and femini-zation of labour. Typical is the case of

garment industry where mostly women(90%) are working under very exploita-tive conditions. This industry can befound wherever wages are low, includingFiji.

While developing countries sink deeperand deeper into debt, the value of financecapital transactions delinked from pro-duction in a year is over 600 trillion dol-lars per annum. This game continuesmerrily although the East Asia crisis isstill not yet over, and Argentine, Turkey,

Brazil, Colombia,Peru and Indone-sia are todayfacing acute for-eign exchangecrisis and debtproblems. This isto be seen alongwith the fact thatthe estimated re-verse flow of re-sources to theNorth by way ofdebt repayment,royalties, braindrain, adverseterms of trade isover $500 billion.

Under the rules ofWTO regime, butwith the whip ofsanctions heldbefore them, the

developing countries face food insecurity,depressing agricultural prices and margi-nalization of small farmer categories.Subsidies to inputs, operating costs, pref-erential user charges, public distributionsystem are “actionable categories”, underthe WTO Agreements. The interests ofdeveloping countries, which are home tothe vast majority of known species and

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thus very rich in their biodiversity, cannotbe served under the regime of theAgreement on Trade Related PropertyRights (TRIPs). As it is today, TRIPs canserve only corporate interests such asbiotech industries and corporate plantbreeders.

Through their voting power and controlUSA6 and other G77 countries managethe IMF and WB and the economic andfinancial management in a substantialmeasure. The US dollar remains the ef-fective reserve currency and internationalmedia of exchange. Being the unchal-lenged super power backed by militaryand support of G-7, USA is virtually thepoliceman of the world and controls theempire of finance capital. The impact ofeconomic globalization cannot be evalu-ated independently of policies of this su-per power.

All these have to be seen and understoodin the background of the crisis of govern-ance the nation-states of the world en-counter today. While they have to rollback their intervention in favour of theprivate sector, which includes even cut-ting expenditure on vital areas like edu-cation, health or social security, or abdi-cating responsibility in terms of publicutilities and governing them efficientlythe people of the developing world facetheir moment of truth.

Youth in particular are affected by thenegative impacts of economic globaliza-tion.

The lack of new jobs hurts the youngfirst. The loss of jobs make the youngvulnerable to violence, drugs and evensuicide. Social and environmental dete- 6 Armed with Super 301 and Special 301, theUSA puts itself virtually above WTO or otherinternational regulatory mechanism.7 USA, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Ger-many and Italy.

rioration is the struggle for upcominggenerations and threatens their future. Ifyouth lose their hope, then the whole so-ciety will suffer.

Women are the most victims of global-ization in the North and in the South be-cause they do most of the unpaid work inthe informal sector and the hardest andlowest work in the formal sector. Womenoften accept any job to help their familiesto survive. This is misused by the TNCsto undermine efforts regarding the im-plementation of social standards in theirown operations.

The devastating social effects are accom-panied by destruction of the natural envi-ronment. The United States, the singlelargest polluter alone accounts for 25 %of world’s total carbon emissions. Globalwarming is a threat to communities allaround the world. People in Africa expe-rience changing rainfall patterns withdroughts on the one hand and devastatingfloods on the other. The Pacific islandsare especially vulnerable. They contributeonly 0,6% to the greenhouse gas emis-sions, yet they will sink, if people inother parts of the world and especially inthe most polluting countries in the Northdo not act. The US government, however,and corporations active in mining, carproduction and the energy sector, workactively against even modest measures todecrease greenhouse gas emission pro-posed by the Kyoto protocol of theUnited Nations Framework Conventionon Climate Change.

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MAKING A CHOICE

“Serve God not Mammon” (cf. Mt 6:24)was the title of the message of the Buda-pest consultation of Churches in Centraland Eastern Europe in June 2001. Theethics of economic globalization are eth-ics of competition and domination, whichfavours individualism and fosters con-sumerism at the expense of social cohe-sion and sustainability of the communityof life. The ethics of “The Island ofHope” arebased on thedeep respectfor the wholecommunityof life. It fos-ters a cultureof sharingand caring,based on jus-tice. Its val-ues reflectGod’s care for creation and Christ’steaching to love one another and do jus-tice to the poor.

Following Christ, we must make achoice. We oppose the ethics of eco-nomic globalization and join others whodo the same. This choice is costly. It re-quires us to share what we have. It de-mands of us a commitment to give upwhat binds us to the system that exploitsand enslaves our sisters and brothers (Mk10: 17-31). It leads into conflict and per-haps into persecution (Mk 10:32-34).Making this choice is a question of lifeand death.

We are obliged to chose between servingGod or Mammon, power or people. Eve-ryone, politicians and business peopleincluded, are responsible for the conse-quences of their actions. We will be heldaccountable by the people who suffer the

consequences. We have a chance to turnaround (Mt 6:12.13). We also hear thepromise of the Gospel that choosing lifewill create an alternative and truly ecu-menical community of sharing and soli-darity (Mt 14:13-21; Acts 2:41-47) in re-sponse to the prayer “that all may be oneas we are one” (Joh 17:11).

The project of economic globalizationpretends with religious fervour that

economicgrowth, freeflow ofcapital andthe allocationof resourcesand goodsthrough themarket me-chanism servethe common

good. But the market as an instrument isamoral and does not automatically lead tomore justice and quality of life. It ratheraggravates existing inequality andunequal distribution of power and leadsto massive exclusion and environmentaldestruction. This is the reason whyresistance and alternatives becomeessential and urgent.

The movement to struggle against eco-nomic globalization is growing. There aremany positive examples for action takenby people in North and South. Thismovement is confronted with the power-ful forces of economic globalization thatare promoted by global media, massiveadvertisement for consumer goods andeven military presence and interventions.The existing alternatives, however, moti-vate and inspire the movement to con-tinue its struggle.

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ALTERNATIVES

Churches and communities are defending,affirming and announcing that solidarity andlove among human beings are central valuesin life. These values, although they are notpriced at the Market, have the strength ofGod. Solidarity with the Pacific churches andpeople promoting “The Island of Hope” is anexpression of our common struggle and ourcommon search for alternatives to face eco-nomic globalization. “The Island of Hope”and the alternatives inspired by it resonate allaround the world:

From Africa we heard about the concept of“UBUNTU”; going back into ourselves andthe knowledge of our communities, to findsolutions to problems, through sharing tradi-tional values of inclusiveness, sense of com-munity, reconciliation, participation, dia-logue, partnership, hospitality and fellow-ship.

UBUNTU inspires work for a people-centredeconomy, that provides food security, the ex-change of goods and services, especially bywomen.

Participants from Asia showed us the con-cepts of “gotong-royong” (togetherness), inIndonesia, “bayanihan” (collective living), inthe Phillipines, “panchasila” (five principlesof peaceful living), in India, “daedong yun-dae” (great solidarity), in Korea, against theculture of domination, competition and indi-vidualism, taught by economic globalization.Asia’s richness has secured the food and ba-sic needs of the developed countries, leavingpeople to share the leftovers among them-selves. Asia has a potential but neglected andexploited domestic economy that needs to berecovered, protected and maximized.

Sharing and attending to one’s another needsis a central element in the lives of the Pacificpeople as stated in “The Island of Hope”. Co-operation and partnership recognizing mutual

interdependence is an alternative to economicglobalization based on individualism anddominance. Subsistence economy is still im-portant for the life of the people and meritsmuch more attention and support comparedto the destructive effects of the monetarizedeconomy and the spirit of competition thataccompanies it.

Western European and Canadian participantsunderlined the importance of sharing and in-terdependence in churches’ networks world-wide. Examples were presented of peopleactive in advocacy campaigns and develop-ing alternatives to the consumerist lifestyle,e.g. fair trade and ecological products, ormore ecological transport systems. High-lighted were also alternative forms of finan-cial investments like oikocredit and others,which are supported by people in industrial-ized countries.

The group from Central and Eastern Europepointed to the importance of protecting thespiritual heritage of the countries in the re-gion, caring for family as a basic unit of so-ciety and encouraging the value of sharing.Participants from Latin America and theCaribbean reminded us about communal val-ues shared by their Indigenous cultures.Building on their teachings, poor and unem-ployed develop alternatives such as barteringsystems, communal-collective labour, andthe sharing of food. They practice economiesof solidarity.

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We were also reminded of the vital contribu-tions of women’s networks that oppose maledomination entrenched in economic oppres-sion. We heard of the enormous experienceof Indigenous Peoples communities allaround the world that live alternatives ofcollective labour, bartering and sharing offood and shelter as values opposed to private-corporate neo-liberalism. We also want ex-press our ap-preciation forthe importantcontributionsof the youthparticipants inour meetingand for thedocument ofthe youth con-sultation on“The Island ofHope” thatpreceded ourconsultation.Youth cele-brates the joyof dreamingand actingpassionately to overcome selfishness andisolation, deadly values brought up by eco-nomic globalization.

The rich sharing between the regions showsthat there are many different forms of life incommunity and economies helping people tosurvive and live in dignity. Christianity hadto learn the hard way that the good news ofthe Gospel has to be contextualized in orderto be meaningful for God’s people in theirdiversity. The same applies to the economy.The economy is to serve and not to dominatethe society. The concrete shape needs to bedifferent according to the social, cultural, en-vironmental and historical conditions of so-cieties and their value systems. In each situa-tion it has uniquely to be decided, which kindof political framework and intervention is

necessary to make the economy function,how to find the right balance between state,communal and private initiatives, betweenlocal and global orientation, production andconsumption.

Given the formidable challenges thrown upby economic globalization, alternative strate-gies have to be envisaged on three levels:long term, medium term and short term.

Keeping the visionof a just society andworld order asagainst the corporateutopia now underway, the followingmeasures were dis-cussed during themeeting:

Campaign to re-structure global in-stitutions based on aglobal constituentassembly fromwhich a peoples’assembly and newfinancial architec-ture will be created.

Vital issues like global accumulation withoutresponsibility, transparency and accountabil-ity to the global community, drug traffickingand money laundering, rampant sex tourismincluding child prostitution, globalization ofcrime, global gambling and speculation, un-just international division of labour, widen-ing inequality of income should engage theagenda of any UN assembly.

The dominant technological paradigm thatkeeps people redundant must yield to onethat absorbs more labour and less pollution.This is the value of a new world order whichwill encompass the following medium termmeasures:

½ work for local self government and par-ticipatory governance;

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½ implement a code of conduct for TNCs;½ introduce a tax on incoming finance

capital and a fund to provide for betterhealth for all

“The Island of Hope”, as we experienced itduring these days, calls the churches and theecumenical organizations to:

½ Strengthen and continue the process ofclarification, critique and work on pro-posing alternatives to economic global-ization.

½ Work on a theology of reconstruction anddeconstruction that promotes communi-ties of life and wholeness, which affirmhuman dignity and build confidence.

½ Be fully involved in the struggles of thepeople, specially churches that are rootedin communities where the poor and thedeprived live.

½ Support regions in their own efforts andoutcomes and the exchange among them..

½ Call on the churches to provide opportu-nities for young people to be educated onthe implications and effects of a global-ized economy so that young people canstrengthen their faith, values and dreamsand bring them to reality.

½ Call on the youth of the world to partici-pate and be active on initiatives bychurches and the ecumenical movement.Their gifts as youth are needed in thestruggle for justice and abundant life

½ Make sure that the Decade to OvercomeViolence addresses the economic rootcauses of violence in its many forms.

½ Co-operate with social movements, suchas World Social Forum, Focus on GlobalSouth, Third World Network, JubileeSouth and others.

½ Encourage the development of traditionaleconomies. Subsistence economies, forinstance, need to be re-evaluated and seenas partial alternatives to globalization-especially in developing countries. Sub-sistence production ensures self-

sufficiency, sustainability, food security,livelihood for many and it is importantthat the existence of a dual economy(cash/subsistence) be acknowledged andapplauded. The cash economy alone doesnot have to dominate the world.

½ Organize encounters with InternationalFinancial Institution’s and the WorldTrade Organization not focusing on howto make the prevailing economic modelwork, but how to make it different.

½ Work for radical changes in the currenteconomic system that:

½ Put people first.½ Restore national and people’s control

over development.½ End protectionism in the world’s richest

countries.½ Give priority to the poor.½ Make multinationals accountable and

transparent to civil society½ Make international organizations (IMF,

World Bank, WTO) subject to demo-cratic decision-making.

½ Build democratic space for genuine de-bate.

½ Regulate financial transactions with in-struments that avoid flying capitals orspeculation, such as currency transactiontax.

½ Help in the enforcing of the Kyoto Proto-col on Climate Change. Every country isresponsible on reducing air pollution.

½ Learn from the experience of the Pro-gramme to Combat Racism (PCR) andwork towards an Exxon boycott8 as amethod of the work on Climate Change.

8 Especially youth supported this initiative to boycottExxon Mobil by a number of Environmental NGOs,see www.stopesso.com

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AFFIRMATION OF THE ISLAND OF HOPE

The Pacific Islander delegates have calledthe churches and ecumenical organizationsto be in solidarity and participate in the pro-phetic voice of the Island ofHope. They have began towork for an alternative toeconomic globalization withthe small Pacific Islandscoming together in solidarity.World-wide partnership insolidarity, which is a reflec-tion of the triune God’s part-nership, will set free unthink-able potential and positivetransformation in the world.

The representatives of differ-ent regions brought togetherby the WCC have receivedthe Pacific Churches’ response to economicglobalization: Island of Hope. They ex-pressed their thanksgiving and our solidaritywith the people and churches in the Pacific.The document on the Island of Hope will besent to churches and ecumenical organiza-tions all around the world together with thisreport.

The sharing of stories and values of the Pa-cific not only inspired all of us together butchallenged everybody to accompany the Pa-cific people in their struggle against injus-tice. This meeting has helped all of us tobetter understand the struggle of the peoplein the Pacific region and also to see howwell Pacific values resonate in other parts ofthe world. We want to assure the people ofthe Pacific that their struggle is our struggleand their concern is our concern.

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17

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articipants from thirty countries are meeting in Nadi, Fiji, this week to discuss alternativesto economic globalization. The meeting is being organized by the World Council of

Churches (WCC) with the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) and is the third in a series ofregional and global consultations on this topic. Below, Bob Scott of the WCC Public Informationteam reports on a meeting of young people that preceded the consultation.

“Never before has it been so important foryoung people to search for alternatives tothe current dynamics of globalization. It isour future that is being threatened.” Thatwas the view of a large group of young peo-ple meeting in Nadi, Fiji this week. Broughttogether by the World Council of Churches(WCC) and Pacific Conference of Churches(PCC), they camefrom fifteen Pacificisland states andwere joined by otheryoung people fromEurope, LatinAmerica, Asia andAfrica.

In their four-daymeeting, the young people identified fourmajor areas of concern: global warming, in-formation technology, culture, and the econ-omy.

Participants from the Pacific said that theemission of greenhouse gases, mainly fromcountries in Europe and the USA, has drasticconsequences in their region. A rise in tem-perature from 1.5 to 6 degrees centigradewill have a devastating effect on the already-fragile ecosystems of the Pacific. If the sealevel rises by 80 centimeters, islands thatnow are only 3 meters above sea level willbe threatened with extinction. Already someisland people have had to be relocated -refugees not from war but from ecologicalgreed. “Is this a form of racism? The peoplein Northern countries don’t care what hap-

pens to us as long as they get what theywant. Do they believe their lifestyle is moreimportant than ours?” asks 21-year-old Be-tero Bebia from Kiribati.

As young people, the group acknowledgedthe exciting possibilities of expanding tech-nologies and recognized the significance ofinstant access to research results, online

training and stud-ies. But the posi-tive aspects of

communicationsdevelopment arebalanced by adarker side: thevolume of finan-cial transactions

and speculation now possible due to the newtechnologies leaves their fragile economieseven more vulnerable. “As our world ex-pands through technology, so does our vul-nerability,” judges Fonofonosefulu Marga-ret-Marie Maene from American Samoa.

The young people were also clear about thepernicious influence of pornographic siteson the Internet, reaching into young mindsand corrupting carefully nurtured values.

Every visitor to any Pacific island is imme-diately struck by the strength of Pacific cul-ture in song, dance and hospitality. That isthe side of the culture tourists see and enjoy.Proud of their culture, the Pacific partici-pants are feeling the increasing influence ofwestern lifestyles and consumerism. Says

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18

Makoni Pulu from Tonga, who is a memberof the PCC staff, “People in the West under-stand that poor people are those who haveno resources. But because our culture ofcommunal sharing is so strong, for us thepoor person is the one who has no family orfriends.”

The group recognized the benefits that tour-ism has brought to their region, especiallyemployment opportunities. “But on the otherhand, tourism is robbing the people of thePacific of income generated in our own is-lands, because so much ofthe tourist industry isowned by foreign compa-nies,” says 18-year-oldDavina Hosking from theCook Islands (Raratonga).

“The economic wealth ofour islands is being en-joyed by people who haveno home here, no stake inwhat happens to us aspeople, and who may oneday abandon us. How can we trust them?”asks 25-year-old Richard Tatwin fromVanuatu.

A strong and positive vision emerged fromthe exchange. “Let Christ be the Island ofHope!” the young people said. They calledfor more intentional education about the ef-fects of globalization, for living out the val-ues of equality, justice, peace and respect fordiversity, for the vision of life set out by Je-sus Christ, in which each person treatshis/her neighbor as he/she would wish to betreated.

What alternatives did the group propose? Areturn to cooperation and not competition,linking young Pacific people with other

young people worldwide to work for theadoption of international agreements such asthe Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, atransformation of education systems to pre-serve and promote Pacific values and cul-tures despite the impact of globalization.

The meeting ended with a call for an eco-nomic boycott. The young people were dis-turbed to hear that international oil compa-nies like Exxon have cast doubt on thefindings of the scientific body of the ClimateChange Convention that CO2 emissions do

indeed aggravateglobal warming. Theyoung participants seethis as a life and deathissue. They called onchurches to initiate aboycott of Exxon andwill ask the WCC tofollow through onthis.

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““ SSEERRVVEE GGOODD,, NNOOTT MM AAMM MM OONN””

essage from the joint consultation on globalization in Central and Eastern Europe:responses to the ecological, economic and social consequences, June, 24-28, 2001,

Budapest

47 representatives of churches from Central and Eastern Europe, along with resource persons,met June 24-28 in Budapest, Hungary. They were from Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catho-lic churches, including a presenter delegated by the Council of the European Bishops’ Confer-ences. In addition, 30 guests and staff persons of regional and international ecumenical and civilorganizations from around the world were present. All these came to Budapest at the invitationof the World Council of Churches (WCC), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC),the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the WARC European Area Committee. Alsoaccompanying the process was the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). The consultation is partof the joint process on globalization of these organizations that grew out of the call of the WARCGeneral Council in 1997 in Debrecen, Hungary for „covenanting for justice in the economy andthe earth (Processus Confessionis)” and the recommendations on globalization made by theGeneral Assembly of the World Council Churches 1998 in Harare. It is the second in a series ofregional meetings that began with a symposium in Bangkok and will continue with meetings ofchurches in the Pacific, Western Europe, Latin America, Africa and North America. The con-sultation was graciously supported and hosted by the Reformed Church in Hungary, and washeld at the Reformed Theological College (Raday) of Budapest.

TO BE MORE VIGILANT

About a decade ago, we, the people andchurches in Central and Eastern Europerejoiced as we realized we were free. Itwas as if a deep shadow had passed byand that full daylight had returned.

As we review the past ten years, it be-comes clear that the magnitude and con-tent of the problems encountered havebeen grossly underestimated by bothgovernments and churches. As we listento reports from those whose suffering ismost severe, we conclude that not alltheir difficulties arise directly out of whathappened more than ten years ago. Thissuggests the need to be more vigilant inour journey with the women and men ofCentral and Eastern Europe.

The countries in the region enjoy greatcultural and religious diversity. We heardthat, according to the data available,

some of them show economic growth,increasing employment and environ-mental improvements. In the region as awhole, however, rising unemploymentand the falling value of pensions andwages has plunged millions of womenand men into poverty. UNDP statisticsreport (cf. United Nations DevelopmentProgramme, Human Development Reportfor Central and Eastern Europe and CIS,New York 1999; http.//www.undp.org/rbec/publications), that:

• 1989 about 14 million people in theformer communistic block lived onless than four dollars a day. By themid–nineties that number had risen to147 million people.

• At the same time, and in sharp con-trast, there has developed a new fea-

MM

20

ture, that of excessive wealth for asmall minority.

• Life expectancy fell significantly insome of the countries.

• Health care, schooling and educationstandards declined.

• Commerce based criminality grewrapidly.

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21

SEARCH FOR EXPLANATIONS

In relation to these facts, we felt a moralduty to search more diligently for addi-tional explanations for the prevailingmood of disappointment and the sense ofbetrayal. Working in groups, the consul-tation examined the ecological, cultural,economic and social effects of globaliza-tion on the region. The groups producedreports containing the analysis, evalua-tion and proposals for alternative actionthat are reflected in this message. Theyidentified two main reasons behind thepresent difficulties in the region.

First was the way in which the challengeof the transformation of society was han-dled by most authorities after 1989.Where Communism had relied on unre-stricted state planning, politicians andleaders now embraced the unrestrainedmarket-mechanism as the path to a betterfuture. They did not recognize that amarket without social, cultural, and in-stitutional frameworks would rend thevery fabric of society. External loans andfinancial assistance were made condi-tional on privatization, liberalization andderegulation of the market in the name ofeconomic growth. This neo-liberal“shock therapy”, requiring a shrinkingrole for the state, simply disabled existingsocial provisions for ordinary women andmen.

Second was the dynamic released by thenew global information and communica-tion technologies and the phenomenal ex-pansion of new “global” markets. This isoften referred to as “globalization”. In fact,“globalization” is a more complex term.Where it refers to growing possibilities forgenuine co-operation between nations andpeoples with opportunities for communica-tion and common action, it has positiveconnotations. Our consultation, for in-

stance, benefited greatly from the partici-pation of Christians from many continents.

It has a negative sense where it refers to thedominance exercized by an ideology le-gitimizing and promoting the unrestrainedactivities of players in the global markets,and the unprecedented concentration ofpower in the hands of self-appointed “rul-ers” in the economy, the media and otherspheres of life. The unregulated flow ofcapital becomes the arbiter of the economicgoodness or badness of all human or politi-cal actions. In our consultation we made aclear distinction between this neo-liberalproject, which some call “globalism”, andthe historic process of “globalization” al-ready referred to. It is driven by powerfuleconomic self interest. It commercializeshuman and institutional relationships andthe very sources of life − earth, water, air −and even the human body itself. The ideol-ogy, power structures and practices thisproject involves account for dramaticchanges in the economies and societies ofCentral and Eastern Europe. Its immediateeffect is to put pressure on governments atall levels to cut social, medical, educationaland environmental expenditure in order tobe “attractive” to “global” capital. Womenand other vulnerable groups are the mostaffected by such policies.

This ideological emphasis on privatizationat any price, has undermined existing infra-structures. Minimizing the role of the state,it left the poor without adequate protectionand support and opened the door to crimi-nal and speculative activities. Irresponsibleowners who had no interest in the fate ofeither companies or employees bought outmany of the newly privatized enterprisesand banks. Alternative paths to ownershipwere hardly considered, nor was the ideathat ownership brings social obligations.

22

JUSTICE TO THE POOR

This confusion about “globalization” isoften used as an alibi, not only by im-portant international agencies, such as theIMF, the WTO and the World Bank, butalso a growing number of national gov-ernments. They demand harsh sacrificesof ordinary women and men. They dothis despite reliable evidence that eco-nomic growth fails to promote humandevelopment unless there is

• adequate sup-port for thepoor, unem-ployed, andother vulner-able groups;

• environmentalprotection;

• transparencyand account-ability in government, and

• effective participation by civil society(including labor unions).

Given this situation, our meeting arrivedat the unequivocal conclusion:

No authority inside or outside the re-gion should ever escape its responsi-bility to do to justice to the poor andthe needy by claiming the unavoidabil-ity of the requirements of globalization.

Policies justified in this way are contraryto both scientific findings and the core ofChristian faith. They have to stop uncon-ditionally and immediately. For, as it isstated so well in the recent Basic SocialConcept of the Russian OrthodoxChurch:

“…the danger of differences thatmay emerge between people’s

will and international org-anization’s decisions should notbe underestimated. These org-anizations may become ins-truments for the unfair dominionof strong over weak countries,rich over poor, the technologicallyand informationally developedover the rest. They may alsopractice double standards, by

applying inter-national law inthe interest ofmore influentialstates. All thiscompels theOrthodox Churchto call the powersthat be, both onnational and

internationallevels, to utter

responsibility”. (cf. TheFoundations of the Social Conceptof the ROC, http://www.russian-orthodox-hurch.org.ru/sd00e.htm)

It is vitally important for Christians torecognize that dependence upon this neo-liberal ideology has deeply spiritual im-plications. It compels every participant toinvest his or her faith in Mammon. Thequestion for us is a simple one, in whomdo we put our trust and in whom do webelieve. Faith in the God of life sets usfree from domination by Mammon. Thisis not only a domain where churches canspeak, but should speak. This faith,translated into appropriate actions, is theground of hope against that despairwhich, until now, so characterizes thepresent situation − and not just in this re-gion.

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23

SSEERRVVEE PPEEOOPPLLEE,, NNOOTT PPOOWWEERR

A CALL TO GOVERNMENTS AND TO THE WIDER PUBLIC IN THEREGION

lobalization dramatically transformsthe nature of power. Democratically

elected governments and their delegatesin international organizations lose powerto increasingly influential internationalbureaucracies, transnational corporations,media-owners and actors in the field offinancial “global”capital. We chal-lenge these powerstructures, urgingthem to becomemore transparent,accountable and rep-resentative. Thepeoples of the worldneed to seize controlof global politicaland economic proc-esses. Democracyshould be reinstatedin the new forms of decision-making, atlocal, national and international levels.

Many political and economic processesrequire some kind of regulation at the in-ternational level. The need for interna-tional agreements, however, should notbe employed by the state at the expenseof the necessary protection of vulnerablepeople.

Economic globalization in its presentform threatens values such as justice,charity, peace and sobriety which arerooted in Christian traditions. It replacesthem with the values of unrestrained con-sumerism and increasing commercializa-tion of society. Education, health care,arts, sports, the media, the environment

and even safety are increasingly domi-nated by financial considerations. Theculture of economic rivalry is usurpingthe culture of social co-operation withadverse consequences for weak and vul-nerable people.

The guiding ideafor all our recom-mendations is theBiblical motif ofJubilee (Lev 25, Dt15,Neh 5,Jes 61,Luc 4). All peopleare entitled to thebasic resources oflife and the publicprovision that en-ables them to livein the household(oikonomia) of

God’s creation. Economies ought alwaysto be household-orientated.

This insight leads us to the following rec-ommendations.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Global finance should not be allowed thedecisive role in national and regionaleconomies, rendering them over-dependent on foreign direct investmentand speculative capital. We strongly rec-ommend that governments strive for thedevelopment of their home-economy,with special attention to the role of me-dium and small businesses, and warnthem against prioritizing export-orientation at their expense.

½ Local economic initiatives need to besupported. This requires the strength-ening of local governments.

½ Public authorities at all levels shouldinsist on the maintenance of adequatesocial support for the poor and strongenvironmental standards and resistinternational financial pressure toeliminate them.

We ask governments to support the inter-national actions of those governmentsand civil organizations which, in order todemocratize the international monetarysystem, seek to regulate the flow ofspeculative international capital. We askthe same support, especially from the richindustrialized countries, for internationalefforts (like in Rio and Kyoto) in favourof the environment.

Nations seeking entry to the EuropeanUnion should equip their electorate tomake informed decisions through accu-rate and transparent evaluation of the im-pact on social security and other vital in-terests of their citizens.

½ Governments should safeguard cul-tural values, the dignity and rights of

all women and men, and their unhin-dered development.

Public resources, which from a Christianperspective are designed to serve thecommon good, should not be recklesslyprivatized, whether in the name of ideol-ogy or under pressure from external do-nors.

½ We ask governments to serve theirpeople so that they live in dignity.Power is not an end in itself.

25

CCHHOOOOSSEE LLIIFFEE,, NNOOTT DDEEAATTHH

A CALL TO CHURCHES

oday we are confronted by the domina-tion of the idols of competition, con-

sumption and comfort. The Christian under-standing of oikonomia, of the world as God’shousehold, embraces relations between peo-ple and God, socialharmony andpeaceful coexis-tence of humanbeings with thewhole of God’screation. Thisurges churches andChristians to showthe world the ex-ample of livingaccording to theprinciples of coop-eration, interde-pendence andcompassion deeply rooted in the Trinitarianbasis of our faith. We ask the Holy Spirit forthe gift of discernment by which to read thesigns of our time and to “distinguish thespirits”.

In challenging economic globalization thechurch is confronted with Jesus’ words, “Youcannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24).Will the churches have the courage to engagewith the “values” of a profit-orientated wayof life as a matter of faith, or will they with-draw into the “private” sphere? This is thequestion our churches must answer… or losetheir very soul!

The message of the Gospel and our traditionsteach us neither to be acquiescent to thedominant powers of this world, nor to seekrefuge from our responsibilities in privateexpressions of faith. Christian communitiesshould radiate love, joy and peace, attractingothers to a new way of life. We urge the

churches to raise their prophetic voice so thatchanges are made for the benefit every per-son in every part of the world. Our mission isto transform life around us and to respond tothe needs of all human beings, especiallythose who are suffering, oppressed and mar-ginalized. In doing so, we proclaim Christ.

Churches needto engage in aserious waywith the fol-lowing ques-tions:

• Which pro-cesses in inter-national politicsand the econ-omy are causedby the intrinsicdevelopment of

trade, information flow, cultural ex-change etc. and which are the result of“forced global transformation” aimed atsecuring the dominance of the richestcountries, as well as economic and politi-cal groups?

• What are the positive aspects of increas-ing international cooperation which canbe employed for advancing the Christianmission in word and deed?

• How can Christian values, traditions andcultures be preserved and thrive in thecontext of globalization?

The global economy and global powerneeds to be called to account by a globalcivil society equipped for broad socialadvocacy. The negative social conse-quences of globalization must be coun-terbalanced by effective attention to theneeds of the poor, the vulnerable and thepowerless. International Christian organi-zations can provide a basis for coopera-

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26

tion open to and responsive to others, in-cluding research bodies, trade unions, en-vironmental movements, and communi-ties of followers of world faiths.

RECOMMENDATIONS

We call upon churches:• To resist socially counterproductive poli-

cies, especially social and tax dumpingand to preserve the dignity of labour.

• To support economic and cultural alter-natives to homogenization, includingsmall businesses, local credit and savingsmechanisms, independent informationexchange systems, with efforts to protectand revitalize national cultures and iden-tities, through mutual tolerance and dia-logue.

• To encourage a process of “localization”,by having regard for to the expectations,traditions and lifestyles of people in theirown place and supporting their initia-tives.

• To increase their efforts in the fields ofcharitable service and social advocacy.

• To raise awareness that integration is ac-companied by growing ethnic and relig-ious tension in some parts of the worldand separation in others; and to investi-gate the roots of these conflict situations,which lie not only in these specific re-gions, but also in the field of internationalpolitics and economy.

• To remember that they are founded onfamilies and therefore need them to bestrong. The family crises caused byforced industrialization and now by glob-alization require a rediscovery of moralvalues, the ties between the generations,respect for parenthood and the place ofwomen in families and society.

• To make the care of the environment amajor priority for Christian reflection andsocial action. It is the “sustainable soci-ety” and “sustainable communities”

rather than economics, which matter. TheEuropean Christian Environmental Net-work is a useful contact.

We urge the churches in the region to in-crease public awareness about globalizationand its consequences for their population.People need to be informed about the natureof decisions made by their governments inrelation to international institutions, and mustbe able to influence those decisions.Churches can empower the voice of ordinarypeople by raising their concerns with theauthorities.

Churches and ecumenical groups in the re-gion are encouraged to use the expertise andlinkages of church related organizations withexpertise on economic issues, such as theCentre for Networking, Training and Devel-opment being jointly established by Euro-pean Contact Group, the Work and EconomyNetwork, and the Ecumenical Academy inPrague.

We ask churches in our region to respondmore actively to WCC’s invitation to reflecton globalization and to search for alternativesto it; to CEC’s process on the role ofchurches in European integration and also toWARC’s Debrecen call for a committed pro-cess of recognition, education and confessionregarding economic injustice and ecologicaldestruction (processus confessionis).

We call the churches in the West to resistthe destructive forces of economic globaliza-tion and to be advocates for global socialjustice.

We ask the churches and the people in theWest to influence public opinion and to per-suade decision-makers in politics, economyand other sectors of society to stop the ex-ploitation and exclusion of the majority ofthe population of the world and the destruc-tion of the earth by the “golden billion” – thepopulation of Western industrialized coun-tries.

27

We ask the churches to help their members torediscover the traditional Christian values ofself-restraint and asceticism (simplicity oflifestyle), and to propagate these values intheir societies as a way of counteracting indi-vidualism and consumerism, and as an alter-native foundation for economic and socialdevelopment.

We strongly support the Message to theChurches in the North from the participantsof the Symposium on the Consequences ofEconomic Globalization (Bangkok, Thailand,November 12-15, 1999) that was shared atour meeting.

We assure the churches in theglobal South of our solidarity. Ourpart of Europe bears a considerablemeasure of responsibility for manydevelopments, with both good andbad consequences, in Southerncountries.

Today our peoples share many simi-lar problems and challenges, and weneed each other to find solutions. Inthe spirit of ecumenical partnership,we call the WCC and other ecumeni-cal organizations to support coop-eration and networking between churches inCentral and Eastern Europe and churches inthe global South, in particular, through con-sultations on globalization.

Global networking between Christians andothers on the issues of globalization is ur-gently needed, especially from parish to par-ish, from one group of researchers to another,e.g., from a Reformed radio in Hungary to aCatholic newspaper in Indonesia and a Mos-lem TV studio in Kazakhstan. Ecumenicaland interfaith organizations will play thekey role in this network building. We shouldnot let the spirit of this world separate us.The difficult reality we are facing requires aresponse which we can only make together.

We acknowledge the work done by Anglican,Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches,as well as international Christian organiza-tions, which have studied the problems ofglobalization and have acted in this regard.The process started by the World Council ofChurches and the World Alliance of Re-formed Churches must be encouraged, con-tinued and broadened.

We commit ourselves to establishing an ef-fective follow-up process to this consultationin the region of Central and Eastern Europe.

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