Values Caucus Celebrates 10th Anniversary<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

The Values Caucus, part of the United Religious Initiative at the UN, met on 12 February to celebrate its 10th anniversary, with two speakers on the Ethical and Spiritual Dimension of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

 

Alfredo Sfeir-Younis is Senior Adviser to the Office of the Managing Director of the World Bank. He spoke of the need to resist a materialistic worldview which accepts the existence of poverty and suffering as normal. A change of consciousness is needed, which means taking responsibility so that the necessary efforts can be made.

 

Carol Zinn is UN Representative for the Congregation of Saint Joseph, an international network of Catholic women working on development issues. She asked the audience to consider 100 people, 94 of whom live on the side of a hill, while the other 6 live in a glass house on the top of the hill, and own the land and resources of the rest. Much of the money they spend is on guns to protect them from the 94. Our task, Zinn said, is “to hold up a mirror to the glass house”. A sharp comment came from the audience: the task is to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.

 

The ensuing discussion focused on the unabated deterioration of many countries in spite of the MDGs. Yet there were clear signs of progress too in parts of the world. Perhaps the argument to address to the 6 living heavily armed in their glass house is long-term self interest – change your thinking so that if not you, then your children may benefit.

 

Sylvain and Phyllis Ehrenfeld IHEU Representatives to the UN and AEU’s National Service Conference