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[
Annual Report 1999 – 2000 ]
Worldaware – the future
"Seattle
has woken us all up. Far from being a disaster, as some have seen
it, it should be regarded as a watershed – the opportunity
for nations to make the right decisions for a more prosperous 21st
century for all….
The rich may get richer, but only if the poor do also. Our collective
task is to create the global framework to make this happen."
Tony Boardman, Director Worldaware, January 2000
"Globalisation
will not lead automatically to the reduction of poverty…But
globalisation does create the opportunity to lift millions of the
world’s poorest people out of their poverty – if the right
policies are adopted."
Rt Hon Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development,
July 2000
Seattle,
Bangkok, Washington, Okinawa. In the last year these places have
been host to a vital global dialogue which has begun but not concluded.
Three interlocked, and very modern issues have dominated this debate,
each haunting the minds of Governments, international institutions,
NGOs, business and academics: managing globalisation, increasing
global democracy, and the eradication of poverty. All three lie
at the heart of Worldaware’s original aim to increase understanding
in the UK of global development issues and their importance.
Challenging times. But how is Worldaware responding?
Our Council of Management has agreed some changes to Worldaware’s
aims and objectives. These have resulted in:
- A
new mission to ‘promote the widest understanding of global
development issues, their importance and the interdependence of
the modern world, in order to reduce poverty and facilitate development
worldwide’.
- A
new core function to ‘provide curriculum-based materials
and advice to schools’.
- A
new secondary function to ‘create an active network with
the business community and others (including through the Business
Awards scheme) in support of these educational aims’.
- A
new, more coherent, committee structure.
Specifically,
our plans include:
- Further
development of the highly successful ‘Global Eye’ magazine
for schools
- Launch
of a weekly news and information digest, as a briefing for busy
people
- Production
of a more regular series of educational resources on specific
themes
- Active
links with teacher training institutions
- Production
of CD-Roms on global development issues
- Expanding
the Worldaware Business Awards scheme, including the creation
of an active Alumni Group of past winners
- Joint
project with business to bring world trade issues into the classroom
- Expanding
membership of the Worldaware Business Group, including a full
activity programme
- Further
expansion of Worldaware’s web presence
In
all our activities we shall be looking for means to encourage active
involvement by business in educational projects. We shall also be
seeking partners to assist in these activities, wherever opportunities
arise.
"Worldaware is unique in having strong associations with both
education and business. I believe the decisions taken by Council
will bring greater coherence to our work, and enable Worldaware
to play an ever stronger role in future in creating a common understanding
of how to reduce poverty in the world."
Sir Jim Lester, Chairman, Worldaware Business Education
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