“Globalizing” hearts” “

“A chance to be exploited, not a destiny to be accepted”: that’s how globalization is described by the German Federal President Johannes Rau, in his “Berlin address” of 2002, which was dedicated to the theme and entitled “A chance, not a destiny – organizing globalization politically”. The speech was given in the Museum of Communication in the capital of united Germany on 13 May. It met with a positive response from the country’s Churches, which appreciated “the way in which globalization was presented”, in a “comprehensible and concrete way, but without trivializing the various complex questions” that it poses. This was the reaction, for instance, of Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Episcopal Conference. It was also a view endorsed by Manfred Kock, president of the Council of the Evangelic Churches, who spoke of the “great consonance of the issues treated by the president with those evaluated by the Evangelic Church”. Particular satisfaction was also expressed by the Churches for the passage in the speech in which the president directly alluded to their role in the socio-economic fields. “For a long time now the Christian Churches have been pressing for a fair system of world trade – emphasized Johannes Rau –. And for this I would like to thank them. The Churches act at the world level and are rooted in society. They provide hospitality to many people and have an eye for the needs of the world. We have a need for them in times of globalization”. On responsibilities in this field the annual Synod of the Evangelic Church had already pronounced itself last November, making a number of recommendations about how “to construct the global economy in a responsible way”. “Globalization – stressed Manfred Kock – may only have success if the economic prosperity that it makes possible is also to the benefit of the poorer countries in the international community”. This is a view echoed by the words of the German president: “We for our part must ensure freedom and justice for all mankind”, indeed “globalization can only be deemed successful in proportion as the losers are not banished to the sidelines of the process and everyone has the chance of doing something with his own life”. Particular importance is attached to the “main protagonists” of the process of globalization. “The multinationals – notes the Federal president – have a social responsibility in the State and in the region in which they operate”. This is a view wholly shared by Manfred Kock who emphasizes the “absolute necessity for businesses to respect human rights, the environment and the social context”. “Freedom and justice – concludes the president of the Council of the Evangelic Churches – must co-exist together with the other principles that govern economic processes”. The Catholic Church too has in the past devoted specific attention to the question of globalization, as in the report presented in January at Frankfurt, economic centre of the nation, on “Global Finances and Human Development”, drafted by a study group commissioned by the Bishops’ Conference. The report spelt out seven key points “necessary for politico-economic organization both at the national and at the global level”. They include, “a gradual opening of the developing countries to the international markets, the reduction of their foreign debt”, and “the need constantly to monitor the new instruments of the financial markets”. Positive, too was the reaction given to the president’s speech by the charity agency of the German bishops, “Misereor”: according to Gottfried Baumann, director of Misereor, “Rau’s words invite everyone to take the part of those who are disadvantaged and the losers in this process” with the objective of a “globalization of hearts and of solidarity”. Patrizia Collesi