A demand for justice” “

New York and Porto Alegre, two simultaneous events to discuss the future of the world. The effects of globalization, the North/South divide, the economic crisis caused by the terrorist attacks in the USA and the war in Afghanistan, the plight of Argentina and the countries strangled by foreign debt, were just some of the issues discussed in recent days at the World Economic Forum, which brought together economists, politicians and businessmen from all over the world in New York, and at the World Social Forum, which brought together the “thousand” different faces of the no global movement in Porto Alegre. We spoke about the two forums with Frank Ronge , head of the Office for social problems of the German Bishops’ Conference and responsible for relations with the European Union. Porto Alegre and New York: is there a connecting thread that links these two international meetings so different in agenda? “Both meetings had as their theme the future of the world: how to tackle the crisis, how to overcome the imbalances, how to ensure development for everyone. But the perspectives and the interests of the participants at the two meetings were radically different”. Did a common strategy of managing globalization emerge? “The process of globalization offers many opportunities, even to the less developed countries. But it also brings with it numerous risks and poses various questions. It does not seem to me that decisive answers were given to these questions, neither in New York, nor in Porto Alegre”. What is the main question that accompanies the process of globalization? “The main problem is that of justice. Managing globalization, as the Commission of the episcopates of the European Community has pointed out in a recent document on this issue, does not mean seeking to limit its effects at all costs, but rather striving to ensure that everyone may have access to the benefits it brings. Otherwise, globalization becomes not an opportunity for growth, but a dangerous factor of imbalance and inequality”. The European bishops, in the same document you cited, proposed the creation of a body given the task of monitoring the process of globalization. Is that a feasible option? “We need to understand how this proposal is to be interpreted. Managing globalization is probably utopian. It is possible, however, to bring together the more representative leaders of governments and international institutions and encourage them to debate these issues together to find suitable solutions. It’s essential they sit round a table together to reflect on global problems. The European Union may play a decisive role in promoting this venture”. What role may the Churches play? “No one can be considered a winner or a loser in the process of globalization. We need to ask ourselves, rather, how to give the losers the chance to get back on their feet again. The Churches have the task of constantly reminding people that the real objective of globalization must be that of offering equal opportunities of development and growth also to the poorest countries. The Churches have the right and the ability to do this because they were among the first ‘global agencies’ of humanity”. Ignazio Ingrao