Dr. Guido Bertucci spoke yesterday in Phillips Hall to spread the message of the United Nation’s policies and strategies in the age of globalization.
Bertucci, director of the newly-formed U.N. Division for Public Economics and Public Adminstration, focused on the positive and negative aspects of globalization.
“Depending on who you ask, globalization means different things,” Bertucci said. “It allows [for] an easy flow of technology and information.”
However, he added, “there are environmental and social problems as well.”
Such problems with globalization have led to various protests by environmental and labor groups — one example being last spring’s WTO protests in Seattle. The U.N.’s ultimate goal is to “have the good forces and minimize negative effects,” Bertucci said.
The U.N. plans to make all of this happen by continuing to push for “global government regimes and governing mechanisms [which will] regulate,” Bertucci continued. North American Free Trade Agreement, the World Trade Organization and the European Union are examples of such mechanisms.
Bertucci said these mechanisms would be necessary, because “[the] forces of the market will not be able to control entirely the forces of globalization [due to] greed.”
Bertucci stated that government is going to have to play the role of curbing these “natural” forces, and the only way to do that is if governments will have the “means and capacity” to do so.
In order to build up the capacities of developing nations, the U.N. will assist in the development of national resource management. Bertucci advocated the U.N.’s latest mission while visiting Cornell, gaining feedback from students in the meantime.
The Cornell Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA), half consisting of international students, offered Bertucci the forum in which to reach out to many students, both from developed and developing nations.
Following his speech, Bertucci expressed his wish to create a greater relationship with Cornell, hoping to establish internships and other programs in conjunction with the University. While the programs are still early in the making, he is certain that such programs will most likely include research-related activities.
New York University currently offers programs with the U.N., such as exchange programs at African and European universities.
The lecture is part of CIPA’s Colloquium Series, a weekly series of speakers representing various areas of public affairs. Next week, CIPA will feature Sylvia Junod, leader of the Red Cross International Committee delegation to the U.N. The series is open and free to the public.
Archived article by Michael Brody