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WFM Congress Marks 60th Anniversary The World Federalist Movement (WFM) celebrated its 60th anniversary with an international congress August 27–31 in Switzerland (Geneva and Montreux). To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the movement, a celebratory event and reception for approximately 200 delegates and guests was held in Montreux. The anniversary event took place in the same hotel that provided the site of the organization’s founding meeting in 1947, soon after many had begun to realize that the post-World War II United Nations structures would be insufficient to maintain peace and security. Five Canadians took part (Jim Christie, Karen Hamilton, Mary June Pettyfer, Fergus Watt and Lois Wilson). The largest delegations were from Italy and Japan: 153 registered delegates from around the world participated. Tributes to WFM were provided to the congress by well-known public officials (Kofi Annan, Hans Blix, Mohamed Sahnoun, Ramesh Thakur), past WFM officers (Andy Clarke, Joseph Baratta, Jos Lemmers), and well-known NGO colleagues (Jim Paul, Global Policy Forum; Federico Mayor, UBUNTU; Mercedes Bresso, President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF); Jo Leinen, (Member of European Parliament and past-president of UEF). Most of the congress deliberations took place in Geneva, in meeting rooms provided by the UN World Meteorological Organization. WFM also organized a public symposium at the UN Palais des Nations that brought in speakers and participants from the Geneva-based diplomatic and NGO communities, to discuss “WFM and the UN in their Sixth Decade: To Save Succeeding Generations from the Scourge of War.” Policy development One of the functions of congress was to formulate and update policy for the movement. Delegates spent a great deal of time in four policy commissions focusing on: 1. international justice, the rule of law and human rights; 2. peace, human security and conflict prevention; 3. UN reform and global governance; federalism at the global and regional level; and 4. global environmental and economic governance; managing the global commons and the effects of economic and social globalization. Other decisions Two new member organizations were welcomed to the movement, Federal Union (UK) and Democracia Global (Argentina). The congress also made a number of changes to its statutes and by-laws. Perhaps the most significant of the changes was the decision to change the statutes to permit the WFM to have up to two co-presidents. While this congress decided to adopt a co-presidency arrangement, the decision to identify and name co-presidents was delegated to the incoming Council. As a result, Canada’s Lois Wilson continues as WFM’s interim president. Congress chose members of its governing Council to serve for the period until next congress. Jim Christie was re-elected as WFM Council Chair. In addition to Lois and Jim, Canadians appointed or elected to incoming WFM Council include Warren Allmand, Karen Hamilton, and Fergus Watt. International Secretariat One cannot fail to be impressed with the continued growth of the programs and capacity of the WFM international secretariat in New York. Delegates to the 25th WFM World Congress recognized not only the continuing need for a World Federalist voice in our disordered and uncivilized world, but also the WFM organization’s growing capacity to address modern global governance challenges. For more information, visit these websites: • www.wfm-igp.org (main site for the WFM) • www.cicc.org (the ICC coalition site, in English, French, Spanish) • www.responsibilitytoprotect.org • www.pbcupdate.org |
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