Himalayan Consensus Resolution:
Preamble: The Himalayan Inspiration
Challenges and Inspiration
The Himalayan region* possesses some of the richest ethnic and bio-diversity remaining on our planet. Yet both exist in precarious danger of imminent destruction, juxtaposed against economic models driven by globalized industrialization and consumption-driven growth. This region also faces some of the world’s most acute problems of cyclical poverty.
However it is in the Himalayan region that these challenges are being met head-on by a diverse group of regional leaders, within both government and NGOs, together with individual activists and social entrepreneurs. Each in their own way, are pioneering far reaching solutions to sustainable economics. These efforts include: micro-finance and micro-business, social entrepreneurship, localized health care and education, heritage and environmental protection, and the growing gross national happiness value revolution.
New Voices Question Old Assumptions
These approaches to issues of cyclical poverty, social marginalization, sustainable economic growth, cultural heritage and environmental protection, draw into question the very assumptions that have served as the basis of our economic theories and formulas in the bygone Breton Woods era. They represent new voices now reverberating globally, calling for a change in these past assumptions, and in turn a fresh economic and financial framework that can help our planet survive current crises that our modern era has created with its over-distorted emphasis on blind consumerism and resource misuse to support this consumption.These creative approaches to both cultural and environmental sustainability are forging sound economic paradigms that can protect ethnicity, while fostering the healthy evolution of culture. These organic programs make the Himalayas an inspiring symbol of local responses to global predicament. Collectively these diversified approaches have become the Himalayan Consensus.
Article I: Principles of the Himalayan Consensus
The No Model Model
Himalayan Consensus presents a fresh economic development paradigm which is built upon three principles: protecting ethnic diversity, through cultural sustainable development, while prioritizing environmental protection. The Himalayan Consensus is not established on any one model or economic theory. Rather it is drawn from collective experiences across the Himalayan region where local knowledge has proved successful in creating pragmatic solutions to development challenges. The Himalayan Consensus calls for three core principles:Preserving ethnic diversity and indigenous identity, culture, traditions and heritage;through building self-sustainable economic platforms and business models based on local realities to alleviate poverty through self-empowering skill transfer.that in turn are socially responsible and seek to improve basic human needs such as education, and medical care while prioritizing environmental protection.
End Theory, Enter Pragmatism
Himalayan Consensus questions text-book economic-political theory; instead calling for organic solutions derived from those indigenous people who must themselves face the challenges of: poverty, societal marginalization, and underdevelopment.
Himalayan Consensus by drawing upon local wisdom and experience, seeks relevant alternatives to institutional insistence on theoretic formulas predicated on conditionality (often characterized as the now out-dated “Washington Consensus”). Such academic approaches have in many cases themselves been a factor tragically contributing to cyclical poverty, subsequently rendering dysfunctional many traditional social, political, and economic systems. The Himalayan Consensus approach to development economics derives rational, pragmatic local solutions to these challenges, and seeks to protect three fundamental development rights: the right to protect ethnic diversity and indigenous identity; the right to cultural sustainable development; the right to protect our planet, glaciers, and give our children water to drink.
Article II - The Right to Protect Ethnic Diversity and Indigenous Identity
Diversity and Identity
Ethnic diversity is the richness of humanity. The preservation of each ethnic group’s culture, heritage and identity, is an inalienable human right. We must without equivocation uphold this right.
Each ethnic group has the right to its own individual identity and the self-determination of that identity. They know how best to evolve their own culture, heritage and ethnicity. Such identification with a collective group is as important as its economic growth. Both are needed equally. The quality of life cannot always be measured by the quantification of material ends alone. It follows therefore that levels of industrial output and consumption are insufficient in themselves as the measure of a people’s happiness. When a people’s identity is assaulted they may in a state of duress turn toward extremism.
Self-Empowerment
In developing countries and in certain social pockets of developed countries ethnic groups left out of the national mainstream due to historical circumstances, and those who have been socially marginalized, require the tools of empowerment to achieve their sustainable and equitable development. Himalayan Consensus as an economic paradigm presents pragmatic ways in which to give them these tools.
Article III - The Right to Cultural Sustainable Development
Economic Foundations for Sustainability
All culture and heritage requires an economic base upon which to flourish. Without an economic base ethnic identity can easily be lost. Ethnic diversity can be preserved and protected through rational economic platforms, based on local and indigenous needs. Likewise, cultural sustainability cannot be achieved without sustainable economic growth. To achieve rational economic platforms improvements in education, medical and vocational skills are prerequisite. Self-sustainability can be facilitated with micro-financing and vocational skills to permit local people to establish their own enterprises in a manner consistent with their traditional economic, political and social structures.
Closing Poverty Gaps, Ending Marginalization
Despite tremendous strides forward, the past 20 years of so-called global prosperity has still left more than 40 percent of the world’s population living in poverty and one sixth of our planet living in extreme poverty. This pattern of development has created greater gaps between rich and poor. This economic imbalance is caused by distortions in our global trading and financial system, re-enforced by international financial institutions, which often represent narrow entrenched interests.Positive change will only occur by lifting more people out from poverty and narrowing gaps between those who have and those who don’t. The answers will not come from grand theoretic models for development but rather from indigenous economic solutions based on local conditions. Fresh approaches must be constructively lobbied into government policy which will in turn influence corporate behavior. Our political, economic and social systems will be healthier, if we can end cyclical social and economic marginalization. Experience shows that when the marginalized have no outlets, continually frustrated, their potential for turning to extremism in various forms increases.
Prevent Extremism at Its Root
Terrorism is not alone the result of fundamental religious beliefs as characterized in certain mainstream media. People turn to extreme measures when they have no outlet to vent their frustration over conditions of poverty, ethnic marginalization, or both. Often religious beliefs may tragically be used as a rationale or pretext for this extremism. Deep dissatisfaction followed by terrorism, are sequential reactions to the same sets of problems. The problems associated with the alienation of ethnic groups must be addressed at its root cause, through economic empowerment, education, healthcare, and returning to people what is theirs, recognition of their own individual diversity, identity and self-respect. Otherwise dissent and strife will not go away, regardless of how sophisticated the military technology and social re-engineering theories of constituent states.
Article IV - The Right to Protect Our Planet, Save Our Glaciers, and Give Our Children Water
The Right to Water
The Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus of South Asia, the Yellow, Yangtze of China, and the Mekong, Irrawady of Southeast Asia, all have their source of water from glaciers on the Himalayan plateau. Glacier retreat threatens water supplies to one third of humanity. If they have no water, what effect will this have on social stability, wars and stock prices?Historically, many civilizations fell, not due to stock price fluctuations, but lack of water. Today, corporations won’t forfeit profit for Himalayan snow. But one day the price of water from what is left of that snow may be higher than the price of oil. Resources are finite. The question for humanity is not affordability. But whether those resources like water will be there, and whether we can be here as well? We can give our children money to spend. But can we give our children water to drink?
Indigenous Value Factor
Indigenous peoples are vital custodians of our planet. But in our era of measuring success by industrial growth and consumption alone, we have ignored traditional systems of wisdom which prioritize environmental balance and quality of life. Nowhere else is this better expressed than in the principles of Bhutan’s gross national happiness value revolution. Turning to the values of indigenous people globally, their way of life is a repository of knowledge on how to preserve our environment. But we have largely ignored that knowledge. If we cannot save our environment, our planet will be destroyed, and our children will be left with nothing. Sustainable economics and shared material comforts are a globalized priority. But what use is accumulated capital and industrial goods conspicuous consumption, when one opens the door of their new house or car, only to breathe polluted air. National fiscal stimulus packages to stimulate consumption do not present a far-reaching solution. Because over consumption is itself one of the main causes of our current global environmental and financial crises. It is time to re-think our basic economic assumptions and the values underlying them.
Article V - Himalayan Consensus as a Global Consensus Movement
Raising Awareness for Himalayan Consensus as a New Economic Paradigm
Himalayan Consensus is a new economic paradigm based on the principles set forth in the Preamble and Article I above. Founded on the principles of Himalayan Consensus, the Himalayan Consensus Institute is a non-profitable organization registered under the laws of Hong Kong. It serves to coordinate a network of organizations (NGOs, social entrepreneurs, and individual activists) exchanging developmental experiences and promoting Himalayan Consensus principles of cultural sustainable development. The Institute promotes regional cooperation between stakeholders and engages in second track diplomacy efforts addressing ethnic, development and environmental issues.
The Himalayan Consensus economic development paradigm is applicable in other underdeveloped countries (and in growing pockets of underdevelopment within developed countries). The Himalayan Consensus Institute pursues a program of cross networking in other regions outside the Himalayas. Through internet and coordinated on-line media networking, Himalayan Consensus Institute is linking often separate and individual agendas of NGOs, social entrepreneurs, and individual activists, into a comprehensive lobbying platform that can provide the critical mass needed to rationally lobby government policy makers and international institutions. This new consensus will call for fresh and pragmatic approaches to reducing cyclical poverty, ending ethnic marginalization, and protecting our planet’s environment.
Seeking Global Consensus
The Himalayan Consensus Institute will seek to establish sister networking organizations (such as Kilimanjaro Consensus for Africa and Andes Consensus covering South America) in other regions. This will culminate in the establishment of The Global Consensus as coordinating body for these regional consensus groups (*2). The Global Consensus will be a peaceful advocacy movement collecting experiences and local perspectives, coordinating these into policy research from each region, and synthesizing them into new advocacy frameworks to address both climate change talks and global financial system re-engineering, as these are critical agendas affecting development. The Global Consensus movement will work with media so that these diverse voices can be heard by the mainstream, understood and not dismissed or rejected by those policymakers with whom we wish to build consensus in solving problems of common concern. The Global Consensus as an advocacy movement will work constructively to bring the mainstream media, government and institutional policymakers to first listen to our voice, and then to become our voice for positive change.
Notes:
(*1)The Greater Himalayan region spans China, Central, South and parts of peninsular Southeast Asia. It’s glaciers and their downstream river flow system provides water to one-third of humanity.
(*2) Tentativel plans to announce establishment of the Global Consensus movement are scheduled for end 2011.