With the Greek elections having just completed, the democracy itself is in question in Athens itself, which is actually the birthplace of democracy. Democracy today it is under attack and in question.
In the last six years that have been five elections and one referendum.
The United Nations has designated September 15th as ‘The UN International Day Of Democracy.’ In Athens, on 15th September 2015, all the National Buildings and Monuments were lit in Blue that evening to mark this day.
Also to mark this occasion, The New York Times International, along with The United Nations Democracy Fund and the City of Athens organized ‘The Athens Democracy Forum’ – a living showcase of democracy under extreme challenge – and brought together the Diplomats, Scholars, Corporate Executives, Politicians, Thought-leaders and Journalists from around the world discuss at the foot of the Acropolis the major challenges they face in the world today.
Greece may be the birthplace of democracy but in the recent years, the nation had its foundations shaken by a political, economic and social crisis that has threatened at times to tear Europe apart.
The Forum, this year, started very interestingly with the Childern’s exhibition displaying children’s work on the theme of ‘journey into a democracy’ – very appropriate, as it is their future the forum is really discussing.
Most of the children artists were between the age of 10 and 11 years old. It was interesting to see that many children had drawn images of women whose mouths or lips were sealed with band-aid or tapes. – may be some of these were by girl artists.
The next day started with the engagement of the youths by having an international students debating competition curated Transatlantic Debating Competition. Top level winning student debating teams participated. The venue was the Old Parliment, the very room where a Prime Minister of Greece was shot dead.
Interestingly, the Asia team won, representing India and Sri Lanka. The participants Harish Natarajan and Steve Ramesh Rajavinothan from the Universities of Cambridge,Oxford and Warwick. Their subject was, ‘ There is No Justice Without Chaos’. And the point that really intrigued me is that, they said, only in a democratic situation you are able to take to the streets burn buses, go on strikes or any such action so that you can bring some change. – Wow, think of actions of the common man in India.
Reminded me that in our so called Democratic Tanzania, when the students of the University Of Dar es Salaam, marched in protest to the State House; the then President Nyerere had them all arrested and sent home for almost a year. – But it did provoke some debate.
On the third day morning we had our Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Ex Governor-General of Canada address the Forum, where she addressed the current plight of Immigration in Europe and Canada’s role and ability to process the refugees. She shared her own plight as a three year old refugee and mentioned the successful settlement. Her address included a mention of the Naheed Nenshi, Mayor in Calgary amongst others of his background. It was a very emotional speech and everybody was taken back. His Highness the Aga Khan attended this session. Among other noted participants were Sir Richard Dearlove, former chief of the British secret intelligence service (M-16), Paul Krugman, who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Valerie Plame, a former CIA operative and author of best-selling memoir-Fair Game: My life as a spy, My Betrayal by the White House, Annika Savill, Executive Head of the United Nations Democratic Fund (UNDEF) and Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, President International New York Times.
The highlight was the keynote speech by His Highness the Aga Khan, who is the 49th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader)of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.His Highness has been deeply engaged with the development of countries around the world for close to sixty years through the work of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
The venue for this occasion was the famous and most appropriate Stoa of Attalos at the foot of Acropolis.
To summarize the main points covered by His Highness the Agakhan in his address to the forum were that,
Firstly, the Governments must improve quality-of-life for Democracy to succeed.
Improving the quality of life was one of the most essential components of Democracy
Secondly, Democracy can only survive if it demonstrates across the years and across the planet that it is the best way to achieve that goal.
Thirdly, a lack of Education and understanding. As His Highness mentioned ‘One problem is a poor understanding of the comparative Government systems. That subject is not part of most educational curricula, and in countries I know best the media rarely explains the logic, or the options, of constitutional change.’
Fourthly, the Aga Khan emphasized the need for pluralistic and independent media.
But, he cautioned that advances in communications technology have not necessarily produced qualitative progress in mutual understanding.
His Highness added: ‘But sadly if information can be shared more easily as technology advances, so can misinformation and disinformation. If truth can spread more quickly and more widely then so can error and falsehood. Throughout history the same tools,the printing press, the telegraph, the microphone,the television camera, the cell phone, the Internet-that promised to bring us together, have also been used to drive us apart.’
The Aga Khan called for a renewed emphasis on civil society organizations, a sector that he felt was deeply undervalued and yet essential to democracy. His Highness emphasized that the key elements of the civil society ranging from education, to healthcare, to the environment cannot thrive and grow unless governments themselves support a healthy enabling environment.
Speaking at a time in the societies witnessing increased polarization, His Highness emphasized
the importance of fostering a democratic ethic, at the heart of which is a commitment to genuine dialogue about the means of achieving a better life.
This means a readiness to give and take,to listen, to bridge the ’empathy’ gaps – as well as ‘ignorance’ gaps – that have so often impeded human progress.’ ‘It implies a pluralistic readiness to welcome diversity – and to see our differences not as difficult burden but as potential blessings.’
