WORLD ACADEMY OF INFORMATICS AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
ISSN : 2278-1315
KOFI ANNAN'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE BUSINESS
Nigeria. And climate change increasingly threatens everyone,
& HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT
everywhere.
Author: Georg Kell, (Founding Director of UN Global
The world needs experienced leaders; grizzled global
Compact) Forbes, Published on: 23 August 2018 "In
firefighters with the wisdom to staunch the flames and guide
Memory Of Kofi Annan: Father of the Modern Corporate
us through turbulent times. One is Kofi A. Annan, former
Sustainability Movement", A great son of Africa and a true
Secretary-General of the United Nations. Backstage at We
global leader has passed away. Kofi Annan, United Nations
Day Vancouver, we had a chance to sit down with Annan, and
Secretary General from 1997 to 2006 and co-recipient, with
heard his thoughts on how these global issues might be
the UN, of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, is being mourned
addressed. But while we are looking to Annan for wisdom,
and remembered with great affection all over the world...
Annan is banking on the world's youth.
In the sunny afternoon of January 29, 1999, at the World
"I talk to a lot of young people; their attitude, determination to
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Kofi Annan spoke
make a difference, innovative spirit and desire to change
to hundreds of business executives: “I propose that you, the
things give me hope", he told 18,000 youth at We Day to wild
business leaders…and we the United Nations initiate a
applause.
Global Compact of shared values and principles, which will
In his four decades with the United Nations, including ten
give a human face to the global market”. Every word of this
years as Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006, Annan saw it
speech sank into the minds of those present. And with this
all; an unparalleled perspective on global events and
“speech act”, Kofi Annan planted the seeds for the modern
challenges. He persuaded world leaders to seek peace over
corporate sustainability movement. The call was heard all
national self-interest and initiated the Millennium
over the world...Numerous business leaders, such as Sir
Development Goals, the Global AIDS Fund and International
Mark Moody Stuart, stepped forward and dedicated years to
Criminal Court.
translate Kofi Annan’s call into the world’s largest corporate
Now Annan is looking to young people as another source of
sustainability initiative, the United Nations Global Compact.
guidance, connecting with them via Twitter and Google
Kofi Annan’s call to action is as relevant today as it was two
Hangouts to seek their ideas about social change; an area in
decades ago: “The spread of markets outpaces the ability of
which, he says, his generation fell short.
societies and their political systems to adjust to them, let
"You are inheriting the world from a generation of political
alone to guide the course they take. History teaches us that
leaders; my generation, who have actually failed to address
such an imbalance between the economic, social and
the global imbalances that are the cause of so many of our
political realm can never be sustained for very long. The
failures today", he told youth participants in one online
global economy will be fragile and vulnerable to the
dialogue.
backlash from all the “isms” of our time: protectionism,
Historically, young people are not always happy with the
populism, nationalism, ethnic chauvinism, fanaticism and
world they inherit. Social change has always been led by
terrorism”. Thousands of companies around the world who
youth: protesting the Vietnam War, standing up to the tanks in
have embraced the ten universal principles of the UN Global
Tiananmen Square, rallying during the Arab Spring and
Compact in the areas of human rights, labor, the
Occupying Wall Street. It will undoubtedly be young people
environment and anti-corruption have the opportunity to
who will push issues like climate change, which Annan
carry Kofi Annan’s legacy forward now....
considers "the biggest challenge facing us and the future
He then joined them; against the advice of some of his aides,
generation," to the forefront of the political agenda.
to launch the UN-backed Principles for Responsible
Annan was taking steps to get youth involved in climate
Investing (PRI) at the New York Stock Exchange in April
change and other world issues, and giving them a forum to
2006. And with the appointment of John Ruggie, Kofi
voice their opinions.
Annan paved the way for the UN Guiding Principles on
Last year (2017), he hosted the Kofi Annan Dialogues: Live!
Human Rights, now the gold standard in this critical area.
and spoke with youth online from around the world on topics
“GLOBAL SOLUTIONS WILL BE DEFINED BY
like youth unemployment rates, democratic responsibility and
YOUTH”. KOFI ANNAN
technology's role in education. His faith in these youth is
Is it just us, or does the world feel a bit scarier lately?
matched by their faith in themselves. An online poll surveyed
Eastern Europe rumbles like a warming volcano as the
youth and 93 per cent said they believe they have more power
Ukraine and Russia trade gunfire and western nations rattle
and potential to create change than previous generations
sabres. Israel and Palestinian militants are once again
(Annan understands first-hand this youthful idealism. At 16,
clashing in Gaza. In Syria, three-million people have fled to
he organized a hunger strike at his Methodist boarding school,
escape civil war; the largest migration since World War II.
leading the entire student body to demand better cafeteria
In Africa, terrorist, bandits and herdsmen are unseating
food).
many to flee their communities, given key example of
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