On 26 June 1945 the Charter of the United Nations was signed by representatives of 51 countries in San Francisco, USA. It carried the promise of a better managed world after the destruction of World War II. The Charter provides for the structure and functioning of the United Nations and associated institutions, with provisions that may or may not be useful at this stage, like the veto power for the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. At the same time, the Charter sets as ultimate goal to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, an aspiration that remains valid but obviously not so well served.
What is the significance of the UN Charter today and can it be amended to respond to the challenges of our times and to fulfil the needs and aspirations of the youth and of future generations? Join us for this discussion that brings together seasoned academics and practitioners of the UN with younger scholars and global governance professionals.
Panelists:
–Joshua Lincoln, Senior Fellow, Fletcher School of Diplomacy [replacing Amanda Ellis who had to cancel for personal reason]
–Katherine Marshall, Senior Fellow, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Executive Director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue
–Larry Johnson, Adjunct Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, former UN Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs (New York), Legal Adviser of the International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna) and Chef de Cabinet of the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (The Hague)
Moderated by Augusto Lopez-Claros, Executive Director, Global Governance Forum (GGF), former senior official of the IMF and the World Bank
Brief introduction on the UN Charter and its 77-year history by Georgios Kostakos, Executive Director, FOGGS, former member of the cabinets of UN Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon.
