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Interdependence Day
On September 11th, as the World Trade Center began to
crumble, one of greatest examples of interdependence
ever was on television screens around the world.
Interdependence was already obvious in the harsh
realities of global warming, HIV, terrorism,
crime and unregulated global capitalism. However,
on that day the world saw that the problems of
one region are not simply isolated issues, but
that our problems are interconnected. Furthermore,
the world saw that security was not something
guaranteed by power. September 11th is the day we
look back, we mourn the ones that we have lost.
The 12th "we celebrate the living so that tomorrow we can embrace those who are not yet born."
Celebrating Interdependence Day in Philadelphia was great success and brought together many different people. Rome promises to be even greater as our message spreads and our movement grows.
JUST ONE WEEK before the Sixtieth Anniversary of the United Nation’s founding, the CivWorld Project of the
University
of
Maryland
working with Collegium International in
Paris
held their Third Interdependence Day international meeting and celebration in the French Capital. Like the first in
Philadelphia
and the second in
Rome
, this gathering brought together civic and political leaders, artists, and intellectuals for a series of public colloquia, roundtables and a concert as well as an official Interdependence Day celebration, all focused on the realities and possibilities of interdependence in our troubled world. Over one hundred participants, including artists, academics, statesmen, NGO leaders and patrons took part in the entire weekend, and more than 500 members of the general public took part in each of the public events
Please read Dr. Barber's A ‘FIRST LOOK’ REPORT ON INTERDEPENDENCE DAY IN
PARIS
CivWorld's Second Annual Interdependence Day in Rome, Italy, September 12, 2004, was a great success. The event brought together several dynamic participants including Governor and former presidential candidate Howard Dean, the Italian Speaker of the House Pier Ferdinando Casini, former President of Slovenia Milan Kucan, former French Prime Minister and European Parliamentarian Michel Rocard, and legendary poet/educator/activist Sonia Sanchez.
2003 Philadelphia
On September 12, 2003 the first annual Interdependence Day, sponsored by the Democracy Collaborative, an initiative of the University of Maryland, was launched in Philadelphia, Budapest and at a number of college campuses throughout the U.S. Interdependence Day is a call to citizens around the world to acknowledge Interdependence as a reality of daily existence and to support policies and institutions that affirm its democratic realization. Today as global citizens we face a choice between two forms of interdependence. Either we create a legitimate, democratic and pragmatic interdependence or by default, must live with a radically illegitimate and undemocratic interdependence - already manifested in HIV, global warming, predatory financial speculation and international terrorism.
In Philadelphia, distinguished international luminaries, including Harry Belafonte, former Senator Gary Hart, Lord Frank Judd, former university president Yolanda Moses and Leoluca Orlando (former Mayor of Palermo) gathered in front of hundreds of citizens to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Interdependence and the new possibilities of civic cooperation across national borders. A new choral piece by award-winning composer John Duffy was performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra's chorus (The Philadelphia Singers); renowned poet and activist Sonia Sanchez performed her poem Peace with a jazz combo; UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former Czech President Vaclav Havel, the Focolare Movement, and the Mayor of Rome all presented messages of support.
Other 2003 Events
Interdependence Day events took place last year not just in
Philadelphia
, but also in
Budapest
,
Hungary
and in a number of schools and colleges in the
US
.
In
Budapest
, noted pianist Andras Schiff gave a concert dedicated to Interdependence Day and civil society. A roundtable of individuals from leading NGOs and the Hungarian Parliament was organized by Ivan Vitanyi, member of Parliament. The day included the participation Erpad Goncz, the first President of democratic
Hungary
, and a performance by noted pianist Andras Schiff.
Events were also organized in
Scranton
,
PA
, at the
University
of
Maryland
,
College Park
and at SUNY Stony Brook and two essay contests were held in honor of Interdependence Day in
Philadelphia
and
Tajikistan
.
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