2020 CGS National Convention

Event Description

In 2020 the case for working across borders was hard to ignore. The year brought a pandemic, deep national division, and threats from nuclear weapons and a damaged climate. The 2020 National Convention of Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) was held online, the organization’s first on Zoom. It ran in three sessions of about three hours each. The featured recording above is Glen T. Martin’s session on the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. Every recorded session is listed below.

The convention moved from the big picture to the details. Bob Flax set out goals and strategy. Team leaders reported on newsletters, op-eds, speakers and clubs. Partners from the World Federalist Movement (WFM) and the youth movement said what they were seeing in the field. A session with Martin looked at a world constitution. Awards honored volunteers and Bill Pace. Shimri Zameret closed with a conversation on how movements grow by changing public opinion.

See the upcoming CGS events and what CGS runs for young people.

Wednesday 18 November

• Welcome · Donna Park, Board Chair

  Donna Park opened the first CGS convention held on Zoom. She set the organization’s vision and mission against a year of pandemic, division and global threats. She introduced Bob Flax as master of ceremonies.

• The Big Picture: Citizens for Global Solutions Now and the Future · Bob Flax, Executive Director

  Flax laid out the goals and strategy. The goals ran from a peaceful, free, just and sustainable world community to a democratic federation of nations by the UN’s 100th anniversary in 2045. The strategy rested on public education, political action and coalition building.

• CGS Outreach Activities: Team Leader Reports

  Team leaders described the newsletter, the journal Mondial, multimedia, and peace and justice studies outreach. They also covered social media and the speakers’ bureaus. A breaking news op-ed team had placed six pieces 40 times.

• World Federalist Movement Update · Anji Manivannan

  Manivannan reviewed the work of the coalitions for the International Criminal Court and for the Responsibility to Protect. The Responsibility to Protect is the principle that the world should act when a state fails to protect its people from mass atrocities. It was a year of U.S. sanctions on the court and of a pandemic that shifted donor priorities. Manivannan also described new projects on women, peace and security.

Thursday 19 November

• World Federation and the Environment · Shahr-Yar Sharei, Youth Climate Ambassadors and Center for UN Constitutional Research

• The Youth Movement for World Federation · Daniel Blewitt (Australia, Young World Federalists), Emilia Ismael (Argentina, Democracia Global), Semawit Hagos (United States, Citizens for Global Solutions)

  Three young leaders said a youth movement grows through a shared online home and plain messages about outcomes rather than institutions. It also grows through campaigns on issues young people care about, and through ties to other youth groups. Young World Federalists is a global youth movement for democratic world federation. Democracia Global was founded by Fernando Iglesias.

• Awards and Recognition · Bob Flax and Donna Park

  Staff were thanked. The first Distinguished Service Awards went to three volunteers: Lynn Darbie, Eugene (Butch) Otting and Nancy Dunlavy. Dunlavy founded the World Citizen Virtual Book Club. She also led the Model UN Plus and UN2020 programs. Model UN Plus is the CGS version of the Model United Nations student simulation, with selected UN reforms added. UN2020 was a civil society campaign for a leaders-level review of the UN at its 75th anniversary.

• Norman Cousins Global Governance Award · Bill Pace

  Bill Pace received the award for a career in international justice. He credited federalists with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the push for a UN parliamentary assembly. He said the best hope lies in coalitions of small and middle democracies.

Friday 20 November

• A Constitution for the Federation of Earth · Glen T. Martin

  Martin placed the Earth Constitution in the story of human development. He argued that militarized sovereign states and global capitalism block it. He described its three-house parliament. Each of its main agencies would be led by five people, one from each continent, rather than a single head. He also outlined work on electoral districts and secure online voting.

• CGS Programs: Team Leader Reports

  Team leaders described the World Citizen Virtual Book Club, the UN2020 team, the World Citizen Clubs and the Model UN Plus pilot in Mexico City. World Citizen Clubs are student-led clubs for community service and global issues. The teams also planned work on peace-group outreach, the environment and internships.

• Movement Building for World Federation · Shimri Zameret in conversation with Bob Flax

  Zameret traced his path from conscientious objection to world federalism. He argued that movements grow by changing public opinion through disruptive, symbolic action. They also grow, he said, by training the newcomers that action attracts.

• Closing · Donna Park and Bob Flax

  Flax and Park thanked the planning team and asked everyone to fill out the feedback form. They then sent participants to breakout rooms.

Titles are as of the event date.