See, to me at least, its important to recognize the fact that while community development from a government perspective kind of has to be looked at through a lens of public policy that will affect the masses, there is in fact no masses, no community, without the individual.
This is important to recognize because we must always remember to put human faces to our decisions when it comes to public policy. Faces is plural because though I am saying that communities are comprised of individuals, they are individuals that do not all look, think, react the same in any given situation.
With this realization comes the realization that one size fits all policies can’t work for everybody. That being said, it would be next to impossible to try to solve societal problems individual by individual when you are a government body charged with the responsibility for and prosperity of thousands, let alone millions.
So what good is public policy?
Very.
Good public policy can ensure that a majority of people are able to find some kind of equilibrium, some type of balance in the world and then navigate it (moderately) successfully. And this is a good thing.
The problem is, good is not good enough.
That rare and elusive giant in the foothills, “great” public policy, recognizes that no matter how “good” a policy is it will never be “good” enough because it is not “good” enough for everybody. Only a majority. And with every majority created there is also by definition a minority created at the same time. Therefore, great public policy leaves room for interpretation. Great public policy is that fine, sometimes seemingly impossible line to find that regulates for the majority while finding ways for the minority to circumvent the dams of the mainstream and swim alongside joe and jane public.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Durban, South Africa - UN Habitat - Safe Cities - Youth - Arts & Culture
so yeah...
This is a speech delivered at the “Your City” conference in Durban, South Africa for the United Nations: Habitat Programme’s “Safer Cities” initiative. The theme is youth participation and culture as a means of creating safer cities.
Often these speeches are delivered and then their life ends almost as soon as the words are spoken. Some are inspired, some are indifferent, either way, the impact is very much limited to who is in the room. Most of the time, the people that really need to hear these words are not invited or not able to be there (for a myriad of reasons, financial, social, sheer ignorance that the conference is even going on, etc.). In the interest of bringing the ideas therein further into the world…
We live in an age where two qualities are in high demand. These qualities go hand in hand and they are as follows, courage and humility.
To the first quality then: courage. As has been said in the past by more venerable and eloquent voices then mine, in this age, as was indeed critical in each age before us; we must have the courage to stand by our convictions. The courage to make good our promises, the courage to see our visions through, the courage to succeed. And sometimes even, the courage to fail. Because without great risk, comes little chance of great success. We must have the courage, to speak truth to power.
To the second quality now: humility. We must have the humility to realize that at this point, we can do a helluva lot better. We must have the humility to know that sometimes, the best ideas will not come from ourselves. Finally, we must have the humility, to recognize that sometimes, it is we, us on these daises speaking with the best of intentions in the entire world, who are the powers that need the truth to be spoken to.
We live in a great age. A glorious age, a glorious age because this is the beginning of yet another era where we can continue the work of our forefathers and mothers to finally get things right. You see, if we are to be champions of community safety then we must not be champions in the sense of a competition. We must be champions in the sense of gladiators. For this is not a game we play but a war we wage. The paradox is however, that we will win this war not through the weapons that are ripping our families and communities apart, but by engaging our children, our young men and women in sport. In art. In culture. In the myriad of ways that appeal directly to their youthful passions while at once teaching the basic principles of respect for self, community and planet.
As much as this is a great age it is also not necessarily an age to write to the ancestors about. Yes, we have made great advances in technology, incredible breakthroughs in science, astounding discoveries in terms of crop yields, mass production and methods of distribution, yes. And still. Millions starve, fall victim to treatable diseases and remain completely unconnected to their brethren across the world. Violence infects our cities like locusts indiscriminately praying on the weak and strong alike. Drugs and “self-medicating” are all too common in societies where people cannot, or choose not, to cope. Children are soldiers. Rape is used as a weapon. Terror is a tool. How could we ever honour the memories of those that came before, when this is our reality.
If we, the people of some influence, the people in charge (and I call us the people in charge, as few deserve the title of leader) possess a wealth of compassion for our compatriots in our hearts, well then we must also be harboring a poverty of imagination within the recesses of our heads. What other reason, if we truly care for our fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers, for the fact that we have not succeeded in banishing so many of our social ills. If we were spending our compassion as freely as we give it lip service well then the streets would be awash in opportunity and success. Instead we are the victims of gold plated promises. Mockeries of wealth. Travesties of justice.
Young people do not have all the answers. Despite what many of us think. What we have though is more important. It is idealism. It is an optimism unspoiled by “well that’s the way things are done” attitudes. It is a belief that anything can happen at any given place at any given time and damn it, if it doesn’t just happen then we will make it happen.
It is one of the most beautiful energies that exists and strike me dead if it is not the most critical thing to have to enact any change. Idealism can be dangerous though, if it is applied in ignorance. Then, then it can be one of the most dangerous things in the universe. What the youthful idealism and energy of the world needs though is not to be tempered by cynicism or doubt, nor is it to be coddled by patronage or well meaning over protective parents. It is to be given a chance to face the sun. To let the winds of experience fan it’s flames, until, until, it becomes the ravaging force that will reduce our crumbling systems of doing things into the ashes from which true organic growth will arise. This is not a doomsday prophecy. Nor is it a call to arms. The only revolutionary act that we promote is that of listening to each other, learning from each other and then most importantly doing things TOGETHER. Elder and child. Academic and laborer. Political leaders and their constituents.
When one sector of society is alienated then problems begin. Whether the problems are as malignant as apathy or as actively cancerous as violence is moot. The root remains the same. Alienation. Alienation from opportunities of meaningful advancement. Alienation from cultural identity. From the status quo. From the slums of North America to the favelas of Brazil to the shantytowns of South Africa, alienation is as rampant as shell casings and unused condoms.
What we must recognize is that while there is a formidable gathering of minds, energies, experiences and passions in this room, this is only a fraction of the vanguard needed in the army of change makers, if we are truly going to turn this world around into the place we all so desperately want it to be. With this fact, we have not the responsibility but the critical mission, to become messengers of truth. To spread the word, inspire and motivate, to galvanize the young masses to be greater even, then the sum of their parts. To ignite in them the passion to be, at the very least, the equal to their dreams. And then what we have is probably the hardest duty of all: to stand aside. To lend advice, encouragement, support and resources but then to just get out of the way and meaningfully give these young change makers the actual space to breathe these visions into life. What I am stressing is: collaboration is critical. We are asked to speak today on the topic of “youth and children as champions of community safety for a better world” but it would be foolish of me not to recognize that we can only reach the heights we are dreaming of because we are standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before us. With that being recognized and acknowledged, the most important thing to me, in my own opinion, is that we open up the space to really and authentically include young people. To ensure that the young people of today and tomorrow can work with the elders and champions of now in a real and honest way so that their wisdom gained is not lost. So that lessons are passed down not just in textbooks but through shared experiences. Because it is only then that this new generation will ever be able to become the harbingers of peace. The generation that we hope for. The generation that finally realizes their own potential.
This is a speech delivered at the “Your City” conference in Durban, South Africa for the United Nations: Habitat Programme’s “Safer Cities” initiative. The theme is youth participation and culture as a means of creating safer cities.
Often these speeches are delivered and then their life ends almost as soon as the words are spoken. Some are inspired, some are indifferent, either way, the impact is very much limited to who is in the room. Most of the time, the people that really need to hear these words are not invited or not able to be there (for a myriad of reasons, financial, social, sheer ignorance that the conference is even going on, etc.). In the interest of bringing the ideas therein further into the world…
We live in an age where two qualities are in high demand. These qualities go hand in hand and they are as follows, courage and humility.
To the first quality then: courage. As has been said in the past by more venerable and eloquent voices then mine, in this age, as was indeed critical in each age before us; we must have the courage to stand by our convictions. The courage to make good our promises, the courage to see our visions through, the courage to succeed. And sometimes even, the courage to fail. Because without great risk, comes little chance of great success. We must have the courage, to speak truth to power.
To the second quality now: humility. We must have the humility to realize that at this point, we can do a helluva lot better. We must have the humility to know that sometimes, the best ideas will not come from ourselves. Finally, we must have the humility, to recognize that sometimes, it is we, us on these daises speaking with the best of intentions in the entire world, who are the powers that need the truth to be spoken to.
We live in a great age. A glorious age, a glorious age because this is the beginning of yet another era where we can continue the work of our forefathers and mothers to finally get things right. You see, if we are to be champions of community safety then we must not be champions in the sense of a competition. We must be champions in the sense of gladiators. For this is not a game we play but a war we wage. The paradox is however, that we will win this war not through the weapons that are ripping our families and communities apart, but by engaging our children, our young men and women in sport. In art. In culture. In the myriad of ways that appeal directly to their youthful passions while at once teaching the basic principles of respect for self, community and planet.
As much as this is a great age it is also not necessarily an age to write to the ancestors about. Yes, we have made great advances in technology, incredible breakthroughs in science, astounding discoveries in terms of crop yields, mass production and methods of distribution, yes. And still. Millions starve, fall victim to treatable diseases and remain completely unconnected to their brethren across the world. Violence infects our cities like locusts indiscriminately praying on the weak and strong alike. Drugs and “self-medicating” are all too common in societies where people cannot, or choose not, to cope. Children are soldiers. Rape is used as a weapon. Terror is a tool. How could we ever honour the memories of those that came before, when this is our reality.
If we, the people of some influence, the people in charge (and I call us the people in charge, as few deserve the title of leader) possess a wealth of compassion for our compatriots in our hearts, well then we must also be harboring a poverty of imagination within the recesses of our heads. What other reason, if we truly care for our fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers, for the fact that we have not succeeded in banishing so many of our social ills. If we were spending our compassion as freely as we give it lip service well then the streets would be awash in opportunity and success. Instead we are the victims of gold plated promises. Mockeries of wealth. Travesties of justice.
Young people do not have all the answers. Despite what many of us think. What we have though is more important. It is idealism. It is an optimism unspoiled by “well that’s the way things are done” attitudes. It is a belief that anything can happen at any given place at any given time and damn it, if it doesn’t just happen then we will make it happen.
It is one of the most beautiful energies that exists and strike me dead if it is not the most critical thing to have to enact any change. Idealism can be dangerous though, if it is applied in ignorance. Then, then it can be one of the most dangerous things in the universe. What the youthful idealism and energy of the world needs though is not to be tempered by cynicism or doubt, nor is it to be coddled by patronage or well meaning over protective parents. It is to be given a chance to face the sun. To let the winds of experience fan it’s flames, until, until, it becomes the ravaging force that will reduce our crumbling systems of doing things into the ashes from which true organic growth will arise. This is not a doomsday prophecy. Nor is it a call to arms. The only revolutionary act that we promote is that of listening to each other, learning from each other and then most importantly doing things TOGETHER. Elder and child. Academic and laborer. Political leaders and their constituents.
When one sector of society is alienated then problems begin. Whether the problems are as malignant as apathy or as actively cancerous as violence is moot. The root remains the same. Alienation. Alienation from opportunities of meaningful advancement. Alienation from cultural identity. From the status quo. From the slums of North America to the favelas of Brazil to the shantytowns of South Africa, alienation is as rampant as shell casings and unused condoms.
What we must recognize is that while there is a formidable gathering of minds, energies, experiences and passions in this room, this is only a fraction of the vanguard needed in the army of change makers, if we are truly going to turn this world around into the place we all so desperately want it to be. With this fact, we have not the responsibility but the critical mission, to become messengers of truth. To spread the word, inspire and motivate, to galvanize the young masses to be greater even, then the sum of their parts. To ignite in them the passion to be, at the very least, the equal to their dreams. And then what we have is probably the hardest duty of all: to stand aside. To lend advice, encouragement, support and resources but then to just get out of the way and meaningfully give these young change makers the actual space to breathe these visions into life. What I am stressing is: collaboration is critical. We are asked to speak today on the topic of “youth and children as champions of community safety for a better world” but it would be foolish of me not to recognize that we can only reach the heights we are dreaming of because we are standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before us. With that being recognized and acknowledged, the most important thing to me, in my own opinion, is that we open up the space to really and authentically include young people. To ensure that the young people of today and tomorrow can work with the elders and champions of now in a real and honest way so that their wisdom gained is not lost. So that lessons are passed down not just in textbooks but through shared experiences. Because it is only then that this new generation will ever be able to become the harbingers of peace. The generation that we hope for. The generation that finally realizes their own potential.
An introduction...
I’ve been asked to write a blog for some time. The verdict is still out. I almost started in Miami’s airport. Went so far as to even try to register a name at blogspot quietly. Someone already had it. It was at that point that I became demoralized on the subject.
1) Because I couldn’t think of anything else I’d want to call it.
2) Because it reinforced my original trepidation about getting involved in this over-populated world of ego-stroking and need for recognition of breathing that is attached to it.
But I am obviously thinking about it again because here I am writing this. My decision is to try posting some things here and possibly add 4 or 5 more people to this who I would be open to or have shared things with. If I stick to it long enough and think that it goes beyond the peacock mentality of defending my sense of existence by hiding behind outrageous flashes of colour and random beauty and crosses into the realm of actually contributing something to the world or at least to my world and the worlds of those I dig then yeah…I’ll open it up.
I doubt this is going anywhere though as I’ve been known to have a problem with commitment and self-aggrandizement...or again, maybe that falls under commitment...
Anyways, for now this will be about culture but not necessarily anything hipster or “high culture” (but not necessarily not). Also, it will be about traveling without being about tourism. Finally, it will always be political even though it will only sometimes directly cover politics.
It’s for people that have an interest in social issues, politics and style (though not necessarily fashion).
People with class that know how to handle themselves in 5 star hotels and drug infested slums.
It is for people with imagination. And for the people that act on their imagination to bring their thoughts into the playground of life. That’s why you're all here.
I’m not going to write a huge introduction. Just check in and if you dig it check back. If not, no love lost.
With respect,
Him Too.
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