Address by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at the opening of the 18th General Conference of the International Federation of Workers´ Educational Associations (IFWEA) at the Workers´ Academy in Kauniainen on 23.8.2000

The task of adult education has historically been and remains that of increasing people’s knowledge about things that relate to themselves and their environment. Learning to read and write or understanding even the basics of mathematics is still today no more than a dream for millions of people. Yet, being able to master the surrounding reality calls for many new skills, in everything from modern information technology and economics to learning foreign languages and understanding other cultures.

Even though globalisation is a reality today, the great majority of people on this planet live and exercise influence just within a local context. The great challenge facing us is that of correctly combining globalisation with localisation. Economic prosperity is an acceptable goal in and of itself, but it should not be allowed to override other values. Respecting democracy and human rights - including the rights of people who belong to minorities - and developing the rule of law remain important. Alongside respect for humanity, we can also see how much we depend on the wellbeing of nature.

Internationalisation of the economy is nothing new. What is new is the speed at which it is happening, due to new technology. As a factor influencing decision making, globalisation can no longer be overlooked - much less reversed. All nations depend on the global economy and the benefits that it provides. But neither those benefits nor the drawbacks that come as part of the same package are evenly distributed. How, then, can we manage this development? As I see it, cooperation between nation-states is still the most important instrument for steering it. This cooperation can enable us to create, either directly or through international organisations, the rules of conduct that are needed.

Parallel to the actions of nation-states, civil society is assuming an increasingly important role. It will be impossible to manage globalisation without the input of civil society. It is important for people to be able to exercise influence on every level; from village committees to municipal councils, from national legislatures to the European Parliament, the World Trade Organisation or the United Nations. Alongside these bodies, however, we can see global networks of people emerging. The speed and flexibility with which they function may well give them greater importance in the future. And I hope that these different kinds of genuine representatives of people could co-operate with each other and not fight each other as it has happened in the past, for example in Seattle.

We must, however, bear in mind that only those who master the skills can avail themselves of the means that the information society provides; in other words, those with the literacy and numeracy skills that this new society demands. A lot will have to be done before we are living in the kind of global civil society in which citizens of different countries will, irrespective of their social status, gender, race, background and wealth, enjoy the same opportunities and abilities to participate in the activities of a community that encompasses the entire world.

Thus, in this rapidly-changing world, organisations working in the field of voluntary education have a complex and multi-layered task to perform so that education and democracy can be shared more equitably in the future. Globalisation has presented these organisations with a new and more demanding challenge. In earlier times it was enough if people were able to influence and bear responsibility for local, regional or national affairs. The challenge today is to be able to act world-wide as well. And yet let me remind you that we still have a lot of work to do in order to create a democratic foundation structure.

Despite everything, I am an optimist. The number of non-governmental organisations has been growing strongly since the 70s. There were about 2,000 international NGOs in 1970, and now they number more than 6,000. Most of them are dedicated to promoting and defending the wellbeing of the environment and human rights. They offer a new opportunity to strengthen solidarity. Their popularity reveals also that people do not subscribe to the maxim that "might makes right". More and more people believe in the value of every human being.

The interests of a community are realised only when solutions are oriented towards the future success and survival of each and every one of its members. That applies whatever the level of the community, be it family, village, region, or the whole world. Exercising influence on the local level is a prerequisite for being able to wield it globally. We must see the whole world and all of its peoples as our own community. True prosperity does not come from exploiting others, but rather from caring about them.

I wish you good fortune and success in your valuable work for equality in education all over the world.

Thank you.