Pope Francis endorses and encourages the work of the Global Foundation on ‘cooperative globalisation’
At the start of the 2017 year, the Foundation’s convening power on the world stage gained significant new momentum.
Endorsement by Pope Francis, who addressed our Rome Roundtable on 14 January, was an incredible boost to the enduring efforts of our supporters, who represent a global cross-section of society and share a strong commitment to the improving the global common good through dialogue linked to concerted action.
In particular, Pope Francis embraced our concept of ‘cooperative globalisation’, in opposition to the ‘globalisation of indifference’, a term he has used on many occasions to decry:
…’a world economic system that discards men, women and children because they are no longer considered useful or productive according to criteria drawn from the world of business or other organizations…’
The Global Foundation has evolved and embraced the concept of ‘cooperative globalisation’ from a series of roundtable discussions it held in many global centres and also in Australia over recent years. This has included previous editions of its Rome Roundtable and various other forms of dialogue and interaction with significant figures from across the globe, from diverse backgrounds, including: faiths, international institutions, business and philanthropy, governments, academia and science, and from civil society.
For the past 18 years, our rolling, global program has focussed on improving ethical governance, across all aspects of society and at global, national and community levels. On this journey, we have engaged and involved some of the most senior figures in the world, on every continent, who meet under the Global Foundation banner to discuss solutions and practical actions for pressing challenges in the global economy and society.
It has become evident to us and to our supporters, highlighted by the Global Financial Crisis, that the the world needs more ethical and effective governance arrangements, if we are to achieve more inclusive and sustainable growth. Hence the term: ‘cooperative globalisation’, that is now becoming a more central idea in international discourse.
Listen here to an interview with one of our Rome Roundtable participants, about his understanding of what Pope Francis means when he speaks of ‘cooperative globalisation’
