Baroness Falkner's talk was one of the most powerful lectures. She raised a number of points, ranging from the need for democracy to the need for the oil-rich Muslim nations to invest in the developing Muslim world.
Key highlights:
Free economies will improve lives through trade and employment. Democracies give people freedom. There needs to be institutional and judicial independence, a value system of inclusiveness, freedom of individuals.
With democracy comes in good governance and accountability.
Consensus Oriented: What everyone agrees with, will be accepted.
Participatory: Everyone has their say.
Follow the Rule of Law: Respect law above all else.
Effective and Efficient: The government has to be effective and efficient and also make the right decisions.
Accountable: Checks and balances need to be in place to keep the government on track.
Transparent: The government's dealings should be transparent (MP scandal? hmmm... better late than never.)
Responsive: Listen to what the people really want. (When we say we want investment in education, listen and adhere.)
Equitable and Inclusive: No prejudice on the basis of race, gender, personal biases and everyone should have the chance to succeed.
A true democracy always allows for dissent. Obama's recent example is worthy when Rep Joe Wilson called Obama a liar, he did not summon an army of klashinkov yielding men for revenge. He said "Not true" and moved on with his speech.
The good thing with a democracy is: if you don't like them, after five years you can throw them out.
She pointed out some reasons why Muslim nations lag: Women's participation. Arab world, 280 million people, 60 million illiterate, and the majority are women.
75% of Muslim women are economically inactive.
If the oil-rich Muslim countries invest in the developing world, so much can be accomplished: Freedom from hunger, freedom from poverty, freedom for the human spirit.
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