Public Meeting. 17th July, 2006 (3)

Public Meeting. 17th July, 2006

 

The United Nations and Its Future in the 21st Century

Editor

Vijay Mehta

In 2005, the United Nations celebrated its sixtieth anniversary. It was   an historic opportunity to take stock of the past and see what lies in the future. This collection of essays assesses aspects of the Organisation’s history, and what might lie ahead for it.

 

The United Nations is at once the symbol of humanity’s collective aspirations for a better life in a safer world for all, and a forum for negotiating the terms of converting these collective aspirations into a common program of action. Realising these goals is ever more significant at a time when the UN is facing pressures to reorganise itself.

The book discusses the far-reaching reforms the UN needs to continue to play a central role in international peace and security. Its contributors emphasise that the UN is the only body through which respect for the rule of law and adherence to multilateral treaties can be achieved.

 

The book includes important UN documents and the recommendations of the UN High Level Panel Report on Threats, Challenges and Change in relation to poverty, environmental degradation, terrorism, civil war, conflict between states, weapons of mass destruction, and organized crime. 

 

The chapters in the book were originally given as lectures in honour of the UN’s free-thinker, critic and constructive analysts’, Erskine Childers. The contributors include:

 

Margaret Anstee * Jayantha Dhanapala * Denis Halliday * Rosalyn Higgins * Razali Ismali *Richard Jolly * Caroline Lucas MEP * Patricia McKenna * Paul Rogers * Ramesh Thakur * Jenny Tonge

Vijay Mehta is a writer,peace and development activist. He is president, VM Centre for Peace, chair of Arms Reduction Coalition (ARC) and  World Disarmament Campaign (WDC), and vice-chairman, Action for UN Renewal.

This book can be purchased from the following:

Action for UN Renewal                                                                           VM Centre for Peace

www.action-for-un-renewal.org.uk                                            www.vmpeace.org 

 

Amazon website:                                                                                               The Spokesman
www.amazon.co.uk                                                                        www.spokesmanbooks.com  

U.N. Bookshop, United Nations Building, Room GA-32, New York 10017, USA

Paperback (274 pages)          £10.00 (plus £2 postage)      ISBN 0 85124 707 5