Building Our Humanitarian Planet
The Declaration of the WORLD CIVIC FORUM 2009
 
This Declaration 2009 has drawn on contributions from participants of the World Civic Forum, including representatives of governments, intergovernmental organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, civil society groups and academic institutions. A draft of the Declaration was circulated during the World Civic Forum and it was reviewed to receive feedback from the community of participants, including citizens, academics and students, practitioners, governments and several international organizations, policy advisers, and private sector. This Declaration is intended to favor mobilization of the global community to foster enhanced citizen participation to address present and future challenges for development and governance worldwide.
 
Preamble

The World Civic Forum 2009 recognizes the need to address long term development and governance challenges around the world, including widespread poverty and the need to expand human rights while paying attention to the ongoing global economic and financial crises as well as challenges from climate change, inefficient energy use, threats to peace and security, including terrorism. Consequently, we the participants declare:

That universal values of compassion, social inclusion and equity, cross-cultural tolerance, non-discrimination and respect for human rights must take firm roots to alleviate and reverse inequities and disparities, and that enhanced citizen engagement should be incorporated to promote development and good governance, in particular to advance towards the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development;

That in order to build a humanitarian planet, all stakeholders should adopt a people-centered philosophy, policies, capacity-building efforts and action plans, in particular to promote civic values, citizens participation and civic actions through equitable partnership arrangements;

That a new platform of partnerships should be predicated on global civic education and on leadership based on universal commitments to ethics and civic values; and

That the focus on civic values should highlight social justice, social inclusion and equity as well as civic engagement in public and global governance and civic action to foster the global agenda, including climate change.
 
Civic Values for Social Justice
Participants of the World Civic Forum 2009:

Adhere to building a humanitarian planet, in which development is people-centered and oriented by civic values, equity and social inclusion as the foundations for and sustainability of social justice for all, with due respect to universally accepted human rights; and

Recognize the roles and responsibilities of academic institutions as capacity-builders for civic values and leadership formation, in partnership with other stakeholders, for the attainment of social justice goals and equitable, inclusive and sustainable development.
 
Civic Engagement in Public and Global Governance
Participants of the World Civic Forum 2009 also affirm:

That genuine and sustained development requires governments to act not in isolation but in partnership with the citizens who are both stakeholders and beneficiaries;

That partnership should involve citizens engagement in information-sharing, policy analysis, decision-making, budgeting, programme and project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and other related-functions, honouring duly instituted government authorities and responsibilities; and

That all stakeholders should inculcate the spirit of “humanitarian community” at the global, national and local levels for effective public and global governance.

 
Civic Action for the Global Agenda including Climate Change
Participants of the World Civic Forum 2009 also:

Recognize that while governments are crucial in setting priorities and policies and in modeling new behavior, civil society is essential to bring about changes and innovation for improving the implementation of internationally agreed commitments, including those of the Millennium Development Goals;

Advocate the need to further develop capacities, within public administration and civil society, for the attainment of the global development goals, peace, social justice, inclusive of equitable and sustainable development, food security and a permanently healthy environment; and

Affirm the roles and responsibilities of educational institutions to foster the necessary capacities for building a humanitarian planet for the global agenda, including climate change.
 
Plan of Action and Recommendations
Participants of the World Civic Forum 2009:

Call upon Kyung Hee University, in partnership with intergovernmental organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, governments, civil society groups and other academic institutions, to pursue the vision of the World Civic Forum 2009 by establishing appropriate institutional and operational capacities to advocate and promote this Declaration;

Further request Kyung Hee University to take the lead, in partnership with other stakeholders, to organize future events, such as the World Civic Forum 2009, and provide the adequate and necessary civic and social dialogue for addressing global developments at the core of the future of humanity; and finally.
 
Acknowledgements and Gratitude
Participants of the World Civic Forum 2009:

Commend Kyung Hee University, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and all other partners, for having taken the initiative to organize this Forum as an opportunity for an effective and meaningful dialogue to better understand global development challenges and the growth and sustainability of civilizations all over the world;

Express appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Korea for facilitating and supporting the organization of the World Civic Forum 2009, as well as to all the partner institutions that have contributed to the process and conduct of the Forum;

Appreciate all participating intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations for their contributions to the World Civic Forum 2009, as well as their attention to the importance of the outcome of the Forum.