Sunday, August 24, 2014

Final Push To Achieve MDGs And Create Sustainable Post-2015 Development Agenda 8


As we race to the UN 69th General Assembly, September 2014 where Interim Results of the discussions, online engagement and research inputs summarised into a Global Report will be presented to Member States, as well as the Public, in form of a High Level side event, it is our hope that the Global Report will better address realities of over 100 Million Poor Nigerians, over 300 Million Poor Africans and over 2 Billion Poor Worldwide.


We urge World Leaders to access the good ideas and pertinent suggestions being generated in ongoing PenState Geodesign Massive Open Online Course, MOOC, particularly those on its Discussion Forum Thread focused on Geodesign How Questions; Thread focused on Human Impact; Thread focused on GIS Technology and Thread focused on Human Security. Please find below recent Post on the Human Security Thread contents of which are self explanatory:-

4 Quotations 

1
NEPAD embraces every aspect of our life – political, economic, social. The reason is the fact that these are interconnected and interdependent. You cannot want to move forward economically without first of all having the political base for moving forward economically, you cannot want to move forward socially without having the political and economic base to move forward socially. So if you pay attention to one while leaving the other, you will be deceiving yourself.
 
Nigeria President Obasanjo: in early days of NEPAD in 2002.

2
..... Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Holy Bible: Philippians 4: 19

3
Suggested Principles to guide the Structure, Organization and Content of Sub-national, National and International Development Cooperation Dialogue:-
1  1. No One Individual, Institution or Government has all the answers to all the problems.

   2. Shift away from problems and passing blame and shift towards solutions and  opportunities.

3   3. Shift away from talking and thinking and shift towards action and results.

4. Shift away from acquiring knowledge for knowledge sake and shift towards  acquiring wisdom for solution sake.
5  
      5. Shift away from science advancing academic knowledge and shift towards science advancing corporate productivity.
  
    6. Shift away from politics of investment and shift towards politics of service
 
        7. Work together: Benefit together.

Lanre Rotimi, ISPE / EAG

4
Knowing what we don’t want other people to do to us and Knowing what we should not do to them is what the Bible calls CONSCIENCE. The Conscience is God’s Law written in the heart and the Mind of Man - Men, Women, Youth and Children in both Developed and Developing Countries in our World today. Even if Man doesn’t have the Bible (that is Faithfuls in other Religions – Orthodox or Traditional or profess no Religion – Atheists) he / she has his / her Conscience. The Conscience is the Pagan’s substitute for the Law - the Ten Commandments in Old Testament or Golden Rule in New Testament in Christian Religion. Always remember that in God’s sight, the Conscience has Tremendous Authority. We are to obey it, if we are to make Right Choice between Work against Nature and Perish and Work with Nature and Prosper in each Community – Neighborhood to Global in our World today. 

The Authority of Conscience – Our Conscience: We all Know Right from Wrong.

These 4 Quotations are Food for thought that all Instructors and Participants who accept that that this Geodesign Course Materials and Discussion Forum raise serious Natural and Unnatural Hazards and Natural and Unnatural Disasters Management Issues of serious business that deserve their serious attention.

Week 2 Lectures and Case Studies underline urgent need to address Geodesign How Questions raised in this Thread and Human Impact issues raised in this Thread. It is a puzzle that this MOOC present Geodesign in a very informative, educative and entertaining way that all Participants who speak out describe as interesting, has up till the time of this Post Instructors and Participants shy away from tackling Geodesign How Questions we have raised in our two Threads. Can anyone tell us why this is the case?

We are concerned that Instructors in a Geodesign Course teaching Change are themselves avoiding or evading tackling Change in the Two Threads. Our Study finding is that addressing real and complex Natural and Unnatural Hazards and Natural and Unnatural Disasters Management problems on the ground from Neighborhood to Global levels on Developed Countries, Developing Countries, International Institutions and University Community sides is less of Science and more of Politics; that there is enough Technology, Funding and Manpower available to the over 200 Countries in our World today, if New Sub-national, National and Institutional Order – Political and Cultural; Economic and Financial; Social and Environmental and Religious and Moral could be evolved; that the UN Security Council through the UN 69th General Assembly, September 2014, is the Starting Point and that the Instructors Team, PenState Art and Architecture Department Management and PenState University Management is a Key to ACTIVATING this Starting Point.

Nigeria President Obasanjo made a Call to a Connector who in turn made call to another Connector and this led to clear instruction that made the recently concluded Governorship elections in Osun State Nigeria Credible, Free and fair. Past Presidents / Heads of Government and Serving Presidents / Heads of Government in both Developed and Developing Countries need to make Call to Connectors if the UN 69th General Assembly is to mark turning point in Sub-national, National and International Development Cooperation.

It is pertinent to state that US Cities exceeds its bio capacity 4 times; consuming more and more diminishing resources. US Economy is unsustainable given its huge debt profile. US Contemporary Cities may look greener but they have displaced energy sources; food supplies; water sources and waste streams beyond US immediate sensate requirements and these facts are underlined by Weeks 1 and 2 Course Case Studies. Cities in other Developed Countries, Nigeria and other Developing Countries have their own similar problems, the difference is in the degree. This underlines the need for US President Obama, Nigeria President Jonathan, other serving Presidents / Heads of Government; US Past President Clinton, Nigeria Past President Obasanjo, other past Presidents / Heads of Government in US, Nigeria, G8, G20, G77, other UN Member States and remaining Countries in our World today to help make the Connections required to effectively and efficiently tackle Natural and Unnatural Hazards and Natural and Unnatural Disasters Management problems on the ground in our World today.

Can Sub-national, National and International Development Cooperation Stakeholders on Developed Countries, Developing Countries, International Institutions, University Community Sides in our World today, be in Self Denial and Self Deception and expect Sustainable Development? God Forbid. Solutions to real and Complex World Political, Economic, Social, Terrorism and related problems exist. If we fail to find these solutions, fully implement them and effectively monitor and evaluate this implementation the fault is in us and not in our Stars and of course, we all have to take responsibility and bear the consequences, ultimately catastrophic, of the choices we make and fail to make. This is Nature in ACTION.

The Main Test of Credibility of the Instructors Team, PenState Art and Architecture Department Management and PenState University Management, is How this PenState Geodesign MOOC help make these required Connections. To Pass this Credibility Test we urge Professor Kelleanne to convince the Instructors Team, who in turn convince the PenState Art and Architecture Department Management who in turn convince PenState University Management to issue a Press Release to the National and International Press endorsing Points made in this Post and attaching the Post unedited.

If you require some clarification or additional information, please send email to:-

Lanre Rotimi
International Society for Poverty Elimination, ISPE /
Economic Alliance Group