World Bank Finds Small Is Beautiful
The World Bank apparently finds the economy of the small beautiful. Bank managers stepped out of their world of macroeconomic billions to talk to religious leaders over two days in London on ways to bring economic decisions closer to smaller and localised groups.
We are particularly keen to start some more small -scale and practical activities, which could act as models for future development, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey and World Bank president James Wolfensohn, co-chairs of the meeting, said in a joint statement after the deliberations.
The meeting resolved that well-being must imply elimination of the suffering caused by absolute material poverty whilst also recognising the importance of spiritual and cultural life. The World Bank pledged to work to remove poverty as it has become defined for us through our discussions.
Bank managers said they will continue to consult representatives of religions in future decisions.
Wolfensohn and Arcbishop Carey said the meeting had strengthened their conviction that the definition and practice of desirable development must have regard to spiritual, ethical, environmental, cultural and social considerations, if it is to be sustainable and contribute to the well-being of all, especially the poorest and weakest members of society.
The World Bank also announced a programme of religious training for its staff. Members of different faiths will be invited to train Bank staff, the meeting resolved. They will also be invited for discussions and their observations will be embodied in the annual development reports of the World Bank. Joint working groups of the World Bank and religious leaders will be formed to explore together themes of concern such as community building, hunger and food security, environmental sustainability, preservation of cultural heritage, violence and post-conflict reconstruction, and education and social service delivery.
The meeting was a second indication within a week of a shift in World Bank priorities towards more localised and people-focused policies. Wolfensohn had earlier launched a new commission on dams in Cape Town that is set to oppose large dams and at least to recommend consultation with local people before any large dam construction.
Bank officials met leaders of nine different faiths at the meeting held at Lambeth Palace. The different faiths represented were Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism and Taoism.
Christianity was represented by members of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions. Hinduism was represented by Swami Vibudhesha Teertha, head of the Sri Admar Muth in Udipi in Indias Karnataka state, and by Acharya Srivatsa Goswami, formerly visiting professor of religious studies at Harvard University and now head of the Shri Chaitanya Prema Samsthana in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.
Sikhism was represented by Jathedar Manjit Singh from Anandpur Sahib gurdwara. The jathedar is also president of the World Sikh Council. The second Sikh representative was Rajwant Singh of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation in the US. He is also board member of the American Interfaith Network.
Islam was represented by Crown Prince El-Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan, claimed to be the 42nd generation direct descendant of Prophet Mohammed, by the Aga Khan who heads the Ismaili sect, and by Mustafa Ceric from Bosnia.
Jainism was represented by L M Singhvi, former Indian High Commissioner to Britain, and by Padmanabh Jaini, professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of California in Berkeley.
Vandana Shiva, director of the Institute of Science, Technology and Ecology in Delhi, attended the meeting as a special invitee.