Much has already been said about the catastrophic events of 11 September and how they have changed the course of history. There is no doubt that the aftershocks, not the least being the economic ramifications, will continue to reverberate around the world leaving few economies untouched. The actions, alleged to have been carried out by less than 20 people armed with stanley knives, rudely jolted us from our complacency on a number of counts. The aftermath has not only highlighted major security and defence issues for all nations, but illustrated just how fragile even the best performing economy can easily become.
The effects of globalisation have been impacting on communities all around the world for some time. The results of 11 September have made the world seem much smaller, highlighting the extent of our interdependency and just how vital people to people relations are at all levels of government.
A number of world leaders have described 11 September as ‘an attack on civilisation’. However, from the crisis some good has come in the form of drawing old enemies closer together and extending alliances to new heights. Such alliances are not only built at a nation to nation level but also community to community, largely facilitated by Local Government.
Speaking in Brisbane at the recent international gathering of Local Government leaders from across the Commonwealth, Councillor John Ross, President of the Australian Local Government Association, said as a result of the events in New York and Washington DC, he feared there is a risk, at least in the short term, that we could become ‘more insular and suspicious’.
He said to assist world peace and greater security, Local Governments in Australia have an opportunity to build on their own capacity by reaching out to assist others in our region.
Many Councils have long standing sister city relations. However, to date, these have largely been cultural and economic exchanges. New partnering programs, facilitated through international organisations such as the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, and backed financially by national governments, provide an opportunity for Councils to assist others in our region by moving sister city relations to a new level of skills sharing.
With the recent announcement of federal funding for twinning projects between several Councils in Australian and Papua New Guinea, the emphasis is on a two way capacity building exercise for sharing technical expertise and practical experiences. As well as improving services and tackling poverty, programs such as this will help to promote and develop more accountable democratic structures, a key ingredient for sustainable and ongoing world peace.
Councils involved in such projects need to emphasise the two way benefits, or the win win aspects, to their residents at a time when it is all too easy to be predisposed by our immediate wellbeing without looking further afield at the bigger picture.
