Chairman,
Your Excellency Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan, President of the Republic of Suriname,
Distinguished Fellow Panelists,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction:

Let me take this opportunity to commend the organizers and especially the Club of Madrid for convening this important conference and for inviting the OAS to share its experience and observations on this critical issue of promoting democratic leadership for dialogue, diversity and social cohesion.

I am, indeed, particularly pleased and honored to have been afforded the opportunity to share this podium with the President of my own country, the Republic of Suriname, one of the most ethnically, culturally and linguistically rich countries in the Western Hemisphere, and at the same time a country with a high degree of peace and tolerance, and for this political leaders as President Venetiaan and others should be commended.

I am also pleased that this conference is taking place in the city of Rotterdam, a city which I used to visit quite frequently when I lived in the Netherlands in eighties and nineties, and it is a wonderful feeling to observe the progress Rotterdam has made in terms of social cohesion which is indeed remarkable and an example to other cities.

Social cohesion has been described by some as a multi-faceted notion spanning many different kinds of social phenomena and encompassing elements of social policy, sociology and political science which aims to bring people together in a multi-cultural society.
One cannot discount the argument that social cohesion is a process and not an end in itself. For my part, I see social cohesion as the merging of those elements which unite communities based on a system of shared values, common interests and behavior. However, in the absence of social cohesion, there is a greater possibility for conflict and tension in society.
The challenge for governments, I believe, is how to integrate their citizens into a meaningful political process which often seems incapable of responding to or providing the basic social and economic needs of their citizens. And in order to have a comprehensive social cohesion policy, we need to study the strengths and weaknesses of political leaders, governments and institutions and their ability to change policies which are divisive, exclusionary and discriminatory.
In addition, policy makers must find ways to instill the following fundamental values; (a) promoting a sense of belonging, identity, and nationhood; (b) inclusiveness and equal access to all sectors and groups; (c) shared responsibility; and (d) citizen participation.
Hemispheric realities:

In much of Central and South America, and some parts of the Caribbean, what we are seeing is a process in which our democracies are maturing to the point where sectors and groups which were previously marginalized and tensions which once lay dormant are coming to the fore. It is within this context that these sectors and groups are now insisting on greater access in policy making and participation in the transformation of their societies.

However, the institutional inflexibility and lack of inclusiveness have limited the ability of many governments to respond effectively to growing demands for equity, greater economic opportunities, justice, participation and power sharing. It is now recognized that the mere holding of elections or the guarantee of representative democracy are not always sufficient to initiate and sustain the types of changes necessary to achieve truly stable, equitable and peaceful societies.

OAS a system for maintaining Social Cohesion

For our part, the Organization of American States has been dealing with issues of peace and security, conflict resolution and development on an ongoing basis. The OAS has 34 active member states from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean with four official languages that truly reflects the rich diversity of peoples and cultures throughout the Americas.

This wonderful diversity provides a basis for understanding the different cultures which define who we are as individuals and societies. It is also an important political framework through which, without enmity and rancor, we can come to appreciate our different socio-economic and political norms, patterns of behaviors, legal systems, and cultural belief. Those of us here today, representing so many different countries in the world, have clearly chosen to celebrate diversity; and in so doing, we are helping to promote peaceful co-existence and advance dialogue among our countries, cultures and communities.

Managing differences:

Issues such as indigenous rights, socio-economic access, political participation, inequality, resource exploitation, including land and property rights, are all elements which drive conflict in the Americas, threaten peace and stability and stifle development. In order for governments and political leaders to achieve social cohesion, they must create political, institutional and normative frameworks that are responsive to the diversity intrinsic to their societies.

The OAS has been actively engaged in several conflict prevention, facilitation, and mediation efforts. Importantly, the Organization’s engagements have not been focused only on immediate resolution of political issues. Through the consistent use of quiet diplomacy, the OAS has accompanied several countries in the promotion of dialogue and confidence building, and has provided technical assistance and supported capacity building to maintain a culture of peace in the Americas.

OAS involvement in the facilitation of peaceful, negotiated settlements of the political challenges in Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Belize/Guatemala and Haiti has underscored the importance of embedding a social cohesion framework into the political process. In the case of Haiti, the absence of a social cohesion policy has often impacted that country’s ability to maintain democratic stability and facilitate sustainable development.

Allow me here to speak briefly, as President Venetiaan will be more extensive, about my own country, the Republic of Suriname and give you my citizen perspective on social cohesion. I am proud to say that since the early beginnings of political party formation after World War II in Suriname subsequent political leaders, despite their differences, have always collaborated in such a way that the social and cultural differences between the main ethnic groups did not become sources of violent conflict.

I believe that their thinking and actions were based on three principles: the reality of the need for peaceful co-existence, advocacy for the politics of brotherhood and the objective to foster unity in diversity. That has resulted in what Suriname is today: a peaceful and tolerant society of peoples from all continents in the world. And I believe that experience of Suriname could be successfully applied in other parts of the Caribbean and the world where a similar ethnic and cultural plurality exists.

Thus, in an effort to reinforce this notion of social cohesion in the Caribbean, I recently facilitated the OAS-sponsored launch of an inter-university initiative aimed at providing the Haitian people further access to higher education. Through a first time partnership between the University of the West Indies and various Haitian State universities, the Caribbean region will have a broader understanding of Haiti’s culture and challenges, be able to access new academic programs and research initiatives, and to participate in student and faculty exchanges. I believe this is a right step toward facilitating social cohesion in the wider Caribbean.

As new opportunities for citizen participation in public policy are created, OAS member states have expressed a need for assistance in the development and implementation of inclusive approaches to ensure greater participation, dialogue and social cohesion. In this context, our Organization has worked with member states in generating minimum conditions for national dialogue, institutionalizing mechanisms for conflict management, and strengthening national and sub-regional capacities in consensus building and negotiation.

Our experience has shown that to achieve democratic governance, it is imperative to provide inclusive processes where legitimate interests and social needs are taken into account, and where governments and organized civil society can work collaboratively towards more democratic, equitable and prosperous societies.

All too often persons belonging to ethnic minority groups and indigenous peoples, among others, are marginalized and denied access to educational, health and economic opportunities. In the Western Hemisphere, groups that have traditionally been targets of discrimination including those of Afro-descendants, indigenous communities, and women, account for a disproportionate percentage of the 240 million individuals living in poverty in the hemisphere.

At the OAS, we have long argued and recognized that safeguarding the fundamental rights and freedoms of all the peoples of the Americas and all humankind is essential to social cohesion and thereby promoting peace and greater stability. Confronting discrimination and intolerance in a structured manner is, in itself, a major challenge. Structural and institutional biases are complex and deep-rooted. In addition to the many challenges the Inter-American region faces is its long history of slavery and exploitation and the legacies of colonial rule.

Notwithstanding, the Western Hemisphere is blessed with amazing diversity that showcases its multicultural, multilingual, multi-ethnic and multi-religious makeup. The ability to understand and embrace differences is a source of strength that is yet to be realized. Only by promoting awareness and building appropriate legal and social systems to address acts of discrimination and protect those discriminated against, can we begin to change behaviors and misperceptions.

Within this context, the OAS has been working on the Inter-American Convention Against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance. Similar efforts are ongoing to complete a Draft Declaration on Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and to raise the profile and participation of indigenous peoples whose needs and rights have not always received the required attention.

Toward social cohesion policy:

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe the absence of social cohesion is an obstacle to reaching key national and regional policy priorities for poverty alleviation, social equality and stable democracy. Furthermore gender equality and the role of women leaders in fostering social cohesion and reconciliation at the grassroots, civil society and national levels should be emphasized. When well-intentioned policies, development initiatives and efforts to strengthen democracy take place in isolation they miss the opportunity to make significant and sustainable impacts.

In order to move forward a comprehensive social cohesion agenda, participation of our youth population must be considered fundamental. In our Hemisphere youth, make up almost 50% of the population in every country. Youth in many countries feels excluded, alienated and frustrated about their role in society and many have lost confidence in the political process and in state institutions. We must address the concerns of the youth or they risk becoming a serious socio-economic and security challenge.

To this end, I believe that education can be a powerful agent of change. Educational institutions are often the heart of a community and are central forces of socialization. They can be an important channel to improve inter-group relations and address community issues of inter-cultural, inter-religious, or inter-ethnic nature. I think therefore that we must develop a new approach to education aimed at reforming the school curricula, the types and content of programs targeted at the youth, and where necessary, the enforcement of legislation to root out structural discrimination, inequity and intolerance.

Role of political leaders:

Now, this climate conducive for peace, stability and prosperity can only be created if the leadership in a country is committed to work towards these goals. So what kind of characteristics should leaders in society –elected and selected- possess? Let me share with you a few of these qualities, while being totally aware that many of you will have some of your own ideas on this issue.

Often we seem to take for granted that political leaders understand and act based on the motive and purpose of their election. Regretfully, I must share with you that many elected representatives have often acted upon their own or party interest and not on what the best interest of their country.

But leaders must work to translate political will into action. They must also channel solidarity into executable policies that can be buttressed by appropriate legislation, juridical and normative frameworks. In so doing, we can ensure that social cohesion is embedded into our collective political and social consciousness.

In my view political leaders should strive to be:

• People oriented, not only in time of campaigns and elections;
• Principled and guided by a vision for their countries;
• Examples for their societies in terms of integrity, responsible behavior;
• Leaders by action, enforce the law, build trust by working with all in society;
• Prepared to establish institutionalized mechanisms for dialogue and consultation on policymaking, creating ownership and buy-in in proposed policies;

But elected officials cannot achieve social cohesion, stability and prosperity alone. Achieving these objectives requires a collective and shared responsibility of all in societies. All can and should contribute to this process: individuals, private sector, trade unions. I believe that in diverse societies religious leaders can also potentially play a critical role in mitigating conflict, fostering the moral values and norms and working towards creating more knowledge and understanding among differing groups.

Efforts towards social inclusion and social cohesion cannot be a one-off activity, it requires nurturing and managing on a continuous basis. Not only should respect, understanding and tolerance be advocated, they also need to become part of our mindset, in effect become our second nature.

The international community and multilateral organizations such as the OAS can only be helpful by promoting dialogue and consensus-building and by being a neutral facilitator in mobilizing all stakeholders across a national agenda.

In conclusion, I am convinced that building peaceful societies and creating sustainable economies require a climate of solidarity and commitment to dialogue. I believe that if we all share and accept the notion that working together in facilitating a peaceful environment conducive for social and economic progress, will produce far more gains than the financial, institutional and psychological costs of conflict and exclusion, we all can look forward to more just, inclusive and tolerant societies.

I look forward to the concrete recommendations emanating from this conference and I hope that leaders worldwide will commit themselves to the implementation of this plan of action.

I thank you for your attention.