Boston Global Forum (BGF) proudly presents the letter of our chairman, Governor Michael Dukakis, introducing new BGF’s initiatives of 2016. These include the BGF-G7 Summit Initiative, the BGF’s G7 Weekly, and the Global Citizenship Education for Peace, Security and Development program.
Read his letter below.
Gov. Michael Dukakis
Chairman, Boston Global Forum.
Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Northeastern University.
Three-term governor of Massachusetts, United States.
The 1988 Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States.
921 Renaissance Park 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
Boston, Jan. 24, 2016
Dear friends:
I am writing as a co-founder and the chairman of Boston Global Forum, an action-oriented think tank based in Boston, which brings together thought leaders from around the world to discuss major international issues and to propose innovative solutions to improve human welfare around the world.
In 2016, we are introducing these new initiatives:
* The BGF-G7 Summit Initiative.
* The BGF’s G7 Weekly.
* A BGF program that we call Global Citizenship Education for Peace, Security and Development.
As you know, the annual G7 summit convenes the leaders of seven major industrial democracies to discuss major issues of peace, security and development.
As we approach this year’s G7 Summit, which will be held in Japan on May 26-27, the Boston Global Forum will cooperate with the Japanese government, as the host country of the summit, to convene leading scholars as well as political, business, technology and other leaders to generate solutions for the most pressing global peace, security and development issues.
Proposals will then be sent to the leaders of the seven nations at the summit. A similar program will be held every year before each G7 summit.
As part of this initiative, the BGF is launching this year what will be annual 60-minute-long online dialogues, at each of which an internationally known speaker – usually a scholar or government, business or technology leader — will present his/her perspective on an issue, followed by interactions among 100 discussants participating online from locations around the world.
There will be 12 of these online dialogues, with the first on Feb. 2
Discussants will include scholars and leaders from various fields, some from the younger generation.
A particular issue will be selected as the focus of these discussions each year. This year’s main topic will be “Strategies for Combating Cyberterrorism’’.
After the formal sessions, discussants will continue the conversation as they send questions and opinions to each other by email. Members of the Boston Global Forum’s Special Editorial Board will gather their insights and send them to the speaker.
A final conference, to be held May 9 at the Harvard University Faculty Club, will summarize ideas from these dialogues and report them to the national leaders meeting soon thereafter in Japan.
The BGF’s G7 Weekly is a weekly report with contributions from major scholars, business leaders, private- and public-sector policymakers and other thought leaders who will be involved in the above initiatives
BGF’s Global Citizenship Education for Peace, Security and Development program will collaborate with the Global Citizenship Education Program of the University of California at Los Angeles, under the leadership of Marcello Suarez-Orozco, dean of the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies (GSE&IS), and Prof. Carlos Torres, the UNESCO-UCLA Chair of the program.
We look forward to your participation in our new initiatives, especially the BGF-G7 Summit Initiative, to help build a safer international cyber-environment.
When Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, launched in 2012 the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), he envisioned education as the linchpin for reducing poverty and hunger, to end wasted potential–and as a key element for the development of stronger and better societies for all.[1] Three pillars support this initiative: putting every child into school, improving the quality of learning, and fostering global citizenship. The GEFI, currently being supported by UNESCO, has encouraged national government agencies, transnational and non-governmental organizations, teachers and researchers to pursue various policies, programs, and pedagogies for global citizenship education (GCE). However, many questions remain regarding the nature and possibility of education that can foster global citizenship.
Traditionally, citizenship education has been associated to ‘civic education’, that is the teaching of constitutional democracy. Three categories are associated with civics education: civic knowledge, which in the context of constitutional democracy entails the knowledge of basic concepts informing the practice of democracy such as public elections, majority rule, citizenship rights and obligations, constitutional separation of power, and the placement of democracy in a market economy that is used as the basic premises of civil society. The second category associated with citizenship building is civic skills, which usually mean the intellectual and participatory skills that facilitate citizenship’s judgment and actions. The last category is civic virtues, usually defined around liberal principles such as self-discipline, compassion, civility, tolerance and respect. Universities will face their own perish if they do not build national and global citizenship based on substantive civic knowledge, civic skills, and civic virtues.
The UCLA UNESCO chair will be delighted to work with the Boston Global Forum-G7 Summit Initiative addressing how Global Citizenship Education can help Peace and Security in the world. In our Global Citizenship Education Chair at UCLA one of the key goals is to help build a culture for peace and security, and our recent work with UNESCO and the Arab League in Egypt exemplifies how important is this topic. We hope the G7 Summit in Japan in 2016 will discuss how to build a culture of peace and security, with a particular focus on the current Middle East situation.
(December 12, 2015) – General Ban Ki-Moon sent a message to congratulate Boston Global Forum for hosting “Global Cybersecurity Day” on December 12.
“Global Cybersecurity Day” is an initiative by Boston Global Forum (BGF) as part of its efforts to promote a secure and clean Internet environment. BGF invites leading scholars and cybersecurity experts to participate in international discussions for the purpose of identifying practical solutions to deal with this issue. BGF also honors outstanding people who have made the greatest contribution to cyber peace and security.
Read the Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s letter below:
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
—
MESSAGE TO THE BOSTON GLOBAL FORUM
Boston, 12 December 2015
It is a pleasure to greet the Boston Global Forum. Thank you, Governor Dukakis, for convening this gathering and for guiding its initiatives.
I welcome your focus on cybersecurity.
Advances in technology and science have opened up wonderful new opportunities, but they have also exposed us to new risks. As our lives have moved increasingly online, so, too, must our values and principles.
Cybersecurity has become a major global challenge, with wide-ranging implications for peace, security, trade and sustainable development. The United Nations has recognized the need to confront the threats that arise from the use of ICTs and the Internet for purposes that are inconsistent with the objectives of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Member States have been working to develop a global culture of cybersecurity that can fight cybercrime and cyber-attacks while protecting freedoms and sharing the benefits of ICTs and the Internet.
Cybersecurity will also be crucial as we implement the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which will require us to tap into the potential of the data revolution and close today’s still-large digital divides.
On 15-16 December, the United Nations General Assembly will convene a High-level Meeting to review progress in the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society. Your discussion at this year’s Boston Global Forum can provide a timely contribution as we strive together to meet these challenges.
Thank you for your support, and please accept my best wishes for a productive Forum.
Boston Global Forum (BGF) proudly introduces a discussion on “How Japan succeed in the 21st century” between Professor John Quelch, co-founder and member of BGF’s Board of Directors and Board of Thinkers, and the Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, and Professor Hamada, the adviser to PM Abe and the Japanese government.
The talk is one of BGF Japan’s projects in Tokyo.
Watch the talk here:
How Japan succeed in the 21st Century – Professor John Quelch introduction:
(BGF) – Governor Michael Dukakis, chairman and co-founder of Boston Global Forum, made his opening speech in the Global Cybersecurity Day (GCD) event which was held in Harvard Faculty Club on December 12, 2015. The GCD is conceived with the purpose of promoting a more safe and secure cyber space.
The event was live-streamed at www.bostonglobalforum.
Watch the Governor Dukakis’s speech here:
Read the full transcript of Governor Dukakis’s opening remarks below:
Thank you very much for being here and thanks to the Internet for allowing us to connect with those of you not in the room.
Cybersecurity is a leading issue of our time. We need only consider the Paris and San Bernardino attacks to remind us of that. Terrorist groups are using the internet to radicalize young people, and terrorist-minded individuals are using the Internet to hone their deranged intentions.
The Internet is a source of great benefits. But it’s also a source of mayhem and mischief.Cyber-based threats, ranging from online fraud to the stealing of state and business secrets are on the rise.
We need to make cybersecurity an imperative, as individuals, as organizations, as governments, as the international community.
To this end, the Boston Global Forum has developed the Ethics Code of Conduct for Cyber Peace and Security (ECCC). It prescribes how netizens, IT experts, institutions, governments, and others should act.
In an effort to advance the cause of cybersecurity, the Boston Global Forum has initiated Global Cybersecurity Day—this conference marks that day. We hope others will adopt the idea, building on it in the way that nearly fifty years ago Earth Day was conceived and promoted.
In our conference today, we have a number of activities aimed at highlighting cybersecurity.
We have initiated an Online Festival, open to people around the world, an opportunity for them to share the benefits of the Internet.
And we will honor today leaders in cybersecurity, as well as leaders who have contributed to peace, security, and development around the world.
(BGF) – Boston Global Forum (BGF) is kicking off its Online Festival on the Global Cybersecurity Day encouraging people around the world to share their original piece of arts online via its Facebook, which are in forms of digital photo, painting, video, stories or other multimedia products that arouse the love and friendship among people, and alarm them to be vigilant about cyber incident which might cause negative consequence to other’s fame and life.
Here comes the chance for all to win a trip to Boston and meet with professors of Harvard and MIT by proving yourself as a responsible Netizen and Global Citizen and show your support to the Ethics Code of Conduct for Cyber Peace and Security by spreading the love and friendship, or awakening people’s consciousness about bad consequence that might happen because of hostile online activities.
When the event ends?
The online festival closes at 2:00 AM on January 01, 2016 in local time of participant’s city.
How to join?
Every one could either send their works to [email protected] and BGF will help post them to our wall, or
Post it directly with your Facebook account to address at https://www.facebook.com/Global-Cybersecurity-Day-1645424825740324
Prizes and Winners
The originator, with art work which receives more than (50,000+ likes and shares combined), will be honored as the Outstanding Global Citizen for Cyber Peace and Security.
The winner will also win a free trip to Boston to meet with Harvard and MIT professors and have the opportunity to be a guest speaker at the Boston Global Forum conference in 2016.
About the Global Cybersecurity Day
Global Cybersecurity Day is an initiative of Boston Global Forum, meant to inspire the shared responsibility of the world’s citizens to protect the Internet’s safety and transparency. As part of this initiative, BGF also calls upon citizens of goodwill everywhere — from ordinary people to leaders — to follow BGF’s Ethics Code of Conduct for Cyber Peace and Security (ECCC).
It will be held at 12:00 noon (local time) on December 12 annually in Tokyo, Bonn, Nha Trang, and Boston. The event also encourages open dialogue, from many perspectives, about cybersecurity and will also honor individuals, organizations, and initiatives that have made the greatest contributions to a safe cyberspace.
About Boston Global Forum
Boston Global Forum ( BostonGlobalForum.org ) was founded nearly three years ago by former Democratic presidential candidate and Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who is now a Distinguished Professor at Harvard University; Prof. John Quelch, the Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School; Prof. Thomas Patterson, the Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Nguyen Anh Tuan, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the Boston Global Forum, and the Founder and Chairman of VietNamNet Media Company and VietNet, the first Internet Service Provider in Vietnam.
Boston Global Forum brings together thought leaders to address problems that affect the world and to inspire creative and practical global collaboration to fix them. Just one example of its work is BGF’s prominent role in improving working conditions at Asia’s manufacturing centers as part of its 2013 initiatives.
BGF has been hosting international meetings in 2015 aimed at building an Ethics Code of Conduct for Cyber Peace and Security (ECCC) to promote a healthy cyber environment.
(BGF) – Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was named the World Leader in Cybersecurity for his “exemplary leadership and contributions in promoting cybersecurity in Japan and Asia” in the Global Cybersecurity Day event which was held on December 12 at Harvard Faculty Club.
Watch the Governor Dukakis’ remarks here:
Mr. Tsutomu Himeno, Consulate-General of Japan in Boston, expressed his thank you on behalf of Prime Minister Abe and said that the award is a great encouragement.
Read the full remarks by Governor Michael Dukakis in honoring PM Abe’s achievements below:
I am pleased to announce the recipient of this year’s World Leader in Cybersecurity Award—Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The World Leader in Cybersecurity Award is given to individuals who contribute significantly to the advancement of cybersecurity.
Prime Minister Abe has worked tirelessly to make cybersecurity a priority in Japan and in the international community. Japan’s private sector particularly was still lagging in its cybersecurity efforts.
Recognizing the problem, and looking ahead to next year’s G7 Summit, which will be held in Japan, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Prime Minister Abe has made cybersecurity a top policy priority.
Under his leadership, Japan recently held the “Cyber3 Conference” in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF). The Prime Minister has initiated and led the creation cabinet-level office to oversee national policy and promote international cooperation, in accordance with the Cybersecurity Basic Act enacted a year ago. And this year, the Prime Minister announced Japan’s Cybersecurity Strategy, a far- reaching plan to strengthen public-private efforts in the cybersecurity efforts. In the strategy, Japan announced an ambitious diplomatic initiative focusing on international rules and inter-governmental capacity building.
Prime Minister Abe has also exerted regional leadership in cybersecurity, engaging in capacity building through the cooperation between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
These and other efforts have put Prime Minister Abe in the forefront among world leaders in advancing the cause of cybersecurity. The Boston Global Forum is honored to present recognize him as a World Leader in Cybersecurity Award.
