Governor Michael Dukakis; Former Acting Secretary Cameron Kerry; US Congresswoman Robin Kelly; MEP Eva Kaili, Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO; Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Greek Minister of State and Digital Governance, Chair of OECD Global Strategy Group; President Danilo Turk; 10 former presidents, prime ministers of Club de Madrid; and many distinguished thinkers gathered for 3 days (Sept 7 -9, 2021) at the Club de Madrid – BGF Policy Lab Fundamental Rights in AI & Digital Societies: Towards an International Accord to discuss topics of the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment: International Laws, Accord on AI and Digital, Global Alliance for Digital Governance, and AIWS Innovation Ecosystem (Community Innovation Economy).
They said, “the global community cannot wait for governments or international organizations to act. The Global Alliance for Digital Governance should take action to connect think tanks, influencers, experts, and citizens to contribute to building International Laws, International Accord on AI and Digital, while simultaneously working with governments and international organizations towards this goal.”
The Global Alliance for Digital Governance is an initiative of Boston Global Forum and Club de Madrid for 6-year cooperation from 2020 to 2026.
On September 6, Ramu Damodaran, co-chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative, interviewed Mr. Paul Twomey, a founding figure and former CEO of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a speaker at the Club de Madrid – BGF Policy Lab on Fundamental Rights in AI & Digital Societies. Mr. Ramu Damodaran wrote:
“Personal agency” is critical in the age of artificial intelligence notes Paul Twomey, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, in an AIWS City Discussion. This implies a measurement of human well-being not just in material terms, or reflections in GDP, but those in a social and environmental context as well, reasserting the primacy of the human person and distinguishing between her role as “individual” and as “user.”
This would assure the individual’s control over data derived from her and the means by which it is used. But, equally, it would place upon the individual the responsibility to step up for her rights and not be overwhelmed by technologies. Paul Twomey noted that the moral and ethical questions relating to AI, and the continuing quest for global enlightenment, are not necessarily new; their core elements are reflected in the teachings and debates within religion and faith over the centuries, for instance, but allow instinctive adaptation to our own times.
At the Policy Lab on “Fundamental Rights in AI & Digital Societies: Towards an International Accord”, speakers agreed that the global community cannot wait for governments or international organizations to act. The Global Alliance for Digital Governance will take action to connect think tanks, influencers, experts, and citizens to contribute to building International Laws, International Accord on AI and Digital, while simultaneously working with governments and international organizations towards this goal.
Boston Global Forum (BGF), Club de Madrid and AI World Society (AIWS) propose an initiative: establishing a Global Alliance for Digital Governance (GADG). This is a part of Social Contract for the AI Age, Framework for AI International Accord, BGF Conference of July 1st, 2020, and the book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment”.
The GADG is not an organization – it is a network for sharing and cooperating between resources (as listed below), coordinated by BGF and AIWS:
Governments
Organizations and Institutions
Companies
Influencers and Creators
Global Enlightenment Community
Thinkers, Scientists and Tech Innovators
Artists
The Coordinators of Global Alliance for Digital Governance are Governor Michael Dukakis, Nguyen Anh Tuan, Prime Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija, Ramu Damodaran, Professor Nazli Choucri, Professor Thomas Patterson, Professor David Silbersweig, Professor Alex Pentland, Acting Secretary Cameron Kerry, Eva Kaili, Paul Nemitz, and others.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Ha Kim Ngoc has highly appreciated and expressed his hope that the Vietnam Spark Plan would help set forth breakthrough initiatives for Vietnam to overcome challenges and maintain strong development momentum.
He made the statement at the first meeting of Vietnam Spark Board on September 2. The Vietnam Spark Plan was launched by the Boston Global Forum aimed to bring together leaders, strategists, academics, experts in health, technology, and economics to discuss and propose solutions to help Vietnam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, recover and develop the economy as well as seeking new opportunities for the country when the pandemic ends.
Participants at the meeting were former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Chairman of the Boston Global Forum, former Acting US Secretary of Commerce Cameron Kerry, Ramu Damodaran, Co-Chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative, Professor Thomas E. Patterson from Harvard University and many other professors and strategists from Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Professor Tran Dinh Thien, senior advisor to Vietnamese Prime Minister, will speak at the Club de Madrid-BGF Policy Lab, Plenary V: The United Nations Centennial Initiative: The Practice of Fundamental Rights in AI & Digital Societies
Below are some notes from his speech:
“The whole world in general and the United Nations in particular are moving towards a historic event: the UN Centennial Initiative – Building an Age of Global Enlightenment.
I don’t know if it is a “historical accident” or not: it is also the 100th anniversary of Vietnam’s Independence, entering a new era of development.
That means for Vietnam, 2045 will be a double milestone year. As a “friendly and companionable” people, the Vietnamese will strive to build their country into a civilized and prosperous nation, to invite the whole world to Vietnam in the position of moving forward side-by-side.
To end my “clumsy” speech, with many pronunciation errors, I would like to introduce to you one of Vietnam’s contributions to the United Nations Centennial initiative. That is to build NovaWorld Phan Thiet City into a leading healthcare and Wellness tourism destination, combined with AIWS City online digital city to become a typical city to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the United Nations.
Vietnam has many unique tourism resources, in which Phan Thiet of Binh Thuan province is a wonderful coastal tourist city. This place has held the position of “resort capital”, connecting with Nha Trang, Ninh Thuan, Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat to form an attractive tourist area at the highest level. This place is also a very suitable city for healthcare and Wellness tourism because of its mild climate, blue sea, white sand, golden sunshine and full facilities from luxury resorts like NovaWorld in Phan Thiet.
Nova World Phan Thiet and AIWS City will become a typical model, an ecosystem with the standards and ambitions that the United Nations Centennial Initiative is aiming for, with the companionship of the WLA-CdM.
Vietnam invites world leaders, ideologists, innovators to come to Phan Thiet, support the plan to build NovaWorld Phan Thiet, participate in contributing ideas for the contest “How to make Phan Thiet become the world’s leading destination for healthcare and Wellness tourism, in line with new trends after the Covid-19 pandemic. We are looking forward to receiving ideas and unique solutions to help Phan Thiet city develop, take the lead in building an ecosystem for a new economy, an economy for all creative citizens (Community Innovation Economy), deserving to be the typical city which pioneers and shines in the Age of Global Enlightenment, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the United Nations.
The United Nations Centennial initiative was launched by the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) in 2019 as the United Nations planned to mark the 75th anniversary the following year. It brought into its fold some of the finest minds of our times as they sought to anticipate the world, and the United Nations, in 2045, the year of the world organization’s centennial. The core concepts of the initiative are reflected in the book “Remaking the World: Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment”; these include the idea of a social contract for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) age, a framework for an AI international accord, an ecosystem for the “AI World Society” (AIWS) and a community innovation economy. Some of these ideas have already begun to be put into practice, including a Global Alliance for Digital Governance and the evolution of an AIWS City being developed by NovaWorld in Phan Thiet, Viet Nam as a pilot project. AIWS City is a virtual digital city dedicated to promoting the values associated with AIWS. It looks to bring together a global enlightenment community of scholars, innovators, leaders, and citizens dedicated to fostering thought, creativity, and ethical behavior by combining AIWS City and NovaWorld Phan Thiet, fostering later flagship cities.
The United Nations came into being as a cerebral, as much as political, innovation, the very first resolution of its General Assembly, in the January of 1946, was on the “problems arising from the discovery of atomic energy.” 75 years later, in the January of 2021, Governor Michael Dukakis announced the “Artificial Intelligence International Accord Initiative” whose goal he described as “to stimulate a global conversation that will make sure AI is used responsibly by governments and the private sector around the world.” It is precisely conversations of that nature this volume, and Boston Global Forum Roundtables over the past months, have fostered, and which this discussion will take forward in the specific context of fundamental rights in a world which, over the next 25 years, will see a new shaping to the possibilities and the limitations on the use of artificial intelligence, shaping a world governed by international law and the exercise of international as much as individual and, indeed, intellectual, responsibility where the creativity and innovation of the human person work to shape a world worthy of our times just as surely as that world works to foster and further, in the phrase of the United Nations Charter, the “dignity and worth“ of that human person.
September 9, 15:00-16:05 CEST/9:00 AM – 10:05 AM EST
Plenary V: The United Nations Centennial Initiative: The Practice of Fundamental Rights in AI & Digital Societies
Facilitator:David Silbersweig, Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Co-Director for Institute for the Neurosciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Professor
Lead speaker: Ramu Damodaran, Co-Chair of the United Nations Centennial Initiative
Panel discussion:
Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Member of Club de Madrid, President of Latvia (1999-2007)
Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of State and Digital Governance of Greece, Chair of the Global Strategy Group, OECD
Thomas Patterson, Research Director of The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation, Professor of Government and the Press of Harvard Kennedy School
Sean Cleary, Advisor of Club de Madrid, Executive vice-chair of the FutureWorld Foundation, Member of the Carnegie Council’s Artificial Intelligence & Equality Initiative’s Board of Advisors
Tran Dinh Thien, Professor, Senior Advisor to Vietnamese Prime Minister
“Inclusive discussions and inclusive structures” are key to a truly global enlightenment, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to advance our world, said Cameron Kerry, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution in an interview with the Boston Global Forum, ahead of next week’s meeting of the Club de Madrid. He cited areas including global health, climate change, economic progress and addressing inequality as among those where AI could help fashion a worldwide response.
Noting the importance of recording “use cases” of AI, Mr Kerry noted these would illustrate the possibilities of convergence between policy and regulatory frameworks in the area, helping to set standards and harmonizing the technical and ethical dimensions of its development. He looked forward to a report in this regard being developed by the Brookings Institution and the Center for European Policy Studies Forum on global cooperation in the field.
NovaWorld Phan Thiet have strategy to become top MICE in the world, building it to become a city of the Age of Global Enlightenment, applying Community Innovation Community and AIWS Ecosystem.
Novaworld Phan Thiet is a project in the making in the city of Phan Thiet, a fascinating destination for the adventurous locals and international tourists looking to explore everything from natural wonders and scenic views to outdoor adventures. Known as one of Vietnam’s most popular beach destinations, this coastal town has earned its reputation as an oasis in the Binh Thuan province.
Michael Dukakis Institute will help set up the International Jury Board for the Phan Thiet MICE Competition.
The awards are as below:
Contestant Award
01 Special Prize: 200,000 USD
01 First Prize: 100,000 USD
01 Second Prize: 50,000 USD
01 Award for Best Idea in Effective Communication and Promotion: 10,000 USD
01 Award for Best Idea in Creative Feasibility: 10,000 USD
01 Award for Best Idea in Sustainable Development: 10,000 USD
24 Encouragement Prizes: 1,000 USD (each)
Lucky Draw
2000 prizes, each prize per Timeshare interval: 7 day/6 night stay at NovaWorld Phan Thiet.
On September 7, US Congresswoman Robin Kelly will present the keynote speech “A human-centered digital, AI and Global Enlightenment Age” at the Policy Lab An International Accord – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment. This Policy Lab is co-organized by Boston Global Forum and Club de Madrid.
Opening Session
Danilo Türk, President of Club de Madrid, President of Slovenia (2007-2012)
Governor Michael Dukakis, Chairman of The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation & Co-Founder of the Boston Global Forum
Keynote speech by US Congresswoman Robin Kelly, distinguished contributor to the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment.
