by Editor | Nov 6, 2022 | News
Francesco Lapenta, Ph.D., Director, John Cabot University’s Institute of Future and Innovation Studies
Rome, October 25, 2022
Rarely in human history have the high stakes of the relationships between technology, peace, democracy, and the future of Humanity and the planet been so clear. Or the relationships of the current interconnected crises with the technological choices of the past. The legacy of our modern technological history reverberates ominously today in the current crises, the concept of technological innovation as a form of perpetual competition, whether military, industrial, economic, or political, in which technological leadership and innovation are not viewed as a collective shared path toward the betterment of the human condition. But, as a permanent confrontation of ideologies, values, social and economic systems in constant competition or conflict, based not only on actual technological innovation and achievements, but also on the ability to direct and lead the future through technological and societal aspirations and goals.
Pragmatically, we cannot expect or even desire geopolitical competition to disappear, competition serving an important role in innovation and evolution. However history and nature have recently shown the high cost of various merely utilitarian choices in technological development that, although enormously socially transformative, have also contributed to a growing global social divide, rising economic inequality, the current climate crisis, an increasing number of health and social crises, and an unsustainable reliance on depletable and scarce resources for economic growth.
The history of technology also teaches us about the dynamic and complex relationship that has always existed between technological advancements and democratic principles and practices. Technology can be imagined and designed to be a tool for both private and public democratic participation. However when we look at even the most advanced democracies in the world, where new forms of corporate power and centralization, as well as changing forms of digital influence and surveillance, seem to undermine the very basis of fair and democratic participation, it becomes clear that the relationship between technology and democratic values and processes is never simple.
If democracies are to survive and win the battle against both authoritarian regimes and domestic challenges, they must be able to elaborate a future vision of the fair and democratic use of existing and emerging technologies. A future vision that views technological innovation’s sustainable development agenda as a necessary, collective, systemic effort to address what are increasingly seen as interconnected socioeconomic-ecological-geopolitical dynamics and global challenges. A vision and plan that can imagine how the world might change if technological evolution were driven and directed by a common vision of a future based on peace and the common good of the planet and humanity, even in the face of political and economic rivalry.
by Editor | Nov 4, 2022 | News
Boston, October 25, 2022
We were deeply saddened to learn of the recent death of Ash Carter, the former United States Secretary of Defense, who was an important contributor to Boston Global Forum (BGF)’s work on cybersecurity and peace.
In 2020, Secretary Carter addressed the BGF Global Cybersecurity Day Forum to speak about the technological risks posed by cyberthreats mounted by state and non-state actors. The Secretary’s background as a technology specialist and diplomat provided an important perspective for participants as we assessed the use technological tools in conflict situations. He stressed the importance of addressing these threats to multilateral organizations and non-profit groups with expertise on these issues.
Secretary Carter was a distinguished contributor to the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment is a joint initiative by the Boston Global Forum and the United Nations Academic Impact as part of the United Nations Centennial Initiative.
The book proposes pathways toward a more humane, peaceful, and secure world, largely by harnessing the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and other Digital Age technologies. A key proposal is the adoption of an AI International Accord that would bind nations to constructive uses of AI and prohibit destructive uses. In addition, Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment advances the Social Contract for the AI Age as the theoretical and ethical foundation of the Accord. The book also proposes the AI World Society (AIWS) as a vehicle through which individuals and civic organizations can help foster an Age of Global Enlightenment.
The Boston Global Forum executive team and leadership extends our condolences to the family and friends of Secretary Ash.
by Editor | Oct 31, 2022 | News
Boston Global Forum CEO Nguyen Anh Tuan was a speaker of the Riga Conference 2022. At the conference, Boston Global Forum and LATO introduced pioneering principles, concepts and actions to build the US, EU, Japan, India to become pillars for world peace and security.
Tuan met and discussed with leaders who were speakers of the Riga Conference 2022. Here are some pictures:
Meet and discuss with Tobias Winkler
Meet and discuss with Anna Kovalenko
Meet and discuss with artist Katrina Gupalo
by Editor | Oct 30, 2022 | News
On Oct. 25, 2022, Global Enlightenment Leaders Governor Michael Dukakis, Prime Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija, LATO Chairwoman Zaneta Ozolina, BGF CEO Nguyen Anh Tuan and State Minister Yasuhide Nakayama spoke at the John Cabot University in Rome, Italy, to announce and highlight keynotes of Manifesto “Tech for Peace the Global Enlightenment Age.”
President of John Cabot University delivered opening remarks with recognition of significance of this historic initiative and honored of its announcement in Italy, the Renaissance country, the precursor to the Enlightenment.
On behalf of the Boston Global Forum and authors of the Manifesto, Prime Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija presented the keynotes, four parts of the Manifesto: 1. Why, 2. The Global Enlightenment Age, 3. Models and concepts of “Tech for peace and security in the Global Enlightenment Age,” 4. Solutions to implements. He confirmed that AIWS.net, AIWS City, and Global Alliance for Digital Governance will be a platform to this manifesto.
Zaneta Ozolina highlighted the role of the Riga Conference and collaboration of the Riga Conference with this initiative.
Former Japanese State Minister of Defense Yasuhide Nakayama contributed views and actions from Japan to the Manifesto.
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan introduced special notes of the Manifesto:
- Technology helps people to access truth, justice, rationality, norms, standards, and values. Tech must assist, help the world to justice, make right, concise, true perception, awareness of people in the world, avoid dictators, totalitarian countries using their propaganda system to lie to people.
- Technology must support, assist to reduce threats and dangers of world peace.
- Governance tech to minimize its negative impacts.
- Respect for privacy and Public-Private and individual collaboration, combining to support management of societies to be more secure, safer, and peaceful. Tech serves people, makes people more powerful, smarter in thinking, decision making and doing.
- Technology helps and assists in building an Innovative, Smart, Tech Economy: every person can become an innovator. Technology help to create equality of opportunities in education for developing countries, special in Middle East, India, Africa.
- Apply technology to make people be more powerful, more knowledgeable, more innovative and more intellectual; people use technology to supervise governments and politics, societies. Make a smarter society, do not need to argue or debate issues that can be easily checked in expert systems already.
Mr. Tuan said “the Manifesto is not only a document of concepts, ideas, models, it also includes roadmap for actions, and doing.”
by Editor | Oct 30, 2022 | Global Alliance for Digital Governance
- Introduction
Technology has changed everything.
We are all technologists, as we use devices that help us receive and process information throughout our daily lives. Every interaction with the outside world, related to health, well-being, learning, finance, economics, relationships, involves technology in some way.
While technology has improved life and made many things more convenience and effective, it has had negative consequences that must the addressed and remedied. In politics especially, there are new threats and real dangers to world peace driven by technological tools and strategies: religious extremism, racism and ethnic divisions, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, extreme nationalism. The most powerful countries suffer from these problems and grapple with solutions.
- The Global Enlightenment Age
There are existing structures and networks that are serving to guide us to a better place. The United Nations Academic Impact and Boston Global Forum founded the United Nations Centennial Initiative and published the book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment” in May 2021. Numerous forums, non-profit groups, conferences and high-level discussions have begun to counter the rise of technological malfeasance. The ‘Remaking the World” book outlines the potential for an Age of Global Enlightenment, potentially a much more peaceful, secure, and lawful age of humankind.
- Models and concepts of “Tech for peace and security in the Global Enlightenment Age”
These high-level discussions among the world’s leading thinkers have developed concepts that can be used to deploy technology in the service of world peace and security, including cybersecurity:
- Technology helps people to access truth, justice, rationality, norms, standards, and
- Technology must support the reduction of threats and dangers to world peace;
- Technology must assist in building a just world, where truth and accurate perception is a fundamentally respected value;
- Political leaders who manipulate information and technology to spread lies, undermine respect for the Rule of Law and Freedom of the Press should be identified and discouraged from participating in civic life;
- Laws and regulations for digital technologies must be developed and implemented in an unbiased fashion to minimize the negative impacts of technology;
- Respect for privacy in the public and private spheres should be paramount in developing policies;
- Technology must be harnessed to assist in building an Innovative, Smart Economy, enabling opportunities for every person to become an innovator;
Technology must be directed to enable individuals to become more knowledgeable and active participants in local, national and international civic and political life;
Model for Discussion:
Two groundbreaking works outline the promise of AI in the future as a core strategy and tool for ensuring peace and security:
- Potential Solutions for implementation
AIWS proposes the following steps to help resolve emerging issues
- Building the capacity of Pillar Countries as a paragon and practical model: Initially the Four Pillars are: United States, European Union countries, Japan, India
- South Korea, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Australia, Canada, Singapore are the next tier of Pillar Countries;
- Encourage and assist other nations, such as South Africa, Chile and others, to join Pillars community;
- Strengthen and propagate the Global Alliance for Digital Governance (GADG) to coordinate in this mission. GADG can supervise the process, making sure data is not biased, and conducting campaigns to fight disinformation and misinformation;
- Building the capacity of AIWS.net, a global community of distinguished people, organizations and institutions to implement, help bring into practice the Manifesto under the guidance of the GADG.
- Encourage and respect all contributions from any people to apply and build the Global Enlightenment Age through AIWS.net. All meaningful contributions will be recognized and introduced on AIWS.net.
- Establishing a Group of Global Enlightenment Leaders to lead this mission.
- Help to build AIWS City, a digital city, to recognize, honor, hold and share information about achievements.
- AIWS City is a place to organize events and conferences to apply the Manifesto and build the Global Enlightenment Age;
- Building tech solutions in order to contribute, assist and help in bringing education to all people, especially in developing countries. This is a fundamental solution to reduce extreme nationalism and religion;
- We will assist in building a special education program (Innovation Education Program in the Global Enlightenment Age) to educate people in the world to have awareness and perceptions about the Global Enlightenment Age and their opportunities, obligations and responsibilities;
- We call for public-private cooperation to find tech solutions to manage threats, dangers to world peace from extreme nationalism from major countries and religious extremism;
- Every nation must help build the Innovation Community Economy: Every person can be an innovator;
- We call on the United Nations and all countries to support and implement this Program.
