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CGH13_ebook

Go o d g o v e r n a n c e i n t h e C ommo nwe a l t h : Ma n y c u l t u r e s , o n e a g e n d a fundamental to so much of the ‘market-led’ policy discourse dominant in our times. This is closely allied to the distinction between individual human rights and communal responsibility noted above, and highlights the importance not only of all the countries of the Commonwealth seeking to communally support each other, but also of the responsibilities of Commonwealth governments in delivering essential public services to all of their peoples, and indeed the responsibilities of individuals to address the common good at least as much as their own selfish interests. Challenges Achieving such a vision is by no means unproblematic and at least five main challenges for cultural diplomacy must be overcome if the Commonwealth is to fulfil its potential: 1. A failure to understand each other. The immense cultural and ethnic diversity of the Commonwealth means that people can use the same words to say similar things, especially in their own versions of the English language, but actually mean very different things. This can lead to very unfortunate and damaging misunderstandings and it is therefore crucially important to ensure that close attention is paid in Commonwealth discussions to clarifying intended meanings. At a deeper level, there also remain considerable difficulties with the arrogance of privilege. This applies not only to elites within countries, but also to the relationships between the richer and the poorer countries of the Commonwealth. There is a deep need for greater understanding of ‘the other’ by all those involved in such conversations. 2. The dominance of an economistic mentality. Cultural diplomacy has value in its own right in building shared understanding and thereby creating a more peaceful world. However, in most walks of life, and especially in contemporary international ‘development’ agendas, the global system has become increasingly dominated by economic rhetoric and priorities. In recent years, such emphasis has in practice led to there often being greater inequality both between and within countries across many parts of the world, with insufficient attention being paid to the needs of the very poorest in our societies. To resolve this, there needs to be a fundamental recalibration of global priorities to address social and cultural issues at least as much as economic priorities. 3. A focus on the individual rather than the community. As outlined above, the contemporary world is defined very largely by a focus on the individual rather than the community and on individual human rights rather than communal responsibilities. Yet at the heart of the Commonwealth there is an implicit emphasis on the crucial importance of the Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 43 The collective and communal is at the heart of Pacific cultures. (Voters in Hela province, PNG, 2012) Treva Braun/Commonwealth Secretariat


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