The traditional role of states as acting on behalf of their citizens is bypassed by citizens and communities developing their own pattern of relationships all over the world. Local communities, megacities, multinational corporations, citizens and civil society are finding their own way in the global village. What are benefits and threats of this new development?
Pradeep S. Mehta is the founder Secretary General of the Jaipur-based Consumer Unity & Trust Society, a leading economic policy research, advocacy and networking, non-governmental group in India. He has been Honorary Adviser to the Commerce & Industry Minister of India and NGO Adviser to the WTO Director General.
Kumi Naidoo is a South African human rights activist and the International Executive Director of international environmentalist group Greenpeace. He was Secretary General of Civicus, an international alliance for citizen participation, from 1998 to 2008.
Francis Nyamnjoh is Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He worked with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa where he served as Head of Publications from July 2003 to July 2009.
The discussion will be moderated by Evelijne Bruning, Director of The Hunger Project – Netherlands