NOTE: This guest post was written by Morgan McMichen. Morgan is a graduate student at the Seton Hall School of Diplomacy and International Relations. Her specializations are in International Organizations, Global Negotiations and Conflict Management. Morgan’s interests are the function of international institutions in a global society and negotiation as a means of deterring conflict among multinational actors.
– DECEMBER 5, 2016
“It’s a small world, after all”-a statement which seems more valid by the day. Currently, there are over 65 million displaced people in the world-many whom are being hosted in a country where they do not share a common language. In the face of the current global migrant and refugee crisis, tolerance, empathy, and cooperation are critical for hope of a brighter future. Language is key in the integration process of displaced peoples. Through use of a common language, tolerance is practiced, empathy is expressed, and cooperation is made easier.
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) presents the 3rd annual J. Michael Adams Lecture and Conversation. UNAI “is a global initiative that aligns institutions of higher education with the United Nations in furthering the realization of the purposes and mandate of the Organization through activities and research in a shared culture of intellectual social responsibility”. Inaugurated in 2014, the series is in remembrance of educator, author and advocate of global citizenship, J. Michael Adams. Mr. Adams served as president of Fairleigh Dickinson University from 1999 until his death in 2012, during which time he inspired a new vision and mission dedicated to preparing world citizens through global education. Under his leadership Fairleigh Dickinson sparked new and close ties with the United Nations, including becoming the first university in the world to earn Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the creation of the UN Pathways program to bring UN speakers to campus and becoming the very first member of United Nations Academic Impact. The lecture featured Mark Harris-President Emeritus of ELS Educational Services and Berlitz. His lecture, “Living in a Shrinking World-Sharing our Future TOGETHER” is in efforts with UNAI and the TOGETHER campaign-launched by the Secretary General on September 19, 2016 at the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants. TOGETHER is a global campaign that aims to change negative perceptions and attitudes towards refugees and migrants, and to strengthen the social contract between host countries and communities, and refugees and migrants.
The speakers included the following: H.E. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations; Mark Harris, President Emeritus of ELS Educational Services and Berlitz; Syed Akbarrudin, Indian Ambassador to the United Nations; Cristina Gallach, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information; and Susan Adams, former Farleigh Dickinson University first lady and wife of J. Michael Adams.
The lecture was centered around the use of language as one solution in overcoming displacement difficulties. Cristina Gallach, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information started with an introduction of the panel members with special attention to Mark Harris and his work to promote language learning as a tool of unity. “Mark has dedicated his career as an educator and leader to advance the cause of multilingualism, which, in the United Nations, is an integral part to fostering cross-cultural understanding and tolerance.” She also gave a thorough background of J. Michael Adams and his contributions to prepare world citizens through global education.
Mark Harris, President Emeritus of ELS Educational Services and Berlitz took the floor and outlined his lecture dealing with “perhaps one of the most important issues facing the future of humankind-displaced persons…and one of the solutions to that problem…language.” Mr. Harris first covered understandings about the use of language and how it affects and impacts the displaced and also those who host them. “Language can enable understanding or can create misunderstanding.” He then pivoted to the dangers of xenophobia. “Perhaps in an overpopulation of the planet earth, we are now competing for resources in such a way that we no longer wish to tolerate our neighbors. This is not a simply a question of poverty; it’s not a question of hunger; it’s a question of people not tolerating people.” Xenophobia was the most searched word in 2016 according to dictionary.com. Mr. Harris advised that there is a reason why people had the inclination to understand the meaning of the word as it is a reality we face today. Lastly, he shared a story of xenophobia in the United States in hopes to spark engagement in the issue. He followed with a few stories of hope of displaced people and how they used language to overcome the difficulties of migration and being stateless and homeless. Mr. Harris finished by saying that language not only speaks to the mind but also to the heart; that somewhere between mind and heart is hope. Language is the key to giving displaced people hope and that they first step of the TOGETHER campaign is teaching language. Furthermore, if we want to locate hope we have to reach into the mind and the heart, and we need language to do that.
Cristina Gallach, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information thanked Mr. Harris for stressing the importance of language learning a means to give displaced persons a voice.
Syed Akbarrudin, Indian Ambassador to the United Nations added support for the multilingual initiative by pointing out that he comes from a country where they “start the first sentence one language, quickly swing to another language” then they, “move to a third” before they go back to the same one if not a fourth or a fifth. That in mind, he believes that we only gain from multilingualism. To the issue of migration, he believes that migration is “no longer and exception or even a crisis that we need to address; it is a norm what we will now have to live with. We will have to manage it and how we respond to it will define us and determine what sort of human beings we want to be and what sort of society we would like to live in.” One example he gave of how migration is viewed differently in the world is of Sumo wrestlers in Japan. Sumo wrestling is a national symbol of Japan, yet the wrestlers themselves are Mongolian. In this case, the integration is celebrated and has become part of the Japanese identity. He gave several more examples and finished with the idea multilingualism is an effective way of life for many in the world.
Cristina Gallach, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information opened the floor for Q&A until the Secretary General entered the room.
H.E. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations spoke to the work of J. Michael Adams calling him “one of the greatest UN allies in the world of academia”. He then praised the UNAI’s growth and success. “While the United Nations is busy putting out fires, trying to solve violence, academics helps us to see the big picture.” Turning to the TOGETHER campaign, he emphasized J. Michael Adams powerful question concerning globalization which was, “Why can’t we just do it together.” These seven words became the mantra of the Secretary General and the foundation of the TOGETHER campaign. “I lauched a campaign to promote tolerance, respect, and dignity for refugees and migrants called TOGETHER. Our goal is to turn fear into hope.” The Secretary General urged world leaders to not construct walls, but to construct bridges between and among people. He thanked Mr. Harris for speaking on the subject of language and displaced people which led him to reflect on his own migration to the U.S. as a young Korean from a rural area. While he experienced culture shock he was delighted to hear President Kennedy speak of invisible boundaries among nations and the use of communication and rendering your helping hands to others to break these boundaries. His Excellency concluded by asking us to “embrace this spirit of compassion to realize peace, justice, and human dignity, and human rights around the world” and to uphold the of the ideas of the UN charter.
Cristina Gallach, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information closed the lecture by emphasizing the use of language and academics in building the bridges among people.
The Secretary General was presented with a book dedicated to J. Michael Adams entitled “Higher Education as a Bridge to the Future” by the International Association of University Presidents.
Susan Adams, former Farleigh Dickinson University first lady and wife of J. Michael Adams briefly offered the closing remarks concerning her appreciation of the panel members in discussing topics near and dear to her husband.
-Morgan McMichen