Crise e Oportunidade

Crisis as opportunity – 2009
(an agenda of structural change)

National Round-Table
August 10th, 2009 (Ipea, Brasília)

International Round-Table
November 16th – 18th, 2009 (Fortaleza, Banco do Nordeste do Brasil)

São Paulo, April 12th, 2009

We would like to invite you to participate in the creation of an agenda of structural change, taking advantage of the instances of broader reflection precipitated by the global financial crisis.

An international round-table is being prepared to facilitate the development of this agenda. Major national researchers and internationally renowned specialists will be called upon for their expertise. The aim is not to repair the system and wait for the next crisis, but rather to create a style of governance that can repair the economic situation in which we live and ensure the allocation of resources towards the planet’s most pressing issues.

The general objectives are to identify opportunities for dialogue in the global crisis, improve the organization within the financial management sector as well as ensure that funding is satisfying the needs of a balanced economy. Above all, we aim to confront the great challenges of inequality and environmental sustainability at a national, regional and global levels.

We are aware of the many forums around the world dedicated to these issues. Like those that go beyond the traditional oversimplification of nationalization versus privatization, we would like to do our part and present an agenda from the Brazilian perspective that takes into account a broader context.

During March 13th and 14th 2009, a workshop was held at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo in preparation for the International Round Table. The attendees included Ignacy Sachs (EHESS-Paris), Airton Saboya Valente Júnior (BNB), Carlos Tibúrcio (Centro de Estudos Celso Furtado – Celso Furtado Study Center), Márcio Pochmann (IPEA), Paul Singer (Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego – Department of Work and Labor), Ladislau Dowbor (PUC de São Paulo – Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo), Antonio Martins (ATTAC), Juarez de Paula (SEBRAE), Darlene Tester (Central Única dos Trabalhadores Nacional), Caio Silveira (Expo-Brasil Desenvolvimento Local – Expo-Brasil Local Development), Caio Magri (Ethos), Amir Khair (financial consultant). Moacir Gadotti, Eduardo Suplicy, Luiz Gonzaga Beluzzo are taking part in the process, and others may be invited to join.

Event management is the responsibility of the Banco do Nordeste (BNB) – Bank of Northeast (Escritório de Estudos Econômicos do Nordeste – Office of Economic Studies of Northeast), of Instituto de Pesquisa Economica Aplicada (IPEA) – Institute of Economic Applied Research – and Instituto Paulo Freire (IPF)– Paulo Freire Institute, though an agreement with BNB. The scientific coordination is a responsability of Ignacy Sachs and Ladislau Dowbor.

Events

On the workshop of the 13th it was decided to maintain the program with two events: the first on August 11th, a full day event at IPEA, in Brasilia, focusing on the public policies related to the crises, and the second from November 16th to the 18th, at Banco do Nordeste, in Fortaleza, consisting of an international round-table.

One of the proposals for the event in Brasilia is to allow a moment to outline recommendations for the agenda of Fortaleza. The coordination of the meeting in Brasilia is a IPEA responsibility. The key theme will be the public polices applied by the government and the potential alternatives from the Brazilian perspective.

In Fortaleza, a round-table with approximately 100 persons will be held. The main goal is to systematize an agenda built upon the definition of main axis of indispensable change to establish an equilibrium on the processes of development on the planet, having Brazil as a reference point but taking into account propositions that have emerged from the many international forums carried out around the world. The event format is not structured around lectures, but rather around the presentation of standing points of the specialists invited about essential themes to the construction of an agenda, which aims to strengthen convergences and to guide the development of consensus.

Considering that this forum gathers experts that share some common perspectives about the world crisis, we consider that there is no need to discuss about the following:

• the need to promote structural changes (and not simply repairing marginal deviations so it can maintain its course)
• the need to assure economic policies focused on the reduction of inequalities
• the need to assure a deep change on the approach to the environmental challenges
• the importance to secure that these goals will be pursued through democratic decision making standards: the economy needs to be more democratic.

It is important that the round table targets the identification of the great themes for a affirmative agenda, avoiding broad debates about the principels shared among all. There is also the worry to avoid the creation of a simple guideline, like many that have been made in international conferences. The event shall not end with a round-table, the subjects discussed during it shall orient subsequent actions.

Since the event is centered around dialogs and not speeches, it is not essential to define preliminary themed groups to guide the discussions which will take place. The way in which the issues will be approached and combined – referring to the rational allocation of the resources and the financial regulation, as well as the social, political and environmental challenges, in the local, national and international levels – will probably be the main contribution to be brought by the round table.

Invitation Commission: Amir Khair, Antonio Martins, Caio Magri, Caio Silveira, Carlos Lopes, Carlos Tibúrcio, Darlene Tester, Eduardo Suplicy, Ignacy Sachs, Juarez de Paula, Ladislau Dowbor, Luiz Gonzaga Beluzzo, Moacir Gadotti, Márcio Pochmann, Paul Singer, Roberto Smith.

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