On Internationalization, by Cristovam Buarque

Cristovam Buarque, Professor of the Universidade Nacional do Brasil and ex-governor of Brasilia, D.F., as reported in the Brazilian Daily O Globo on the 23rd of October, 2000:

"During a recent discussion, in the United States, someone asked my opinion regarding the internationalization of the Amazon Region. The youngster asserted that he expected the response of a humanist, not of a Brazilian.

This was the first time anyone had established the humanist viewpoint as the starting point for my response. In fact, as a Brazilian I would have responded simply against internationalization of the Amazon Region. Even if our governments have not given the attention that this treasure deserves, it is ours. I responded that, as a humanist, realizing the risk of environmental destruction that threatens the Amazon Region, I could imagine its internationalization, just as for everything else that is important to humanity.

If the Amazon Region, from a humanist΄s point of view, has to be internationalized, then we should internationalize the oil reserves of the entire the world as well. Oil is just as important to the well being of humanity as the Amazon Region for our future. Nevertheless, the owners of oil reserves feel it is in their right to increase or decrease oil production and to raise or lower the price. The rich of the world, feel they have the right to burn this valuable possession of humanity. Similarly, the financial capital of the wealthy nations should be internationalized. If the Amazon Region is a natural reserve for every human being, then it could not be burned down by the decision of a landowner or a country. To burn down the Amazon Region is as tragic as the unemployment provoked by the arbitrary decisions of world-wide speculators. We cannot permit that the world΄s financial reserves serve to burn down entire nations according to the whims of speculation.

Before the (internationalization of the) Amazon Region, I would like to see the internationalization of all the world΄s great museums. The Louvre cannot belong only to France. Museums around the world are guardians to the most beautiful works produced by human genius. These cultural patrimonies, as the Amazon Region is a natural patrimony, cannot be dependent on the whim of owners or single countries, who may alter or destroy them. Recently, a Japanese millionaire decided to have a painting by a grand master buried with him in his grave. This painting should have been internationalized.

At the time of the meeting in which this question came up, the United Nations had convened the Millennium Forum and yet the presidents of several countries were not able to attend due to barriers they faced at the border. Therefore, I contend that New York, as the base of the United Nations, should be internationalized. At least Manhattan should belong to all of humanity. Similarly Paris, Venice, Rome, London, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilia, Recife, and every city with its own beauty, its own history, should belong to the whole world.

If the United States want to internationalize the Amazon Region, due to the risk of leaving it in Brazilian hands, then we should internationalize all the nuclear stockpiles of the United States. Particularly since this country has already shown that they are capable of using these weapons, causing a destruction thousands of times greater than the sad fires taking place in the Brazilian forests.

During their debates, some of the current U.S. presidential candidates have defended the idea of internationalizing the world forest reserves in exchange for the foreign debt. We could begin to use this debt to guarantee the right of every child in the world to attend school. We could internationalize children, making sure they are all treated fairly, regardless of their birthplace, as a patrimony which deserves the care and attention of the entire world. Even more so than the Amazon Region. When the world leaders attend to the world΄s poor children as a patrimony of Humanity, they will no longer permit that these children work when they should be studying, that they die when they should be living.

As a humanist I accept to defend the internationalization of the world. But so long as the world treats me as a Brazilian, I will fight so that our Amazon Region continues to be ours. And only ours."

I must say I absolutely understand the guy, and agree with him, mostly.