Building An Ethical Globalization
演讲人：Mary Robinson玛丽·罗宾逊
Distinguished faculty and students，ladies and gentlemen，It is a great pleasure for me to be back at Yale.I would like to thank Gus Ranis and the Center for International and Area Studies and Harold Koh and his colleagues at the Law School for inviting me to address the Yale community today.It is a particular pleasure to know that President Emesto Zedillo has taken on the responsibility as Director of the new Center for the Study of Globalization.I wonder if either of us imagined，when he welcomed me to Mexico on my first visit as High Commissioner for Human Rights in 1999.And，I recall，I marked my cards privately on some human rights issues I might like to raise publicly.That we would both identify the study of globalization as a necessary priority for the future！
My last visit here was in 1997when you honored me with a degree.Before that，I came to Yale to deliver the 1995Sherril lecture on the theme of honoring human rights commitments.It was a subject that resonated deeply with me as I had just returned from my second visit to Rwanda as President of Ireland.On that occasion I described，with some difficulty，what I witnessed when I visited that small country in the aftermath of the genocide of up to a million people and the breakdown of civil society.
I regretted the fact that the institutions that had been created at the international level to prevent such brutality appeared to have inertia and paralysis when confronted with the reoccurrence of the very evils which led to their foundation.Now I return to Yale，after the experience of the past five years，both with a deeper awareness of the continuing challenges in ensuring respect for human rights around the world，and also with a clearer sense of how progress can be made in honoring these commitments in today"s world.These five years have been challenging but deeply rewarding for me.It was a great privilege，and at times a daunting challenge，to serve as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In looking back，I must say that despite the difficulties，significant progress has been made.I have seen a transformation in the approach to human rights over those five years，in the mainstreaming throughout the UN system of a rights-based approach to our work，in the strong links now madebetween human rights and human development and in the way that civil societies in every region are learning to use the commitments of governments in ratifying human rights covenants and conventions as a means of securing transparent and participatory decision making on the whole range of human rights issues：economic and social as well as civil and political.
Now having completed my ter m，I have been reflecting both on the progress made and on the future of human rights in these uncertain times.In preparing my remarks for today，I read the address of President Richard Levin at Yale"s Ceremony of Remembrance and Reflection on 11th September.His words are important reminders，both of the challenges we face and the values we share.We remember also these lessons：that not all the world"s citizens see the world as Americans do，that to some our affluence is an affront，our personal freedom a blasphemy.Still.We affirm the fundamental rights of all men and women to life and liberty.
We affirm the role of law that protects these rights and the institutions-such as this University -that encourage men and women to express themselves freely and individually.We affirm the strength and wisdom that come to those who tolerate and appreciate differences among people.We affirm that intolerance is the enemy of wisdomand that lawless terror has no rightful place among civilized peoples.I couldn"t agree more.The values of dignity and equality encapsulate the human rights message.But how do we move from affirmations to actions？What are the steps needed to put the rights and interests of people at the center of the agenda of governments，international bodies，the private sector and wider civil society？How can we best foster successful economies and open and inclusive societies，that respect the integrity of cultures and advance a 21st century understanding of the sovereignty of states and the responsibility of individuals？
How，in other words，do we build an ethical globalization which bridges the current divides between North and South，rich and poor，secular and religious？
It is my deep conviction that part of the answer lies in taking international human rights commitments seriously.Equally important，we must think in new ways about our individual and shared responsibilities.This requires more dialogue，more political will，more resources，and more involvement from every part of society，including academia.
So I welcome this opportunity to share some thoughts on the role of human rights in an increasingly interconnected world，and to consider with you how theYale community could contribute to shaping an ethical globalization.In the year 2000，the philosopher Peter
Singer came to Yale to deliver the Dwight H.Terry Lectures.His lectures here at Yale formed the basis for his book One World：the ethics of globalization，The thesis of his book is-In essence-that how well we come through the era of globalization will depend on how we respond ethically to theidea that we live in one world.
As is often true of philosophers，Professor Singer is ahead of the times in highlighting that just as globalization has underscored the commonality of all nations；it has also enlarged the ethical sphere of responsibility of individuals.He notes that while it is natural for individuals to prioritize their social obligations-from family to friends to compatriots-one implication of an increasingly interconnected world is that the circle must be expanded to encompass people of other nations.
