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Profile of Martin Almada
The education in oder to maintain peace and [...]
Martin Almada: The education in oder to maintain peace and an understanding between countries, promoted by UNESCO, should be the axis of the global educational system. The education should be guaranteed to everyone, as the Cuban government is currently doing. The creation of jobs, medical support, accommodation for the poor, and enough universities providing education are ways to avoid violence, anger and hatred. axis guarantee
According to the humanistic conception both [...]
Martin Almada: According to the humanistic conception both human beings and other living organisms, animals and plants, are equally important. If we study well the composition of our planet we can learn to appreciate how wonderfully life is interlinked. There are millions of life chains invisible to the human eye. But each of them has made life on our planet possible. Every insect, every reptile is important to make life on earth possible. It becomes obvious when the balance is lost: when birds and insects get killed by pesticides or native trees are cut down by people or by deforstation. Another dramatic example is the destruction of conches and shellfish on a beach by petroleum and industrial waste. For this reason various ecologists from South America try to draw our atention to this problem and fight for the equality of all living organisms.
We believe that at some point in time people [...]
Martin Almada: We believe that at some point in time people will notice that this economic model cannot function any longer, it can´t continue like this. We expect the mankind to see that there is going to be a suicide,a collective suicide. This year the climate change has demonstrated how ferocious it can be. There is no time left for any doubts, we have experience and we have proof. We have to prepare and build up a more human political and economic system. Our next stage is possibly going to be socialism, democratic socialism, equitable and pluralist, multiethnical and multicultural. Such a world is possible and we need it. Probably our next phase is going to be that o suicide ferocity socialism
The economic globalization promotes [...]
Martin Almada: The economic globalization promotes dictatorship in order to ensure a success of the market. With the progress of the market there is a regression of the state, where the economic globalization becomes violent due to the insatiable demand of the market. The aim of the economic globalization is to sell and to buy; profit and global power are the things tha matter. Such is the internal logic. The result is that human beings do not matter as individuals but only as consumers. Globalization requires strong governments, governments that impose the will to buy, and to buy more products from out of their own countries. Countries producing sugar, coffee, wheat, corn sell it for a miserable price and such a situation increases poverty and prevents the development of communities. So, in a hidden manner the globalization favors governments, dictatorial governments. This is the logic of the system. The globalization is nothing else than an evolution of the mercantile system, of capitalism and neoliberalism.
The campaigns of industrialised countries, [...]
Martin Almada: The campaigns of industrialised countries, orientated towards a consumer and usually spread through social communication and the use of television and radio that spread the message of violence are both the reason for unsufficient employment of young people and violence in cities. On the other hand, the population concentartion among big cities, where people are searching for better living conditions, is another point that leads to violence because of the ensuing lack of opportunities. The state must invest more money in education, so that more children and young people go to education centres instead of hanging out in the streets. Young people must have a possibility to study and to develop their personality, to understand the world in a better way, and to work with creativity and imagination. And the most important thing is to learn to live in solidarity.
The hurricane Catrina made obvious, that the [...]
Martin Almada: The hurricane Catrina made obvious, that the social and racial discrimination is wide-spread in the United States. The hurricane devastated a poor and abandoned city of this great country, namely New Oerleans, the cradle of jazz, situated in the south of the United States. And instead of investing money to avoid climate catastrophes, the government invested it in arms to kill Iraqi and Afghan people. The majority of the affected by the hurricane Catrina were black people, so it is no wonder to me, that Afroamericans are treated like an unwanted child. In order to answer this question accurately, it is necessary to study the historical process of the United States of America critically. By doing so one will find many answers and will be able to judge their feelings and agressions and to understand how the education system of this country contributes to increase patriotism for a motherland that exploits its own citizens and sends them to die in a war. In my country Paraguay, the natives are unwanted children, too, due to this class-conscious society. The situation in other Latin American countries is similar.
The unproductive military budgets should be [...]
Martin Almada: The unproductive military budgets should be spent for education, health-care, accommodation and environmental protection. It is incomprehensible, how day after day world powers can spend such amounts of money for death. And even more depressing is the situation in the impoverished developing countries like Brasil and Chile. Brasil and Chile spend millions for armament having millions of hungry people.
Rich countries, especially the United [...]
Martin Almada: Rich countries, especially the United States, are very interested in the Middle East. The domination over the world using military force is the North American policy. The Middle East fell victim to this policy too. As a consequence, there will be no peace in that region soon, because there is no global policy and the United Nations are not able to intervene and end conflicts in the Middle East.
By organizing protests in the streets, a [...]
Martin Almada: By organizing protests in the streets, a protagonist society can and must force their government not to go to war. In order to prevent more wars, the United Nations has established the following law: Respect the national sovereignty and do not to intervene in national state affairs. It is very important to strengthen the mandate of the UNO in this respect. Finally I would recomend to follow the steps of Amnesty International by overwhelming authorities with letters of protest. It is worth to remember the Vietnam War at this point. It was the united American nation itself which managed, by protesting in the streets, to reestablish peace in the United States. This experience of the North Americans protesting against the Vietnam War is still of great importance.
Every woman and every man at any place in [...]
Martin Almada: Every woman and every man at any place in the world and at any point in time are concerned by the same questions. They need to be sured of possibility to exist, to be, to do and to have: to be somebody in a society, to belong to a society, to be able to express itself in a society and to have something in a society too. The values of life are solidarity, dignity, safety and creation. People need to be sure to survive common deseases, to carry dignity in their breast, to have refuge, education, to be respected, to develop their potentials, above all creativity, to promote their creative imagination. Market, the leader, where everything is being bought and sold introduces communist anti- values: competitiveness and individualism that are of detriment to the social justice. shelter competitiveness
Thanks to the advanced technology there is [...]
Martin Almada: Thanks to the advanced technology there is enough food for all the people in the world. Only due to the bad distribution of this food, as by the international funds or the World Trade Organization, there is hunger in the world, especially in the most impoverished countries. I recommend to read Yan Sígles' report on this subject. There are many reasons: insufficient education of impoverished communities, so that a poor peasant is not able to do the cultivation especially while agricultural companies use advanced machinery and systems that poor peasants are never going to afford; Distruction of fields continues, caused by the use of insecticides that destroy the biodiversity and the soil; Not enough fields are at people`s disposal; Lack of technology, to make any improvement possible; Missing resources. People abandon their rural communities and move to big cities where the situation is even worse: there are less possibilities to get food and the poverty encreases. Increasing exploitation of the soil turnes it into deserts as it already happens in many regions of our planet, wood trade on the black market, for example, keeps it going. Hunger has many explanations but no justification.
We should start from the nonintervention [...]
Martin Almada: We should start from the nonintervention rule into internal problems of a country. The armamanet race, carried out by the First world countries, affect us all, so the United Nations must be reformed in order to avoid chaos. Universal justice in the field of human rights is an important step towards a global government, because injustice affects us all. The detention of Pinochet in London, that lasted 18 months and was iniciated by the Spanish justice for his crimes in Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay proves the necessity for universal justice.
Yes, capitalism based on human exploitation [...]
Martin Almada: Yes, capitalism based on human exploitation by humans, leads to the corrupt character of the economic system, besides that the system is inherently corrupt. There can be and there must a fairer and more solidary version of the model. For example, an ethnic code should be introduced for the multinational companies that take up residence in the third world countries. Because they are societies creating lobbies and they succeed in establishing in our countries corrupting our civil servants. For this reason it is very important to draft a juster and more solidary model for the third world countries.
It can be explained by hypocrisy and lies, [...]
Martin Almada: It can be explained by hypocrisy and lies, which are usually used with these two terms and this terminology. Some powerful governments use these terms seeking to maintain their domination over the world. They get help from communication systems, that spread these lies either broadcasting them or through a press, that has influence over the public majority. In my country, when a rich kills a poor, a rich hides under a judicial pretext of a "self defence". And when a poor kills a rich, the press makes public, that a big crime has been committed. This double meaning is popular in rich countries too. When the rich commit a crime, the term "self defense" is being used, and when the poor are guilty, then they are defined as terrorists.
This happens because the United Nations is [...]
Martin Almada: This happens because the United Nations is weak, especially the Security Council, institution, created by exactly the same countries that cause these wars. The United Nations must be reformed. The citizens worldwide must put pressure on the UNO, demand the change of the current situation and the efficient work of this highest global institution. The number of civil casualties increases due to the highly modernised arms. The battles, where man fights against man, ended more than 100 years ago. Nowadays, nocturnal missiles are fired by computers and land very often wrong. These frequent errors cause thousands of civil casualties. People must go to the streets with no delay and demand the end of conflicts, the end of unjust wars.
We don´t have to sacrifice our liberty in [...]
Martin Almada: We don´t have to sacrifice our liberty in order to achieve security. It is the duty of the state to ensure phyisical and psychological security of its citizens. Citizens should participate in the process creating some balance. Instead of hiding at home, people should go to the streets and demand freedom, their presence must be felt all the time, constantly. Besides, in case the government lies and spreads wrong information, as the government of the United States did in case of Iraq, it is the duty of the people to oppose these lies.
The history teaches us that Christian [...]
Martin Almada: The history teaches us that Christian countries from the West attacked Third World countries imposing on them dictatorship. With political propaganda and hypocrisy, the United States created a common feeling of fear and invaded Iraq under a pretext of Sadam Hussain hiding weapons of mass distruction. This is the reason for growing anti-imperalist anger in the Islamic countries. It should not be forgotten, that the Christian occidental countries are the ones, that seek to impose their culture on the oriental countries in a non-democratic manner. anti-imperalist
We need badly an economic model based on [...]
Martin Almada: We need badly an economic model based on solidarity and not on exploitation. A neoliberal economic model based on excessive profits violates human rights and is detrimental to the nature. A neoliberal economic model has ended solidarity and has made our peoples individualistic. A neoliberal economic model is detrimental to the environment because of multinational companies which exploit our natural resources and our people. That´s why we have to change the model. I´m from Paraguay, so this neoliberal economic model is also detrimental to our aboriginal population, our natives, our peoples, as in their territory normally can be found petroleum and other valuable natural resources. We have to avoid that in order to end exploitation and promote solidarity.
Yes the corporate social resposibility can [...]
Martin Almada: Yes the corporate social resposibility can and has to be undertaken, uniting all the persons conscious of the current world situation and inspiring to fight for full employment, food, health, accommodation and education. Each of us can do something for it but the big change will come as a united force based on every community and group. In every part of the world a step forward has been done in this direction. The global social forum is an expression of it a space of encounter that helps us to continue this way. This gathering here in Berlin is already an expression of the existance of a corporate social responsibility.
No, an unequal representation of citizens [...]
Martin Almada: No, an unequal representation of citizens cannot create balance and harmony in a human society. The power should be equally distributed, especially as women can contribute a lot by seing global problems from a different perspective. Nevertheless, in my opinion, power is not a question of gender, man or woman, but it´s much more a problem of social compromise of being in favor or against the poor. For example, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, the ex-prime minister of England, and Ronald Reagan, supported the driving forces of the current economic model. This model makes huge profits possible, that are concentrated in the hands of very few ones and make those people more and more powerful. the wealth in the hands of very few ones, which become more and more powerful.
There was no development in Africa, because [...]
Martin Almada: There was no development in Africa, because of the First World countries´ exploitation. The colonization didn´t allow any development. At present, recolonization takes place in Africa once again,an exploitation bringing dependence and no development. Africa is a marvelous country, which I got to know personally when I was working in the UNESCO. The question of Africa is a shame to mankind. We talk about a continent full of natural resources,a continent which was home to extraordinary cultures and civilizations, like Egyptian, Muslims and others. Africa was inicially chosen as a place to be exploited by the Europeans, the economic powers of the XVI century. During almost three hundred years they have robbed this continent of its biggest treasure, its man and women, in order to turn them into slaves. This was the beginning of the African tragedy, a systematic loss of millions of people, loss of culture and languages during centuries. Such was the situation when in the XIX. and XX. centuries the colonies were shared among global powers. The international help couldn´t change the situation, nor could it fight against new forms of colonial exploitation. The results are obvious now. Poverty in Africa is not a result of great magic, but of decisions, actions and crimes committed by human beings at a certain point in time. Africa is a still outstanding bill, the same like the South American natives.
Organization defeats time. Honorable people [...]
Martin Almada: Organization defeats time. Honorable people should organize themselves in neighborhood commissions, in networks of neighborhood councils to demand a more transparent public administration. Besides, they should fight against impunity, because impunity causes two things: more corruption and more repression. We should change from a paternalist state into a protagonist society. History has teached us that the peoples made progress demanding their rights from the established powers. I repeat that it's the progress of the communities where the recomposition of the social fabric of our society begins.
According to the Universal Declaration of [...]
Martin Almada: According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights every human being should have the right to choose where to live as a fundamental right. Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay and Uruguay agreed to create the Marcosur (the Southern Common Market) for a free flow of goods, but they permit neither a free movement of people nor of ideas. The First World countries introduce discriminating regulations in order to avoid the flow of desperate people from the Third World. It is a shame, what some governments do: the example of Israeli government building a wall in order to separate Israel from Palestina. It´s a shame what the United States do. Its government builds a wall between the United States and Mexico. These acts violate the Human Rights, they violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It is due to the neoliberal economic model [...]
Martin Almada: It is due to the neoliberal economic model that global wealth lies in the hands of a few ones. This model is not socially accepted, on the contrary, currently it is seriously called into question by the example of Bolivia. Bolivian government fights in order to get back its energetic resources and to put it at disposal of its people again. Cuba is another example: earlier sugar was an object of interest of First World countries, nowadays Cuba exploits sugar for its own people, which means that the model is not accepted.
The world would be different today. Maybe [...]
Martin Almada: The world would be different today. Maybe wealth would not be concentrated in the hands of the very few ones, as it is now, which profited from a gratis African work force during slavery. If Africa would not have known the slavery, imposed by the First World countries, it would enjoy a different destiny.
A society dominated by legal norms is a [...]
Martin Almada: A society dominated by legal norms is a reflexion of social development. A former principle "eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth" is almost forgotten. Nowadays the principle of all being equal under the law is in crisis due to inequality of laws. A world dominated by other laws is possible, a juster one and showing more solidarity.
Where fanaticism prevails, be it political [...]
Martin Almada: Where fanaticism prevails, be it political or religious, it is impossible to reconcile it with universal human rights. Sadly we talk from the occidental point of view when we talk about universal human rights. The Orient has a different view in case of politics and religion. We have to respect both points of view. But I would like to finish saying that where fanaticism prevails, it is impossible to reconcile human rights or cultural values with the universal human rights.
Democracy, a model that derives its origins [...]
Martin Almada: Democracy, a model that derives its origins from ancient Greece and ispired the French Revolution in 1789, is the best system that has ever existed. It was created by human beings, a product of culture, hence it can still be perfected. It is important to follow and fulfil the philosophical principles this model is based on. Democracy means the revolution of ideas and a substantial progress. Power doesn´t come from God, nor is it hereditary. Power comes from people, people delegates it through a contract that is limited to 4, 5 or 6 years. In a democracy decisions are made following the will of the majority. The power is divided into three major branches: legislature that introduces congresses, parlaments, councils, constitutions, laws; judiciary that brings tribunals, consulates; executive authority, with its duty to implement the law. A Republic is based on democracy and the word "republic" brings us a fundamental cuestion []. Republic is a certain way to organize a country, to organize a nation, a state. A fundamental feature of such a state are public problems that concern everyone. In other words we would say that a republic is a way to organize a state that is based on common interests and public concerns of its citizens. All these basic principles should be directly lead to the sustainable human development. Nontheless, in reality these basic principles cannot be perfectly apllied and some of them have been misused for various reasons. One reason is the concentration of power in the hands of a head of state that turns him into a dictator. Other reason the influence of markets and of the neoliberal model which disfigure the function of the powers and where the executive is serving the enormous multinational companies. Enormous multinational companies don`t care about people but are interested in profit, so they care about consumers not persons. In order to be able to fight against it, people the people which are part of a republic should have a level of education health that allows them to participate actively in a democratic life.
Neither a "holy war" nor a "just war" exist. [...]
Martin Almada: Neither a "holy war" nor a "just war" exist. A war is always a crime and must be avoided at any price. The new global powers invent concepts "self-defense" and "humanitarian intervention" in order to justify their acts. It is necessary to observe what´s happening in the world and realize the real meaning of these concepts. For example, it´s worth to observe Afghanistan and the current situation in Iraq. Iraq was invaded in order to be rescued, but what the global powers achieved, is a worst evil - the civil war. And behind all this hides petroleum, valuable minerals, natural resources, in short, the most powerful ones are making good deals.
Unfortunately, the history teaches us, that [...]
Martin Almada: Unfortunately, the history teaches us, that big changes usually produce high numbers of innocent victims. Nevertheless, the anti-colonialist revolution in India was carried out with public pressure and without violence. Usually the power doesn´t relinquish power. We know that the United States of America accumulate big capitals exploiting people, spreading occupation, discrimination and intolerance. In technically advanced world the United States will soon reach its limits. The Soviet Union exploited people trough centralism, causing no bloodshed, and the United States exploit people using the falseness of democratic capitalism. None of them triumphed and both will become history as failed regimes, without any influence on our planet. The only way to diminish violence of change is to help people to understand the situation, to prepare them for a peaceful change in a democratic way.
When a terrorist is a state itself, a whole [...]
Martin Almada: When a terrorist is a state itself, a whole industry chain and building companies, alongside with the military industry, gain big profits and good capital. A war produces numerous deals with great profits under extraordinary conditions. Nowadays not only arms industry gains from a war, but big real estate companies ready to rebiuld cities, companies ready to provide medicine, equipment, medical help, education, communication. Everything that is destroyed in two days provides very good deals that will last more than twenty years, as it was the case during the Libanon war in the 80s.
For various decades multinational companies [...]
Martin Almada: For various decades multinational companies have been forming a power-network which is above the governments, it´s like a separate nation. The situation has not changed and in my opinion the brands of the products are currently more powerful than governments. The multinational companies are the ones that control the world and the result is: brands are more powerful than governments.
In the dictionary "courage" is defined as a [...]
Martin Almada: In the dictionary "courage" is defined as a determined and passionate attitude[...] . For example, European governments do not have the courage to stop the United States´ agressive ambition to sway over the world. Nowadays, the word "courage" implies acting differently from a submissive and silent majority, acting upon moral and ethical values in favour of life, of justice, of freedom, of creation, of expression, of health. This implies the need and the courage to start a worldwide fight against the evil of war.
Like in the Security Council of the United [...]
Martin Almada: Like in the Security Council of the United Nations, very few decide military over the world. A group of countries exists, which decides over the right to produce atomic bombs and about who is going to join this group. They judge that the Iranian atomic bomb is more dangerous than the North American one.
Normally the international laws serve to [...]
Martin Almada: Normally the international laws serve to asure peace and international understanding. These legal norms do not pose problems, but the governments of states that ignore those norms raise those problems, led by the interest to misappropriate the natural resources of peripheral countries. For example, this is what happened to Iraq, Afghanistan, Panama and Venezuela; countries, that because of forgetting to respect the international law, added themselves to the peripheral nations and doing so achieved the use and misuse of their natural resources.
Nowadays the connection between politics and [...]
Martin Almada: Nowadays the connection between politics and violence is very tight. The existing model promotes domination and destruction of the opponents in various ways. Nevertheless, the orginal historical meaning of politics was different. The word "politics" refered to the interest of city, police, community, so the original meaning was to promote development. It is essential to break the violent model and to replace it with better politics and sustainable development. In interest of the people and commen well-being a better answer should be found. The feeling of public conscience should grow in every individual so that they become active citizens, that contribute with their participation to decide the way of the world. The history teaches us that every politicy of expansion and domination produces violence. The examples of the First and Second World Wars and the current situation in Irak, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine proof it best. Lebanon binomial refer to
The system is based on evil logic and one of [...]
Martin Almada: The system is based on evil logic and one of its weapons is hypocrisy. Industrialised countries sell machinery to the people saying that it brings benefit to them. But later the products get broken all the lie and double games come out. These countries have their concerns about China because this giant could become a global pilitical power in only a few years time and could threaten the current great powers. That's why the most probable answer will consist of lies. The history shows us that the conquest of the markets has always been the reason for the global war.
Yes, many forms of colonialism exist in the [...]
Martin Almada: Yes, many forms of colonialism exist in the 21st century. The Third World countries still suffer from the exploitation of their riches in a modern way of colonialism. In other words, the Third World countries remain agro-exporters without being able to create jobs in the agricultural sector at home. This fact explains why massive emigrations into rich countries take place, where people are being exploited as a cheap or gratis work force. Rich countries put prices on the industrialised products and send them to the Third World countries. And they put prices on the products of the Third World countries too. When I refer to the products of Latin America I talk about basic products.
What is freedom? It is my right to have an [...]
Martin Almada: What is freedom? It is my right to have an option in life respecting the rights of others. In my country Paraguay I enjoy an absolut freedom of speech but I have no access to justice, because the judicial power continues to act as dictatorship being a part of executive branch. I don´t feel free nor protected by my state. In Paraguay officially prevails freedom, because general elections take place every five years, when a new president, new deputies and senators are elected. We have this problem not only in my country, but in the entire Latin America. We can take the example of Mexico, where frustrating elections have taken place. In those elections a small minority gains power and controls Mexico for more than hundred years now, as such is the will of the United States and big markets.
My personal freedom ends where the rights of [...]
Martin Almada: My personal freedom ends where the rights of another individual beginn to be valid. In a democratic state whith its citizens enjoying certain rights, the achievement of common good is everyone´s responsibility, in order to achieve freedom, equality and justice. In a society these lines are drawn by conventions, parlament decisions, municipalities, tribunals, but also by civil organisations. Nevertheless, each individual should decide for himself, listening to his/her voice of conscience, where the line between the personal freedom and the responsibility for common good is. Personal knowledge and education help to make a right decision.
A quick look over the global situation of [...]
Martin Almada: A quick look over the global situation of education gives me a negative answer. The majority of current educational systems is not suited to enable personal talents to bloom, especially at high schools and universities. They are more like places of social retention for young people to remain for years, in order not to enter the labour market. It is a big mistake of the economic model, that the current education model responds to the demand, the fundamental market law. It is obvious that a child cannot bloom in this context. In my country Paraguay there are millions of children beggining in the streets and millions that work instead of going to school and getting prepared for their future. The entire education system must be observed critically in order to enable children to delevop their talents, and also giving the teachers a chance to bloom and so improving the teaching quality. Unfortunately, the teaching in Latin America is very bad, apart from some exceptions.
Yes, Europe´s wealth is directly linked to [...]
Martin Almada: Yes, Europe´s wealth is directly linked to the poverty in the third world countries. In order to understand why, one should go through the history of invasions and the discovery of America from a commercial perspective. One can comprehend how the Europeans acted in the third world countries and how they impoverished them. First, the Europeans regarded the natives as inferior because of racial prejudices, imposed their own culture as they believed to be superior, disregarded their way of living and acting and later imposed their way of exchanging goods and plundered their natural resources. The explanation lies here but one has to understand it first and so be able to change this world into a much fairer one and with more solidarity. Indeed, the poverty of the third world is the result of the exploitation of their resources by the western countries.
This question arrises from the increased [...]
Martin Almada: This question arrises from the increased number of prejudices and the irrationality of egoism. According to the human rights, the life of each human being must be appreciated and respected. Otherwise, the worldwide declaration of the human rights would be nothing else than a political fraud. This is what José de Castro, a writer from Brasil, said in one of his books: "the rich cannot sleep at night, because they are scared of the poor. The poor cannot sleep because they are hungry". According to the neoliberal model, a life of the rich is worth more. The life of the rest is nothing else than high numbers in the worldwide statistics, unvisible actors in mankind's history. A big change is necessary. It is a big majority that produces goods, works on farms or in cities, where the rich don`t put a foot. I repeat, each life much be appreciated and respected.
In the Third World countries macro-economy [...]
Martin Almada: In the Third World countries macro-economy brings profit only to few exporters, as it is in case of Paraguay. Paraguay is a big soya exporter but without bringing any profit to its poor people. We seek to develop an economic system suitable for ordinary people, they could easy cope with and with the prospect of development. Micro-economy offers a great chance of improving the living standard of those excluded from a system. I work for Paraguay and head a foundation promoting micro-economy. We use solar energy in oder to create self-employment possibilities for young female peasants. In this micro-economy project we collect medical plants, tropical fruits and bring them to schools, solar energy too. We produce paper for plastic artists and create micro-economy for young female peasants in the area of solar energy. This is our experience in Paraguay we aim to develop further.
According to the history of our culture, the [...]
Martin Almada: According to the history of our culture, the power has always lain in the hands of men. This has led to the concept of machismo, called patriarchy. Machism decreases thanks brave women and some men fighting against it and in this way achieving the expected equality of opportunity for both. It is clear though, that the power should not be linked with the biological condition but rather with the human condition. That´s why women are still at a disadvantage in comparison to men, because of patriarchy.
We should organize and mobilize people to go [...]
Martin Almada: We should organize and mobilize people to go to the streets and demand justice, democracy and freedom. The mobilization of people to go to the streets is our best guarantee. We can see how successfully people both in Argentina and in Bolivia made unpopular governments to leave. The power with social basis is necessary, it should be a wide-spread and decentralized movement. We also shouldn´t forget the anti-colonialist revolution in India led by Mohandas Gandhi, which was carried out with public pressure and without violence.
The problem would not be solved by making [...]
Martin Almada: The problem would not be solved by making drugs disappear. The true reason for this problem are the relationships that human beings form with one another. In Bolivia, for example, children receive coca-leaves at schools, as a plant full of vitamins and mineral salts. The coca-leaf is not only important because of its high nutritional value, but for its use in medicine too. The drug is a chemical product of the coca-leaf, produced in a special way. The ancient cultures of the Andes never used coca-leaves as a drug. Only worldwide deals introduced drugs. In the hands of the powerful people drugs cause much suffering.
We are all responsible for what is happening [...]
Martin Almada: We are all responsible for what is happening in the world. With regard to AIDS in Africa we have to call for the World Health Organization of the United Nations to take on the responsibility and provide financial and scientific help in the fight against this evil, which devastates the African population and the entire world. There are so simple models, easy to carry out and effective, like tho one of Amnesty International, that forces down the national and to the international authorities by letters of protest. They have to be sent to the governments and to the United Nations. In this way the conspiratorial silence can be broken, it´s an effective method. For political reasons I was imprisoned in Paraguay and with the help of Amnesty International sending a letter of protest, I was set free in 1977. Returning to our subject "AIDS", it has to be said that this horrible pandemic shouldn´t make us to forget other deseases caused by poverty: tuberculosis and chronicle malnutrition. I repeat that we are all responsible as individuals, as society members and on the level of global organizations like the United Nations.
My heroes are Jesus Christ, Ghandi, Martin [...]
Martin Almada: My heroes are Jesus Christ, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and Che Guevara.
That's a very good idea because the world's [...]
Martin Almada: That's a very good idea because the world's patent laws were only established for the multinational companies to profit. Which one is the world organism that deals with patents? It's the world trade organization, a perverse organism that was only created in order to defend the interests of the important countries. My country, Paraguay, for example has a plant called Caa-hee, with the scientific name 'stevia'. There's a sugar in this plant which serves to combat diabetes. It's a product of my country, Paraguay, but the patent for it was taken out by certain countries of the industrialized world. Being a plant of my country, it serves multinational interests, and this cannot continue that way. That's why it is a very good idea to eliminate all patents of the world, or to make them serve the poor and not exclusively the rich, like it works for the time being.
Yes, there is an ecological limit to [...]
Martin Almada: Yes, there is an ecological limit to economic growth. We cannot continue permitting that the environment is destroyed to profit excessively. At the moment, there is a fight between the governments of Argentina and Uruguay about the installation of a paper factory from a First World country in the Uruguayan territory. This installation can provoke the contamination of the waters of both countries and of the region, and have unforeseeable consequences. It is necessary to establish an economic limit in order to protect the ecology. This role corresponds to the United Nations and to its specialized agencies. And each government should have the courage to comply with what has been agreed by the United Nations through the regional organizations.
After the 11th of september 2001, the [...]
Martin Almada: After the 11th of september 2001, the US-government seized the power to control everything, even the thinking. On the pretext of national security, telephone calls and use of the Internet are controlled. This threatens the freedom of speech and the right of personal and familiar intimacy. The respect of the private life should be inviolable, as codified in the national and international laws. Even so, there are ways to evade violations. First, by informing on the used strategy when not knowing it, by organizing protection strategies for documents, for the virtual space, and by defending ourselves against this invasion of the privacy.
I think that the inability of animals to [...]
Martin Almada: I think that the inability of animals to fend for themselves is due to the fact that today, pets and others have been removed from their natural habitat, and furthermore, the spaces they live in are small, and they are surrounded by an environment for which they are genetically not prepared, and they are far away from their natural environment. I think that's the reason why they show this inability. If we think calmly we can observe a huge egoism which makes us grant privilege to the interests of a person over the natural interests of the animal. And as to humans I would like to stress that in fact, humans are beeing domesticated by technology. by the quantity of hours they pass in front of the television or in front of their Internet screen. Man has settled down and that's very harmful for the physical and the social health because communication is interrupted.
We have to promote campaigns to fight [...]
Martin Almada: We have to promote campaigns to fight poverty and to protect the environment with important technical and financial assistance, with a [...] participation of the beneficiaries of these programs. We have make sure that the norms established both by the countries and by the United Nations are respected.
... through the law of the capitalistic [...]
Martin Almada: ... through the law of the capitalistic market. This produces conflicts of interests, provoked by the multinational companies. We have to promote a global media campaign to denounce these predatory companies, and also start judicial actions on national and international level, founded on the fact that human dignity is attacked, and, at the same time, ask the authorities for control and analysis in order to have security concerning the water available in home and public mains, to eliminate biological factors and contamination of minerals. There's an urgent necessity for this issue, "water as common good", to be object of a discussion on international level. Like there is a commission, a high commissioner for human rights, there must also be a high commissioner for the use of the water as common good.
I don't think that a technology which is [...]
Martin Almada: I don't think that a technology which is potentially harmful can save millions of lives. This technology should be combated in order to prevent it to be placed on the market. As to the question, there is the necessity to establish, at international level, an ethic tribunal which judges exactly the harmful potentials that a technology could have, aiming to avoid its application in the world.
In the face of a change climate, the obvious [...]
Martin Almada: In the face of a change climate, the obvious thing to do is to seek for new energy resources, whether wind or solar or biodiesel. In the face of the energy shortage, competition is substituted by an efficient use of the energy. The reduction of poverty is a more efficient weapon to fight against the exclusion and the destruction of the environment. Against global militarization the control, reduction or suppression of weapons of mass destruction in general is preferable. We see that climate change, poverty and global diseases are provoked by the countries of the industrial nations. We have to run big campaigns, media campaigns in order to stop this collective suicide.
Television, under control of the [...]
Martin Almada: Television, under control of the multinational companies, produces junk programs, entertainment programs which don't contribute at all to the critical education of the consuming population. It is important to fight and to conquer spaces also for educational and cultural programs. There are some good examples in the world which are worth to be considerated. But this is an issue of public interest, and the citizens can help to change the world. The organization that deals with media is the UNESCO which has its headquarters office in Paris. And it is necessary that UNESCO together with the governments promote the control of the excessive control exercised by the multinationals, in order to get more news of interest, more educational news on the screen.
The FAO is the UN agency which deals with [...]
Martin Almada: The FAO is the UN agency which deals with genetically modified cultures and which established recommendations that are not respected by the countries of the First World. It is evident that the will of the multinational companies is superior to the will of the FAO. In my country, Paraguay, in 2002, the US-company Deltapine, in order to avoid paying large sums for the burning of their junk products, in concrete seeds of genetically engineered cotton, sowed in Paraguay for manure for the farmers. These cotton seeds sowed by Deltapine provoked the death of many people in my country, of many people. Judiciary actions were started, but the Deltapine advocates prevented the company from beeing sentenced, due to the enormous economic power that this company has. So it is causing growing concern that these multinational companies produce and send to the Third World these genetically modified, not recommendable seeds.
This has always been and will always be one [...]
Martin Almada: This has always been and will always be one of the big issues of philosophy and of the human questions. Those who work in research are humans and so they can make mistakes. Nonetheless, the culture has been establishing some schemes which are the forms of seeking for rational knowledge. They are forms which are adapted for the knowledge to be reliable, for a huge quantity of persons and during some time. That's why they try to leave aside personal and miserable interests. Science is a fantastic human construction which always has to be directed by ethic. Nevertheless, in the last century science has violated limits several times and has been attracted by the powerful. An obvious example can be found in the scientific investigation developing war weapons which become more lethal all the time. There is also science, or let's say scientists who work on the task to help the poor and the excluded, offering their services to the oppressed. Invention of vaccines against poverty diseases, water installation systems, finally those who generate environmentally responsible technologies, like solar kitchens.
In these times in which we live, [...]
Martin Almada: In these times in which we live, disintegration, executions and solidarity crises are joined by the brutal destruction of the environment. The transnational companies are directly responsible for the warming of the Earth, by attacking and exploiting merciless our natural resources. Fundamentally, it is the UN-agency UNESCO which is specialized in fighting against global warming in the field of education. Justice too has a lot to do in this area. The international tribunal in The Hague should push forward the condemnation of persons and institutions which attack our environment. For example, bring to the dock the international, multinational companies which exploit oil, water, mines, and those which promote the intensive cultivation of soya, of cotton, and, not to forget, the great winners who destroy the woods in order to cultivate parcs for their animals. They must be judged and condemnded.
United States has not signed the ecological [...]
Martin Almada: United States has not signed the ecological pact of Kyoto because it knows that it is the country with the highest consume of energy in the world and the world's most contaminating country. The ideal would be that these countries with huge territroies like China, India, United States and Brazil respect the national and international agreements in this field. We have to put an end to this disproportionate use of consume in the whole world. And this space today, that of the voices, is a huge opportunity for diffusing and making the campaign to stop the massive exploitation of our resources, mainly natural, in the countries of the Third World.
Architecture offers a wide field to offer, [...]
Martin Almada: Architecture offers a wide field to offer, together with the engineering, solutions and contributions to sustainable human development. Some forms of contribution to the development by architecture: - Ancient home construction technologies can be retained, using elements available in the environment, as for example the construction of homes with clay bricks. - Also the construction of homes and spaces with blocks of recycled material. - The design of public buildings and spaces in conformity with the necessities of the people and the families, with the climatic and cultural conditions of each community. - The generation of jobs through innovative designs of domestic, educational and business equipment. - The volorization of water as fundamental element in private and public spaces, following utilitarian and esthetic purposes. - Also the design of the space which promotes coexistence and not mad rushes and violence. - The development of strategies allowing mutual help and own efforts for constructing homes and communitarian spaces. This is the wide field architecture, mainly bioclimatical architecture, offers.
I wish there was a society in which people [...]
Martin Almada: I wish there was a society in which people could grow without poverty, live without fear and in solidarity. For us, the people from the Third World countries, it is hard to understand how territories can be privatized and fenced in, how water can be privatized and commercialized, how drugs can be privatized. These are common goods! That's why there is so much poverty. I wish that this kind of social division between rich and poor would stop. In my country, 85 or 86% of the population is poor. In a country that is this rich, 5% of the people are very rich. In my country, these 5% of the people die of arteriosclerosis, excessive consume of meat, and the poor die of malnutrition. The rich in my country consume 4,000 to 5,000 calories per day, and the poor 2,000 to 2,200. And this is not right! We have to work on growing without poverty and having a just salary. We have to live wihtout fear, without violence, and, above all, in solidarity.
The ubiquitousness of mass media in the [...]
Martin Almada: The ubiquitousness of mass media in the hands of the multinational companies is a real problem. The multinationals follow the aims of the market, and, little by little, they have invaded the privacy of the people, and by ambition of conquering the market, they break the limits of social communication and diffuse pornography. On the other hand, the availability of mass media today could be a mean to promote knowledge, and also a huge opportunity to promote the communal radio networks which help the agricultural producers know the state of the markets, sell better, care about the environment, to diffuse health norms and other good things. The media should help unite the people, and not make events out of the misery of people, like war, tragedy, crime, raids, violations. So, mass media really is a problem, and at the same time, a huge opportunity.
I think this will be possible shortly. I [...]
Martin Almada: I think this will be possible shortly. I don't know where. There is already notable progress bringing us closer to that. It is good to make clear that the energy impulses, the thinking will remain in a person's brain. There will always be a human will for saying and acting, for deciding and acting. I think that for the disabled, this kind of connection would be very precious. This contact of the machine (a computer for example) with the human brain may be very precious for a disabled person. To me, it seems to be a very good idea.
Within the scope of the neoliberal system it [...]
Martin Almada: Within the scope of the neoliberal system it is impossible for sections of the population to get a worthy education. The most important step is to fight against this straggling current in view of the conquest of the power, that a democratic, participative, pluralistic and solidary government is appointed. I think that the first step in the fight against this system is education. A South African leader already said: 'The most powerful weapon in hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed'. So, we have to fight with a liberating education. This is the first step to fight against that straggling current which keeps oppressed our people in the Third World.
In these times we are seeing, we observe the [...]
Martin Almada: In these times we are seeing, we observe the institutional desintegration, and we observe solidarity crises. The big farmer family will eat itself up, displacing the young generation towards the urban multitude. [Never has the world been communicated that much, and still people seem to be every time more afraid of communication.] Never have the urban centers been this crowded, and still people talk about loneliness. Never have people needed human warmth more than today, and still any approach makes friendliness and gestures of solidary help become suspicious. The big capital, together with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization have managed to impose the individualism from which people in the whole world suffer and which is the reason of our loneliness, even if there are so many people in the world.
We live a scenario of radical change in the [...]
Martin Almada: We live a scenario of radical change in the field of communications. The starting up of networks like the Internet has brought a very big change. For low-income communities in particular, it can turn into a huge opportunity for their social and economic development by offering their products in the virtual market. It can also serve as a medium for education, for alphabetizing as to offered programs. In our daily experience, we already see the speed and the importance of communications for having influence on political actions. It is easier to organize a march, public documents and declarations are [deployed] to fix a position in order to defend one's human rights. The installation of digital communicaton centers in low-income sectors can bring multiple benefits, for learning, for the basic elements of the new technologies, for e-mail, for the evaluation of markets and products, for the support of scholar and academic activities by the use of virtual dictionaries and libraries. This covers the whole field of human communication. Each time the interests are linked to personal and communitarian development and promotion, the community itself can establish the rules in order to prevent perverse manipulations, pornography and other elements from this fabulous tool which is the Internet. The information from power resources can this time be of vast utility for the people.
If by 'tree' we understand the pillar on [...]
Martin Almada: If by 'tree' we understand the pillar on which is based our life, I would say that my tree is the Quebracho tree, a typical tree of the dryest region of Paraguay and South America. It is the hardest tree and its wood is the most resistant. I think that my life experience has been like that, and I had to be very strong to survive the years as political prisoner and the tortures of the military dictatorship of Stroessner in my country, 1954-1989. But I also had the opportunity to grow and to develop in new aspects. In spite of the hardness of the Quebracho tree, this tree also flowers. It was possible for me to grow and to flourish, seeking for the truth and for justice, fighting against impunity. I fight against impunity because impunity generates more corruption and more repression in my country and in Latin America.
According to my opinion our human [...]
Martin Almada: According to my opinion our human necessities are divided into four categories: exist, be, do and possess. Our politicians in my country, Paraguay, have become corrupt and are insatiable because to them applies the value "possess", possess more and more and always more. All the other values stay submerged. So, our value depends on what we possess and not on what we are, as a person, or on how much our work is worth, on the way we are in the world, in our community. The imbalance is [...] easily. To fight against consumerism can be learned. In many households, they combat the immoral attitude of some big companies, by fighting against the purchase of some emblematic products. In my country for example, Paraguay, and also in Argentina, a campaign against the consumption of McDonald's products. McDonald's which doesn't respect the national norms and, on top of that, produces junk food. Due to a movement of the Paraguayan Association of consumers, it was possible to fix a certain day on which many people to a great extent don't buy McDonald's products. That is how, in many places, the immoral attitude of these big companies is combatted, by fighting against the purchase of some emblematic products. These citizen actions lead to good results. In the end, the barriers we put to the consumers are the arms which will stop them. That's why the consumers' associations in each country must be strengthened.
To be perceptive, a critical conscience is [...]
Martin Almada: To be perceptive, a critical conscience is needed. Our latin-american education meets with criticism [...] which is reproduced by the economic and the social system. We have to promote a liberating education in order to wake up those who are sleeping, and to organize and mobilize those who are awake. As part of the planet, we have to react together to defend our ecology, to defend our energy and all forms of life, wether animal or vegetal. That is the challenge of today.
Coca Cola is a product of a multinational, [...]
Martin Almada: Coca Cola is a product of a multinational, whose budget is similar to that of the four countries of Mercosur: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Coca Cola deals with so much money that it allows it to impose its product to all the markets in the world, in conformity with its own exigencies. That's why it is easier to get a can of Coca Cola than a glass of water, unfortunately.
What we can learn from Africa? We can learn [...]
Martin Almada: What we can learn from Africa? We can learn the enormous respect that it has for its elders. There are lots of treasures in its cultures, its music, its traditional medicine, its way of knowing. Its art and its music left jewels in the art and the music of the 20th century, through Picasso and jazz music.
We can create a balance between the [...]
Martin Almada: We can create a balance between the preservation of the regional culture and the development of the global community, by doing research and studying the characteristics of each region, its identity, in order to valorize it more, still more, and to diffuse it. The balance can be attained when the different cultures express the same necessities and when the different answers given to these necessities are put in evidence. Due to what is common, we can share, due to what is different, we can distinguish ourselves. For example the necessity of protection that all human beings have refers to their refuge, to a refuge, to a home. This home is the necessity. The difference lies in the answer, and so the homes of the Eskimo in the Arctic are made of ice blocks, but the homes in the desert zone are of loam and have another shape. This way, architecture was created, bioclimatic architecture, common principles and different strategies. The same is true for health and the other necessities. UNESCO has produced many agreed documents in order to attain this balance. These international agreements are not respected by the countries which decide on the world's destiny.
Thanks to 'dropping knowledge' we are here [...]
Martin Almada: Thanks to 'dropping knowledge' we are here in this historical place, right opposite to the Humboldt University where, 70 years ago, books were burned, the libraries of this university were burned by the Nazis. Thanks to 'dropping knowledge' we have this opportunity to share all these questions and answers, and now the work is up to us to diffuse them to local and intenational media in order to start the enriching dialogue. For that, the new communication technologies and chain posting, from person to person, can be used. The most important is the motive which brings us together in Berlin, and this motive is to give an alert, so that we all react and can participate in changing the situation and making possible a better world, more habitable, with more justice and more solidarity, and above all: another world is possible, another world is possible! I repeat my thanks to 'dropping knowledge' and its team which organized this important historical event.
The history of money, main cause of the [...]
Martin Almada: The history of money, main cause of the problems in the world, is for me an unreported story. From the beginning of the story, with the discovery of this medium of transition, the conflicts in the world emerged. That's why it is necessary to know the history of money, to seek a proper solution to its hegemony. It seems that we can't do without money. The other story that we need to know today is the story which tells us that the problems of crises are not, for the time being, created by privation but by the abundance of richness. So, what I'm talking about is the necessity of knowing two stories: the story of the money and the story of the richness which, today, is abundant and not short, but still there is much poverty. This is a very contradictory phenomenon. There are many unreported stories, of the dark side of humanity as well as of the shining one. And the issues which I mentioned [have been treated] in a certain way, but not in a massive way. It is necessary to know them and to discover them again.
It depends on the issue it is about. If it [...]
Martin Almada: It depends on the issue it is about. If it is about questions referring to physico-mathematical sciences, this cannot happen. If, in return, it is about a question referring to the social sciences' field, it is possible, because it is about details of subjects which can have contradictory aspects. Furthermore, contradiction can be created by the perspective in which the observer places himself. You are right, but me too, I'm right. We only have a different point of view. This issue has been one of the big preoccupations of the cognitive science and will continue to be a preoccupation as long as we keep on searching where the truth is. It is part of the human character, and of the adventure of existing. That's why, as far as questions of the physico-mathematical sciences field are concerned, this cannot happen. But it can take place in the field of social sciences. Considering this question, it is understandable why there have been so many wars in the world.
I would like to give to the world my [...]
Martin Almada: I would like to give to the world my experience about the fight for the defense of human rights and for the defense and protection of the environment. In the field of human rights, I have dedicated my life to the fight against the dictatorship in my country which lasted for more than 35 years. In the field of environment, I head a foundation generating jobs, using solar energy as job generator. This is my greatest experience. This is what I want to do and this is what I'm doing, because defending the environment is also defending the human rights, rights that we all have, like using the oxygen, protecting our environment. I fight for liberty, I fight for democracy, I fight in favour of justice, to consolidate democracy in my country, Paraguay, and in Latin America.
This is part of the big stupidity which [...]
Martin Almada: This is part of the big stupidity which surrounds us or in which we are immersed. It seems we don't see what's obvious. We set traps for ourselves. Basically, the inventions should serve humanity, in order to enhance the quality of life and not to convert us into stupid consumers as we are being at the moment.
I imagine that the technology referred to in [...]
Martin Almada: I imagine that the technology referred to in this question is the one applied in the big multinational companies. In this sense one can say that although the objective has been the massive consume, some kinds of technology, like the one of the mobile phones, have allowed the communication to many people from rural and very poor sectors who wouldn't have access to a home phone. The laser technology has managed to incorporate itself with great success into the field of medicine and to provide cure to problems as common as the so-called cataract of the eyes. It depends on who uses the technology. In the case of Cuba, they have used pioneer technologies to benefit thousands of people from different latin american countries, with surgeries made in Cuba with latin american countries, better known as 'miracle surgery'. There is always a will of whom generates the technology, but there is also a will of whom uses or consumes it. This user's will is what has to be educated in the values and in accordance with the human rights. There is a lot of work to do within the consumers' associations which are the ones that can use it or reject it.
Each country should administer its own [...]
Martin Almada: Each country should administer its own natural resources, in conformity with the national and international norms established to this end. Indeed, the natural resources are exploited by the multinational companies. Unsustainable situation! This cannot continue. That's why we have to fall back on the international authorities to stop the excessive exploitation, the wild exploitation of global resources. It is unsustainable that the global resources continue to be in the hands of multinationals, because we attack the environment, the right to a healthy environment on planet Earth. That's why, to stop the climate changes, it is necessary that the resources from natural resources are administered by the countries themselves, in respect of the national and international norms.
This depends on the association one gives to [...]
Martin Almada: This depends on the association one gives to the word 'indigenous'. As a vast majority of ibero-americans, we have indigenous blood and my mother tongue is Guaraní, that's why this question affects me a lot. I prefer that we talk of culture in the 21st century, and that all aboriginal people are respected, valued, and that we can retain forms of knowing, of acting and of thinking which can help us to change today's chaotic world. We can and we have to continue to be aboriginal people with rich cultures and interesting contributions. In this sense, what happened in Bolivia with the access of president Evo Morales promises to be an extremely valuable experience for the andean indigenous people who have suffered genocides and violations of their human rights during centuries. The indigenous population is highly important in Latin America, with its own and ancestral culture that must be respected and promoted.
When it's up to human beings, I would [...]
Martin Almada: When it's up to human beings, I would recommend genetic engineering which can save the life of people and protect them from serious diseases. I wouldn't recommend a genetic engineering acting under a prefabricated scheme of beauty. Here again, the necessity of establishing an international ethic tribunal imposes itself, in order to know which are the recommendations for genetic engineering that can save or harm the life of humans.
The decision is oriented by the knowledge [...]
Martin Almada: The decision is oriented by the knowledge and the attitude towards the values. If everyone knows the harm he/she can do by manufacturing a fact, and if he/she believes in the values, the decision will undoubtedly be to opt for the truth. If the person has also a little bit of experience and knows that, in the end lies are uncovered, it isn't worth trying to manufacture facts. In the end, this message turns into a trap. And that's why the trap must be evaded. We have to say the truth and take responsibility for it.
For me, the three most important values are: [...]
Martin Almada: For me, the three most important values are: the search for the truth, the execution of liberty, and the administration of justice. We have to seek the truth and avoid lies. The execution of liberty opposes oppression; we are against dictatorships. And the administration of justice, because on the way to justice is life.
The most important subject are the feelings [...]
Martin Almada: The most important subject are the feelings that the arts are able to transmit and provoke. Because the arts are, like Ortega y Gasset, the great spanish philosopher who studied here in Germany said, 'the arts are the luxury that all men and all women need'. The arts are this free space where we can appreciate beauty and pain and happiness, and somehow, we all have access to the arts, through songs, images, objects. When in the arts there are no emotions and, in return, there are pure concepts, there aren't any emotions. We are not confronted to genuine arts when there aren't any emotions. Transmitting and generating emotions helps the political struggle. When I was in prison, for political reasons, writing my poems, I thought that I was fighting, because of my pain and for liberty, and I wrote poems entitled "Y también se lucha cantando" (And we also sing while fighting).
I'm anxious to transform the world, and at [...]
Martin Almada: I'm anxious to transform the world, and at the same time, to transform myself for the good of humanity. So, what am I doing in my country to transform the world and to transform myself? I head a foundation called "Fundación Celestina Pérez de Almada". We have two fundamental activities there: the defense and protection of the human rights, and the defense of the environment. What are we doing for the defense and protection of the human rights? In 1992, we have found the secret archives of the Paraguayan political police. And there, we have also found information on Operation Condor which cost more than 100.000 lives in Latin America. Who were the [persecuted], arrested and disappeared people in Latin America? It were the intellectuals, the students, the professors, artists, advocates of the human rights. Furthermore, we have recently created the Human Rights Museum, the museum of memories, dictatorship, human rights. What are we doing in order to enhance our life quality? We have a program to fight poverty, using solar energy.
It is difficult to answer this question [...]
Martin Almada: It is difficult to answer this question because the word "myth" has different associations. I think that we can construct myths in the sense of legends or instructive epos, founded on values of a peaceful society. One can tell epos of people who fought for the survival on the planet, who fought for the freedom of their people, for the defense of human rights, for women's rights, for the protection of the children, for the right to education. Stories in which these values triumph and are accepted by society.
The progress of technology as to the [...]
Martin Almada: The progress of technology as to the utilization of clean and renewable energies is slow, but it is there. It will include important cultural changes. And maybe we should again travel more by ships, by boats, by canoes in order to take more time for each activity and to ask ourselves: Why are we running so much and where to? That's why there is a vast desorientation in today's world. The photovoltaic solar energy has got promising applications in all activities. And as to the solar thermal energy, like it was shown by the International Science Conference, the International Conference of the Solar Kitchen in Granada in Spain. In my experience, one can cook and create jobs with it without the necessity of huge investments. The wind energy has also proven to be favourable in supplying vast regions in Europe with water and electricity. The energy from biomass and biodiesel can be again originated by a huge quantity of products which are available in abundance, like sugar cane, oil used in restaurants, finally, new interesting possibilities. The beginnings of a change of this size are expensive, but I think it is worth to do it and to keep on doing research. Oil is a source of permanent tension all over the world, and has to be replaced by the least violent means.
Because the Occidental and Christian culture [...]
Martin Almada: Because the Occidental and Christian culture of the last four centuries has emphasized the power of the nation state. The majority of our educational sistems arose in the 19th century, and the value of the nation was fundamental in these times. The official public education is always behind in relation to the circumstances in which people are living. The problems humanity has today are related to the planet in its entirety, to the possibility of life and to the conscience that we live in the same house, that we share the same home. Understanding this is very hard, because the power lies in the hands of political groups and governments which don't even sign the conventions concerning climate change. The reality of today, that is the education we receive in the capitalistic and individualistic educational system.
The food is of bad quality because the [...]
Martin Almada: The food is of bad quality because the industrialization process has led to a very huge percentage of food processing, and the habit of cooking food without packing has got lost. As to urban life, the majority of the people have also lost their little plots to cultivate their own food. The imposed lifestyle leads to small kitchens, to the fact that there is no time to dedicate to cooking, and no time for eating with other persons, and to make out of the food an occasion of biological and mental health to share. The aim of gaining more and more makes that food keeps for a longer time. And they use preservatives which are harmful to the health [...]. Because it is easier, under the stress of today's life, to get fast energy by taking huge quantities of carbohydrates, eating bred, and by consuming greases of bad quality, due to the speed with which they are prepared. Balanced meals require more time and dedication to prepare vegetables. This requieres more work and more time. The ministry of health and the municipalities have to apply their special regulations and apply the ethic code, because in the end, junk food is an attack against our life, especially for children, because it is harmful in the whole world, in poor regions as well as in rich ones.
God is beginning and end. That's why he [...]
Martin Almada: God is beginning and end. That's why he cannot have a religion. The word 'religion' alludes to 'religar' (spanish), which means to tie ourselves down again, to unite us to the bascis of all things. All the religions consider that these basics are good, are positive. God is creative energy, God is love. That's why we are here in Berlin, trying to come back to the basics, so that hate never again leads us astray from the way of love and of the fight for human rights.
How to protect the identity of the cities? [...]
Martin Almada: How to protect the identity of the cities? By organizing a scheme of its main characteristic, of those features which make it unique and singular. Then diffusing it through all possible medias, and educating its own inhabitants in order to protect this cultural good. The education about these issues is first up to the governing body, to those who have a power of decision, to the entrepreneurs of the big property companies, to the social communicators. Another way is to separate the historical and medieval centres from the new edification zones, to generate modalities of responsible tourism in order to raise the interest for those areas. Another very important thing is to recognize that the identity of the cities is linked to the identity of their inhabitants and that it is part and parcel of the memory. If the historical memory of a city is eliminated there's no future.
Race is an obsolete concept. All human [...]
Martin Almada: Race is an obsolete concept. All human beings are equal in their dignity and value. The difference lies in the culture to which they belong. On the other hand, african-americans are simply americans. But the dominating capitalistic economic system makes that african-americans are citizens of the second category because they were the ancient slaves, liberated recently in the middle of the 19th century. These citizens and these human groups, so important for the shaping of the north-american society, has two centuries of difference as to the conquest of power, compared with the descendants of white colonists. I repeat that race is an obsolete concept which must be defeated.
Something very easy and available to all is [...]
Martin Almada: Something very easy and available to all is necessary. I propose to see our environment, the daily reality, with different eyes. There is nothing more passionating than observing people and their behaviour. By the task of observing, our instrument for knowing the truth is improved. Doing that, we can see in small scale the panorama which is common to many, many places in the world. We can see justice, human poverty, the lack of liberty, pain, censorship, egoism, and simultaneously, we can appreciate all the good and the positive things. For a young to have the desire to change the world, he only has to do that. His heart will show him what is bad and what is good. Everyone learns it by experience. But people also have to study in schools and universities in order to get knowledge, to develop abilities and, basically, to create open and respectful attitudes. This will help to make a difference. We can as well read any report of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, UNESCO, FAO, WHO or World Food Programme. The reading of the statistics can sometimes make our heart shiver, just as well as seeing the misery in the streets. In the first place, discern the values and anti-values through ethic, history and philosophy, so they can allow you to fight for the common good, on the basis of the seek for the truth.
The Internet can improve our society every [...]
Martin Almada: The Internet can improve our society every time there is a faster and cheaper information mail, acting as a vehicle for education through different level courses, from alphabetization to university career or [...] courses; in the service of health, through the updating of professionals [far from] university centers; and information about markets and values, communicating with different organizations and establishing networks of solidary help, for buying and selling products, for the exchange of goods and services, for the realization of projects, and finally, a vast range of actions. The Internet can also be a precious instrument in the struggle against corruption, by the public diffusion of information.
A scenario where the world is shattered by [...]
Martin Almada: A scenario where the world is shattered by famine, rush, migrations, endless wars and fights, daily insecurity, generalized [...], chaos, injustice, no more freedom. The future of the cities is not at all promising. It is possible to imagine that the cities will get empty and that people return to the countryside, to escape the tensions existing in the big cities, until the balance and the human dimension have recovered again. We have to return to the countryside, our origin. And the business of the property companies must finally be stopped in the whole world.
The result would be a grave global [...]
Martin Almada: The result would be a grave global contamination. For the time being, we can't do anything about the use of cars. It is hard to live without cars. That's why it is urgent to promote eco-cars, i.e. cars that use for example solar energy, electricity and biodiesel. This is the answer we give to that question.
Yes, the model of capitalism provokes human [...]
Martin Almada: Yes, the model of capitalism provokes human egoism and human failure. I repeat, the model of capitalism causes human egoism and human failure. The model of capitalism introduces the model of individualism, and individualism leads to schizophrenic egoism. There is no solidarity here, that`s why we must believe in a more just and more human world. Such a world is necessary and possible to create.
