All for the people, but without the people

Many people is concious about the damage on the earth because the human effect. Everything is crap, and nobody is doing anything to change it.

Environmental damage, animal harm, extintion of species, pollution lead also to a social damage. Chemical products, medicins, food, water affect people´s daily life provoking cancer, malformations, deaaths and so on. However, these are "poor" people who do not have the power to change anything. Big corporations have it, but they create the law according to their vested interests to do legal activities without any public concern. Human rights are violated everyday, laws are transgressed and justice does not solve it,

Capitalism, consumism and lust for power have developed themselves in the deepest economic crisis in years. But it is not only an economic crisis, it is also political, social, and above all, it is a moral worldwide crisis. Who is going to change this, the ones who created it, the ones who gained benefits from it, the millions of unemployers or exploted people...?

The corporation, some of the truths of the world you live in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rue2-g5F82U

All the living beings are being destroyed but the ones who could change it are the ones with power, and honestly I do not think the are willing to do it, people need to take a role in this situation because without us, they are nothing, but if we led them to continue what they are doing, the consequences will be unforeseened for the society.

In- Out referéndums

Nowadays, there is a question about if belong to a Union or not, if belonging to a country or getting independence. Why is it all about? and Why now? 

In the UK the EU referéndum can be a double edge sword. Scotland wants to stay in the EU, so they may get a better change if the leave the UK and then apply to the EU membership. However, if they vote in 2014 to remain as apart of the UK, they may vote therefore to stay in the EU in 2017. David Cameron, Primer Minister of the UK, on the side of the Conservatives is playing with fire. 

But the same situation can be applied to Mr. Mas, President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Spain. They would like to get autonomy because they think they would be better as an independent state. Perhapps, but have they measure the consequences? Debt, EU membership, Spain vs Catalonia relationship, and so on. It is not an easy decision that can be taken fast, but quite the opposite it is necessary clear information of the situation, the difficulty to foreseen the unknown, and of course consensus and negotiations with the Central Government. 

The economic crisis is putting everything upside down. The EU today doesn not look as successfull as it did five years ago. Some territories want to have a referendum to leave it, and others to be a new state of it. What is it that? This "cherry-picking" is not viable today, and every member, country or territory must be solidary and work together to rearrange what one day it looked as a good idea. It is also necessary to protect national identities, what I think it is all about at the end. 

The "post-sovereign" world: The half-truths and the (crisis of the) Nation-States

II Part- Dissertation

Nationalism inside an existing country usually has two sides to the same story. This topic has several and contradictory interpretation of facts. This dissertation will analyse four aspects of the Spanish reality to make a clearer and more complete picture of the independence of Catalonia.

This sentiment has its foundation in a specific vision of Spanish history. Also, the divergence on the economic issue depends on how they look in the glass. The project will also address the problematic of the sociological aspects will be also explained. And especially, it will assess the importance of the role of the politicians and the interpretations of the events according to their vested interests.

Moreover, this dissertation will evaluate the role of the Nation-States in Europe in connection with independence movements. A wider perspective will be included with the examples of Scotland and Quebec. 

The Battle for Independence: A Catalan or a Spanish problem?

I Part- The Project

The Catalan independence movement has growth exponentially recently. The reasons are several and debatable, but there are clear circumstances that have helped its development. The judgement of the Constitutional Court in 2010, limiting the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, had an important social impact. The lack of response from the government also fuelled the unrest. Since then, demonstrations have led towards the demand for independence for Catalonia.

The political, sociocultural and economic conflict is now in a turning point where polarization is extreme. For some, (unilateral) independence seems the only way to go. For others, there are a few other alternatives. Anyway, negotiation is a prerequisite to achieve the best and the less painful solution for all. This project is intended for anyone who wants to have a better understanding of this situation and thinks that extreme positions are not the only solution.

 

El primer día de debate de CELAC acaba sin acuerdos

Cinco minutos de oración marcan el comienzo del primer debate de la Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribeños (CELAC) del viernes 16 de Febrero de 2012, a pesar de la oposición de algunos estados miembros. Sí, rezando. Por qué? O mejor dicho, por quién?. La razón primaria se encuentra en el carácter católico de la organización. Sin embargo, el representante de la República Dominicana, Radoslalo Zelewski, justificó este acto en agradecimiento de su comandante, como así llaman a Hugo Chavez, fundador de esta organización regional de países latino americanos y caribeños hace ya tres años.

La batalla contra las drogas
El propósito del comité Latinoamericano de estos días en las conferencias de LIMUN 2013, que tienen lugar en la City de Londres, es encontrar una solución a dos problemas que están complicando la vida de los latinoamericanos y su imagen en el exterior: el mundo de las drogas y la influencia militar del exterior en el continente.

Parece que el tema está preparado para su discusión, pero primero los representantes de los estados miembros de CELAC deberían ponerse de acuerdo en cuánto tiempo tiene cada orador para hablar. Después de los 15 minutos discutiendo el “cuánto”, se proponen las mociones: las causas del fracaso de la prohibición de las drogas y, seguidamente, la discusión de las posibles soluciones al narcotráfico.

Culpables y víctimas
Lentamente, los representantes de CELAC dan su opinión sobre cuáles son las causas del problema y cuáles sus posibles soluciones, aunque de poco sirve si no llegan a un acuerdo. Empiezan las discrepancias sobre quién consume, quién produce, quiénes son los responsables, y sobre todo, empiezan las contradicciones y acusaciones.

Brasil, Barbados, República Dominicana, México, Bolivia y Venezuela protagonizan los argumentos más contradictorios, pero a la vez más clarificadores. Al cabo de más de una hora de negociaciones, algunas de las causas del problema están claras: corrupción, demanda exterior, y problemas de política interior como la falta de recursos económicos, la erradicación de la pobreza y la escasa educación de los jóvenes. La República Dominicana, por ejemplo, pone de manifiesto la debilidad del régimen democrático y del poder jurídico en el continente latino. Por otra parte, Venezuela se siente desvinculado de dicho problema, puesto que es el continente con tradición democrática más larga de toda Latino América.




Representante de Bolivia. G. Llopart

La llamada a la unidad por parte de algunos representantes no surte efecto, y los reproches y recriminaciones entre los miembros se hacen cada vez más evidentes. La representante Boliviana, Gloria Llopart Barrera, acusa firmemente a México de régimen corrupto, proponiendo como solución un consejo de los estados latinos y caribeños, “para acabar con la corrupción política de México -por ejemplo- y todos sus problemas de carteles que hay en este país”. Johannes Federkevl, representante de México, declara en su defensa la dificultad de tratar el problema, y alega que se deje de hablar de corrupción tan airosamente puesto que “no somos corruptos”.




Representante de México. J.Federkevl

Cuando el ambiente se relaja, los miembros de CELAC proponen medidas para solucionar y aliviar estos problemas, pero el tiempo se agota. Legalización vs ilegalización, corrupción interior vs demanda exterior. Los problemas están sobre las mesa, también las posibles soluciones; pero no alcanzan un acuerdo común. En lugar de ello, continúan tirando piedras al país vecino. “El problema de las drogas no va a desaparecer tan fácilmente”, afirma la República Dominicana.




representante de Rep. Dominicana. Radoslalo Zelewski

El eterno debate
La falta de organización deja entrever que el debate de las drogas en Latino América tiene aún mucho camino por recorrer, y que esta “matanza sin sentido”, como el presidente de CELAC, Felipe Cuello define el problema, es más grave de acordar que la propia extinción del mismo.

Austerity Measures Are Not the Solution to the EU Debt Crisis

The Economic and Financial Affairs Council at LIMUN 2013 agreed that the Eurozone crisis needs global solutions. Its consequences spread beyond the borders of the EU and affect an interconnected worldwide market. The most likely solution to solve this problem is by global cooperation and trade. Additionally, there is a need for urgent implementation of the fiscal union.

The EU debt crisis is an international concern. As the delegate for China Mattias Verbergt pointed out “it is about all nations fighting against time” to solve a problem that affects everyone. The current financial market is so integrated that all nations feel the economic and financial consequences of the Eurozone. For example, India is a major trading partner of the EU and has been directly affected by the Eurozone crisis.

There are other alternatives

Greece is one of the countries most strongly affected by the crisis. The solution depends on what changes are made to the financial system. The delegate of Greece pointed out that “Alternative solutions have to be explored. Austerity measures will only cause more social unrest”.

Delegate of China

Delegate of China

The delegates from Saudi Arabia and China expressed their concerns on the situation saying that “austerity simply does not work for the EU” and that “these measures are not the only way”. Stimulating measures are necessary to revive the Euro currency.

The United Nations must come up with specific solutions that will not include the disintegration of the single currency. The delegate for Greece explained clearly that the 170% GDP in the country must be addressed, and if not, “Greece will be more like to leave the Eurozone”. Austerity measures have been implemented in Greece without any positive results. However the delegate for Greece acknowledged that “the EU has supported Greece with financial assistance of €34.4bn in the second bailout, and this shows the commitment of the EU for Greece to remain part of the Union”.

More financial investment and integration

The Eurozone is facing a double-dip  recession, where the Southern European countries of Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain are the worst affected. However, there are some positive examples too. The delegate for Italy said that the country won't ask for a bailout from the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). The delegate of Germany also stated: “Germany does not believe in the EU failing. We do not support austerity measures only, but we need control and supervision of member countries in order to see growth”.

Delegate of Germany

Delegate of Germany

All countries agreed that international cooperation is needed to face the debt default of the EU, and that protectionism and austerity are not the only solutions. What is needed is more economic and financial integration within the EU and international trading and investments with overseas countries.

Spain will give you reasons for coming back

“If you had to be reborn anywhere in the world as a person with artistic talent and creativity, 

you would want to be Don Quixote”

“In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to mind...” was the place where  the famous writer Miguel de Cervantes, the creator of “Don Quixote”, was born. In this Southern country, where the sun shines 13 months a year, is where the film director Pedro Almodóvar became recognized to capture Spanish cinema in a so peculiar way.

There was also another story, as beautiful as these ones, about an American guy and a Spanish girl who met one by chance in the North of Spain, specifically in Santander. She was from Alicante and went there for an English course. He was the English professor and would live there for a while. Something special happened that day in the North of Spain, but it was too difficult to bet for it. There were many obstacles between them, however, they both fall in love and they decide to be two weeks together travelling around the country that made them fall in love.

Santander 

Santander

 They both had only a week together, what they spent it enjoying the beauty of Santander, its green cliffs next to the Bay of Biscay and the Royal Palace of La Magdalena, once the residence of Alfonso XIII, King of Spain from 1886 until 1941. After it, She had to go back to her city, in the south east of Spain, and they might not see each other again. However, the week after that, it was the 20th of June when the main festivity in Alicante begins, the hogueras. He had never heard about a tradition where people build a monument and during four days there are fireworks and firecrackers in the street, along with music and parades, so he had an excuse to go there and visit her. They stayed together until the 24th of June, when the monument is set on fire on the night of San Juan.

Nevertheless, he had to move to work in Cuenca, in Castile-La Mancha, closer to Alicante. Cuenca, a city on the inner plateau of Spain where the hanging houses are, the only remaining samples of this type of building. He promised her that if she went to Cuenca to visit him, he would show her on of the oldest and the most beautiful villages in Spain, Albarracín, in the province of Teruel, part of the autonomous community of Aragon. He took her hiking and climbing on the mountains until the birth of the Tagus River in the Sierra de Albarracin.


Something else was born there, on the banks of the river Tagus, but they only had two weeks left before he went back to the States. So, why not steal the time and create a secret between she, he and Spain. The next day, they were driving aimlessly, only with a map of Spain and some recommendations of places to visit.

San Sebastián

Zaragoza

Spain, a country to discover together

After a couple of hours driving, they stopped in Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon. They had something to eat in the Pillar square, admiring the Pillar´s church on the banks of the river Ebro. Then, they continued their trip to Pamplona, capital city of Navarre, where at that time of the year were the San Fermines or bull running festivity of the city. The day after, they start driving to the Basque country, specifically to San Sebastian, city that will be the European Capital of Culture in 2016 (along with Wrocław in Poland).

For the next destination, they wanted to explore the interior of Castile- Leon, its meadows, its castles and, of course, Burgos and Salamanca´s cathedrals. After this walk through history, there was one more stop before the end of the trip; Segovia. There, they got into the history of the Catholic kings of Spain with the famous Alcázar, they ate its main dish of pork, cheese and cured sausages and enjoyed its wine, before arriving to the airport, at the capital of the country, that would keep them apart.

Segovia

Salamanca

After this short ten days, they arrived to Madrid where their destinies would be separated. But, there were still some hours left, so they decided to go to the centre of the city and walk on the Retiro park and perhaps see the Prado museum. But then, it was time for him to leave. To leave the country he loves, and the woman with whom he shared and discovered it. She left him in the airport and started driving back to Alicante and her Mediterranean sea, always remanding those cities, those secret places on Spain that brought them together the love.

They know there are many beautiful places in Spain, but they were more than that, they were special cities to them, because now those places were theirs. This romance between three is still as alive as the first day, and every now and then he went back to Spain, to explore with her these exclusive and beautiful places of the warm southern European country. And every time, in a new city around Spain, he fell in love again to this country, and its woman.

Alicante

Alicante provincia

Opportunities behind adversities
This was a true story that at the beginning no one invested a penny on it. Nobody thought it was worthy, “to complicate it”, they said, “to many problems”, or “to weak to resist the circumstances”... That was what people were saying when they said they wanted to be together. What would happen with the distance, and the age difference? But the couple did not care, because they knew that they wanted to be together and they believe Spain will bring them what they needed. Maybe, they will need some time to be together but, as they always say, if there is a will, there is a way.

Maybe this can also be applied to other areas, as the finances. Give it some time, believe on it, and Spain will recover. Perhaps, it also needs somebody else who loves it too, and build a new momentum with it...