These 500 years have shown us that we are able to find our niche in this wide world, by capitalizing on our strengths. We have reached a reasonable degree of welfare by showing the world our capabilities to fulfill a bridging function for persons, commodities and services. Unfortunately, as globalization has been growing, our limits within the globe have declined, with the corresponding negative effects on our economy, culminating in a poor 1998. Through reflection we can assure ourselves that our community has the necessary tools to confront the future with confidence, provided we succeed in the integration of our thoughts and resources. Reflection however will not suffice.
Creative action is needed to get the socio-economic dynamics working in the right direction again.
The yield of creative action can come out of collective endeavours rather than individual undertakings. We already possess a good sense of community interest, however we need to understand better how to convert this community sense into integrated community actions. 1999 will be an important learning experience. Increasingly, public life and private life are becoming one and the same. Governments around the globe are on the cusp of profound change.