The 20th century has been among the bloodiest in history. At the same time, steady progress towards the eradication of war has been made. With each successive step, from the First Hague Conference to the League of Nations to the United Nations, the means for the peaceful settlement of international disputes have been more firmly established. Yet much remains to be done. Regional and civil wars still rage, and the threat of wider conflict remains.
Terrible weapons remain at the ready.
In many places international covenants to respect and promote human rights continue to go unheeded. It is significant that both upcoming Hague events recognize civil society as a key actor in international affairs today. In this respect, the NGO event may well eclipse the intergovernmental one, inasmuch as the agenda of the governments at the Hague is largely commemorative while the NGO event aims at further mobilizing civil society and effecting a general change in public consciousness. This is important because the key questions facing humanity today surround not so much the founding of entirely new institutions but rather the creation of public support that will promote the effective functioning of existing ones. And this includes not only the United Nations but also the various action plans and conventions on human rights, sustainable development and other global issues.