Post by Tran Viet Anh on Dec 10, 2003 8:30:38 GMT 7
Staff Reporter Korea could serve an important role in the worldwide movement against globalization that is eating away our society and our happiness, according to Helena Norberg-Hodge, an ecologist and author of ``Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh.’’``Many people in Europe and America realize the conventional development path is not only destroying the natural environment but our health, happiness and our society,’’ the Swedish ecologist said at a news conference in Seoul yesterday.``The reason why Korea is so important is that you have a better memory of a traditional way of life _ stronger family and community ties and a culture of living with nature,’’ she said.
Norberg-Hodge, 57, is visiting Seoul for the first time on invitation of Green Review, an ecological journal. Her 1991 book ``Ancient Futures,’’ which is translated in 47 languages around the world, describes the unique lives led by the Ladakhis in the Indian Himalayaswhen she first arrived in 1974 and the dismal changes and destruction that the region underwent after experiencing modernization.
The rapidly-evolving society of Ladakh, or ``Little Tibet’’ offers valuable lessons in how people of modern society should cope with the serious repercussions the global economic growth model is creatingeverywhere such as unemployment and increase in mental illnesses, she said.
``The dominant development path is pushing people into slums and larger and larger cities but as the jobs are not there, this leads to massive poverty and consumption of natural recourses, even when (people) are going hungry,’’ said Norberg-Hodge, who is also a linguistand the first non-Ladakhi to become proficient in the language.
She emphasized that Korea should not continue to follow this path, but work toward decentralization of social and economic systems and lead the local food movement against corporate globalization by supporting small farmers.
``We need to turn away from specialized production for export, and must change to diversified production for home needs,’’ she said.``I hope Korea will lead the way to become a leading example that starts to choose a different direction from the current economic growth trend.’’Norberg-Hodge is the founder of the International Society for Ecology and Culture (www.isec.org), a non-profit organization devoted to the protection of biological and cultural diversity and spends several months in Ladakheach year. In recognition of her efforts, she was awarded the 1986 Right Livelihood Award, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize. Norberg-Hodge came to Seoul on Monday and will leave a week later after giving lectures and meeting with ecology groups.