IDENTIDADE TIMORENSE

G
ermans have long been
associated with the virtues
of punctuality, discipline
and other values reflecting
a hard working society. And our inclination
to philosophical depth has often
made us look pessimistic when
there was hardly any reason for it.
But surprisingly, in the midst of the
recent economic and financial crisis
Germans turned out to enjoy life
more than other European Nations
even though unemployment reached
a worrisome peak. Most of the urban
opinion makers appeared relaxed
and not gloomy at all in spite of sluggish
growth rates and a tumbling
value of the Euro. Now, after economic
growth picked up, the mood
could not be better. What is behind
this change of attitudes? I believe
that to a great degree European Integration
and the globalized economies
have profoundly changed our value
systems.
It is ever more difficult to figure out
what is typically German or French or
Dutch or Portuguese when we speak
English with each other and all cherish
Italian cuisine. Our national identities
have long been opening up to the
wide horizons of international standards
and tastes. New layers of preferences
are entering national consumer
habits once we feel at ease
with the global society.
But the benefits of globalization are
neither a panacea for happiness nor
do they incorporate all citizens. Millions
of people are still suffering from
poverty and are lacking the opportunities
for a decent living, for mobility
and for internet communication. They
have no choice other than to adhere
to traditional values and they may
prefer these even when they are
faced with the breeze of competitive
business and technology-driven market
penetration. The stage of globalization
has long been set for transgressing
the more narrow-looking
values of the nation states, but these
were neither abolished nor would the
greater part of the world like this to
happen. Perhaps we will be more and
more shaped by at least two identi-
38
Dr. Norbert Baas
Germany Ambassador
Timor-Leste from a German Perspective
Growing Opportunities in a Globalized World
ties: global citizenship and a national
one. The challenge is to avoid conflicts
and reconcile between them.
Regional identities could gain in importance.
Hegel and Marx, no longer
fashionable authors though, would
certainly see that as a dialectic process.
Since two years, the G20 is making
headlines as a group of countries
representing the vast majority of the
world’s population, ready to tackle the
necessary decisions to pull us out of
the crisis. In addition, it is to give
new momentum to the reform of international
financial institutions like the
IMF and to overcome global distortions
in trade and capital flows. The
G20 did not replace the G8, which
comprises the seven highly developed
western democracies plus Russia.
It took on board the huge threshold
countries including China, India,
Indonesia, and Brazil.
They entered the “old” big economic
players’ club and they are able to
contribute enormously to economic
growth, justice and social progress. It
is noteworthy that through the EU,
which has its own place at the table
Dezembro 2010 – №3
Parseiru ba Dezenvolvimentu
alongside Germany, France, Italy and
the UK, all other member states are
included in the consultations prior to
the Summit. ASEAN is equally linked
to the G20 through its chair and Indonesia,
the one permanent member.
ASEAN’s Secretary General is also
invited to attend the summits. In addition,
Singapore was a participant this
year.
By this enlarged institutional setting,
the smaller countries are increasingly
tied to the G20 and to its decisionmaking.
When I first visited Timor-Leste in
January 2010, I was struck by the
beauty of the landscape and by the
opportunities this country may well
offer its citizens in the future.
Timor-Leste is taking pride in its
struggle against colonialism, from
which it has emerged, in spite of the
injuries, violence and bloodshed, as a
country embracing peace and good
neighborhood.