Panel Remarks by
Ambassador Sergio Marchi
Ente Friuli Nel Mondo
North American Youth Conference
Toronto
October 21-23, 2011
Introduction
- Let me first thank the organizers, Ente Friuli nel Mondo, and especially the very likable Bruna Zuccolin, for their kind invitation to participate in this Youth Conference in Toronto. It is a pleasure to be part of this initiative, and I compliment the organizers for bringing us together.
- It is also a pleasure to be back ‘home’; home in Canada and at home within the Toronto Furlan community.
- As a son of ‘polentoni’, it’s always a source of great pride for me to engage with all of you who share the Furlan heritage and roots. Roots that are strong and still relevant to helping shape the world around us. A world which, like the birthplace of my parents --- a small but resilient village called Domanins ---- has now become transformed into a shrinking, ‘global village’. Indeed, “il mondo e verramente un paese”.
- In this panel, we were specifically asked to address the critical theme of the economy as it relates to you, our youth; of the importance of research, innovation, and formation.
- Under this rather broad umbrella, one could examine many critical issues. However, if we are to develop an economy that is sustainable and equitable, then your enlightened leadership, as a basic ingredient, is indispensible.
- In short, I believe that youth leadership must be genuinely harnessed if we are to power a global economy for profit and public good.
- So, it is from this leadership perspective, that I would like to share a few thoughts with you.
1. First, when we speak of the economy, we are fundamentally speaking about a globally integrated marketplace.
- This is the current reality
- In the old world, national borders, national tariffs and national taxes were such that businesses operated in largely a national environment. The market place was domestic and the competition was local.
- Then, with increased trade and commerce, businesses exported their products and services to foreign lands and markets, and obstacles to freer movement began to come down.
- Today, while national borders and regulations still exist, business is conducted on a global scale;
- Some have coined this development as the ‘death’ of time and distance.
- As a result of these market forces, the world has become a deeply integrated and interconnected environment, where transactions and events in one part of the globe impacts people, communities, and markets in all other lands.
- Our world has become ‘flat’, as some people originally thought!
- This means that, as future entrepreneurs and leaders, your thinking, your strategy, and your actions must be globally anchored.
- You cannot afford to just act locally. If you do, you will be overtaken by those who are aggressively moving globally.
- Your context and vision must be global in scope and reach.
- And even then, you cannot afford to stand still. You must be constantly on the cutting edge of technology, research, and innovation. Always moving, and always seeking improvements and reforms.
- ‘Adapt or perish’ is the battle cry.
- In his bestseller book, ‘The Lexus and the Olive Tree’, by Thomas Friedman, economically, our world is represented by the Lexus.
2. Secondly, this does not mean that you should shed your local and personal roots.
- On the contrary, as life is increasingly lived in the fast lane, it becomes more important to know;
- You need to be well grounded, as this will help you survive the rollercoaster ride of modern day life.
- You need to understand what your DNA is; to be proud and confident of who you are.
- Strength of character is important for success; a strength derived from being secure of oneself and one’s own capabilities. A considerate and compassionate kind of strength, that while radiating confidence, does not look down on others.
- And this is where your Furlan origins and traditions come into play culturally and socially.
- This is all about our ‘olive tree’.
3. Third, the profit motive, which underpins our market economy, are not dirty words, but they should not be the only words, either.
- A fair and healthy return on your hard work and financial investment is completely legitimate. There is no need for apologizing.
- Such compensation and incentives are also central for the creation of economic growth, job opportunities, and prosperity ---- things that we all aspire to.
- Yet, at the very same time, I would also urge that we need to complement this with a form of ‘social capitalism’.
- Which, among other things, could include;
- This would represent a sustainable and progressive capitalism; one that advances the public good.
- It is the intersection where business interests meet community needs.
4. Fourthly, err on the side of creativity and boldness.
- As leaders, you are there to make a difference.
- Think and act outside the traditional box; view and analyze a problem from a different angle, in an effort to provide a more effective solution; one that would usually stand apart from the rest of the traffic.
- It was Albert Einstein, who said:
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
- Think of the courageous youth who led the successful protests that triggered the Arab Spring. It was about risk taking and challenging the status quo; pushing the boundaries.
- There is something refreshing and energizing about change.
- It creates renewal and optimism.
- It is often the indispensible factor that leads us to find the next breakthrough that advances our quality of life and the public common good.
5. Fifth, know what you want and how to get there.
- You can be strong and prepared to take managed risks, but if you do it recklessly or without a plan, then it could simply be a shot in the dark.
- Instead, you must develop a strategic and coherent vision; a clear sense of purpose and direction.
- Remember what the great Canadian hockey legend, Wayne Gretzky, once said;
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”
- A good vision must also capture the long term view.
- One must be prepared to hunker down; think through successive steps; allow events to unfold, and then react astutely.
- In this regard, you need to inspire others, to convince people that a better dawn awaits them.
- When he was asked what a leader is, Napolean responded:
“A leader is a dealer in hope”.
- So true.
6. Sixth, once you know what you want, never give up.
- Strong leadership does not mean perfection. Nor does it guarantee that success will come quickly or easily, or even at all.
- But strength of leadership does mean a fierce perseverance and determination in the face of challenges and setbacks; the commitment to struggle forward without ever losing faith; not being afraid of making the necessary sacrifice.
- Indeed, it was Nelson Mandela, who I had the enormous privilege of chaperoning during his visit to Toronto, may have said it best, when he stated that;
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Finally, never stop learning.
- Life is one, continuous process of learning, of growing.
- About having the capacity and willingness to constantly learn new lessons, and reinvesting this knowledge and experience in an effort for self improvement.
- As such, our skill set is never finite. It can and should be continually refined and built upon.
- As our parents drilled into all of us, we can always learn from mistakes. How true that is. Never be timid about admitting or facing your errors --- it’s the first stage in growing.
In Closing
- In closing, my bottom line message is two-fold:
i) our world desperately needs leaders, and
ii) all of you can be those leaders.
- Leadership cannot be bought.
- It does not come by special birth right or citizenship.
- It is not conferred by any University degree.
- And, you need not try to emulate the feats of others in order to validate yourself.
- In your own ways, on your own time, and in your own corners of the world, you can make a difference for the better.
- It does not need to be achieved in the glare of the public arena. In fact, when it is accomplished quietly and modestly, it has even more sway.
- It is about providing the spark which lifts people and spirits; that builds things; that moves things forward; that empowers people; and that ultimately, changes and transforms reality.
- Steve Jobs, who sadly just left us, was an iconic leader, who touched and profoundly impacted our lives in so many different ways. In a commencement speech to students of Stanford University, in 2005, he concluded with these words:
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
- His words to young people capture well a much longer and complex piece of advice. Words, I believe, that would be well worth reflecting upon.
- Thank you.
Ambassador Sergio Marchi is a Senior Fellow with the Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, in Geneva. He also teaches at Webster University, in the International Relations Department. He formerly served as the Canadian Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, Environment, and International Trade, as well as the Ambassador to the WTO/Un in Geneva.
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