Garčević Delivers Lecture on Contemporary Issues in Global Studies
On March 23, 2022, Ambassador Vesko Garčević, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, delivered a lecture exploring contemporary issues in global studies for students of Global Studies at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
During his lecture, titled “Towards a new UN: Is a New Type of Global Cooperation Possible,” Garčević noted that while it is evident that major contemporary global issues from climate change to conventional military conflicts can only be solved with global action, policies are still made and implemented within national contexts. In the 20th century, countries tried to overcome this problem by creating permanent international organizations that were meant to instigate and support global cooperation. However, many of these institutions were created in the aftermath of WWII in historical conditions very different from those in which we live today.
To successfully address human-centered threats, Garčević argues that global cooperation should be three-pronged: it should take into account the existing national capabilities as states will remain primary actors of world affairs; it should seek a more inclusive, rightful cooperation of state and non-state actors; and it should focus on long-term human security that surpasses national borders and national policies.
During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Vesko Garčević dealt with issues pertinent to European security and NATO for almost 14 years. In 2004, he was posted in Vienna to serve as Ambassador to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He had been Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO from 2010 until 2014 and served as Montenegro’s National Coordinator for NATO from 2015 until he joined the faculty at the Pardee School. Learn more about Ambassador Garčević on his faculty profile.