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In this issue:
Issues in federalism: Fiscal equalization ... rich regions and poor
Forum news: Countries meet in Switzerland to support the Forum
Recent Forum events: Sri Lankans learn about federalism
New books on federalism...and identity politics, globalization, conflict resolution
In Forum publications: Spain's new government has a new take on federalism
Two new Forum videos: Speaking of Federalism and The Challenge of Diversity
Coming international exchanges, dialogues and workshops
Issues in federalism: Fiscal equalization
What can a federal country do when some provinces or states have almost all the natural resources and others have none? Or when some have intense investment and economic development and others are backwaters? Studies from the Forum's conference in Prince Edward Island, Canada, and other sources explore the options for fiscal equalization among regions as practiced in Argentina, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.
Forum news: Countries meet in Switzerland to support the Forum
In a special meeting of representatives of federal countries in Bern, Switzerland, from September 16 to 17, federal countries from around the world gathered to discuss the formation of partnerships with the Forum of Federations. Letters of intent to adopt a framework arrangement were signed by representatives of the governments of Canada, Switzerland, Austria, and, on behalf of the state level, Australia, given the Commonwealth election campaign underway at the time. Other countries are considering signing the arrangement in the near future.
Recent Forum events: Sri Lankans learn about federalism
This August and September, 100 Sri Lankan journalists, civil servants, peace activists and NGO officials learned about the varieties of federalism in special courses organized by the Forum. The courses, which attracted both Tamil and Sinhala speaking Sri Lankans, were the latest in the Forum's program to support the peace process in Sri Lanka.
New books on federalism
A bibliographic list of 50 new books on federalism, published all over the world between March 2004 and December 2004, has just been posted on the Forum's website, at www.forumfed.org. Titles such as Identity Politics: Filling the Gap Between Federalism and Independence, by Martin J. Dent; Globalization and Institutional Adjustment: Federalism as an Obstacle by Axel Hulsemeyer; and Muslim Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution: the Challenge of Democratic Federalism in Nigeria, by Pita Ogaba Agbse and Julius Omozuanvbo Ihonvbere are among the intriguing listings for the last nine months of this year.
In Forum publications: Spain's new government has a new take on federalism
The new government in Spain, led by José Zapatero's socialists, is working more co-operatively with Spain's Autonomous Communities, which have demanded a higher level of control over their own affairs. Read about this in the Federations article by Violeta Almendral and Pablo Pérez Tremps.
Two new Forum videos on federalism, in DVD format:
Speaking of Federalism, an exploration of ideas from the 2002 International Conference on Federalism in the words of the participants who came to St. Gallen, Switzerland, for the event. It is a look at what federalism means in the words of those who practice it, from prime ministers to supreme court judges to experts on federal theory, in more than a dozen countries, in both English and a French versions.
Click here for more information on Speaking of Federalism.
The Challenge of Diversity, an on-the-spot look at systems of federal governance in India, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and Canada. The video shows citizen democracy in the town square in Swiss villages and explains the French, Flemish and German language community governments in Belgium. There is a section on French and English schools in Canada, and on the Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country, Catalonia, and elsewhere in Spain. In India, the video examines the grassroots democracy of the panchayat, where one-third of the members must be women.
Click here for more information on The Challenge of Diversity.
Coming international exchanges, dialogues and workshops
Global Dialogue launches online discussion forums
The Global Dialogue program now has a number of online discussion forums on the website. Here is a current topic of discussion suggested by one participant:
'How can local governance be enhanced in a centralized economy that operates from centrally- generated revenue, and the economic features and fiscal capacities of local governments are grossly inadequate to warrant much autonomy?'
Join in and tell your colleagues or students who are interested in discussing topics related to federalism around the world.
Conference in New Delhi to examine how federalism handles diversity
From Nov. 5 to 6, 2004, civil servants, politicians and others will examine how India and other federations handle diversity and explore the possibilities for some form of federal system in Sri Lanka at a Forum conference in New Delhi.
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