InterAction Council of Former Heads of State and Government
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The InterAction Council of Former Heads of State and Government is an independent international organization designed to bring together former world leaders to mobilize their energy, experience and international contacts in an effort to develop and encourage change around the world.
Founded in 1983, this body meets on a regular basis, including annual meetings, and is comprised of over 30 former world leaders. The organization and its members jointly develop recommendations on, and practical solutions for, the political, economic and social problems confronting the world. These efforts are focused on three main priority areas, notably peace and security, world economic revitalization and universal ethical standards.
Its most notable project has been the development of a Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities, which was an attempt to develop a set of responsibilities that were shared by all individuals to counterbalance the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This new "Global Ethic" would provide a foundation of freedom, justice and peace in order for Universal Rights to be meaningful. These agreed values and standards complements Universal Rights, as the maximization of personal freedom at the expense of others, without consideration of others, is as problematic as having no rights at all.
[edit] Members
- Takeo Fukuda, Founder and Prime Minister of Japan (1976-1978)
- Helmut Schmidt, Honorary Chairman and Chancellor of West Germany (1974-1982)
- Malcolm Fraser, Honorary Chairman and Prime Minister of Australia (1975-1983)
- Kiichi Miyazawa, Honorary Chairman and Prime Minister of Japan (1991-1993)
- Ingvar Carlsson, Chairman and Prime Minister of Sweden (1986-1991, 1994-1996)
- Andries van Agt, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1977-1982)
- Esko Aho, Prime Minister of Finland (1991-1995)
- Valdis Birkavs, Prime Minister of Latvia (1993-1994)
- James Bolger, Prime Minister of New Zealand (1990-1997)
- Jimmy Carter, President of the United States (1977-1981)
- Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada (1993-2003)
- William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States (1993-2001)
- Vigdis Finnbogadóttir, President of Iceland (1980-1996)
- Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, President of France (1974-1981)
- Felipe González Márquez, Prime Minister of Spain (1982-1996)
- Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, President of Indonesia (1998-1999)
- Gyula Horn, Prime Minister of Hungary (1994-1998)
- Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore (1959-1990)
- Jamil Mahuad, President of Ecuador (1998-2000)
- Abdul Salam Majali, Prime Minister of Jordan (1993-1995, 1997-1998)
- John Major, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1990-1997)
- Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa (1996-2000)
- Ketumile Masire, President of Botswana (1980-1998)
- Andrés Pastrana, President of Columbia (1998-2002)
- Yevgeny M. Primakov, Prime Minister of Russia (1998-1999)
- Jerry John Rawlings, Head of State of Ghana (1986-2000)
- Mary Robinson, President of Ireland (1990-1997)
- Michel Rocard, Prime Minister of France (1988-1991)
- José Sarney, President of Brazil (1985-1990)
- Shin Hyon Hwak, Prime Minister of South Korea (1979-1980)
- Hanna Suchocka, Prime Minister of Poland (1992-1993)
- George Vassilliou, President of the Republic of Cyprus (1992-1993)
- Franz Vranitzky, Chancellor of Austria (1994-1999)
- Richard von Weizsäcker, President of West Germany (1984-1994)
- Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Léon, President of Mexico (1994-1999)
[edit] Members on Leave
- Oscar Arias Sanchez, President of Costa Rica (1986-1990)
- Shimon Peres, Prime Minister of Israel (1984-1986, 1995-1996)
[edit] Post-mortem Members
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1919-2000, Prime Minister of Canada (1968-1979, 1980-1984)
- Kalevi Sorsa 1930-2004, Prime Minister of Finland (1972-1975, 1977-1979, 1982-1987)
- Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo 1930-2004, Prime Minister of Portugal (1979-1980)
- Lord Callaghan of Cardiff 1912-2005, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1976-1979)
