In 2004, IRSS Celebrates its 20th year of service! |
| On May 13, 2004, IRSS hosted its 20th Anniversary Celebration at the home of Paul Walker and Deborah Klein Walker.
IRSS was founded in 1984 to conduct research and public education on protecting natural resources and promoting international security. We typically work on discrete projects but are always aware that resource and security issues are interconnected, globally and locally. The scope of our work ranges from grassroots field programs to policy interventions in international forums. As a small organization, IRSS expands its reach by working with partner organizations ranging from citizen groups to international agencies.
There is reason for concern about the state of the world. Finite natural resources are colliding with expanding populations and people's material expectations. Industrial societies generate new technologies that are often deployed with little thought about their ultimate impacts. Humanity's apparent propensity for violence is linked with ever-more sophisticated weapons. Modern societies are saturated with information but do not always think clearly about the challenges they face.
While these problems seem daunting, even overwhelming at times, we take heart from the struggle of millions of people around the world to build a peaceful, sustainable global society. They understand that such a society will not develop spontaneously, but will emerge only through sustained effort. It is our privilege to work with many dedicated people of this kind.
In the arena of international security, we have developed a widely-recognized program of peacebuilding in conflict-torn regions. Within the former Yugoslavia we have helped to develop a regional network of health professionals dedicated to social reconstruction and peaceful management of conflict. Similar efforts are under way in other locations. IRSS has become an international resource for psychosocial assistance to promote social reconstruction. This work complements our programs in more traditional aspects of international security, such as nuclear arms control and disarmament. Indeed, we argue that international security is subsumed by the broader concept of global human security.
We have done numerous projects related to energy and the environment. An industrial society's use of energy is a pillar of its wealth but generates major environmental impacts. In this context we conduct studies on the impacts of nuclear technology, whose dual role, either for destruction or for producing electricity, illustrates the dilemmas of the current era. We have conducted studies and supported social experiments on the creation of sustainable societies. The arena of sustainability offers the challenge of adapting new and old technologies and behaviors so as to create societies that respect environmental limits while meeting people's social and economic needs.
All of our endeavors have a common theme. Humans must share the precious and fragile biosphere that cloaks our planet. They must respect each other's well being, dignity and search for security. The global scope of this task poses a new challenge, but the intellectual and moral tools that are needed to meet the challenge have deep roots in cultures around the world. IRSS seeks to contribute to the development of such tools. We thank our supporters and partners for joining us in this work. |
