In the course of 2011, the year of exchange between Italy and Brazil, these two nations have much to celebrate. A few months ago we had the pleasure, invited by the President of the Federal University in Bahia, to participate in a joint meeting with the Italian ambassador and to discuss about a possible preliminary program of Science and Technology for an eventual exchange between Italy and Bahia, in Brazil.
If in Italy lies the ancient Rome, we are a darker variety of the Romans. And it is a good time to reflect on our artists, scientists and heroes, who helped to build this Republican chapter of life. We should talk about Garibaldi and Anita, as they were both transnational warriors. Italians, Brazilians and Uruguayans are grateful to this couple of fighters, united by a real bond of affection...
In South America there is another example of transnational fighter: Ernesto CHE Guevara, who gained celebrity and admiration for having fought in the Caribbean, in Africa and in Bolivia. But perhaps no one would remember him if he hadn't been assassinated by a commando, a transnational one... This year we will also talk about other leaders, who led the rebellion of the slaves and lost their lives for freedom. Without Spartacus, Toussaint Louverture and Zumbi dos Palmares, the perverse idea of ​slavery could have been perpetuated indefinitely in our countries.
They all are myths. In the collective imagination their stories are eternal, like passport photos, because usually the image of the myths are impressive, flashy and handed down from father to son. But it's necessary to specify an important detail: that we deserve a real legitimacy from the people, and not just bureaucratic signatures, only if we get a particular type of seal, the seal of blood.
Europe and Africa are close and far. Brazil, for historical reasons, has the luxury of mixing the blood of its people with the genetic heritage of these two continents, as well as with the blood of pre-Columbian natives. However, even our history is full of blood and many local leaders lost their lives in defense of their people. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which welcomed Garibaldi and Anita, there is a statue dedicated to Sepé Tiaraju, a hero who died fighting against a contingent of mercenary armies of the Iberian empires that wanted to enslave the Guarani people and to take possession of the civilizations and the rich agricultural lands of the missionary towns.
The Arab peoples have been present in Europe for centuries, giving their contribution with great inventions like the compass and algebra. But because of their lifestyle they have spent the twentieth century divided, without a great leader. Those who read The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, can understand the difficulties found by Lawrence of Arabia to integrate that culture trying to be part of the daily life of the Islamic warriors. While he had success in leading armies, Lawrence did not get great results when he tried to organize forms of government. And, making every effort to be a statesman, even having conquered Damascus, he failed to wrest power from the Turks. In the twentieth century there were various Arab peoples, nomadic but with their own region, which were governed according to their own interest. The fact is that the British government was not interested in the unification of the Arab peoples, even with the help of its most insightful agent. After the increase of oil prices, science, technology and especially Internet are changing the daily lives of these peoples. A restless youth, such as it was the West youth that, in 1968, wanted to make the history.
A great eastern leader said he feared the end of the war, because he knew that the day after his victory, something very important could have been lost: the enemy. In times of conflict, all evil can be attributed to the enemy and with no enemy this is unthinkable. But the logic of the lords of war is to create enemies. Unfortunately, in addition to the social and environmental problems always caused by war, there is a cost problem: for example, the cost of a day of war is often equal to the yearly budget of a scientific and technological organization. And very often it's impossible to evaluate the environmental damages.
But this year, with nationalist intentions and in response to growing popular demand, to avenge the attack on the Twin Towers, the U.S. government carried out an operation started ten years ago and the current administration of President Obama decided to execute Osama Bin Laden. As it usually happens during such secret operations, further information have not been made public yet. Even with the joy of the Americans, relatives or friends of the victims of the September 11 tragedy, the world is still shrouded in uncertainty. Maybe it will take many years before all the details of this execution are known, but for the victims any vengeance is fully legitimate.
In this situation, it is possible either to increase the global safety or to damage it. It is too early to assess the evolution of war and it is too soon to predict what it will happen to oil prices and the global economy. With no doubt, however, there is a high risk of rising inflation, an enemy of workers' incomes.
It is not too early to pray. We therefore call upon all the peoples, in all places of worship and in the different language, dialects or accents, to pray. The scientists, who generally have a hard heart, should invoke the mantra, perhaps reciting aloud their favorite equations. Even the teachers, who forgot the prayers, should learn them again, and pray together with their students. Otherwise they could sing the song "Pilgrimage", one of the best of Brazilian music. It is now urgent to adopt a global synergy to avoid that this new image of union, which is also sealed with the blood, can be used as fuel for other international conflicts.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the world needs no more passport, mo more wars of old seals. Here's what we all need: science, innovative ideas, social justice and peace, an endless peace.