The world needs statesmen

THE EDITOR, Madam:

IN MY opinion, and that of others, a significant statement was made by a woman at the COP26 Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland on the opening day, November 1. That statement was delivered in a video recording by Queen Elizabeth II.

Today, it is not politically correct in our environs to acknowledge that the British monarch could say or do anything of significance and substance.

But, I noted the content of the Queen’s statement, i n which, calling on her over 70 years of experience, she reminded everyone of the need for statesmanship i n addressing the climate change crisis. She made the distinction between a politician and a statesman, saying:

“For more than 70 years, I have been lucky to meet and to know many of the world’s great leaders. And I have perhaps come to understand a little about what made them special. It has sometimes been observed that what leaders do for their people today is government and politics. But what they do for the people of tomorrow – that is statesmanship. I, for one, hope that this conference will be one of those rare occasions where everyone will have the chance to rise above the politics of the moment and achieve true statesmanship.”

Politicians tend to think about the present, the next election and their popularity in the polls. The statesman sees the bigger picture, shows courage, discernment and foresight, is willing to take risks and to make the hard decisions for the greater good. In current times in our world, we do not seem to have many statesmen, courageous men and women willing to act in the interest of future generations. With the many crises facing our world, will we see the emergence of statesmen and women focused on collaborating in problem-solving?

E. MORGAN