Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.
Dag Hammarskjöld - Former Secretary-General of the United Nations
In the twenty-first century, all States and their collective institutions must advance the cause of larger freedom - by ensuring freedom from want, freedom from fear and freedom to live in dignity. In an increasingly interconnected world, progress in the areas of development, security and human rights must go hand in hand. There will be no development without security and no security without development. And both development and security also depend on respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Kofi Annan - Former Secretary-General of the United Nations
What is Freedom From Fear (F3)?
F3 is a quarterly magazine developed by UNICRI in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute and the Basel Institute on Governance.
Why this Magazine?
The Magazine wants to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and to raise awareness about the international community’s priority issues, with a particular focus on crime-related problems.
Knowledge and information are the two main pillars of F3.
Information plays a crucial role in upholding public trust. In 1864, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President, said “Let the people know the facts and the country will be safe.”
Information is everything in our modern society. It can be one of the most powerful instruments, but it can also be one of the most dangerous when it does not improve knowledge or promote dialogue, or when it gives a voice to only one side without considering the other one.
Knowledge and dialogue can be part of the solution when confronting global problems by creating and spreading awareness. Nowadays we face very complex and interconnected issues that can be tackled only if there is a consensus and a sense of truly shared responsibility.
When addressing a problem, we must create a feeling of shared responsibility. Policies cannot be built on mere wishful thinking: they must be grounded on reality, and this concreteness is a pillar of the Magazine.
With these objectives in mind, UNICRI and its partners involve the civil society and governments in this Magazine. Consensus is based on the awareness about a problem, its magnitude and its causes.
It is based on the fact that a problem is perceived as an issue which affects each and every one of us, as we are all part of the same community. It is with this spirit that UNICRI and its partners are developing F3: we need awareness and consensus, we need to forge alliances to confront together those universal challenges which we all face and are all affected by.
F3 is collecting inputs not only from the United Nations, but also from civil society, international organizations, governments and the academic realm. F3 aims to piece together all these different “voices” and to take into consideration several point of views so as to create a constant dialogue with all the actors involved in facing specific problems.
The Magazine wants to become a forum for international organizations, international civil servants and the public at large to compare the different approaches to specific issues facing the world today. It can represent an opportunity to discuss best practices, failures, and effective and enduring solutions. The Magazine also offers updates on the most important international events and achievements.
Who are the authors?
The contributors are renowned experts, policy makers and media professionals who express their different views and approaches on the matters at hand.
Who are the readers?
Every person who is interested in the topics we present. In general, the Magazine is addressed to Member States and relevant institutions, the media, research institutes, international organizations, academic institutions and experts.