Vladimir Petrovskiy
former Director-General of the UN in Geneva
Russia/France

Knowledge-Based Society as a Way to Peace, Stability and Well-Being

The knowledge-based society in Europe set by the European Council as a strategic goal for 2010 should serve as an inspiring example for all the countries in our world.

The basic aim of such society to provide sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion is inseparable from the maintenance of strategic security in a new interdependent and multicultural world.

Promotion of the knowledge-based societies which should be conceives as plural, variable and open to democratic choices makes it necessary to answer the questions what is to be done and how. The European experience should be used together with the recommendation of the UN, UNESCO, ILO and other international bodies. Millennium Development Goals (MDG) are of particular importance.

The promotion of the knowledge-based society in the world demands a responsible constitutional democratic governance both at national and global level. The task of such governance is to make the effective decisions and put them into practice through coherent and systematic approach to facilitate developing the potential of each individual and bringing human beings together to adapt themselves jointly to rapid and accelerating pace of changes in the world.


Professional Titles
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary since 1980
Professor of International Relations

Public Service
2002
Senior Research Fellow, UNITAR, Geneva
Consultant to the Russian Council of Federation, Moscow
Head of the Center for Politico-Diplomatic, Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue, Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Chairman of the NGO Association "Comprehensive Dialogue Among Civilizations" (CDC), Geneva
Chairman of the Board of Foundation "Dialogue among Civilizations", Amsterdam
Chairman of the Board of Maecenas World Patrimony Foundation, Geneva - Amsterdam
Member of the Board of Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis Foundation, Amsterdam
1993-2002
Under-Secretary-General, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva
Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament
Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the Conference on Disarmament
1998
Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Libya
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Albania
1992-1993
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, United Nations, New York
Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Libya
1992
Representative of Russia to the NATO Council of Cooperation
1991
First Deputy Foreign Minister of the USSR
Executive Secretary of the OSCE Conference on the Human Dimension
1986-1991
Deputy Foreign Minister of the USSR
Head of USSR Delegations to the United Nations General Assembly, UNESCO, IAEA,UNEP, and various European fora, including the CSCE
1979-1986
Head of International Organizations' Department, Foreign Ministry of the USSR
Member of the USSR Foreign Ministry's Collegium
1972-1975
Secretary-General of the USSR Delegation to the CSCE, Geneva
1971-1979
Chief Counselor, Head of American Division of the Policy Planning Department, Foreign Ministry of the USSR
1964-1971
Political Affairs Officer, Chief of Unit, United Nations Secretariat, New York
1961-1964
Second Secretary, Office of the Foreign Minister of the USSR
1957-1961
Attache, Permanent Mission of the USSR to the United Nations, New York

Other Professional Activities
Frequent guest lectures at universities, Foreign Police Associations and World Affairs Councils in the US and Europe

Formal Education
Doctorate in History, Institute of international Relations and World Economy, 1975
LL.D, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, 1962
MA, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, 1957

Significant Publications
Foreign Service of Great Britain, 1958
Diplomacy of 10 Downing Street, 1964
Foreign Policy Thinking in the United States: Theories and Concepts, 1976
Doctrine of National Security in the US Global Strategy, 1980
Dialogue for Peace. Participation of the USSR in Multilateral Diplomacy, 1980
Disarmament: Concept, Problems and Mechanisms, 1983
Security in the Era of Nuclear and Outer Space Technology, 1985
Numerous booklets and articles on foreign policy issues

Honors
Order of the Red Banner of Labor, 1988 (USSR)
Order Badge of Honor, 1975 (USSR)
Order 'For Merits', 2001 (Poland)
Various Russian and foreign medals
Numerous Academic Awards

Professional Memberships
Board, Reseau universitaire international de Geneve (RUIG)
International Institute of Strategic Studies, London
Academy of Military Service, Moscow
International Information Academy, Moscow
Russian Academy of Entrepreneurship, Moscow
Russian Academy of Astronautics, Moscow
Academy of Natural Sciences of the Russian Federation, Moscow