Global Citizens for Peace

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Under the name of the People's Initiative for Departments of Peace, the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace was launched at the first People's Summit for Departments of Peace, held in London October 18-19, 2005, with the intention of supporting national-level campaigns to establish departments of peace in governments throughout the world. The following articles provide background information on the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace.

More and more people are coming to realise that it is only by focusing our energies on tackling all forms of violence, including that to the environment, that the human race will have a viable future. In recent years groups in a number of countries have concluded that this vital work needs to be a central role of government. The USA, the United Kingdom, and Canada started initiatives to have Departments of Peace or Ministries for Peace established that would sit alongside existing government Departments

In October 2005 three organisations, the US Peace Alliance, the Canadian Federal Working Group for a Department of Peace, and the UK ministry for peace, organised the first People's Summit for Departments of Peace in London. This was done to share information and experience within existing groups and also to begin working with those considering setting up similar initiatives in other countries. Forty people from twelve countries attended the two day Summit. These countries were Australia, Canada, Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, Italy, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, Romania, the United Kingdom, Jordan, and the United States. Prominent supporters of the conference include UK John McDonnell MP, US Representative Dennis Kucinich and, from Australia, Dr. Arthur Chesterfield-Evans MP and Senator Natasha Stott Despoja.

The Peace Alliance Foundation

The Peace Alliance Foundation began life in 2000 as the Global Renaissance Alliance, with the purpose to educate the public about current events, to bring about civic betterment and social improvement, and to promote the common good and general welfare of the community. In January 2005, the organization officially took on its new name of The Peace Alliance Foundation.

The mission of The Peace Alliance Foundation is to advance the creation of a culture and infrastructure of peace in the United States and throughout the world.

The overall goal of the Global Engagement initiative is to help strengthen and grow the worldwide grassroots movement for a culture of peace through research, education about peace building technologies, and demonstrations of nonviolent approaches to local, national, and international conflicts. The Foundation cooperates and builds community with counterpart organizations in the U.S. and other countries to plan, organize, and take part in international conferences, public outreach events, and education projects; develop and share best practices; and build a global network of people and organizations who together can reveal and foster the existence of an expanding culture of peace.

Our Global Engagement work is in two broad areas:

Participation in The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace Active involvement to build, support, and collaborate with this network of country-level, grassroots organizations with representation from all regions of the world.

Culture of Peace Events. Collaboration with others in the global peace community to motivate, plan, organize, and/or participate in international observances and conferences to extend awareness and understanding of the concepts of a culture of peace.

The first People's Summit for Departments of Peace, held in London in October 2005, resulted in the launch of a worldwide movement now called the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace.

The aim of the Global Alliance, in which the Peace Alliance Foundation is an active participant, is to support and encourage the institutional expression of a culture of peace in governments around the world. So far, seven countries have active campaigns for ministries or departments of peace underway: Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Nepal, United Kingdom, and United States. Others are in the planning stages, and still others are in the exploratory stage. And some countries, such as the Philippines and the Solomon Islands, already have governmental units devoted to reconciliation and

The Peace Alliance

The Peace Alliance is a US nonpartisan citizen action organization advocating for legislation that supports a culture of peace. They work to foster positive, proactive change toward the creation of a more nonviolent and peaceful world. The Peace Alliance is spearheading the US national campaign to establish a United States Department of Peace. They have citizen organizers active in all 50 states.

The Department of Peace effort was launched officially in Washington D.C. with the first Department of Peace Conference in conjunction with the second introduction of the bill into the 108th congress on April 8th, 2003.

The campaign was originally organized under the Global Renaissance Alliance (now called "The Peace Alliance Foundation a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded by current Chair of the board of directors, Marianne Williamson. The Peace Alliance, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization and sister to the Foundation, was founded in May of 2004 and further organized the U.S. Department of Peace Campaign. It is with the help of thousands of citizen activists the has been faken from a beautiful idea into a political reality in order to build the foundation and infrastructure for a more peaceful nation and world.

International campaign for the establishment of a

WORLD MOVEMENT for GLOBAL DEMOCRACY (WMGD)

Our Vision is of a world that works for everybody, where all people have enough to eat, a decent place to live, a good education, clean water and sanitation, access to basic healthcare, right livelihood, and a decent standard of living. This would include a world where we protect and restore our natural environment, live sustainably, treat each other with respect and dignity, protect all people's basic human rights, can participate equitably in local to global decision making, and resolve our conflicts and differences peaceably.

Our Mission is to gather and develop a listing of the most promising proposals and initiatives for solving our primary global problems and challenges and developing an active network of people and organizations that will promote and support these initiatives. It is to develop sufficient support to actually achieve and implement these goals.

Our Objectives are to raise awareness about the most constructive means for solving our primary global problems and to develop and support the most effective strategies and policies for passing and implementing these initiatives. It is to raise awareness among the world's people that we can achieve our goals and create a world that works well for everyone if we unite together to demand that our leaders do the things that are needed to create it now.

In addition we intend to build a network, or networks, of people and organizations that are actually capable of developing, implementing, and carrying out these initiatives. Thus we wish to include all of the people and organizations that are already taking a lead to promote and raise awareness about each of them.

The World Movement for Global Democracy thus intends to work together with all of the other people, organizations, and networks to develop and organize media activities, events and conferences, strategy plans, and initiatives that are able to build enough public support to transform our global institutions and their programs and policies.

Global Symposium 2006

Lucknow India

We the participants of Global Symposium and members of the Global Partnership for World Democracy (GPWD) in advancing the mission of establishing a New World Order,

Realize that humanity is essentially one and at large is an inter-religious, interdependent, interconnected, interplanetary and interracial community.

Today, while facing the challenges of Poverty, War, International terrorism, Violation of human rights, Pollution, Ecological imbalances, Waste of resources, Illiteracy, all of the threats encountered at the global level which cannot be solved alone by nation states.

Ask that the outcomes of the major world conferences and of the World Social Forum organized around the issues of children survival, climate change, population, environment, sustainable development, women, etc. be taken into account because they are the expression of the public opinion and concerns.

Demand, the World Judiciary to unite and implement world legislation on the specific verification, compliance and enforcement measures for phasing the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Exhort Nation States to transfer part of their sovereignty to the benefit of global world institutions, democratically elected, which endowed with limited but real powers could support solidarity and peace between the people of the world by establishing laws common to us all.

In order to achieve these goals, we commit that

We shall create a world based on the harmonious balance of material and spiritual civilization.

Give to all world citizens access to unbiased information and education and with great concern for children and generations yet to be born call for global democratic system based on spiritual foundations.

We, as world citizens working for the Global Partnership for World Democracy (GPWD) commit as well to direct democracy in the conformance with the non-military federal World Constitution. We commit to locally promote the world district formation for due world elections with sound accounting practices.

We will vote for and support political parties and politicians who will commit at all costs to resolve conflicts through peaceful means.

In order to build a regenerative global community, the people and nations of the world must make a personal commitment to the earth and its people, fulfill their obligations under existing international agreements and world law and support the implementation of World Constitution principles with an international legally binding instrument on environment and development in spirit with the principles of the World Constitution.

Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to regenerate a quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.

-- Participants of the Global Symposium, 13 December 2005, Lucknow, India

ORGANISATIONS WORKING WITH WORLD MOVEMENT for GLOBAL DEMOCRACY (WMGD)

Registry of World Citizens

World Movement Democracy

SIMPOL

WCPA

UBUNTU

Citizens For A United Earth

Centre For Change

Vote World Government

WORLDWIDE DIRECT DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT

Global Partnership For A World Democracy

World Judiciary

New Paradigm Journal

Registry of World Citizens

founded en 1949, has its head office at 66, Boulevard Vincent Auriol, 75013 PARIS, France. It supervises the issuing of World Citizen cards for all countries. It publishes a bulletin in French, English, Spanish, Dutch, German and Esperanto.

President : Daniel Durand

Vice chair : Geneviève Charpentier

Secretary : Liliane Metz-Krencker

Treasurer : Peter Davidse

As a World Citizen, conscious of your responsibilities in the growing World Community, represented by this first institution - you are invited to make an annual voluntary contribution, equivalent to half a day salary or income, to help the Registry to carry out its work effectively.

The World Citizen Identity Card is not a membership card of a movement. It is valid for life. However, in case of loss or accident, it may be replaced.

http://www.recim.org/cdm/form-an.htm

All peoples on Earth have been wondering what will it take to create and obtain a global community citizenship that is based on fundamental principles and values of the Global Community. Now is time to enact your dream! It is time because humanity has no time to waste as we have done in the past. It is time to be what we are meant to become to save us and all life along with us. It is time to be citizens of the Earth. It is time to gather our forces and to stand for our global values, the only humane values that can save humanity and life on the planet from extinction.

You may be eligible to become a citizen of the Global Community.

To become a citizen of the Global Community you may be:

* a person

* a global community

* an institution

* a town, city or province

* a state or a nation

* a business

* an NGO

* a group of people who decided to unite for the better of everyone participating in the relationship, or you may be

* an international organization

The Global Community Citizenship is given to anyone who accepts the Criteria of the Global Community Citizenship as a way of life . It is time now to take the oath of global community citizenship. We all belong to this greater whole, the Earth, the only known place in the universe we can call our home.

Before you make your decision, we are asking you to read very carefully the Criteria of the Global Community Citizenship, make sure you understand every part of the criteria, and then make the oath of belonging to the Global Community, the human family, Earth Community and Earth Government.

You do not need to let go the citizenship you already have. No! You can still be a citizen of any nation on Earth. The nation you belong to can be called 'a global community'. But you are a better human being as you belong also to the Global Community, and you have now higher values to live a life, to sustain yourself and all life on the planet.

You have become a person with a heart, a mind and Soul of the same as that of the Global Community.

The Global Community welcomes you!

Negotiations with the United Nations are under way concerning worldwide acceptance of the Criteria of the Global Community Citizenship. It is expected that the U.N. accept worldwide the Global Community Citizenship and the Certified Corporate Global Community Citizenship (CCGCC). A global community citizen could travel the world with the global community VISA and work in nations where the VISA is obtained.

The Global Community would conduct the proper investigation concerning the security aspects of the global community citizen requesting the VISA and also be responsible for the legitimacy of the application for the VISA. A VISA could have several different applications depending of the request:

a) work permit

b) short visit

c) volunteer work

PEOPLES' CONGRESS

The Peoples Congress, first assembly of direct representatives of the earth inhabitants includes 40 delegates elected by voters from 120 countries progressively during 10 trans-national elections. It is like a shadow World Assembly of the people of the world able to establish World Institutions in order to solve the numerous problems that humanity is facing now

The Peoples Congress created the following institutions:

The Institute of "Mundialists"Studies (1977) IEM

The World Press Agency (1980-1990) AMIP

World Community against Hunger (1982)- fondé en 1982. 1300 membres dans 34 pays http://www.recim.org/ascop/m-smf.htm The Peoples Congress Consultative Assembly (2004) ASCOP -The peoples' Congress, institution created by the decision of 100.000 electors in 120 countries proposing to day to organisations and individuals who wish to ,a space for dialog and projects: http://www.recim.org/ascop/ascop-an.htm

LEGAL SERVICE Of RECORDING (2006)

THE PEOPLES' CONGRESS. Today, tens of thousands of people living in 110 countries have, through successive elections, built up this Congress, the first transnational institution in the history on mankind.

With continuing elections in the future, the Peoples' Congress will become increasingly representative and will finally constitute, as an antithesis to the nation-states.

a tribune for peoples of the world,

a focus for new ideas and for the dreams brought to it by far-sighted individuals or groups hitherto working in isolation,

an embryonic structure of the united world of the future, without which we cannot survive much longer.

For its part, the PEOPLES' CONGRESS created:

The INSTITUTE of MUNDIALIST STUDIES (1977), Research and culture organisation oriented towards a "mundialist" prospective

IEM-AIGS rue Vert Vinave 60, BE 4041 VOTTEM (Belgium).(See the french page "iem.htm")

A MUNDIALIST PRESS AGENCY (1980) that circulates regularly or occasionally to the media, information about the People's Congress or an editorial to make the point of view on a recent current event known.

The WORLD COMMUNITY AGAINST HUNGER (1982) Prefiguration of a world Solidarity Institution organised like a transnational association, present in 32 countries.

http://www.globidar.org - info@globidar.org

FMSCF,ruelle haute ,F21120 GEMEAUX (France)

PEOPLES' CONGRESS CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY (2004). Includes associations and individuals. It is an organisation for a participative democracy helping to solve the world problems.

http://www.recim.org/ascop

Functions of Peoples' Congress

The functions of the Peoples' Congress will be to:

Establish a list of those needs basic to all men.

Proclaim the necessity for world-wide institutions.

Determine broadly:

1. in which fields the intervention of a supranational authority is necessary.

2. which transfers of jurisdiction, to the benefit of world-wide institutions, will have to be agreed upon by the sovereign states.

3. the conditions necessary so that world-wide institutions, may bi democratically formed.

4. the structures of the supranational authority to be created.

Establish a set of recommendations concerning the future world Constitution.

Set up a council composed of a limited number of specialists, charged with elaborating a constitution draft, taking these recommendations into account.

Present this World Constitution project, as soon as it is ready, to the national governments and parliaments as well as to the various international associations into which some of them have grouped together.

Express, on occasion, the opinion and will of the people of the world concerning those events regarding humanity's destiny.

http://www.recim.org/kdp/peoples-congress.htm

The Global Community is defined as being all that exits or occurs at any location at any time between the Ozone layer above and the core of the planet below."

A community is not about a piece of land you acquired by force or otherwise. One could think of a typical community of a million people that does not have to be bounded by a geographical or political border. It can be a million people living in many different locations all over the world. The Global Community is thus more fluid and dynamic. We need to let go the archaic ways of seeing a community as the street where I live and contained by a border. Many conflicts and wars will be avoided by seeing ourselves as people with a heart, a mind and a Soul, and as part of a community with the same.

The old concept of a community being the street where we live in and surrounded by a definite geographical and political boundary has originated during the Roman Empire period. An entire new system of values was then created to make things work for the Roman Empire. Humanity has lived with this concept over two thousand years. Peoples from all over the world are ready to kill anyone challenging their border. They say that this is their land, their property, their 'things'. This archaic concept is endangering humanity and its survival. The Roman Empire has gone but its culture is still affecting us today. We need to let go the old way of thinking. We need to learn of the new concept, and how it can make things work in the world.

The World Movement for Democracy

The World Movement for Democracy is a global network of democrats including activists, practitioners, academics, policy makers, and funders, who have come together to cooperate in the promotion of democracy. All those who are engaged in the advancement of democracy worldwide are welcome to participate. Please send a message by e-mail to the World Movement for Democracy.

"We believe that human beings aspire to freedom by their very nature, and that no single culture has a monopoly on democratic values. The tradition of democracy has been enriched by contributions from many cultures, and the development of democracy is open to people everywhere

The recent period of democratic expansion has seen the spread of democratic elections to well over half of the world's 190 countries. Despite these gains, and in some respects because of them, the effort to foster the further development of democracy today faces two historic challenges:

The first is to consolidate recent democratic gains by deepening democracy beyond its electoral form. This involves, among other things:

improving protection for human rights and the rule of law;

strengthening judicial and legislative institutions, as well as other agencies to hold state power accountable;

empowering democratic governance at the local level;

ensuring the equal status and full participation of women;

empowering marginalized groups to become partners in the restructuring of their societies;

invigorating civil society and the autonomous mass media;

securing fundamental workers rights, especially freedom of association;

ensuring that those who work nonviolently for the democratic transformation of their societies are provided the space and resources needed for their task;

controlling corruption and promoting transparency;

extending civilian control over the military;

cultivating democratic values and beliefs; and

resolving conflicts over minority group rights and claims through the spirit and mechanisms of democracy.

The second challenge is to promote political liberalization and democratic transition in the remaining authoritarian systems. This may not come about quickly. But it is important to do what is possible in each situation to assist the variety of groups and individuals who are working through nonviolent means for democratic opening and change.

To help maintain the global momentum for democratic progress, we believe there is a need for a worldwide network of democratic practitioners and thinkers, committed to mutual support, exchange, and cooperation. We hereby adopt for our network the name, "World Movement for Democracy."This global network will include:

political party representatives who are seeking the reform and renewal of political parties and party systems;

leaders of NGOs and other professionals working to improve human rights; institutionalize transparency and accountability; modernize the legal system; strengthen representative institutions; enhance the status of women in politics, society, and the economy; incorporate other excluded groups; promote civic education; and otherwise reform and invigorate democracy;

trade unionists committed to giving workers a democratic voice in a rapidly changing global economy;

business leaders committed to democracy, economic competition, and accountable and transparent corporate governance;

leaders of policy research institutes and other scholars and analysts who are not merely studying the conditions for democracy but advancing concrete initiatives for institutional and policy reform;

civic (and other) educators who are working both within and outside the formal school system and in various arenas in civil society to develop in their fellow citizens the values, skills, and knowledge that undergird a free and participatory society;

religious leaders who are working for the freedom of conscience and the freedom to worship of all peoples and faiths;

representatives of international democracy foundations that provide financial and technical assistance to pro-democracy groups in transitional and authoritarian countries;

independent journalists, broadcasters and other specialists in communications who can help pro-democracy groups utilize new information technologies as tools for democracy-building.

Simultaneous Policy - SIMPOL

There is no shortage of sensible solutions to our global problems, such as those in the column at the left. What the world lacks is an effective means to cooperatively implement them everywhere, simultaneously. Individual nations cannot tackle the challenge of global problems alone or even in limited alliances or unions. Other nations, alliances or unions would still be free to ignore or exploit problems like global warming, cheap labour, and corporate tax shelters to gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

Enter the Simultaneous Policy (SP) - a peaceful, yet revolutionary political tool that empowers voters everywhere to compel our politicians - at the point of a ballot box! - to commit our nations to implement global solutions simultaneously. With SP, no nation, alliance, or corporation need go it alone; no one loses out, and everyone wins. Global warming, the chronic threat of weapons of mass destruction, socially and environmentally irresponsible corporate and economic globalization, unfair trade - SP is the lever that we the people of Planet Earth can use to make our elected representatives tackle these problems as we, in our collective wisdom and goodwill, see fit.

The Simultaneous Policy has as its ultimate aim the transformation of the international economy such that it operates in harmony with the global natural environment and with the needs of human nature.

John Bunzl

Founder & Director, International Simultaneous Policy Organisation (ISPO)

WORLD CONSTITUTION AND PARLIAMENT ASSOCIATION (WCPA)

The World Constitution and Parliament Association was established in 1958 by Professor Philip Isely and his wife Margaret Isely of Denver Colorado, USA, to create a Constitution for a Federation of Earth and to promote democratic world government under that Constitution. The organization has grown into a world-wide movement since that time, with chapters today in many countries involving many thousands of citizens around the world. In addition, thousands more have registered as delegates for Provisional World Parliaments organized by WCPA and have declared themselves as personal ratifiers of the Earth Constitution.

Citizens for a United Nations People's Assembly

Open Letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan

(First signed at June 4, 2005 Conference)

Dear Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

Building on the momentum initiated by the Swiss Parliamentarians' Open Letter to you, the European Parliament's strong support, the continuing efforts of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Citizens for a United Nations Peoples' Assembly, we respectfully request that you convene a High Level Panel to determine the steps required for the establishment of a Peoples' Parliamentary Assembly within the United Nations Organization.

We trust that you will give this request careful consideration, as we are convinced that, to quote the Preamble to the UN Charter, "We the Peoples of the United Nations"must finally have an elected voice in this vital world organization.

Moreover, at this critical time when the United Nations is at a "fork in the road"as you state, a Peoples' Parliamentary Assembly could generate renewed interest and wide support from people around the world for a strong UN based upon the reforms you are proposing. We believe that such a Parliament is crucial to addressing the multitude of problems facing humanity in the 21st century.

Text of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Initial Response...

15 July 2005

Dear Mr. Bill McCarthy,

Thank you for sending me the Citizens for a United Nations Peoples' Assembly's open letter and the accompanying signatures in support of your initiative.

In order to be truly effective, decisions taken by United Nations Member States at the 2005 World Summit will need the support of their peoples. That, I am sure, was one motive behind the decision of the President of the General Assembly to convene informal interactive hearings with non-governmental organizations on 23-24 June. The impending 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference will provide a second opportunity for civil society discussions on prospective changes to the international architecture.

Both these events are examples of the seriousness with which the United Nations treats the views of civil society, and this, I believe, is a testimony in no small part to the ideas and aspirations to which you, and your colleagues and associates, have given voice.

Yours Sincerely,Kofi A. Annan

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an age-old African term for humaneness - for caring, sharing and being in harmony with all of creation. As an ideal, it promotes co-operation between between individuals, cultures and nations.

OPEN LETTER TO THE NEW UN SECRETARY GENERAL: MR. BAN KI-MOON--EXTRACT

http://www.ubuntu.upc.edu/index.php?lg=eng&pg=2&ncom=21

In order to make another world possible, let us make the UN more democratic and stronger

We the signatories have over the last seven years, at the initiative of UBUNTU - World Forum of Civil Society Networks, issued a number of communiqués to world public opinion detailing various common issues, important among them the fact that "the democratisation, strengthening and primacy of the UN in international politics are essential in order to make a better world possible". Some of these communiqués have been launched at the various World Social Forum gatherings, which, in our view, represent one of the most important expressions of the will and determination of worldwide civil society to participate actively and responsibly in the construction of a better world.

At this, the start of Mr. Ban Ki-Moon's term of office as the new UN Secretary General, to whom we wish every success in his work for the benefit of humankind, we want, in this open letter, to stress the following considerations and proposals

1. In view of the problems of poverty and of development in general, there is a need to:

achieve the Millennium Development Goals (which we regard as minimum standards) and the Plans of Action drawn up at UN summits in the 1990s

fulfil previous Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments and above all to implement new financing mechanisms

move towards a fair world trade system oriented towards sustainable human development

worldwide commitment to tackle global warming

2 In view of the problems of peace, security and human rights, there is a need for

compliance with democratic international law based on universal human rights

the essential reform of the UN Security Council

3 In view of the essential reform of International Institutions, including the democratisation and strengthening of the UN, we note that:

the UN reforms on peace, security, disarmament and human rights proposed at the 60th session of the General Assembly have not materialized

there is a need for "a stronger, more democratic UN, placed at the centre of a consistent, democratic, responsible, effective system of international institutions.

these reforms, each of which are necessary in themselves, will at last make it possible to approve and implement the policies required to tackle and put an end to the grave problems that humanity faces at the start of this century.

CITIZENS FOR A UNITED EARTH

Citizens for a United Earth is a group of volunteers in the area of Rochester, NY, who want a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous future for all the world's people. We believe the time has come for global citizenship, with people aware of their interdependence with others all over the world.

WE THE HUMAN FAMILY recognize our Earth

As a precious shared inheritance.

All the beauty, bounty, and diversity of Creation;

Our histories, our futures, our lives are here

Yet hunger, poverty, and disease,

Ignorance, injustice, and war,

Population growth, and environmental damage

Plague our societies.

This is a time of unprecedented opportunity.

Earth's affairs can and must be managed,

Democratically, with enforceable world law.

We call for, and commit ourselves to building,

A United Earth

Not to make our cultures the same,

But to give all children

A safe, clean, sustainable home.

Essays by Hank Stone http://www.c-u-e.org/essays.htm

CENTRE FOR CHANGE

About Centre for Change

The Centre for Change in the Third Millennium is an open forum and ongoing dialogue for humankind on key issues affecting sustainable survival and the search for solutions. It is a global 'think tank', a global 'watershed, bringing together humanity's most inspired and creative thinking -a convergence of the spiritual, scientific and humanistic. The aim is the creation of a planetary 'peace culture'.

A New Spirituality Integrating Ecology and Technology

The Centre for Change expresses a new paradigm, a new spirituality encompassing a consciousness of oneness in which all life maintains itself at the expense of everything else. In other words we are all connected -not separate. The big turning is an integration of spirituality with ecology and technology. We need to see ourselves as inextricably connected---mind, body, spirit, society, environment in which we take a holistic approach.

The Centre for Change sees the health of an individual in society as tied up and inextricably related to human rights, human justice, lifestyle change, reduction of stress and the fundamental conditions for resources and health including peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable eco-system, sustainable resources, social justice and equity.

The aim of The Centre For Change is to promote a renaissance in conscience, consciousness and ethics, which sees the dignity of the human psyche as paramount. The Centre challenges entrenched, conservative, restrictive approaches and over specialization seeing our Global Problems as being interrelated and interconnected. The Centre promotes unity within diversity and enquires into the cause of dis-function within our Global and Australian society whether it be in the context of individuals, societies, communities, governments or the environment itself. It is open!

Vote Democratic World Government

1. Within any nation, the choice is between government (the rule of law) and anarchy (the law of the jungle).

2. While no government is perfect, serious people reject anarchy.

3. Governments are either democratic or dictatorial, and given a voice in the matter, the people of every nation will choose democracy, overwhelmingly.

These three statements are also true for the world as a whole. Without a world government to make world laws, nations will continue to make war, and terrorists will continue to kill innocent civilians for political gain. With nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in the mix, a World War III may well destroy all life on Earth. At some level, most people already know these things, but they incorrectly think they are helpless to change anything big.

The United Nations is a gathering place of national governments. It is not, and will never become, the democratic world government that we need. We believe that by using the Internet and working with NGOs and sub-national levels of government, we can conduct a global referendum (or at least kick-start the process), and obtain a strong mandate from the entire human race for the creation of a directly-elected world parliament that is empowered to resolve international conflicts lawfully. The test is whether this mandate will prove to be "legally binding"on national governments. We think it will, and we think that this is what it will take if future generations are to live out their lives without experiencing war, and if we are to create the conditions under which humanity can survive and thrive as a species for millions of years into the future.

WORLDWIDE DIRECT DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT

All members of the WDDM are dedicated to promoting an understanding of Direct Democracy's benefits and spreading its influence on planet Earth. This website is a central gathering place for international DD news, discussions, and assistance. If you have never visited us before, come on in, look around, and if you agree with our philosophies, please join us. You can also join or form local groups where you live and link to us. Our main goal is to develop a multilingual global network of websites and offline efforts committed to encouraging more direct democratic processes for public policy decision making.

Mission Statement

We, global citizens, join in an educational effort to inform People that all political power originates from them-they are sovereign-and that they have the inherent right to exercise the legislative powers associated with that sovereignty, to create and alter governments. constitutions, and laws.

The People's sovereignty and its exercise are the First Principles of human governance. First Principles can be used to establish direct democracy in any country that truly is a democracy.

We pledge ourselves to inform and assist People in bringing about direct democracy within their nations so that the People can share in the central power of government-lawmaking. The People, as lawmakers, will then be able to directly involve themselves in their own self-governance.

Empower the UN

The PURPOSE of this website is to facilitate & coordinate information from people & organizations throughout the world who are working towards the revitalization & reform of the United Nations and creating a People's Parliament within the United Nations

Open Letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan

(First signed at June 4, 2005 Conference)

Dear Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

Text of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Initial Response...

15 July 2005

Dear Mr. Bill McCarthy,

Thank you for sending me the Citizens for a United Nations Peoples' Assembly's open letter and the accompanying signatures in support of your initiative.

Yours Sincerely,

Kofi A. Annan

If you support this proposal, please SIGN HERE, and you will be added to list of supporters.

WORLD JUDICIARY SUMMIT

RESOLUTION OF THE CHIEF JUSTICES AT THE

7th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHIEF JUSTICES OF THE WORLD

We, the Judges assembled at the 7th International Conferences of Chief Justices of the World held at Lucknow, India, having considered the appeal by the 31,000 children of City Montessori School - on their own and on behalf of the world's children - for a safe and protected environment and a peaceful world governed by international law, hereby resolve and declare as follows:

That peace education should be given proper importance in educational curricula throughout the world.

That a steady and consistent effort be undertaken in each jurisdiction to increase the level of awareness and information about international law in the legal training of lawyers and judges and in continuing judicial education to this end.

That each member of the judiciary here present undertakes to communicate this resolution to the judicial organizations to which he or she belongs, whether domestic, regional or international.

To take effective action whenever the occasion arises to protect and promote the best interests of children, giving full effect to all applicable principles of domestic and international law.

To disseminate this resolution as well as the objectives of the present conference

New Paradigm Journal

The aim of this Journal is to enable us to realize that we are connected and to increase awareness so that we begin to understand the deception placed on us by the old system and the old paradigm.

The old paradigm is being forced on us to an even greater extent by the neo-conservative Orwellian, economic rationalist regime of Western Society. This gradual intrusive process is by its very nature eroding creativity and freedom of expression of art and culture.

Unless governance becomes more participatory and people have a real say at what they want in terms of their dreams and how they can express themselves in terms of real values and positive attitudes our society will become dictatorships in Africa run by bureaucratic elites and watched over by a very wealthy minority.

We need to get back to the concept of true education and true healing if we wish to see a society which will flourish in every way including economically.

World Citizen Foundation

The World Citizen Foundation is a nonprofit nonpartisan think-tank dedicated to the design of solutions to international problems based on the fundamental principles of equal human dignity, liberty, democracy and constitutionally protected basic rights of all.

We are dedicated to the proposition that all levels of political authority can only derive their legitimacy from the fundamental sovereignty of the people. This is widely accepted at local and national levels but not internationally or globally. This contradiction is the ultimate source of the corruption of democracy at local and national levels, as the non-democratic paradigm which rules in international relations corrodes the paradigm of individual rights and freedom which is used domestically.

We believe that democracy is a human invention and a political "technology"which historically is still very young and whose power and potential has neither been fully understood nor realized. As a human invention, it is imperfect and will always be but it also can be improved, just as a car or computer or, using a better analogy, a software programme, can be upgraded. Politics is like the "Operating System"of society and to remain free and prosperous, it is to our advantage (in addition to being our civic duty) to constantly improve democracy as the least worst of all possible political "Operating Systems". Because of globalization and the need to agree on basic common rules of civilized conduct in our global community, we would be remiss if we did not explore the possibilities of using the political technology of democracy to solve global problems.

Basic design principles of world democratic institutions While we are aware there are various ways to build such democratic institutions, we nevertheless agree on the following set of basic design principles:

1. Ultimate political sovereignty resides in individuals

2. Collective sovereignty of the people must be expressed through direct or representative democracy

3. Rule of law

4. Solving problems at the most practicable local level (Subsidiarity Principle)

5. Institutional and procedural transparency to create and maintain trust

6. Use of peaceful means to build such institutions

7. Non-discrimination

FOR WORLD PEACE

Abolition of Armed Forces of all over the World

For realization of true peaceful world, would you like to sign your name for "abolition of armed forces all over the world"

MESSAGE

Why tragic terrorism and war have so happened repeatedly and persistently.

We think one reason exists in the politician's state of mind that has been eager to contribute only to their nation's interest and safety.

Now they should conduct their affairs from point of view of promoting the international interest and safety.

In the present situation that many countries have their own armed forces, it is hard to promote world peace.

The United Nations was established in 1945 to promote nation's cooperation in relation to world peace, economic and social development.

However the UN seems to be a rather loose association of nations where the representatives discuss about important issues unfortunately in vain.

And the UN seems not to have enough power to turn the peaceful world in reality and to get rid of poverty on the earth.

Provided that we have more powerful "world government"than the UN, we could settle or dramatically improve the above problems.

We propose "the establishment of the world government"tackling with following three issues.

1. Abolition of armed forces, nuclear weapon and other mass destructive weapon all over the world (possess some conventional weapon necessary to sustain the peaceful world as the following world peace)

2. Foundation of a new world police. The new world police have strong power able to control international terrorism and war.

3. Improvement of living conditions of the poor.

Dealing with hunger, illness and illiterate.

http://www.citerre.org/appelcitmct.htm

CONSCIENT que les citoyens de tous pays et leurs représentants se voient progressivement dépossédés du pouvoir de décider de leur destin, au nom d'une transformation du monde présentée comme une fatalité, particulièrement par les sociétés transnationales qui profitent de l'absence de lois applicables mondialement.

CONSIDéRANT qu'il est urgent de se réapproprier ensemble l'avenir de notre Terre afin d'éviter son saccage pour la simple satisfaction d'intérêts privés et financiers;

CONSIDéRANT qu'il est urgent de créer de nouveaux instruments démocratiques de fonctionnement de la société, aux plans national et mondial, en proposant des alternatives crédibles aux systèmes politiques, économiques et sociaux qui ont montré leurs limites, ne font qu'appauvrir les plus démunis, donner plus de pouvoir à ceux qui en ont déjà trop, aviver les nationalismes et détruire la planète;

The World Citizen Government Web

"Public opinion does everything."

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

The Internet, skillfully applied and judiciously managed, can help serve as the obvious communication tool whereby the citizens of the world can finally vote on common global issues.

The World Citizen Government Web, under the aegis of the World Service Authority, has therefore introduced the first electronic World Citizen Referendum with the following questions:

www.universal-democracy.org

Should I know something useful for me but bad for my family, I would reject it from my mind.

Should I know something useful to my family but bad for my Fatherland, I would try to forget it.

Should I know something useful to my Fatherland but bad for Europe or useful to Europe but bad for the Human gender, I should consider it as a crime Montesquieu (1689 - 1755) Mes pensées

http://www.utopianchronicles.org/

Global Community Organization

http://www.telusplanet.net/globalcommunity/history.htm

http://www.telusplanet.net/globalcommunity/GCcitizenship.htm

The Earth Community Organization (ECO) was previously called The Global Community organization. The name was changed during the August 2000 Global Dialogue. Now we use both names as meaning the same organization.

The Global Community organization was first discussed in a report on global changes published in 1990 by Germain Dufour. The report contained 450 policies (workable sound solutions) on sustainable development, and was presented to the United Nations, the Government of Canada, the provincial government of Alberta and several non-profit organizations and scientists.

With the coming of the millennium, the affairs of humanity appeared to be unfolding in more profound ways. Cause and effect was more apparent and happening more quickly.

One of the most important factors in our lives is the inter-connection we have to others, to other countries. Through these connections individuals will be able to create changes for good on a global scale.

We are now all becoming linked to others in faraway places on a much deeper level. If we work together to keep our planet healthy, productive and hospitable, it will benefit all people and living things. As your awareness of this global need deepens you will want to join with others to see that good changes happen. The Earth Community Organization aims to establish a new, permanent dialogue on measuring and managing sustainable development. It is a grassroots process. Everyone is involved. Everyone is part of the Earth Community. Your views are important. We want to hear what they are.

Every person is part of the Earth Community and can become a member of the Organization. Although there is a need to find a home for the Earth Community Organization, and also although the organization was not registered legally in any country so far, the organization exists and has a membership, organizes worldwide conferences, and has an active Global Community Assessment Centre (GCAC). At the moment the organization is handling several research and development projects one very important project being the research and development of the Global Community model

The World Parliament Experiment

The World Parliament is possible, if YOU join it!

We believe that another world is possible. But what does this new world look like? The World Parliament Experiment (WPE) is not just against the current world order, it is a positive vision of a fully democratic world, in which everybody will take part and have a say.

This is why the WPE is YOUR democracy. It is your forum to vote, to elect, to express your opinions, and be elected as the speaker!

The WPE allows political activity on the national and the local level: It is linked to national democracy experiments and it includes regional forums.

Everybody is invited to create its own Parliament Experiment on the national, regional or local or even the individual level. Just send us an e-mail regarding your plans, and we will set up your individual space on the world-parliament.org server. The WPE Team will provide you with all the technical support you will need for setting up your own Parliament Experiment.

The WPE is the internet platform for political discussions. Besides elections, the forum allows you to debate, discuss and share your views in a truly international environment!

The WPE results will be introduced into the international political process as claims to decisions-makers. Therefore, the WPE is a real political factor. The more people participate, the more powerful the WPE will become

Imagine the opportunities of such a global forum! Imagine the combined power of all its participants! Imagine a real World Parliament!

THE E PARLIAMENT

The e-Parliament is building a new kind of international institution - one that is democratic and transparent, in which anyone can participate. Why is this new initiative needed?

The e-Parliament has been created to address two major problems facing humanity: a global democracy gap, and a problem-solving gap.

A democracy gap.

The e-Parliament, for the first time, links together the world's democratic members of parliament and congress into a single forum. This community of democratic legislators, together with interested organizations and citizens, can address a democracy gap at both the national and global levels.

The national level:

For the first time in history, a majority of the human race - roughly 60% - has won the right to decide in free elections who will govern them. But some 40% are still denied this democratic right by authoritarian governments of one kind or another. In almost every case, brave democrats are confronting their authoritarian rulers, many of them risking their lives for the simple principle that their own people should enjoy the same rights as the majority of their fellow citizens around the world.

Those democrats would be greatly strengthened if they could rely on the consistent support of an international body made up of democratic legislators from all parts of the world. At the same time, the e-Parliament can provide important assistance to new parliaments getting established in emerging democracies.

The global level:

At the global level, the problem is different. More and more key decisions are taken at the international level, whether in organizations like the United Nations or the World Trade Organization, or in the boardrooms of transnational corporations. As a result, our elected representatives in national parliaments are being increasingly sidelined. We're seeing a steady erosion of democratic accountability - of our ability as citizens to influence decisions that affect us. If democracy is to survive and prosper in the 21st century, we have to extend its reach to the global level.

Democracy and conflict:

The globalization of democracy is not only important for the future of democracy itself, but also for the benefits that democracy brings. Among those benefits is non-violent conflict resolution. Within a working democracy, major conflicts are resolved by elections, parliamentary votes or courts of law. Too often, similar conflicts are resolved internationally with bombs and bullets. The transformation of western Europe in the second half of the 20th century, from the most warlike region of the world to the most peaceful, shows how common democratic institutions can give people an alternative to war as a way to achieve their goals.

Modern transport and communications are shrinking our world. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were a terrible reminder of how events on one side of the planet can affect people on the other side. They were also a reminder that when people are denied their democratic rights they are more likely to find violent ways to express their anger and frustration. More than ever before, we need common democratic institutions to help us resolve our conflicts peacefully, and to help ensure democracy for all.

Democratic World Federation

The goals of world federalists are the abolition of war and crimes against humanity, the promotion of a just world community through the development of enforceable world law, and the preservation of a livable and healthful global environment. Achievement of those goals require the establishment of a democratic federal world government with powers adequate to: keep the peace, protect individual human rights, assist in the promotion of a just world community, and prevent environmental degradation and depletion of resources essential to human life.

In such a federation, international conflicts would be resolved by political and judicial means rather than by violence, while national governments would continue to manage their own affairs. World-level crimes would be defined by statute, and persons who broke those laws would be tried and punished by world criminal courts.

The Sapiens Movement

Mission Statement

Sapiens is an international movement of people and organizations working to establish a democratically elected world governing authority. The end goal is what matters. Whether the route to it is by way of the democratisation of existing international bodies (particularly of the UN) or by the creation of completely new democratic bodies is unimportant. The route Sapiens has chosen is that of advocacy of new supranational institutions rather than fundamental reform of those on which the global system currently relies.

The Sapiens' mission is to work in each country to create a mass movement and a powerful lobby to persuade the national leadership that it is in their nation's best interest to surrender key aspects of its sovereignty to a democratically elected, parliamentary, world governing authority.

Basic premise

Synopsis

A global society can only survive if there also exists a global political authority controlling the globalised economy and ecology on which that society depends. The UN, as now constituted, with neither the legitimacy of a democratic institution nor the power to enforce its will on all national governments equally, is not designed for this function. This site is dedicated to rectifying that situation be it through radical UN reform or, through a new and democratic institution.

Full Text

If a functioning international society is to survive another century, some sort of global political authority has to come into existence as a controlling mechanism for the globalised economy and ecology on which all nations are increasingly dependent. Behind the facade of the UN, which offers the appearance of having the potential to fill this role, lies the reality that it was specifically and primarily designed not to limit the sovereignty of its most powerful members. Without radical reform, it can never be more than the sum of its parts. As constituted today, it is not fit for the job required of it.

If the UN, in its present format, is not going to do the job, we are left with three choices:

Alternative I: A World governed by a superpower (that will probably destroy millions of lives in getting to that position, and many more in the ensuing struggles of resentment.)

Alternative II: The UN is taken over by an international political and corporate elite, selected from among the leaders of the most powerful nations and corporations. This elite will govern as an autocratic council and, like any other aristocracy, in its own interest.

Alternative II: A UN radically reformed into a democratic world government (DWG) or, more probably, a newly constituted DWG, acting as a world governing authority, democratically elected directly by the people rather than appointed by national governemnts. Nation states, due to internal political pressures, will have ceded certain of their sovereign rights to this DWG. The most significant "rights"to be surrendered will be those of adversely impacting areas of the environment they hold in common with others and the right to wage war outside their borders.

This site is dedicated to achieving the third and democratic outcome.

The World Governance Forum

World (or global) governance refers to the system of organizations and rules aimed at maximizing benefits to humanity as a whole, rather than individual nations or regions. This system currently includes the United Nations and its agencies, IMF and the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, and the International Criminal Court, as well as international laws, treaties and conventions.

Very many people and organizations believe this system is lacking and requires substantial improvement. Some hope it will evolve into a peaceful and stable democratic federation of the world's nations, constituted to guarantee individual human rights, a fair allocation of wealth and environmental sustainability, while accommodating humanity's cultural diversity and preserving maximum autonomy in local and national matters.

The purpose of this site is twofold:

1. To enable the creation of a lively community of people from all nations interested in exchanging information and ideas related to world governance.

2. To act as a catalyst for improvements in the world governance system

The World Constitution and Parliament Association

The World Constitution and Parliament Association is an organization responsible to orchestrate logistics for convening a series of World Constituent Assemblies to draft a Constitution for the Federation of Earth, for holding sessions of a Provisional World Parliament, and for the convening of a Founding Ratification Convention, to obtain official preliminary national ratification of this Earth Constitution.

The Global Ratification and Election Network is an alliance of non-governmental organizations and governmental organizations united for the purpose of establishing effective electoral process for all citizens of Earth in accordance with the Constitution for the Federation of Earth, and for the purpose of obtaining preliminary and final ratification of this Earth Constitution.

Committee for a Democratic UN

The Committee for a Democratic U.N. (KDUN) is a non-governmental organization registered in Germany. It is non-partisan and recognized as charitable under tax laws. KDUN supports international democracy and the strengthening of the United Nations. The political mandate is laid down in a declaration of principle. KDUN's membership consists of scholars, parliamentarians, personalities of public life, several NGOs and, among others, committed citizens.

KDUN was founded in February 2004. Its main concern is to advocate for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations. The activities of the Committee are mainly based on volunteer activity. Finances are covered by member fees, project support and donations

Declaration of Principle of the Committee for a Democratic U.N.

As part of the World Federalist Movement we reinforce our determination to seize our rights and duties as citizen of the whole world so that the high objectives of the United Nations can be realized and further developed.

Our planet is in a deep crisis, threatened by problems, which cannot be solved by nations acting separately from each other. For the peoples of the earth and their governments it has become an urgent necessity to unite in a reformed and strengthened world organization in order to achieve a new level of global cooperation.

As world federalists we look at the world as one single community, which embraces mankind in all its variety on the basis of a world ethos and an integration into the natural basics of life. Religious, ethnic, philosophical and cultural differences we thereby regard as indispensable enrichment of human living together. Tolerance, however, ends at the point where it encounters blind hate, fanatism, discrimination and absolute claim for truth.

We reinforce that the ideals and principles of social life, which are essential for every human existence, can and need to be applied to international relations. We are united in the vision of a world in which the rule of law, democracy, subsidiarity, federalism, human rights and peace are globally institutionalized and guaranteed. In social justice we recognize a central condition for a thriving living together in the world.

The core idea of world federalism lies in the endeavor to create world institutions vested with legal, political and executive authority with which problems may be approached which can only be coped with adequately on the global level.

In order to achieve this goal we call for a fast progress in the democratization and strengthening of the United Nations system and of all global governance processes. It is the single citizen himself who eventually is the legitimate source and addressee of a global legal authority.

On the basis of the ?Declaration on the Goals of the World Federalists"adopted in August 1987 at the 20th. World Congress of the World Federalist Movement. Accepted on February 22, 2003 in Frankfurt am Main.

The Club of Budapest International

The Club of Budapest International is an independent organization of likeminded persons who wish to come together in the interest of working toward a better future for all.

Its core objective - pursued together with its world-renowned international members and engaged creative and national members -- is to create and implement holistic solutions to problems that face the entire human family in a participatory way that can be experienced and acquired. Club of Budapest activities and projects can be accessed through

Planetary Consciousness Award

The Club of Budapest's Planetary Consciousness Prizes are awarded in recognition of the urgent necessity to upgrade the thinking and feeling - the consciousness - of a critical mass of people in today's societies. The problems faced by the world community today are due above all to a lag in the consciousness of people and leaders with respect to the rapidity with which new conditions evolve on this planet. The Prizes honour individuals who, in their sphere of personal and professional activity, have been most effective in exhibiting and promoting the universally required new consciousness.

Change the World - Best Practice Award

Change occurs through innovation. With the help of Best Practice Projects these innovations can be translated into deeds in an intelligent manner. If we desire change towards an ecologically and socially sustainable world, we should develop a special ability to recognize and promote the best practice projects in the world concerning sustainable development - in other words, projects that:

- put into practice the criteria of "Agenda 21"for socially and ecologically sustainable global development in a particularly innovative, exemplary, successful and integral way;

- have a special potential to initiate fundamental processes of change towards a globally responsible and win-win oriented kind of thinking;

- have an implicit potential for applicability under different circumstances.

Global Marshall Plan

What is the Global Marshall Plan?

The Global Marshall Plan aims at a "World in Balance". To achieve this we need a better design of globalization and the global economic processes - a worldwide Eco-Social Market Economy. This is a matter of an improved global structural framework, sustainable development, the eradication of poverty, environmental protection and equity, altogether resulting in a new global 'economic miracle'.

A World in Balance

The Global Marshall Plan includes the following five core goals:

implementation of the globally agreed upon UN Millennium Goals by 2015

raising of an additional 100 billion US$ a year required to achieve the Millennium Goals, to enhance worldwide development

fair and competitively neutral raising of these necessary resources, also by burdening global transactions

gradually establish a worldwide Eco-Social Market Economy with an improved global policy framework through the interlinking of established rules and agreed upon standards for economic, environmental and social issues (WTO, ILO and UNEP standards)

new forms of appropriation of funds directed to the grassroots level, while at the same time fighting corruption

Why do we need a Global Marshall Plan?

Because today's global situation is scandalous, and because the current conditions of globalization produce the complete opposite of what is constantly demanded in rosy speeches. Poverty, the north south divide, migration, terror, wars, cultural conflicts, and environmental catastrophes are all problems, which can no longer be resolved nationally under the conditions of a widely unregulated globalization process. Therefore, we need an improved and binding global framework for the world economy, that brings economy into harmony with society, culture, and environment.

Millennium Development Goals and Worldwide Eco-Social Market Economy

The Global Marshall Plan considers the realization of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which were signed by 189 nations in 2000, to be an important first step. The following goals should be achieved by 2015:

The Millennium Development Goals

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Achieve universal primary education

Promote gender equality and empower women

Reduce child mortality

Improve maternal health

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Ensure environmental sustainability

Develop a global partnership for development

In order to create a World in Balance a worldwide Eco-Social Market Economy with globally binding social, ecological, and cultural standards is required. The Global Marshall Plan combines a functional and coherent global governance structure with appropriate reforms and intelligent interlinking of UN, WTO, IMF, World Bank and ILO and UNEP standards with the raising of an additional 100 billion US$ a year in order to co-finance development. The enlargement process of the European Union serves as a conceptual model for combining co-financing and the compliance with eco-social standards. This enlargement, however, requires a better financial support than it is the case in the current enlargement round.

Funding

In addition to the creation of fair competitive conditions in the agricultural sector and improved North-South cooperation in this sector as well as reasonable methods of debt relief for the less and least developed countries, the Global Marshall Plan focuses on new financial funding sources. They are based on global added value processes and therefore neither strain domestic economies nor distort competition. Possible financing mechanisms are a Terra-Tax on world-wide trade, a levy on global financial transactions, trade with equal per capita emission rights, a cerosine tax, or Special Drawing Rights with the IMF.

Appropriation of Funds

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of a Global Marshall Plan is finding an effective way of translating money into development. Concrete examples are micro-financing, renewable energies, and cooperation with local development workers.

The World Wisdom Council (WWC)

The World Wisdom Council (WWC) has been convened by the Club of Budapest in cooperation with the World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality in the conviction that the paramount requirement in this age of discontinuity and transformation is to recognize that, through the development of a new dimension of consciousness, the world can be constructively changed by women and men wherever they live and whatever their interests and lot in life.

The task of the Council is to build on the power and creativity innate in all people by:

bringing to the attention of the widest layers of the public both the dangers and the opportunities inherent in the human condition in its global dimension;

identifying priority areas where individual and cooperative action is needed in order to reinforce progress toward peace and sustainability, locally as well as globally;

offering guidance for developing the individual and collective wisdom that empowers action capable of bringing about constructive change in the local and the global economic, social, and ecological environment.

The World Wisdom Council shall work out fundamental proposals for a humane design of globalization and introduce these into the global discussion. It is independent of all interest-oriented establishments and shall be a global voice of the ethics of the indivisible world and the indivisible humanity. At the first meeting the mission and the main focus have been adopted

The World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality

VISION

The Commission seeks to inspire consciousness of the wholeness of the human family and the sacred tapestry of all life. This spirituality is the foundation of a global consciousness that honors the wisdom found in the world's traditions, cultures and disciplines.

MISSION

The World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality cultivates a growing community of people from diverse cultural, religious,disciplinary and spiritual orientations to promote global wisdom, vision and values. The Commission is action oriented and acknowledges awakening consciousness and spirituality as transformative powers for the common good.

Global Blueprint for the ((World Commission))

by Dr. Ashok Gangadean, Co-Convenor

In these reflections I shall present a global blueprint for the World Commission. I shall attempt to show why I believe the existence, mission and vision of the World Commission are of supreme importance for our planetary scene as we enter the 21st Century, and has a vital role to play in securing a sustainable and flourishing future for the people of the earth.

This blueprint has been distilled over decades of research on the perennial quest to uncover the common ground and source of diverse cultures and worldviews on a global scale through the ages. When we expand our rational consciousness across the spectrum of worldviews we rise to a global perspective in which striking patterns become more evident in our cultural evolution. In this higher dimensional lens we can see, for example, that the human condition has matured, evolved, and arrived at a critical threshold, and which direction we now choose to take will determine our future sustainability.

Many visionary leaders across the planet now realize that how we self-consciously manage our cultural life in the next two decades or so will be decisive. This challenge calls for a new and unprecedented awakened global consciousness and new mindful institutions which will play a vital role in fostering our highest and best collective self transformation for mutual flourishing. The World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality is one such key instrument and institution for leadership and creative change.

AWAKENING GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS : OUR MATURATION AS A SPECIES

(Ending the Source of Conflicts & Our Path into the Future)

Perhaps the single most powerful event facing humanity today is a great awakening on a planetary scale that has been millennia in the making. We humans are in the midst of a profound advance as a species to a higher form of global consciousness that has been emerging across cultures, religions and worldviews through the centuries. This awakening of global consciousness is nothing less than a shift, a maturation, from more egocentric patterns of life to a higher form of integral and dialogic patterns of life. In this drama it is seen that egocentric patterns of minding and living directly lead to fragmentation, alienation and human pathologies at the individual and collective level. The great spiritual traditions have long seen that the key to our survival, sustainability and flourishing turns on our conscious evolution into dialogic patterns of life which bring forth our true moral, rational and spiritual nature as a species.

This crossing as a species into global consciousness involves the direct encounter and co-creation of the common ground between worldviews - the fundamental Logos which is the source of diverse cultural and religious worldviews. Here it is seen that the primary source of chronic violence and breakdown of human relations traces to egocentric patterns. The key to ending violence between cultures and advancing to global cultures of peace, nonviolence and mutual flourishing is our individual and collective advance as beings who live in patterns of deep dialogue. We suggest that this transition as a species has arrived at a critical turning point and that the single most important event now facing the human condition and a key to our future is this advance to awakened global consciousness.

What is "global consciousness"?

The awakening of global consciousness is a new and monumental event in human evolution, even though it has been emerging throughout our diverse spiritual traditions through the ages. But this great event in the human drama is not readily apparent because people tend to process reality from their personalized perspectives, worldviews, narratives or cultural lens. Whereas access to global consciousness comes only if and when we are able to stand back and gain critical distance from our particular localized perspectives and enter the more expansive space of a global perspective in the awakening of the global mind.

International campaign for the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly

The international campaign for the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly will be launched in April 2007 to advocate the international Appeal for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations http://www.uno-komitee.de/unpa/appeal/index.php prepared by the Committee for a Democratic UN and to convene an International Parliamentary Conference for the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly http://www.uno-komitee.de/unpa/conference.php in Geneva subsequently.

The main result envisaged of this conference will be to launch an international Coalition for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly.

The campaign builds primarily upon the signatories of the appeal as indication of individual support by VIPs, above all of members of parliament.

Additionally, it is supported by non-governmental organizations representing civil society. The campaign co-ordinating committee is currently composed of

2020*Vision Ltd., UK,

Committee for a Democratic UN, Germany,

Society for Threatened Peoples International and

World Federalist Movement, International.

The secretariat is run by the Committee for a Democratic UN. The UNPA propsal has been endorsed by various NGOs, networks and associations. http://www.uno-komitee.de/unpa/ngos.php

Read and endorse the appeal http://www.uno-komitee.de/unpa/appeal/index.php

The World Peace Society of Australia's approach to peace is through non-violence and non-fear. They say "We fundamentally believe that a lasting world peace will not be initiated politically, it will begin first in the hearts and minds of each of us. Until we have peace within our families and our communities and most importantly ourselves, no politician will ever have the power to bring peace."

http://worldpeace.org.au/index.asp

The Centre for Peace and Social Justice (CPSJ) is an interdisciplinary community of scholars, bringing together researchers from Law and Justice, Cultural Studies, Politics and Policy, Indigenous Studies, Education, Social Sciences, and Media.

http://www.scu.edu.au/research/cpsj/index.html

World Citizens Association, Australia

The great philosopher Socrates said "I am not an Athenian, or a Greek, but a citizen of the world".

The same idea has emerged in many cultures. For instance, Baha'ullah, the founder of the Baha'i faith, stated: "The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens".

Violence, poverty, pollution, resource abuse, population explosion, monetary disorder and the armament race all threaten the wellbeing of generations to come.

If we work together, we can overcome these problems!

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania and a leader of the Society of Friends, declared in 1692: "Peace is maintained by Justice, which is a Fruit of Government as Government is from Society, and Society from Consent."

To Do:

We need to establish a democratic global parliament, where world problems can be discussed and settled, and a proper system of international law can be established. The present United Nations is not up to the task.

"In my opinion the only salvation for civilization and the human race lies in the creation of a world government, with security of nations founded upon law.

As long as sovereign states continue to have separate armaments and armament secrets, new world wars will be inevitable."

Albert Einstein

Humanity or Sovereignty A political roadmap for the 21st century

A book by Lyndon Storey

We have been engaged in a civil war of humanity for millenia. We have (and still) killed each other over religion, tribe, ethnicity and nationality. In all these battles we allow our secondary identities, our national identity, our religious identity, our tribal identity and others to overcome our primary identity, our human identity. In short we lose our humanity. Our existing political systems have blinded us to our humanity by imprisoning us in a conceptual paradigm in which only national political goals are imaginable.

In fact serving the national interest is a false goal and looking at the world through the prism of the national interest only blinds us to our true interest, the human interest. The book shows that the political emperor of our time; the sovereign state, has no clothes. We need to look at the world through a new paradigm, a human paradigm, and start to build a human political system, through for instance a Human Union or federation, if we are ever to make political progress. Otherwise we will stay trapped in our endless cycle of global inequality, inhumanity, and violence. This book shows that the condition or our era; competing sovereign states, is a crisis of humanity NOT the natural and eternal condition of humanity, and points the way to solving the crisis. We have tried to move from the age of religion, we still live in the high tide of the age of nationalism, It is time to start building the age of respect for humanity. This is the book that will open your eyes to the path we must follow for meaningful political reform in the 21st century.

Community Of World Citizens

Please see these articles and brochures on this link

How Do We Get There from Here? - A Community of Democratic Nations

Prof Chris Hamer

Synopsis

Several strategies for achieving world federation are discussed. We argue that the best strategy is that adopted by Jean Monnet and the founders of the European Union. We need to follow an evolutionary path, building up stage by stage from a small association of progressive nations with limited, specific aims - some form of Community of Democratic Nations.

1st. Virtual Congress on World Citizenship and Democratic Global Governance

Prof Chris Hamer

Session 1: Strategic Considerations

SUMMARY

The main theme of this session, and of the Congress as a whole, was the crucial question: what is the best strategy for advancing towards our goal of a democratic system of global governance? Papers at the Congress included a broad spectrum of views on this issue, from many of the prominent activists in the field. Missing, unfortunately, were any representatives from the World Federalist Movement or the Association to Unite the Democracies (now the Streit Institute and the Ashburn Institute?). William R. Pace from the WFM had hoped to present a paper, but in the end was unable to find the time. We hope to have contributions from these organizations at future Congresses.

Most participants are already convinced of the need for global governance. For newcomers to the field, or those not convinced, the arguments have been well presented in papers by Benton Musslewhite, Andrew Strauss, John Sutter and Lyndon Storey. Benton Musslewhite, President of One World Now, gives a stirring call to action in his paper "The road to survival - World Federation". He outlines the pressing need for concerted global action to deal with universal threats, such as eliminating weapons of mass destruction, halting the effects of global warming, and eventually eliminating "the scourge of war". A daily toll of 30,000 children are lost to starvation and disease around the globe, who could easily be saved. He notes the deficiencies of the present United ations system, following from the lost opportunity to devise a better system at the Yalta Conference in World War II, and ends with the well-known lines from Alfred Lord Tennyson.

"Till the war drums throbb'd no longer, and the battle-flags were furl'd,

In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the World."

Nobody knows the best route towards global governance; we have certainly not discovered it in the sixty years since World War II. James Yuncker likens the problem to finding the best route to the top of some towering mountain: do we go straight up the North Face, or do we take the longer but easier route round by the South Col? The papers at the Congress can be grouped under five categories, which I will discuss in turn. The most popular strategies, purely by numbers, are the two last; but all agree that since the correct route cannot be known beforehand, we should all support each other in our various endeavours. Doug Everingham brings together many of these different strands for building a healthier world in his paper.

Dialogues and Conversations

Participation and Moderation/Mediation: Ways and Means towards Re-inventing Democracy and Good-Governance

Heiner Benking, Independent Scholar, Berlin

A brief presentation of World Democracy

Towards a World Parliament: A Summary of the Debate and a Proposal for an Electronic World Parliament on the Internet organized by Civil Society

Paper presented to the First Virtual Congress of the Community of World Citizens, July 2006,

by Dr. Rasmus Tenbergen1

Introduction

It has often been claimed that current world order should be democratized and that a World Parliament would be a necessary and desirable element of such a democratic world order (Held 1995: