~ Idea 1 ~ 11 July 1994My Dream 2000I dreamthat on 1 January 2000The whole world will stand stillIn prayer, awe and gratitudeFor our beautiful, heavenly EarthAnd for the miracle of human life.I dreamThat young and old, rich and poor,Black and white,People from North and South,From East and West,From all beliefs and culturesWill join their hands, minds and heartsin an unprecedented, universalBimillennium Celebration of Life.I dreamThat during the year 2000Innumerable celebrations and eventsWill take place all over the globeTo gauge the long road covered by humanityTo study our mistakesAnd to plan the featsStill to be accomplishedFor the full flowering of the human raceIn peace, justice and happiness.I dreamThat the few remaining yearsTo the BimillenniumBe devoted by all humans, nations and institutionsTo unparalleled thinking, action,Inspiration, elevations,Determination and loveTo solve our remaining problemsAnd to achieveA peaceful, united human family on Earth.I dreamThat the year 2000Will be declared World Year of Thanksgivingby the United Nations.I dreamThat the third millenniumWill be declaredAnd madeHumanity's First Millennium of Peace
~ Idea 2 ~ 12 July 1994I recommend that the General Assembly of the United Nations adopt a resolution asking the whole world to celebrate the year 2000 and each nation to establish a national Commission to prepare that celebration, as was the case for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UN.
~ Idea 3 ~ 13 July 1994The human species represents an extraordinary progress of evolution on this planet. It will be even more astonishing, provided we weed out the mistakes and wrong objectives which went to our heads: enrichment, armaments, national sovereignty, militarization, overconsumption, waste on colossal scales, destruction of other species and of nature, violence, materialism, racial and sexual discrimination, overpopulation, extreme wealth side by side with extreme poverty, etc. These evils and wrong courses have been well identified by the United Nations, the planet-wide, human-wide evolutionary meta-organism. Our mistakes must be corrected not only globally, but continentally, nationally, locally and individually. I recommend that each human being consult his/her heart and select one or several of these mistakes and work hard on their correction and elimination.
~ Idea 4 ~ 14 July 1994Being a remarkable model of a new world order, much better than the UN, the European Union should help the world and create a Commission or group of eminent thinkers to offer a plan for the transformation of the United Nations into a true World Union.Being a remarkable model of a democratic world order, much better than the United Nations, the United States should repeat the Philadelphia miracle and offer the world a plan for the transformation of the United Nations into a United States of the World.It took ten years to create the United States of America. It took 43 years to create the European Union. Given the experience gained from these precedents and the urgency of the global problems confronting the planet, let us set as a goal for that task at the time of our entry into the third millennium.
~ Idea 5 ~ 15 July 1994The United Nations should urgently convene a world conference on violence, on all its causes and forms, and on ways to achieve soonest a non-violent human society at all levels, from nations to city streets and the family.
~ Idea 6 ~ 16 July 1994I hope that by the year 2000 all Ministries of Foreign Affairs will be transformed into Ministries of Peace and World Cooperation, and all Ambassadors into Ambassadors of Peace and World Cooperation.
~ Idea 7 ~ 17 July 1994I recommend that for the celebration of the year 2000 the United Nations, each of its specialized agencies, each nation, each religion, each institution, each firm and all peoples will draw up:- an inventory of their achievements and successes for a peaceful and better world;- an inventory of their failures, mistakes, sins, and neglects;- an inventory of their hopes, dreams and intentions.
~ Idea 8 ~ 18 July 1994I hope that Pope John Paul II during his second visit to the United Nations and address to the General Assembly of nations in 1995 will proclaim the urgency of a spiritual Renaissance of humanity.
~ Idea 9 ~ 19 July 1994I urge that by the year 2000 all military and police forces of this planet, from the United Nations Peacekeeping "Forces" at the top, to national military "forces" and local municipal and rural police "forces," will be transformed into beloved and respected Peace Agents and Protectors.
~ Idea 10 ~ 20 July 1994I hope that by the year 2000 all national hymns will have been rewritten in peaceful terms. I have several of them, mostly written by young people.
~ Idea 11 ~ 21 July 1994I hope the world will soon see a woman become Secretary General of the United Nations. Not an iron woman but a most loving one. The world needs more love and femininity and less power and masculinity.
~ Idea 12 ~ 22 July 1994I recommend that each world conference and major event of the United Nations be accompanied by a parallel youth conference or event so that youth can tell their elders and diplomats what kind of a world they want.
~ Idea 13 ~ 23 July 1994The reform of the United Nations should provide for the creation of a World Parliamentary Assembly, with consultative powers to begin with, composed of representatives of the world's national Parliaments. This would strengthen democracy, since countries without a Parliament would not be represented. The UN can no longer be the exclusive "foreign" affairs of national executives. Parliamentarians must be more directly seized with the world's global problems and immense opportunities for more peaceful, efficient and economical world management.
~ Idea 14 ~ 24 July 1994The following fundamental human right should be recognized world-wide:the right not to kill and not to be killed, not even in the name of a nation.
~ Idea 15 ~ 25 July 1994The current priorities on this planet, namely business first, government second, and spirituality last, must be reversed to:First, spiritually towards God, the heavens and eternity, towards our Mother Earth, all humans, and all living species, and nature;Second, loving public service to peace, justice and the well-being and happiness of the people;Third, business and the provision of essential, needed goods and services.
~ Idea 16 ~ 26 July 1994I hope that in the 21st century all nations of Earth will hold parliamentary elections in the same year and for the same duration of mandates.
~ Idea 17 ~ 27 July 1994I hope that in the 21st century all national governments of planet Earth will basically have the same structure of Ministries and Departments, corresponding to the same specialized agencies or World Departments of the United Nations.
~ Idea 18 ~ 28 July 1994I pray that by the time of our entry into the next century and millennium, all nuclear arms in the air, on the soils and in the waters of this beautiful planet will have been eliminated forever. All continents and regions should follow the example of Latin America which, by the Treaty of Tlatelolco, has banned all nuclear weapons from that region. A United Nations colleague of mine, Alfonso Garcias Robles from Mexico, started that process in the United Nations immediately after World War II, and received the Nobel Peace Prize for it. Any other candidates? Elimination is the name, not non-proliferation.
~ Idea 19 ~ 29 July 1994I hope that soon the University for Peace created by the UN in demilitarized Costa Rica will be ratified by all governments and made the world's guiding and inspiring center for peace education.It is a historical blemish that after twelve years only 32 governments out of 185 members of the United Nations had the decency to ratify it and only 3 have supported it financially. Military "Academies" for their part receive billions of dollars. Please check the list of ratifying countries in the footnote below, and if your government has not done so write a letter of protest to your elected representative.*Note:* List of countries which have ratified the UN Treaty creating the University for Peace: Bangladesh, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Kampuchea, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Italy, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Togo, Russia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia.
~ Idea 20 ~ 30 July 1994I hope that many countries will follow the example of Costa Rica and Panama and will demilitarize themselves by Constitution. There are already 14 of them in the world. They should create an association of demilitarized states and show others how it can be done, and what immense benefits they derive from it. Those which are members of the United Nations should create a Group of Demilitarized Countries at the UN.To begin with, all Central American Republics should imitate Costa Rica and Panama and make Central America a demilitarized zone of peace. To reduce the impact of unemployment, a good part of the militaries should be transformed into environmental and productive forces (reforestation, road construction, rehabilitation of the inner cities, etc.) possibly with financial help from rich countries.Here is the list of countries without armies:Costa Rica, Dominica, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Maldives, Monaco, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, San Marino, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Panama. 1996: also Haiti12 more countries have no army but defense arrangements with another country:Andorra (France), Cook Islands (New Zealand), Gambia (Senegal), Iceland (USA), Marshall Islands (USA), Northern Marianas (USA), Federated States of Micronesia (USA), Niue (New Zealand), Palau (USA), Tuvalu (UK), Vanuato (Papua New Guinea)
~ Idea 21 ~ 31 July 1994I wish that, following the example of the creation of national parks by governments, many private persons and families will create private parks and forest preserves. I have bought a few hectares of land next to the University for Peace in Costa Rica and made them into a Margarita and Robert Muller Peace Park.
~ Idea 22 ~ 1 August 1994I hope that the UN University for Peace will become the first School of Heads of States on this planet.
~ Idea 23 ~ 2 August 1994I hope that more regional communities will be created, following the example of the European Union, so that the UN can be transformed soon into a true World Union.
~ Idea 24 ~ 3 August 1994The United Nations and each of its 32 specialized agencies should be strengthened with an adjunct University which would permit students from around the world to acquire the most advanced global knowledge and concerns for our planetary home and human family. Thus there should be a World Health University, a World Food and Agriculture University, an International Civil Aviation University, etc.The International Training Center of the International Labor Organization should be renamed International Labor Organization University.*Note:*1996: The European Union has granted to that training center the status of a European University.
~ Idea 25 ~ 4 August 1994I recommend that during the fiftieth anniversaries of the UN agencies and world programs, meetings of all Nobel Prize winners in their fields be sponsored by the Nobel Committee at the birth places of these agencies, as will be the case of all Nobel Peace Prize winners at the 50th anniversary of the UN in San Francisco in 1995.*Before the year 2000 a conference of all living Nobel Prize winners in all fields should be organized to tell the world where we are going and what we should do to be on the right course.Note:*This idea has been implemented by the Nobel Prize Committee.
~ Idea 26 ~ 5 August 1994Henceforth the Secretary General of the United Nations should issue each year a State of the World report and each UN specialized agency and world program a state of the world report in their respective fields.A comprehensive, unprecedented State of the World 2000 should be planned for the Bimillennium, covering our progress, failures and mistakes over the last hundred years, and outlining our dreams, plans, ideas and what God and evolution expect from us during the next century and millennium.
~ Idea 27 ~ 6 August 19941999, the last year of our century, or the year 2000 should be declared World Year of Forgiveness in order to ask God, the Earth, nature, the air, the oceans and our brethren the animals to forgive us the harm and suffering we have inflicted to them. It should be especially a year of forgiveness between nations and between religions.*Note:*See also Ideas 700 and 961 in the second volume of 500 Ideas.
~ Idea 28 ~ 7 August 1994All nations should adopt a new flag: the flag of the nation on one side and the flag of the United Nations on the other side.
~ Idea 29 ~ 8 August 1994Each human being should realize that he or she is first of all a child of God, a citizen of the world and a member of the human family before being a member of a nation or of any other man-made group.
~ Idea 30 ~ 9 August 1994Each public servant, from the top of the world to the local level, should have on his or her desk a picture of the poorest, most suffering people and always ask these questions: Is my work devoted to them? Will my decision be of benefit to them?
~ Idea 31 ~ 10 August 1994The United Nations should reconstitute its early Fiscal Committee to study systematically and report on the world's public expenditures, national budgets and taxation, and give the world a clear, yearly picture of its priorities, allocations of resources, duplications, wastes and tax burdens on the various classes of society in all countries. The world will be shocked when it will see the total of all national budgets and the incredible, unnecessary duplications existing between 185 governments.
~ Idea 32 ~ 11 August 1994Public service is overweighted in favor of production and business. Greater attention must be given to the consumption side of humanity: insufficient consumption of many people, overconsumption and staggering waste by others, harmful consumptions unduly taxing the Earth's resources and public health. A UN World Agency on consumption must be created with corresponding Ministries of Consumption in all countries. Like the International Labor Organization, the organization should have a tripartite representation: producers, consumers and governments.
~ Idea 33 ~ 12 August 1994In order to cope with the staggering waste and pollution which endanger this planet, a world conference on advertising, marketing, packaging and built-in obsolescence should be held to assess the magnitude of the problem and recommend appropriate policies and action.
~ Idea 34 ~ 13 August 1994Each UN World conference on overpopulation in the poor countries should be accompanied by a world conference on overconsumption and waste in the rich countries.While the poor countries should listen to the UN and adopt policies reducing the excessive growth of their populations, the rich countries where people use thirty times more resources than the people in the poor countries must adopt more simple and frugal lives, avoiding by all means wasteful, harmful and unnecessary consumption. Our life styles must radically change if this Earth and humanity are to survive.
~ Idea 35 ~ 14 August 1994New Nobel Prizes should be established for the preservation of the environment, for restraint on population growth and for more simple and frugal lives.
~ Idea 36 ~ 15 August 1994By the year 2000 every nation and world agency should have learned to do long-term planning. In 2000 all should submit their forecasts, prospective views and planning to the year 2100 in their respective geographic areas and fields.
~ Idea 37 ~ 16 August 1994All new inventions, innovations and patents must be subject to an evaluation of their long-term effects. Humanity must adopt the Iroquois wisdom of thinking about the effects of its decisions on the seventh generation, which means in 500 years.
~ Idea 38 ~ 17 August 1994I am glad that the Director General of UNESCO welcomes the idea of holding a world conference of long-term evolutionary scientists (physicists, biologists, climatologists, cosmologists, oceanographers, geophysicists, etc.) to tell the world what our long-term prospects of further evolution are. Thanks to the recent birth of a global consciousness, the number of optimistic scientists begins to outnumber the pessimists.
~ Idea 39 ~ 18 August 1994There are about 60,000 UN Models (simulations of UN meetings) in schools around this planet. I recommend similar Parliamentary Models, Heads of States and Ministerial Models, Supreme Court Models, State Assembly Models and Municipal Models in all schools of the world. It would be a great learning process of democracy.
~ Idea 40 ~ 19 August 1994Margaret Mead, the anthropologist, launched the idea of holding peoples' non-governmental conferences parallel to official United Nations world conferences. They became quickly popular and governments even like them.Why not consider a similar peoples' General Assembly*, a peoples' Security Council, a peoples' Economic and Social Council, a peoples' International Court of Justice?Note:*June 1995: I was glad and honored to serve as the Chairman of the first Peoples' Assembly during the 50th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter in San Francisco.
~ Idea 41 ~ 20 August 1994By and large laws and decisions of governments are made by adults and elderly persons often attached to old values and beliefs while the world is changing very rapidly. Young people, who are the new sensitive, perceptory units of humanity, are seldom heard. I suggest that youth should hold parallel Youth Parliaments in each country.
~ Idea 42 ~ 21 August 1994The United Nations should convene urgently a world conference on unemployment, to review and remedy the tragic current situation, to evaluate further effects of population increase, scientific and technological developments, the exodus from the land to cities, the changing age structure of societies, including a redefinition of employment and unemployment. For instance, how on Earth are mothers who take care of children, our new, all-important generation, considered "unemployed"?*Note:* This has been done. The ILO has recommended that henceforth women taking care of a family are considered employed.
~ Idea 43 ~ 22 August 1994Join a United Nations Association, read UN books and documents. You will learn more about the world and humanity objectively than from any newspaper. Every conceivable subject on Earth, of concern to every profession, is dealt with somewhere in the United Nations system which has become the biggest publisher on Earth.As a first step write to the Public Inquires Unit, United Nations, Room GA-57, New York, NY 10017. Tel. (212) 963-4475
~ Idea 44 ~ 23 August 1994Join a world federalist or world citizens' association to be in the right line, for soon there will be need for a world federal system for this planet, as surely as the North American States were transformed into the United States Federation and the European countries into a European Union. Opponents to it are bound to lose. They run against an inevitable evolution.
~ Idea 45 ~ 24 August 1994Whenever you see the word international, replace it by global, world or planetary, and you will see immediately the correct dimension of the problem or action concerned.
~ Idea 46 ~ 25 August 1994It is not normal that one form of energy, and not the best, namely atomic energy, should receive the attention of a UN specialized agency, namely the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). A UN World Energy Agency must be created of which atomic energy would only be a part.The best specialists and scientists on Earth should be consulted about the advisability of continuing atomic energy. Many of them hold the view that it should be discontinued. It is only after billions of years, when the atomic radiations of this planet had dissipated that life began to develop to its current, extraordinary diversity. Atomic energy and arms are bound to reverse the entire evolution and put an end to human and other life forms on this planet.
~ Idea 47 ~ 26 August 1994It is not normal that only one form of migrations, namely refugees, should be dealt with in the United Nations. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees should be merged with UN Habitat into a UN specialized Agency on Human Settlements and migrations, with corresponding Offices or Ministries in member governments.
~ Idea 48 ~ 27 August 1994It is not normal that after holding two world conferences on climatic changes, the UN World Meteorological Organization should still keep its antiquated name. It should be renamed the UN World Climate Organization.
~ Idea 49 ~ 28 August 1994The first world environment conference was in reality the Conference on the Biosphere convened by UNESCO in Paris in 1968 at the request of the government of Sweden. Its concept was right, namely to see the thin spherical membrane, or sphere of life, surrounding this planet, only a few miles into the atmosphere and a few miles into the oceans, containing all life of our solar system. The Conference had no impact and Sweden came to the UN Economic and Social Council to express its concern about the acid rain affecting their forests and the loss of life in their lakes. Sweden requested the UN to hold the first world conference on the environment in Sweden in 1972.It would be good to return to the concept of the biosphere and to hold a new world conference on the biosphere in 1998, thirty years after the first one, to see how the thin layer of life around our planet is faring.Note:At the time, I asked UN cartographers to draw for me a picture of the biosphere on a globe with a diameter of one meter. The biosphere appeared on it as a mere thin line not thicker than an eggshell. To politicians visiting my office, I pointed at that line, saying to them, "This is what you are playing with."
~ Idea 50 ~ 29 August 1994Elaborating on Idea 4, I urgently recommend that before the end of this century and millennium a Commission of Eminent World Leaders be convened to formulate proposals for the transformation of the United Nations into a United States of the World on the lines of the USA, or a World Union on the lines of the recently born European Union.
~ Idea 51 ~ 30 August 1994One hears always of national sovereignty as if it were something infallible, sacred, untouchable, inviolable. But what about world sovereignty, the sovereignty of our planet, of its elements, of nature without which there would be no life and no nations? In the next century Earth sovereignty must have precedence over all national sovereignties.
~ Idea 52 ~ 31 August 1994The world badly needs a World Outer Space Agency. I hope that one will be established at the United Nations before the end of this century. We cannot enter the third millennium without one if we want an orderly world organization. The proposal by the government of Austria to create one should be adopted.
~ Idea 53 ~ 1 September 1994Children and students are graded for their performance and behavior. Why should not governments be graded too for their performance? A yearly performance report should be produced by the UN or by an outside organization similar to Amnesty International, a Performance International, showing for example the number of years a country has lived in peace with others, violence statistics, ratification of international treaties, implementation of UN recommendations on a host of subjects (human rights, labor relations, the environment, etc.), disarmament, shifting of military expenditures to peaceful, productive and social services, demilitarization, etc. Such a report would lead to a lot of good in the world.
~ Idea 54 ~ 2 September 1994For the celebration of the year 2000, each government should submit a report on its positive contributions to a better world and to the UN since 1945. As an example, Costa Rica could report the demilitarization of the country by Constitution in 1949, the creation of the University for Peace, the Nobel Peace Prize to President Arias for his peace results in Central America, the adoption of Costa Rica's proposal to the UN General Assembly to celebrate a yearly International Day of Peace, the selection of Costa Rica as the seat of the Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment, the adoption of the proposal to create a post of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. This illustrates what one little country can do. Others, especially the big countries, should follow its example and compete with each other.
~ Idea 55 ~ 3 September 1994For the year 2000 a compendium should be presented by the UN on governments' ideas regarding the achievement of a better world, a more successful United Nations and proper world government. A questionnaire for Ideas 2000 should be sent by the UN Secretary General to all governments.
~ Idea 56 ~ 4 September 1994I dream that UNICEF or a global philanthropist will build a UNICEF Children's House on the magnificent, inspiring grounds of the University for Peace, to allow children to meet, to play, to be taught peace, to read peace books, to listen to peace songs, play with peace toys, etc. Meetings and festivals could be held at it by children from around the world.Notes:31 August 1995: Three Costa Rican young people came to see me presenting me with a request that a children's and youth house for peace and the environment be built on the grounds of the University for Peace. They represented an organization of thousands of children and young people of Costa Rica. I congratulated them and asked them to submit their request with my full support to the Executive heads of UNICEF and the UN Environment Program.13 February 1996: I met at the Costa Rican Embassy to the UN, with Mrs. Grethel Obando, the wife of the Ambassador, with Mr. Chowdury, a Director of UNICEF, and Ms. Brooke Newell, an NGO, to launch the idea.
~ Idea 57 ~ 5 September 1994I recommend that the two yearly meetings between the UN Secretary-General and all heads of UN specialized agencies and world programs be televised world-wide, because they are true world cabinet meetings which review the state of the world, the future, and action being taken or considered. They would reassure the viewers that the world is not left drifting in chaos, that there is hope, deep concern, foresight, planning and action.
~ Idea 58 ~ 6 September 1994No head of State should ever deliver a speech in the United Nations without an idea or a concrete proposal. There are too many empty speeches in the world filled with accusations against others or telling what others should do. Journalists should no longer report on such speeches.
~ Idea 59 ~ 7 September 1994When an international conflict has remained unresolved for 30 years because the parties concerned do not want to come to agreement, the UN should close the door, refuse to continue to deal with the problem and interpose UN peace-keeping troops, and proclaim, "Enough is enough." At least, if I were the Secretary General I would not set foot in the meetings of the Security Council on such unsolved, protracted conflicts costing the world much money.
~ Idea 60 ~ 8 September 1994My principle at the UN was, and now is at the University for Peace, that no one enters my office without leaving it with an idea, a message or a mission to accomplish. All world servants should adopt this principle. Many people want to be inspired and given an idea to work on.
~ Idea 61 ~ 9 September 1994The UN is the most interesting house on Earth, the House of Hope and Dreams. Go, visit it, take interest in it and your life will gain immensely in knowledge, hope and commitment to a better world.
~ Idea 62 ~ 10 September 1994World servants should never have personal or political interests. Their only interests should be the world and humanity.
~ Idea 63 ~ 11 September 1994How many authors throughout history would be thrilled to have a life like mine or of other UN world servants today? They would write magnificent, moving works. I have written several with all my heart and soul. My dream is that many world servants will become great authors. They might help establish peace and save the planet.
~ Idea 64 ~ 12 September 1994I wish that the French Ecole Militaire (Military School in Paris, in front of UNESCO) will be transformed into an Ecole de la Paix (Peace School) in order to train French peace-agents and French-speaking Peace-protecting servants of the United Nations. I have suggested it several times to the French government, without success. I will continue to do it, until I am heard.
~ Idea 65 ~ 13 September 1994I pray that the US Peace Institute which is limited to research and professionals, will become what it was originally meant to be by the US Congress, namely a US Peace Academy which will train young people as peace-makers and protectors the same way as the military academies are training military personnel.Such Peace Academies should be created in all countries.
~ Idea 66 ~ 14 September 1994I hope that soon there will be no more Military or War Academies and Defense Ministries on the planet, all of them having been replaced by or transformed into Peace Academies and Ministries of Peace. Which one will have the historic honor to be the first?
~ Idea 67 ~ 15 September 1994I dream that someday the Margarita and Robert Muller Peace Park with its benches of dreams on sacred Mr. Rasur, next to the University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica, will become a powerful beacon of peace and inspiration for the entire world.
~ Idea 68 ~ 16 September 1994I hope that the one-teacher, six grades, little elementary Peace School next to the University for Peace in Costa Rica will give birth to thousands of elementary peace schools in the world.
~ Idea 69 ~ 17 September 1994I hope that there will be growing numbers of Peace Colleges and Peace Universities around the world, under the inspiring and visionary guidance of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. Each country on Earth should create one forthwith and report it to the United Nations.
~ Idea 70 ~ 18 September 1994I recommend that each not yet demilitarized country of this planet should channel one per thousand of its military expenses to the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica and to other peace Universities.
~ Idea 71 ~ 19 September 1994It is high time to think of the creation of world businesses companies which would be chartered by the United Nations under legal provisions ensuring that they will be of real benefit to humanity and not harm or destroy the Earth. They would be called UN Chartered companies and would submit yearly reports to the United Nations.
~ Idea 72 ~ 20 September 1994Each year, on the third Tuesday of September, the UN General Assembly opens its annual session to review the fate of the world and to prepare a better future. The first act of the Assembly is for all delegates to stand up and to devote a minute of silence for prayer or meditation. My dream is that all the peoples of the world would join them in that minute of communion in prayer or meditation, to encourage their delegates and to ask for the blessings of God for their awesome work. This is why the third Tuesday of September has been proclaimed International Day of Peace for the entire world. But how many people know it and have a prayer for the UN? Please do, because prayers move the mountains.
~ Idea 73 ~ 21 September 1994I welcome this suggestion of an American citizen in a letter to the Presidents of the United States and of Russia: "Make a joint declaration calling for a UN Constitutional Convention to assume and accept the primary UN function: PEACEKEEPING on SPACESHIP EARTH. Once that document is ratified it will no longer be necessary for any nation to budget for defense spending and most military hardware can be gotten rid of." (An idea of Stanley Grovom, Santa Monica, California)
~ Idea 74 ~ 22 September 1994I hope that a way will be found to seek the views and prophecies of the world's indigenous people concerning humanity's future on this planet. The International Decade of Indigenous People proclaimed by the UN offers a good opportunity to do that.
~ Idea 75 ~ 23 September 1994I hope that saintly Robert Schuman, my compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine who founded the European Union will be canonized before the end of this century. The world needs badly political saints. I am glad to be a member of his canonization commission.
~ Idea 76 ~ 24 September 1994I pray that as an outcome of the 1993 centennial Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, a United Religions, or Permanent Religious Parliament, or Spiritual Agency of the United Nations will be created.Note:1996: The initiative has been taken in San Francisco to create the United Religions.
~ Idea 77 ~ 25 September 1994I am glad that the United Nations uses now the term Peace Protecting Forces. Still the word forces should be replaced by Servants or Services. They should not be equipped with killing weapons or armaments but with appeasing or peaceful means: numbing or obscuring fumes and a host of other appeasing or protecting means, many of which have not been invented.All military titles should be avoided. In every respect the UN peace-protecting, peace-making, and peace-building services should be an anti-thesis, a counter-model to whatever is military, aggressive, forceful, wounding, killing, and heroic.
~ Idea 78 ~ 26 September 1994I hope that cooperating nations in the UN will consider a number of great world engineering projects which would increase the well-being of humanity, the productivity of the world economy and the harmonious functioning of nature. During my years of UN service I have collected dozens of them.
~ Idea 79 ~ 27 September 1994I recommend that the International Standardization Organization be made a specialized agency of the UN. Standardization has become vital for the efficient and smooth functioning of our global economy and society. It can be a major source of savings and avoidance of unnecessary waste. It is in the nature of world public service and good management.
~ Idea 80 ~ 28 September 1994I wish nations would do infinitely more in common, cooperating, pooling their resources, creating more global instruments and avoiding the colossal duplication and waste of resources which we witness today among 185, mostly unnatural cut up parts of this planet.
~ Idea 81 ~ 29 September 1994I hope that St. Francis and St. Clare, the saints of peace, the environment and simple, frugal living, will be made the patron saints of the United Nations.
~ Idea 82 ~ 30 September 1994I recommend that each head of state and head of a world agency follow the example of President Franklin Roosevelt and surround himself or herself with idea-men and idea-women who should be men and women of deep love and spirituality.
~ Idea 83 ~ 1 October 1994I welcome this suggestion of an American citizen and friend, Roger Axford, in a letter to the President of the United States, namely to establish an Office of Peace Education as a new and important part of the Office of Education of the United States. All countries should do that.
~ Idea 84 ~ 2 October 1994I applaud the decision of President Clinton to establish the new position of Under-Secretary of State for Global Affairs. Every country on Earth should have one. They should meet annually and work together for the good of humanity and of the planet.
~ Idea 85 ~ 3 October 1994Following the example of the European Center for Nuclear Research, (CERN), there is need to create many world research centers on a host of subjects, financed by all nations to benefit humanity at minimum cost and avoid the colossal duplication of scientific work around the world.
~ Idea 86 ~ 4 October 1994A whole new field and era of global philanthropy and gaiaphily (love for the Earth) should be opened on this planet. Many world awards should be given to international agencies; global foundations should be established for the benefit of all humanity, for the poor, the handicapped, abandoned children, etc., and the preservation of the planet. Many international awards should be given in ceremonies at the United Nations and at the headquarters of its specialized agencies and world programs. This would provide maximum visibility to philanthropists and inspire others.
~ Idea 87 ~ 5 October 1994I recommend that all living former Presidents of the UN General Assembly should meet from time to time to express their hopes, views and ideas for a better world and UN. They should create a World Association of former Presidents of the UN General Assembly and take an active part in the formulation of visions for the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 88 ~ 6 October 1994Perhaps what is most needed at this juncture of our history and evolution is a World Conference on the Future of Humanity and of this Planet. Our future indeed can be in serious jeopardy if we continue on the present course.
~ Idea 89 ~ 7 October 1994I recommend that all road tolls be suppressed on this planet, because they are cause of a substantial, unnecessary pollution, since it takes a lot of gasoline to put again into motion the heavy weight of vehicles which otherwise would not be forced to stop.
~ Idea 90 ~ 8 October 1994I am sometimes asked, "How did you enter the UN?" By winning, after World War II, a student's essay contest sponsored by the French United Nations Association on the subject, "What do you think of world government?"Totally unknown, of very poor origin, I could have never dreamt that I would enter the UN, except for that chance offered to me. I recommend that more United Nations Associations around the world offer essay contests to students which would provide them with internships at the United Nations.During my internship at the UN I met an intern from Chile whom I married, so that the essay contest led in reality to two love affairs and marriages: with the UN and with my beloved, alas now deceased Margarita Gallo.Note:She was an ardent advocate for women's rights in the UN Commission for Women's Rights where she worked with Eleanor Roosevelt and Gabriella Mistral. I wrote in her memory the novel First Lady of the World in which a woman becomes Secretary General of the UN.
~ Idea 91 ~ 9 October 1994I recommend that for the whole month of October 1995, month of the 50th anniversary of the UN, a world-wide cease-fire and cease-violence should be proclaimed by the UN. Its implementation would be the best anniversary gift to the UN.Note:July 1995: The government of Costa Rica has endorsed this idea and has tabled a draft resolution in the UN proposing that the anniversary week of 24 October 1995 be declared a world week of peace, with cease-fires in every place of conflict. The proposal was adopted unanimously on 12 July 1995 by the UN General Assembly. I believe it is the first world-wide cease-fire proclaimed in human history.
~ Idea 92 ~ 10 October 1994There are thousands of schools around this planet preparing young people for business administration, for national or local public service, but not a single one to prepare world public servants, as if the human family and the planet did not need any.Is it normal that there are 556 soldiers, 85 doctors and only 1 world civil servant per 100,000 inhabitants of this planet?I recommend that such schools and many more positions of world public servants be created. The University for Peace in Costa Rica could become the first school for world public servants. I would be happy to teach and train them.
~ Idea 93 ~ 11 October 1994The amount of garbage, waste, duplication and unnecessary activities has become so colossal on this planet, endangering our entire future and survival, that I recommend the urgent convening of a World Conference on Waste and Garbage. According to the World Commission on Population and the Quality of Life, a person dying in a poor country leaves behind a total waste of 150 times his weight, while an American leaves behind a mountain of waste 4000 times his weight!
~ Idea 94 ~ 12 October 1994I recommend that the International Bureau of Informatics in Rome and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria be merged with the UN and become a Global Data and Optimum Design Agency where all data on our planet, on its environment and on humanity would be accessible, using computers to monitor our planetary home and offer optimum designs for human life and Earth preservation.
~ Idea 95 ~ 13 October 1994It is high time to transform the United Nations Fund for Population Activities into a full UN specialized agency on Population.
~ Idea 96 ~ 14 October 1994I recommend that the UN make a thorough study of errors made in transferring western development models and consumption habits to poor countries and to different natural environments.
~ Idea 97 ~ 15 October 1994I recommend that economic standards and measurements be changed to take into account the deterioration, consumption and depletion of the Earth's capital.
~ Idea 98 ~ 16 October 1994We have learned enormously about our planet, our place in the universe, the human family and the miracle of human life. But we have not yet learned to manage our planet well and to obtain the optimum fulfillment, peace and happiness of all human beings. I recommend that planetics, humanism and gaiamanagement become top sciences.
~ Idea 99 ~ 17 October 1994Each human being should make this commitment to peace:Decide to be peacefulRender others peacefulBe a model of peaceRadiate your peaceLove passionately the peace of our beautiful planetDo not listen to the warmongers, hateseeders and powerseekersDream always of a peaceful, warless, disarmed worldThink always of a peaceful worldWork always for a peaceful worldSwitch on and keep on, in yourself, the peaceful buttons,those marked love,serenity, happiness, truth,kindness, friendlinessunderstanding and tolerancePray and thank God every day for peacePray for the United Nations and all peacemakersPray for the leaders of nations who hold the peace of the world in their handsPray God to let our planet at long last become the Planet of PeaceAnd sing in unison with all humanity:"Let there be peace on EarthAnd let it begin with me."- Robert Muller
~ Idea 100 ~ 18 October 1994During my youth in France I had to learn everything that was French: all the French provinces, all French rivers and their affluents, the French heroes, victors and victories, the great French writers and artists, etc. Then the Germans came and told us that what the French had taught us were all lies. So I had to learn everything that was German: the German provinces, the German rivers and their affluents, the German heroes, victors and victories, the German great writers and artists, etc. After the French came back, I studied law and become a doctor of it. When I arrived in the US I was told that I was wrong and that I should have studied economics. So I went again to University and took a degree in economics!Today I can only praise the United Nations for having taught me the truth and the real facts: the Earth which is my home, humanity which is my family, our place in time and the dignity and miracle of individual human life. This is why I made these United Nations teachings into a world core curriculum which should bless every school and child on Earth. A different world, the true world, a more beautiful, miraculous, astonishing world and humanity, and not the dissected world created by nations emerge from it.I urge all educators and governments to have a look at this curriculum, reproduced below. It is not the product of my mind, but of the United Nations, the recent first universal organization which thinks for the entire planet and humanity.An educator wrote to me: "Through your world core curriculum, the world's teachers can now have access to the soul of every man, woman and child on this planet." I hope this will be the case.Note:For information on that education and experience in 33 schools around the world, write to the first Robert Muller School, 6005 Royaloak Drive Arlington, Texas 76016. Tel. (817) 654-1018. Fax: (654) 817-1028.1997: The school now publishes a magazine. Please order it.December, 1996There exists now the possibility for tax exempt donations, bequests and legacies by US citizens to the University for Peace via the tax exempt non-profit Robert Muller School in Arlington, Texas. Your check should be made out to the Robert Muller School, with indication in the lower left side corner of it (space usually provided for notes or messages) that the donation is for the University for Peace. The full amount will be transferred to the University by the Robert Muller School, a fully trustworthy Institution which has existed for more than fifteen years and has spawned the creation of 33 more such schools in the world. For bequest and legacies, please consult Mrs. Gloria Crook, the Director of the School. Donations can be made for particular purposes. Several aulas have been contributed by donors in the name of a family, or a spouse or deceased ones. Under a Trees for Peace program, a tropical tree on the campus is selected and a bronze plaque affixed at the tree or on a pole in front of it with the inscription you desire. Contributions for a tree for peace are $5,000. They are usually made to honor particular persons or deceased ones.Donors will receive the following certificate from the Robert Muller School and our warmest thanks. Although the University for Peace was created by the United Nations (We the Peoples…) only 32 governments out of 185 member-nations of the UN have ratified it and only three have helped it financially. The United Nations is not authorized by its governments to finance the University. Military education, not peace and non-violence education seem still to be the priority of most governments of this planet. It is therefore up to the people to step in by every means, including this one.Check overleaf if your government has ratified or not the University.Yours in peace,
Robert MullerTHE ROBERT MULLER SCHOOL6005 ROYALOAK DRIVE, ARLINGTION, TEXAS 76016 USATEL. 817-654-1018 FAX 817-654-1028The Robert Muller School is a non-profit, tax-exempt Corporation, 501 (c)(3). since 1977. Tax Identification Number 75-1538044. All contributions are tax-deductible.INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OFTHE UNIVERSITY FOR PEACEAdopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 5 December 1980Entry Into Force: 7 April 1981, In accordance with article 7.Registration: 7 April 1981, NO. 19735Text: A/RES/35/55.Note: The agreement was adopted by resolution 35/55 (1) of the General Assembly of the United Nations dated 5 December 1980. It was opened for signature by all member states of the United Nations from 5 December 1980 on.PARTICIPANT DEFINITIVE SIGNATUREACCESSIONBangladesh 8 Apr. 1981Cameroon 16 Aug. 1982Chile 2 Mar. 1981Colombia 18 Mar. 1981Costa Rica 5 Dec. 1980Cuba 9 Aug. 1985Cyprus 15 Mar. 1983Democratic Kampuchea 10 Apr. 1981Dominican Republic 21 Nov. 1983Ecuador 18 Mar. 1981El Salvador 7 Apr. 1981Guatemala 14 Sep. 1981Honduras 10 Apr. 1981India 3 Dec. 1981Italy 27 Nov. 1981Mexico 15 May 1981Nicaragua 3 Apr. 1981Pakistan 30 Mar. 1981Panama 20 Mar. 1981Peru 9 Apr. 1981Philippines 20 Mar. 1984Russia 23 Dec. 1987Saint Lucia 2 Sep. 1986Senegal 1 Apr. 1981Slovenia 7 Jul. 1992Spain 21 Apr. 1981Sri Lanka 10 Aug. 1981Suriname 3 Jun. 1981Togo 3 Jun. 1981Uruguay 19 Nov. 1985Venezuela 5 Dec. 1980Yugoslavia 19 Jan. 1983NOTES: (1) Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-fifth Session, Supplement NO. 31 (A/35/49) p. 103.A WORLD CORE CURRICULUM FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION
~ Idea 101 ~ 19 October 1994I recommend that the two yearly meetings of the UN Secretary General with the heads of all UN specialized agencies and world programs, now known under the uninspiring name of ACC (Administrative Committee of Coordination) be renamed for what they really are, namely World Cabinet Meetings. They should be televised world-wide.After each of them, a meeting should be held with the heads of the world's biggest foundations, in order to tell them what problems and areas should be given philanthropic priority.
~ Idea 102 ~ 20 October 1994Today, for the first time in my life, I crossed without passport and customs controls the suppressed borders between Holland, Belgium, France and Germany. Which will be the next countries on Earth to follow the example of the Europeans, united now in a European Union, similar to the United States? When will we at long last live in a United States of the World or in a World Union?
~ Idea 103 ~ 21 October 1994While the exact sciences are all of a global, universal nature, the social sciences are not. There is urgent need for a global anthropology, global sociology, global psychology, global political science (planetics), global literature, global art, global culture, global philosophy, global futurology, etc. Margaret Mead was the first prophet recommending it.
~ Idea 104 ~ 22 October 1994I recommend that all Faculties or Departments of International Affairs in Universities be renamed or replaced by Faculties or Departments of Global, World or Planetic Affairs.
~ Idea 105 ~ 23 October 1994For the sake of this planet and humanity's future an Office of Global Education should be created in every Ministry of Education. Global education should be required in all schools of Earth, from kindergarten to University and in all professional schools, especially for journalism and the media.
~ Idea 106 ~ 24 October 1994Out of a population of 5.6 billion humans on planet Earth, 15.3 million were born on a 24 October. They should celebrate their birthday together with the United Nations, our first universal organization, and call themselves children of the United Nations. The first person who promised me to do it was Janet Kirkpatrick of Corpus Christi in Texas during a visit of Elderhostels to the University for Peace.
~ Idea 107 ~ 25 October 1994An idea of Barbara Gaughen is to hold before the year 2000 a World Conference on Ideas for a Peaceful and Better World in the 21st century and third millennium. It would probably be one of the most unusual and most useful conferences in human history.
~ Idea 108 ~ 26 October 1994I highly recommend that a World Peace Service and Regional Peace Services for the various continents be created as an option and progressive replacement of national military services.
~ Idea 109 ~ 27 October 1994The term conscientious objection should be abandoned and replaced by the fundamental right not to be enlisted in military services which teach to kill other human beings. God has not granted us the miracle of life to kill other humans but to respect and fulfill them.
~ Idea 110 ~ 28 October 1994The only military on Earth who should be allowed to use the motto "God with us" are the United Nations Peace-protecting, Peace-keeping and Peace-building services equipped only with non-killing arms.
~ Idea 111 ~ 29 October 1994Education means to lead out (Latin ex ducare) of ignorance. Military education and training should be abolished world-wide, because they inducate (lead) into killing other human beings. Misguided young people are even promised medals and honors for doing it!
~ Idea 112 ~ 30 October 1994The only medals acceptable on this planet should be peace medals, not military medals.Jesus would shudder if he knew that the highest French military honor is the Croix de Guerre, the Cross of War!
~ Idea 113 ~ 31 October 1994We must do what the young French revolutionaries did for France at the time: establish a world "Cadastre," or world property record showing what belongs to whom, one of the most basic official documents in most countries. It would show what the world's common properties are: the seas and oceans beyond national jurisdiction (two thirds of the planet's surface), the moon, outer-space, the upper atmosphere, the inner core of the Earth; it should show national properties, state or provincial properties, municipal properties, religious properties, business properties, civic associations properties, individual properties.We have already a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in the United Nations system. It deals with authors' rights, patents, inventions and copyrights in the world. We need to make it the World Property Organization covering also the full range of real estate.
~ Idea 114 ~ 1 November 1994We need to create, as the United States proposes, a UN world income information bureau, to record the incomes of all peoples of this planet, to make sure that there is no tax evasion and that there is a truly equitable tax system for humanity.Italy followed an early recommendation of the Fiscal Committee of the United Nations, and publishes in the local newspapers the incomes and taxes paid by all citizens. That is a good feature of the new democracy.
~ Idea 115 ~ 2 November 1994For answers to the systematic, year after year besmearing of the UN by extreme right parties and movements, accusing the UN of bureaucracy, duplication and excessive spending, please read my Testament to the UN, my contribution to the 50th anniversary of the UN after forty years of service. It shows for example that the contribution of a US citizen to the UN budget is 2 dollars a year.
~ Idea 116 ~ 3 November 1994Humanity is not an evolutionary aberration. Humanity is an evolutionary miracle on a miraculous planet in a tremendous universe. Our 21st century and 3rd millennium agenda must therefore be:to help the success of humanity as the most advanced form of evolution;to ensure the fulfillment of each miraculous human life, from birth to death;to save, preserve and enhance the miraculous nature and beauty of our biosphere and planetary home.
~ Idea 117 ~ 4 November 1994The UN 50th General Assembly in 1995 (golden anniversary of the UN), should be a World Peace Assembly aimed at settling remaining international conflicts. All mediations, negotiations and peacekeeping efforts during 1995 should be directed to that goal. It would be a great anniversary gift to the UN.
~ Idea 118 ~ 5 November 1994When I joined the UN as a young man after World War II, I was told that decolonization was the main problem before the UN and that it would take from 100 to 150 years to solve it. Well, it was done in forty years, changing the political map of the world. But there still remain a dozen minor colonies and trust territories. It would be wonderful to settle them too, so that in 2000 the decolonization chapter could be closed.
~ Idea 119 ~ 6 November 1994Twenty-five years ago I got the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution asking for the restitution of stolen works of art to their country of origin. Quite a few were restituted: the crown of St. Stephen was returned by the United States to Hungary, the coronation mantel of Montezuma, made of quetzal feathers, was returned by Austria to Mexico, etc. Would it not be wonderful if during the 50th anniversaries of the UN and UNESCO and during the celebration of the year 2000, a whole series of restitutions of works of art could be made? Some of them could even be declared world properties or treasures and displayed on the supranational grounds and premises of the UN and of its agencies, which belong to all humanity. We would welcome some on the prestigious grounds of the University for Peace to inspire students and visitors from around the world.
~ Idea 120 ~ 7 November 1994One of the most interesting places on Earth is a basement: the basement of the United Nations in New York where there are the UN Bookshop, the UN Gift shops, the UN Philatelic Office and various international exhibits. I recommend that a new building be built in the UN park to display the works, documentation, books, exhibits, gift shops and memorabilia of all 32 specialized agencies and world programs of the UN family. Doctors, peasants, teachers, scientists, workers, all professions, ages, nationalities and races would be able to see how the world works together and cares for their problems, dreams and ideals. What a great fountain of hope, what an inspiring educational institution it would be for the two million visitors to the UN, humanity's House of Hope!
~ Idea 121 ~ 8 November 1994Peace depends foremost on direct contacts between heads of state. Many conflicts and misunderstandings could be solved promptly through direct talks between them. I recommend that a direct telecommunication and television system be established between all heads of state, so that they can talk to each other, see each other and have teleconsultations and teleactions on short notice at any time of the day or the night in their office or at home on any world problem, crisis, disaster or danger.
~ Idea 122 ~ 9 November 1994Ever since NATO had a War Room, I have recommended that the UN should have a World Peace Room.Since the cold war is ended and NATO has lost its utility and purpose, such a Peace Room should be built immediately on the empty 39th floor of the UN, reserved by the architects for that purpose. It would be used by the Military Staff Committee of the Security Council and by the Secretary General of the UN to gather information on potential conflicts anywhere in the world, to prevent them and to keep the peace by non-violent means and if necessary by intervention of UN peace-protecting and peace-building servants. It should be equipped with the most advanced, sophisticated telecommunications and warning equipment. It would be the cheapest investment the world could make. *Note:* See my novel First Lady of the World. As a beginning a Situation Room for UN Peace-keeping Operations has at long last been created at the UN. May it be rapidly extended into a World Peace Room.
~ Idea 123 ~ 10 November 1994I recommend that a World Commission be established to devise a system of financing the United Nations, instead of the current one which is full of loopholes and incapable of fulfilling the urgent needs for peace and progress on this planet. *Note:1995: Such a Commission has been created. I am a member of it.
~ Idea 124 ~ 11 November 1994I fully endorse Harold Stassen's proposal in his latest redraft of the United Nations Charter for its 50th anniversary, that the UN should convene a yearly conference of religious leaders to prevent, stop, reduce and solve religious conflicts. They should all become strong supporters and allies of the United Nations' efforts in all fields, and bring forth the need for a world spiritual Renaissance.
~ Idea 125 ~ 12 November 1994Each year on 1 January, the Queen of England gives out more than a thousand awards, distinctions, medals and honors to British citizens. I wonder how many such awards are given out by the 185 heads of states of this planet! There must be thousands of them. And how many awards are granted by the heads of the UN and world agencies and programs? Less than a dozen. How sad this is. Artificial nations born from conquests, purchases, murders, divisions, marriages, etc., count for everything. Humanity and our planet count for nothing. I recommend a thorough study of this matter and a flowering of global awards to meritorious peace-heroes, peace-martyrs, peacemakers and world servers.
~ Idea 126 ~ 13 November 1994If the UN is not rapidly transformed into an effective world political union and administration, I recommend that the more audacious, better structured and better financed European Union be taken as the basis for a World Union. How to do it? First, by including as fast as possible the Nordic countries and the new Eastern European countries. Next, since Russia reaches into the North of Asia, the old dream of Eurasia can be implemented. The plan of Robert Schuman who dreamt of integrating the African countries into Eurafrica can also be implemented: these countries were mostly former European colonies and have maintained close links with neighboring Europe. In the meantime, the US can organize the Americas from Alaska to the Tierra del Fuego and the two unions can be integrated into a World Union.
~ Idea 127 ~ 14 November 1994One of the latest, historically welcome, even providential developments is to create many biodiversity centers around the world. I recommend that a Central World Biodiversity Agency be created by the UN, financed by all governments, interested firms and philanthropists, to coordinate all these efforts and to centralize, evaluate and optimize the results for the benefit of all humanity and for the preservation of our planet.
~ Idea 128 ~ 15 November 1994The time has come when the effectiveness of international agreements and treaties as a means of world administration and legal order must be reviewed from scratch. I recommend that the UN prepare a simple, comprehensive survey of the ratification, entry into force and implementation of all existing international agreements and treaties. It would show for example that of the 117 international labor agreements worked out in the International Labor Organization, the US has ratified only 7 and that the agreement reached in the UN General Assembly to create in demilitarized Costa Rica the first University for Peace on this planet, has been ratified after 14 years by only 32 governments out of 185. I suggest that a World Commission of Eminent Persons be established on the implementation of international agreements.
~ Idea 129 ~ 16 November 1994An increasing number of businesses should be created by young people under a label such as "Self-imposed Ethical Business" which would draw up their own code of ethics toward consumers, the environment, peace and mother Earth.
~ Idea 130 ~ 17 November 1994Universities for Peace and Non-violence should be created on each continent, guided, inspired and coordinated by the University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica. In each national University a Department of Peace and Non-violence should be created, guided, inspired and coordinated by the regional Peace and Non-Violence Universities.As a result we will at long last experience the instauration of peace and non-violence as the dominant, new, great civilization value on this planet.
~ Idea 131 ~ 18 November 1994There is an urgent need to create a United Nations specialized agency for Natural Resources. President Franklin Roosevelt had the right view when he requested the UN to hold as early as in 1946 an International Conference on the Utilization and Conservation of Resources. Still, fifty years later the exploitation of natural resources is the dominant practice, not their proper use, renewal and conservation.
~ Idea 132 ~ 19 November 1994The United Nations will be led to deal not only with international conflicts and disputes but also with internal political breakdowns and disputes.* Its peacekeeping and peacebuilding roles will progressively extend to the entire planet and human society. The UN should be prepared for such tasks. A Committee of the UN should be established to that effect.Note:* This happened on a large scale in 1995.
~ Idea 133 ~ 20 November 1994The Economic and Social Council of the UN should create a Committee on World Philanthropy serviced by the UN Secretariat. It would study and report on the magnitude and potential of philanthropy from the international, world level to the local, individual level (foundations, religions, private associations, business, non-governmental organizations, families and individual voluntary services and donations). Philanthropy (love for humanity) and gaiaphily (love for the Earth) should be raised to front roles in the world community to bring about a better world and a greater world democracy.
~ Idea 134 ~ 21 November 1994Wars should be considered as violence and should be rejected and totally outlawed as means to resolve conflicts. Humanity can no longer condemn violence in all human relations, except international relations where violence, be it aggressive or defensive, is considered a normal, accepted, even noble and heroic function of the state. The notion of war must become as repulsive as any other form of violence to resolve inter-human problems.
~ Idea 135 ~ 22 November 1994I recommend that all international institutions, all specialized agencies and world programs of the United Nations include a permanent item on non-violence in their agendas. I do not know a single one, from the Food and Agriculture Organization to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which should be exempt from this rule.
~ Idea 136 ~ 23 November 1994I recommend that the United Nations General Assembly receive each year a report on violence in the world, and that each regional organization such as the Organization of American States, the Organization of African Unity, the European Union, etc. receive yearly reports from the member governments on violence in their countries, and measures taken by them and by all institutions and social groups to be of assistance.
~ Idea 137 ~ 24 November 1994I recommend that all United Nations world conferences include an item on violence and non-violence. This should be the case of the World Social Summit in Copenhagen, the fourth World Women Conference in Beijing and the World Habitat Conference in Istanbul.
~ Idea 138 ~ 25 November 1994International criminals are better organized than nations. Now that the cold war is over, I recommend that Interpol become a United Nations Police Agency in which all national polices would actively cooperate and coordinate their efforts.
~ Idea 139 ~ 26 November 1994The University for Peace created by the UN in Costa Rica should be financed properly and with vision to become a world strategic center for the study, planning and methodology of peace and non-violence in all human relations and fields.
~ Idea 140 ~ 27 November 1994The United Nations Secretariat should create a Department for Peace and Non-Violence. That Department should be in charge of preparing the World Conference on Violence recommended in Idea 5.
~ Idea 141 ~ 28 November 1994Today, when I went to pay my car insurance, the agent, Mr. Luis Alberto Guzman of Ciudad Colon, asked me for advice on an idea he had: why not invite all the winners of the Nobel Prize for Peace to meet at the University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica and ask them to proclaim that the whole world should be demilitarized?An excellent idea which shows what an ordinary citizen can do. I told him that all Nobel Peace Prize winners have been invited to meet in San Francisco in 1995 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the UN. Since Oscar Arias, the former President of Costa Rica, will be among them as one of the Peace Prize winners, he could make this proposal. Mr. Guzman promised to write to him immediately.
~ Idea 142 ~ 29 November 1994I promised Mr. Guzman that I would try to implement the second part of his proposal by suggesting to Rodrigo Carazo, former President of Costa Rica and founder of the University for Peace, that as Chairman of the Costa Rican National Committee for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UN, he invite the Latin American Nobel Peace Prize winners (Oscar Arias, Pedro Esquivel, Rigoberta Menchu) to a meeting at the University for Peace prior to the meeting in San Francisco, to formulate their peace proposals as Latin Americans. The Nobel Prize Committee in Oslo could foresee similar regional meetings of other winners prior to the San Francisco meeting. The same could be done for the celebration of the year 2000.
~ Idea 143 ~ 30 November 1994Mr. Guzman gave birth to my idea 143: I want to become one of the first peace ideas collectors of this planet. People collect all kinds of things: stamps, military insignia, dolls, teddy bears, etc. Why not collect also peace ideas? Dear reader, if you have one or several ideas, please send them to me. It would help me reach my goal of 2000 ideas and perhaps surpass it by the 1st of January 2000! I will give you full credit.
~ Idea 144 ~ 1 December 1994Today, 1 December, is celebrated in Costa Rica as Demilitarization Day. All demilitarized countries should celebrate that day. The UN should proclaim it World Demilitarization Day. Costa Rica could make that suggestion.
~ Idea 145 ~ 2 December 1994The UN Security Council should take the bull by the horns and create a Committee of its own to deal with the demilitarization of this planet.
~ Idea 146 ~ 3 December 1994The poor countries of the world should create an organization of demilitarized and non-arms buying countries, and turn to the United Nations to ensure their security.
~ Idea 147 ~ 4 December 1994The peace and fate of the world rests really in the hands of the heads of states and of no one else. It took the UN Security Council 45 years to meet for the first time at the heads of states level in 1992! I recommend that it should meet every year at that level and that the UN General Assembly should meet at the heads of states level at least every second or third year.Note:It will meet again at the heads of states level in 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the UN.
~ Idea 148 ~ 5 December 1994International and bilateral aid should be made inversely proportional to the expenditures of the receiving countries on armaments and the military. Premium aid should be given to those who reduce their armaments and demilitarize themselves.
~ Idea 149 ~ 6 December 1994An instantaneous, ultramodern audio-visual telecommunications system should be established between the Secretary-General of the UN and heads of states to consult on impending crises and dangers and on means to avoid and resolve conflicts. If I were Secretary General of the UN, it would be one of my first actions.
~ Idea 150~ 7 December 1994It is absolutely imperative that the UN establish a Committee of the Future which would look at the totality of the data, views and forecasts of the future emerging from the UN's world conferences, thirty-two specialized agencies and world programs, regional commissions, international years, global commissions, etc.
~ Idea 151 ~ 8 December 1994An idea once formulated by Glenn Olds, former US Ambassador to the UN, was that the General Assembly of the UN should become a Parliamentary Assembly. Ways towards this would be for all people to elect representatives to the UN General Assembly at the same time when they elect their representatives to national parliaments, or for all parliaments to select members who would represent them in the UN General Assembly.
~ Idea 152 ~ 9 December 1994The UN Secretary-General should convene a group of experts to draw up the statutes of a World Foundation to which people and philanthropists from around the world would be able to contribute tax-exempt donations.
~ Idea 153 to 171 ~ 10 to 28 December 1994On this Human Rights Day I recommend that the following fundamental human rights should be worked on for adoption:Idea 153 -the right to a peaceful planetIdea 154 -the right not to be enlisted in an armyIdea 155 -the right to a disarmed, demilitarized planetIdea 156 -the right not to kill and not to be killed, not even in the name of a nationIdea 157 -the right of adherence by governments to their international treaties andagreementsIdea 158 -the right to a proper planning of the future for all newly born children,by governments and world agenciesIdea 159 -the right to non-violenceIdea 160 -the right to truthIdea 161 -the right to global educationIdea 162 -the right to objective, global informationIdea 163 -the right to protection against the misdoings of huge monopolies,media and advertisementIdea 164 -the right of future generationsIdea 165 -the right to a well-preserved planetIdea 166 -the right to life of other speciesIdea 167 -the rights of Mother Earth and implementation of the UN Charter ofNatureIdea 168 -the right to a preserved pastIdea 169 -the right to world citizenship and proper world governmentIdea 170 -the right to proper relations with Creation and evolutionIdea 171 -the right to fulfilled, meaningful lives during our brief years in theeternal stream of time
~ Idea 172 ~ 29 December 1994Former UN officials and UN military personnel who served several years in areas of conflicts which after decades are still not solved, should create associations to express their misgivings for having spent part of their lives, often separated from their families, to solve conflicts which the parties concerned stubbornly refuse to solve.
~ Idea 173 ~ 30 December 1994In every Parliament, in every government building, in every public office, in every international organization, in every multinational corporation, there should be a Meditation or Prayer Room as there is one at the United Nations.
~ Idea 174 ~ 31 December 1994Now that the cold war is over, thought should be given to a better world regional system: the UN Regional Economic Commissions could be merged with existing broader regional organizations, such as the Organization of American States, the Organization of African Unity, the European Union. These organizations would become regional arms of the United Nations, headed by five regional Secretaries General of the UN.
~ Idea 175 ~ 1 January 1995The first of January should be declared by the United Nations World Day of Hope to be celebrated in every country, state, city, village and home.
~ Idea 176 ~ 2 January 1995On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the UN, the Center of Practical Studies of International Negotiations has launched an essay contest with a prize of 5000 dollars to the student, faculty member or professional who would submit the best essay on "Global government and the institutions with which the international system should equip itself to serve for the next fifty years." Please sit down, write the essay and send it to that Center before 24 April 1995, at 11 Avenue de la Paix, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland.
~ Idea 177 ~ 3 January 1995Before this century is over the world needs an International Year of Education to review world-wide how we should educate the new generation for the peace and good of humanity and of the planet. I am glad that UNESCO has created a World Commission on Education in the 21st century, headed by Jacques Delors, the former President of the European Union.Note:It submitted its report in 1996.
~ Idea 178 ~ 4 January 1995The introduction of the electric car is a matter of utmost urgency on planet Earth. Once it is done, the petroleum era of road transportation will be remembered as a Medieval aberration.Note:The first electric cars were launched for sale in the US by General Motors in December 1996.
~ Idea 179 ~ 5 January 1995Al kohol is an Arabic word which means the devil. The UN World Health Organization labels and condemns it as a drug. The damages caused by alcohol in the world are staggering, worse than military conflicts. Alcohol production and consumption should be reduced drastically and vineyards replaced by oxygen and fruit producing trees for the good of our lungs and health, the same as was done with tobacco.As first steps alcohol advertisement should be prohibited and all alcoholic products should be severely taxed and the proceeds allocated to social security and health care. What was done against tobacco must now be started against alcohol. The UN should produce a yearly report on the subject.
~ Idea 180 ~ 6 January 1995After the World Commission on Global Governance has submitted its report, the UN General Assembly should establish a standing committee on how this world should be governed or inscribe this subject as a new, permanent item on its agenda. The world is in such a political chaos at the end of this millennium that this must become the priority item on the agenda of world affairs. The political organization of this planet must be rethought from scratch, faced as we are with the potential destruction of all life on it.
~ Idea 181 ~ 7 January 1995We need a world agency and regional arrangements for the management of the world's great rivers.
~ Idea 182 ~ 8 January 1995We need a world agency and regional arrangements for the management of the world's great lakes.
~ Idea 183 ~ 9 January 1995We need a world agency and regional arrangements for the management of the Earth's underground water resources.
~ Idea 184 ~ 10 January 1995At least the UN must establish a World Water Agency to deal with the above subjects. The world will be confronted in a few decades with colossal water problems likely to lead to international conflicts.
~ Idea 185 ~ 11 January 1995This century cannot end without seeing the birth of a Parliamentary Assembly of the UN. It is inconceivable that world affairs should remain the monopoly of the executive branch of national governments. This major flaw in democracy and remnant from the past must be corrected. At least to begin with, a UN Consultative Parliamentary Assembly should be created, consisting of representatives of existing national parliaments.
~ Idea 186 ~ 12 January 1995There is need for the creation of a post of World Ombudsman or Ombudswoman or Ombudscouple at the United Nations.
~ Idea 187 ~ 13 January 1995By 1995 there will have been three world population conferences, four world women's conferences, two world aging conferences, a permanent institution for children (UNICEF), an International Year of the Handicapped. But there has been only one brief world youth conference in 1970 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the UN. Governments seem to be afraid of youth. And yet, youth is the most interested party, the most dynamic biological element of our evolution. There should be a world youth conference at least every 5 years to hear the young peoples' views and proposals for the world they want. A World Youth Agency should be created.
~ Idea 188 ~ 14 January 1995UNICEF should be transformed into UNICMO, the United Nations International Children's and Mother's Organization, which would be concerned with the two thirds of humanity who need most of the world's care and protection: children and mothers. It would greatly expand UNICEF's capacity to do wonders.
~ Idea 189 ~ 15 January 1995The time has come for the UN to create a major Office for Mediation and Conflict-Resolution to help governments and all social groups to solve their internal conflicts and disputes. The UN should become the world's principal expert in peace, non-violence and conflict resolution.
~ Idea 190 ~ 16 January 1995Biology means the science of life (bios, life, logos - knowledge). We need more: we need an Earthology, a science of the functioning of the Earth, including its small surrounding membrane of life, the biosphere, and within it the role and impact of the human species. The UN should be renamed and transformed into the Earth Organization. And beyond that we must begin to think and to understand our cosmic meaning and evolution, and transform the UN into the Metaglobal Cosmic Organization of this planet. In it scientists, the religions and the indigenous people would help us to understand the right human behavior and to create the right means and institutions.
~ Idea 191 ~ 17 January 1995Young men and women who want to work for peace, justice and a better world: you do not have to join the UN or to go to the poor countries. There is a lot to do right at home, in your city, in your community. I beg you: join or invade the police and transform it into the most peaceful, most peace-loving, justice-loving, poor-loving, handicapped-helping, elderly-helping, homeless-helping, down-trodden helping, non-violent peace service on Earth.
~ Idea 192 ~ 18 January 1995All polices and militaries in the world must be transformed into peace-agents, from the top of the world to the local community. All such services should be part of a United Nations World Peace Agency wearing the UN blue colors and insignia. It would be the greatest service organization in the entire human history, united for peace and service to all peoples in all societal groups and in all areas.
~ Idea 193 ~ 19 January 1995Panama has recently adopted a constitution which abolishes the army. For the first time in history there will be two countries, Costa Rica and Panama, bordering each other which have no army. They deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
~ Idea 194 ~ 20 January 1995The UN should create at the University for Peace in Costa Rica an Institute for the study of non-armed defense and security of demilitarized countries. For example, the protection by the Organization of American States of demilitarized countries in its area could serve as a model for the protection of other demilitarized countries in other regions by their regional organizations or even world-wide by the United Nations. We need bold new ideas for world security, for world insurance against aggression and war.Note:The World Commission to Fund the United Nations has before it a proposal by Hazel Henderson, the founder and chairwoman of the Commission, and by Alan Kays for the creation of UN Security Insurance Agency, as a partnership of the public, private and civil sectors, especially insurance companies. Under such a system, many countries could afford to demilitarize themselves.
~ Idea 195 ~ 21 January 1995In the 19th century and early twentieth, one of the main forms of violence was workers' violence. It led to several revolutions and to communism. Today, of all forms of violence, labor violence is minimal, even non-existent in most countries. Why? Because in order to cope with the problem, in 1919 the International Labor Organization was created in which governments, employers and labor unions are represented and have developed a host of agreements, conventions, legislations, recourses, rights and methods to resolve labor conflicts and disputes in a peaceful, non-violent way. This example speaks highly for similar arrangements in the UN and in all its specialized agencies, namely a peoples' representation at the UN and professional representatives in all agencies.Thanks to the UN, international conflicts have also been reduced to a minimum and could have been eliminated if it had not been for the cold war between the US and the USSR. The UN did a similar, remarkable job in decolonization and in reducing racial violence, especially apartheid.Thanks to the UN Security Council which took up the question of aircraft highjacking, that form of violence has considerably diminished in the world while airtransport and airtravel have mushroomed to unprecedented levels.Today, most violence is among ethnic groups, religions, youth, in cities and in the family. Would it not be beneficial to create an International Ethnic Organization, an International Religious Organization, an International Youth Organization and an International Family Organization on the pattern of the ILO? The cost would be minimal compared with the huge benefits gained. The miracles produced by the UN and the ILO should be repeated in other fields.During my four decades at the UN I have noticed that when humans decide to do something, they can do it. From a pessimist I have become an optimist and a believer in the human species. I thank the UN for it.
~ Idea 196 ~ 22 January 1995An idea to which the peoples of this world must get accustomed and which they should love and promote despite the opposition and campaigns of those who hold power, money and the media, is that the UN always was, is and will become a better form of global government of this planet. This government should be strongly democratized and accelerated. The main issue of UN reform is a reform of the attitude, support and vision of the people and of governments.
~ Idea 197 ~ 23 January 1995The military are the profession on Earth which have done the most killing and most dismal destructions on this planet over the millennia. The number of their victims reaches into the billions and their destructions must be the equivalent or surpass the total world capital of today. It is high time to abolish all armies, as former President Oscar Arias, Nobel Peace Prize winner, proposes and to transform them into useful, peaceful professions.
~ Idea 198 ~ 24 January 1995The United Nations should no longer be in the hands of Ministries of Foreign Affairs, because the fate of the world is no longer a foreign affair of anyone. The UN should be the direct responsibility of the Prime Minister or President of the country.
~ Idea 199 ~ 25 January 1995A World Environmental Court should be created with jurisdiction over damages done to the environment and empowered to inflict charges, reparations and fines.
~ Idea 200 ~ 26 January 1995I have designed the following framework for world coverage of news and information by the media. I would like to see it on the wall or desk of every TV, radio and newspaper journalist on Earth. As a result a better informed, more hopeful and more helpful humanity would evolve.
~ Idea 201 ~ 27 January 1995It is totally irresponsible not to create a UN Population Agency with vast resources to cope with the most preoccupying problem on Earth. The UN Population Division has done a tremendous pioneering job. It was the first to warn the world of the population explosion. But the work must be urgently intensified, accelerated, and world aid increased to avoid a global catastrophe. What are governments waiting for? Similarly a UN Agency on Consumption, dealing with the tragic underconsumption in the poor countries and staggering overconsumption in the rich ones should be created. The population explosion in the poor countries and the consumption explosion in the rich countries are the two biggest menaces to this planet.
~ Idea 202 ~ 28 January 1995We must study the wholeness of the universe, of our planet, of life and of our being at least as much as we study their components and dissection down to the atom.
~ Idea 203 ~ 29 January 1995Migrations, pressures for migrations, opposition and obstacles to migrations have acquired such magnitude and will further grow that it is high time to convene a world conference on the subject.
~ Idea 204 ~ 30 January 1995"Until modern times young people could anticipate a future rather like that of their parents. Social change was that slow. Now young people face futures for which their parents' culture cannot prepare them. The young must create the future themselves."Margaret MeadA good idea would be for the UN to convene a World Youth Conference before the Year 2000 and ask youth what kind of a new century and millennium they see and want.
~ Idea 205 ~ 31 January 1995One UN Agency which should be abolished or have its mandate changed is the International Atomic Energy Agency. It should be mandated to eliminate all nuclear arms and nuclear plants on this planet. If not, in the long run, atomic radiation will finish us as well as all life on this planet.
~ Idea 206 ~ 1 February 1995A fulfilled idea: I rejoice that at long last a World Trade Organization has been created. Thirty years ago, under the leadership of a great man, don Raul Prebish of Argentina, we had conceived such an idea in the United Nations. I spent two years of my life fighting for it. But it was strongly and stubbornly opposed by the western countries. After having lost thirty precious years, they saw finally that it was the right thing to do. Thanks be to God. How many more years will it take until they finally recognize the need for an infinitely stronger second generation United Nations, supported by their cooperation and proper intellectual and financial contributions?
~ Idea 207 ~ 2 February 1995All international days proclaimed by the United Nations should be renamed World Days, as some of them already are. Some day the adjective international will seem as strange as interstate and interprovincial is today. The 4th and the 14th of July are the national holidays of the United States and of France, not their interstate or interprovincial holidays.
~ Idea 208 ~ 3 February 1995A World Compliance Council should be created by the United Nations. It would submit each year to heads of states and to the people a report on the implementation or not of UN agreements, decisions, resolutions, commitments, judgments, etc. The first of these reports would create a world shock.
~ Idea 209 ~ 4 February 1995There should be no increase in the number of countries having the veto power. Instead, an all-out effort should be made to reduce and eliminate them. It would be incomprehensible if in the United States five states, say New York, California, Texas, Florida and Alaska, would have the veto power. It is as incomprehensible for the world. As a compromise I recommend that existing veto powers be given a maximum number of vetoes (say 10), after which they would lose that privilege.
~ Idea 210 ~ 5 February 1995More Nobel Prizes and international prizes should be given to governments, institutions, associations and firms which deserve special recognition for their contributions to a better world and happier humanity.
~ Idea 211 ~ 6 February 1995I predict that in the next century the word military will disappear from human language for all times to come.
~ Idea 212 ~ 7 February 1995Businesses invest risk capital in many fields. Governments do the same, particularly in science, technology and higher education. Why are not the UN and its specialized agencies also allowed to invest risk capital to achieve a better world? It would be the best capital investment with highest returns in the world.
~ Idea 213 ~ 8 February 1995A World Commission of Eminent Persons should be established to bring about a spiritual renaissance on this planet.
~ Idea 214 ~ 9 February 1995A World Commission of Eminent Persons on Justice should be created to reexamine the entire question of justice at the end of this century and on the eve of a new millennium.
~ Idea 215 ~ 10 February 1995I have recommended to Elizabeth Mann-Borghese, a famous defender of the seas and oceans, to obtain the creation of a World Commission of Eminent Persons on the Oceans, which have been declared common heritage of humanity. The seas and oceans provide two-thirds of this planet's oxygen. If the diatoms and plankton do not survive the ultra violet rays going through the ozone holes in the atmosphere, we will be in deep trouble.Note:May 1995: To my great joy the Commission has been created under the Chairmanship of Mr. Mario Soares, the President of Portugal.
~ Idea 216 ~ 11 February 1995I endorse enthusiastically the recommendation by the World Commission of Eminent Persons on Global Governance that a World Fund for Demilitarization be established by the UN.
~ Idea 217 ~ 12 February 1995The United Nations should create a World Agency for Demilitarization and Disarmament.
~ Idea 218 ~ 13 February 1995The United Nations should be taught in every school on Earth.
~ Idea 219 ~ 14 February 1995A thesis or a book should be written on the phenomenon of world commissions of eminent persons which has appeared and expanded in recent years.
~ Idea 220 ~ 15 February 1995Someone should write a thesis or book on the phenomenon of world celebrations (international days, years, decades, anniversaries) which have appeared in contemporary history.
~ Idea 221 ~ 16 February 1995I would highly recommend to a government or to a philanthropist to create on this planet the first University of Earth Government, or World Management or World Federation. The time is largely overdue to do that. The Faculties of International Relations of all national Universities should be reformed into Faculties of Earth Government and Management.
~ Idea 222 ~ 17 February 1995After the success and historic breakthrough of the US federal system of government and balance of power, and the emergence of a similar system in the European Union, the time has come to give serious consideration to federal systems or unions on other continents and of such a system for the world as a whole. This should be one of our main priorities on the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium. Not to do it would be a grave irresponsibility towards the Earth and future generations. The present mess and colossal duplications between nation-states cannot be endured, neither by the Earth nor by the people.
~ Idea 223 ~ 18 February 1995The General Assembly of the United Nations should create a new, seventh main Commission: a Commission on the Future or long term evolution of humanity and of the Earth.
~ Idea 224 ~ 19 February 1995World Universities should be created to study and teach the great concepts which have helped humanity over eons of time to live with the mysteries of life and death in the unfathomable universe and eternity: world universities of hope, of faith, of ethics, of love, of optimism, of happiness, of altruism, of justice, of thanksgiving, of forgiveness, etc.
~ Idea 225 ~ 20 February 1995It is high time to create in Universities new Chairs and courses on planetary administration and management, better called planetics and gaiamanagement.
~ Idea 226 ~ 21 February 1995I hope that at the World Social Summit convened by the UN in Copenhagen, or as a follow-up to it, a World Party of the Poor will be created. We need world parties and elections in the same year and for the same duration at all political levels.
~ Idea 227 ~ 22 February 1995An idea which I like very much is the proposal by a Costa Rican citizen, Jesus Maria Salas Araya, that the whole country of Costa Rica be declared by the United Nations an Ecological Heritage or Patrimony of Humanity. He points out that thirty percent of the country's area are protected under the categories National Parks, Biological Reserves, National Monuments, Forest Reserves, Protected Zones, Refuges for Forest Life and National Forests, all these areas being administered, controlled or inspected by the State. In addition there are thousands of hectares protected and reforested by private persons.
~ Idea 228 ~ 23 February 1995It is my prophecy that the United Nations will become the mind, the heart and the soul of humanity. It will be the quintessence, the epicenter of all human thinking and efforts.
~ Idea 229 ~ 24 February 1995The United Nations is already the global brain of humanity. It is also the greatest school of love on this planet: love for all humans, love for our Mother Earth, love for the preservation of nature, love for the children, women, the handicapped, the aged, love for peace, etc. Still is missing love for God and the mysterious forces of the universe. This will come too when the United Nations will understand its right place in the universe and in time.
~ Idea 230 ~ 25 February 1995The word "politics" and "politician" (from the Greek "polis", the administration of the city) should be replaced by "planetics" and "planetician". Even better, the role of politicians should be transformed into love for humans (philanthropists, from the Greek phil, love, and anthropos, man) and love for our planet (gaiaphilists, from Greek GAIA, the goddess Earth and phil, love).
~ Idea 231 ~ 26 February 1995All nations of Earth should create academies of peace linked with the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 232 ~ 27 February 1995Preferential world aid, bilateral and philanthropic aid should be given to countries which have no nuclear arms and no nuclear energy plants. They should be thanked for not contributing to the atomic radiation of the Earth and of the human species.
~ Idea 233 ~ 28 February 1995There exists only one ministerial Council in the United Nations system: the World Food Council of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization. There should be ministerial councils for every global subject dealt with in the United Nations. The Ministers of all nations should know each other and work closely together in their respective fields. A first, most important one would be a World Council of Ministers of Defense.
~ Idea 234 ~ 1 March 1995After a visit to Chinese Premier Chou En Lai who complained to the Secretary General that all world agencies were located in the West and that most meetings were held there too, I obtained that the Security Council met in Panama and in Addis Ababa. Panama credited that meeting for having helped the conclusion of the Panama Canal Treaty, and the Addis Ababa meeting contributed to the solution of the problem of apartheid and the independence of Mozambique and Angola. It should be the policy of the Security Council to meet nearer the people and places of conflicts.
~ Idea 235 ~ 2 March 1995Former heads of states, former Commanders of United Nations Peace-protecting forces have formed associations to help solve conflicts around the world. Their example should be followed by many others who were active in leading positions: former Presidents of Parliaments, former Ministers in all fields, former Presidents of foundations, former heads of health services, etc.
~ Idea 236 ~ 3 March 1995All associations, movements and institutes working on non-violence, e.g. the Gandhians, the Tolstoi Institute, the Martin Luther King Institutes, the Albert Schweitzer Institute, the Quakers, the Jains, should associate in a World Alliance or Federation for Non-Violence and request the United Nations to hold earliest the World Conference on Non-Violence recommended in Idea 5. They should establish a headquarters at the University for Peace and a liaison office at UN Headquarters, or vice versa.
~ Idea 237 ~ 4 March 1995Certain United Nations documents should be real World Documents summarized or reproduced by all journalists, radio, television stations as being the most basic information needed by all humans. I have one such document before me: document E/CN.9/1995/2 (meaning document of the Economic and Social Council, Population Commission 17 January 1995) giving the population trends, policies and programs in the world. It is an incredible document projecting the world population to the year 2050 and providing a host of other important information. A dramatic quantum progress is vitally needed to bring the crucial information of the United Nations and of its agencies to the peoples of the world. I strongly propose that a World Agency for Public Information and Public Relations be created by the UN to disseminate the work of all its services, specialized agencies, world programs and world conferences.
~ Idea 238 ~ 5 March 1995The United Nations is the first world-wide universal organization, where all human dreams, thoughts and efforts converge, our only real hope to achieve peace and human fulfillment on Earth and to save the Earth itself. Please, dear brothers and sisters, do not forget it. Help, support and love this feeble but incredibly important progress in human cooperation.
~ Idea 239 ~ 6 March 1995I love the idea of peace activist Sandy Hinden and of the peace Center of the French town of Verdun where 500,000 men were killed in World War I, to create peace museums in many countries and a World Network of Peace Museums. We will plan one in Costa Rica on sacred Mount Rasur, wherefrom, according to indigenous legend, a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.Note:There exist already fifty peace museums in the world. Since there are 185 UN member nations there should be at least 185. It would be interesting to know how many war museums there are in the world. Several hundreds I am sure.
~ Idea 240 ~ 7 March 1995I recommend that every human being on Earth will become what Sandy Hinden calls me: a spokesperson for the wonder of life, the beauty of our planet and the magnificence of the universe.
~ Idea 241 ~ 8 March 1995There is need for a world conference on garbage and all wastes and remains from human activities and consumption on this planet. The industrial revolution must now be followed by an anti-garbage revolution. In all countries this has become a major problem. International exchanges of experience on prevention and disposal is needed. Every country should create a Ministry of Garbage and Waste Reduction.This also is to be taken into account: at the end of his or her life, the average person in a developing country leaves behind 150 times his or her weight in solid waste. The average American leaves behind a mountain of waste 4,000 times his own weight.
~ Idea 242 ~ 9 March 1995Global consciousness is the new biological phenomenon which will help avoid the destruction of the planet and of the human species. I am glad that an International Institute for the Study of Consciousness has been created in England and that I have been asked to serve as an adviser to it. I am glad also that the Club of Budapest on Planetary Consciousness has been created. I and Barbara Gaughen, my new life companion, are members of it.
~ Idea 243 ~ 10 March 1995I am glad to have received the first thesis on "The Spirit of Cooperation: Consciousness and the Development of Cooperation". The student found little in social literature on cooperation, and what she discovered was flimsy. We need urgently from social scientists a theory, a strategy and a methodology of cooperation. The United Nations and its 32 specialized agencies and world programs are a goldmine of theses on this vital subject for our future. Biologists are far ahead of social scientists. We need to study a new major biosocial phenomenon: the birth of a global brain, global nervous system, global heart and global soul to the human species.
~ Idea 244 ~ 11 March 1995my 72nd birthdayI cannot repeat it often enough: we must abolish all militaries on this planet. What we need is a police, renamed peace service at the various levels of society, from the top of the world (United Nations peace protectors) down to the city and neighborhoods. All big weapons used by the military must be destroyed world-wide and only light weapons used or new temporarily maiming or incapacitating weapons. That is my birthday wish, the overriding one. And since I am living on a hill of prophecies, I want to say that it is not a utopia: it will inexorably happen. If I no longer live at that time, please remember my prophecy.
~ Idea 245 ~ 12 March 1995I wish with all my heart that a great world personality, like Mr. Gorbachev will create an Independent World Commission for the total Denuclearization of our planet.
~ Idea 246 ~ 13 March 1995I have proposed to Oscar Arias, former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize winner, to establish an Independent World Commission for the Demilitarization of the planet.
~ Idea 247 ~ 14 March 1995I propose that during the International Decade of the Indigenous People, the United Nations create a World Fund for the Study of Indigenous Wisdom and Customs from which the modern world would benefit. They have kept a wise relation with nature which we have lost. We also need Indigenous schools, colleges and universities on this planet.
~ Idea 248 ~ 15 March 1995True democracy means frequent peoples' consultations through public opinion polls and referenda. The world is now so interdependent and the people are so worried about the future that it is high time to organize world referenda. The United Nations should create an Office of World Polls and Referenda. The first world referendum should ask the people if they want to get rid or not of all atomic weapons. And all governments should abide by their decision. Another poll would be whether people want to see electric cars replace the petroleum cars which are destroying our atmosphere. Another would be on the demilitarization of the planet and the creation of a proper world security system and peace protection at all levels of society. And there are many others.
~ Idea 249 ~ 16 March 1995There is a lot of talk of United Nations reform. But what about national governments reform? I recommend a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on National Government Reform. It should bring about more unity in the way governments are organized, more responsive to the needs of the people and of the planet, and more coordinated with the United Nations and its agencies. It should look into the colossal waste of national military and other staggering unnecessary expenditures. The fiscal situation of nation-states is a scandal. There is no real, world economy. There is enormous world waste and duplication.
~ Idea 250 ~ 17 March 1995We now have at long last a World Trade Organization. Needed as much, if not more, is a World Engineering Agency that would conceive and implement major world engineering projects which would improve the overall productivity of the planet and the well-being of the people. For example, several major unexploited hydro-electrical sites in the world could provide enough electricity for humanity's needs, transported intercontinentally through high power transmission lines, in a world energy grid which would take advantage of the night and day rotation of the planet. As a result, atomic energy could be dispensed with and our future saved from annihilation through atomic radiation.Buckminster Fuller was a goldmine of such ideas. They should be carefully studied. There exists in Santa Monica, California, an institute, GENI, which has studied and advocates a world energy grid. It should receive top attention and be supported.
~ Idea 251 ~ 18 March 1995No one should ever forget that the United Nations is the first world-wide institution ever created by humanity in all history. In it all dreams, thoughts and efforts of humanity are coming together, are examined, discussed and sooner or later implemented. It is our greatest chance to achieve peace and human fulfillment on this planet and to save the planet itself. This requires a complete change of attitude from the people and from national governments towards it, a real quantum leap of understanding, knowledge, love, support and expectations. Please people of the world, contribute to it.
~ Idea 252 ~ 19 March 1995A Ministry or Central Office should be created in every government dealing with corruption, racketeering and massive frauds. The United Nations should create an Office dealing with international corruption, fraud and racketeering. Yearly national reports and world reports should be published and widely publicized.
~ Idea 253 ~ 20 March 1995The current admired so-called world economic system leaves in misery 2/3rds of humanity which it exploits; it does not provide full employment; it destroys the environment; it creates the most colossal waste and unnecessary "needs" in all evolution; it does not increase human happiness. And we call it an economic system!A World Commission of Eminent Persons on a New World Economy should urgently be convened.
~ Idea 254 ~ 21 March 1995Nobel Prizes or new world prizes should be given to countries which have no atomic weapons and no nuclear energy plants, or which abolish them.
~ Idea 255 ~ 22 March 1995Since at least 80 percent of effective action on this planet is taken by people at the local level, I recommend that a World Conference on Decentralization and Local Concerns and Action be convened.
~ Idea 256 ~ 23 March 1995The United Nations should publish a major annual report on the state of the environment to be made widely available and publicized world-wide.
~ Idea 257 ~ 24 March 1995The United Nations should widely advertise its yearly report on nuclear radiation, together with an assessment of all existing and anticipated nuclear hazards.
~ Idea 258 ~ 25 March 1995The United Nations should declare a moratorium, a total prohibition of all new nuclear power plants and request the destruction of all existing ones.
~ Idea 259 ~ 26 March 1995The United Nations should publish an annual report comparing each country's expenditures on arms and the military and the amount spent on efforts to preserve, restore and improve the environment and save the world.
~ Idea 260 ~ 27 March 1995The United Nations should make a survey of destruction and damages caused to the environment by the military around the world. These damages should be repaired by the belligerents and appropriate deductions made from military budgets to pay for the repairs.
~ Idea 261 ~ 28 March 1995I repeat emphatically my recommendation that all nations should hold their elections in the same year and for the same duration. Why? Because how many times have I heard at the UN: one cannot do anything in the Middle East, or in Cyprus because Israel or the Arab countries, or Greece or Turkey, or the United States have elections.
~ Idea 262 ~ 29 March 1995All mothers on Earth should claim the fundamental human right not to have their sons, the flesh of their flesh, forced by anyone, not even a nation, to kill another human being or to be killed.
~ Idea 263 ~ 30 March 1995All mothers on Earth should claim the fundamental human right not to see their sons, the flesh of their flesh, trained in military "academies" to kill other human beings. It is high time for them to raise their voice. Governments should solve their problems by non-violent means. Young men should be sent to academies of peace or schools of peace.
~ Idea 264 ~ 31 March 1995All young people in the world should be given the fundamental human right to refuse military incorporation to be trained to kill other human beings.
~ Idea 265 ~ 1 April 1995Only consumers can save this planet. Producers will destroy it. A world-wide consumers movement is urgently needed.
~ Idea 266 ~ 2 April 1995In each government a Ministry of Happiness should be created as well as a World Commission or Department of Happiness at the United Nations to deal with this fundamental pursuit and rightful expectation of human beings. The US Constitution includes the pursuit of happiness as the objective of government.
~ Idea 267 ~ 3 April 1995International tourism has reached such proportions, creating both benefits and damages, occupying such a big share in the international transfer of resources, that the World Tourism Organization linked with a loose agreement with the United Nations Economic and Social Council should be upgraded to a full UN specialized agency.
~ Idea 268 ~ 4 April 1995Former Secretary General U Thant once said to me after returning from a trip abroad: "Robert, in each capitol I visit they take me to a monument to the unknown soldier to light a flame, but I have never been taken to a monument to the unknown peacemaker." I remembered his comment when I became Chancellor of the University for Peace. There we have now the first monument on Earth to unknown peacemakers. I recommend that such monuments be erected in each capitol of the world. It is high time. (See Idea 321.)
~ Idea 269 ~ 5 April 1995Napoleon did not send his military trainees to Universities. He created military academies where they were taught a total science of war, a total strategy of war and a total methodology of war. The German General Clausewitz perfected that system in the 19th century by proclaiming that there was no limit to the use of violence. Since then we have hundreds of military "academies" in the world teaching this, with the recent amendment that the objective is no longer war but "defense". There exists nothing similar for peace. After my forty years of UN service I thought that academia had done its job and developed a science, a strategy and a methodology of peace. There exists nothing of the sort. I have therefore decided to throw all my weight behind the first University for Peace on the planet, in demilitarized Costa Rica, and to develop a total science, a total strategy and total methodology of peace. Wherever the military are the peacemakers will be, from outer-space and star-wars to atomic and genetic warfare, which will be replaced with star-peace and atomic and genetic peace. You have your monuments, and medals to warriors, we will have them for peacemakers. This is why governments are so scared of this University: only 32 of 185 have ratified its statute and only three have provided it with minimal help.
~ Idea 270 ~ 6 April 1995A next great task for the United Nations will be to draft a Universal Declaration of Ethics for the third millennium. The subject will be taken up during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the signing of the UN Charter in San Francisco.
~ Idea 271 ~ 7 April 1995Since the UN Trusteeship Council has completed its work, it should be reconstituted as the Council for World or Earth Government.
~ Idea 272 ~ 8 April 1995The United Nations must absolutely prepare a comprehensive plan for a watertight world security system by the year 2000. All existing proposals should be collected and considered, in particular the ideas and first plans of the Military Staff Committee of the Security Council, the McCloy-Zorin plan for world security, the report of the Olof Palme world commission on security and disarmament, the proposals for world security of the Gorbachev Foundation, and there are certainly others. This is one of the foremost priorities at the end of this century, given the opportunities offered by the end of the cold war. Michael Gorbachev is so right when he says that we have not used the tremendous opportunities opened by that event.
~ Idea 273 ~ 9 April 1995A UN world-wide TV station should be created to give around the clock and in various languages world information on peace, the environment, population, Earth resources, world cooperation and any efforts to improve the human fate and the planet's conditions. It should be named the World Station of Hope.
~ Idea 274 ~ 10 April 1995The UN and its agencies and universities must be considerably developed and strengthened in order to become the global eyes, the global senses, the global brain, the global nervous system, the global heart and the global soul of humanity.
~ Idea 275 ~ 11 April 1995I cannot repeat it often enough: after 50 years, on the eve of a new century and millennium, an audacious, visionary quantum strengthening of the United Nations must take place, so that it can become the rational planetary organization so urgently needed at this stage of our evolution. If not it will soon be overtaken by the rapidly expanding European Union which is already extending its feelers and cooperative arrangements with other continents of the planet. The United States would miss its historic chance to be the birthplace, cradle and seat of the first, true world organization. US, wake up.
~ Idea 276 ~ 12 April 1995There are 500 million disabled, handicapped people on this planet, due to a variety of causes, mainly malnutrition in the poor countries and accidents in the rich countries. I consider it a scandal that a World Agency for the Disabled has not yet been established on this planet. I recommend that a percentage of the reduction in military budgets be devoted to the creation of such an agency to help the handicapped and the prevention of disability, as one of our first and foremost priorities. Instead of building stockpiles of armaments it will be better to manufacture prostheses and facilities for the handicapped. Workers would certainly be happier to work for that instead of deadly, disabling weapons.
~ Idea 277 ~ 13 April 1995The same way as the military have developed a science of war (now called defense), a strategy of war and a methodology of war to an incredible extent, the University for Peace, in cooperation with other peace universities, institutes, movements and associations in the world is developing a science of non-violence to the fullest, all encompassing degree.
~ Idea 278 ~ 14 April 1995Highjacking has been considerably reduced thanks to the action of the UN Security Council getting an international convention on highjacking adopted; labour violence which was number one at the beginning of this century is now last on the list, thanks to the cooperation and joint action of governments, labour and employers in the International Labour Organization; conflict between nations have been considerably reduced thanks to the Untied Nations, to the point that of 47 conflicts on this planet only three are international (Middle-East, Kashmir and Cyprus) and all three are contained. All other conflicts are ethnic, religious, political and cultural conflicts within nations. The UN has now been called to solve them in 16 countries and will gain experience and be successful in solving those conflicts too; the same international cooperation should be considered and organized for all other conflictual areas of the human society.
~ Idea 279 ~ 15 April 1995The European Union should create one of the most generous and famous world prizes: the Robert Schuman prize, in honor of the founder and father of the European borderless Union. It should be granted yearly to the head of state who has done most for the creation of other regional unions in the world and suppression of borders.
~ Idea 280 ~ 16 April 1995While there are nowadays national disintegration movements in Yugoslavia, in the former USSR and in African countries there are also no less than twenty integration movements around the world, the most successful being the European Union.I recommend that the General Assembly of the UN place on its yearly agenda an item on existing regional communities and new ones in formation, because they are a great hope for peace and building blocks for the World Community or Union. The European Union should also report annually on these developments and be a guiding light and inspiration to others.
~ Idea 281 ~ 17 April 1995The United Nations and world organizations should be the direct responsibility of heads of states and no longer be treated as "foreign affairs". Ministries of Foreign Affairs should deal with relations with other nations.
~ Idea 282 ~ 18 April 1995Without the UN this world would be in total disarray. In terms of cost-benefits it is probably the cheapest organization on Earth. And it has further vast, unexplored potentialities. Many of my ideas are illustrations. Please, dear reader, dream what the UN or a better world organization or an Earth government could do. Write it down and send your ideas to your country's representative to the UN and to me.
~ Idea 283 ~ 19 April 1995A World or United Nations Academy should be created where prominent people, world leaders, global thinkers, wise philosophers, and ethical, religious leaders would meet and help the world and humanity find a better course.
~ Idea 284 ~ 20 April 1995Two more World Commissions of Eminent Personalities need to be created before the end of this century: a World Commission on the Media and Communications and a World Commission on Democracy.
~ Idea 285 ~ 21 April 1995In addition to the transport commissions of the UN regional Commissions for Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, a Transport Commission should also be created for North America and a strong World Transport Agency be created to complement the UN International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN International Maritime Organization. As a result world transport would be planned and coordinated with maximum efficiency and safety.
~ Idea 286 ~ 22 April 1995In US airlines they announce federal laws prohibiting smoking and several other regulations. These laws should become world laws or United Nations laws applying to all air transport.
~ Idea 287 ~ 23 April 1995One of the key instruments in the UN Charter is the Military Staff Committee of the Security Council. It met immediately after the war at the chiefs of armies level and had two tasks: (1) to devise a world security system; (2) thereafter to disarm the planet. These tasks were cut short by the cold war between the US and the USSR. Today, the cold war having ended, this organ of the UN Charter should be revived to its original and central role for world peace. It should meet, again at the chiefs of armies level and propose an imaginative and daring world security system and then proceed seriously with the task of disarming the planet.
~ Idea 288 ~ 24 April 1995We must create on this Earth human peaceful, cooperating communities around common natural, geographic features: for example an Arctic Community, and Antarctic community, a North Atlantic Community, a Pacific Community, a Mediterranean Community, an Andean Community, a Middle East Community, etc.The military should not have the monopoly of a NATO and a SEATO.
~ Idea 289 ~ 25 April 1995Why not try in the Middle East what we have achieved successfully against all odds in Europe: to make countries which were warring for centuries cooperate on common interests, e.g. coal and steel, then their entire economies, followed by a political and tomorrow spiritual union.I was told that the French and Germans will always have wars and that the contrary was unthinkable. Well, why not try to prove the contrary also in the Middle East. Nothing is impossible on Earth, if humans really want it.
~ Idea 290 ~ 26 April 1995I dream that an Office or Department for Violence Prevention will be created at the UN to study and promote a science, a strategy and a methodology of violence prevention in all fields, from international violence to internal national violence, ethnic violence, religious violence, street violence, family violence. We must formulate the ideal of a non-violent human society in the next century and millennium on this planet. The UN is the natural, ideal place to do that.
~ Idea 291 ~ 27 April 1995Between now and the year 2000, the United Nations, its world agencies and conferences, together with World Commissions of Eminent Persons and world thinkers should chart a new course for humanity and the Earth, a global Renaissance, an Era of Peace, a Planetary Deal. A World Conference should be held on the subject by the UN in 1999, on the eve of the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 292 ~ 28 April 1995In the United States each State must grant two scholarships to young men from that State to be trained in the military academy of West Point, 2 scholarships for training in the naval academy of Annapolis and 2 scholarships in the aviation academy of Granville Fields. Why not require that each nation-member of the United Nations (there are 185 of them) must offer two scholarships each year to young men or women to study and be trained as peacemakers at the UN University for Peace? This would mean a jump in the enrollment of students at that University from 60 in 1994, 20 in 1995 to 370 in future years. A resolution to that effect should be adopted by the UN General Assembly.
~ Idea 293 ~ 29 April 1995United Nations reform has to be seen from a logical point of view, namely the supreme interest of humanity, of the Earth and of evolution, not of nations nor of any other limited interest groups.Thus, we have an International Civil Aviation Organization and an International Maritime Organization, but we do not have a World Transport Organization covering all means of transportation.Thus we have an International Atomic Energy Agency, but we do not have a World Energy Agency which should cover all forms of energy, especially better ones than radiating atomic energy.
~ Idea 294 ~ 30 April 1995The seas and oceans, outer space, the moon and other planets, the stars, the universe, should be declared absolutely off-limits to all military dreams, plans, occupations and scientific and other weapon testing. What do they have to do there?
~ Idea 295 ~ 1 May 1995A World conference on Simple and Frugal Living should be convened by the United Nations in order to save the Earth's resources from over-consumption, non-replacement and depletion as a result of unnecessary human greed, monumental waste, marketing, advertisement, built-in obsolescence and excessive packaging.It is about time that we publish not only population statistics but also consumption statistics. Thus the population of the poor countries stands at 4.5 billion people and that of the rich countries at 1.2. But the latter consume per person thirty times more Earth resources than the former. As a result, in terms of pressure on resources, the rich population amounts in reality to 36 billion people. Which part of the world then must be considered overpopulated?
~ Idea 296 ~ 2 May 1995The UN Economic and Social Council should undertake a study and publish a comprehensive report on the mistakes made by the developed and the developing countries in so-called economic development. An entirely new economics must be formulated for this planet.
~ Idea 297 ~ 3 May 1995The UN Food and Agricultural Organization has such a vast task and the forests of this planet have such a priority that a UN World Forestry Agency should be created.
~ Idea 298 ~ 4 May 1995Similarly each UN agency and world program should examine its situation in a vastly changing world and determine if some of its subjects do not warrant the creation of a new world agency.
~ Idea 299 ~ 5 May 1995After the successful birth of the political European Union and the suppression of the borders between its members, a World Commission of Eminent Persons should be created to study and promote other regional communities and lead in the third millennium to the birth, at long last after thousands of years, of a true World Union of all people.
~ Idea 300 ~ 6 May 1995It is with human groups as it is with individuals: we become what we want to become. As a result we must make an effort to define what we want to become as a human family or species on this planet:What ideal human society do we want to be in the next century?What kind of Earth do we want to see around us?What kind of ideal Earth and human government do we want?What kind of ideal medias and newspapers do we want?What kind of ideal education do we want?and so on and so forth.
~ Idea 301 ~ 7 May 1995The United Nations has done a great work for human rights. But the time has also come to raise the question of human duties and responsibilities. I am glad that an International Council of Human Duties has been created in Trieste, Italy, under the chairwomanship of Professora Rita Levi Montalcini. The Declaration will be submitted to a youth conference in San Francisco on the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. I signed the Declaration with delight. I recommend that the UN celebrate in 1998 the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and begin work on the adoption of a Universal Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities.DECLARATION OF HUMAN DUTIESa code of Ethics and Shared Responsibilities(The Trieste Declaration)IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING TO:1. respect human dignity as well as ethnic, cultural and religious diversity.2. work against racial injustice and all discrimination of women, and the abuse and exploitation of children.3. work for the improvement in the quality of life of aged and disabled persons.4. respect human life and condemn the sale of human beings or parts of the living human body.5. support efforts to improve the life of people suffering from hunger, misery, disease or unemployment.6. promote effective voluntary family planning in order to regulate world population growth.7. support actions for an equitable distribution of world resources.8. avoid energy waste and work for reduction of the use of fossil fuels. Promote the use of inexhaustible energy sources, representing a minimum of environmental and health risks.9. protect nature from pollution and abuse, promote conservation of natural resources and the restoration of degraded environments.10. respect and preserve the genetic diversity of living organisms and promote constant scrutiny of the application of genetic technologies.11. promote improvement of urban and rural regions and support endeavors to eliminate the causes of environmental destruction and impoverishment which can lead to massive migrations of people and overpopulation in urban areas.12. work for maintenance of world peace, condemn war, terrorism and all other hostile activities by calling for decreased military spending in all countries and of the proliferation and dissemination of arms, in particular, weapons of mass destruction.signed on 7 May 1995
Robert MullerChancellorUniversity for Peace
~ Ideas 302 to 310 ~ 8 to 16 May 1995Ours has become a world into which a lot of unethics have crept in behind our backs. There is an urgent need for the upholding of ethics, side by side with human rights and human duties and responsibilities in all realms of human activities. I therefore recommend:Idea 302 -the creation of an Independent World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Ethics orIdea 303 -that the UN convene a World Conference on Ethics, Human Duties and ResponsibilitiesIdea 304 -the UN collect and publish codes and statements of ethics in all human realmsIdea 305 -a UN Commission for Ethics, like the Human Rights Commission, and a High Commissioner and staff serving it be createdIdea 306 -all specialized agencies and world programs of the UN should develop human ethics in their respective fieldsIdea 307 -a World Court of Ethics should be establishedIdea 308 -an International Year of Ethics should be heldIdea 309 -the next millennium should be declared World Millennium of EthicsIdea 310 -Ministries of Ethics should be created in all governments and ethical units in all businesses.(See also Idea 270)
~ Idea 311 ~ 17 May 1995The time has come to go beyond globalism and to transform the UN into the first Metaglobal Cosmic Organization of the Earth and nature-conscious human species.
~ Idea 312 ~ 18 May 1995There is much pressure from the rich countries for free world trade, because they have a distinct historic, economic, scientific and technological advantage to invade the poor countries with their products and advanced marketing and advertisement, often changing the traditional, more healthy, natural, better habits of these countries, where moreover advertisement is very cheap. The poor countries should raise the issue of free migrations, of the freedom of people to settle anywhere on our planet. People should claim this as a fundamental human right. Why only world free movement of goods, and no free movement of people? The United Nations must hold a world conference on the free movement, migration and settlement of all humans on this planet. It will have to be raised sooner or later. The sooner we do, the better.
~ Idea 313 ~ 19 May 1995The world should enter the next millennium with the consolidation of all economic and social activities and organs of the UN (Economic and Social Council, regional economic commissions, the United Nations Development Program, the World Food Program, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the recently created World Trade Organization), etc. into an Economic and Social United Nations, headed by a second Secretary General.
~ Idea 314 ~ 20 May 1995I have never understood why the United Nations should only have economic regional commissions for each continent. They should become Political, Economic, Social and Environmental Commissions each headed by a regional Secretary General. Perhaps the big powers never liked the idea of a grouping of countries of the same continent into political, regional United Nations.
~ Idea 315 ~ 21 May 1995Hand in hand with my recommendation that all militaries of this planet should be suppressed or reconverted, there is also need for a conversion of the police of the world. The whole security-peace structure of the planet should be rethought and reformed from scratch. Militaries and polices should become peace-protectors and security agents. In every country there should be a central Peace and Security Agency incorporating the former militaries and polices. The Agency should be under the authority of the Prime Minister or of the Ministry of Peace which I recommend for each country. At the world level, a World Peace and Security Agency with regional agencies should be created to guide, support and help coordinate the worldwide system.
~ Idea 316 ~ 22 May 1995Walking today at sunrise on a wonderful beach in Malibu, California where I was to speak to the Wallenberg Peace Conference on the emergence of a global community, I suddenly fell in love with the vast Pacific Ocean and all humans living on its shores. Out of this love an idea was born; I will propose in my speech the creation of PACOM, of the Pacific Community of all riparian nations of that Ocean of Peace.
~ Idea 317 ~ 23 May 1995Since an idea often gives birth to another, it was quite natural that in the same speech I proposed the transformation of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, into NACOM, the North Atlantic Community, according to the new paradigm that the military "culture" of this planet must be replaced by a culture of peace. Similarly SEATO should be replaced by SEACOM.
~ Idea 318 ~ 24 May 1995A world center should be created to study all regional communities recently created or in formation on this planet. They are growing in numbers, impact and importance. The European Union is the most important one, but there are several others like the Arctic Forum created by Governor Walter Hickel, which can serve as a model for other vital bioregions of this planet. Such a Center would collect systematic information on these nascent communities and submit a yearly report to the United Nations, since this is a major, very hopeful innovation in the global government of our planet.
~ Idea 319 ~ 25 May 1995We must not forget the important historical role played by the nation-state to get us out of the tribal situation and warfares in which humanity lived so long. But nations must have no illusions: they cannot survive if they cling to their obsolete belief in national sovereignty which is contrary to our henceforth global and planetary requirements. If they want to survive, they must create new communities and forms of world cooperation, and strengthen immensely the universal United Nations. A true quantum leap is needed at this point of our evolution. If not we will see much more disasters, waste, crises and human despair on this planet. May God inspire leaders of nations to make the drastic necessary quantum leaps into the third millennium, eliminating incredible errors, wastes and dangers to this planet.From the nation-state we must now move to regional unions on the model of the European Union and to a well-conceived, well organized World Union.
~ Idea 320 ~ 26 May 1995I seldom hear a speech in the United Nations or in the political world speaking of love. This is a major blemish of our time, for love is a major factor of peace, goodness, generosity and forgiveness. I recommend that no speech on this planet be delivered without the word and motivation of love. It should be a rule for all speech writers of Presidents and other political personalities. They could follow the good example of our indigenous brethren who place a talking stick in front of them to remind them that they must speak from the heart. I use one.
~ Idea 321 ~ 27 May 1995The Mayor of the city of Hamilton, Canada, has informed me that after the University for Peace, his city will erect this year the second monument to the unknown peace-makers on this planet. Which city or institution will be the third? (See Idea 268.)
~ Idea 322 ~ 28 May 1995Since the political world, including the positions of heads of states are overwhelmingly occupied by males, not only do I recommend that a woman be elected Secretary-General of the UN but also that the few women heads of states and the wives of male heads of states create a world association of first ladies to work together on a large variety of issues and tell the world their vision of the future.
~ Idea 323 ~ 29 May 1995A decade ago, during a visit in Kansas City, I learned that the city considered itself to be the heart of America. They wondered how this could be better known. I suggested that they plant a forest of trees in the form of a big heart near the airport, visible from the sky.Ten years later when I returned to the city, I was shown the Heartforest which expands each year thanks to additional rows of trees planted by children on each Earth Day.My dream is that many heart forests will be grown in many places of the world, thereby expressing our love for trees and for our beautiful planet.
~ Idea 324 ~ 30 May 1995In my Peace Park on Mt. Rasur, overlooking the University for Peace I have a bench of dreams where I ask visitors to sit, close their eyes and formulate a dream. Following a rite which was taught to me by a girl from Holland, Mara van der Lugt, one takes a pebble or stone in each hand, presses the two hands together, closes one's eyes and dreams intensely. When opening the eyes one throws one stone on the Earth, so that the sacred earth will remember the dream, and the other stone one takes home to be reminded of the dream. I wish that benches of dreams be built in many places on Earth.Humanity and the Earth badly need our dreams. (See Ideas 729 and 749.)Note:By 1997 about two dozen have been built around the world.
~ Idea 325 ~ 31 May 1995Not only should elections in all countries take place in the same year in all countries, but there should be basically the same electoral laws everywhere. It would be fascinating to look into this.
~ Idea 326 ~ 1 June 1995Who on Earth will publish the first newspaper which will have only good news, or good news in the first pages, neutral, factual news and information in the middle, and bad news in the last? Could not all the media of the world adopt such presentation and thus contribute to a better, happier, more peaceful, hopeful human society? Does a family wake up and speak only about bad news? Why should the entire human family do it and start every morning with depressing news?
~ Idea 327 ~ 2 June 1995I think that Idea 227 proposed by Prof. Jesus Maria Salas Araya should be considered seriously by the world community: the entire country of Costa Rica should be made a world park, a unique natural preserve, a jewel and heritage of humanity. The Earth Council established in Costa Rica by the UN Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment could take up the subject and create a group of thinkers and ecologists who would come up with a concrete plan and proposals. Costa Rica could become a model for other well preserved natural areas of our Earth. In an orderly, well-conceived world government, such achievements for the future of the Earth and of humanity would be easy matters.
~ Idea 328 ~ 3 June 1995Foreigners visiting Costa Rica are astonished by the natural beauty which has been miraculously retained in this country. Thirty percent of the territory are now protected against depredation. The dream has occurred to me that there should be a world Marshall Plan to preserve this blessed, demilitarized country as a remaining paradise on Earth. Such a plan would prevent the migration of the population from the beautiful rural areas to an overcrowded capitol. It could be a model of a country living in harmony with nature, inspired by eco-communities such as Findhorn in Scotland. Industrialized countries, instead of trying to industrialize Costa Rica, would help it to become a model of a new, more human and natural development, avoiding the errors made in most other developing and developed countries.As a matter of fact, now that there is peace, the whole of Central America should be made a model of ecology and preserved nature, a world park.
~ Idea 329 ~ 4 June 1995Military comes from the Latin miles, the foot soldier. This antiquated word should be replaced by a new concept, such as peace-protectors, peace-insurers or peace servants. This should also apply to the polices of the world (police: from the Greek word polis, the city). Police and military should be merged into a vast system of peace insurance and security from the top of the world to states, the local communities and the streets. Why not have a try at it on the eve of a new millennium? There are many obsolete concepts and institutions on this planet which should be changed.
~ Idea 330 ~ 5 June 1995The phenomenon of megacities growing ceaselessly in the world accompanied by the human depletion of rural areas is of such frightening magnitude and negative effects on human progress that the UN Office of Human Settlements (Habitat) should be made a full UN specialized agency with a tripartite representation like the International Labour Organization, namely governments, business (builders, architects, etc.) and habitants.
~ Idea 331 ~ 6 June 1995A world Marshall Plan is needed for rural rehabilitation, resettlement and the deconcentration of big cities. The new "miniloans" of the World Bank should be directed massively to rural areas where peasants have great difficulties to obtain loans at reasonable conditions.
~ Idea 332 ~ 7 June 1995The greatest service the military could render the world would be to devise a water-tight world security system and then to dissolve or transform themselves into the world's and humanity's security, peace and environment servants.
~ Idea 333 ~ 8 June 1995There are a lot of debate, confusion, disagreement and contrary views these days among politicians, diplomats and the military concerning the UN's military role in Yugoslavia and in Africa. Should it be conflict prevention, peace-keeping, innocent people protection, peace-making, peace-building, peace enforcement, light or massive intervention? Well, if I were the military I would press my government to ratify the University for Peace created by the UN in Costa Rica, to support it, strengthen it and make it the think-tank to study and clarify such roles and come forth with a novel vision of the role of the military in the world today. It is a place of extraordinary beauty of God's nature which elevates the human spirit. It is the place which inspired President Jose Figueres to demilitarize Costa Rica in 1949, the place where Rasur, the indigenous God of children, appeared to them and made the prophecy that out of these hills a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.
~ Idea 334 to 342 ~ 9 to 17 June 1995In an unprecedented preparation for the 21st century and third millennium, a good series of more world conferences and Independent World Commissions of eminent personalities should be held during the last years of this century. I would recommend that the following be considered:Idea 334 -A World Commission on World Priorities and Allocation of ResourcesIdea 335 -A World Commission on the Media and AdvertisementIdea 336 -A World Commission on CorruptionIdea 337 -A World Commission on Visions of the Planet and of Humanity in the 21st century and third millenniumIdea 338 -A World conference on Small and Medium-size EnterprisesIdea 339 -A World Commission on Regional UnionsIdea 340 -A World Commission on the Nation-state and National Government ReformIdea 341 -A World Conference on Global Education and Global CitizenshipIdea 342 -A World Conference on Small Peasantry and Small Business
~ Idea 343 ~ 18 June 1995The world of today is in the same state as were the American States when great leaders stood up and declared that the warrings and divisions between the states could not continue, that America was in a chaos, with utter waste and duplication between the states. A Constitutional Assembly was held in Philadelphia which met for ten years of bitter debates until it finally produced and adopted the US Constitution with its wise system of balance of powers.The world needs today pressingly a similar initiative. There is need for great leaders of this planet to decide that a world constitutional Assembly be held to draft a constitution for proper Earth government.Perhaps it might take longer since the world is much more complicated than were the American states. But it is also more urgent because this time the whole Earth is in jeopardy and danger of terminal illness.
~ Idea 344 ~ 19 June 1995All Nobel Prizes for Peace should be announced, celebrated and handed to the laureates in the vast General Assembly Hall of the United Nations in presence of all UN delegates, UN staff, Non-Governmental Organizations and the media. The soul of Alfred Nobel would rejoice.
~ Idea 345 ~ 20 June 1995The United Nations should publish a yearly report on arms sales in the world, on the countries of origin of the arms, on the manufacturers and on the so-called foreign "aid" given by rich to poor countries to purchase them.
~ Idea 346 ~ 21 June 1995The UN should publish a yearly comprehensive, well-structured report on military budgets and armed forces in the world. Comparisons should be made with other main items in the budgets of nations.For example, very few people in the world, including US citizens, know that even after the cold war US military expenditures in 1995 are equal to the total of all other US government expenditures for transport, education, housing, health, natural resources, international affairs, veterans, outer-space, justice, social services, government in general, salary insurance, economic development, energy, agriculture and trade. There must be something staggeringly wrong with that.
~ Idea 347 ~ 22 June 1995When I was briefly the Director of the UN Budget in the late sixties, I published a report to the General Assembly giving comparisons of UN budgets with national budgets, especially military budgets. The UN budget was indeed "petty cash" as it is called in the US State Department. But the UN budget is more criticized than any national budget on Earth. Needless to say, I did not last long in that position.When I was transferred to another post, my former colleagues in the Budget said that it was the end of the "Spring of Prague" and Secretary General U Thant welcomed me as his new assistant with these worlds: "I am sure you will be happier here than in the Budget."
~ Idea 348 ~ 23 June 1995We have at the UN an Office dealing with natural disasters in the world. It helps to obtain and coordinate international aid in the case of natural disasters. I recommend, that it should be extended to all disasters, including human disasters, for example those produced by the military, and that it should become a full specialized agency of the UN.
~ Idea 349 ~ 24 June 1995Right here and now, huge global problems are developing on this planet which will deeply affect humanity's future, including our possible extinction. And yet, most national governments, business, local governments and the people are only interested in the immediate or the short-term. To heal this situation I recommend that the UN should create a new position of High Commissioner for the World's Future and that each government create a Ministry of the Future or for Future Generations. Margaret Mead similarly recommended that Universitites should have Departments of the Future.
~ Idea 350 ~ 25 June 1995Don't be surprised that there is still so much violence in the world. Think that there are hundreds of military academies in the world and practically no Universities for peace, except the lonely, unsupported University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica.
~ Idea 351 ~ 26 June 1995We have a multitude of national Universities on this planet and almost no world and regional Universities. UNESCO should create a committee of first-class thinkers or convene a conference on the creation of world and regional Universities. It would mark a great progress in our evolution. We cannot remain forever unpunished in dissected, narrow national straight-jackets.
~ Idea 352 ~ 27 June 1995In addition to world, continental and regional Universities, we need also natural, bioregional Universities dealing with self-contained natural regions of this planet, for example a Pacific University, an Atlantic University, a Mediterranean University concerned with these seas and oceans and with all the riparian countries.Others would be an Andean University, a Himalayan University, a Saharan University, an Arctic University, an Antarctic University, a World Atmospheric University, a Mekong University, a Ganges University, etc.
~ Idea 353 ~ 28 June 1995I recommend that humanity should adopt happiness and not consumption as the objective and ideal of life and of our efforts.Peace, education, beauty, love, welfare, security, etc. are only instruments to achieve happiness. If we tried, we would obtain wonderful results at incredible low cost. The first step would be to create a World University of Happiness and to place the subject on the agenda of the United Nations. The drafters of the US Constitution did not shy from the word: the main purpose of the Constitution was "the pursuit of happiness." The World Constitution we desperately need should have the same goal plus the preservation of the Earth.
~ Idea 354 ~ 29 June 1995Relevant to the preceding would be the decision of people around the world who are not affected by miseries to adopt and practice the following advice:Decide to be happyrender others happyproclaim you joylove passionately your miraculous lifedo not listen to promisesdo not wait for a better worldbe grateful for every moment of lifeswitch on and keep onthe positive buttonsin yourself, those marked optimism,serenity, confidence,positive thinking, lovepray and thank God every daymeditate&endash;smile&endash;laughwhistle&endash;sing&endash;dancelook with fascination at everythingfill your lungs and heart with libertybe yourself fully and immenselyact like a king or queen unto Deathfeel God in your body, mind,heart, and souland be convinced of eternal lifeand resurrectionRobert Muller
~ Idea 355 ~ 30 June 1995To achieve the goal of human happiness it is high time that a Disarmament and Demilitarization Agency be created by the UN. Any savings from disarmament and demilitarization &endash;they would be huge&endash; would be used to reduce poverty and misery around the world and thus increase human happiness. I just cannot understand that the word happiness never appears in political and United Nations language and documents when it is a basic purpose of all our efforts.
~ Idea 356 ~ 1 July 1995In 1974, when he created World Magazine, Norman Cousins asked me to write an Inventory of Hopes. It would be difficult for me to find the text 21 years later. But the idea should be revived: the UN should write an Inventory of Hopes for the 21st century and third millennium. All nations and social groups and entities should do the same. What an enlightenment, what an elevation of the human journey it would be!
~ Ideas 357 to 370 ~ 2 to 15 July 1995In my Testament to the UN in 1992 I recommended the creation of the following new agencies. Only one, the World Agency for the Seas and Oceans has come into existence in 1995. My consolation is that it covers 71% of the planet's surface.Idea 357 -A World Disarmament AgencyIdea 358 -A World Agency for the HandicappedIdea 359 -A World Agency for the ElderlyIdea 360 -A World Women's AgencyIdea 361 -A World Youth AgencyIdea 362 -A World Energy AgencyIdea 363 -A World Transportation AgencyIdea 364 -A World Ocean and Seabed AgencyIdea 365 -A World Consumer AgencyIdea 366 -A World Migration and Refugee AgencyIdea 367 -A World Global Data AgencyIdea 368 -A World Outer Space AgencyIdea 369 -A World Agency for the EnvironmentIdea 370 -A World Climate Agency (a transformed World Meteorological Organization)
~ Idea 371 ~ 16 July 1995In 1946, at the request of the United States, the UN convened a Conference on the Use and Conservation of Natural Resources.It was a personal idea of President Franklin Roosevelt who could thus be considered as the first head of state with ecological concerns. The title use and conservation of natural-resources is so appropriate that a World Agency on the Use and Conservation of Natural Resources should be created.
~ Idea 372 ~ 17 July 1995The people can play a very constructive role against the madness and waste of armaments: they could refrain from buying shares and products of companies which are part of the armaments establishment. The UN or a new international people's movement, Disarmament International, like Amnesty International should publish information and reports on such companies.
~ Idea 373 ~ 18 July 1995In line with the preceding, the numerous peace and disarmament groups and associations around the world should join their minds and efforts and produce a compendium of ideas, like these 2000 ideas, on what people can do against the Armaments Madness.
~ Idea 374 ~ 19 July 1995In the early seventies, UNESCO published a report that the expenditures of Universities around the world to teach international relations (more than a billion dollars) surpassed the total of the budgets of the UN and of all its specialized agencies (800 million dollars). It would be interesting to get an updated report from UNESCO on the situation today.
~ Idea 375 ~ 20 July 1995I dream that next to the University for Peace in Costa Rica, a World Center for Robert Muller schools and the world core curriculum will be created to fulfill the prophecy of Gloria Crook, the founder of the first Robert Muller school in Arlington, Texas, that someday there will be thousands of such schools in the world. Since the land includes sacred Mr. Rasur, what a fulfillment of the prophecy of the indigenous God of children that would be!
~ Idea 376 ~ 21 July 1995I recommend that the Secretary General of the UN or a member government request the inscription on the agenda of the UN General Assembly of an item: Creation and plans for the creation of regional trade, economic, ecological and political communities and unions in the world. It is definitely one of the items to be included in an Inventory of Hopes at the end of this century.
~ Idea 377 ~ 22 July 1995I hope that some day the International Radio for Peace of the University for Peace in Costa Rica will be considered for the Nobel Prize for Peace. Their founders, workers and volunteers and supporting friends would amply deserve it.Note: I recommended it early in 1997 for the Prize.
~ Idea 378 ~ 23 July 1995I hope that the government of Italy which has financed the Video-production Center for Peace at the University for Peace in memory of Gandhi will take the further step to finance a first International Television for Peace on this planet. Other countries should join in such a great project.
~ Idea 379 ~ 24 July 1995I have recommended to my friends in Alsace-Lorraine, France, to create in Metz a Robert Schuman University of Regional Communities where students from around the world could learn and be trained in this new, very promising field of appropriate government of our planet. It could prepare the ground for the creation of a World Union or Earth government.
~ Idea 380 ~ 25 July 1995In ancient Greece, all wars were stopped to allow the people to attend the Olympic Peace Games. The UN General Assembly remembered it and decided in 1994 that the 17 days of the commemoration of the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 should be celebrated with a world cease-fire. The General Assembly also adopted the Costa Rican proposal that the week of 24 October 1995, 50th anniversary of the United Nations, should be a world week of peace. I would recommend the further decision that the year 2000 be declared a world year of cease fire and peace.
~ Idea 381 ~ 26 July 1995There exist already a few global flags for our planet: the UN flag, the Earth flag, the New Allegiance flag. I recommend that more global flags be designed and used in the world: A Universe flag, a World flag, a Seas and Oceans flag, an Atmosphere flag, a Biosphere flag, a Mountains flag, a World Water flag, a Forests flag, an Arctic flag, an Antarctic flag, etc. There exists also a European flag. Flags for all continents should be adopted: an Asian flag, an All-American flag, an African flag, a Middle-East flag. And why not local, family and personal flags?An idea of Carolyn Hawkins:The US Postal Services held a contest several years ago. They asked school age children to design stamps. At the end of the contest the Postal Service selected five designs and had them reproduced on the most charming series of postage stamps.A similar contest could be run by the UN. School age children around the world could submit their design for flags for the Universe, Seas and Oceans, Atmosphere, Biosphere, Mountains, etc. At the end of the contest the UN could select the winning designs and have them reproduced as actual flags or UN stamps.
~ Idea 382 ~ 27 July 1995Before or during the year 2000, all winners of the UNESCO Peace Education Prize should meet in Paris and tell the world what peace education should be on this planet. As winner of the 1989 Prize I would be amongst them. I opened these two thousand ideas with my 24 dreams for peace education.
~ Idea 383 ~ 28 July 1995The science of economic capital (valuation, interest income, depreciation, etc.) should be replaced by a science of ecological capital (valuation of nature, its returns, its depreciation and depredation, etc.). We should never forget that from now on the Earth and human fulfillment, no longer economic development come first.
~ Idea 384 ~ 29 July 1995I dream that somewhere a World Center devoted to the birth, history and growth of the Global World Community will be created as a contribution to the year 2000 and our entry into the 21st century and third millennium. I offer my peace park next to the University for Peace as its seat.
~ Idea 385 ~ 30 July 1995For each square foot of floors in a skyscraper, the builders should be required to plant a tree somewhere in the world.
~ Idea 386 ~ 31 July 1995There exist already today a few world hymns: Pablo Casals' hymn of the United Nations, the hymn of Europe (Beethoven's Ode to Joy). More hymns should be composed and adopted for all continents and global areas, for natural regions, global entities, universal human values, global marvels and heritages, global celebrations. UNESCO should keep a record of such hymns, give prizes for them and promote them.
~ Idea 387 ~ 1 August 1995This planet cannot go on with the present political and economic systems. It would go to its total ruin. The best minds and political leaders must address this fundamental question of our time. All the rest is secondary. We should not accept that humans will be the grave-diggers of this beautiful planet and of humanity. We must sit down like the states did in Philadelphia 200 years ago and write a proper constitution for the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 388 ~ 2 August 1995Most citizens of this Earth are programmed into small geographic segments of the world, into harmful values and narrow ideals and interests of which they remain prisoners for the rest of their lives. Only the Robert Muller schools introduce the children into the total planetary home, the total human family, the total stream of time and the fundamental values, ideals and interests common to all humans. Their world core curriculum should be adopted by all schools on Earth (see table at end of the first 100 ideas), and some day it will.
~ Idea 389 ~ 3 August 1995There is a United Nations. There is a United States. There is a United Europe. There is a United Airlines. There is a United Express. Why should there not be a United Religions *, a United Jews and Arabs? What reconciliations, what models of peace and cooperation these would be! Please religions of the world do it. Please all conflictual parties do it. The world will be astonished and relieved. And you will be elated by the results. Find something you have in common and work on it. Follow the example of the French and Germans who began working together on coal and steel and ended up in a borderless European Union. Please. I beg you.Note:* It is on the way of being created by the United Religions Initiative adopted in June 1996 in San Francisco.
~ Idea 390 ~ 4 August 1995I dream to hold yearly composers' and song-writers' festivals at the University for Peace on sacred Mr. Rasur to sing to world peace, demilitarization, hope, forgiveness and a tremendous love for our beautiful planetary home and human family, united in peace and happiness to enjoy the incredible miracle of life.
~ Idea 391 ~ 5 August 1995I dream that numerous peace chairs in memory of the world's greatest peacemakers will be endowed at the University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica. The heavens must have heard me, because the first proposal we received is for a Peace Chair in the name of St. Francis, the ideal patron of peace, the environment and simple and frugal living.
~ Idea 392 ~ 6 August 1995There should be more work, more scientific research, more world associations and peoples' movements for the great philosophical, moral concepts which have always helped humanity to survive and to progress in the fathomless mysteries of the universe.Such movements are now mushrooming on peace, human rights, racial and gender equality, the environment, etc. More are needed on the concepts and practices of hope, love, forgiveness, compassion, thanksgiving, altruism, philanthropy, gaiaphily, cooperation, etc., I am glad that an Institute for the Science of Hope has been created in New York and an Institute for Forgiveness in Lawrence, Kansas. These should be accompanied by world associations or people's movements for hope, for forgiveness, etc., similar to those existing already for peace, the environment, etc. There should be world days of hope, love , compassion, etc. The US Thanksgiving Day should become a world day. We also badly need A World Day of Love.
~ Idea 393 ~ 7 August 1995A lady asked me to explain to her the word gaiaphily. It comes from Gaia, the Greek name of the goddess Earth (hence gaiagraphy, gaialogy, gaiametry, gaiaphysics, etc. distorted later by male scientists into geography, geology, geometry, geophysics, etc.) meaning the description, the science, the measurement and the physical aspects of the Earth, words all derived from Greek. Phily is also a Greek word which means love. Thus philanthropy means the love of anthropos (man or humanity). I coined the word gaiaphily because in our time we must also love Gaia, our precious Mother Earth.
~ Idea 394 ~ 8 August 1995The UN should not be called an organization but a metabiological organism: it constantly adapts and transforms itself to reflect truthfully the overall evolution of the planet and of humanity, highlighting our errors and damages to our home, correcting our evolutionary course and giving us new vistas of a great new future.
~ Idea 395 ~ 9 August 1995After visiting my peace park and its bench of dreams, Barbara Gaughen the public relations genius for good causes, proposed that there should be benches and gazebos of dreams in many places of the world. She got the second one inaugurated at the Casa De Maria conference center in Santa Barbara, California. May there be many more.
~ Idea 396 ~ 10 August 1995An audacious woman should establish a World Women'sCommission for the drafting of a World Constitution for our Mother Earth, Gaia, and for humanity since the present political system of the world dominated by males will inevitably lead to her destruction and still continues to lead to the killing of their sons, the flesh of their flesh.
~ Idea 397 ~ 11 August 1995Future generations will never forgive us if at this end of a century and millennium we do not design a new political system for the planet Earth, reflecting its interdependence and the fragility of its biosphere. We owe it to this beautiful, miraculous, Creation of God.
~ Idea 398 ~ 12 August 1995US isolationists should not be underestimated and considered harmless. It is US isolationists who after World War I prevented the United States from joining the League of Nations. The effects were tragic for the world: Non-US participation opened the way to Hitlerism and to Italian fascism which finally led to World War II. Historians should not neglect this dismal page of human history.
~ Idea 399 ~ 13 August 1995There is a House of Freedom in the United States which surveys and ranks all nations according to the freedoms they uphold or deny. I recommend that an International House of Justice be similarly created to survey and rank all nations according to the justice they provide or deny.
~ Idea 400 ~ 14 August 1995When one looks closely at the multitude of institutions, social groups and entities created by humans, one discovers that they were all created for providing or increasing human fulfillment and happiness. The trouble is that most of them become fundamentalists: my nation, my religion, my company, my institution, my philosophy, my ideology will do it all for you. As a result they compete, diminish and fight each other, use huge resources and all kinds of means to keep and increase their customers, some are even ready to go to war.Honest, shouldn't they all sit down in the United Nations and see how all institutions and entities can join forces and ensure the happiness of all humanity while preserving our beautiful planet Earth? None of them, anyway, will ever gain hold over the entire human race.And shouldn't every human beingDecide to be a global citizena good inhabitant of the planet EarthA member of the great human familyPray, think, act, feel and love globallyAnd you will aggrandize yourselfto the outer limits of beingKnow this planetLove this planetCare for this planetFor you come from Mother EarthYou are made of her elementsYou are the Earth become consciousof herselfYou are her eyes, her ears, her voice,her mind and her heartSave your mother Earthfrom her matricidal childrenwho destroy herwho divide herwho spike her with Nuclear armswho hold their territories to begreater than the globeand their groupsgreater than humanityUnite, global citizens, to save and healplanet EarthAnd to make our Mother bloom againAs the most beautiful planetin the universe.Robert Muller
~ Idea 401 ~ 15 August 1995There exist in the world many rural, municipal, provincial, state and national parks and reserves. I recommend that there should also be continental or regional parks. Thus the Alps in Europe could be declared a European park or natural reserve. Even beyond that the time has come to create world parks and reserves. The thousands of acres of primeval land and forests donated to the University for Peace in Costa Rica are the first World Peace Park. It could become a model leading to many others. It would be part of the global philanthropy and gaiaphily I have been advocating for years. Such philanthropic gestures would be announced solemnly in the General Assembly of the United Nations. Who will be the first world philanthropist to create a world park at his or her name?
~ Idea 402 ~ 16 August 1995The French and the Germans had three major wars during the lifetime of my grandparents. But finally the two nations, under the leadership of an Alsace-Lorrainer, Robert Schuman, buried their hatchets, cooperated intensively and finally in 1992 abolished their borders and are now brothers in a European Union.I recommend that the same be done everywhere and that a World Union should be created in the 21st century. A yearly Robert Schuman Prize should be given to countries which have created a union and have abolished their borders.
~ Idea 403 ~ 17 August 1995It is good that there was an International Tribunal to judge the war crimes committed by the Nazis during World War II. It is good that a UN International Tribunal has been established to judge the criminals in the Yugoslav conflict. I recommend that a World Tribunal for the Environment should also be established to judge international crimes against nature. Countries possessing nuclear weapons and making atomic tests should be the first to be indicted.
~ Idea 404 ~ 18 August 1995I hope that a World Wide Movement of Concerned Citizens for the 21st century and third millennium will be created.A World Peace Party 2000 has been announced on INTERNET and has appointed me its provisional President. I am delighted.
~ Idea 405 ~ 19 August 1995The time will come when even before having agreed on a world government for humanity, we will require an Earth Government in which the air, the waters, the oceans, the forests, the land, the animal world and plants will be represented and considered to be of top importance to the planet's future. World agencies and ministries dealing with these components of the Earth will be their representatives. The statutes of a new organization to be called United Earth should be drafted.
~ Idea 406 ~ 20 August 1995The World Commission of Eminent Persons headed by Mr. Ingvar Carlsson, Prime Minister of Sweden, was wrong to coin the word global governance instead of global government. Governance reflects the need for adaptation to evolution and change, but government must have the power of decision, law and means of implementation.
~ Idea 407 ~ 21 August 1995Considered as the Global Biological Metaorganism of the Earth and Humanity's Evolution, the UN should have not only representatives of governments, but also of peoples' associations, parliamentarians, religions, scientists, artists and business.
~ Idea 408 ~ 22 August 1995Small countries like the Central American ones should consider placing themselves under United Nations protection and guidance. The United Nations and its agencies (World Health Organization, the UN Environment Program, the International Labour Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNESCO, Habitat, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, etc.) would cooperate to make them ideal countries serving as models for the rest of the world. Such countries would be demilitarized and secured by the United Nations. Massive help would be given to rural and natural areas in order to avoid the overpopulation and pollution of their capitals.
~ Idea 409 ~ 23 August 1995There should be more eradication plans on the world level. For example small-pox has been totally eradicated from this planet, thanks to a plan by the World Health Organization, saving many people and huge medical expenses. Why not establish a list of other sicknesses and evils on this planet for which total eradication plans would be drawn up? I would definitely place on such an agenda, the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
~ Idea 410 ~ 24 August 1995Further to my idea 119 on the international restitution of stolen works of art, I recommend that countries which do not return such works should pay their value to the robbed country. Law suits for restitutions or indemnization should be receivable by the International Court of Justice. One of the very first cases should be the freezes of the Parthenon stolen by Lord Elgin and kept in a somber basement of the British Museum. One could also envisage the creation of world or global museums for the conservation and display of such works, if the robbed country prefers. The great works of art of the human journey belong to all humanity. UNESCO should create a network of world museums which would be the common heritage of humanity.
~ Idea 411 ~ 25 August 1995The world would be better off if instead of reading, hearing and watching bad news, horror stories and lots of violence served by so many newspapers, radio and TV stations, the children and people would hear and see programs of the United Nations and of their world agencies, educating them and enlisting them in the healing of the world and of humanity. I propose the creation of a United Nations World Media Network to inform objectively and educate all world inhabitants, giving them hope and enlisting their help to achieve a better, happier world. The International Radio for Peace of the University for Peace is a great first example to follow.
~ Idea 412 ~ 26 August 1995I wish that someone would publish a collection of all proposals, ideas and draft constitutions for a world government and better management of planet Earth, for it will soon become item number one on the agenda of world affairs and of a new chapter in human history.
~ Idea 413 ~ 27 August 1995All national secret services and spying agencies should become part of a world network cooperating with each other and hooked into a World Police Headquarters. Enormous duplications between nations and huge governmental expenses could thus be avoided, and better anti-crime and anti-terrorist actions innovated. International criminals are better organized than police cooperation. The whole concept of a proper world police should be considered on the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium.
~ Idea 414 ~ 28 August 1995I have proposed to Dr. Rodrigo Carazo, Founder of the University for Peace and former President of Costa Rica to propose to President Carter and other former heads of States, such as Michael Gorbachev to work together on a new water-tight world security system and to offer it to the world before the year 2000.
~ Idea 415 ~ 29 August 1995When I think of so many retired colleagues from the United Nations and from world agencies who have fascinating memoirs to write and wonderful stories to tell which cannot be published "because the UN is not popular and there is no market", my heart is bleeding. What precious testimonies of a new era in world history we are losing! I suggest that the Association of former International Civil Servants create its own publishing house.
~ Idea 416 ~ 30 August 1995When I read the list of prominent world personalities and thinkers who will take part in the State of the World Forum convened by the US Gorbachev Foundation in San Francisco, I think that we are witnessing the birth of a new profession: that of world diagnosticians. My view is therefore that the University for Peace should not only become the first world school for heads of states but also the first school for world diagnosticians trained in global, world, and planetary affairs.
~ Idea 417 ~ 31 August 1995I read also that Mr. Gorbachev would deliver an opening speech to that event, entitled: The Birth of the First Global Civilization. It reminded me that I had written a book entitled The Birth of a Global Civilization in 1991 of which I gave him a copy. Future history is likely to prove that Mr. Gorbachev and I were correct world diagnosticians and prophets.
~ Idea 418 ~ 1 September 1995In a book published by UNESCO on "Simon Bolivar, the Hope of the Universe", I read that he proposed the creation of a fourth branch of Government, concerned with Morality and Education. This is now coming strongly to the fore under the name of Ethics.
~ Idea 419 ~ 2 September 1995Today, as part of the Great Millennium Campaign of the City of Toronto in Canada, a lady, Mrs. Julia Morton-Marr informed me that she will start an association to create children's peace gardens in as many schools as possible around the world, and that in each such garden she wants to see a bench of dreams built.Well, this will give a new dimension to the number of benches of dreams built so far: in my peace park in Costa Rica, at the Casa de Maria in Santa Barbara, California, and at the St. Francis University in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
~ Idea 420 ~ 3 September 1995There is need for a World Commission to look at the overall efficiency of the world's political system, the incredible duplications which exist between 185 nations, and propose common world services which would reduce waste and alleviate the burdens on the taxpayers. Common services in world health, world statistical services of the UN and of its agencies are already good examples. But infinitely more massive savings could be achieved if similar arrangements were made for world security, national military expenses being the biggest of all.
~ Idea 421 ~ 4 September 1995Of all Central American countries, Costa Rica is the most peaceful and most prosperous, and has been so for years. Why? Every Costa Rican will tell you that it is because they abolished the army in 1949 by Constitution and placed themselves under the protection of the security system of the Organization of American States. Why not conceive that more countries, even the rest of the world would demilitarize and place themselves under a world-wide UN Security System?
~ Idea 422 ~ 5 September 1995Sometimes when I read the resolutions adopted by Model United Nations of children or youth, especially their Model Security Council, I am tempted to place these texts on the desks of the members of the Security Council as if they were official UN documents. Delegates would probably get a heart attack when reading them! But they would be great lessons, because children are the voice of truth, of common sense, while adults have acquired distorted minds, due to national interests and professional difformation. See therefore my ideas 39, 40 and 41. Perhaps all UN draft resolutions should be shown to children and youth for their comments and advice before being adopted. Moreover when a world constitution will be drafted, provision should be made for the voice of mothers, children and youth to be heard. After all, it is their future which is at stake, and so far throughout history adult males have been doing a pretty poor political job for humanity and for the planet.
~ Idea 423 ~ 6 September 1995I would like to return to Idea 84 and reinforce it, namely that every country should create a Vice-President or an Under-Secretary or Minister for Global Affairs, and that the United Nations should create a Ministerial Council of Ministers of Global Affairs which would meet once or several times a year at one of the seats of the UN in the world.
~ Idea 424 ~ 7 September 1995Before the year 2000 the UN must convene a world conference on the meaning of life. All religions should be invited to it.
~ Idea 425 ~ 8 September 1995Henceforth in all future history the supreme reason will no longer be the reason of State but the reason of the Earth.
~ Idea 426 ~ 9 September 1995With all the billionaires mushrooming on this planet asking themselves at one point, especially towards the end, if their lives had any real meaning, I would recommend that one of them start a World Commission on Philanthropy to review the question on a planetary scale and provide a new look at philanthropy in the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 427 ~ 10 September 1995After World War II there were numerous thinkers, people and young people, including myself, who were hoping that a world federation of all nations was in sight. Their dreams were shattered by the cold war which rendered the idea inapplicable. But today the cold war is over. Why not renew the dream, all the more in view of the fact that the present nation-state system has become a chaos and that we need new serious thinking on the eve of the 21st century and a new millennium. I would recommend that under the leadership of Peter Ustinov, the President of the World Federalist Association, all the numerous groups around the world advocating Earth federalism, world citizenship, global citizenship, planetary citizenship, etc., create an alliance, a world federation of associations for a new political world order. The UN should convene a world conference to hear the views and proposals of these groups.
~ Idea 428 ~ 11 September 1995For the first time I have met a US businessman who has come to Costa Rica to buy land so that his children can have a livelihood, raising cows, chickens and having some agriculture when the western economic system will collapse. A better idea would be for governments to look into the viability of the monstrous economic system which creates more poverty than well-being and destroys the environment, endangering the entire future of humanity and of our Earth.
~ Idea 429 ~ 12 September 1995I recommend that the whole system of national Embassies around the world be thoroughly reviewed. In my many years with the United Nations I have all too often noticed that due to their over-eagerness to defend the "interests" of their nations, as they understand them, they are unnecessarily complicating world affairs. The cost of all the Embassies of 185 nations with each other around the world must be staggering and could be saved by more modern, new means of rapid communications between nations, especially directly between heads of states and with the Secretary General of the UN.
~ Idea 430 ~ 13 September 1995In billions of ways humans are programmed by business and advertisement to want and endlessly consume more. For the sake of the Earth's health and survival, humans must be asked and taught to want less and to consume less. Sustainable consumption is as important as the new concept of sustainable development. Ministries of Sustainable Consumption should be created in all countries and the United Nations should create a World Sustainable Consumption Commission or Agency.
~ Idea 431 ~ 14 September 1995Since governments have become all too often the servants of big business, the people should resort to a new form of democracy by boycotting the products of countries whose policies they do not approve. Thus, the countries which suffer from atomic tests should boycott all the products of the testing nation. Producers would press their governments to change policy. The 5.6 billion consumers of this planet, have an incredible unused power, offered by the colossal magnitude of international trade.
~ Idea 432 ~ 15 September 1995A Conference or World Commission should be organized to bring together all living Nobel Prize winners in all fields in order to offer their views and proposals for progress towards a preserved, better Earth and a happier, just humanity in the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 433 ~ 16 September 1995I wish that all nations would adopt these titles for the passports of their citizens:PLANET EARTHName of the countryThe European countries issue already the following passports:EUROPEAN UNIONName of the country
~ Idea 434 ~ 17 September 1995I wish that all demilitarized countries (see idea 20) would adopt this title for the passports of their citizens:PLANET EARTHDemilitarized Costa Ricaetc.
~ Idea 435 ~ 18 September 1995The post-world-war II Marshall Plan was a unique milestone in world reconstruction, the work of global geniuses. It should be taken as a model for similar massive, deep impact efforts on a planetary scale.The only mistake was that the aid should have been made reimbursable sooner or later by the recipient countries at no rate of interest and in local currencies. As a result, we would have today a permanent massive world revolving fund of aid.It is not too late: "Thank you, Marshall Plan" contributions could be made by countries helped at the time (Germany, France, England, Italy, and others). These countries are now rich enough to do for others what was done for them by the US. Please, let us establish that World or United Nations Revolving Marshall Fund of Aid.
~ Idea 436 ~ 19 September 1995Not only the Marshall Plan but any other brilliant, audacious ideas and plans throughout human history should be studied to inspire us for the next century and millennium. The examples of the Suez Canal, of the Panama Canal and of the world-wide eradication of smallpox come immediately to mind, but there are others.The UN Secretary General should commission such a study which would cover the world engineering projects mentioned in idea 78. I would be happy to give him my files.
~ Idea 437 ~ 20 September 1995We spend immense resources to learn how to guide safely outer-space satellites and airplanes, but we spend almost nothing on how to guide safely our planet and humanity. Isn't it high time to do that?
~ Idea 438 ~ 21 September 1995All sciences and technologies are extensions of our human brain and being. They are part of evolution and now force us to properly manage, love and save our planetary home.
~ Idea 439 ~ 22 September 1995The planet deserves a sound world budget and not exclusively the numerous cut-up budgets of 185 nations, with their astronomic duplications, colossal waste and painful burdens on the taxpayer and on the Earth.When, at long last, will there be a long overdue world budget? A World Commission of Eminent Independent Persons should be established to take up that subject. We need a standing world budget commission in the United Nations.
~ Idea 440 ~ 23 September 1995On the occasion of the World Habitat II, (human settlements) Conference convened by the UN in 1996 we need an audacious, long overdue Plan for help by the world community to Small Agriculturists, Artisans and Shopkeepers in villages in order to help humans to remain close to the land and cease migrating to monstrous cities. No other single measure could be of greater importance for a more human settlement and distribution of the human population on this planet. An overall policy of human settlements is long overdue. The Habitat Office of the UN should be transformed into a full specialized agency, the Human Settlements and Migrations Agency.
~ Idea 441 ~ 24 September 1995In the early days of the United Nations we dreamt that there would be a whole series of World Ministerial Councils in which national ministers dealing with the same subjects would meet, exchange experiences and formulate global policies in their fields. The World Food Council, composed of Ministers of Agriculture, is the only one which was created. I hope that this idea will be revived on the eve of the next century and millennium. A World Council of Ministers of Defense would be able to prevent many conflicts and could work out an appropriate, much needed world security system.
~ Idea 442 ~ 25 September 1995Many islands of this planet could declare themselves no-growth islands.Many indigenous lands could declare themselves no-growth lands.The two groups could coalesce into no-development, no-growth areas of the world.Added to world commons, national parks, state parks, biological reserves, protected areas, etc. it would represent a substantial surface of the planet.
~ Idea 443 ~ 26 September 1995The words development and economic progress should be substantially revised and perhaps abandoned.Sustainable development is a first good step. Perhaps further development should be severely limited and even prohibited in many areas of the planet which will increase in value for remaining in the natural state.
~ Idea 444 ~ 27 September 1995We have now the report by the World Commission on Global Governance in the 21st century. Two further steps are needed: we should get the opinions and proposals of the world's religions and of the indigenous peoples on how they think the planet should be best governed. We should also hear the opinions of mothers, children and youth who are the primary interested parties in the world of tomorrow.
~ Idea 445 ~ 28 September 1995In the middle of World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt created a Post War Program Committee which outlined the first plans for the United Nations.I recommend:• that each government should establish a 21st century&endash;3rd millennium Program Committee as part of the world-wide preparation and celebration of the year 2000.• that a 21st century&endash;3rd millennium Program Committee be established by the General Assembly of the UN.~ Idea 446 ~ 29 September 1995I dream that the University for Peace will become the new Athens, the new Acropolis of the world, the birthplace of a planetary philosophy and vision, a school for heads of states and global leaders in all main fields of human endeavor and of all entities making up the human family.
~ Idea 447 ~ 30 September 1995I dream that the wonderful land of legendary Mount Rasur above the University for Peace will become some day an inspiring sacred place for the entire world. It can provide forthwith the universalism I acquired the hard way through a youth in war and during four decades of service in the United Nations.
~ Idea 448 ~ 1 October 1995Nation states have made internal rationality and values supreme while denying any rationality and values to the Earth and to the human family.This must be corrected urgently. The rationality and values of our globe and of humanity must have precedence over the self-proclaimed rationality, and values and sovereignty of 185 nations.
~ Idea 449 ~ 2 October 1995I recommend that all Costa Rican citizens, when writing to people abroad, should put under the date the words: Demilitarized Costa Rica. All official stationary should bear this mention.
~ Idea 450 ~ 3 October 1995I also recommend that all airplanes of the Costa Rican airline LACSA should bear the words "Demilitarized Costa Rica" on their fuselage. All Costa Rican business and exporters should do the same for their products and stationary.
~ Idea 451 ~ 4 October 1995Each celebration of an anniversary of the United Nations or of one of its specialized agencies and world programs, each celebration of a World Day, Week, Month, Decade, or Year proclaimed by the UN, each decennial or centennial of a world conference or other major world event should be the occasion of a special world public relations effort, engaging all nations, non-governmental organizations, social groups and peoples to take part in these global, consciousness raising celebrations.
~ Idea 452 ~ 5 October 1995Due to the cold war which stifled political thinking on this planet, there exist few, if any ideas on new political world systems for tomorrow. Overwhelming nationalism and economic, political and military power are numbing the minds of most thinkers. We must shake off this straight-jacket and have the great new ideas required by the new global conditions in which we live. We need bold, new ideas regarding the way this planet should be properly governed and preserved, for we are faced by challenges which have never existed before in all human history and evolution. Who has such ideas? The same way as the United Nations faced well the unprecedented ecological ideal, we need also to face a new unprecedented political ideal. Who has it? I have tried to outline some elements of it in these 2000 ideas. Please send me your ideas.
~ Idea 453 ~ 6 October 1995The time will soon come when very hard world laws will have to be adopted for implementation by all nations, institutions and business, if we want to survive and see this planet saved with its immensely rich endowment of life. It is becoming imperative.
~ Idea 454 ~ 7 October 1995By the year 2000 a report and beautiful publication with illustrations should be issued by the UN and UNESCO on all works of art which were returned to their country of origin by nations, museums and private persons. Numerous restitutions should take place during the bimillennium year.
~ Idea 455 ~ 8 October 1995I dream that someday the Robert Muller schools will be architecturally and ecologically designed as precursors of a new cosmic, ecological architecture showing our miraculous lives as cosmic entities unfolding in our universal and planetary home, from the infinitely large to the infinitely small, from the infinite past to the infinite future.Note:The new International School in Amsterdam, Holland, has been designed by a famous architect, Tom Alberts, in accordance with my dream. I was given the honor to inaugurate the school in 1996.
~ Idea 456 ~ 9 October 1995I recommend that all nations agree at least on a UN or world tax levied on billionaires.
~ Idea 457 ~ 10 October 1995Every world agency, government, firm and institution on Earth should have a small group of outer-limits thinkers and visionaries to probe constantly ways of achieving humanity's fulfillment and happiness on a well preserved, miraculous, ever more beautiful and life endowed planet in the universe.
~ Idea 458 ~ 11 October 1995The world needs a Universal Declaration on Non-Violence. It should be ready for proclamation in the year 2000, our entry into the first millennium of peace and non-violence.
~ Idea 459 ~ 12 October 1995I claim the fundamental human right to be returned to my Mother Earth when I am dead and not be locked up in a coffin or in a vault of concrete. I want to be resurrected and recycled by her into other life forms, preferably a tree which will live for hundreds of years, a fruit tree from which grandchildren, squirrels and birds will pick fruits. The innumerable people who die each year on this planet represent a considerable biomass which the Earth is entitled to receive back. The Earth has its fundamental rights too.
~ Idea 460 ~ 13 October 1995I think that after 50 years, it is time for the United Nations General Assembly to redefine its Main Committees in the light of major world changes. Thus it should create Main Committees on Global Government, on the Environment, on Peace-building and Non-Violence, on the Future, on Women, Children and Youth, on International and Peoples' Volunteer Associations.
~ Idea 461 ~ 14 October 1995After the first International Year of the Family in human history, the UN should create a Department of the Family to serve a new Commission on the Family, possibly even a UN specialized agency for the family, the only natural, basic social group of humanity.
~ Idea 462 ~ 15 October 1995The word non-governmental organizations accredited to the UN is no longer appropriate. In the first place governments are not called non-private organizations. I recommend that the new word should be peoples, civic and volunteer organizations. The first category of them recognized by the UN should be those concerned with the great philosophical, spiritual and political concerns of the people. It is their help that the UN needs most.
~ Idea 463 ~ 16 October 1995Having worked with three Secretaries General of the UN and being now the Chancellor of the first peace University of this planet has given me the opportunity to meet many heads of states. Whenever possible, I ask them the question: "Do you think you could become famous by winning a war?" They look at me as if I was an idiot. Then I ask them: "Would you like to become famous by being a peace-maker and win the Nobel Peace Prize?" And they smile back at me.This is an immense progress in human history and explains the recent decline in wars between nations. Wars and territorial conquests are no longer an ideal. The military seeing this, to survive, have transformed themselves from Ministries of War to Ministries of Defense or Security and have come up with a whole series of new scares of external dangers: population pressures, illegal immigrations, terrorism, religious fundamentalism, possible revivals of inimical alliances, economic security, cutting off foreign supplies, wars over natural resources, etc.Well, why not try to solve these new problems in common and create a world security system, regional security systems and give new positive uses to the military: to cope with internal violence rising in many countries and social sectors, transform the military and police forces into peace protectors and builders, make them cooperate with each other, learn from each other in regional organizations and in a world UN Peace Protecting and Building Agency.The result would be marvelous, astonishing and a gigantic step forward in human evolution.
~ Idea 464 ~ 17 October 1995An idea of Barbara Gaughen: there are more and more peace prizes in the world: the Nobel Peace Prize, the UNESCO Peace Education Prize, the Prince Asturias Peace Prize, the War and Peace Foundation Prize, etc. to mention but a few. Once the winners have received their prize, they go home and are left to themselves. She proposes that they should work together. Their common efforts could be of great benefit to the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 465 ~ 18 October 1995I fully agree with Barbara Gaughen and would also propose the following:• that the UN General Assembly request the Secretary General to publish a list and information on all peace prizes being given in the world, to widely disseminate it to the public, and address it especially to heads of states and to the leaders of belligerent groups;• that a World Association of Peace Prizes Winners be created to work together and promote their ideas;• that a Peace Prizes unit be created at the UN to deal with this promising topic (information, dissemination, visibility, public relations, ideas, proposals and cooperation between the winners, etc.)• that the same be done in all fields covered by the 32 specialized agencies and world programs of the UN.~ Idea 466 ~ 19 October 1995I think that the time is long overdue to create a UN or World Organization of Philanthropy and World Prizes.
~ Idea 467 ~ 20 October 1995It is high time to create in Universities new Chairs, courses or entire Faculties in global government, gaiamanagment and planetary administration.
~ Idea 468 ~ 21 October 1995I suggest that the whole field of sociology become a science of social health. Like physical health, it would deal with holistic social health, prevention of social diseases, and social healing, medicine and the pursuit and attainment of happiness.
~ Idea 469 ~ 22 October 1995In textbooks on international and world affairs, it is high time to include chapters on international and world civic associations and movements. There are thousands of these* and they are increasing phenomenally. 13,000 of them are accredited with the United Nations.Note:· See the Yearbook of International Associations published by the Union of International Associations in Brussels, Belgium In 1996 there were 22,000 registered international associations.
~ Idea 470 ~ 23 October 1995The General Assembly of the UN should urgently decide to call for a world conference on a new United Nations of the second generation, geared to the pressing needs of the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 471 ~ 24 October 1995On 24 October each year, the UN Secretary General should address happy birthday wishes to all persons on Earth born on a 24 October, birthday of the United Nations. This year's anniversary would be very special to those who celebrate their 50th anniversary like the United Nations.
~ Idea 472 ~ 25 October 1995Today, the major forces influencing the fate of humanity and of the Earth are:1. business which has globalized itself tremendously and affects all life and the entire Earth;2. governments which have globalized themselves insufficiently and have adopted as their priority the support of business and of multinational corporations operating from their soil;3. religions which have not joined in a global alliance for spirituality.The world needs to redress its priorities.1. spirituality which gives us confidence in our place and meaning in the universe and in time should be Number 1;2. government as the protection and democratic recourse of the poor, the helpless and the downtrodden and now also the defender of the environment and of the Earth should be Number 2;3. business as the producers of goods and services for the satisfaction of basic human needs should be Number 3.On the urgency of the globalization of government I have recommended many ideas. On the globalization of religions, in addition to the Initiative to create a United Religions in process, I recommend the urgent establishment of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on World Spirituality to meet before the year 2000 and make its contribution to a change in human priorities as we enter the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 473 ~ 26 October 1995During the next years I will deliver a series of major speeches on fundamental subjects in my mind and heart, namely the absolute need for a new political system for our Earth, for a new education, for global leadership training, for new global media, for a new economics, for a global spirituality, for better ways of human settlements on the planet, for ensuring a minimum well-being for all humans, for preserving our planet, its nature, its seas, oceans and climate for future generations, for enhancing human happiness and the overall beauty of our paradise Earth, unique in the immense universe.
~ Idea 474 ~ 27 October 1995Privatization as an all-out ideology conducive to human well-being and happiness is as fallacious and dangerous as was communism. There must always be public services defending the defenseless and helping the poor. Suppose all education is privatized. What will your children be taught? What the owners of the schools have decided. In, medio stat virtus, said the Latins. Virtue is a middle course. We need both private initiative and public protection. We must be free people driving private cars on public roads under public safety regulations and laws, and flying airplanes under world safety regulations and laws.
~ Idea 475 ~ 28 October 1995Scientists, engineers and businessmen constantly come up with a myriad of discoveries, new ideas, innovations, technologies, products and marketing techniques. Why aren't there also a myriad of ideas to improve the human society, justice and politics? Many people should write 2000 ideas and innovations for a better world.
~ Idea 476 ~ 29 October 1995As we move towards the next century and millennium I wish that UNESCO would make a comparative study of all cosmologies formulated over the ages, extract from them what they have in common and formulate together with modern scientists the new cosmology which should guide our future evolution on this planet.
~ Idea 477 ~ 30 October 1995The Inkas predicted that the next human solar race will be a spiritual race. This is also predicted by a growing number of scientists. The subject should be seriously studied on this eve of a new century and millennium. This is why I advocate a world commission on spirituality.
~ Idea 478 ~ 31 October 1995The minimum UN reform I would expect before the end of this century is the addition of a UN Consultative Parliamentary Assembly composed of delegates from all national Parliaments. They would directly become familiar with, and discuss the subjects and major challenges before the UN, and issue reports to their Parliaments and to the UN with their ideas, comments and recommendations. As a result there would be a better popular representation at the global level, the monopoly of the executive branch of national governments over world affairs would be reduced, and the work of national Parliaments would be more cognizant and attentive to global needs, problems and opportunities.
~ Idea 479 ~ 1 November 1995Another method would be that all national delegations to the UN and to its agencies should include a number of Parliamentarians who would report back to their Parliaments. In the early days one could find Parliamentarians in some delegations to the UN, but this has almost disappeared.
~ Idea 480 ~ 2 November 1995As another minimum I would expect the UN General Assembly to include a new item on its agenda, namely: Consideration of a new political world order and system. The reasons for it are:the existence of the report of the World Commission on Global Governance under the chairmanship of Mr. Ingvar Carlsson;the proximity of a new century and millennium;the many requests for the reform of the UN and its considerable strengthening to be able to face mounting global problems;the existence henceforth of the vastly better conceived, structured and financed European Union which could serve as a model for the progressive transformation of the United Nations into a World Union.
~ Idea 481 ~ 3 November 1995The new fashionable words sustainable development should be replaced by Earth respecting, Earth preserving development.
~ Idea 482 ~ 4 November 1995Since arms manufacturers and the military do not want to see our planet at peace except at their conditions, price and profit, the United Nations should study the immense benefits of total peace and publish a report with reconversion plans for these two sectors.
~ Idea 483 ~ 5 November 1995Mrs. Eirween Harbottle, wife of General Michael Harbottle, president of the International Association of retired Generals and Admirals has produced a wonderful plan to transform ministries of War or Defense into Ministries of Peace by the year 2000.My dream is that Costa Rica will be the first country on Earth to create such a Ministry. It will be easier for Costa Rica to do so since they have no militaries, only a police force which would be transformed into a peace protecting and peace building service under the new Ministry. I will propose it to the government. Other governments should try it too. Incidentally there existed a Secretary of Peace (Harold Stassen, one of the signers of the UN Charter) under President Eisenhower, a former military man.
~ Idea 484 ~ 6 November 1995Since the United States and the European Union are the result of two of the most daring political initiatives taken in human history, namely the convening of the Philadelphia Congress to unite the confederate states, and the European Union plans of Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman, I propose that the President of the United States and the President of the European Union appoint a group of eminent experts to design for the next century and 3rd millennium plans for a United States of the World, or World Union, or a vastly strengthened United Nations of the second generation.
~ Idea 485 ~ 7 November 1995Hopefully some day all mothers on Earth, when giving birth to a son, will be able to say these words engraved on the Monument of Peace at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica:"Happy the Costa Rican mother who, when giving birth to a son, knows that he will never be a soldier."
~ Idea 486 ~ 8 November 1995The UN Draft Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People provides that no indigenous people can be drafted into military service and that their lands cannot be used for armaments and warfare. The result will be that about 300 million people on this planet will remain disarmed and demilitarized, a good step forward.
~ Idea 487 ~ 9 November 1995The Departments of Public Information of the UN and of all specialized agencies and world programs should be transformed into Departments of Public Relations. Mere information through documents and some radio and visual aids, is no longer sufficient. The world agencies must develop deeply human, inspiring, hope-engendering personal relations with all humans for whose well-being, peace and happiness they were created and whose understanding, support and love they badly need.
~ Idea 488 ~ 10 November 1995Humanity rejoices at the creation of the University for Peace in Berlin, a sister University of the University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica. I hope that more Universities for Peace will be created and will replace someday all military schools in the world.
~ Idea 489 ~ 11 November 1995On this day, when in several countries, flames are being lit at the tombs of unknown soldiers, we light a flame at the first monument to unknown peace-makers at the University for Peace in Costa Rica. We need the proclamation by the UN of a yearly International Day of Known and Unknown Peacemakers.
~ Idea 490 ~ 12 November 1995If all the peoples of this planet would dream of peace, believe in peace, work for peace and be peaceful themselves, we would have a wonderful peace on this planet. Please, I beg all of you who are reading this: do it.
~ Idea 491 ~ 13 November 1995I wish that on 17 September 1996, day of anniversary of the adoption of the US Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787, day of opening of the UN General Assembly and International Day of Peace, the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Council of World Affairs could plan a convention of eminent experts to draft for the year 2000 a Constitution of the United States of the World. During the opening of that convention, a minute of silence for prayer or meditation should be observed, simultaneously with all delegates to the UN General Assembly, to pray for the achievement of a second Philadelphia miracle.Note: Since it was not done, I repeat the proposal for 1997, 1998, 1999.
~ Idea 492 ~ 14 November 1995Ms. Avon Mattison of Pathways for Peace proposes that the United Peoples Assembly held for the first time in San Francisco on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, should also prepare for the year 2000 a draft constitution for the Earth and the United Peoples.
~ Idea 493 ~ 15 November 1995We need urgently a world ecological Marshall Plan for the seas and oceans, the 71% of the surface of our planet which provide much of our oxygen. If the diatoms and plankton of the ocean surface do not survive the effects of the ultra-violet rays going through the holes of the ozonosphere, we risk losing two thirds of our oxygen supply. We must speak not only of deforestation but also of the deplanktonization of the oceans, which might asphyxiate us.
~ Idea 494 ~ 16 November 1995I owe my extraordinary career at the UN to the fact of having won an essay contest of the French United Nations Association in 1947 which earned me an internship at the United Nations and my recruitment as a permanent UN official in 1948.This is so important to youth that I recommend the creation of an Internship Office at the United Nations which would promote internships in the UN and in all its specialized agencies and world programs.
~ Idea 495 ~ 17 November 1995Given the opposition and reluctance of some governments, especially the big ones to strengthen the United Nations, the novel, more innovative, far superior and stably well financed European Union should now become the foundation, cradle or model of a true, sorely needed World Union. I pray our Father in heaven and the saintly soul of Robert Schuman, the founder of the European Union, to fulfill this most important dream at the end of our century and millennium. The European Union should take an early decision to engage in this process.
~ Idea 496 ~ 18 November 1995No human being should accept to be a walking advertisement for any product or firm by wearing apparel, caps or shoes with commercial advertisements.To advertise and proclaim peace, love, the environment, hope or any other great dreams for a better world, and charitable or public services, such as the United Nations or the first University for Peace on this planet, would be infinitely more helpful, satisfying and beautiful.
~ Idea 497 ~ 19 November 1995I hope that between now and the year 2000 all great magazines and other media in the world will make a review of humanity's successes, failures and errors during the last thousand years and more particularly hundred years, and give us an outlook of our hopes and fears for the next century and millennium.
~ Idea 498 ~ 20 November 1995In a hundred years humanity will ask itself how, thanks to the United Nations, its agencies and world conferences, we were able to overcome colossal old and new problems and challenges in our evolution on the eve of a new century and millennium. Researchers and historians will then look into the archives of the world agencies and private papers of its officials. They will be dismayed to see how little interest and vastly insufficient resources were devoted to these archives. The challenge offered by the preservation of the world's and humanity's global archives should be taken much more seriously by the General Assembly of the UN. The perennial argument: there is no money for that, should be rejected. Philanthropists should also take a vivid interest in that subject and follow the example of the Rockefeller Brothers who financed the infinitely better archives of the first League of Nations in Geneva.
~ Idea 499 ~ 21 November 1995I really pray and hope that the military alliance of NATO which no longer makes sense now that the cold war is over will be transformed, together with SEATO, into the world United Nations peacekeeping agency for which the world has been waiting since 1945. The new agency would assure the security of the planet and of all nations. The dreams of the drafters of the UN Charter and the hopes of the people for world peace would at long last be fulfilled and nations would save astronomical sums on military personnel and armaments. It would be the greatest feat of humanity at the end of this century and millennium.
~ Idea 500 ~ 22 November 1995The United Nations has done a tremendous job in paving the way to our entry into a new century and millennium. It has done it with its vast statistical global services covering practically every aspect of humanity and of the Earth, with its several world conferences on fundamental global issues, its stock-takings in yearly reports on the state of the world in many sectors, its stock-takings during the 50th anniversaries of the UN and of several of its agencies, and the holding of world celebrations on global issues, values and achievements. (see Introduction to the Third One Hundred Ideas.)In addition, the UN has received the invaluable help and pioneering work of a number of Independent World Commissions of Eminent Personalities, on important world issues requiring attention. Here is the list of these commissions:The World Commission on North-South Relations headed by former Chancellor Willy Brandt of Germany,The World Commission on Disarmament headed by Mr. Olof Palme, former Prime Minister of Sweden.The World Commission on the Environment headed by Mrs. Gro Harlan Brundtland, Prime Minister of Norway.The World Commission on Global Governance, headed by Mr. Ingvàr Carlsson, former Prime Minister of Sweden.The World Commission on Funding of the United Nations, headed by Ms. Hazel Henderson, US economist,The World Commission on Population and the Quality of Life, headed by Mrs. Maria de Lourdes Pintalsigo, former Prime Minister of Portugal,The World Commission on Art and Culture, headed by former UN Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuellar,.The World Commission on Education in the 21st century, headed by Jacques Delors, former President of the European Economic Community,The World Commission on the Oceans, headed by Mario Soares, the Prime Minister of Portugal*.I recommend that in 1999 or 2000, the UN General Assembly should hold a special session or convene a World Conference on our entry into a new century and millennium, to review the conclusions and recommendations of all the above preparatory work, unprecedented in human history and design a core vision of what our Earth and humanity should aim at and look like in the future.*For further subjects on which I recommend the establishment of new world commissions, see Index "World Commissions New Proposals". Former heads of states, former heads of UN agencies and philanthropists may wish to create such commissions.
~ Idea 501 ~ 23 November 1995It would be good if all human beings would express, write down their basic beliefs, commitments and dreams for their own lives and for a better world. It could be done at several points of life: as a child, as a youth, as a couple, at parenthood, at grand-parenthood, at retirement, even at the moment of death.We should also leave behind us a record of our wisdom, beliefs, joys and achievements, a testament to those who will follow. I did that when I left to my children the books Most of All They Taught Me Happiness and What War Taught Me About Peace, to the religions New Genesis, Shaping a Global Spirituality, to the world The Birth of a Global Civilization, to educators my World Core Curriculum, to women my novels Sima Mon Amour and First Lady of the World, and to the United Nations my Testament to the UN.And I continue to do it every day, in these 2000 ideas for a better world and other writings, correspondence, journal and numerous speeches.
~ Idea 502 ~ 24 November 1995During my half a century of world service I have seen these three basic phases in human history since the end of World War II:1945 to the early 1970's: a comprehensive, unprecedented period of Humanism (avoid wars, prevent early childhood deaths, increase the well-being of all humans, defend universal human rights, put an end to colonialism and apartheid, increase literacy, longevity and good health, etc.)1970's: while the agendas of the preceding period were still incomplete and were overtaken by the world population explosion, a new major world concern came to the fore: the Environment (UNESCO's World Biosphere Conference in 1968 and the UN World Conference on the Environment in Stockholm in 1972), in other words: we humans on one side and the Earth and nature around us.1980's: the new phenomena of the depletion of the ozonosphere and menacing climatic changes made the Earth priority No. 1 of our concerns and reduced humanity and economic development to second place.This represents a fundamental change in the evolution of this planet. From now on the world will never be the same. This is why we should no longer speak of the need for World Government, but of Earth Government, the wise management, saving and preservation of our planetary home of which we are an integral part and whose further evolution now depends largely on us.The UN Charter of 1945 does not use the words Earth, nature, natural resources and the environment. Why? Because at that time we considered the Earth to be unlimited in resources for a relatively small world population. The western countries also saw, and still see humanity as separate and superior to the natural world. This view has accomplished miracles for the human race. But humanity must now change its course, dominant objectives, values and institutions if we want to prevent disasters in the evolution of the Earth and of the human race.
~ Idea 503 to 505 ~ 25 to 27 November 1995Once it is conscious of the imperative need for proper Earth government, humanity will have to respond to the following complaints by the Earth:Idea 503 "Why did I have to take all of a sudden a population increase from25 November 1995 2.5 billion people in 1952 to 5.6 billion today*, more than a doubling in less than fifty years?"We could answer as an excuse: It happened out of sheer ignorance. After the war the rich countries and the United Nations wanted to prevent the early death of innumerable children in the poor countries. They died young because of epidemics, bad health conditions, malnutrition and hunger. But having no population statistics for the world and for most of these countries, we did not tell the parents that they would no longer need to give birth to an average of six children per family to have at least two of them left to till the land and to take care of their old age. Until 1952 we did not even know what the world population was! When the UN organized for the first time in human history decent world statistics and world censuses, we discovered that women did not have more children, but that children no longer died early (the mortality rate per year fell from 34 per thousand to 14 per thousand). When this was discovered it was too late, the children were born and a young population is highly reproductive. The UN warned nations and humanity by means of world population conferences and every other possible means that a population explosion was upon us. But religions and other factors opposed it. Nevertheless, these efforts saved you from 2.2 billion more humans on your surface by the year 2000. Instead of 8.3 billion human beings in that year we will be only 6.1 billion.Idea 504 The Earth:26 November 1995 "Yes, but I hear that at the present rate you will be 8.5 billion** in the year 2050 and stabilize only at 11 billion around the year 3000. You still increase by 86 million*** more people every year. You will end up by destroying me."Our answer:"We continue to do our utmost. Each year the figure of population growth decreases by a few more millions."Idea 505 The Earth:27 November 1995 I have another major complaint, namely while there is a population explosion in the poor countries you have also triggered off a wild overconsumption explosion in the already high-consuming rich countries. In the latter, an individual consumes 30 times more of my resources than in the poor countries. From my point of view, namely the damages you do to my body, your world population statistics are wrong: while the developing countries count 4.4 billion people, the rich countries' 1.2 billion should be multiplied by 30, i.e. they represent 36 billion people."* 1998: 5.9 billion** 1998: 9.3 billion and stabilizing at 10.7 billion in the year 2200.*** 1998: 80 million
~ Idea 506 to 519 ~ 28 November to11 December 1995The Earth would have other complaints, she could ask for example:WHY EACH MINUTEIdea 50628 November 1995 do you destroy 21 hectares (52 acres) of my tropical forests (38 million acres a year) after having destroyed most of the forests in your "rich" countries?Idea 50729 November 1995 do you consume 35.725 barrels of oil to run around in cars and circle around me in airplanes?Idea 50830 November 1995 do you let 50 tons of fertile soil be wasted or blown off my cropland?Idea 5091 December 1995 do you add 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide to my atmosphere, to the air you breathe?WHY EACH HOURIdea 5102 December 1995 do you let 685 hectares of productive dryland become desert?Idea 5113 December 1995 do you spend 120 million dollars on military expenditures, a trillion a year?Idea 5124 December 1995 are 55 people poisoned and 5 killed by pesticides?Idea 5135 December 1995 are 60 new cases of cancer diagnosed in the United States alone, over 5,000,000 cases each year with 20,000 cases leading to death, because of the thinning of my ozonosphere which protected you from the ultra-violet rays of the sun?WHY EACH DAYIdea 5146 December 1995 do 25,000 people die of water shortage and contamination?Idea 5157 December 1995 are 10 tons of nuclear waste generated in 420 nuclear plants?Idea 5168 December 1995 do 250,000 tons of sulfuric acid fall as acid rain in the northern hemisphere, killing lakes and devastating remaining forests?Idea 5179 December 1995 are 60 tons of plastic packages and 372 tons of fishing nets dumped into the seas by commercial fishermen, killing fishes, sea birds and sea mammals?Idea 51810 December 1995 does every five hours a species become extinct on my surface?WHY DURING A HUMAN LIFETIMEIdea 51911 December 1995 do you dump so much garbage and waste on me: while the average is 150 times of the weight of a person in a poor country over a lifetime, why does the average American leave behind a mountain of waste 4,000 times his own weight?And the Earth could go on. She could say:"I regret to have no figures on what you dump into the seas and oceans which cover 71 percent of my body and contain the largest number and longest living of my species. The tonnage of poisons, chemicals, colors, decayed materials and radioactive elements which flow into my world ocean through my arteries, the rivers, must be staggering. Soon will come the day when fishes and seafood will no longer be edible."I heard her also murmur:"I almost wish that you humans would put coloring materials in the exhausts of your cars and airplanes to see what you add to the air which goes into your lungs and which I made so pure for you. Thank God, it begins to show in the form of smog over your cities."
~ Idea 520 to 521 ~ 12 to 13 December 1995As a former UN official I would comment:Dear Earth. you are not the only one to complain. Humanity has its own miseries which remain major challenges to proper human and Earth government. After all, humans are your children, the flesh of your flesh, we are living Earth, our body is 70 percent water and 30 percent earth. Thus, we cannot consider that there is proper Earth government and justiceIdea 52012 December 1995 when no decent physical lives have been assured to all 5.6 billion inhabitants of the planet: one billion still suffer from hunger; the average income of the 560 million people of the poorest countries is 300 dollars a year; in the better-off poor countries it is 900 dollars a year; while in the rich countries it is 21,600 dollars a year:Idea 52113 December 1995 when no good mental lives have been provided to all the world's people: there are still 900 million adult illiterates, 130 million children without schooling and 100 million children abandon school prematurely.
~ Idea 522 to 524 ~ 14 to 16 December 1995Idea 52214 December 1995 God or the cosmic forces would intervene at that point and exclaim: "You forget us, the past and the future, the universe and eternity: how could you consider this planet to be properly governedIdea 52315 December 1995 when you let die valuable ways of life and beliefs such as the simple and frugal lives of hundreds of millions of rural people, small family businesses, small village communities, the spirituality of hundreds of millions of people, local art and cultures, the ways of life in harmony with nature of 300 million indigenous people around this globe?Idea 52416 December 1995 when no or little attention is given to the long term future of this planet. There is not a single Ministry of the Future in any government. The Iroquois are wiser than you: they do not take any decision without considering its potential effects on the seventh generation, which means in five hundred years."
~ Idea 525 ~ 17 December 1995When I was reading the above, coming from Costa Rica and flying over the United States, seeing from the air its sooner or later uninhabitable cities, its Earth devouring highways, superhighways and freeways with millions of cars running in all directions to work more, build more, invent more, produce more, sell more, advertise more, make more profit, and consume more, when I saw the blankets of yellow-brown polluted atmospheres, I thought for myself that the time would soon come when Americans will leave their country in order to live and survive in clean air and more Earth-conscious countries like Costa Rica and other undestroyed countries. Alas, these countries are now themselves imperiled by the imported ideals of producing more, selling more, consuming more, making more profits and are losing their sound habits as a result of advertisement.I was very sad. What I saw below me was not progress, it was destruction, an all-out war against the Earth, an evolutionary aberration of the human species, a headway towards abyss. This was World War III, a more devastating war than any other in human history.Note: See the important book World War III, Population and the Biosphere at the End of the Millennium by Michael Tobias, Bear and Co. Publishers, Santa Fe NM 87504-2860.
~ Idea 526 ~ 18 December 1995But at the word evolution my eternal optimism took over again. I remembered that in a manuscript I had with me, The Art of Living, Volume I Our Lives in the Magnificent Scene of Creation, I had a hopeful answer to the above predicaments. Here it is:"Humanity will now enter a fascinating new period of evolution: Superimposed on Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest through competition, to Mendell's law of heredity, to the genetic codification of our experiences through DNA and RNA, we are now blessed with the birth of a global, planetary consciousness which makes us recognize our false avenues, wrong values and errors. A new philosophy, anthropology, economics, sociology, values system, ethics, morality, spirituality, education, politics will be born at the end of this century. We are still in the kindergarten of that period, but we are in it. Henceforth, less and less will we wait until we burn our fingers before we react, as we did with the population explosion and the environment.A few years ago, I suggested to Erika Erdmann, the Librarian and research aide to Nobel Prize winner Roger Sperry, and to Professor Leonide, a reputed French anthropologist, to create a world association of long-term evolutionary scientists. My hunch was that these scientists were becoming more optimistic as a result of the birth of global, planetary consciousness which makes us aware of our mistakes and problems and helps us solve them. It proved correct as their survey revealed. The theory of "chaos" according to which the universe and human life make no sense is being abandoned. The new theory is that on any planet having life in the cosmos one species sooner or later evolves to a point of gaining a total knowledge of the planet it lives on. It will then be in its power either to continue evolution or to bring it to an end. The first course will require that former, obsolete values will be replaced by new ones which take evolution into account. These new values are a major new evolutionary imperative. They need urgent scientific study.In my view, humanity has reached that stage on Planet Earth: we must revise our basic values, current beliefs and objectives and acquire a new evolutionary wisdom which respects the laws of nature and of the cosmos. If nature has produced the incredible, sophisticated variety of innumerable living species around us, each one a true miracle, it is simply not possible that the human species is not a miracle too, perhaps the most advanced of all.The future of the Earth will be bright and life will not become extinct if we decide so on the eve of a new century and millennium. We can enter a thrilling, transcendent new global, cosmic phase of evolution, if the human species understands its momentous, incredibly important evolutionary role."
~ Idea 527 to 547 ~ 19 December 1995to 8 January 1996To the preceding I added a list of 21 basic segments of human life on this planet to be reconsidered and rethought from scratch as we enter the 21st century:Idea 527 a new political system for planet EarthIdea 528 a new economicsIdea 529 a new educationIdea 530 a new media and communicationsIdea 531 a new democracyIdea 532 a new global leadershipIdea 533 a spiritual Renaissance and inter-religious cooperationIdea 534 a non-violent human societyIdea 535 a well preserved planetIdea 536 a decent well being for all humansIdea 537 a stabilization of the world populationIdea 538 right human settlements on the planetIdea 539 the disarmament, demilitarization, denuclearization and globalsecurity of the planetIdea 540 a new science and technologyIdea 541 a new anthropology, sociology and new ways of lifeIdea 542 a new human biologyIdea 543 a new philosophy, cosmology and long-term view of evolutionIdea 544 a new world ethics and justiceIdea 545 a new world psychologyIdea 546 a new science and art of planetary managementIdea 547 a new art and culture
~ Idea 548 ~ 9 January 1996In response to these challenges, in addition to the work of the UN and its world conferences, a multitude of initiatives of people's movements (the non-governmental organizations in the world represent 250 million people) and thinkers are springing up all around the world, to mention but a few of them:The independent world commissions, the peoples' assemblies parallel to the UN Conferences, the yearly State of the World Forum in San Francisco, the United Religions Initiative, think-tanks like the Club of Rome on the Limits of Growth, the Club of Budapest on Planetary Consciousness and the Club of Tokyo to save the Earth and Humanity. These are all manifestations of the birth of a global brain and consciousness to the human species, probably the most important aspect of the phenomenon of globalization.All of the above points to the urgency and absolute need for a proper Earth government.This should become the priority item on the agenda of world affairs on the eve of the 21st century and millennium. The poor countries who have been waiting for world justice should be the first to request it after 50 years of promises from the rich countries.There is no shadow of a doubt that the present political and economic systems are no longer appropriate and will lead to the end of life evolution on this planet. We therefore absolutely and urgently need new ways. The less we lose time, the less species and nature will disappear.Faced with this momentous challenge we must remember these words by Henry Thoreau: "For every thousand people hacking at the branches of evil, only one attacks the roots. Attacking the roots is unpopular." Well, we must conceive a people's awakening, insurgence or revolution which will make attacking the roots popular.
~ Idea 549 ~ 10 January 1995Oliver Holmes, the US author, wrote:"A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to its original dimension."Please dear reader, all heads of states, all businessmen, all inhabitants of this Earth stretch your minds to the primacy of our Mother Earth and of a better world for a humanity to be limited in numbers.
~ Idea 550 ~ 11 January 1995One of the mishaps in the history of the 19th and 20th centuries was that humanity embarked upon economics (oikos, nomos, in Greek, the organizing, management of the home) before ecology (oikos, logos, the knowledge, the science of our home, the Earth). The proper balance between the two has yet to be found. It is the whole agenda of our future. The concept of "sustainable development" is a first step in the right direction. But there is more to it: we, as humans must cooperate with the Earth, our Mother, and make it an even better, more beautiful home and success. We can plant flowers where there are not any now.
~ Idea 551 ~ 12 January 1995Often the invisible shapes the visible. Thus when a child inflates a balloon, the invisible air will shape the balloon.It is the same with the invisible energies of humans: the invisible forces of our brain, (nowadays a global brain) can decide to make this Earth a paradise and as a result we will shape it into a paradise.
~ Idea 552 ~ 13 January 1995Perhaps, out of my passion for life and for this miraculous Earth, a new theory of evolution can be shaped, namely that with our recently acquired tremendous human knowledge of the universe and of our planet we will henceforth be more than the mere preservers and savers of the Earth, but will be her instruments, her most advanced evolutionary agents, her children endowed with the evolutionary task to make it an even more astonishing planet and cosmic evolutionary success, perhaps the most advanced, ultimate masterpiece of the universe and God. Since each species born from nature is a miracle, we are certainly a miracle too.
~ Idea 553 ~ 14 January 1995The preceding will require not only a global, planetary and cosmic consciousness and education, but also an evolutionary consciousness and education (see Our Place in Time of the tables of the World Core Curriculum for education and the Framework for World Media Coverage in volume I of the first 500 ideas).
~ Idea 554 ~ 15 January 1995We need a peaceful revolution by all the peoples of this planet, a true quantum jump into a new civilization, peaceful, global, just, demilitarized, deprofitized, well preserved, continuing to evolve planet.
~ Idea 555 ~ 16 January 1995Perhaps this is the message, the dream which Jesus and all other great emissaries of the universe, brought us from outer-space. Now, at long last, science and religion, all the religions, all nations, all human entities and institutions, all humans can cooperate in this prodigious task.
~ Idea 556 ~ 17 January 1995We had in recent years world conferences on the Earth's population, on the biosphere, on the environment, on climate, on the ozonosphere, on outer-space, on the seas and oceans, on the deserts, on water, on new forms of energy, on food and many other global subjects as reported in these 2000 ideas. There are still some missing, especially on the atmosphere, (the air we breathe), and the total global condition of the Earth, i.e. a synthesis or holistic view of all the above.But most important of all would be a world conference on proper Earth government, on the contribution of humanity to the further evolution of planet Earth, to make it the ultimate success of the cosmic forces of the universe.
~ Idea 557 to 564 ~ 18 to 27 January 1996How would I see the agenda, the task of such a world conference? The task is so gigantic, so mind-boggling, that perhaps humanity would have to conceive several preliminary world conferences before holding a final one on proper Earth government in the next century. Here are my proposals, in addition to not giving up:Idea 55718 January 1996 Since business was first to globalize itself world-wide, far beyond governments and religions, and since corporations are now for all practical purposes ruling the world, we should give them the opportunity, even request them to holda World Conference on Proper Earth Government through the Free Market SystemThe world business community should be asked to answer how they would take care of the above complaints of the Earth, of humanity, of the past and of the future, how they would provide for a well preserved planet and the well-being of all humanity, the five basic harmonies and the long-term evolution of the planet.Such a conference would bring together the heads of the major world corporations, banks and stock exchanges, the World Bank, the IMF, the GATT, the new World Trade Organization, the International Chamber of Commerce and similar organizationsIdea 55819 January 1996 Since the United Nations is the only world-wide, universal organization at present available, since it had fifty years of valuable experience, since it paved the way to proper Earth government and had many significant successes, instead of putting it on the defensive, ceaseless criticism and reduction, humanity should honestly ask itself if the best way is not to consider a second generation United Nations upgraded by a true quantum jump into a proper Earth preserving and well-being and justice ensuring organization for our planet.I would therefore proposea World Conference on proper Earth government through a second generation United Nations for the 21st centurySuch a conference would have at its disposal a host of proposals and ideas for the strengthening of the UN made by various UN bodies and outside organizations, including my own in these 2000 ideasIdea 55920 January 1996 The star-performance, often called "miracle" of the American States in the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia 200 years ago which put an end to a similar political chaos in North America between numerous independent states at the time could be repeated ina New Philadelphia World Convention for the Creation of the United States of the WorldIt would review the state of world democracy and would have to add to the system of balance of power the new dominant power of business."Philadelphia II" is a project of US Senator Mike Gravel who proposes a convention for the writing of a charter for a Global Constitution.Idea 56021 January 1996 a World Conference of all world federalist and world government associations and movements to propose a federal constitution for the Earth.Idea 56122 January 1996 The world has recently witnessed another political miracle, similar to the American miracle in Philadelphia: the birth of the European Union of 16 European countries which have finally put an end to their antagonisms and wars, decided to unite and cooperate and have abolished the borders between them. Every European can now settle anywhere in the Union, can elect a European Parliament at the same time as he elects his National Parliament and can have his government condemned by a supra-national European Court of Human Rights when his basic rights are violated. Also the European Union has its own European budget and tax system and is not dependent on national contributions as is the United Nations. In 1990 the European Economic Community had already a budget of 7.4 billion dollars, ten times the UN budget. This example is so hopeful, so powerful that I recommend to the European Countries to convenea World Conference for the creation of a World Union on the pattern of the European Union.Idea 56223 January 1996 About ten years ago or more, I suggested to President Bush that in view of the creation of the European Union, the American countries from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego should create an all American community and future union. He listened to me but instead of creating that community in a common joint effort of all American countries, the US negotiated separate trade agreements first with Canada, then with Mexico and now the Latin American countries created their own Mercosur (the Southern Latin American market) and the future of an American community and future union is in doubt.The continental approach to a world community and union remains an important avenue. One could conceive five continental unions: the European Union, an American, an African, an Asian, and an Australian Union. A World Union could be constructed as a super-structure and common political system of the five continents. I therefore proposea World Conference of the planet's five continents on a Proper Earth Government through continental unions and a World Union.Idea 56324 January 1996 A very novel approach to the organization of humanity and its proper relations with the Earth is to follow the biological models offered by the formation and admirable functioning of numerous communities of cells, bacteria and living species observable in nature and now well studied. This is a tremendously advanced science which opens up the most interesting and promising vistas. A bio-political science can and should now be rapidly developed on its basis. It would offer a very needed political revolution of the Earth political system and science. It would include the bio-regional approaches already existing in certain areas such as the Arctic Forum and the big river basins and mountain chains cooperative agreements mentioned in these 2000 ideas. The prophetess of this new field is the Greek-American evolution biologist, Elizabet Sathouris who launched in the early 1980's the Gaia hypothesis in her book, Gaia: the Human Journey to Cosmos.I therefore recommend the holding ofa World Conference on Earth and Human Government through new bio-political modes patterned on examples from nature.Idea 56425 January 1996 Last, but not least, humanity has reached a point when we must consider our human presence, past, present and future on this particular planet in the universe. We have now a tremendous information on the universe in which we live. In addition to our total consciousness of our Earth and its global evolution we are now also acquiring and developing a cosmic consciousness of the universe. This is the greatest of all our advances in human history. But the mysteries of infinity and eternity still escape us and will remain outside human and scientific grasp. This has the result of bringing together the spirituality or basic "faiths" of all religions and science. God, the gods or the Great Spirit or Spirits and their emissaries, prophets and human incarnations like Jesus gave humanity at its early stages a cosmic, universal, all-encompassing faith or feeling for the mysteries of the cosmos, for the norms of love and for the miracle of life and norms of behavior between all humans and with other species and nature. These messages or "revelations" should not be neglected. They contain some of the profoundest answers to human behavior, fulfillment, and survival. Great was our astonishment in the environmental crisis to discover the wisdom and rules of behavior towards nature dictated by the Great Spirit to the indigenous people of this planet. The world's 5000 religions are filled with incredible wisdom regarding human morality, belief in life, environmental adaptation, survival and future evolution. This is strongly coming to the fore at this time as manifested in the following:1. the dream and plan of my compatriot Robert Schuman from Alsace-Lorraine to see the European Union, which started with a coal and steel community followed by an economic community, followed by a political union, culminate in an all spiritual European Union including the Eastern European countries especially "Holy Mother Russia".2. the creation in 85 countries, including as a third party in the United States, of the Natural Law Party based on the premise that the laws of nature should guide humans in their political behavior and organization. There is only one step to recognize that natural laws are in reality cosmic laws.3.the San Francisco Initiative to create a United Religions Organization similar to the United Nations also born in that city, where all religions of the world would cooperate, define what they have in common, provide their wisdom on human behavior and morality, and right relations with nature, and the creation of God. In the process they will hopefully reduce and progressively give up their fundamentalism in favor of a global spirituality the same way as nations in the United Nations have reduced the national fundamentalism called sovereignty. May God help us thata World Conference be convened on proper Earth government through what the world's religions have in common in terms of universal, global spirituality and world-wide human experience.Idea 56526 January 1996 I apologize for the above proposals of preliminary world conferences to the great author and prophet of world government, Emery Reves, who wrote in his famous book, The Anatomy of Peace, in 1945, that"There is no 'first step' toward world government. World government is the first step." I regret that his classical book is out of print. Now that the cold war is over, it should be republished by a major publisher as a renewed world best-seller available in many languages.*Another great classic of world government, the book Planethood by Ken Keyes and Ben Ferencz (see Introduction to my second hundred ideas) is being republished by the World Federalist Movement.* 1997: It is now available from the World Federalist Movement.
~ Idea 566 ~ 27 January 1996It is better to have unconventional, audacious, revolutionary ideas than to wait for dismal, painful, actual revolutions.Since the above ideas will be considered revolutionary I can only repeat Schopenhauer's statement:"Novel ideas are first ridiculed, then they are violently opposed, finally they are accepted as common sense."Einstein said something similar: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."May the above ideas be considered as urgent common sense.
~ Idea 567 ~ 28 January 1996The Earth has always been our main teacher. This is why humanity wants an ideal Earth. We must never cease to try and we will succeed. It is our most sacred task in the next century to give our children the best teachers, namely nature, the creation of God, Goddess Gaia, our beautiful Mother Earth. Blessed be the recently created World Party of Natural Law.
~ Idea 568 ~ 29 January 1996I once heard someone say that when a human work of art is being destroyed we call it vandalism but when the Earth is being destroyed we call it development. It is a statement worth pondering.
~ Idea 569 ~ 30 January 1996People should have ideas on any subject in the world. Everyone can at least have ideas on ways of living a happy, grateful life. But peace, the future of humanity and the saving of our beautiful Earth should be the top subjects.
~ Idea 570 ~ 31 January 1996There will come a day when governments will appeal to the people over the media to consume less in order not to destroy our Earth. Together with population control, this will be one of the major government responsibilities. We have already a UN Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We need also a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Human Population and a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Unnecessary Consumption.
~ Idea 571 ~ 1 February 1996I wish that one or several great philanthropists, would create World Commissions of Eminent Persons on some global problems which still need pressing attention. Here is an up to date list of those recommended earlier in these 2000 ideas:a World Commission on a New World Economic Systema World Commission on the Media and Advertisementa World Commission on Democracya World Commission on a Spiritual Renaissancea World Commission on a new course for Humanity and the Eartha World Commission on the Total Denuclearization of the Planeta World Commission on the Demilitarization of the Planeta World Commission on Ethicsa World Commission on World Priorities and Resourcesa World Commission on Consumptiona World Commission on the Use and Conservation of Natural Resourcesa World Commission on Corruptiona World Commission on Visions of the Earth and of Humanity in the 21st century and 3rd Millenniuma World Commission on the Nation State and National Government Reforma World Commission on the Inefficiency of the Present World Political System due to staggering costly duplications between 185 nation statesa World Commission on a World Budget and Taxation Systema World Commission on Global Philanthropy and World PrizesPhilanthropists and other world personalities or foundations and institutes might also take up subjects on which I have recommended the holding of further world conferences by the United Nations.*
~ Idea 572 ~ 2 February 1996Readers should not be afraid by the 2000 ideas I come up with. In the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Potentials which I suggested a few years ago to be published by the International Union of World Associations in Brussels, 11,400 world problems are listed. This requires at least 11,400 ideas for their solution of which many can be found in that encyclopedia.
~ Idea 573 ~ 3 February 1996All University students on the planet should be required to take basic courses in planetary, cosmic and evolutionary consciousness, in ecology or Earth Science and on the United Nations. No student should be allowed into business schools or Faculties of Economics in any university on Earth without having first taken a basic course in ecology.
~ Idea 574 ~ 4 February 1996Our real capital is not Wall Street. Our real capital is the Earth. Economists and business people must therefore become the optimum, skillful managers of our oikos, the Earth, our home, and of the human species and all other species and living plants inhabiting it. This is their only salvation as a profession. But it presupposes that they must first study ecology and acquire the knowledge of our home and its natural, evolutionary laws before becoming its producers, managers, changers and superintendents under governmental supervision.
~ Idea 575 ~ 5 February 1996I have already pointed out that it was historically a pity that economics (Greek oikos, nomos, the management of the home) was born before ecology (oikos, logos, the science, the knowledge of the home). Hence the difficulties in which the Earth, our home finds itself today as a result of human misinformed actions.It is an even greater pity that the word ecumenics (oikos, mene, the inhabited home, the Earth and humanity) has been monopolized by religions instead of replacing the obsolete word politics (Greek polis), the management of a city. This is why I propose that the word politics be replaced by planetics, the art of managing our planet.*1998: especially now that as a result of US pressure the UN can no longer convene any world conferences considered "useless and expensive" by the US government.
~ Idea 576 ~ 6 February 1996I have pointed out before that as a major phenomenon of our recent history, business was the first to globalize itself world-wide, that governments did it reluctantly on a small scale and became the instruments or servants of big business, and that the religions, due to their fundamentalism did not cooperate and globalize themselves in a world alliance (see Idea 472).But very recently a new phenomenon has appeared: the birth of a global human consciousness. Humans are becoming aware of the errors we are making, of the wrongness around us. This will surpass all other globalizations and become number one. It will be the new democracy, the next step of evolution expressed in the individual wills of the only true living cosmic units: individual human, live beings.
~ Idea 577 ~ 7 February 1996We should never forget that we are creatures, children born from the Earth and from the cosmos. We are 70 percent water and 30 percent earth. We come from the Earth and we return to the Earth as the Christians are reminded on Ash Wednesday each year.The Canticle by St. Francis of Assisi says it beautifully:CANTICLE OF CREATIONBe Praised Good Lord for Brother Sunwho brings us each new day.Be Praised for Sister Moonwhite beauty bright and fair,with wandering stars she moves through night.Be Praised my Lord for Brother Wind,for air and clouds and the skies in every season.Be Praised for Sister Water:humble, helpful, precious, pure;She cleanses us in rivers and renews us in rain.Be Praised my Lord for Brother Fire:He purifies and enlightens us.Be Praised my Lord for Mother Earth:abundant source, all life sustaining;She feeds us bread and fruit and gives us flowers.Be Praised my Lord for the gift of life;for changing dusk and dawn;for touch and scent and song.Be Praised Good Lord for Sister Deathwho welcomes us in loving embrace.Be Praised my Lord for all your creationserving you joyfully.Year 1225 A.D.
~ Idea 578 ~ 8 February 1996I just cannot understand that airlines show so many violent movies when they are afraid of terrorism and highjackings. Violence breeds violence. All airlines in the world should agree and pledge that they will not show violent films. The Director General of ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organization of the UN) should obtain such a pledge. It should be part of a world plan and strategy against violence resulting from the world conference I propose in Idea 5.
~ Idea 579 ~ 9 February 1996The Secretary General of the UN, all heads of UN agencies and all heads of states should have idea-men and idea-women because only ideas can bring about a better world. Some of my ideas could give birth to many more and better ones.
~ Idea 580 ~ 10 February 1996Each head of state, head of institution and corporation should have indigenous advisors to advise them on the effect of their decisions and doings on the 7th generation. Also, the indigenous people in all countries which have a World Party of Natural Law should join that party, present candidates or vote for the candidates of that party.
~ Idea 581 ~ 11 February 1996I recommend that as an outcome of the International Decade for Indigenous People, a World or United Nations specialized agency of indigenous people be created to give a voice to the 300 million indigenous people of this planet and to benefit from their wisdom and their understanding of the laws of nature.
~ Idea 582 ~ 12 February 1996Indigenous people should request the return of stolen objects of art or heritage under the UN resolution on the return of stolen objects of art which I got adopted by the General Assembly years ago (see Idea 119).
~ Idea 583 ~ 13 February 1996The UN should publish a yearly report on all people in the world who have donated land to municipal, state, national, continental and world parks to see their nature preserved for all times. Their names should be placed on a world list of Ecological Honors. A world prize should be given each year to the largest donor.
~ Idea 584 ~ 14 February 1996I received from an old friend and pioneer of simple and frugal living, Vicki Robin, President of the Road Map Foundation in Seattle, a flyer proclaiming 29 November 1996 a Planetary Buy Nothing Day, a 24 hour moratorium on consumer spending, addressed especially to the people of the rich countries. I approve this idea enthusiastically and hope that it will be repeated every year.
~ Idea 585 ~ 15 February 1996Expanding on the above idea there could also be an international fasting day. It would do good to our health. Money saved from this sacrifice could be sent to UNICEF to help feed hungry children and the homeless.
~ Idea 586 ~ 16 February 1996Always see a human person first of all as a human being and not primarily as a national being.Thus when I once accused the United States for exporting bad living and consumption habits to poor countries, Barbara Gaughen said to me:"But you are marrying an American woman."I answered: "No, I am marrying a wonderful, lovable woman."And she smiled.
~ Idea 587 ~ 17 February 1996I later quoted to Barbara Gaughen this statement of Socrates:"I am not an Athenian, I am not a Greek, I am a world citizen."
~ Idea 588 ~ 18 February 1996Barbara Gaughen later said:"I do not consider myself as an American woman. I am first of all a mother. An American mother, a Chinese mother, a Russian mother are all primarily mothers. When it comes to war and peace, I would say: Mothers of the world unite for peace. Governments have no right to use our sons, the flesh of our flesh to become killers or to be killed by other sons of other mothers. It is our fundamental mother's right. It is all governments fundamental duty to solve their problems and conflicts by peaceful means."I suggested to her to write a World Pledge of Allegiance of Mothers and to create a World Party of Mothers.
~ Idea 589 to 591 ~ 19 to 21 February 1996Santa Barbara in California is one of the most beautiful, intelligently planned and cared for cities in the United States. Here are three examples which should be followed by other communities:Idea 58919 February 1996 a city ordinance does not allow advertisements beyond a modest size, simply indicating the name and purpose of a business, office or institution.Idea 59020 February 1996 on each green surface in the city trees are being planted. A "Santa Barbara Beautiful Awards" is given every month to the most beautiful business and home in the city.Idea 59121 February 1996 a good number of citizens donate or will their lands to the city to be preserved as parks or grounds never to be built on.
~ Idea 592 ~ 22 February 1996Isn't it a strange planet where people value and admire more a forest of dead matter, oxygen consuming skyscrapers than a forest of live, oxygen producing trees?
~ Idea 593 ~ 23 February 1996I think that no species has ever mistreated and destroyed the Earth as has the human species.
~ Idea 594 ~ 24 February 1996More and more people from the US and highly industrialized countries will move to countries with good air and oxygen like the Central American Republics, and more and more poor people from Africa, Latin America and Asia will immigrate to the "rich countries" to fill manual and service jobs. A mixed united humanity will result.
~ Idea 595 ~ 25 February 1996I just cannot understand that so many governments, nations, businesses, entities, institutions, religions, scientists, economists and all kinds of other professions and people can go on with their activities and objectives unperturbed, clinging to their beliefs and ideas and forgetting that all around us the Earth, its natural elements on which we depend, its climate, its seas and oceans, its oxygen, its vegetation cover and animal species are rapidly deteriorating or vanishing. No, I will never understand it.
~ Idea 596 ~ 26 February 1996More brain power and imagination is spent on inventing, improving and promoting new technologies, communications and media than on improving the government of the Earth and of humanity. No wonder that the latter are in deep trouble. As Einstein said: "Perfection of means and confusion of ends seems to characterize our age."
~ Idea 597 ~ 27 February 1996To keep their monopoly of power, business and the rich decry the mere idea of proper world government and depict it as a way to dictatorship. How about their own already existing dictatorship?
~ Idea 598 ~ 28 February 1996I repeat my recommendation that a World Commission of Eminent Persons should be established to review the entire current situation of democracy in the world, the reasons, theory, promotion and methodology of democracy, of truthful information, of freedom of expression, and democratic decision making from the local level to the top of the world.
~ Idea 599 ~ 29 February 1996Ways should be found to give at least a voice to the Earth which is being severely damaged and progressively destroyed. To the concept of democracy (government by the people from the Greek word demos) should be added the concept of Gaiacracy (government by the Earth from the Greek word Gaia, Goddess Earth). Indigenous elders should be allowed to speak in the United Nations or in a new Earth Organization in the name of the Earth, the air, the waters, the soils, the forests, vegetation, animals and all living species.Only in fables do animals speak in courts. The universe was not created for humans alone. The universe was not created to make money. It was created for all living beings.
~ Idea 600 ~ 1 March 1996Decide to be a Spiritual PersonRender others spiritualIrradiate your spiritualityTreat every moment of your lifewith divine respectLove passionately your God given,miraculous lifeBe endlessly astonished at your brief,breathtaking consciousness of the universeThank God every momentfor the tremendous gift of lifeLift your heart to the heavens alwaysBe a cosmic, divine being,an integral, consciouspart of the universeContemplate with wonderthe miraculous Creation all around youFill your body, mind, heart and soulwith divine inspirationKnow that you are coming from somewhereand that you are going somewherein the universal stream of timeBe always open to the entire universeKnow yourself and the heavens and the EarthAct spirituallyThink spirituallyLove spirituallyTreat every person and living being withhumanness and divine respectPray, meditate, practice the artof spiritual livingAnd be convinced of eternal lifeand resurrectionRobert Muller
~ Idea 601 ~ 2 March 1996Every person or entity on Earth required to pay taxes should receive with the tax forms a table showing what percentage of the taxes paid will go to the principal functions of government:general administrationmilitary expenditureseducationhealth and social securitytransportationthe environmentworld cooperation and peaceetc.Each taxpayer should be asked what he thinks of that breakdown, indicate what he wants to be reduced and what he wants to be increased.This would be a great new form of democracy, a way to hear the people's will. The results should be published nationally and internationally every year.
~ Idea 602 ~ 3 March 1996I am glad that my idea expressed in October 1995 at the State of the World Forum of the US Gorbachev Foundation is being implemented: namely that world public opinion polls will be held by the Gallup Organization on major issues confronting humanity. Taxation and wasteful, duplicating colossal expenditures by 185 nations should be one of the topics.
~ Idea 603 ~ 4 March 1996A UN World Security Organization should replace NATO, SEATO and all other regional security agreements or integrate them into a world supra-security system. Bilateral and regional security arrangements are a progress, but left alone they represent a further division of the world. Moreover they are much more expensive to the taxpayers than a straight, well conceived and coordinated world security system.
~ Idea 604 ~ 5 March 1996At this stage of our wild so called economic development which pollutes the natural air of this planet and of our lungs, I recommend the urgent creation of a United Nations World Air Agency.
~ Idea 605 ~ 6 March 1996For the same reason I recommend the creation of a United Nations World Water Agency.
~ Idea 606 ~ 7 March 1996Since the Earth including humanity and no longer humanity alone has become the major preoccupation of the United Nations I suggest that it be renamed the United Earth Organization and reorganized accordingly.
~ Idea 607 ~ 8 March 1996The UN should proclaim an International Day or Year of Arms Destruction. The destructions should take place in the presence of people in joyful celebrations.
~ Idea 608 ~ 9 March 1996Wherever there is violent competition or major disagreement and conflict in the world, it must be replaced by reciprocal learning, understanding and cooperation. This is the great light brought to the world by the United Nations and its agencies. The UN is the biggest evolutionary progress since Darwin. It should become the world peace and non-violence organization par excellence. It should establish and foster neutral, trans-entities mediation instruments in as many fields as conceivable in all parts of the world and at all levels of society to help solve differences and conflicts and transform them into cooperation, positive achievements and further evolutionary progress.
~ Idea 609 ~ 10 March 1996The world merits a yearly World Peacemakers and Peace Heroes Day. The United Nations should proclaim one and substantial, philanthropic aid should be given to them. Awards should be announced and celebrated in the UN General Assembly Hall.
~ Idea 610 ~ 11 March 1996(my 73rd birthday)Every person having reached the age of sixty or retirement should take the decision to give volunteer service to a better world during the rest of his/her life. Begin to write down ideas and dreams you would like to see fulfilled, and work on them. Soon you will discover, as I did, as the one-dollar-a-year Chancellor or the first UN University for Peace in Costa Rica, that you do not have the time to get old or sick. It produces miracles.
~ Idea 611 ~ 12 March 1996We need a world association of radical thinkers, innovators and activists. The United Nations and its agencies and world conferences have done a wonderful job for peace and a better world and in warning humanity of impending perils such as the population explosion, the environment, the climate issue, etc. But progress achieved and implementation of its decisions are much too slow. If we let things continue at the present rate it will end in disaster, possibly the end of all life on this planet.Audacious thinkers are accused for their extremism or exaggeration. But they might be much more realistic and needed than the diplomats and accommodators who might become the undertakers of this planet and of the human species. I have opened a file with the first names of good radicals: Jacques Cousteau* for the seas and oceans, General Lee Butler (US) and Helen Caldicott (Australia) for the total elimination of atomic weapons, Ralph Nader, the consumers advocate, Selma Brackman of the War and Peace Foundation who asks for the total elimination, not only of nuclear weapons but also of all nuclear energy plants, Garry Davis of World Citizens, Oscar Arias, the Nobel Prize winner who labors for the demilitarization of the planet, and myself who clamors for a proper Earth government. Please, other radicals, send me your name, cause and address.*Alas deceased later during the year.
~ Idea 612 ~ 13 March 1996The UN was created by the US and other nations after World War II. These parents of the UN should love their child, nourish its growth and recognize that it is a superior progress over them, as is the case in the flow of time of children over their parents.I propose that in the year 2000 the City of San Francisco, birthplace of the UN, invite the UN's founding nations to a resounding birthday conference to salute and evaluate their child's progress, and give birth to a new, even better child to cope successfully with the world's problems of the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 613 ~ 14 March 1996To avoid a repetition of the world population explosion which was detected too late by the international community, Mrs. Julia Alvarez, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the UN, and I were able to get the UN to convene a world conference on aging in 1982. It revealed that by 2020, the aged population in rich and poor countries will create unprecedented problems for the social security systems of most countries.From 1950 to today several years have been added to longevity in the poor and in the rich countries (from 40 to 60 years in the former and 60 to 70 years in the latter.)Although the proportion of older people is highest in Western countries, the major growth of the world's older population &endash; from half a billion in 1990 to almost 1.5 billion people in 2050 &endash; will be in developing countries. By 2025, 72 percent of the world's older persons, about 858 million will be living in developing countries. By 2030, more than three-quarters of the world's older people will live in industrial regions &endash; more than half in Asia, more than a quarter in China alone.Prolongation of life has been a great success of humanity. In the Roman Empire people lived an average of 24 years. In 1850 the average American died at the age of 45. By 1900 that figure had increased to 48. Now the average life span of an American is 72 and those over 85 are the fastest growing segment of the population. There are already 45,000 centenarians in the US. By 2020 there will probably be more than 250,000. In the next century lives of up to 120 to 140 years will not be uncommon.The social security systems of nations must rapidly adapt to the situation created by the increased proportion of older persons aged 60 and above from 1 in 14 when the UN started its population work in the 1950's to 1 in 4 in the year 2000. Fortunately the retired are not counted in unemployment statistics.There is urgent need to hold a second world conference on aging, since fifteen years have elapsed since the first one. The UN has decided to hold an International Year of Older Persons in 1999, but this is not enough. An intergovernmental world conference and a World Organization of the Aged must be added.
~ Idea 614 ~ 15 March 1996Every head of State and Secretary General of the United Nations should be a Beethoven writing a symphony of peace or a Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel of praise to the Creator.
~ Idea 615 ~ 16 March 1996We must congratulate the Boston Research Center for the 21st century which gives every year global citizens awards to individuals devoted to peace and to the birth of an authentic, transnational civic society. I suggested to them to honor once in a while global couples who work for the same objectives. There are several outstanding examples of them among the non-governmental organizations accredited to the United Nations.
~ Idea 616 ~ 17 March 1996It is high time to consider the creation of a whole series of world universities on this planet in order to concentrate expenditures and world academic talent on the colossal, urgent, potentially terminal global problems facing humanity and the Earth. I recommend the urgent creation of such universities by the United Nations and by each of its specialized agencies and world programs.
~ Idea 617 ~ 18 March 1996Instead of letting business and corporations wildly run ahead and progressively destroy our Earth, governments and thinkers should sit down and consider what a world government by private business and corporations would look like. The first discovery would be that freedom and democracy would disappear: the Earth and capital would be owned by capitalists and shareholders, i.e. by those who possess already capital and money and the rest of the people would not have a chance. All humans would be programmed by advertisement and marketing to buy what corporations decide. As for the Earth, it would be totally defenseless, neglected and brought to its ruin.
~ Idea 618 ~ 19 March 1996I think that delegates to the United Nations should take less pride in what they obtain for their country than for what they obtain for a better world, including contributions of their country to a better world. At the end of their life, when looking back, it is the latter which will really count.
~ Idea 619 ~ 20 March 1996How can we not love this beautiful planet above anything else? How can we not love the miracle of being alive as humans? Perhaps it is our loves which went wrong in the 20th century, the love for money, profit and wealth having become No 1.As we enter the new century and millennium we must get our loves and values straight.
~ Idea 620 ~ 21 March 1996The rainforests of this planet have acquired such a major importance for the survival of the Earth's diversity and production of oxygen that I suggest a strong coalition and common policy of all countries possessing such forests. They should say to the rich countries: we are ready not to exploit, to keep intact, and even to expand our rainforests, provided you, the rich countries compensate us for that sacrifice and through a Marshall Plan for forestry will aid to provide employment and well-being for our people in return for the oxygen we produce.
~ Idea 621 ~ 22 March 1996The decision of Russia to pay its debt to the United Nations and to reduce military expenditures by the same amount should be imitated by all countries in default, especially the United States.
~ Idea 622 ~ 23 March 1996One former US Ambassador to the UN, George Bush, became President of the United States. It would be even better if a former President of the Untied States became Secretary General of the UN, thus being upgraded from a country to the whole world and humanity. He would discover with dismay the ridiculous financial resources at his disposal of which his own country does not even pay its share.
~ Idea 623 ~ 24 March 1996If I were Secretary General of the UN, I would notify the US government that if it does not pay its dues within a year, I would use my rights under the existing rules of procedure and place the following item on the agenda of the UN Security Council and of the General Assembly:"Proposal to transfer the seat of the United Nations to the highest bidding, faithfully contributing member country of the organization."
~ Idea 624 ~ 25 March 1996An American came up with this idea: that all US citizens who love or consider the UN to be important refuse to pay their taxes until the US pays its dues to the world organization.
~ Idea 625 ~ 26 March 1996It was all right to select New York City as the seat of the United Nations after World War II at a time when humanity was concerned only with humanistic problems and not the Earth (the UN Charter does not contain the words Earth, nature, or resources, nor does it speak of the environment, a word coined by the UN only 25 years later).Today, since the Earth and nature have become priority No. 1, it would be only proper to transfer the seat of the world organization to a major site of preserved, primeval nature.The vast, international site of the University for Peace located in a demilitarized country in an area of thousands of acres of primeval tropical forests, a true paradise where one gains peace from nature itself, should be seriously considered. The costs would be very much below those of New York City, not more than a third to one-half, both for the international Secretariat and the 185 national delegations to the UN.Also: it would fulfill the prophecy of the indigenous God of children, Rasur, that from these hills in Costa Rica a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.
~ Idea 626 ~ 27 March 1996The Secretary General of the UN should create and attach to his/her office a World Group of Eminent Mediators, pooling the availability of former heads of state, former Presidents of the UN General Assembly and other reputed, experienced world personalities for good offices and mediation in resolving conflicts around the world.
~ Idea 627 ~ 28 March 1996I cannot repeat it often enough: the UN Security Council should meet in various regions of the world to make its presence felt and more visible to the people. It should meet in the places of conflict or near them.
~ Idea 628 ~ 29 March 1996Philanthropy (love for humans) and gaiaphily (love for Gaia, the Earth) have acquired such importance and have an even vaster unexplored global potential and duty that I recommend the transformation of the non-governmental organization INTERPHIL into a UN specialized agency.
~ Idea 629 ~ 30 March 1996People living in beautiful natural areas should be offered incentives for donating land to local communities to be conserved forever. Municipalities should establish land trusts to that effect. Local inhabitants could donate funds to them to allow the purchase of land to be preserved and never developed. Often, indeed, when we say that we are developing land, in reality we are undeveloping nature and destroying evolutionary results of millions of years. Costa Rica offers interesting laws and examples for the perpetual preservation of land. The Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro Environment Conference and located in Costa Rica should publish a survey of all legislations and practices on that subject. A World Trust Fund or Marshall Plan for Nature and Land Conservation should even be considered.
~ Idea 630 ~ 31 March 1996An important progress in the understanding of evolution is under way: Darwin laid down the law of competition of the species' and the survival of the fittest. Later the discovery of the DNA revealed to us the transmission of the acquired evolutionary wisdom of all species. What we see now is:1. the colossal intermingling and intermarriages of humans world-wide, like seeds spread all over the globe, creating new common factors of a more evolved global human species:2. a similar role is played by the media which have become the global nervous system of the human species:3. innumerable international associations, institutions and firms have become the new global DNA's and memory banks of our evolution, the beginnings of a global brain:4. as a result a planetary consciousness now reveals to us our errors and mistakes in this new evolutionary period of living and progressing on this planet: overpopulation, overconsumption, colossal wastes and needless activities which damage our environment, nature and the normal functioning of the Earth, in particular its biosphere and climate.This should not make us despair. On the contrary. We can and will succeed in this new evolutionary challenge. It will be done through a new education, a new role of the media, of industry and economics, the further development of global institutions and warning systems, and last but not least by the incorporation of all politics into a planetary, supra-national system of proper Earth government.The quicker this is done, the better it will be and the less damage will be done to our precious Earth.
~ Idea 631 ~ 1 April 1996A new science and art of global and cosmic consciousness must be developed: the transformation of the Earth, humans included, into a conscious cell of the universe. But where is this taught? In the world's religions, but they are fighting over it. I think the time has come to create a World University of Consciousness and Universal Spirituality.
~ Idea 632 ~ 2 April 1996Since the pursuit of happiness was rightly proclaimed by the founders of the United States as a basic goal of human life, how is it that no government has ever created a Ministry of Happiness? I recommend that such Ministries be created by every government on Earth.
~ Idea 633 ~ 3 April 1996I recommend that a major philosophical society should begin publishing 2000 ideas to achieve happiness. If none does it, I am tempted to do it myself, after finishing these 2000 ideas for a better world. My first book in English Most of All They Taught Me Happiness, was meant to be a book of Recipes for Happiness. These 2000 ideas are part of it.
~ Idea 634 ~ 4 April 1996We absolutely and urgently need an Earth government, Earth laws and Earth institutions. Planetary or global consciousness is not enough. If taxes in countries were voluntary, very few people would pay, even if they had the right consciousness of their nation's needs and interests.
~ Idea 635 ~ 5 April 1996A new Earth government does not have to be built from scratch. The United Nations and its global agencies are a good base on which to build. I have repeated and repeated that we need for the next century a vastly strengthened second generation United Nations.
~ Idea 636 ~ 6 April 1996A remarkable American lawyer, Dr. Musslewhite, who defends causes around the world on environmental damages concluded that only a United Nations upgraded into a world government (he names it One World Now) can save this planet and humanity. I agree fully with him and endorse his proposals for the transformation of the United Nations.
~ Idea 637 ~ 7 April 1996Humanity must now extend its views far into the future in order to shoulder its responsibilities towards the future evolution and fate of this Earth. I have therefore recommended&endash; the creation of a world association of long-term evolutionary scientists and thinkers;&endash; the convening by UNESCO before the year 2000 of a conference of long-term evolutionary scientists, followed&endash; by a World Conference on Evolution by the United Nations.One concrete step will be the convening in 1999 under the auspices of the new Club of Budapest on Planetary Consciousness, of a Summit on the Chances of Evolution for Humanity on this Planet.
~ Idea 638 ~ 8 April 1996I recommend that the International Association of University Presidents establish a series of Eminent World Academic Commissions to deal with the most recent knowledge of the state of the world and humanity and our pressing problems to be solved. These world commissions would complement the UN World Conferences held so far and the Independent World Commissions of Eminent Personalities listed in Idea 500. They would be a most important addition to these efforts. Foremost among such eminent world academic commissions should be one on the most recent knowledge, views, theories and recommendations on the state of evolution of the Earth and of humanity and on their long-term prospects.
~ Idea 639 ~ 9 April 1996How shining will be our world when the whole of humanity will be able to say these words inscribed on the Peace Monument of the University for Peace:"Happy the Costa Rican mother who, when giving birth to a son, knows that he will never be a soldier."Each time a new country demilitarizes itself, it should inaugurate a similar monument in that country with the inscription:Happy the Panamanian mother...Happy the Haitian mother...
~ Idea 640 ~ 10 April 1996There should be a world law or a law in all 185 nations providing that all newspapers must limit advertisement to 5 percent of their copy. This would save innumerable trees and a colossal waste and recycling of paper on this planet.
~ Idea 641 ~ 11 April 1996I hope that someday UNESCO or a University will undertake a world survey and scientific study of special power places on this Earth, sacred places, usually on hills richly endowed with oxygen, where humans are elevated into unusual, planetary, all-human, even mystical, cosmic consciousness and thinking. Such places should be used increasingly world-wide by anyone wanting to do deep thinking, even dreaming, and come to far-reaching, long-term decisions. The University for Peace is located on such a sacred hill, in a paradise of nature and oxygen, and has become a place of predilection for thinking groups and conferences. I wish that the United Nations Headquarters would be transferred here.
~ Idea 642 ~ 12 April 1996During all my life I was intrigued by the meaning of prophecies and dreams. God or fate have led me to live today on a hill of prophecies where I have installed a bench of dreams to sit down and dream. I have come to the conclusion that prophecies and dreams are even more powerful than ideas. I propose to UNESCO to undertake a world survey of the meaning and effectiveness of prophecies and dreams in all cultures of the world. And the UN should become the House of Hopes and Dreams.
~ Idea 643 ~ 13 April 1996I love the idea of Barbara Gaughen to hold a world conference on ideas for the 21st century and the third millennium. Perhaps this could be the subject of the Centennial People's Peace Conference to be held in The Hague in 1999. The conference could deal with the entire range of ideas for a better world, from ideas for the self, the family, the neighborhood, the village or town, the state or province, the nation, the continent, up to ideas for the seas and oceans (71% of the planet), the atmosphere, the climate and the entire Earth. This would be a most useful preparation for the 21st century and 3rd millennium. Those in power would become convinced that they must change course.
~ Idea 644 ~ 14 April 1996Legal world provisions should be worked out by the United Nations to allow individuals, institutions and firms to donate their properties and/or capital to an Earth Commons. Outer space, the moon, the atmosphere and the seas and oceans beyond the limits of national jurisdiction have already been declared by the United Nations commons of humanity. A United Nations or World Commons Authority should be created to keep track of these commons and of the treaties already concluded on the existing ones.
~ Idea 645 ~ 15 April 1996The UN and every specialized agency of the UN should be requested by member governments to answer and report on the following question:"How would you feel, what would you expect, do and propose if you were transformed into a World Ministry of an Earth Government? For example, what would it mean, what would be the benefits and the drawbacks, the organizational changes required, if the World Health Organization became the World's Ministry of Health?"
~ Idea 646 ~ 16 April 1996As a first cautious, experimental step towards a more proper government of the Earth and humanity, one could transform one or a few of the existing UN specialized agencies into World Ministries: the International Maritime Organization could become a World Maritime Ministry; the International Civil Aviation Organization could become the World Ministry of Aviation, and the World Health Organization could be made into the World Health Ministry.
~ Idea 647 ~ 17 April 1996The first, overwhelming, most urgent, imperative priority item on the agenda of world affairs in the 21st century is the proper management or government of the Earth. And no government has the courage to raise it, afraid as they are to lose some of their precious sovereignty, power and glory. The result will be a planet going to pieces, the Earth's nature being destroyed beyond repair, peoples' revolutions and the perishing of the human species itself after or together with what is left of other living species on it.Please all peoples of the world, wake up.Please leaders of nations, wake up.Repeat the miracle achieved by George Washington and the great American leaders when out of the mess of the Confederation they created the United States.
~ Idea 648 ~ 18 April 1996Of all my 2000 ideas, my greatest appeal is to heads of states and to the most prominent, audacious, forwardlooking thinkers on this planet to become The Founding Fathers of a properly governed Earth and humanity. All the rest will fall into place and become feasible.
~ Idea 649 ~ 19 April 19967 November each year should be declared World Demilitarization Day in recognition of the momentous day of 7 November 1949 when Costa Rica by Constitution made itself a permanently demilitarized country and has lived happily, peacefully and in prosperity ever since then.
~ Idea 650 ~ 20 April 1996Someone asked me what were my three priority recommendations to achieve a better world. My answer was:1. proper Earth government by humans2. a total review and rethinking of the economic system3. a world spiritual Renaissance
~ Idea 651 ~ 21 April 1996The United States' preponderance in the world is likely to become a curse for the planet if the US does not propose a proper Earth government patterned on its system of balance of powers, modernized to take into account the interests of the Earth itself and the role of business.These words of Nobel Peace Prize winner Helen Caldicott, former President of Physicians for Social Responsibility, should be heeded:"We live on a planet that is terminally ill.... The United States has lost its direction and its soul. Use your democracy to save your world."
~ Idea 652 ~ 22 April 1996It will be with the recent war against nature and the Earth as it was and still is with wars between and within nations: it can only be avoided and resolved by codes, laws, courts and enforcement, which is and has always been the meaning of government, this time meaning Earth government. Government is not the ultimate evil. Non-government, anarchy is. And we live today in a world anarchy.
~ Idea 653 ~ 23 April 1996Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your government.John F. KennedyAsk not what your Earth can do for you, ask what you can do for your Earth.Robert Muller
~ Idea 654 ~ 24 April 1996Isn't it astonishing that in no University on Earth, to my knowledge, is there a Department or Faculty or Chair on the Art of Living, and that there exists not a single Doctorate of the Art of Living, when this should be the supreme objective of education?There is however hope: for centuries there has not been a Peace University or a Peace Department or Faculty in any University on Earth. But recently they are emerging, be it only under the concept of conflict resolution, a new, popular academic discipline. One can hope that the same will happen for the art of living. My writings could serve as the first textbooks as they do in the field of peace education.
~ Idea 655 ~ 25 April 1996Since the early Fiscal and Financial Branch of the United Nations which was supposed to do it, was suppressed, I recommend that someone on this planet should publish a yearly state of the governmental expenditures of all nations. It would show the colossal duplications and wastes of the national expenditures of 185 governments and almost total absence of world coordination of national efforts and expenditures. The world would benefit immensely from the creation of common services instead of doing 185 times the same thing. Almost nothing is spent on world common services, when our Earth needs such services so desperately. Trillions of dollars could be spared the taxpayers if the United Nations were authorized to re-establish its Fiscal and Financial Branch which would come out every year with a World Budget for consideration by the community of nations. The Fiscal and Financial Committee and Branch was a brilliant prophetic idea of the League of Nations. It included also the mandate to avoid international double taxation and tax evasion, problems even more acute today. Please governments, it is in your own interest to re-establish the Fiscal and Financial Committee of the UN Economic and Social Council. The world would be infinitely more economically run and your national budgets could be reduced accordingly.
~ Idea 656 ~ 26 April 1996I am very proud that I obtained the proclamation by the United Nations of an International Decade for the Handicapped people (1983 - 1992 ). Since the number of handicapped in the world rose from 300 million in 1983 to 500 million in 1995, I recommend that a UN Specialized Agency for the World's Handicapped be created. It is high time. It would be one of the common world services to be considered.
~ Idea 657 ~ 27 April 1996Someone called me to give me this secret of happiness:Have the will to be happyHave ideasImplement themIt confirms my own recipes for happiness: I wrote the popular text Decide to be Happy (see Preface to the volume of first 500 ideas). I am writing 2000 ideas to the year 2000, related to the events in which I am involved, namely the Earth and humanity, and I am doing everything I can to implement them.When I asked the man to give me his name to quote him, he said that it was not his idea. It was the idea of a Greek philosopher called Epictetus. He sent me kindly the quotation. Here it is:Your happiness depends on three things, all ofwhich are within your power: your will, yourideas concerning the events in which you areinvolved, and the use you make of your ideas.(EPICTETUS, A Manual for Living)
~ Idea 658 ~ 28 April 1996Since business, profit and economics have become the main factors of destruction of the Earth and since this is beginning to be recognized in business circles themselves under the claim for business ethics, I recommend that a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on the New Role of Business be established to accelerate this fundamental change.
~ Idea 659 ~ 29 April 1996The whole world should follow the example of some radio stations in Costa Rica which start their early dawn broadcasts with Gounod's marvelous Ave Maria to give a spiritual feeling to the listeners. The United Religions, when created, could take this as one of their objectives: to start the day with broadcasts of a religious invocation, church bells, the chofar or the muezzin, or a prayer of thanksgiving for a new day of light and life by all the people of the Earth.
~ Idea 660 ~ 30 April 1996Have a carpenter estimate the number of trees which were needed to produce the wood used in the construction of your house and decide to plant somewhere in your region or in the world the same number of trees. If you want them to be planted on the sacred grounds of the University for Peace, please send us your contribution. Not a penny will be diverted from it, all will be for the trees. I will make sure of it. For tax exemption, send it to Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica via the Robert Muller School, 6005 Royaloak Drive Arlington, Texas 76016, tax identification No. 75-153044.
~ Idea 661 ~ 1 May 1996Why don't national governments rethink the purpose and objectives of their Ministries of War or Defense, and their military establishments to take into account the new situation in the world, where war against the Earth, against nature has become the biggest war. They could restructure such ministries or forces, into Ministries of Peace and Security, incorporating the police forces with them. These could be their duties:World securitySecurity of the nationPeacebuilding, peacemaking and good order nationwideBuilding the natural security of the country: prevention of the destruction of nature, restoration of forests and natureHelp to other countries to preserve the Earth's natureThis would be a better utilization of the overbloated military establishments and expenditures of nations.I will never forget the remark of Honduran generals telling me: "If you want to reforest Honduras, we will be ready to do it. We will do it better and faster than anyone else, because we have military discipline." Well, let us use this discipline for the good and salvation of our Earth's nature.And why couldn't the United States Department of Defense which financed the Honduran militaries in the civilian war finance them now for such reforestation?
~ Idea 662 ~ 2 May 1996The word business should in most cases be spelled rightly, as it was at the origin: busyness. That is what a good part of modern business is all about. Create more busyness in all possible conceivable busy ways. Necessariness would be better: produce products and render only services which are necessary.
~ Idea 663 ~ 3 May 1996Since one of the main arguments and justifications of business for producing ever more goods, of promoting the consumption of unnecessary goods and building obsolescence into technical products, is that they give employment, the International Labour Organization should convene a world conference on employment or an Independent World Commission on Employment. In several countries new ideas of employment, especially of young people, have come up, such as ecological tasks (e.g. reforestation) paid by municipalities after young people have been unemployed for more than a period of time. We should revise the whole notion of employment at this stage of our evolution and come up with original ideas beneficial to the survival of this planet, to ourselves and to other species. We should not forget that the Earth and ecology have become our first priorities, no longer business and economics.
~ Idea 664 ~ 4 May 1996I wish that radio announcers were less noisy, and loud in their performance on the waves, seeking attention but in reality arousing the feelings of the listeners, especially young people. After a few minutes I cannot take it anymore and cut the radio. There is a competition between them to be the most noisy and original. In reality they are ineffective because psychologically the listeners exclude them from their attention. They could be much more effective by saying nice, sweet, inspiring, peaceful, uplifting things and less loud advertisements.
~ Idea 665 ~ 5 May 1996On the other end of the scale I wonder why announcers of classical music must be so boring and uninteresting. Classical music is addressed to the deepest and loftiest feelings of human nature. The introducers should find ways to be inspiring and uplifting. No wonder that the vast majority of people, especially young people do not listen to classical music. If the composers were alive, they would be shocked that all the presenters have to say is that it is Opus number so and so, volume so and so of their works. Few people care about that.
~ Idea 666 ~ 6 May 1996A similar phenomenon is happening on television. It is almost impossible to see an announcement of a program or news in a still form. Everything has to jump, to move, to be a profusion of movements, criss-crossing and colors. How do people not get crazy, especially children and youth looking at such jumping, insane images. And every day it is getting worse, because the producers have to outsmart each other to draw attention. In reality more and more people do not pay attention anymore and become immune. My own decision, already ten years ago was to get rid of my television set, and I have lived happily ever since.
~ Idea 667 ~ 7 May 1996I pray that all the non-governmental organizations accredited to the United Nations will create a Global Movement for a Better World which would publish thousands of ideas and people's initiatives for a better world. Like the phenomenon of the hundredth monkey, there might be a phenomenon of the thousandth idea. If everyone would clean in front of his own home, we would have a clean planet. I would envisage "A Thousand Ideas for Peace and Non-violence", "A Thousand Ideas for the Environment", "A Thousand Ideas to Solve Poverty", "A Thousand Ideas to Live Happily", "A Thousand Ideas for Proper Earth Government", etc.A publisher who would specialize in such ideas or recipes books would make a fortune and see them become world best-sellers.
~ Idea 668 ~ 8 May 1996An idea from Holland:From a group of 15 environmentally-conscious people, representing different disciplines, and then through a campaign showing the relationship between the environment and health, it is possible to stimulate consumers to buy foods and products which do not affect the environment. We are requesting governments to legislate that products be labeled as to their safety for the environment.Herman van der Neut, Retired, Holland(from the Brahma Kumaris' Visions of a Better World, page 137)
~ Idea 669 ~ 9 May 1996The following group came up with a series of ideas:One hundred and five participants from government departments, the fields of education, media and industry and all environmental organizations in Hong Kong contributed their ideas and experiences at an Environmental Symposium held in response to a deep concern for the state of Hong Kong's environment. Their appeal to all citizens included the following:• Encourage environmental awards e.g. Housekeeper's Award, Governor's Green Award, Architect's/Engineer's "ECO" Design Award, "Captain Planet Award."• Encourage a pollution index to be announced in all media weather reports.• Encourage the setting up of environmental information kiosks in shopping malls.• Encourage the use of comic strips for environmental education.• Encourage a metropolitan street tree project.• Propose a ban on junk mail.• Encourage traffic free zones.• Encourage rezoning/relocation of industry.• Encourage environmental awareness in families through "A Good Deed A Day" project.• Remember when you "throw things away" that there is no such thing as "away" &endash; it has to go somewhere!(from the workshop report by Beverley Murphy, Hong Kong)(Brahma Kumaris' Visions of a Better World, page 138)
~ Idea 670 ~ 10 May 1996I believe that all UN agencies and Departments should begin collecting ideas for a better world and publish them in popular forms. UNESCO could ask all school children and youth in the world to come up with their ideas. They might astonish the world.
~ Idea 671 ~ 11 May 1996I invite people to do what I decided to do recently: each time I am tempted to buy something I ask myself: is it really necessary, do I really need it, what damage has its production and transportation done to mother Earth? What is her opinion? And in many cases I do not buy it. I write down the price saved and later with the savings I plant a tree or do something good for the Earth or for the poor who have real needs, especially children.
~ Idea 672 ~ 12 May 1996Avoid making fences with pillars of concrete but instead plant fences of trees producing oxygen, preferably fruit trees giving both oxygen and nutrition to humans, birds and animals. There is nothing more alive, more healthy than a fruit picked directly from a tree.
~ Idea 673 ~ 13 May 1996In big cities in India and other Far Eastern countries one can see a multitude of little three wheels vehicles run by gasoline engines which are very polluting. It could be a great service if General Motors which has now put an electric automobile on the market, could produce such vehicles run by rechargeable electric batteries. It could do a lot in reducing the air pollution of these cities.
~ Idea 674 ~ 14 May 1996Be always careful what kind of products you buy and select those which will put the least chemicals into the environment. For example buy white soaps and not colored soaps whose chemical color you will drain into the Earth. But buy brown, natural towels rather than snow white ones, because the production of the latter requires chemicals to whiten them. You might also get both products at a cheaper price. The same with brown and white sugar, brown bread and white bread, etc. Another vast unexploited field is to return to sound natural products and practices of our forefathers and mothers, at a time when there were no chemicals. We must prevent overchemicalization of this Earth by big chemical industries who are becoming our masters. This is another form of renewed democracy, the true power of the people. This is why I recommend the urgent creation by governments of Ministries of Consumption and a World Consumers Agency. Overconsumption has become as preoccupying as overpopulation.
~ Idea 675 ~ 15 May 1996I also strongly recommend that we move from a "packaged society" to a "refill society", in order to avoid the catastrophic amounts of thrown away packages and containers and their costly recycling. I am glad that in certain grocery stores one can now get refills of products such as water, juices, tomato sauce, mustard, etc.I remember that when I was a French soldier, I had a friend in the army who owned a grocery store in the city of Strasbourg. He asked for a furlough every Saturday or Sunday to go to his store and prepare a whole pail of mustard by simply mixing mustard powder with water. He told me that it was the item on which he made the biggest profit, mustard powder being extremely cheap. How many other products are being sold to us at exorbitant prices compared to their cost? The case of cereal boxes is another example, the value of the cereal being only one thousandth of the price paid for the whole box.
~ Idea 676 ~ 16 May 1996I wish that all newspapers in the world would devote an entire section to the environment and to people's suggestions to improve it, consume less, save resources and help save our planet.The whole question of the media's influence on the environment and on the fate of the Earth should receive highest governmental priority. Only the rich can afford to subsidize newspapers and to pay for advertisement. The poor, the defenseless, the environment, the Earth cannot. It is again a question of real democracy and gaiacracy instead of plutocracy (government by Pluto, the god of money).
~ Idea 677 ~ 17 May 1996I gave earlier in these 2000 ideas examples of what just one idea can have as effects. Here is another one: when I was stationed at the United Nations in Geneva in the 1950's, once in a meeting I heard that the UN European Transport Commission had finished a draft European convention on road traffic signals and rules which would be submitted to all European governments for ratification. I took the floor and said: why don't you offer it for adoption to the entire world? Tomorrow many people will travel around the globe, will rent a car in a foreign country and might get killed because there are different traffic signals in those countries. Why not have the same rules in all countries? Well, my proposal was adopted, and today when I see in various countries the red sign crossed by a white line meaning that entry or crossing of that road is prohibited, I am glad that I opened my mouth. I sometimes show it to my grandchildren and say: If it had not been for your grandfather you might not see that sign here. And they take me a little more seriously.
~ Idea 678 ~ 18 May 1996Once coming from Costa Rica I walked with my son Francois, an employee of the United Nations Development Program, in the corridors of the UN after having luncheon together. He suddenly interrupted my talk with him about the United Nations and said: "Dad, why do you always have such crazy ideas? Can't you stop?"I answered: "Dear son, if we didn't have the crazy idea to create a United Nations Capital Development Fund for the poor countries after World War II, you and many of your colleagues would not have a job today and many people would not receive aid."At that moment we passed along a big organization chart showing the entire United Nations system. I said to him: "Let me see if it was not an idea of mine which was behind the creation of some of these agencies." I then discovered that in one way or another, it was an idea of mine which was at the origin of 11 of the 32 institutions and world programs of the United Nations. I could not believe my eyes and I thanked God for having given me a fertile mind which I will never cease to use until my death and God willing, even after it. May many of these 2000 ideas be implemented. Dear reader, help me.
~ Idea 679 ~ 19 May 1996The background of the Secretary General of the United Nations should be changed: Secretaries General were first selected from neutral countries (Norway, Sweden, Burma and Austria), then China used its veto to obtain a geographic rotation since it complained that not one of the world agencies is located in vast Asia. All are located in Europe and North America. So we got a Peruvian and an African Secretary General. After forty years of world service I have come to the conclusion that the Secretary General should be someone with a global background, a world citizen, devoted to the global causes of our planet and humanity. To get the debate started before the end of this century, I submitted my own candidacy not as a Frenchman but as a global citizen, even knowing that I will be defeated since nationals of the five permanent members of the Security Council are not eligible. I also recommended that after six male Secretaries General a woman should be selected (see my novel First Lady of the World). For the first time, several were considered.
~ Idea 680 ~ 20 May 1996In any debate on the reform of the United Nations consideration should be given to the democratization of the election of the UN Secretary General. It is no longer proper that he should be selected by a secret process and vote among the five permanent members of the Security Council (the US, Russia, England, France and China) and confirmed by a two/thirds secret vote of the General Assembly. The peoples of the world have the right to know who the candidates are and each of them should tell the world what his/her program, general philosophy and commitments would be. I did. The text is reproduced at the beginning of my first 500 ideas.
~ Idea 681 ~ 21 May 1996We should abolish all military bases on this planet and transform them into world parks of nature or schools and playgrounds for children, peace museums and other good causes of humanity, including places of worship to the Creator of our beautiful Earth. Military bases are an antiquity and blemish to this divine planet.
~ Idea 682 ~ 22 May 1996A world association of former, transformed military bases should be created to be a model and inspiration to remaining military bases. The association should become a Non-governmental Organization accredited to the UN.
~ Idea 683 ~ 23 May 1996My idea of having countries in a same region cooperate with each other on common interests, as illustrated by the European Coal and Steel Community which culminated later in the European Union, is shared by a Turkish citizen, Turgut Ozal, who launched the "Black Sea Economic Cooperation Project" for the Black Sea Countries and proposed a "Water Peace Pipeline" to the Middle East.
~ Idea 684 ~ 24 May 1996The preceding reminds me of the entirely new concept of politics and world government which would be an Earth government built primarily on biological or bioregions rather than human groupings. People of different languages and religions can perfectly live together in the same region, such as a river, like the Rhine River, which is the first binding factor, common concern and interest of the riparian people and has finally led to the borderless union of 16 European countries.
~ Idea 685 ~ 25 May 1996How wonderful it would be to have a Himalaya Forum, an Andes Forum, a Rocky Mountains Forum, an Alps Forum, as we have the Arctic Forum conceived by Governor Walter Hickel of Alaska. The mountain areas of our planet merit the creation of a World Mountain Agency, considering the vital role played by mountains in weather formation, water sources, forest cover, health areas and places of prophecies closer to God.
~ Idea 686 ~ 26 May 1996Governments, Parliaments and Courts of Justice can be instruments of abuse, even when elected by the people. This is why sixty countries have created the position of Ombudsman which means in Swedish "representative". Citizens can complain to him or to her about abuses, injustices, corruption, misbehavior and neglect by public officials and institutions. The Treaty of Maastricht creating the European Union has prescribed the creation of a European Ombudsman. Bravo. I recommend that a United Nations or World Ombudsman be created, preferably a woman under the title Ombudswoman. The UN General Assembly should take the decision to establish such a post. I know several remarkable persons who would admirably fill that position.
~ Idea 687 ~ 27 May 1996The time has already come when people who can afford it move out of Western crowded cities to live in places and countries like Costa Rica, where there is still an ample supply of oxygen and nature.The time will soon come when the most sensitive central governmental services should also move out of polluted capitals to places of oxygen and nature. This should apply especially to heads of states who need a clear head and to Parliaments, who need the clear voice and the natural wisdom of the people.The same applies to world agencies. I recommend that the headquarters of the United Nations should be moved to Costa Rica, not to San Jose the polluted capital, but to the paradise of peace, nature and oxygen on the vast grounds of primeval nature of the University for Peace. Simon Bolivar, the great visionary genius, prophecized already that the seat of the world's government should be located in Central America between North and South America, between Atlantic and Pacific, between Europe and Asia. And indigenous people believe that the reconciliation of the eagle and the condor will take place in Costa Rica on sacred Mt. Rasur.
~ Idea 688 ~ 28 May 1996I recommend that in many places of the world this example of Costa Rica should be followed: a landowner donated several thousands of acres of primeval land for the construction of a University for Peace on the condition that it would never be destroyed, deforested or misused for other purposes. This was confirmed by the Parliament which made it an international territory and protected zone. The world needs several such World Universities dealing in a central coordinated fashion with the world's global problems and opportunities. Please philanthropists, donate land for the creation of world universities.
~ Idea 689 ~ 29 May 1996On her death bed, Margaret Mead said to her pupil Jean Houston: "I had an important insight about the future. The world is going to change so fast that people and governments will not be prepared to be stewards of this change. What will save them is teaching-learning communities..." (p. 228 of Jean Houston's book A Mythic Life ).This statement has opened my eyes to what I have seen around the world and at the United Nations, namely that the greatest obstacle to our further evolution is fundamentalism, my nation right or wrong, my religion right or wrong, my ideology right or wrong, my culture or race right or wrong, at a time when the whole human species is in the midst of transformation, of teaching and learning from each other, in thousands of ways and communities, from the top of the world &endash; the United Nations, the biggest teaching-learning society on Earth &endash; down to the family. Competition and the survival of the fittest, as Darwin thought, can no longer be the rule of the human society. This phase of evolution had its role. The new evolutionary law is one of cooperation, of harmony achieved through learning and teaching from each other, and the birth of humanity as a meta-organism of evolution in which every human being is a cooperating unit or cell in a new global species, henceforth in charge of the further fate of our common home, the Earth and of all life forms on it.
~ Idea 690 ~ 30 May 1996I recommend the holding of a UN world conference or the establishment of a World Commission on The Ideal Earth and Humanity in the 21st century. The idea looks utopian, but even if we do not get a clear answer, we will learn a lot and move closer to it.
~ Idea 691 ~ 31 May 1996I wish that social scientists would study a contemporary new and preoccupying phenomenon, which I would call the kindergarten phase of the global age of human evolution: why is it that humanity and its social institutions are like children in a kindergarten and react and learn only when there is an accident, when they burn their fingers? Can't humanity reach the adult age when major new global accidents can be foreseen and prevented? My famous colleague, environmentalist Gerardo Budowski often says to me: "Robert, if we could only have a few big accidents to make governments and people aware of the seriousness of our environment."
~ Idea 692 ~ 1 June 1996Private business should not be surprised and angry at the fundamentalism and radicalism of the environmentalists. It is their own fundamentalism and radicalism which gave birth to it. The law of karma functions in political, religious, social, economic and ideological fields as well as in personal relations.
~ Idea 693 ~ 2 June 1996There is nothing fundamentally wrong with business, except its fundamentalist claim that it is the only form of human society which through competition will bring well-being and happiness to all peoples, the same claim communism had.Someone should start writing 2000 ideas for a more Earth-conscious, ethical and democratic business world. Writing concrete ideas is a great eye opener on the potential good and evils of any system. Ideas are an essential form of progress and evolution.
~ Idea 694 ~ 3 June 1996Between now and the year 2000 over one trillion dollars will be left through inheritances around the world. Childless rich people often wonder to what good cause they should leave their inheritance. The subject should be urgently taken up by the Commission and World Organization of Philanthropy I propose in Ideas 426 and 628.
~ Idea 695 - 698 ~ 4 to 7 June 1996I have observed earlier in these ideas how the fact of being alone in a long train ride after World War II and in a bus ride in the night in India, having nothing to do except to be with my own thoughts and dreams, were two of the most important turning points in my life, leading to my entry into the United Nations and the writing of my first novel.Again, sitting in the evening in an empty bus from San Jose to the University for Peace led me to the following recommendations:Idea 695 at least one day a year, or more often, do not watch television, in other words abstain from seeing sights decided by others, and see the natural sights around you: the family, your home and nature;Idea 696 observe at least one day in a year, or more often, when you do not read any newspapers or magazines, again in order to be primarily with yourself;Idea 697 observe at least one day a year, or more often, when you do not listen to any radio programs, for the same reason;Idea 698 observe at least one day a year, or more often, when you abstain from any food, to clear and to give a rest to your body. At the United Nations I observed that my Indian colleagues observed each week a half a day of abstinence, namely on Tuesday.Two further observations on the above: personally several years ago I have suppressed television altogether from my home. I gave my set away. Following the advice of my mother when I was young (see story How to Read the Newspaper in Most of All, They Taught Me Happiness ), I seldom read newspapers, just glance at the news summary, to remain in touch with main events. As far as radio is concerned, I listen only to stations which give classical music which elevates me. On abstinence, I try to follow the example of my Indian colleagues.
~ Idea 699 ~ 8 June 1996I recommend that the new United Religions Organization should study the experiences and reasons why all religions recommend times of solitude, meditation, prayer, yoga, inward looking, especially at the beginning and at the end of the day, and what their recommendations for fasting are. I think that there is not a single religion that does not give advice on fasting. All this should be studied scientifically and a science and methodology for better individual life be developed to take us away from the domination of commercialism, consumerism and advertisement which make us slaves of a materialistic world.
~ Idea 700 ~ 9 June 1996I applaud the plan of the Forgiveness Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, to hold the First World Congress of Forgiveness in Jerusalem in the year 2000. Here is my contribution to it:Decide to ForgiveFor resentment is negativeResentment is poisonousResentment diminishesand devours the self.Be the first to forgive,to smile and to takethe first step.And you will seehappiness bloomOn the face of your human brotheror sister,Be always the firstDo not wait for othersto forgiveFor by forgivingYou become the master of fateThe fashioner of lifeThe doer of miracles.To forgive is the highest,most beautiful formof love.In return you will receiveuntold peaceand happiness.Robert MullerIt would be good if the year 2000 could be proclaimed World Year of Forgiveness and Atonement by the UN and that still unreconciled, conflicting countries, religions, institutions and peoples could forgive each other and start the new millennium on a new basis.
~ Idea 701 ~ 10 June 1996After reading the preceding text, I plead again, I beg governments to strengthen enormously the United Nations which is their world instrument, to permit for example the expansion of the UN Volunteer Service into a service able to respond to the 60,000 demands it receives every year from young people around the world. What a great help to unemployed young people it would be! Just reduce a little or a lot your military expenditures and send the money to the UN Volunteer Service to accommodate the 58,000 applications it has to turn down every year. The current misallocation of national finances will someday be described as one of the greatest scandals of the 20th century.
~ Idea 702 ~ 11 June 1996I also propose that national peace services be created in all nations as an alternative to military service. Young people would spend a year in such a service devoted to restoring nature, building dwellings for the homeless, giving service to the poor, to drug addicts, to alcoholics, to the handicapped, to hospitals, to old people, to prisons, to the police, to the Red Cross, etc. These national peace services would give useful employment and would cost nothing: military expenditures would be reduced by the same amount.I hope that parliamentarians will introduce proper legislation to that effect in all countries, were it only to provide useful employment and exciting life experiences to young people.
~ Idea 703 ~ 12 June 1996The United Nations or World and national peace services could be of diverse natures and conceived under several titles: a Volunteer Service for the Earth Restoration, a Service for Land Rehabilitation, a Service for Prevention of Drug and Alcoholism Addiction, and so forth and so on. What a wonderful world for the young people this would be! The military will of course defend their budgets for reasons of national security which can be ensured by regional and a world security system. They will also claim that military service avoids unemployment. Well I suggest that military service should be considered as outright unemployment. The time has come for that, especially after the end of the cold and international wars. The environment, the reduction and healing of the effects of the new war against nature and the Earth, should henceforth be considered as one of the major sources of employment. A world conference should be convened on the subject. The military can be substantially reduced by regional security agreements and by a proper world security system under the United Nations, which has become quite feasible today. Or as proposed before they could transform themselves into Ministries of Peace, together with the police.
~ Idea 704 - 722 ~ 13 June to 1 July 1996THE NEXT 25 YEARSA PROPOSED TIMETABLE FOR THE TREATY ONNON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR ARMS*by William Epstein**1995-2000Idea 704 • A no first-use agreement by the five declared nuclear powersIdea 705 • Strengthened pledges by the nuclear powers to come to the aid of non-nuclear states threatened by nuclear weapons.Idea 706 • Taking all weapons off alert status; significantly separating all warheads and bombs from their delivery vehicles.Idea 707 • Cessation of the production of weapons-grade fissile material of nuclear weapons.Idea 708 • Achievement of nuclear-weapons-free zones in Africa and Southeast Asia. following the example of Latin America.Idea 709 • Establishment of a verification and control system for the Biological Weapons Convention and full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.Idea 710 • Full implementation of the UN Register of Conventional Arms and of the UN Reports on Military Expenditures.2000-2005Idea 711 • Reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles in Russia and the United States to 1,000 each.Idea 712 • Reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles of China, France, and Britain to 200 each.Idea 713 • Establish international controls and safeguards over the dismantling of nuclear weapons.Idea 714 • Devise international controls and safeguards over all enriched uranium and plutonium, military and civilian.Idea 715 • Conclude a treaty banning the use and threat of use of nuclear weapons.Idea 716 • Negotiate nuclear-weapons-free zones in the Middle East and South Asia, which would respectively include Israel, India and Pakistan.Idea 717 • Put in place regional structures for the limitation, reduction, and control of conventional arms and forces.2005-2010Idea 718 • Reduce and dismantle all nuclear weapons of the five declared powers to 100 each.Idea 719 • Reduce ceilings for all countries for their conventional arms and forces.2010-2020Idea 720 • Eliminate all nuclear weapons from national arsenals.Idea 721 • Transfer a few nuclear weapons to the UN Security Council as insurance against the clandestine retention or acquisition of nuclear weapons.Idea 722 • Reduce all conventional arms and armed forces to levels required for internal security, or for use of the United Nations peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations.*Excerpted from The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Nov./Dec. 1994**William Epstein is a senior fellow at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). He was formerly director of Disarmament Affairs at the United Nations and has represented the Secretary General at negotiations for several nuclear weapons treaties.
~ Idea 723 ~ 2 July 1996Since there is a Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Arms, however slow and insufficient it might be, why don't we have also a Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Population and a Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Earth Destroying Activities? Timetables like the preceding would be extremely useful for the salvation of our Earth. One should also conceive a Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Excessive, Wasteful Consumption.
~ Idea 724 ~ 3 July 1996I wish that a great author would write a best-selling world novel telling how at some time in the 21st century the human species and many other species became extinct on planet Earth as a result of environmental destruction, ozonosphere depletion, climatic changes, cancer and the end of the natural human immune system. He would get all the necessary information from the UN and its agencies, and from Lester Brown who in Washington publishes the yearly States of the World reports and many other vital documents on the current trends which menace humanity and the Earth.
~ Idea 725 ~ 4 July 1996It is rumored that the United States walked out of UNESCO not because of bureaucracy, bad management and overspending but because UNESCO wanted to convene a world conference on the media and advertisement.I recommend that the US Congress should open an investigation on this matter. The American people have the right to know what their Executive does.Note: June 1997: the United Kingdom, the only other country that left UNESCO, has returned to it.
~ Idea 726 ~ 5 July 1996I would also recommend a Congressional investigation on what files and information the Executive possessed on all past candidates for the post of Secretary General of the United Nations and on what qualifications and/or reasons the US State Department based its choice. Here too the American people have the right to know. The case of Mr. Waldheim's election would be particularly interesting.
~ Idea 727 ~ 6 July 1996If I were a tourist I would wonder if touring the world is the right thing to do: everywhere one goes one sees the destruction of the Earth by so-called development, or so called marvels of monuments glorifying wars, victories, rulers, despots and religious intolerance and fundamentalism. One feeds the profit hunger of huge tourism business, airplane and other travel companies and contributes to the pollution of our atmosphere. It would be better to stay at home and spend the money on an environmental improvement of the local community, or the reforestation of a poor foreign part of the world.
~ Idea 728 ~ 7 July 1996Homes of people acquire a soul, the souls of all those who lived in them before. We must recognize these souls, feel their presence, be helped and inspired by them. We should not destroy so easily homes. We should preserve and restore them. It is such a pity that old churches in great cities are being destroyed and replaced by skyscrapers which will never acquire a soul, because there is no spirituality in these arrogant buildings defying the Creator with God Pluto, the God of money and profit. The only modern high building in New York which is acquiring a soul is the United Nations. This is why, whenever I visit it as an elder who has worked so long in it, the tears come to my eyes. I can feel the souls of all those who have labored there for peace and a better world. Please, dear reader, respect and restore old homes. I have saved and restored two of them in my life-time.
~ Idea 729 ~ 8 July 1996Every collectivity is taxing people: cities, provinces, states, nations, corporations (through profits) to create common services. Only two communities, the most important ones at our stage of history and evolution are excluded from this system and foresight: the whole of the human family and the Earth.What incredible things could be achieved if common services for humanity and for the Earth would be created and adequately financed! The first one would be a world-wide energy grid which could bring electricity to practically all humanity.
~ Idea 730 ~ 9 July 1996What a day it will be when the world population will be stable and no longer growing and when the yearly budget of the planet will be limited to its maintenance, natural renewal and beauty, and to the happy fulfillment of all humans on it. Let us make these the main objectives of the 21st century: a balanced world population and a balanced world budget.
~ Idea 731 ~ 10 July 1996I hear more and more voices saying that the soulless capitalism which now rules the world will end the same way as the second 19th century ideology, communism, already defunct. When I hear many voices from around the world expressing concern about an event to come, I open a file because the global brain of humanity has begun to function and to give us the first warning signals. But as distinct from the demise of communism which has not found a new way, we must face the above dismal hypothesis and do two things: get the best minds of the Earth to think what can be done to avoid a catastrophe which will hurt innumerable people; have all local communities think of the actions they will take locally to face the consequences of the catastrophe.I am glad to learn that Elizabet Sathouris, the Greek geo-ecologist who was first to take the defense of Gaia, the Greek Goddess of the Earth, is working on plans to create local currencies when the current economic system will collapse.
~ Idea 732 ~ 11 July 1996One way of helping preserve the Earth is to use our possessions longer instead of buying new things. This applies particularly to homes: we are told that old homes are not efficient, not economical as are new ones. Well, make a careful calculation before you give up your old home for a new one. You will be amazed to see the results.Advertising and marketing have developed thousands of sophisticated ways to make you buy new things. Regain your personality &endash; an Earth personality &endash; and ask yourself it you really want to succumb to the temptations marketed upon you.
~ Idea 733 ~ 12 July 1996There is an urgent need for more world universities on this planet. I recommend that UNESCO take up this subject and make a first survey of all existing world universities, including those of the United Nations system: the World Maritime University of the International Maritime Organization; the International Labour Institute of the International Labour Organization; the Training Institute of the International Atomic Agency for students from developing countries; the United Nations University in Tokyo; and the University for Peace in Costa Rica. This beginning by far does not respond to the real needs of the Earth and of humanity. It requires a general review and proper planning on the eve of a new century and millennium. Philanthropists should take a vivid interest in the subject.
~ Idea 734 ~ 13 July 1996This leads me once again to recommend that the basic framework of University education which rests almost all around the world on obsolete values should be reviewed and reformed. My world core curriculum annexed to the first fascicle of 100 ideas should be considered as one of the new models.
~ Idea 735 ~ 14 July 1996Most heads or chief executive officers of multinational, global or world corporations deal primarily with their firm's affairs on a global, world-wide basis and leave the internal markets for their firm's products and services to local, national subsidiaries. No wonder that as a result they rule the world. Governments do not do the same. They deal with national affairs and only subsidiarily with world affairs. They should therefore not be surprised that they have lost relevancy in managing the world for the good of all people and the Earth.I recommend therefore that in all schools of government and political science, students should be taught how multinational corporations run the world often counter to the interests of the Earth, of humanity, often of their own nations and definitely of their children and grandchildren.
~ Idea 736 ~ 15 July 1996Hasn't the time come to have a look at all the national patriotic holidays in 185 nations and see whether they could not be replaced by concerns for major world issues which did not exist at the time? For instance, the French 14 Juillet could also become a day for human rights, since it was a day of revolution against horrendous human rights violations which reigned in that country at the time.
~ Idea 737 ~ 16 July 1996Several people from around the world propose that there should be each year a Day of Peace. Well, there is already one proclaimed by the United Nations: the third Tuesday of September, when the UN General Assembly opens its yearly session. Alas, this is not sufficiently known in the world. The media in particular do not pay attention to it, neither do the schools. To my ideas for that day I would add that people around the world should light a candle in their window in the evening.
~ Idea 738 ~ 17 July 1996After a speech to a group of Elderhostels visitors to the University for Peace, a member of the group told me that conscientious objection to military service was gaining ground in the US and in the world. I answered that I would go beyond that concept: I was claiming the fundamental human right of every human being not to be trained to kill and to kill other human beings, not in the name of a nation or a religion nor of any other group. These groups have no right to call for inhumanity from their members. They have the duty to make peace with peaceful non-violent methods. That duty should be included in a Universal Declaration of Human Duties.
~ Idea 739 ~ 18 July 1996People should refrain from publishing obituaries of their deceased ones in newspapers. The innumerable pages of obituaries are not read anyway. It would help save innumerable trees.In my last will I have specified that I do not want my children to publish an obituary of my death.
~ Idea 740 ~ 19 July 1996It is becoming more and more imperative for the attainment of peace, justice and the efficient administration of this planet that the UN publish each year a world budget showing the total local, national, regional, continental and world expenditures on every aspect of the human and Earth condition.
~ Idea 741 ~ 20 July 1996You might as well spend a lot of energy on a big world cause than on a little one. You might as well take the whole Earth and humanity as your cause instead of only one of the 185 partitions called nations. No nation anyway will ever be as big as the world, however hard it will try.
~ Idea 742 ~ 21 July 1996A UN World Agency for the Non-violent Solution of all human conflicts and disputes on planet Earth should be created as the outcome of the World Conference on Violence recommended in Idea 5 of the first volume of 500 ideas.
~ Idea 743 ~ 22 July 1996In the United States the Vice-Presidency for Global Affairs should be suppressed, this crucial function being reserved to the President who would be aided in his internal preoccupations by one or several Vice-Presidents for national affairs.
~ Idea 744 ~ 23 July 1996I do not know why the world takes seriously the requests by Japan and Germany to be given the veto power in the UN Security Council. What have they done to merit it? It would be much more justified to give a veto power to the 2/3rds of poor humanity, for democracy's sake, or give a veto to Africa, to Asia, to Latin America and to the Middle East. It would be an incentive for the countries of these regions to work together. Latin America would merit it most, since it is the only denuclearized continent on this planet.
~ Idea 745 ~ 24 July 1996Since privatization claims to be the solution to all our problems, well let then business be responsible also for full employment and to pay for unemployment.
~ Idea 746 ~ 25 July 1996Privatization already brilliantly solves the problem of world garbage: it makes consumers pay for all the packages and containers, producing employment, and makes the consumers also pay for garbage removal, disposal or recycling which also gives employment. The only victim in all this is the Earth.
~ Idea 747 ~ 26 July 1996Since privatization claims to solve all the world's problems provided government disappears, let business also solve the increasing gap between the rich and the poor countries, between North and South, East and West, and even inside rich countries.
~ Idea 748 ~ 27 July 1996The USA should no longer offer itself as a model to the poor countries of the world. It is a country of aging people, of incredible, excessive, Earth-consuming overconsumption, a country whose people's happiness has not increased over the last forty years, despite the increase in per capita income, a country with incessant noise and advertisements. There are more happy, laughing people in poor countries than in the US. To introduce in them excessive materialism and consumerism will not do good, neither to these people nor to the US. It will only profit big business, the worlds of Coca Cola, soft drinks, cigarette firms, McDonald's, advertisement, violent toys and movies, drugs and alcohol.
~ Idea 749 ~ 28 July 1996Never forget when you are consuming anything that you are consuming Earth.
~ Idea 750 ~ 29 July 1996When I spoke to a group of Elderhostels visiting the University for Peace, I said to them that my life, at the age of 73, was pure magic: invisible forces of the universe were helping me in my work for a better world and peace, there were many mysterious coincidences in my daily life, and I had the impression that many unemployed saints were floating around this planet, ready to help. When they saw someone opened to them like me they flooded down to help in the most extraordinary ways.After my speech, an Elderhostel approached me and said: "Coincidences are the way God talks to you."What a beautiful remark!
~ Idea 751 ~ 30 July 1996It is high time to transform the International Consumers Union into a full specialized agency of the UN with tripartite representation like the International Labour Organization: governments, producers and consumers. I would have a whole agenda to propose, including on statistics, from a United Nations point of view, consumption having become one of the most important concerns on the agenda of world affairs. It is likely that the existing non-governmental organization is already dealing with several of these subjects and many more. Here are my wishes regarding to start with statistics:- I would like to see statistics published on wastes and garbage per inhabitant in each country of the world, by region and for the total world. The US would hold the record with a life-time amount of garbage and waste 4000 times the average weight per habitant;- Expenditures for the birth of a baby, for education, for housing and for funeral at the end of life. The US would again hold the record for the highest expenditures in the world;- US advertisement and propaganda speaks only of the high incomes of Americans but seldom of prices and expenditures. At least such statistics would diminish the cravings of people in the poor countries to imitate the consumption habits of the Americans or to wish to emigrate to the US, even illegally.- It would be in the interest of the US itself to publish such statistics and information in order to reduce illegal immigration instead of paying for more border polices and internal controls.
~ Idea 752 ~ 31 July 1996The World or United Nations Consumers Agency should also establish lists of products which should be avoided or dispensed with, and develop a world-wide strategy to get concrete results. The battle against tobacco and smoking has already begun, but there are many exceptions in poor countries, where even lottery tickets are inserted in cigarette packages. There are battles against other products to be waged in the interest of the people and of the Earth:- against alcohol. The word Al kohol in Arabic means the devil; in Muslim countries alcohol consumption is a sin; its production, transportation and sale are totally prohibited. Well, it would be good if all countries of the world would imitate that good example. How many miseries and accidents would be avoided. China should join the ranks, since Confucius said: you drink the first cup of alcohol, and the alcohol drinks you.- against soft drinks which displace natural fruit juices in the poor countries to a disastrous extent. They produce in addition billions of plastic and other bottles or containers which are strewn all over the world. If you add honey or a sweet syrup to water you have a cheap, safe, healthy drink for your children without carbon dioxide bubbles.- window washing liquids and many household cleaning products. With plain water you wash windows as perfectly as with window washing liquids and you do not add chemicals to the environment;- mouthwashes: they can be outright dangerous because they destroy useful, natural bacteria in our mouth etc., etc.
~ Idea 753 ~ 1 August 1996I ask myself how many basic messages I received during my life. I remember these three:- the message of the Hopi Indians when I was named Kogyun Deyo, Spider Boy: that I should make a gigantic spider web, catch in it all evil of the world and then throw it far away into the universe;- the second from the indigenous people of Saskatchewan: to help find a new way for the indigenous and all people to walk closer with the Creator;- the third from Jean Houston, the friend and student of Margaret Mead: not to continue digging deeper into current avenues of my efforts, but to concentrate on new ones and give the world a vision of what the Earth and humanity should be in the 21st century.Ask yourself what messages you have received during your life. It should be the duty of parents to give such messages. When I told mine that I was going to be a peacemaker at the United Nations, and said good-bye to them, their only comment was: there is no such profession as peacemaker in the world.When I see them in heaven I will tell them, to their joy, that it has become one of the most important professions on Earth.
~ Idea 754 ~ 2 August 1996Further to the above, I received from Barbara Gaughen, my new life companion*, the following message: "Never give up and spread your love to all humanity and the Earth through your optimism. Your optimism for me is an example, as I wrote already on 27 September 1995: how brilliant, how imaginative, how devoted you are to the great causes of humanity and of the Earth! You make everyone optimistic."* God wanted it that we got married on 27 June 1997.
~ Idea 755 - 756 ~ 3 to 4 August 1996In response to the preceding I sent her the following fax:Idea 755 My message to you, dear Barbara, is to write beautiful books centered on the splendor of love: love for the miracle of life, love for children, love for beauty, love for nature, and how each human being can make a personal contribution to these loves and achieve untold happiness.Your love for me is an example of your miracle-making innermost nature, capacity and results. You validate everyone you meet.Idea 756 I propose the creation of a World Association of Optimists and Life Enthusiasts.
~ Idea 757 ~ 5 August 1996What is basically wrong, and might turn out to be tragically wrong in the evolution of this planet is that everyone is working for a particular nation, religion, business or institution, not paying consideration to the world in its interdependent entirety and that of humanity too. This can only be corrected by a basic reform of education which would start with the world and humanity, and then only show the role, place and contribution of innumerable groups, entities, beliefs and institutions. I am sorry to have to say that, but the world core curriculum which I derived from the United Nations and offer at the end of the first fascicle of 100 ideas is a major way out of the chaos in which we find ourselves today, imperiling the planet and the human species itself. We owe future generations, our descendants this new, up-to-date evolutionary curriculum of education. It is of utmost urgency.
~ Idea 758 ~ 6 August 1996This morning at dawn the following rough scheme of how proper Earth Government should be structured appeared to me:Outer space and the atmosphereThe Seas and Oceans (71% of the Earth surface)The land massesThe biosphere (sphere of life)other speciesplant and forest lifethe human speciesThe infinitely smallEnergyEvolution
~ Idea 759 ~ 7 August 1996I think that the Mayan cosmology is correct when they consider the couple and not the individual to be the basic cosmic unit of evolution. They say that in a couple all the evolution and experience of innumerable forebears of two lines of humans will converge and the couple will give birth to new lines of descendants. This is why they consider the couple to be sacred. How right they are. There is a sacredness in the mysterious, divine act of love and there is a recognition of that sacredness in the miracles of our children and the family. We must therefore re-establish the central value, the miracle of the family in the human society. And the new evolutionary messages are that we should not reproduce indiscriminately and wound the body of our Mother Earth with unnecessary, wasteful, damaging overproduction and overconsumption.
~ Idea 760 ~ 8 August 1996I do not know if the Mayans conceived of a Divine, Cosmic Couple in the heavens, a God and a Goddess. If they did, I think we should follow their example. There is no reason to consider one sex superior to the other. Alone, none of them can reproduce the miracle of life and continue evolution.
~ Idea 761 ~ 9 August 1996I would not exchange my wild, "unproductive virgin", primeval jungles in Costa Rica for the biggest, money-making shopping center or sky-scraper in the world. And I am sure that the Divine Couple in heaven will thank me for it, when I appear before them.
~ Idea 762 ~ 10 August 1996All humans should be Earth-maids. We must clean the Earth, our house and keep it the magnificent, incredible miracle and gift of God it is.
~ Idea 763 ~ 11 August 1996A good enough reason for Americans to move to Central America is that they will find there truly natural fruits and vegetables undoctored by chemicals, and pure oxygen for breathing coming from the vast Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
~ Idea 764 ~ 12 August 1996I think we should rename many areas, geographic features and sites of the world, giving preference to natural names, ecological ones. Original indigenous names would be a gold mine and a revelation. The UN International Decade of the Indigenous People should take up this subject. One benefit would be a greater sensitivity, greater concern for the preservation of nature, for our Mother Earth on which all life, including human life, depends.
~ Idea 765 ~ 13 August 1996The UN should publish a document or popular booklet giving the etymology, original meaning and history of all the names of its 185 member countries. It would be fascinating. How many people, including Canadians know that the name Canada means Kanata, the indigenous word heard by the French explorers, meaning many villages, i.e. country. How many young men are being killed in wars in the name of a country whose name has no meaning to them. Please dear reader, make sure that you and our children know the original meaning of your first name, family name, street, city, province, country, continent and Earth.
~ Idea 766 ~ 14 August 1996Perhaps this is one of the most important single ideas of these 2000 derived from a 73 years long experience in war, in peace, and at the top of the world in the United Nations: that you as an individual human being, in whatever place in the world you are, whatever profession you exercise, whatever religion or nation or ethnic group or race you belong to, should take as your ideal to love this beautiful Earth, your miraculous life, and in recognition for these gifts to be of service, to always ask what contribution you can make to a more peaceful, cleaner, more admirable, happier world and humanity. And you will be surprised: God and the invisible forces of the universe will help you and shower upon you gifts beyond belief. Try it. My life is an incredible proof of it.
~ Idea 767 ~ 15 August 1996If we are serious about getting a better world, I recommend that all my works derived from an unprecedented, life-long experience of world affairs, should become required readings in all political and international affairs faculties of this planet. They exist already in several languages. (see Annex to the first 500 Ideas)
~ Idea 768 ~ 16 August 1996When will be the day when all radio stations of the world will start the day with the hymn of the United Nations written by Pablo Casals or the Ode to Joy by Beethoven, adopted as the hymn of the European Union, and after that only the national hymn. There is not a single country on Earth that does it. No wonder that the world is divided, in disarray.
~ Idea 769 ~ 17 August 1996It is marvelous that we have on this planet such an incredible linguistic, ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, all legacies of an immemorable past, all having something important to contribute to the biological, cultural wealth and evolution of humanity.But all this was born locally without even knowing that there were other continents and that the Earth was round and circling around the sun. This diversity can therefore not be allowed to stand in the way of a new, immense, widely opened evolution: the global age, the age of total knowledge of our home and of our world-wide human family, the interdependence between the Earth and humanity, between the past and the future, between the Earth and the heavens.Our present beliefs, institutions and ways of life must take this into account and acquire a global dimension or at least understanding. The past cannot stand in the way of the future and cannot claim to be the infallible, unchangeable, fundamental reality. Education, politics and religions must all be globalized, as has been the case of already so many other things, to start with business. No part can be considered greater than the totality.
~ Idea 770 ~ 18 August 1996Instead of spending huge sums on trying to find out how life on planet Mars became extinct, the US would better do to spend that money on ideas and measures to prevent the extinction of life on planet Earth.
~ Idea 771 ~ 19 August 1996Often, after writing or speaking to audiences I feel discouraged when I think that during that time tens of thousands of experts sitting in growing numbers of skyscrapers around the world have devised ever more sophisticated methods to produce more, to sell more and make money, leaving the Earth in a worse condition than it was when I began to write or to speak.Only you the people can help control the skyscraper dwellers. Please remember me in a small wooden farmhouse on a sacred hill in demilitarized Costa Rica, and who has not given up his optimism, despite enormous odds.
~ Idea 772 ~ 20 August 1996The greatest error of our time is to take the present world political and economic "orders" as they are and not as they should be.
~ Idea 773 ~ 21 August 1996Business is not interested in population control: they are interested in growing numbers of consumers and new markets.But the white western world should be acutely interested, for within a few decades their children and children's children will be minimal in the world, close to disappearance.
~ Idea 774 ~ 22 August 1996The greatest indictments of capitalism are firms like Coca Cola and Philip Morris and others in the same line of products. It is simply pathetic to see the disappearance of natural fruit juices in the poor countries, displaced by sugared, carbonated water. Parents with low incomes are bleeding themselves to buy expensive Coca Cola for their children who have been programmed by advertisement and marketing to crave for them. And I do not speak of the lottery tickets put in cigarette packets and behind soft drink labels in some poor countries to make people buy them. The history of such firms would be the most enlightening condemnation of the excessive "free market system".
~ Idea 775 ~ 23 August 1996Capitalism and communism are two political and economic systems born from the industrial, scientific revolution. Capitalism has done wonders for human progress until recently, because it was based on the valid and prevalent view of evolution as competition and survival of the fittest. Communism was a failure because it did not respond to the basic, justified needs of humans at that time. Alas capitalism is no longer good today. It is not good for the Earth which has become preoccupation number one in our evolution. It is not even so satisfactory for humans anymore because of the excessive production of goods which are not really needed for the fulfillment of human life. This is why capitalism is in crisis and does not know what to do to continue to grow except through endlessly increasing marketing and advertisement. The entire economic system of this planet must be re-examined from scratch if we want to avoid an economic collapse in the next century.
~ Idea 776 ~ 24 August 1996There is growing interest and action to save what is common to humanity: the seas and oceans, the ozonosphere, the atmosphere, the biosphere, the forestry of the planet, etc. A new ideology and philosophy is coming to the fore. We should ask an honest man like Mikhail Gorbachev to tell us what was good in certain cases in communism and which would be useful for humanity. Not everything is totally bad in any system. Even Hitler did something worthwhile, still existent today, when he asked for the building of the Volkswagen, the cheap, economic car for ordinary, low income people.
~ Idea 777 ~ 25 August 1996The University for Peace has carried out a very successful program of Culture for Peace in the whole of Central America. I suggest that the UN launch a similar program of Culture for Peace for the entire world with the advice and experience of the University for Peace.
~ Idea 778 ~ 26 August 1996The Secretary General of the UN should have a group of idea-men and idea-women advisers. The President of the European Union has a group of long-term prospective thinkers attached to his office. All governments and major institutions should follow that example.
~ Idea 779 ~ 27 August 1996Whenever a government is accused by Parliament for spending too much, one of the first reductions is to cut the contributions to world cooperation. If I were a Parliamentarian I would ask: could you not reduce expenditures on things you are doing and which the world agencies could do much cheaper for the community of nations, saving expenditures of 185 governments?
~ Idea 780 ~ 28 August 1996It is not because something seems impossible to achieve, that it should not be tried;It is not because something has little chance to succeed, that it should not be tried.On the contrary.This is why I claim that it is of the utmost importance to sit down and to devise a better way of governing this Earth and humanity than is the case under the current, questionable system.
~ Idea 781 to 785 ~ 29 August to 2 September 1996These ideas for the year 2000 come late to me, but better late than never:Idea 781 I recommend that each member government of the United Nations prepare a list of ideas they have proposed in the United Nations since its foundation or since their membership in the Organization. The ideas could be listed in 4 categories:1. ideas implemented2. ideas partly implemented3. ideas which did not obtain agreement4. new ideas for the 21st centuryIdea 782 I recommend that the same be done by the member governments of all the specialized agencies of the UN;Idea 783I recommend that the same be done by the past Secretaries-General of the UN, the present one, and all past heads of UN specialized agencies and present ones;Idea 784 I recommend that the same be done by retired and active world servers of the UN and of its agencies;Idea 785 I recommend that the same be done by all the Non-Governmental Organizations accredited to the United Nations and to the specialized agencies.What wealth of ideas and initiatives this would produce for the year 2000! My own 2000 ideas would look pale in comparison.
~ Idea 786 ~ 3 September 1996All too often I hear people say: I tried but it did not work, so I gave up. Well, we have the sacred duty to try and to never give up. Many of our ideals for peace and a better world will be fulfilled only after our death. This was the case of so many enlightened world servers of the past: those who wanted human rights, those who wanted the abolition of slavery, etc. Here is a more recent, unforgettable example:Robert Schuman, my compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine, dreamt as a child of the abolition of the borders in Europe, especially between France and Germany. He launched the Schuman Plan in 1949 and it took 43 years until the European Union was born and the borders of western European countries were abolished. But Robert Schuman was no longer alive to see it. I went to his tomb to report it to him.Please follow his example: never give up your dream even if you will not see it fulfilled.My dream for a World Union or United States of the World or Earth Government is unlikely to be fulfilled during my life time. It is only a reason for working harder at it.
~ Idea 787 ~ 4 September 1996We must begin to control the excessive growth on this planet of both our numbers and our consumption. If not, we will end up by destroying our planetary home. An inspection team from another planet visiting our Earth to find out why life became extinct on it, will find this prediction in many writings.
~ Idea 788 ~ 5 September 1996Economics must be careful not to become the dismal science and business schools its dismal executants. At each promotion of economists and business classes, the Earth must shudder, because they have become the military academies of the war against the Earth.
~ Idea 789 ~ 6 September 1996A Nobel Prize for Economics was created a few years ago. The first laureate was my dear and admirable friend Jan Tinbergen from Holland who could have been a saint and who did so much good work for the poor countries and as a consultant to the United Nations. It is to be hoped that there will soon also be a Nobel Prize for Ecology.
~ Idea 790 ~ 7 September 1996If I were a young man I would study economics and business only with the determination to make a revolution in those fields.
~ Idea 791 ~ 8 September 1996When I suggested to the Albert Schweitzer Institute's President, Harold Robles that I would prefer to stay at their home for the night rather than go to a big, luxurious hotel they had offered me as a choice when I was invited to speak at Yale University, he exclaimed surprised: "You are like Albert Schweitzer. He always refused to go to luxurious hotels."I answered: "Yes, when I am in such hotels and look at all the lavish constructions, the unnecessary luxury, I am thinking of the Earth destruction this all represents, mushrooming all around the world, spending huge sums of advertisement to create Earth-destroying desires in people."
~ Idea 792 ~ 9 September 1996Years ago, when I went to the Italian hairdresser at the UN, he always seized my glasses, looked at them and washed them with soap and water.I remembered this recently and tried it with my glasses. To my astonishment the result was better than with eye-glass cleaning liquid. It takes away the grease from the skin which gets into the rims of the glasses. I recommend it to everyone. It will spare the environment millions of little plastic bottles and who knows what kind of chemicals used in the liquids.
~ Idea 793 ~ 10 September 1996We have a very substantial and admirable science of life called biology (Greek bios, life, and logos, study).We still urgently need a science and art of biophily, love for life (phil, Greek meaning love). The word does not even exist.
~ Idea 794 ~ 11 September 1996There will soon come a time when humans will not be able to be happy as long as there is so much poverty and suffering in the world. More and more well-blessed people will look for poor people, especially children, they can help. One can observe the beginning of this new moral, individual and family philanthropy at the end of this century. UNICEF at the United Nations is the most lovable, gratifying example of it. In reality the United Nations is the first great UNICEF for the alleviation of all human miseries on this planet, including the miseries of the Earth itself.
~ Idea 795 ~ 12 September 1996Each well-to-do human person and family should ask itself at the end of the year what good it has done, what philanthropy (love for humans) and gaiaphily (love for the Earth) it has done during that year. A good occasion are the tax exemptions offered by certain countries for charitable donations. This field should be better investigated, to include also help to nature, to the Earth. If the Fiscal and Financial Branch of the United Nations would not have been suppressed it would have been a subject for its study and recommendations world-wide.
~ Idea 796 ~ 13 September 1996I would like to see someday world statistics on the total number of local, municipal public servants, city public servants, provincial and state public servants, national public servants and finally world public servants. The results would reveal that there is an infinitesimal small number of world public servants at the time when they are most needed. Someone calculated that there are 556 soldiers, 85 doctors and 1 world servant per 100,000 inhabitants of the Earth.
~ Idea 797 ~ 14 September 1996The same statistics would be interesting showing the number of local, municipal politicians, provincial and state politicians, national politicians and global, world politicians (better called planeticians).
~ Idea 798 ~ 15 September 1996I pray for the creation of world associations of global thinkers, of world leaders, futurologists and planeticians, of a world academy of planetic science, of a world administrative agency.
~ Idea 799 ~ 16 September 1996The most neglected field of human rights is the field of consumers rights. I hope that the International Consumers Union will soon become a full specialized agency of the UN.
~ Idea 800 ~ 17 September 1996During my life on this Earth I have discovered what a blessing it is to be married, to share the miracle of being alive with another beloved companion. I had the privilege of a wonderful marriage with a marvelous wife from a faraway land, Chile, whose ideal was to obtain equal rights for women in the world, who gave me four children and nine grandchildren. Alas, she died four years ago from Alzheimer's disease in Costa Rica. God placed another wonderful companion on my way, imbued with idealism and love for this Earth and for all humans. When we later got married on 27 June 1997, our family recited during the wedding ceremony my poem Decide to Be Happy, reproduced earlier in these 2000 ideas. And from a Mayan cosmologist I learned later that we should consider ourselves a cosmic couple.
~ Idea 801 ~ 18 September 1996It is wonderful that common services are provided to people for their local, urban, provincial and national communities. That is the origin and reason for the local and national tax systems. How strange that nothing similar has ever been thought out and implemented for the new and vastest human community, the world community. What incredible benefits one would derive from the creation of world common services which would avoid the duplication of the same services by 185 nations. I recommend therefore the establishment of a World Commission of Eminent Persons for the Creation of Common World Services, their financing through proper taxation and the establishment of a yearly world budget showing all revenues and expenses at all levels of government, from the local, regional, national, continental to the global, world-wide levels.
~ Idea 802 ~ 19 September 1996All peoples of Earth should follow the good example of the Latin Americans and take every day a siesta. There is no better way to good health and to avoid tiredness, nervousness and depression. In modern life it is a long day which merits being interrupted by a good, deep rest. In France, the government recommends it to all elderly. If everyone does it, it will be a more peaceful, happy and certainly less neurotic, agitated world. I would like in particular to see the heads of states and of corporations in their skyscrapers take a good midday siesta every day.
~ Idea 803 ~ 20 September 1996The following fundamental statement has not yet been taken into account by the adult politicians of this planet:"Until modern times young people could anticipate a future rather like that of their parents. Social change was that slow. Now young people face futures for which their parents' culture cannot prepare them. The young must create the future themselves."Margaret MeadIn reality youth has barely any voice in national and world affairs. Adults should therefore not be surprised by the frustration, often despair of youth, their frequent addiction to drugs, alcohol and violence. Let us give a strong voice to youth, a participation in the building of a better world, a hope and enthusiasm for the future. In these 2000 ideas I give several of them for youth, e.g. to hold parallel youth parliaments next to national parliaments, parallel youth ministries next to national ministries, to create Youth Ministries in all countries, to hold parallel youth conferences next to United Nations and other world conferences. Philanthropists of the world, please listen to this appeal. The future of the world might depend on it. It is your children's and grandchildren's world too.Note: I was delighted to learn at the end of 1997 that a first World Conference of Ministers of Youth will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 1998. I plan to attend it or to send them a long list of proposals.
~ Idea 804 ~ 21 September 1996When one considers that the world spends only 1.3 billion dollars a year on the United Nations which serves the whole Earth and humanity and that the nations of this planet spend more than 1000 billion dollars a year on armaments and militaries; one wonders if there is not a better way to run this planet. To do that, I propose:1. that a review be made of all the excellent world security systems worked out over the last fifty years which would save us 1000 billion dollars and which can be implemented now that the cold war is over;2. that the United Nations Secretary General publish a major report with the assistance of all UN agencies for the year 2000, showing how the 1000 billion dollars of savings could be used for the solution of the world's and humanity's major problems:? billion dollars for world population control? billion to feed the hungry of the world? billion to eliminate extreme poverty? billion to eliminate illiteracy? billion to improve world health? billion to provide decent housing to all? billion to prevent handicaps and take better care of the world's 500 million handicapped? billion to save and improve the environment? billion to eliminate remaining unemployment after all the aboveThe report should be released on 1 January 2000, or before, as a beacon of hope and determination to make this Earth a true showcase in the universe, inhabited by a most intelligent, peaceful, fully evolved and happy human race, living in harmony with itself, with the Earth, with the past, the future and the heavens.
~ Idea 805 ~ 22 September 1996Regarding multimillionaire and billionaire philanthropists, I am sure that many poor people ask themselves how they could get such fortunes without being taxed by governments or the world community to reestablish justice inside nations and in the world. Many on the contrary admire the very rich. They make the headlines in the press. They should be looked upon with different eyes. The people should say: we do not want philanthropy and charity, we want justice.
~ Idea 806 ~ 23 September 1996The same happens in the current relations between rich and poor nations: the rich nations exploit the poor by buying at miserable prices their mineral and natural resources with which they make big profits at home. And then they offer a pittance of aid to the plundered countries. The latter should say: we do not want aid, we want justice. I recommend that all foreign aid given by the rich nations to the poor should be called reparation aid, after deduction from it of all armaments purchased from such aid at the insistence of the giving country.
~ Idea 807 ~ 24 September 1996Perhaps the scant practice of having idea-men and idea-women attached to high offices such as world institutions, heads of states and global corporations, should be replaced by the practice of establishing "wisdom counselors", because wisdom is more than intelligence, it includes love, cooperation and common sense which are sorely needed for our successful further evolution. The indigenous people give us good examples: they assign an important role to the elders and take decisions only after taking into account the effects on the seventh generation. The fact that the modern, western society has rarely, if ever done that during this century might be the reason why we are in such trouble today.
~ Idea 808 ~ 25 September 1996People should be urged by government at all levels to conserve water resources, to use as little water as possible, in order not to deplete underground water tables and to be accustomed to it when serious water shortages will develop in various parts of the world. The time has come to create Ministries of Water in all governments and a World Water Agency in the United Nations.
~ Idea 809 ~ 26 September 1996I recommend that all countries which have a federal system of government, e.g. the United States, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and several others, should form a new group in the United Nations and work together in the light of their experience, for the creation of a world federal government.
~ Idea 810 ~ 27 September 1996All national pledges of allegiance should be preceded or replaced by a pledge of allegiance to the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 811 ~ 28 September 1996Since so many of my dreams have been fulfilled during my life, I believe that dreams are the surest ways to new realities. My ultimate dream is to see this Earth preserved and improved as the most beautiful paradise in the universe with a humanity living in peace, well-being and utmost happiness in it.Is that dream too big? I do not believe so. All we have to do is to dream it, to want it, to work for it and it will happen.
~ Idea 812 ~ 29 September 1996Professor Dietrich Fischer, author of the Introduction to my eighth hundred ideas, sent me this proposal:"Create a Center for Legal Education and Research" (CLEAR), where some of the best legal scholars and legislators from around the world could meet to exchange ideas on what constitutions and laws have worked well, under what conditions, and what pitfalls have led to ambiguity and conflict. They could transmit their combined knowledge to some of the brightest law students from around the world. This could help countries that are still struggling with establishing well-functioning legal systems, so that they would not have to repeat all the costly and painful mistakes that others may have gone through."An excellent idea!
~ Idea 813 ~ 30 September 1996How grateful we must be to nature! If we had to water and irrigate all the crops on the planet, we would never be able to do it. And rain does it so naturally in so many places of the world. It even replenishes the waters of our rivers and underground water tables from which we irrigate. Nor would humans be able to produce industrially all the oxygen needed by the lungs of 5.6 billion people. And nature does it so well, producing oxygen from the surface of the seas and oceans and from the vegetation cover of the Earth. The gravest challenge now to humanity is not to destroy, not to interfere unduly with these natural processes. Nature must become infinitely more valuable and respected by us. Humans must become infinitely more humble and devoted to the Earth from which we come and to which we will return. Each year's Earth Day should be our thanksgiving day to Mother nature.
~ Idea 814 ~ 1 October 1996Our lives are encumbered with too many "things". As a result we do not think enough, we do not dream enough, we do not pray enough, we do not meditate enough. Our miraculous inner self is robbed away from us by the excessive things around us. We must clean our houses from all unnecessary, meaningless things imposed upon us by marketing and advertising. We must visit the miraculous nature around us and our rich inner self.
~ Idea 815 ~ 2 October 1996I applaud the initiative taken in the US State of Kansas by a volunteer organization to give children a voting opportunity in national, state and local elections. It is good for candidates to hear the voice of children. For information contact the office of Kids Voting, Kansas Inc. c/o the Topeka Capital Journal, 616 SE Jefferson, TOPLON, KS 66607.
~ Idea 816 ~ 3 October 1996Many years ago in the 1960's, at the UN I assembled statistics on how many people were killed in current wars at that time, including Vietnam, and people killed in automobile accidents. The figure of the latter was more than twice the number of the first. And yet people have more outcries against wars than accidents.In a proper Earth Government or World Union there should be a Registry for Accidents and their Prevention. It would keep world-wide statistics on all accidents, study their main causes, publish them and ask the public for their help in prevention and reduction. It would not only save many lives and handicaps but also huge resources to social and health insurance systems. A great role can be played by the media in such an effort.
~ Idea 817 ~ 4 October 1996Anyone who goes to Costa Rica and stays at one of the big, lavish American or multinational wasteful, arrogant hotels, is losing a precious part of their time, life and money in that beautiful country with its paradise of nature and simple, frugal life.
~ Idea 818 ~ 5 October 1996At my death I will leave a lot of ideas behind me, as I did during my life. It was my way of thanking God for the miracle of life. I have even received many generous, marvelous advance payments from God.* They require that I work even harder until I am recalled to heaven and asked for my final report.* Like my beautiful, younger, fabulous wife Barbara Gaughen, married in June 1997
~ Idea 819 ~ 6 October 1996The whole world should rejoice at this news:General Butler, the former Commander-in-Chief of the US Strategic Air Command, along with 60 other military leaders from around the world released a statement calling for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons.It begins: "We, military professionals...are convinced that the continuing existence of nuclear weapons...constitutes a peril to global peace and to the safety and survival of the people we are dedicated to protect."It concludes: "We have been presented with a challenge of the highest possible historic importance: the creation of a nuclear weapons-free world...We must not fail to seize our opportunity. There is no alternative."There is no doubt that this should be one of the top priorities on our world agenda as we enter a new century and millennium. General Butler and his 60 friendly military leaders should further come up with an effective world security plan, including a UN or World Strategic Air Peace Command.The above recommendation should also be extended to the abolition of the 443 nuclear energy plants in the world* which generate more than 10 tons of nuclear waste each day (3,700 tons a year). It took millions of years for this Earth to loose its original nuclear radiations when born from the sun, and it was only after that clean-up that life was able to appear on this planet. Builders of nuclear arms and nuclear energy plants should be brought before the planned World Criminal Justice Court. We cannot accept a reversal of the evolution of this planet for national sovereignty, defense purposes and/or economic reasons.*Plus 36 more under construction in 14 countries.
~ Idea 820 ~ 7 October 1996The frequent encounters and reciprocal visits of heads of states of this Earth are a substantial progress in human affairs, peaceful relations and world cooperation. I would suggest that such visits should include their families. Often, their spouses already accompany them and become friends. But even more important would be that their children, the future generation, could meet, become friends and give their ideas and dreams to their heads of family. Why not create networks or associations of spouses of heads of states, and networks or associations of their children? Great ideas might come from them.
~ Idea 821 ~ 8 October 1996A world Human Settlements Prize should be awarded each year by the United Nations for the best ideas, initiatives and actions to stop the insane, continuing growth of monstrous cities in which humans will be unable to live sooner or later. A return of people to rural, natural areas where they will recover their sanity and good health should be fostered by all UN agencies, governments and institutions in the world. We must decitycize this beautiful, miraculous planet. "Small is beautiful" applies also to cities.
~ Idea 822 ~ 9 October 1996Who told us, who gave us the right to govern this Earth? Look at the job we are doing. We are in the full process of destroying it. It is rather the laws of nature, of evolution which should govern us or at least guide us. It is providential that a World Party of Natural Law has been created by British scientists and exists already in 85 countries, including the United States. At this stage of evolution and degree of human intervention in everything under the sun, we must absolutely raise the question: how should this planet further evolve according to natural laws, how should it be properly managed, cared for, what should be the right evolutionary role, task and responsibility of the human species? This should be inscribed as the priority item on the human agenda of world affairs on the eve of a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 823 ~ 10 October 1996The word politics should be abandoned. It was coined by the Greeks from the word polis, the city, because Greece was a city state. They had no idea what the rest of the world was, that the Earth was round, a globe turning around the sun, that there was a vast world ocean with other continents emerged from it.What word should we use, if it is in reality the task of humans to "govern" this Earth or at least to stop destroying it?Let us try the world "management":Personal management science of the individual individualismFamily management family science familismCommunity management community science communalismVillage management village science ruralismCity management urban science urbanismHuman regions management regional social science regionalismNatural regions management bioregional science bioregionalismProvincial management provincial science provincialismNation management national science nationalismContinent management continental science continentalismWorld Ocean management ocean science or oceanology oceanismBiosphere management biosphere science biospherismLithosphere management lithosphere science lithospherismAtmosphere management atmospheric science atmospherismOzonosphere management ozonosphere science ozonospherismThe globe's management Global Earth science or Earthology globalismOuter Space management outer space science outer spacismSolar system management solar science solarismOur galaxy management astroscience or astrology galaxismThe cosmos or universe cosmic science or cosmology universalismWe must ask this question: can we, should we interfere in all these areas, modify them, rule them, tamper with the laws of the universe, of nature and of galactic, cosmic evolution?What an incredible, mind-boggling picture this provides, not to speak of the place in time of each segment and of the totality, the holism of it: the little we know of their past, what we know today and what we will need to know about their future and the future consequences of our actions on them?Take only the first segment: personal management which includes the meaning of life, the science of the body, the mind, the heart and the soul, individual creativity, the art of living, personal fulfillment, the achievement of happiness, reproduction, contribution to further evolution, etc.Or take the other living species' in our earthly biosphere, their astonishing variety and numbers, their role in nature, from the biggest to bacteria and microbes. And all this is interdependent in a monumental whole moving in time with a life-span, role, responsibility and benefits for each.We humans cannot even grasp the nature of eternity and of infinity, bogged down as we are in our limited form and limited time from which we judge everything else!So what can we do, what should we do? There is no ready answer, but definitely the word politics, i.e. management of city does no longer apply. Planetics would be a first progress.I recommend that we look into this and do what I propose in ideas 527 to 547, and 557 to 564, taking as the occasion our entry into a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 824 ~ 11 October 1996For all the above segments of the cosmic reality there should be- a science (the thorough knowledge of it)- a strategy or plan or objectives, or non-intervention- a methodology (how to do it or to leave it alone)E.g. for the individual person, there should be:- a science of individual, personal human life- a strategy or plan or objectives: the attainment of happiness, of fulfillment, of contribution to further evolution- a methodology: the art of living, its ways, human practices and methodsRegarding our planetary home, the Earth should no longer be secondary to nations, but nations must be secondary to the Earth and evolution. National sovereignty has become an evolutionary aberration. While it was a progress in earlier times, now it is a harmful obstacle to the future of our planet, humanity and of themselves.
~ Idea 825 ~ 12 October 1996I wish that for each of the 21 segments of human life listed in ideas 527 to 547, a column be added showing what initiatives or plans are under way to do the fundamental rethinking needed. This could be a most important document. The United Nations and its agencies should collect that information and bring it to the attention of the world. Here are a few examples:A new political system for planet Earth: the report of the World Commission on Global Governance headed by Mr. Ingvar Carlson, former Prime Minister of Sweden;the forthcoming meeting of the World Federalist Movement in Montreux, Switzerland, 19 - 21 September 1997the United States Initiative Philadelphia II for a proposed Federal World Government.the meeting planned in Holland in 1999, United Democracies to draft a Constitution for the WorldA new education: the report of the UNESCO World Commission on Education in the 21stcentury, headed by Mr. Jacques Delors, former President of the European Community.A new philosophy: the forthcoming 20th World Congress of Philosophy in Boston, 10 - 16 August 1998.A new cosmology and long term view of evolution: the conference of long term evolutionary scientists on the future of the world, to be convened by the Club of Budapest on global, planetary consciousness, in Weimar in 1999.A new spirituality: the United Religions Initiative and the third World Parliament of Religions in Capetown in 1999All of these and many more could be considered as preparatory steps to the year 2000 during which the United Nations will hold a General Assembly 2000 of heads of states accompanied by a World Peoples' Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 826 ~ 13 October 1996It is wonderful to live in a country where there are no militaries! I dream that soon all humans will live in countries without militaries in a totally disarmed world. Having this thought on sacred Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica, above the UN University for Peace I make it a prophecy: soon there will be no longer any militaries and armaments on this beautiful planet. Please, dear people, dream and act for the same.
~ Idea 827 ~ 14 October 1996The United Nations should publish each year a report on the philanthropy received by the UN and all its agencies and world programs. I am sure it would look like a trifle, compared with the philanthropy received by national institutions when nations are already overfinanced and multiplied 185 times in the world at a time when the Earth and humanity should be given top priority by philanthropists in order to foster a more rational, just, economical, natural and social world order.
~ Idea 828 ~ 15 October 1996US citizens should follow the example of the US government which refuses to pay its assessments to the United Nations budget if the UN does not reduce its budget or for other reasons hostile to world conferences, specialized institutions and world servants. US citizens should refuse to pay taxes for the same or similar reasons, the first being the astronomic expenditures of the US government on armaments and the militaries.
~ Idea 829 ~ 16 October 1996The UN should publish a yearly report on national prohibitions, restrictions and outright deductions from their contributions to the UN budget of people's philanthropic contributions to the UN, to its world agencies and world programs. It would be an eye opener for the public.
~ Idea 830 ~ 17 October 1996Since the cold war is over and the UN has done a remarkable job in reducing, almost eliminating international wars, the US should reduce its military budget at least by the amount of its contribution to the UN. As a result the UN would cost nothing to the US. Russia gave a good example by paying its arrear assessment to the UN through an equivalent reduction of the military budget.
~ Idea 831 ~ 18 October 1996One of the few right environmental decisions taken in the last thirty years was the agreement not to extend the building and use of supersonic airplanes for civilian air transportation. France which invented and constructed the Concorde, uses it only for transatlantic flights, but no other country does. The interesting fact is that the agreement was not reached for environmental purposes, but for the fact that the United States had almost the monopoly of existing big passenger planes and did not want to see the new planes developed by France extend to the world. It is commercial reasons which rule this century and the world, not the preservation of the Earth and of its nature. This should no longer be allowed in the next century.
~ Idea 832 ~ 19 October 1996For millions of years we humans did not really change the basic functioning of nature, of the Earth. But now, with our sizable world population, insatiable consumption, incessant new inventions, technological and scientific changes, world-wide marketing and advertisement, we are changing the fundamental functioning of the planet. We risk destroying it and ourselves in the process. It is time therefore to listen to the wisdom of the indigenous people who have an immemorial, intimate knowledge of nature and take no decision without evaluating the effects on the seventh generation. They should be the wise leaders of the Earth, not the chief executive officers of the multinational and national corporations who have only one thing on their mind: how will the decisions increase profits, the power of the corporation, its world-wide market and its position in the stock-exchange. Since they are the dominant power and object of admiration, envy and imitation on this planet, they will mean our end as well as that of evolution. I sometimes think that the Roman Empire has not been as decadent as is this new empire. The title chief executive officer should be changed to chief execution officer. As someone said: the destruction of a work of art is called vandalism; the destruction of the Earth is called development.
~ Idea 833 ~ 20 October 1996I urgently recommend the convening by the UN of a world conference on architecture to make sure that architectural education and the architects profession will pay utmost attention to environmental requirements and that the main objective should no longer be for bigger, more luxurious, unnecessary buildings bringing in more money to them. Architecture and the building industry must undergo a fundamental philosophical change. The same way as we need more frugal and simple living, we need more simple and frugal dwellings. The building explosion is as bad as the population explosion and consuming explosion.
~ Idea 834 ~ 21 October 1996The subject of ethics, especially world ethics, is popping up everywhere in the world these days. It means that the global brain of humanity is giving signals. We have reached a sufficient level of global consciousness to consider the creation of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Ethics. I would give them a whole file of initiatives and work already undertaken around the world on the subject.
~ Idea 835 ~ 22 October 1996It is wonderful to hear play and sing at the end of the Sunday mass in Ciudad Colon, the seat of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica, the Ode to Joy of Beethoven with its heavenly notes and lofty words by Schiller calling all humans to brotherhood. The tears come to my eyes when I hear the simple choir of peasants perform this heavenly music. I dream that the Ode to Joy will be played some day in all churches and temples of the world. I wish also that it be played at my funeral mass which I want to be a mass of resurrection in white as were the masses of Teilhard de Chardin and Emmanuel de Breuvery. I will also leave behind a recording of my performance of the Ode to Joy on my harmonica which my grandfather taught me to play. It will be my good-bye to earthly life. I wish to be buried into the Earth without a coffin, on sacred Mount Rasur so that I can resurrect soonest into other vegetal and animal life forms, possibly into a beautiful, lofty, inspiring tree spreading out its leaves to the cosmic rays of the sun. This will be the contribution of my life in another fascinating form.
~ Idea 836 ~ 23 October 1996Humanity must devote as much, if not more attention to the healing of the Earth and of humanity as we devote to the repair of machines and to the healing of human beings. There is need for a holistic Humanity and Earth health care and medicine. We devote infinitely more attention, research, energy and resources to scientific and technological feats on individual health and medicine than on a healthy Earth and Humanity.
~ Idea 837 - 838 ~ 24 - 25 October 1996How is it that only a few exceptional humans are uttering throughout history the obvious, fundamental laws and wise precepts for good, happy, fulfilled individual and social lives on this God-given, miraculous, incredible planet?Why, why, why are they the exception? Why are not all children of the world taught these precepts? Don't we want them to be peaceful, happy and fulfilled human beings?Why is education dictated by obsolete nations and television?Why is education of adults dictated by big business through the media, marketing and advertisement?Why not by a Jesus, a Buddha, a Mahatma Gandhi, a Mother Teresa?Why, why, why?I therefore recommend these two ideas:Idea 837 A World Commission of Wise People should be established on perennial wisdom and happiness;Idea 838 Somewhere on this planet, on a prophetic sacred hill bathed in oxygen and close to God, a University of World Wisdom and Happiness should be created to teach the perennial precepts of all great sages, prophets and saints of all human history, religions and cultures.
~ Idea 839 ~ 26 October 1996If there is one idea which should be high up on the agenda of the United Nations it is how our world should be better governed. Alas, the cold war prevented any discussion of the subject. A youth conference on The Challenges to World Government just held at the University for Peace recommended that the United Nations hold a world conference on world government before the year 2000. I gave the proposal my wholehearted endorsement.
~ Idea 840 ~ 27 October 1996In a file entitled "After my death" I slipped a note from a Franciscan sister of Caldwell, New Jersey, suggesting that I should be canonized a saint. Well, I would not make it as a Catholic saint, but I might be one of the first global, political saints. My compatriot, Robert Schuman, father of the European Union will be the precedent of a political saint when he is canonized.I recommend that the United Religions Organization, once established, should consider the proclamation of universal saints, including political, economic, and environmental saints. It would enchant me in the afterworld to learn that I would be proclaimed one of them.
~ Idea 841 ~ 28 October 1996The basic Greek philosophy &endash; textually the love for wisdom &endash; turned around three concepts:knowledgelovebeautyThis concept is valid for all levels of society, from the individual, the couple, the family to the entire humanity.At the level of humanity, the situation at the end of this millennium is as follows:- we have attained a tremendous knowledge of our planetary home, of humanity and of the universe, from the infinitely small to the infinitely large;- we have not yet been able and taught to extend our love from the nation to all humanity, as Freud pointed out to Einstein;- we are only beginning to be conscious of the beauty of our earthly home, of its miraculous nature and life forms, of the miracle of life and of the universe, and that beyond personal beauty, the couple's beauty, family beauty, local and national beauty, we must also now care for the beauty of our planetary home, of our miraculous Earth.The United Nations is recommending these great remaining feats still to be accomplished and I am sure that humans can and will succeed, if they support and listen to their world organization.And after all the above, peace and happiness will be the result.
~ Idea 842 ~ 29 October 1996During my early days at the United Nations I created a spiritual Peace on Earth Society (Pacem in Terris) for UN staff members and delegates. It still exists today. On the eve of the new century and millennium I would transform it into the UN Peace, Justice, Love and Beauty Society.
~ Idea 843 ~ 30 October 1996We have on this planet professions like interior designers and landscape experts. Why don't we have also Earth designers and Earthscape experts? I consider myself to be one of them. The Earth, our magnificent, so beautiful and lovable home in the universe deserves many, many such new professionals. All designers and landscapers, be they interior or exterior, should remember that their work can contribute to a more beautiful and well preserved planet and avoid its unnecessary destruction and resources depletion.
~ Idea 844 ~ 31 October 1996To visit an American supermarket is to visit a new decadence. Just think what it represents in terms of unnecessary destruction of the Earth and wastes. It must be staggering.Please, dear reader, return to simple, frugal lives and to small family shopkeepers who can make a living and be employed from your customership.
~ Idea 845 ~ 1 November 1996I recommend that the living former Secretaries General of the UN be invited to the UN General Assembly 2000 and offer their views, dreams and recommendations for a better UN and world in the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 846 ~ 2 November 1996I recommend that the living former Presidents of the UN General Assembly be invited to the General Assembly 2000 and offer their ideas, dreams and recommendations for a better UN and world in the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 847 ~ 3 November 1996I recommend that all Secretaries General of the UN and Presidents of the General Assembly write after their office not so much an autobiography but a Testament to the UN as I have done and an Ideary as I am doing now.
~ Idea 848 ~ 4 November 1996The young people of the world should request that each national delegation to the UN should include a youth, because youth must absolutely be heard in world affairs and the shaping of the future. There should be a yearly report by the UN to the world outlining the views, dreams and recommendations of the world's youth.
~ Idea 849 ~ 5 November 1996And why not consider a Main Committee of Youth in the UN General Assembly, which would examine all the items of the agenda world affairs and formulate the recommendations, ideas and dreams of youth for their solution?
~ Idea 850 ~ 6 November 1996It is easier to change oneself than to change the world. Therefore, let us all begin with ourselves and see how a better personal life, a better behavior and greater frugality can contribute to a better world.Multiplied by 5.6 billion individuals, what a different world it will make!
~ Idea 851 ~ 7 November 1996City mayors will tell you: if we do not grow we will die. I say on the contrary: if you continue to grow you will die.
~ Idea 852 ~ 8 November 1996As we enter a new millennium, given the colossal knowledge we now possess of our planet and of humanity, there will be need for the first time in human history and evolution, for century mid-terms and millennium mid-terms strategies: our visions and objectives for the years 2025, 2050, 2075, 2100 and each following century until the year 3000. The whole future of our planet and of our species to the year 3000 must now be the object of yearly, decade, mid-century, centennial, mid-millennium and millennium plans, visions and strategies.
~ Idea 853 ~ 9 November 1996More generally I recommend that a Permanent World Commission of Long-Term Evolutionary Scientists, Thinkers and Visionaries be created to report yearly to the United Nations and to the world their views on what should be done and what should be avoided to continue the evolution of this planet.
~ Idea 854 ~ 10 November 1996The European Union, the greatest new dream and progress in proper Earth government and cooperation , must now take the relay from the United States which has forsaken its role as a dreamer for proper, progressive world cooperation through the United Nations. The world would be well-advised to place its hopes in the European Union as a model for tomorrows indispensable World Union.
~ Idea 855 ~ 11 November 1996I am glad to visit often the United States to be reminded that this is not what the whole world should look like someday.
~ Idea 856 ~ 12 November 1996Which will be the city, the state, the nation which will have the courage to declare: we will stop the further growth of our population, we will stop the further growth of industries, we will stop the endless growth of transport and traffic, we will stop the destruction of our nature, of our Earth, etc.
~ Idea 857 ~ 13 November 1996I dream that I will be appointed the Servant General of the World People's Assembly in 2000 and that the governmental UN General Assembly 2000 will honor me with the title Servant General Emeritus or Wise Elder of the United Nations. I will place this dream on my bench of dreams on sacred Mt. Rasur.
~ Idea 858 ~ 14 November 1996More generally, I recommend as I did already in my novel First Lady of the World, that the title Secretary General of the UN be changed to Servant General of the Earth and Humanity.
~ Idea 859 ~ 15 November 1996It is utterly wrong to make the poor countries envious of the rich ones, mostly for marketing and commercial purposes, and to give them western excessive consumption and living habits. This will not even be of benefit to the rich countries, because these habits multiplied by 9 to 10 billion people in the next century will mean the end of all life on this planet through the destruction of its natural elements.
~ Idea 860 ~ 16 November 1996Since we all want our children and grandchildren to be happy, why don't we request that happiness should be taught in all schools and be put on the agenda of all governments and world organizations? How many schools and institutions do it? Very few, I am sure.We forget the wise ideal defined by the drafters of the US Constitution: the pursuit of happiness. This should henceforth be our world ideal. The recently coined concept of sustainable development should be replaced by happiness ensuring development.
~ Idea 861 ~ 17 November 1996Business and sovereign nations will be the undertakers of life on this planet. Humanity must rapidly change its priorities. This should be a top item on the world's agenda for the next century and millennium.
~ Idea 862 ~ 18 November 1996What we call gross national product and income is often in reality a gross Earth and nature destruction and loss. We better revise our language, false concepts, values, and definitions if we do not want to go under on this planet.
~ Idea 863 ~ 19 November 1996If you want a different world than the one we have now cut up into 185 "sovereign" nations, a One World with common services, ideals, institutions and pooled efforts and resources, you must start this in the schools. I am glad that there are already 33 Robert Muller Schools around the world which are doing that.
~ Idea 864 ~ 20 November 1996Winston Churchill proposed in 1950 the creation of a European army, and in February 1951, my compatriot Robert Schuman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, opened in Paris a Conference for the creation of a European army. Alas, this bold, historic attempt was defeated by communists and extreme right nationalists. Now that communism has given up and that we have a borderless European Union, the idea of creating a European Army has reappeared and has a good chance of being implemented.Beyond that, I recommend that the governments of the world should not let this century and millennium pass without holding a World Conference on the creation of a world army. Perhaps a miracle will happen and the world would save 900 to 950 billion dollars of military expenditures and use this tremendous sum for infinitely better purposes, especially social and environmental ones.
~ Idea 865 ~ 21 November 1996Humanity badly needs political saints, saints who wear a suit and a necktie. I am so glad to be a member of the canonization committee of Robert Schuman who wanted to become a monk, but guided by God and the miseries of World War II, became a political man and created the borderless European Union of 16 countries, including the former archenemies France and Germany. His sainthood is expected to be proclaimed in 2000 on the anniversary day of the creation of the European Union. What a great event it will be.
~ Idea 866 ~ 22 November 1996If someday my picture or bust should be displayed in the Robert Muller Schools, I would like to have these words inscribed on them:"It is in the United Nations, humanity's House of Hope, that I received the education which is now given to you. Blessed be the United Nations. May you be the builders of a permanently peaceful, just and happy world."
~ Idea 867 ~ 23 November 1996The United Nations should not only be the world organization entrusted with peace between nations. It should become the eminent world organization of non-violence, giving guidance, assistance, and ensuring non-violence in all sectors of human life on this Earth.
~ Idea 868 ~ 24 November 1996When I look at a forest, at a tree, at a flower, at a hen, at a cow or at a horse, I see a perfect creation. Each is perfectly what Creation, God, the cosmos or evolution wanted to create.And I ask myself: am I as perfect as they are? Do I live, think, behave in the perfect way my Creator expects me to?I ask myself this question all the time, and have constantly God, the cosmos, the marvelous evolution of this planet present on my mind. Do I do my duty to them?This is what we modern people must call spiritual, cosmic or evolutionary consciousness. The next century and millennium will be that new period of civilization, a spiritual, cosmic one.
~ Idea 869 ~ 25 November 1996I dream that five exceptional leaders, heads of states from the five continents of this planet will meet and lay down the foundations of a World Union, the same way as three great leaders of Europe, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide de Gasperi raised their vision above their nation and created the European Union, a blessing for that region after thousands of years of wars and divisions. May the same now happen for the world. Very soon, please, leaders of nations.
~ Idea 870 ~ 26 November 1996Perhaps the above council could be extended to include a head of state, spokesperson for the Seas and Oceans, one for the Earth, especially its climate and biosphere, and one for the long term evolutionary prospects of our planet and the human species.
~ Idea 871 ~ 27 November 1996I wish that UNESCO would undertake a world-wide survey and study of the holy, visionary, sacred places of this planet and of the prophecies uttered on them.
~ Idea 872 ~ 28 November 1996In the year 2000 the leaders and great thinkers of this planet should have the courage to express their views and hopes:- on what kind of year 2100 they would like to see;- on what kind of year 3000 they would like to see.
~ Idea 873 ~ 29 November 1996I hope that a great publisher or UNESCO will publish the views and fears which prevailed in the year 999 on what would happen on 31 December 999. The general view was that it would be the end of the world. They should also publish a book on the state of the world in the year 1000. It would help us to better grasp our past journey, evolution and future progress and role on planet Earth.
~ Idea 874 ~ 30 November 1996Perhaps from the year 2000 on we should see the Earth as our home, as our dwelling:- it would have rooms with different families of people,- no room should dictate to others how to live,- all families would contribute to the common services, safety and maintenance of the house,- everyone would aim at keeping the entire home in good shape, harmony, peace, beauty and diversity.Let us make the Earth, our home, a masterpiece, the most beautiful, most durable, most lovable mansion in the universe. Let us all have that objective.
~ Idea 875 ~ 1 December 1996The UN and its agencies should collect and prepare for publication in the year 2000 a compendium of personal pledges and commitments of people and institutions to achieve a better, more just and happy human society and world.Please, dear reader, write down your pledge, commitments and promises and send them to the Secretary General of the UN. Your human brothers and sisters and the Earth will love you for doing it.
~ Idea 876 ~ 2 December 1996I walk with God and always ask Him: what more good can I do? What do You expect from me? And when an idea comes to me, I know that He is my inspirer and will be my helper, friend and miracle-maker. I am no longer afraid of anyone or of prevailing views and powers.
~ Idea 877 ~ 3 December 1996All religions ask this question: What, dear God, do You expect from us? Once all the world's religions will be united, we will see at long last a tremendous world-wide spiritual Renaissance and cosmic civilization on Earth.
~ Idea 878 ~ 4 December 1996Every human collectivity is taxing people: cities, provinces, states, nations, corporations (through their prices and profits) to create common services and provide goods.Only two communities, the most important ones at this stage of evolution are excluded from this system: humanity and the Earth.What incredible things could be done if common services for humanity and for the Earth were created and adequately financed. Thank God, the European Union provides now an outstanding example of what can be done when the World Union is created.
~ Idea 879 ~ 5 December 1996Economics has really become a dismal science. And business schools will finish this planet. The Earth shudders at each graduation of a business class in the world. They are the new military academies in the war against her.
~ Idea 880 ~ 6 December 1996Why is there a Nobel Prize for Economics and none for Ecology or the Environment?Claes Nobel tried to convince his family to establish one, but did not succeed. He therefore created his own Earth Prize, but it does not have the same visibility and effects.
~ Idea 881 ~ 7 December 1996United Nations world conferences have been a monumental blessing in giving the world's people renewed consciousness of old, still unresolved world problems and new problems due to our accelerating global age (e.g. the population explosion, the environment, the world's climate, etc.)Alas, the US Congress instead of being grateful and pleased, no longer wants any world conferences, arguing that they are costly and useless.* I propose that on the contrary we need more of them on global problems and dangers confronting humanity. If other governments agree with the US and no longer want new world governmental conferences, I recommend that the people should do them. There should be continued World People's Conferences on population, children, women, the aged, human rights, indigenous people, the world's climate, the environment, demilitarization, disarmament, world security, violence in all its forms, the world commons, the seas and oceans, outer-space, etc. Perhaps a better United Nations and world democracy would ensue.*In reality, it is because the US wants to promote its own ideas and leadership of the world's future.
~ Idea 882 ~ 8 December 1996Two new human rights must be fought for in the new century:- the right not to pay taxes for armaments and military expenses;- the right to non-military service or to alternative environmental service.
~ Idea 883 ~ 9 December 1996Socrates when he saw the Athens market exclaimed: "So many things which I do not need!"What would he say today if he saw an American shopping center!At least in his time the Athens market was not a danger to the future of the Earth, whereas today the shopping centers spreading around the world are.Today, Socrates would ask: "And what will they do with all the goods they will not sell?"Do we know? It would be fascinating to learn it.As an author I once learned that when a US "best-selling" book is launched on the market say at 300,000 copies, easily 100,000 to 200,000 copies are returned by bookshops and shredded! What a world of waste! But it is included in the gross national product!
~ Idea 884 ~ 10 December 1996Nothing prevents a country from deciding that at each parliamentary election a candidate will be elected to represent that country at the United Nations. It would bring Parliaments closer to the UN. Which will be the first country to do it? We need new ideas.
~ Idea 885 ~ 11 December 1996Each golf course builder or club should be required by law to donate to the local community a piece of land of equivalent size to be made into a local forest or park for the poor.
~ Idea 886 ~ 12 December 1996Humanity must begin to educate a new breed of elevated, enlightened, global citizens who are in communion with the Earth, the universe and evolution. The schools teaching the world core curriculum are the precursors of such an education.
~ Idea 887 ~ 13 December 1996The phenomenal growth of international associations and world non-governmental organizations in recent decades has become such an important world political and social factor that I recommend the establishment of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on People's Representation and Participation in World Affairs.
~ Idea 888 ~ 14 December 1996Why should the United States or any other country in the world be afraid to be conquered and taken over by another country and therefore arm itself up to the brim to defend itself? Who on Earth wants to take over the United States or any other country? They are all in such a mess and have enormous headaches.
~ Idea 889 ~ 15 December 1996In a proper Earth government it would be imperative to have a world progressive income tax system to finance common world services and projects and to redistribute income to the helpless and poor. The existence only of local and national income taxes is a total aberration on this planet. It reminds me of Buckminster Fuller's remark: "National borders and bureaucratic jurisdictions act as blood clots in the free flow of goods and services." He should have added: and justice.
~ Idea 890 ~ 16 December 1996The budgets of Ministries of Foreign Affairs of nations should not include the country's financial contributions to the budgets of the United Nations and of its agencies. These should be included in the budgets of the corresponding Ministries e.g. the contribution to the Food and Agriculture Organization should be under the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture, the contribution to the International Labour Organization under the budget of the Ministry of Labour, and contributions to UN Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of Defense and not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc. This would make financing of international organizations more rational. It could lead to a new and much needed reinforcement of national and world cooperation through the cheaper, joint financing of common services and endeavors.
~ Idea 891 ~ 17 December 1996The World Federalist Association proposes that UN Peacekeeping Operations should be financed from the defense budgets of nations rather than international affairs. How right they are!
~ Idea 892 ~ 18 December 1996We are beginning to realize that wars against each other must end and that new wars must be declared: the war against waste and the destruction of the planet.
~ Idea 893 ~ 19 December 1996We humans are too intelligent. Our intelligence will kill us, unless that intelligence and our hearts make a great jump into the future, into the universe, the entire planet and the whole of humanity. That is our main challenge for the 21st century and 3rd millennium.
~ Idea 894 ~ 20 December 1996To the various new fundamental human rights I have claimed in these 2000 ideas, I would like to add: the fundamental human right of young people to form a family and not to be prevented from it by unemployment.The reason is that the creation of descendants, at least one or two, is a fundamental cosmic, natural law: the experience of life of ancestors registered in the DNA must be transmitted to descendants in the flow of evolution.Governments will have the duty to ensure employment of young people. It can easily be done in the way suggested in the next idea.
~ Idea 895 ~ 21 December 1996The employment of young people must be an absolute duty of government, from local communities to cities, to provinces, to nations, to regional unions and to the top of the world. A world plan must be established to that effect. Regarding employment at the top of the world, I have outlined the tremendous possibilities offered by the United Nations World Volunteer Service, adequately financed. Reductions of military expenses on the planet should be used in priority for the full employment of young people. Vast employment can be found in environmental tasks, such as the greening, reforestation, waste management of all communities. Military service must be replaced by environmental service and peace service.
~ Idea 896 ~ 22 December 1996Talking to visitors from Kansas City about the Heart Forest planted at my suggestion near the International Airport as a symbol of their city as the "heart" of the United States, gave me the idea of planting a heart of red bougainvilleas on the beautiful slope of our sacred Mt. Rasur, visible from the airport of San Jose.What a great symbol it will be for Costa Rica and for the first University of Peace on this planet.
~ Idea 897 ~ 23 December 1996Dear brothers and sisters, here is my advice after decades of work for the world and for humanity at the United Nations:- firmly believe, be convinced that a peaceful, non-violent world is possible- that universal well-being is possible- that making the Earth a paradise is possible- proclaim, prophesize that it will happen- love passionately to work for it, neglect no avenue, no detail, no opportunity, no person you meet- persevere, never give up, not even after death- be a shining example of what a miracle-maker a human being can be
~ Idea 898 ~ 24 December 1996The time has come for humanity to enter a new age: the Age of Wisdom. I see at the top of an Earth Government a World Wisdom Council, composed mostly of women and elderly men, including indigenous elders, who would be consulted on every world law, initiative or new technology and say:- it is not wise to...or- it is wise to...For example they could say that it is not wise in any community to let some individuals become excessively rich and powerful, etc.
~ Idea 899 ~ 25 December 1996"In our way of life...with every decision we make,we always keep in mindthe Seventh Generation to come...When we walk upon Mother Earth,we always plant our feet carefully,because we know that the faces of ourfuture generations are looking at usfrom beneath the ground.We never forget them."Oren LyonsFaithkeeper of the Onondaga
~ Idea 900 ~ 26 December 1996There was a time when a number of great people like George Washington, James Madison, George Mason and others had the vision and courage to propose a Constitution for the United States of America against the vociferous and staunch opposition of the state powerholders of their time. Where are the great people of today who will dare to conceive and propose a Constitution for the United States of the Earth?Dear contemporary political leaders, you will all be forgotten as little people by future generations unless you wake up to the supreme needs of this Earth and of its genial human race. Please, a few of you, have the courage to wake up and to propose against all opposition a World Union following the example of Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide de Gasperi who succeeded against all odds in creating a borderless European Union of 16 former belligerent, quarreling nations.Please, do not miss that tremendous historic opportunity on the eve of a new century and millennium to become famous and be loved and honored by future generations.
~ Idea 901 ~ 28 December 1996For its own sake and progress all humanity should celebrate each year the birth of George Washington, the father of the United States, of Franklin Roosevelt, the father of the United Nations, of Robert Schuman, the father of the European Union, and of other great humans who united nations towards the ultimate creation of a World Union which must at long last be created and bless humanity in the 21st century:George Washington: 22 February 1732Franklin Roosevelt: 30 January 1883Robert Schuman: 29 June 1866
~ Idea 902 ~ 29 December 1996The budget of practically any nation, multinational firm and hotel chain is bigger than that of the United Nations. And yet, only the United Nations is genuinely concerned with the fate of our Earth and of Humanity. Many other institutions could not care less, preoccupied as they are only with their constituencies, stockholders and customers. This will lead to catastrophe. A new, stable system of financing all-Earth and all-human concerns and projects is needed on this utterly mismanaged planet.
~ Idea 903 ~ 30 December 1996The rapid global quantitative and qualitative changes on our planet are the most preoccupying and hopeful subjects to be identified, studied, anticipated and acted upon by humanity. And yet, they have only recently begun to attract attention thanks to the United Nations. They are insufficiently acted upon by most of the 185 nations which divide the planet among themselves. And they receive only an infinitesimal part of the financial resources of the planet.The present political, sovereign nation-state system and the economic system of this planet must absolutely be revamped.
~ Idea 904 ~ 31 December 1996This is the end of another year, with only three years left to the first of January 2000. My efforts since 1995, the 50th anniversary of the United Nations whose world-wide celebration I obtained from the UN General Assembly, to get the same Assembly decide the world-wide preparation and celebration of the year 2000 have failed so far. My correspondence and journals will record the efforts I made with several governments and UN officials to get this item on the agenda of the UN General Assembly. At least a number of governments and innumerable private people's organizations have decided to celebrate that year. Soon it will be a landslide which the UN will have to join. I wonder why my dream 2000 written already in 1977 for Margaret Mead on Earth Day of that year, has not moved any UN delegation to do what I propose in it. Don't they have a heart or at least a forward-looking brain?** 7 September 1997: I am glad that the Secretary General of the UN proposes at least to hold a General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level with a companion People's Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 905 ~ 1 January 1997My wish on this first Day of a New Year, is that humanity will wake up to the turning point which we have reached and change course before it is too late. Never before has there been a time when the whole fate of the Earth, of humanity and of all life forms on it are at stake. On the average our Earth is seized with major climatic changes every ten thousand years. But with human overpopulation, industrialization and overconsumption of the Earth' resources, we risk such changes much earlier. Climatologists tell us that it will happen in less than one hundred years.How will the year 2097 look like? What will the estimated 11 billion humans living in that year think of our year, of our beliefs, behaviors, actions, lack of planning and dreams for the future? I wish I could return as a spirit in that year to see what happened since I wrote these 2000 ideas.
~ Idea 906 ~ 2 January 1997It will not be easy to turn the clock in favor of the Earth instead of power, business, armaments, militarism, wealth, glory, materialism and consumerism. Why are so few leaders aware that we must absolutely change our values, abandon wrong ones from the past, and think about the long-term fate and evolution of the Earth and humanity?
~ Idea 907 ~ 3 January 1997The concept of sustainable development is now largely accepted in the world, as well as that of sustainable population. No less important is the concept of sustainable consumption.
~ Idea 908 ~ 4 January 1997One of the historic decisions we must expect from the UN General Assembly 2000 is to hold a special session of the Assembly to remain in permanent session until it has drafted a Constitution for the world, commensurate with the needs of the 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 909 ~ 5 January 1997Having been asked to comment and support the Declaration of Mt. Vernon I sent the following text:The Declaration of Mt. Vernon honoring George Washington and urging the United States to take a bold initiative towards a United Nations World Federation should be given top priority on the US agenda of world affairs. The same way as the great Americans who met in Philadelphia saved a major part of North America from continued disorder, this time the whole world requires it. After forty years of service with the United Nations and direct aide to three Secretaries General, I pray, I beg, I implore the United States to repeat the Philadelphia miracle for the entire world.This is my dream from the sacred indigenous Mt. Rasur in demilitarized Costa Rica.Robert MullerOne-dollar a Year Chancellor ofthe UN University of Peace,former UN Assistant Secretary General
~ Idea 910 ~ 6 January 1997Foreign economic aid has often as a main objective to get rid of surpluses, to promote a rich country's own exports of industrial machinery, armaments, inventions and sales by multinational corporations operating from their territory.The citizens of the rich countries should be very vocal and insist that foreign aid should always include a major part of environmental aid. The winds of our common atmosphere and the waves of our interconnected waters and oceans bring the pollution of everywhere to everywhere and to everyone on the planet.I hope that at least one rich country in the world will give the example and decide to give aid to the poor countries only for population control, environmental purposes and the maintenance of frugal, simple lifestyles, no longer for so-called economic "progress" or "development" which in reality often means regress and destruction of the Earth.
~ Idea 911 ~ 7 January 1997Being a Frenchman, some dear friends from my region of Alsace-Lorraine in France have expressed surprise that I have never received the Legion d'Honneur, the highest award given by France, after all my services in the United Nations. They have proposed me for that distinction. It gives me the idea that we should have a World Legion of Honor to be given to world citizens who should be legion in the world.
~ Idea 912 ~ 8 January 1997I also recommend that a Legion of Honor be created by the European Union, honoring its great founders Jean Monnet, Pierre Uri, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de Gasperi, Rene Lejeune and others.
~ Idea 913 ~ 9 January 1997Legions of Honor should also be created by other regional Unions in formation, such as the Central American Association and Parliament, and tomorrow the Union of the Americas, the reunion of the eagle and the condor.
~ Idea 914 ~ 10 January 1997Since the truth comes from the mouth of children, I recommend that UNICEF arrange for the drafting by children of a new Charter of the United Nations, starting with the words: We, the children of the world,..."The UN Secretary General should similarly arrange for the drafting of a new UN Charter by youth, starting with the words: "We, the youth of the world,..."The two texts would be an expression of the hopes and dreams of the next two generations who will be adults in the 21st century. They should be made known world-wide in the year 2000.
~ Idea 915 ~ 11 January 1997Humanity has moved too fast away from the Earth's natural biosphere to a manmade technosphere, without asking the fundamental question which the Iroquois elders always ask: what will be the effects on the seventh generation? I welcome therefore the creation in the United States and in 85 other countries of a new political, planetary party: the Party of Natural Law which received in the 1996 US elections 2.5 million votes. It would indeed be a wonderful first step if we asked ourselves the question: what will be the effects of new technologies on nature and on the seventh generation?
~ Idea 916 ~ 12 January 1997During the world congress on science and religion in Calcutta, after my speech imploring for a world spiritual Renaissance, the idea was submitted to me to create the world's first University of Yoga. Sri Sayananda, made me the honor of suggesting that I should be its founder. To move from heading the first University for Peace on this planet to the first World University of Spirituality and Yoga would indeed be a beautiful linkage and elevation. Perhaps the University could be built next to the University for Peace on sacred Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica or on Meditation Mount Ojai in California and I could be the elderly, honorary Chancellor of both.
~ Idea 917 ~ 13 January 1997During the same congress, a Hindu Scientist, Dr. Amit Goswami, approached me with this remark: "In the light of what you said is it not time to get rid of the theory and words quantum (quantity) and physics (physical only) in the modern sciences?"A worthwhile idea to be considered.
~ Idea 918 ~ 14 January 1997To help a spiritual revival of our materialistic, economic, business-dominated planet, I recommended to the Bhaktivedanta Institute in Calcutta which is building a World Temple of Understanding in Mayapur on the Ganges, to create also a World Association or Agency for the preservation and development of sacred sites, temples, cathedrals, places of pilgrimage and worship all around the world.Beyond that we must restore the entire Earth, especially its wonderful nature, as a Temple to God. Nature is not merely ecology (our home), it is a sacred home, a most wonderful, endlessly miraculous and astonishing home.
~ Idea 919 ~ 15 January 1997At that world congress in Calcutta, which brought together scientists from around the world, including Nobel Prize winners, I was astonished that all Hindu scientists, be they mathematicians, atomic physicists, biologists or chemists, were quite able and at ease to integrate their science into the spiritual cosmological vision of our place in space and time given by the ancient Vedantas, whereas western scientists were unable to lift themselves to a spiritual dimension. I was later told that the same happened at a world congress on psychiatry. Why does the West remain so retarded and reluctant to transcend our temporary analytical and materialistic phase into a universal phase? They should remember the prediction of Leibniz that with the discovery of science humans would spend many years absorbed and exhilarated by their analytical discoveries, but that the time would come when they will be lost in them and will need to have again a comprehensive, whole (today we say holistic) view of our universal reality and place in time.
~ Idea 920 ~ 16 January 1997Seeing the disastrous pollution, the overcrowding and human misery of a megacity like Calcutta, and the overexpanded monstrosity of cities like Bangkok and Seoul, which have more skyscrapers than New York City, one can only conclude that overpopulation and western influence are the two major causes of the progressive destruction of the Earth. The American dream is becoming a nightmare for the Earth.While overpopulation is being dealt with, albeit too weakly, the destructive influence and penetration of western "civilization" and consumerism in the poorer regions of the world has not been taken up at all. It must urgently.
~ Idea 921 ~ 17 January 1997On our stopover in Bangkok to Calcutta, I was delighted to read on the front page of a national newspaper that the government had abandoned the idea to buy an outer-space satellite and that it would reduce military expenditures and increase help to the poor instead. I kept the newspaper to write and congratulate the government on this decision. But two weeks later, on our return trip, the Bangkok newspapers announced that the Prime Minister of Canada had visited Thailand and had sold them the satellite. Moreover he made a speech advocating the advantages and marvels of nuclear energy the technique and plants of which Canada is eager to sell.While we were in Calcutta, the city received the visit of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who pressed upon the Indian government to reduce its tariffs and obstacles to the importation of British goods!What better illustrations of the preceding ideas could there be?
~ Idea 922 ~ 18 January 1997Several persons suggest the creation of a world council of sages, of wise spiritual elders whom the United Nations and its members would ask for advice. This should be implemented: I could see on such a Council former Secretaries General of the United Nations, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar and Mr. Boutros Ghali. Although I am not famous enough, I would like to be a member too, being the Patriarch of the planet's first University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica.
~ Idea 923 ~ 19 January 1997I like the idea of British scientist Neil J. Shendge to create a global network which would tap solar energy in tropical regions and transfer it around the world to provide electricity to those who need it. It should be complemented by other renewable sources of energy (eolian energy, geothermal energy) and would gradually replace all fossil and nuclear energy in a global girdle of electrical power generating units in the tropical regions. Such a global solar network becomes economically feasible because only the initial capital costs are involved without any recurring "fuel" costs. Needless to say, solar energy is completely free from pollution (see Visions of a Better World published by the Brahma Kumaris, an NGO of the United Nations, page 114)
~ Idea 924 ~ 20 January 1997"When I go to our villages I find among the poorest, the worst-off, people who are happy and smiling. There is a certain spirituality, a certain fulfillment. You can see it on their faces, you can see it in their behavior. And then you go to another area, where what we call development has taken place, and nobody is really happy. They are scowling, they are frowning, they are not a peace with themselves. And how can anybody who is not at peace with himself create peace in the world?"Rajiv Gandhi, IndiaI have made the same remark in New York City: when I hear someone laugh, I turn around and notice that the laughter comes invariably from young, poor immigrant Latinos.Hence my claim and idea that we must teach happiness by other means than endless more material consumption and "goods." Simple, frugal lives are in my view a major factor of human happiness and peace. Ask any Franciscan.
~ Idea 925 ~ 21 January 1997From a lady Professor at the State of New York University at New Paltz, I received a Christmas letter with this statement: "1996 was best remembered for our quadrennial presidential "selection", an event my friend, political analyst and author Michael Parenti calls "the greatest show on Earth." The USA has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world where the electoral process system features campaigns that run for almost two years, cost gargantuan sums of money, almost all of it raised from corporate special interests which want to ensure their place in this plutocracy which calls itself a "democracy."As a foreigner I did not know that political campaigns in the US could be financed by voluntary contributions, which is seldom the case in other countries. I am glad therefore that I recommended in Idea 284 the creation of a world commission on democracy.Note: The word plutocracy means government by the rich (Pluto was the God of wealth), democracy (demos, the people) means government by the people.
~ Idea 926 ~ 22 January 1997During our trip to India Barbara and I were often dreaming of Costa Rica and came up with the idea that all Central America should be made a protected world park or region, reforested, with people living in rural communities, loving and protecting nature, with no more than two or three children, happy to see their basic needs fulfilled, protected from consumerism and advertisement, living profoundly spiritual lives, grateful for the miracle of life and of God's wonderful nature.Back in Costa Rica I asked if the Culture of Peace program for Central America of our University had a plan for peace with nature. I was told that it did but that not a single government was interested in it. They wanted foreign investments, industries, trade, tourism, more trucks, cars and transportation, airplanes, etc. It was a good illustration that what is wrong on this planet is the basic philosophy, ideology and values of our time. As long as this will not change, as long as there is not a new education, a new spirituality, a renewed relation with nature, especially of the leaders, the present course will not change. The whole economic system of our world and society must be rethought from scratch. If not, it will collapse.
~ Idea 927 ~ 23 January 1997After returning to Costa Rica I resumed my usual task of cleaning the mile between my farmlet and the University for Peace, which I walk every day. It took me a couple of days to get it clean. I had the curiosity of counting the objects of pollution: I picked up 17 soft drink plastic bottles, 32 empty packets of cigarettes, 27 plastic bags, 2 empty concrete bags, 43 empty beer cans, and a good number of pages and discarded newspapers and paper napkins. Most of this comes from city dwellers who come with their children to the wonderfully preserved nature of the University for Peace. I thought sadly: everybody complains about pollution, but very few do anything about it. Here like in the United States I am considered as a fool who will never win. And yet after the job was done, I was able to walk on an absolutely clean mile. And I derived great happiness from it.I also thought that in an orderly Earth government the firms producing the polluting objects should be made responsible for them and be taxed accordingly to pay locally unemployed people to clean them up.
~ Idea 928 ~ 24 January 1997Perhaps some firms would make good sales if they sold and advertised their products as "least packaged products" to help the environment.I cannot repeat often enough also that there is an urgent need for consumer information, enlightenment and protection from the world level down to the local communities. Outright business robberies, probably the most widespread and most sophisticated in the world, are not prosecuted and punished, while a hungry person who steals food from a store is arrested.
~ Idea 929 ~ 25 January 1997Barbara Gaughen and Baroness di Pauli from a British peace organization rightly remark that there is a wave of peace organizations around the world but that they do not have the necessary critical impact on governments because they are not organized in one world movement or party. There are several solutions to that: create a World Peace and Non-violence Party active in each country; create a World Federation of Peace Movements. Catherine Margerin who visited the Peace University and Costa Rica to organize a millennium conference and celebration on 1 January 2000, made this wonderful proposal: make this millennium celebration a Peace Olympics which would be repeated every four or five years in another country. Within a day she gave me a detailed proposal on which we will work.
~ Idea 930 ~ 26 January 1997Since the United Nations is not authorized to do propaganda for its aims and activities and is only authorized to put information before the public, I propose that all governments should be submitted to that rule. Parliaments should not vote any funds for the propaganda of their country in other countries.
~ Idea 931 ~ 27 January 1997Since the United Nations which works for the global interests of the whole Earth and humanity is financed by national contributions and is not allowed to have world taxes, I suggest that national governments should similarly be financed from contributions by local communities and have no taxes of their own. It would be interesting to see the results. I propose the creation of a world-wide association of tax-payers to take up such subjects.
~ Idea 932 ~ 28 January 1997Similarly, since humanity is not allowed to have its world army or security force, and only nations have this right, I would recommend that armaments manufacturers organize a lobby to have all states, provinces and local communities possess an army. Ridiculous and awful, will you say. Well, this is how ridiculous and awful our beautiful Earth is with 170 national armies. An inspection team from outer space would give us grade F, failure in planetary management or as my son Francois says: a triple DDD, dumb, disastrous and dangerous.
~ Idea 933 ~ 29 January 1997It would be worthwhile to establish a World Commission of Eminent Astrophysicists and Astronauts who would be asked to consider themselves the representatives of outer space or the universe and would give us their judgment on how we manage or mismanage this particular planet. It would be a change from politicians who stick to their national constituencies and interests and consider any other order than the national one inconceivable.
~ Idea 934 ~ 30 January 1997I recommend that the 1999 Summit of long term evolutionary scientists and thinkers on the Chances of Evolution for Humanity on this planet, organized by the Club of Budapest, should go beyond evaluating our chances but should outline the measures we should take to stay alive and to keep this planet well preserved and capable of further evolution. They might be the ideal persons to draft a Master Plan for the Survival and Further Evolution of Planet Earth and Humanity.
~ Idea 935 ~ 31 January 1997The last thing humans are trying to consider is unfortunately the most important and urgent one, namely: how this planet and humanity should be governed properly for the salvation of the Earth and the survival of our species and of all other species.
~ Idea 936 ~ 1 February 1997The most urgent, overriding problem on this Earth at this point of evolution is ignored: to look at the totality of the Earth, including the human species born from it and nourished by it, and conceive a proper preserving government of this fantastic, perhaps unique, miraculous, life-bearing celestial body in the entire universe.
~ Idea 937 ~ 2 February 1997All major human decisions should be made in nature. Why do the heads of big corporations sit in skyscrapers and heads of states in the middle of crowded "capitals"? If they were located in the midst of our miraculous, life giving, nourishing and inspiring nature, they would observe her laws, learn to love her and make right decisions. Leonardo da Vinci based his entire life and art on nature and recommended it in his journal. Even marriages should be held in nature.**We held ours in June 1997 in a natural park on the shore of the Hudson River.
~ Idea 938 - 941 ~ 3 to 6 February 1997As we move towards the 21st century and a new millennium it is our absolute duty, given the political chaos in which we live, to review seriously the world political system as it stands encrusted today. There are several ways to go about it (see ideas 557 to 564). The four most important ones are:Idea 938 to forget about all national boundaries and divisions of this planet. Take only the Earth, humanity and all its nature and other species and draft a plan how we could efficiently manage that Earth, preserve it, render it ever more beautiful and have a happy humanity live on it, as well as preserve its rich variety of other living nature and beings;Idea 939 follow the example of the European Union and work towards the creation of a World Union;Idea 940 create a world federal government like the United States, a United States of the World or any other world federal system of which a large number have been proposed;Idea 941 reform upward and strengthen enormously the United Nations. Ideas to that effect exist by the dozens.
~ Idea 942 ~ 7 February 1997To better judge our progress, achievements, failures and follies we should be ready to report at any time to an outer space inspection team on how we treat our beautiful celestial body, the Earth, and achieve the well-being and happiness of all human beings admitted to the miracle of life. The United Nations should publish a yearly report to the universe, and the religions yearly reports to God. This would be much more revealing than states of the world reports addressed to ourselves. These latter omit the cosmic nature of our evolution on this planet in the universe.
~ Idea 943 ~ 8 February 1997At the present stage of evolution when the human species is becoming a global species, a science, strategy and methodology of peace, non-violent relations and cooperation between all humans, professions, institutions and with nature must be developed.The World Association of University Presidents should put this subject on its agenda.
~ Idea 944 ~ 9 February 1997The same applies to prevention. Incredible sums of money, efforts and resources are devoted to:- heal wars and conflicts;- heal sicknesses of the body and mind;- heal victims of accidents;- heal environmental damages to the Earth- heal the consequences of violence;Priority and proper resources should always be given to prevention, in order to avoid ever growing massive expenditures on healing, and thus ensure a properly administered humanity and planet. We have not yet reached that stage of maturity in our evolution. I recommend the creation of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Prevention or a World Institute on this subject.This requires a new politics or planetics. I am glad that the new political party of Natural Law being created around the world is responding to that need.
~ Idea 945 ~ 10 February 1997As illustrations of the preceding, here are examples:- as a result of the preventive and mediation work of the United Nations, international conflicts have practically disappeared from this planet and will be a thing of the past in the next century;The same work and efforts are now needed for resolving ethnic and religious conflicts, mostly within nations. The creation of the United Religions which I proposed at the World Parliament of Religions in 1992, will be a great new page in this effort.- as a result of the work and innovative methods of mediation of the International Labour Organization, labour conflicts which were on top of the list of violence at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the current one, have fallen to the bottom of the list. Practically all labour conflicts in the world are solved by right governmental, employers and workers' relations and by agreements on the recourse to mediation worked out by the ILO. The worse action laborers can take is to go on strike.I am a great optimist, because once humanity has decided to do something together, the results are fabulous.
~ Idea 946 ~ 11 February 1997I cannot repeat it often enough: we need several great common world engineering projects which will help save us incredible sums of money spent on national duplications, increase the productivity of the world economy and help us save the environment (see Idea 250). The building of world hydroelectrical plants in the Amazons and Himalayas would be the first to be considered, feeding a world electrical and energy grid as proposed by Buckminster Fuller and me years ago in the United Nations. This cause is pursued today by the GENI Institute (Global Energy Network International) in San Diego.I recommend that a government place an item on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly or of the UN Economic and Social Council: "Study of proposals to build common world hydroelectrical projects on suitable sites in poor countries where lack of resources prevents their building, and creation of a world wide energy grid, fed also by other sources of energy, such as solar, wind, sea and geothermal energy."See also Idea 923
~ Idea 947 ~ 12 February 1997I recommend that the GENI Institute extend its interest and activities to great world engineering projects more generally or that another Institute or World Association be created on that vital, promising subject.I also recommend that a member government of the United Nations should place an item on the agenda of the UN, entitled: "Inventory and study of all great world engineering projects which would increase the efficiency and productivity of the world economy and respond to humanity's need for common endeavors and investments."
~ Idea 948 - 950 ~ 13 to 15 February 1997Idea 948 It has been announced that President Clinton will visit several countries of Latin America, including Costa Rica where he will meet the Presidents of the five Central American Republics. I propose that this meeting should take place on the international grounds of the University for Peace where a program of Culture for Peace and Human Rights is being carried out for all Central America.Idea 949 On that occasion President Clinton should sign the United Nations text adopted fifteen years ago, establishing the University for Peace. The vast majority of American people, including the thousands of visitors from the USA we receive each year would deeply rejoice at that news. They often express astonishment and shame that their country has not signed that instrument and is not supporting the first University for peace on this planet.Idea 950 On that occasion one of the Central American Presidents should quote the statement from a letter of 6 September 1815 by Simon Bolivar in which he suggested that some day the capital of the world should be located in Central America:"The states of the isthmus of Panama until Guatemala will perhaps form an association. This magnificent position between the two great oceans could become with time the emporium of the universe, its canals will shorten the distance of the world, and will widen the commercial links between Europe, America and Asia; they will bring to that happy region the tributes of the four parts of the world. Perhaps this will be the only place where some day the capital of the Earth will be established, and not in Constantinople as was dreamt by Emperor Constantin in the old hemisphere!"Well, this supports my proposal that demilitarized Costa Rica should be considered as the seat of the United Nations, in view of the dissatisfaction of the United States and its persistence not to pay its dues to the world organization. The UN would merit to be located in Latin America, the sole continent on Earth free of nuclear weapons, thanks to the Treaty of Tlatelolco obtained by a UN official who received the Nobel Prize for it, Alfonso Garcia Robles from Argentina. The costs of operating the United Nations in Costa Rica would be considerably lower.
~ Idea 951 ~ 16 February 1997As the simplest approach to the demilitarization of the planet the UN General Assembly should adopt a resolution asking that all countries still having militaries and armaments should reduce their military and arms expenditures in their budgets by 15 percent or more, allocating the savings to expenses for the poor, the environment and other worthwhile projects, or as tax savings to their citizens.If I were the Secretary General of the UN I would inscribe this proposal on the agenda of the General Assembly.I have never understood why the Secretaries General of the UN have not amply used their right under the rules of procedure of the General Assembly and of the Security Council to inscribe provisional items on the agendas of these two central bodies of the UN. I was always told that this was too dangerous and that member governments would not like it. Which member governments? Of course those who do not want the Secretary General to have any power, not even that of proposing novel initiatives or ideas which could be contrary to the interests of one particular country or group of countries, even if they were of highest interest to the Earth and humanity.In one case, when I was able to convince a Secretary General to take a bold initiative in the Security Council, namely on terrorism, I was transferred to another position shortly thereafter. Nevertheless I am proud that the Security Council adopted an early international convention on terrorism. Indeed, sooner or later any country on Earth might be menaced by terrorism.
~ Idea 952 ~ 17 February 1997World Awards for a Better WorldThe 185 nations of the UN General Assembly have a vast unused power, the power of incentive, of inspiration, of reward: I suggest that an Awards Committee be established by the General Assembly to give awards to governments who have best performed in implementing decisions of the United Nations, for example on disarmament, demilitarization, human rights and the environment. All governments would be asked to contribute to a World Awards Fund which would make such awards as prestigious as the Nobel Prizes. A mere one million dollars contribution by 185 governments would bring in 185 million dollars for prizes! Philanthropists would also be asked to contribute to the fund. The General Assembly could decide on an international tax on air travel to yield money for such a fund. Each tourist or air traveler would be told that the small tax he pays is for the granting of World Awards for a Better World. Private persons would be asked to make voluntary contributions or bequests to the Fund. Such contributions could be asked from people world-wide on Human Rights Day (10 December), on World Environment Day (5 June) and on new Days to be established, such as World Demilitarization Day, World Disarmament Day, etc. The whole field of philanthropy and gaiaphily (love for humankind, love for Mother Earth) by millions of people around the world, has received insufficient attention by the United Nations. Since the Charter of the UN starts with the words "We, the Peoples", let us give an opportunity to the peoples of the world to say what they are ready to do and to contribute. The subject should be placed on the agenda of the General Assembly.
~ Idea 953 ~ 18 February 1997I was glad to fly two American Airlines planes from Costa Rica to Miami and from Miami to Washington which showed no movies. It was wonderful. During six hours I was alone with myself, could reflect about my life and its meaning and could write down my thoughts, feelings and ideas for a better world. It was like being in a monastery, high up in the skies, closer to God.More airlines should follow that example.
~ Idea 954 - 957 ~ 19 to 22 February 1997At a meeting of 24 visionaries which I attended in Washington, the following proposals were made:Idea 954 that a Grandparents Foundation be created to which grandparents would contribute funds in order to leave to their grandchildren a better world:Idea 955 that a World Vision Day be proclaimed by the United Nations, preferably on 1 January each year;Idea 956 that in each community meetings be held between religions, educators, labour movements, community organizations and business to discuss the future of that community;Idea 957 that the US Party of Natural Law should become a world-wide party.
~ Idea 958 ~ 23 February 1997On 21 February, when speaking at the commemoration of George Washington's 265th birthday in Mt. Vernon, I asked myself this question: what would George Washington think and do if he were alive?This led to the following idea: why wouldn't a group of prominent US thinkers and visionaries espouse the personalities of George Washington, James Madison, George Mason, Benjamin Franklin, etc. and gather in Philadelphia as they did 200 years ago to give birth to the United States of America and lay the foundations for a United States of the World?See Idea 559
~ Idea 959 ~ 24 February 1997The same could be done by European visionaries and thinkers who would espouse the personalities of Jean Monnet, Pierre Uri, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide de Gasperi, the founders of the European Union, and lay the foundations of a World Union.
~ Idea 960 ~ 25 February 1997Third, a group of world thinkers and visionaries could espouse the personalities of Confucius, Socrates, Simon Bolivar, Einstein, Gandhi, Confucius, Dag Hammarskjöld and U Thant and give their views on how the world should be governed.In such groups I would be happy to impersonate my compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine, Robert Schuman, or my beloved master at the UN, former Secretary General U Thant.
~ Idea 961 ~ 26 February 1997Similar groups should be formed by women espousing the personalities of famous women: Jane Adams, Eleanor Roosevelt, the Peace Pilgrim, Madame Curie, and others. Or women should be included in the above groups on an equal basis.
~ Idea 962 ~ 27 February 1997Finally I would recommend that all heads of states and former heads of states should impersonate their most famous predecessors. For instance the President of the US should impersonate George Washington or Franklin Roosevelt and ask himself what would be their policy towards the world and the United Nations on the eve of the 21st century and third millennium? All heads of states should have on their desks busts of their preferred predecessor(s) and try to reach their same fame, elevation and world recognition.
~ Idea 963 ~ 28 February 1997On the occasion of the commemoration of George Washington's birthday in Mt. Vernon I was invited to stay at the home of Dr. Felix Rosenthal a scientist in mechanical engineering. When I asked him why he had become a world federalist, he answered:"Because I have observed that nature prefers to bring things together rather than separate them. For instance a glass of hot water and a glass of cold water, when mixed together will blend, but it will be difficult, if not impossible, to separate them. Similarly, sand and cement will mix easily but it would be impossible to separate them again. The same applies to humans: once they will be one, all mixed, nature will be satisfied, we will be at peace, successful and difficult to separate."
~ Idea 964 ~ 1 March 1997If only the Yeltsin-Clinton meeting this month could take as its main subject not whether NATO should be extended to the Eastern European countries but the fate and betterment of our whole Earth and humanity.It is a strange and sad phenomenon that most of the 185 heads of states of this planet consider themselves the champions of their cut-up parts of the Earth and do not dream together as the collective junta, the corporate board, the holy alliance of the Earth and humanity.They should come together every year in the General Assembly of the UN as an action-tank, think-tank, love-tank, soul-tank, inspiration-tank and future-tank to give guiding light to the world and to all its peoples and institutions.Well, whether they will read it or not, I sent to both leaders my updated World Action Plan 2010, brought already earlier to the attention of governments in my novel First Lady of the World. Whether I will succeed or not, I will never give up my dreams, ideas, action proposals and interventions for a better world.
~ Idea 965 ~ 2 March 1997What is the main reason of the preceding situation? It is wrong education. All heads of states have been programmed by their national education to be the champions, the fighters, the heroes of their nations, even at the cost of a war. Their models are national heroes and victories. It does not even occur to them to be world heroes. This is why, contrary to their belief, they will be soon forgotten by humanity and given no prominent place in world history. Only elevation brings greatness.
~ Idea 966 ~ 3 March 1997For the first time in my life, when visiting the Cathedral in Washington, I was not touched, moved or inspired. A few days later in New York when seeing a synagogue, I suddenly got the explanation of my new feeling: why should I go into a closed building with walls and a ceiling when in Costa Rica's primeval forests and magnificent nature, I have the greatest temple to God, without walls, with the infinite sky as the roof filled with endless beauty and life? Why lock up God or the Creator in buildings made of stolen materials from the Earth, erected by 5000 different religions dividing the human family, some of them still making wars on each other?The indigenous people are much wiser to consider nature, its miracles, beauty and nourishment as the manifestations of the Great Spirit.
~ Idea 967 ~ 4 March 1997I am glad that at least there exists an Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington which brings together 31 denominations of Hindu, Islamic, Judaic, Protestant and Roman Catholic faiths. It is unique in the United States. I wish that this good example be followed in all cities and countries of the world. To talk to each other, to learn from each other, to see what one has in common, and to cooperate are the first steps toward avoiding conflict and to enter a new phase of evolution. The address is: 1419 V Street NW, Washington D.C. 20009.
~ Idea 968 ~ 5 March 1997When I mailed today a good number of letters to several countries around the world, I was surprised that I had to pay only 12 dollars. I said to the post official, "If the US Postal Service were privatized, I am sure that I would have to pay much more than that amount to a private firm, and you would not have a permanent, stable job."He smiled and answered: "Yes, I am very proud to be part of the US Postal Office and to be of service to the people."Beware, dear people, of the new ideology of privatization which has been launched by big, profit hungry business.
~ Idea 969 ~ 6 March 1997Since both the United States and the Russian Federation are the biggest, most powerful countries on Earth and are both federations, why don't the Presidents of the two countries appoint a group of experts to draft at the end of this century and millennium the constitution of a World Federation of nations?They would go down in history as having rendered one of the greatest services to the Earth and to humanity.
~ Idea 970 ~ 7 March 1997For heaven's sake, dear political leaders, please solve for the celebration of the year 2000 the three remaining international conflicts: the Middle East, Cyprus and Kashmir. Use any opportunity, for instance the holding in Jerusalem in 2000 of an International Congress on Forgiveness.* Do not let Chou En Lai's prediction to Secretary General Waldheim come true, namely that the Middle East conflict will still exist in a hundred years.And if you cannot resolve them, inscribe an item on the agenda of the Security Council and of the UN General Assembly entitled: "Persisting unresolved conflicts on which the Secretary General will report from time to time." But do not give each of them the honor of a separate item on the agendas. Also ask the Secretary General to prepare reports on the number of meetings, time consumed, documents, reports, pages and money spent on efforts to resolve each of these conflicts.*See also Idea 27 in first volume of 500 ideas.
~ Idea 971 ~ 8 March 1997Publishers should ask all authors except those of novels and mystery books, to provide at the beginning of their book a summary of its objectives and contents and at the end, a list of concrete proposals. The practice of executive summaries should be more widespread.There are many people like me who receive numerous books dealing with world problems but I unfortunately do not have the time to read them. At least the author would have a chance to see his ideas promoted and implemented, or to have his/her book read entirely if the ideas are good and inspiring.
~ Idea 972 ~ 9 March 1997I recommend that there should be as many ideas for the improvement of humanity's social and political conditions as there are for making new inventions, producing more goods, and devising endless new ways of advertisement, marketing and programming people to consume. What a difference it would make.
~ Idea 973 ~ 10 March 1997We are able to have thousands of perfectly, smoothly running airplanes around this world, without practically any accidents. Why is it not possible to obtain a perfectly running, just, happy human society? Why so few ideas, efforts and means for that loftier objective? We do not need 2000 ideas for a better world, we need many thousands of them, a vast world social engineering science and art. The peoples of the world should literally drown the leaders with ideas so that they will give up their wrong values of power, endless greed, nuclearization, militarization and armaments.
~ Idea 974 ~ 11 March 1997On this 74th year of my magical life, prepared and educated by an entire life of world service, I have the following thoughts:- I feel powerfully drawn back to nature, to a divine, loving relation with my mother Earth, like St. Francis on the hill of Assisi;- I no longer want to live in big cities. I want to live in the midst of nature, the wonderful nature of Costa Rica;- I no longer want to pray only in human temples with walls and ceilings. I want to pray to God in the immense, wonderful temple of Creation;- I do not want my body to be locked up in a casket and vault of concrete, I want to be returned to the Earth to relive again in other life forms;- I want to help prevent this Earth from being destroyed;- I hope that through my world core curriculum all humans will soon be rightly inducated into the universe, the Earth, humanity and eternity to become true world servers during all their life;- I hope to be a model of what one global human being can be, should be and can do in the 21st century;- I hope to leave behind me inspiring deeds, writings and testimonies to inspire similar magical lives on our divine planet;- I want to spend my heaven doing good on Earth.
~ Idea 975 ~ 12 March 1997God Rasur said to the children that the divine was in each tree, every flower, every bird, every animal, every butterfly.He should have added: and in you, in every child and human being.Indeed, we are all made of earth, water and air which are concrete solar, i.e. cosmic energy. We are not human beings distinct from the Earth and from the universe, we are made of the Earth, of the sun, of the universe, we are live universe on a particular cosmic planet, endowed with a cosmic, universal consciousness. Jesus and all sacred emissaries from the heavens told us that.In a proper Earth government, every human being should therefore be considered unique, sacred, divine. No human should be forced to kill other divine, miraculous cosmic units for the "greatness" of artificial nations or the "truth" of any religion, nor of any other entity, institution or philosophy.To its splendid human rights work which is truly of cosmic inspiration, the United Nations must now add an identical work on human responsibilities and duties particularly towards our mother Earth, its wonderful nature and the universe.
~ Idea 976 - 981 ~ 13 to 18 March 1997From two Canadian visitors to the University for Peace to whom I gave a copy of my fascicle of first 100 ideas, I got the following ideas:From Ms. Shirley Farlinger:Idea 976 Write a UN Marriage Certificate for the next Millennium.A couple would agree:- to have only one or two children- to raise their children peacefully- not to work for the military- to settle arguments by peaceful resolution- to make all decisions together- to manage their money so that local industry which is ecologically sound is supported and other industries are boycotted.Idea 977 Adopt a world code for resources extraction:Many wars are caused by the desire to extract natural resources from other countries. A country and a community must have the right to refuse access to resources.Idea 978 Ways should be devised to stigmatize or even prosecute any UN member country which has offered or accepted bribes to influence their UN vote.From Professor Derek Paul, Physics Department, University of Toronto:Idea 979 extend the co-generation idea, namely the idea of using waste from one process to achieve one or several desirable results.Thus a group of Canadian NGOs called CANet, have proposed a plan for Canada to achieve its international obligations on CO2 reductions under the Framework Convention of 1992 and the Berlin Mandate of 1995, while at the same time achieving the additional following results:- reduce the federal deficit for 8 years- create 360,000 new jobs over ten years- increase the prosperity of households.Idea 980 Introduce, as a temporary measure until advance designed vehicles come into use, a limit on power-to-weight ratio of vehicles, to reduce wastage of fossil fuels caused by speeding.Idea 981 Equal representation in national parliaments of both sexes.This can be achieved by having one woman and one man elected from each electoral unit. The INUITs in Canada are planning to do this in their new Parliament in Nunavik, to be established in 1999. Many new ideas then follow on the question of how such a parliament should function.
~ Idea 982 ~ 19 March 1997Scientists, technologists, firms and people should not constantly accuse or complain about government, but should encourage it and give their ideas how it could be improved. Just and good government is an absolute necessity for the progress of humanity and the preservation of our Earth. Total privatization would lead to the loss of freedom and democracy in favor of the rich and to the demise of the Earth through economic wars and competition.
~ Idea 983 ~ 20 March 1997UNIVERSITY FOR PEACEMessage on Earth Daysent to the President to the UN General Assembly for the peace bell ringing ceremony at the United Nations on the celebration of Earth Day commemorated each year on the day of spring equinox.On this Earth Day 1997, I cannot fail to remember that I saw three fundamentally different periods of world history reflected in the United Nations during my years of world service since the end of World War II:1. from 1945 to the 1970's there was an unprecedented period of world humanism reflected in the United Nations: avoid wars, prevent the early death of children, eradicate world epidemics, define and defend universal fundamental human rights, suppress colonialism, racism and apartheid, improve the well-being, health, literacy and longevity of all humans, etc. At that time we believed that the resources and life elements of our Earth were unlimited. The UN charter does not contain the words Earth, nature and natural resources.2. in the 1970's, with the first world conference on the biosphere of UNESCO in 1968 and the first UN world conference on the environment in 1972, a second period was opened: while the agendas of the preceding period were still in large part unfulfilled and even overtaken by the population explosion, the world's preoccupations were extended to the Earth and nature around us, namely "the environment".3. in the 1980's, the world conference on the ozonosphere in 1978 and the two world climate conferences of 1979 and 1987 opened the eyes and consciousness of humanity to major menacing climatic changes on our planet. Since then the Earth has become priority number 1 of our concerns.This represents a fundamental change in the evolution of our planet. From now on the world will never be the same. This is why it has become imperative that we should seek the ways and means of proper Earth government, namely the wise management, saving and preservation of our planetary home of which we are integral part and whose further evolution henceforth largely depends on us.May the celebration of each year's Earth Day and the messages delivered on that day help our beautiful, miraculous planet and the human race, its most advanced life form, become a masterpiece and model of planetary and life evolution in the universe.May in particular the spring equinox of the year 2000 be the widest and most important celebration of Earth Day ever.Robert MullerOne-dollar a Year Chancellor
~ Idea 984 ~ 21 March 1997Barbara Gaughen and I have ordered hundreds of golden stick-on-plastic plaques with this inscription:BENCH OF DREAMSWe give them to the Robert Muller Schools, visitors and friends of ours or of the University of Peace, exhorting them to build benches of dreams in their gardens, city parks, schools and playgrounds, or other places. We want the world to dream as many dreams as possible. We hope that our example will be followed and that numerous such benches will spread around the world and lift the spirit of people in the construction of a better world. Like we do on our finca, adjacent to the University for Peace, on sacred Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica, they could also erect benches of love, peace, hope, vision, thanksgiving, faith, happiness and forgiveness, devoted to the great philosophical and spiritual ideals which have always helped humanity to progress in our mysterious journey in the vast, unfathomable universe.
~ Idea 985 ~ 22 March 1997Often now, when I am invited to speak somewhere in the world, I am asked to inaugurate a bench of dreams! This is how the word spreads around. When I accept a speech, I often express the wish that a bench of dreams be inaugurated on the occasion of my visit. And it is always done! It is no longer a dream! And it will engender many more dreams until our Earth will become the Planet of Dreams, which is my dream.
~ Idea 986 ~ 23 March 1997ToJohn McConnell,Founder of Earth DayDear John,Today is Barbara's birthday and she came up with the following dream:"Every birthday of the 5.6 billion persons of this planet should also be their Earth Day to celebrate the Earth, which is their mother, to give thanks for the miracle of life and promise to take good care of the Earth.With all our love and admiration,Robert and Barbara
~ Idea 987 ~ 24 March 1997I often think that if the UN or anyone would keep statistics of the financial help and free services given by national and international volunteer associations to the poor, destitute and handicapped of the world, the results would show that this is superior, perhaps even far superior to governmental international aid.Since the UN is the main coordinating agency of world aid, I recommend that a Main Committee of Voluntary Associations be created by the General Assembly. Why the General Assembly and not the Economic and Social Council? Because that aid is also in large part given to political efforts of the UN: complementary aid to the peacekeeping operations of the UN Security Council, aid to refugees, aid to victims of human rights violations and natural disasters, etc.This is a great, growing, promising field of world affairs which deserves much more attention from politicians, planetic science, education and world administration.
~ Idea 988 - 995 ~ 25 March to 1 April 1997I love to quote my compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine, Albert Schweitzer, who said to a group of visitors in Lambarene, Africa: "I cannot say what your destiny will be, but one thing I can tell you: if you are of service to others, you will be recompensed with untold happiness."Having a glance at a book The Teachings of Buddha brought from Japan, I found these good advices by the Buddha:"There are seven kinds of offerings which can be practiced even by those who are not wealthy":Idea 988 The first: is the physical offering. This is to offer service with one's labor;Idea 989 The second: is the spiritual offering. This is to offer a compassionate heart to others;Idea 990 The third: is the offering of eyes. This is to offer a warm glance to others which will give them tranquillity;Idea 991 The fourth: is the offering of countenance. This is to offer a soft countenance with smile to others;Idea 992 The fifth: is the oral offering. This is to offer kind and warm words to others;Idea 993 The sixth: is the seat offering. This is to offer one's seat to others;Idea 994 The seventh: is the offering of shelter. This is to let others spend the night at one's home."These kinds of offering can be practiced by anyone in everyday life."I discovered to my shame that of all these offerings I had practiced satisfactorily only the first and the fifth by offering all my retired years free of remuneration to the UN University for Peace and by giving advice to innumerable people, individually or in speeches, writings and letters. I will henceforth make an effort to practice the others too and would also like to add one more:Idea 995 The eighth: is the offering of kind advice and inspiration by correspondence and by answering all letters received from human brothers and sisters.
~ Idea 996 ~ 2 April 1997Example of what one person can do: in the 1920's when the League of Nations was created, the wife of a French League official, Mme Bouchardeau, created a League of Nations Women's Guild, of wives of League officials. Her idea was that they could be active, collecting funds with their handicraft products and use these funds to help children in poor countries, on the advice and recommendation of women of League officials working in those countries. As a result, the aid was guaranteed to go directly to projects and children who needed it. The Guild was the origin of the creation of UNICEF after World War II, but Mme Bouchardeau decided that this was not a reason to go out of existence and she created the United Nations Women's Guild which performs the same service. They have a sales counter in the UN visitors area and sell UN towels, T-shirts and various other products. The profits are channeled to projects in poor countries. I tell this story because today I received a letter and two checks from the UN Women's Guild of 600 and 1000 dollars respectively for a school of poor indigenous children which I had recommended to them near the University for Peace, the other for a Catholic school in Chile dealing primarily with alcohol and drug addiction. The donations are in memory of my dear deceased wife from Chile, Margarita, who was President of the UN Women's Guild for several years. A stone will be laid as the foundation of a future library in the name of Margarita Gallo de Muller, and the money will be used to build a refectory for the indigenous children.Yes, what one person can do. May the spirit of Madame Bouchardeau and of Margarita Muller inspire numerous women in the world to have dreams and take similar initiatives for a better world.
~ Idea 997 ~ 3 April 1997Great, famous people should not spend their precious time writing their memoirs. Their first priority should be to publish their dreams, ideas and visions, and try to implement them.My 2000 ideas as a countup to the year 2000 should induce many writers to do the same. The benefits to the world and humanity would be immense, a true new political and social breakthrough. They would also elevate the spirits of the readers to higher and broader horizons and concrete actions. Books and publications of ideas should become a new world literature.
~ Idea 998 ~ 4 April 1997From 4 to 6 April 1997 the Canadian International Foundation of Learning convened a Global Citizens 2000 Congress in Vancouver to mark the date of 6 April 1997 when there were 1000 days left to 1 January 2000. What better idea and time to launch a project encouraging youths to see themselves as global citizens. Young people from eleven schools were brought together as teams of creative energy, working with their teachers and community leaders to show how and what we all must learn to become global citizens in the 21st century. This included not only knowledge to bring economic success in the world's market place but also an appreciation for what must be done to assure sustainability and peace in an increasingly interdependent world.I was invited to be the opening speaker and a participant in this three days Congress which culminated at midnight of 6 April in a launching of 1000 balloons to mark the countdown of 1000 days remaining until 1 January 2000.
~ Idea 999 ~ 5 April 1997Here are some of the ideas formulated by the young people brought together in Vancouver. Their final report will be submitted to the United Nations:- The UN should proclaim International Act Days rather then React Days.- A World Day for Endangered Species should be proclaimed- A new Economy 2000 should be proclaimed, all international debts being reduced to zero- A United Nations of Youth should be created- People should boycott overpackaged products- More people should plant trees worldwide, a World Arbor Day should be proclaimed- There should be Global Environmental Clubs- There should be Global Citizens Fairs- There should be Global Citizens Diplomats and Club Memberships for Life- There should be Mother Earth Clubs- There should be Peace Through Friendship Pen Pals- There should be Youth Environmental Clubs- There should be Youth United Nations Clubs- There should be School Courses on Planetary Preservation- There should be Amusement Parks on Solutions to Pollution- There should be Car Free Downtowns- There should be a World Day of Ideas for a Better World- There should be Robert Muller Fans and Fax ClubsMore ideas are in the works.
~ Idea 1000 ~ 6 April 1997During that youth congress in Vancouver, this text of mine was distributed to the participants:Decide to be a Global CitizenA good inhabitant of the planet EarthA member of the great human familyPray, think, act, feel and love globallyAnd you will aggrandize yourselfto the outer limits of beingKnow this planetLove this planetCare for this planetFor you come from Mother EarthYou are made of her elementsYou are the Earth become consciousof herselfYou are her eyes, her ears, her voice,her mind, her heart and her soulSave your mother EarthFrom her matricidal childrenwho destroy herwho divide herwho spike her with nuclear armswho hold their territories to begreater than humanityUnite, global citizens, to save and healplanet EarthAnd to make our Mother bloom againAs the most beautiful planetin the universe.Robert Muller
~ Idea 1001 ~ 7 April 1997During the Vancouver youth conference, a World Passport was distributed to the students to fill out. One of them objected, saying: "In a One United World there is no need for any passports. I propose that there should be a standard World Identity Card, the contents of which would be defined as agreed upon by nations."It is an excellent idea which merits to open these second one thousand ideas as a countup to the year 2000.
~ Idea 1002 ~ 8 April 1997All twinned cities in the world should prepare and celebrate together the year 2000. Not yet twinned cities should find a partner-city to twin with. A World Community of Cities should be created to increase the love and cooperation between all city people on Earth. It is hard to believe what a little money from people in the rich cities can do for poor, hungry, homeless and illiterate people, especially children, in poor cities.
~ Idea 1003 ~ 9 April 1997I recommend that a United Nations Consultative Parliament be created immediately, composed of representatives of all existing national Parliaments, under rules of procedures agreed upon by the International Parliamentarian Union. Like the European Consultative Parliament which had only consultative functions but was highly instrumental in creating the European Union, it would have only consultative functions to start with, but would lead to the creation of a much needed World Union.
~ Idea 1004 ~ 10 April 1997Whenever world leaders, government officials, elected politicians and business leaders are ready to make a decision which will affect people or the environment, they should go into nature and when surrounded by trees, the air and the sun &endash; then make their decision. One never knows how a slight change in the decision can preserve the world and nature for generations to come.Barbara Gaughen
~ Idea 1005 ~ 11 April 1997We are privileged to have become the most advanced species on this planet, in our solar system and perhaps in the universe, thanks to our intelligence and acquired knowledge which give us an almost complete consciousness of our home, of space and of time.And yet, what do we do with it? Build skyscrapers, accumulate armaments and stocks of atomic bombs, release atomic radiations not seen on this planet for millions of years, eat non-natural foods, consume non-natural drinks, produce colossal amounts of unnecessarywastes, travel excessively around the globe, kill species which it took evolution millions of years to form, and cling to non-natural divisions of the planet called nations.We are perhaps not the most intelligent, but the most destructive species produced on this planet. If we do not change our values and objectives we will be its gravediggers.
~ Idea 1006 ~ 12 April 1997I recommend that all newspapers of the world print henceforth on the front page the number of days remaining to 1 January 2000: 995 days left today.
~ Idea 1007 ~ 13 April 1997Every newspaper on Earth should open a section entitled Preparation of Celebration of the Year 2000. It would contain information on existing and planned projects around the world and letters from readers suggesting ideas and specific actions for a better world.
~ Idea 1008 ~ 14 April 1997It is good that the UN Earth Council, created by the Rio de Janeiro Conference, located in Costa Rica, is drafting an Earth Charter and that the Gorbachev and Green Cross International are drafting a Charter of Nature. Both documents should be submitted to the World Constitutional Assembly which I recommend should convene in order to draft a Constitution for the planet Earth (see ideas 560 and following).
~ Idea 1009 ~ 15 April 1997Needed urgently in addition to an Earth Charter, is a World Charter on Sustainable Consumption.
~ Idea 1010 ~ 16 April 1997The main question regarding the United Nations is not how it can be reduced under the pretext of bureaucracy and excessive costs &endash; the most ridiculous permanent accusations of extreme right conservatives in the United States &endash; but what more world issues, dangers and evils the UN should deal with. Here are a few: astronomic costs of the military, violations of democracy and of the truth, corruption, bribery, blackmail, violence in all its forms, tax evasion by the wealthy, financial manipulations, etc. For instance, is it normal that 80 percent of all international financial transactions are speculative? In the field of tax evasion there are numerous billionaires and multimillionaires who do pay little or no taxes, taking advantage of tax haven countries of the world.
~ Idea 1011 ~ 17 April 1997In a hundred years, when humanity will look back, this century will look as imperfect as we consider today all preceding centuries. The correction of errors and of wrong beliefs is part of evolution. We owe it to the next generations to look right into the face of these errors and wrong beliefs and to remedy them. The end of the current century and millennium gives us a heaven-sent opportunity and obligation to do that. Please, dear reader, write down and send to your parliamentarians what you consider to be our current errors, injustices and wrong beliefs.
~ Idea 1012 to 1014 ~ 18 - 20 April 1997Since the Earth has become our preoccupation number one and since we are still in the process of denaturing it, I urge the United Nations:Idea 1012 to publish not only statistics of economic progress but also17 April 1997 ecological regress;Idea 1013 to place overconsumption in the rich countries on an equal footing 18 April 1997 with overpopulation in the poor countries.Idea 1014 to speak both of under-development in the poor countries and of 19 April 1997 overdevelopment in the rich ones.
~ Idea 1015 ~ 21 April 1997It is good news that US citizens are beginning to react to the colossal overconsumption in their country, fostered in millions of ways by business, marketing, advertisement and the media.A 1995 survey by the Merck Family Fund found that since the decade began, 28 percent of respondents have voluntarily reduced their income. Two-thirds said that they did so to reduce stress, increase personal time and restore balance in their lives.Trends Research Institute named simplicity one of the 1997's top ten trends. "Never before, in the Institute's 17 years of trend tracking, has a societal trend grown so quickly, spread so broadly and been embraced so eagerly," TRI reports.Unfortunately, big business knows that and is now targeting the developing countries for western consumption habits through marketing and advertisement which are very cheap in these countries.
~ Idea 1016 ~ 22 April 1997Refrain your travels, o humans. Do not take your car for minor errands. Do not travel thousands of miles to see a saved nature in Costa Rica or other similar lands. Save your own nature right where you are. Ecology starts at home.
~ Idea 1017 ~ 23 April 1997It would be good if a number of prominent national publishers would join and create a World Publishing House for the publication of global books and of a true global literature with vital global information and solutions. The time is ripe, well overdue for that.
~ Idea 1018 ~ 24 April 1997I wish that every head of state would have a note on his desk indicating how many days are left to the year 2000 to remind him or her to make efforts to settle unsolved conflicts and issues, correct injustices and contribute to a more peaceful, beautiful, preserved Earth and happier humanity. Time is running out. The year 2000 must be made a memorable, successful entry of humanity into a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 1019 ~ 25 April 1997I pray that several countries of this Earth will announce before or during the year 2000 that they will demilitarize themselves and transfer the savings to the poor in their country or abroad and/or to the restoration and preservation of the Earth's nature.
~ Idea 1020 ~ 26 April 1997A fresh look should be given to the practice of celebrations which have the virtue of bringing together humans and creating ties of sentiment from the family, the city, the nation to the entire humanity and planet. All calendars published in the world should mention celebrations. The United Nations publishes each year an updated list of world celebrations.These will help fulfill Sigmund Freud's vision when he gave the following answer to Einstein who could not understand why humans continued to make war on each other and to produce armaments:Freud noted that humans are divided between instincts of aggression and love. Peace would require the development of ties of sentiment among people. "The love of country has succeeded in binding people at the national level. The great new historical challenge is to develop love among all Earth inhabitants, and for the Earth itself," he said.How right this statement is! It should open an important chapter in the new science, art and methodology of global psychology. Theses on the subject should be written by students in Universities. I am glad that a book on celebrations by Linda Grover is a current best-seller in the United States (see Introduction). The author has asked me to write a chapter on global celebrations for a new book she is writing.Nor is it surprising that the extreme right conservatives of the United States are against any new celebrations and world conferences by the UN. They claim that they cost too much money. Well, I hope that someone will calculate how much military celebrations in nations cost the taxpayers. That is an expense which could usefully be shifted to other social needs or celebrations.I pray that there will be some day on this planet a University which will teach a science, a strategy and a methodology of celebrations.
~ Idea 1021 ~ 27 April 1997The next two great, global celebrations which should be held by humanity are:- in 1998, the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;*- in 2000, the world-wide celebration of our entry into a new century and millennium. It was my first idea of these 2000 ideas and dreams started on 11 July 1994.For the record I reproduce it here again. I wrote it twenty years ago for Earth Day 1977, at the suggestion of anthropologist Margaret Mead, who considered like Sigmund Freud that a global anthropology should be next on the agenda of world affairs.*This has been done. The United Nations has declared 1998 Human Rights Year.My Dream 2000
I dreamthat on 1 January 2000The whole world will stand stillIn prayer, awe and gratitudeFor our beautiful, heavenly EarthAnd for the miracle of human life.I dreamThat young and old, rich and poor,Black and white,People from North and South,From East and West,From all beliefs and culturesWill join their hands, minds and heartsin an unprecedented, universalBimillennium Celebration of Life.I dreamThat during the year 2000Innumerable celebrations and eventsWill take place all over the globeTo gauge the long road covered by humanityTo study our mistakesAnd to plan the featsStill to be accomplishedFor the full flowering of the human raceIn peace, justice and happiness.I dreamThat the few remaining yearsTo the BimillenniumBe devoted by all humans, nations and institutionsTo unparalleled thinking, action,Inspiration, elevations,Determination and loveTo solve our remaining problemsAnd to achieveA peaceful, united human family on Earth.I dreamThat the year 2000Will be declared World Year of Thanksgivingby the United Nations.*I dreamThat the third millenniumWill be declaredAnd madeHumanity's First Millennium of Peace*The UN General Assembly approved this proposal on 20 November 1997.
This dream has spread around the world in the following languages: French, Spanish, German, Russian, Japanese and Dutch.
~ Idea 1022 ~ 28 April 1997If our Earth were suddenly attacked by outer-space beings in sophisticated vehicles equipped with armaments more advanced than ours, all humanity, all nations would react immediately as one body. But the prospect that our Earth might irremediably perish during the next century due to our own overpopulation, overconsumption, increasing atomic and ultra-violet radiation, mismanagement and wrong courses seems to leave us unperturbed. How strange. Why not create a World Emergency Council to save the Earth?
~ Idea 1023 ~ 29 April 1997One wonders on what kind of a planet we live when one reads bulletins from the International Atomic Energy Agency which rejoices that there are 443 nuclear energy plants in the world and that they are increasing in numbers and capacity every year. Why not condemn it as being a foolish, dangerous re-atomization of this planet for purely economic reasons, and remember that it took millions of years for the Earth to lose its original radio-activity to finally give birth to life forms, including human life.
~ Idea 1024 ~ 30 April 1997I am surprised that noone has as yet thought of creating a Pro-Earth, Humanity-challenging Organization which would put itself in the shoes of our Mother Earth and rejoice whenever humans diminish in numbers or consume less. It would give yearly prizes to people, events or institutions which achieve a reduction of the human population or of the consumption of Earth resources. The first prize should go to the United Nations which through its world population conferences and anti-population work has prevented 2 billion 200 million more people from being born between 1952 and the year 2000 (see Idea 503).
~ Idea 1025 ~ 1 May 1997Today many countries celebrate Labour Day. It is good to remember on that day that thanks to the work of the International Labour Organization created in 1919 in response to widespread labour violence and conflicts in the world, that form of violence has fallen to such a low point that it is now last on the list of forms of violence on this planet. All labour conflicts are now resolved by peaceful means and methods. To strike is the worst laborers can do. Why not try the same in other fields of violence? Where there is a will, there is a way. Humans are capable of wonders when they decide to.
~ Idea 1026 ~ 2 May 1997An idea of Barbara Gaughen as we walked through the marvelous primeval forests of our Mt. Rasur peace park next to the University for Peace in Costa Rica: why not offer it as the site of the first World Ecological Exposition?
~ Idea 1027 ~ 3 May 1997In a remarkable, timely, historic document, the Director General of UNESCO, Mr. Federico Mayor, has proclaimed the fundamental human right of each Earth inhabitant to peace. Bravo, bravissimo.At the beginning of his document he quotes Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Each individual has the right to life, liberty and the security of his person."I go a step further: I ask in these 2000 ideas the fundamental human right not to kill and not to be killed, not even in the name of a nation, religion, race, nor of any other human ideology or institution, the individual person being the basic cosmic unity of humanity's evolution on this planet, or as the religions call it, a sacred human being, or as I call it, a true miracle, a child of God.Article 3 of the Universal Declaration means: if I have the basic right to life, noone else, especially not a nation, religion, race, ideology or institution has the right to take this life away from me. Young men drafted into military service or into an army should refuse to go and take their case to the International Court of Justice for a violation of a basic human right, the right to life.
~ Idea 1028 ~ 4 May 1997All youth organizations of the Earth should combine their efforts and create a United Youth Organization.That Organization should request the adoption of new texts of their fundamental human rights: the sacred right not to be drafted into military service or war service, the right not to kill and not to be killed, not in the name of a nation, religion, race or anyone else. Conflicts between social, ethnic, and political groups should all be solved by peaceful and non-violent means. This should become the supreme law of the human society.
~ Idea 1029 ~ 5 May 1997On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1998, the United Nations, in addition to the proclamation of new, additional human rights, as recommended in these 2000 ideas, should undertake two new tasks:- the drafting and adoption of a universal declaration of human responsibilities;- the drafting and adoption of a universal declaration of ethics.There exist already several texts of such declarations which should be assembled and circulated by the UN Secretariat. I have communicated to the UN Human Rights High Commissioner those I have collected over the years.
~ Idea 1030 ~ 6 May 1997Non-governmental organizations represented at the UN should actively contribute to these new items and collect any ideas and texts existing on human responsibilities and ethics. It will lead to a revolution in the philosophy of human life and society on this planet in the 21st century.
~ Idea 1031 ~ 7 May 1997Human groups which are not yet covered by declarations of human rights should work on them and ask for their debate and adoption by the United Nations. For example mothers and youth should request declarations of human rights of mothers and youth.
~ Idea 1032 ~ 8 May 1997Hitler, the German dictator, created in the 1930's a Bund der Deutschen Mütter, a League of German Mothers who were to excite their sons into killing enemies of Germany.From 19 to 21 June 1997, in Vienna, Austria, the country of birth of Hitler, a World Summit of Women, including several women Nobel Prize winners, women who are or were heads of states, and wives of heads of states, will meet in a conference called "Mothers of the Earth for World Peace Summit sponsored by World Centers of Compassion for Children."I recommend that this conference create a Bund aller Welt Mütter, a World League of all Mothers, or United Mothers Organization, which will labour to put an end to all wars, armaments, military service, military "academies" and armed forces, and claim a new fundamental human right:- the sacred right of all mothers of the Earth not to see their sons, the flesh of their flesh, kill or be killed by other sons of mothers in the name and glory of a nation, religion, nor of any other entity, cause or institution.
~ Idea 1033 ~ 9 May 1997I will submit to that conference the Peace Plan 2010 I formulated in my novel First Lady of the World in which a woman becomes Secretary General of the United Nations. I submitted it to Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin to make it their agenda instead of the extension of NATO to the eastern European countries at their summit meeting.
~ Idea 1034 ~ 10 May 1997From now on for the next several decades everything has to be rethought in terms of the Earth and of its natural laws. The 21st century will be the Century of Nature, the Century of the Earth. I am glad that a conference of Indigenous People will convene in October 1998 in Virginia Beach to deal with the subject: How to Save the Earth.
~ Idea 1035 ~ 11 May 1997For these 2000 ideas I have been looking in vain for figures of the total amounts of deleterious, chemical and radio-active elements in the effluents of all the rivers of our planet into the world seas and ocean. They must be available somewhere. World river effluents must be followed as closely as effluents into the atmosphere, into lakes and underground water resources.Note: It was just announced that the United Nations Environment Program has established in the Netherlands a coordination Office for the Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land Based Activities. Bravo. The UN is again up to my expectations. This is where I will find the figures or where they will be assembled.
~ Idea 1036 ~ 12 May 1997I hope that the world will soon receive yearly reports from scientists on "invisible" phenomena which are beginning to appear on this planet.For example the changes in the global masses of bacteria which sooner or later might affect us. I recommend a new global bacteriological science and the creation of a World Institute on the subject.All other invisible life forces at work on Earth should be studied and reported on, e.g. hormones which are making young girls into full women already at the age of eight years; or the preference of nature for females over males, because they have a longer role in the formation of a child in their body. In several species, the male dies after the act of fertilization of the female. Perhaps we will see the displacement of males in favor of women in the dominantly male leadership of politics, business, religions and other human affairs.We inflict upon this Earth and its nature so many colossal, rapid changes that it is essential to look into new natural counter-reactions, including the possible decision by nature to get rid of humans altogether. Some scientists believe that the breakdown of the natural immune system of the human body (AIDS) and cancer are the first manifestations.
~ Idea 1037 ~ 13 May 1997I hope that someday all people will receive a Yearly Good Deeds Declaration to fill out when they receive a Yearly Tax Declaration.It could include such items as:PEACE:What good and peace did you teach your children?What peace did you contribute to your family, to your neighborhood, to your workplace?What peace association did you belong to or support?THE ENVIRONMENTWhat did you do for a better environment, a reduction of garbage, of gasoline consumption, of water and energy consumption?What did you do for a more frugal and simple life, for a lower consumption of Earth resources?HAPPINESSWhat did you do to cultivate your own happiness?Happiness in your family?Happiness all around you?Happiness in your workplace?What philanthropy, what voluntary services did you provide?GOOD HEALTHWhat good health practices did you foster in your family?What were your own good examples of good health?Did you stop smoking?Did you stop consuming alcohol and tell your family that it is an Arabic word (al kohol) which means the devil?SPIRITUALITYDid you give thanks for the miracle of life and the beauty of this Earth?What did you do for your soul?Did you pray, read good spiritual writings and precepts?Did you go to spiritual services?And one could conceive other items: Love, honesty, truth, morality, fidelity, forgiveness, etc.The result of such a questionnaire would be as important if not more than the contribution of taxes to government expenses. A better society would ensue. A whole system of tax exemptions could be built on such a questionnaire. There could be for example tax deductions for voluntary services.
~ Idea 1038 ~ 14 May 1997I signed today with delight a petition to the United Nations by a Swiss Organization called Global Initiative. It asks for immediate disarmament in all countries in order to save the planet ecologically. This is a right approach at this juncture of our evolution and on the eve of a new century and millennium. School children were asked to go on strike on the third Tuesday of September, day of opening of the UN General Assembly and International Day of Peace. A Swiss newspaper reported: "That was not strike day, that was a huge school celebration."Address of Global Initiative: Roland Schutzback, Ins, CH 3232, Switzerland.
~ Idea 1039 ~ 15 May 1997Today, at the University for Peace a conference of indigenous communities was opened on the subject of creating indigenous Universities. I was glad to learn that the idea I gave a year ago during a visit to the Indigenous College of Saskatchewan that they should transform themselves into a University was being implemented.At the opening, as the participants introduced themselves, a thread of cotton was unrolled from one speaker to the next. After a while a web was occupying the area separating the participants. When I presented myself as Robert Muller, Chancellor of the University for Peace, I added my indigenous name given to me by the Hopi Indians (the Peaceful Ones), namely Kogyun Deyo, Spider Boy, meaning that my task was to make a huge spider web to catch all the evil in the world and to throw it far away into the universe. At the end of the meeting I was given the web as a souvenir and reminder of my duty.
~ Idea 1040 ~ 16 May 1997In line with my recommendations that there should be more world universities, I proposed that the conference undertake the creation of a World Indigenous University, possibly located on the sacred indigenous grounds of the University for Peace. Such a University would study world-wide the linguistics of all indigenous people, their views and relations with the Earth, their spirituality and such remarkable cosmologies as the Maya, Aztec and Inka ones which were represented at the conference. The western world is in dire need of an appropriate cosmology and could be inspired by them. For instance, it is interesting that the world core curriculum for a new presentation of all our knowledge to children (inserted in the volume of the first 500 ideas), which I derived from my experience in the United Nations, is almost identical to the Mayan cosmology.During the conference I received a remarkable paper proposing the creation of a University of Mother Earth (Madre Tierra) in Costa Rica to complement the work and efforts of the Earth Council created in that country as one of the outcomes of the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment. The text of the proposal has been circulated to the Costa Rican Parliament to have it studied and proposed officially to the United Nations for implementation. A wonderful idea. I will do everything to get it accepted.
~ Idea 1041 ~ 17 May 1997At the end of the conference the representatives of the Indigenous College of Saskatchewan in Canada, announced that they will convene a gathering of representatives of all indigenous peoples of the Americas, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego during the year 2000 to celebrate humanity's entry into the 21st century, "which will be the century of the Earth and of the Indigenous People," they said. The various cultures of the indigenous people will be represented in dances, music, ceremonials, etc. It is conceived as an event of joy as we enter a new century.I could not resist and played for them the Ode to Joy of Beethoven on my ten holes harmonica and distributed to them the text of my Dream 2000.I also felt a sense of pride for having opened the doors of the United Nations, which had been closed for many years to the Hopi Indians, to deliver in the 1980's their prophecy on atomic arms, and for having obtained from the UN the celebration of the first International Year of the Indigenous People in 1993, followed by an International Decade from 1994 to 2004.
~ Idea 1042 ~ 18 May 1997The representative of the Saskatchewan Indigenous College soon to become a University told us that when the idea of such a University was raised, the Canadians asked: "Why do you want to have such a University? We have so many first class, prestigious Canadian Universities where your people can study." The indigenous people insisted that they wanted to have their own University to teach their people their own culture and traditions. Today there are 17 indigenous Universities in the Americas, 3 of them in Canada.This reminded me that when we proposed to create a United Nations University, we heard the same comment: why don't you use our prestigious Universities, like Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, the Sorbonne, etc.?The fact remains that we need a whole series of true, universal, global Universities in the areas of common concern to humanity and to the United Nations. The Earth itself, the world ocean, the atmosphere, outer space, the deserts, the Arctic and Antarctic, and humanity deserve global universities which would be of vital benefit to the human fate and to our planet.
~ Idea 1043 ~ 19 May 1997Elaborating on idea 1040 proposing a World or United Nations University for Indigenous People, I would see the following Departments established in it for the benefit of all humanity:- a linguistics Department which would study all the indigenous languages in the world. We spend much money and talent in researching the Hindu sanskrit origin of the indo-european languages and very little on the living contemporary indigenous languages which are directly derived from observing nature and are a living laboratory of language formation;- a cosmological and philosophical life science Department where the remarkable cosmologies of the Mayas, Aztecs, Inkas and others would be studied, again for the benefit of the western world which does not have a holistic cosmology and philosophy of life and death at this moment, but has a scientific one;- a global spiritual Department to study the indigenous spiritualities and rituals derived from their intimate relation with nature and Creation.
~ Idea 1044 ~ 20 May 1997The whole politics, economy, human behaviors, social organization of the human race on planet Earth must be rethought in terms of the primacy of the Earth. We must observe and follow the laws of nature which reflect the evolution of this planet in the cosmos, the cosmic laws and forces of the universe at work on our planet. Natural law is a reflection of cosmic laws. The science of nature, religions and the indigenous people should form for the first time a natural alliance, a tremendous force which would save humanity and our planet.
~ Idea 1045 ~ 21 May 1997At the end of the conference of indigenous people at the University for Peace I rejoiced to remember that in the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People being drafted by the United Nations, it is foreseen that no indigenous people can be drafted in a national army or military service, and that no armaments can be placed on their territory. This will represent a total of 300 million people on this planet outside of military reach, and a substantial territory of the surface of the planet disarmed. I hope that more rights of the indigenous people over their former lands will be recognized and that people will donate in their wills land to the indigenous people for its preservation.
~ Idea 1046 ~ 22 May 1997We always think in terms of the power of human groups, their wealth, their weight, their importance, their leadership: political leaders, business leaders, military, spiritual, labour leaders, leaders of peoples' movements, local leaders, provincial leaders, national leaders, global leaders. For thousands of years we have been doing that. It is only now that all this is in upheaval, that the Earth herself, nature around us, the air, the waters, the soil and other species are becoming our guides, our demanding leaders.Leonardo da Vinci already said that in all human affairs including art, nature should be our supreme guide.I am glad that a world party of Natural Law has been created in 85 countries. All other parties are on the way of becoming obsolete.The Hindus and the great religions did not forget the heavens, the cosmos, the divine forces and laws, but they did not a give central place and role to nature, to the Earth as a manifestation of cosmic laws. Only the indigenous people around the world did. The 21st century might therefore indeed become the Century of the Indigenous People.
~ Idea 1047 ~ 23 May 1997Let us set as our target to make the next century the century of romanticism, love, beauty and peace, burying once and for all wars, violence, injustices, discrimination and hatred. Why not try? I would like to head a World Commission of Loving Visionaries who would design a heavenly blueprint for such a world and humanity. Nothing is impossible when the proud human race, the most advanced in the evolution on this planet decides so. What is missing is the decision to do it. Mark my words, let us do it.This thought was triggered off today when Barbara Gaughen phoned me to say that I am writing to her the most romantic letters and read to me a message from Bob Silverstein which says:"As I was reading Robert Muller's ideas for a better world to post for the week on the web page, I had to pause and smiled at how blessed the world of the present and future are to have such an insightful, inspiring soul giving so much of himself to us all. He has provided for humanity a blueprint for creating the world we all long for. Please thank Robert for me for his wonderful and deep love of life and humanity."Well, I have to merit these great words.
~ Idea 1048 ~ 24 May 1997Barbara my love,Here is a little report on the event at the National Theater in San Jose, where Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister of Israel spoke about the peace process in the Middle East. I had prepared a letter to him informing him that we had a bust of Yitzchak Rabin ready to be inaugurated on the beautiful grounds of the University for Peace and that we will invite him for the inauguration. I added to the letter the issue of our magazine which has the photo of the bust, and also a copy of my first 100 ideas for a better world as an upcount to the year 2000. The Theater was packed. It was the closing of one of the yearly courses on international relations. 700 students were there as well as the whole diplomatic community. There was not a chance of giving my envelope to Mr. Peres. He made an incredible speech, one of the best I ever heard in my life, without a note, a deep humanistic philosophy with great wisdom, good humor and plenty of an overflowing heart. He spoke about his collaboration with Rabin and how they spoke at an open air meeting. Rabin slipped the notes of his speech into a pocket on his heart and said to him: I want to keep these notes. Then a shot came and killed him...When Peres finished his speech, after a long applause, the organizers asked if there were any questions. My hand was lifted by an unknown force and I went to the microphone in front of the tribune, saying that I could not hold the tears in my eyes, because I was so moved and reminded of the miseries I knew in Alsace-Lorraine where we suffered so many wars between the French and the Germans. This is why I commissioned a bust of Mr. Rabin to be erected on the grounds of the University for Peace, and handed to Mr. Peres a photo of it in my envelope. The audience applauded, the Apostolic Nuncio and the mother of President Figueres came to embrace me. I just could not believe what I had done out of a spontaneous, mysterious urging.I hope that Mr. Peres will send me a note, whereupon I will beg him to make sure that Israel will ratify the University for Peace. This might have an influence on a possible ratification by the US too.I thought that this little report will please you. Much of this is due to you: you make me dream and dare ever more.With all my love,Robert
~ Idea 1049 ~ 25 May 1997I cannot repeat often enough that: humanity must give top priority to a new world political system for the proper government of this Earth. The UN Extraordinary General Assembly will meet at the end of this month to ask the question: why did governments not implement the urgent measures recommended by the Rio de Janeiro Conference? Well, in my opinion most national governments will not implement them, because they have only national and no world interests. Only a proper, supra-national, planetary government can save life on this planet. I will therefore distribute to delegates to the Assembly my ideas 502 and following which set this out most forcefully.
~ Idea 1050 ~ 26 May 1997Today, when walking with Barbara in the primeval woods on sacred Mt. Rasur of our finca, and dreaming of various plans for this magnificent place on Earth, I remembered idea 965 regarding the wrong education of heads of states on this globe and decided to write a plan of studies and a curriculum for a School of Heads of States on this demilitarized, inspiring place.Only once before in history did someone propose the creation of a school for heads of states: it was Confucius who faced at the time in China the same chaotic situation of divided, competing states as we know today in the world. The school was never established. It is not a reason for not proposing one and trying again.
~ Idea 1051 ~ 27 May 1997A case of implementation, Benches of Dreams (see ideas 67 and 324):Recently I was invited to speak to a group of senior students of psychology at the University of California in Santa Barbara. I noticed near the entrance of their building a well located bench to sit on and relax. I took out of my pocket a Bench of Dreams stick-on and affixed it on the bench.During my speech to the students I spoke of the psychological importance of dreams and said: I just noticed outside of your building that you have a bench with a label Bench of Dreams. Well, sit on it and formulate your dreams. You will be astonished by the psychological effects.I told them also how I escaped from an arrest by the Gestapo during World War II by putting myself into a positive psychological mood and then came up with the idea of how to escape from them (see story in my book Most of All They Taught Me Happiness and in the popular book Stone Soup for the World ).Among the comments of the students sent to me by their professor, was this rewarding one: "From now on, after having heard Mr. Muller, I will never consider anything impossible anymore."
~ Idea 1052 ~ 28 May 1997The idea has crossed my mind that if the United States does not pay its arrear dues to the United Nations, I will go and chain myself in the garden of the UN and go on hunger strike as a manner of protest. As a 50 years long servant of my beloved United Nations I must at least manifest to the world my distress at the policy of the US extreme right which is likely to repeat what happened after World War I when the isolationists defeated the US from joining the League of Nations, thus helping Hitler and Mussolini into power and to World War II.I hope that I will not have to do that and that the US will pay its dues this year, after all the efforts made by the new Secretary General to satisfy US demands.*It gave me another idea, namely that of love-strikes. For instance the wives of heads of states who will meet in a Summit of Peace in June in Vienna could declare that if their husbands do not make peace, they will go on love-strike. How about that unused women's power?* December 1997: the US did not. If I were the Secretary General I would request the transfer of the UN to another country.
~ Idea 1053 ~ 29 May 1997If I were the Chief Executive Officer of a big firm I would create a World Association of Chief Executive Officers to Reforest the Earth. Instead of paying high fees to golf clubs to put a little ball into a hole and to meet other businessmen, I would go with colleagues of that Association to a forest in a poor country or to a deforested area of my own country and together, for one or two weeks of vacations, plant trees and reforest a few acres of our beautiful Earth. As Barbara Gaughen points out in her idea 1004, these people surrounded by trees, the air, the sun would make some of their greatest decisions. And one never knows how a slight change in their decisions can preserve the world and nature for generations to come.
~ Idea 1054 ~ 30 May 1997Often people tell me that I should create my own Robert Muller Institute or Foundation. Basically I like the idea and the purposes, but I do not like the words, they are too dry, too intellectual, they do not speak to the heart. What I would like to establish is a Robert Muller Dream and Ideas Lighthouse on magic Mount Rasur in Costa Rica, overlooking the UN University for Peace and International Radio for Peace. I will give further thought to it. The title, the idea and the magnitude of such a step still escape me. God will inspire me in my dreams in our wooden farmlet on that mountain.
~ Idea 1055 ~ 31 May 1997I have received the sad news of the demise of Michael Harbottle who was the Commanding General of the United Nations troops in Cyprus and whose assistant I was as political adviser appointed by the Secretary General of the UN. Years later we met again and I suggested to him to create an association of retired Generals who would work for peace. He did. We remained in close touch ever since. He and his wife became patrons of the International Radio for Peace of the University for Peace in Costa Rica.To put myself in the right spirit to send Mrs. Harbottle my condolences, I perused my correspondence file with him and her. She had asked me for advice on how to continue the work of her dear husband. I found in that file a remarkable proposal by her for the creation of Peace Ministries in all countries to replace the former war ministries now called ministries of Defense. She placed herself in the year 2000, five years after the 50th anniversary of the UN, assuming that such Ministries would exist by then. Since I have raised the idea and dream of the creation of Ministries of Peace in these 2000 ideas, I reproduce in Annex her remarkable proposal. May our dream be fulfilled.
~ Idea 1056 ~ 1 June 1997If private industry and the market system were challenged to be the ruling system of the world, we would see a surprising result, namely the long list of expenses and responsibilities that system would lay upon the shoulders of government. It would be useful to do what I propose in idea 557. The notion and necessity of government might greatly gain from such an exercise and business would be less prone to condemn government incessantly and often very unjustly.
~ Idea 1057 ~ 2 June 1997Instead of spending colossal sums of money on ecological tourism to permit people from the rich countries to see the remaining tropical forests in Central America for example, it would be better to use that money to give survival incomes to the poor people of this region in payment for the reforestation they would do instead of being unemployed and of youth deserting rural lands to add to the overpopulation and misery of the cities. It is fortunate that a number of well-off countries are beginning to give foreign aid for reforestation and that recipient governments channel that money to the poor. The rich countries should also consider channeling such aid directly to indigenous communities around the world. They are the best caretakers of nature and want to stay on their lands. They can represent a substantial force for the good care and preservation of the Earth.
~ Idea 1058 ~ 3 June 1997I was thinking this the other day while waiting for the speech by Shimon Peres in the National Theater of Costa Rica on the peace process in the Middle East:Conflicts, especially protracted ones, have often as their main reason to preserve and reinforce an identity. This is definitely the case of the continued Israeli-Arab and Greek-Turkish Cypriot conflicts. Religious fundamentalism is a determining factor.As I proposed earlier in idea 59, if such conflicts last for more than 30 years, without solution, the rest of the world should ignore them, close the doors of the United Nations for further debates and withdraw the aid of the United Nations troops to separate the conflicting parties.It reminded me of the following:When I accompanied Secretary General Waldheim on a visit to China readmitted to the UN, when we were received by Premier Chou En Lai, Mr. Waldheim raised the question of the Middle East. Chou En Lai expressed surprise and asked: "Why do you want to discuss the Middle East?Waldheim answered: "Because it is important."Chou En Lai: "You can forget about solving this conflict. We will still have it in a hundred years." This was in 1972. A quarter of a century has already elapsed since then.Another anecdote:In 1964 I was sent to Cyprus as the political adviser of the United Nations troops to that conflict. After witnessing for six months the hagglings between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, I left saying that I and the United Nations were losing our time. There just was no willingness whatsoever to come to agreement. On the contrary, the encyclopedia of arguments was increasing incessantly. That was a third of a century ago!General Harbottle, not long before his death, told me that he had paid a visit to Cyprus and discovered that it is now the sons of the leaders of the two conflicting parties whom we knew in our time, who were arguing and discussing the same issues and arguments as their fathers!Hence my proposal that the UN should close the door to such conflicts and let their stubborn leaders continue to love them and to thrive on them. Except for the beauty of Cyprus and the nice populations on both sides, I have lost six months of my life in that country. Journalists should no longer pay any attention to them either, because often the parties fight or resort to terrorism in order to get visibility, especially from the world press.
~ Idea 1059 ~ 4 June 1997The United Nations should receive a yearly report from all poor countries showing the total sums of armaments they have paid to countries from which they have received foreign aid. The results would be very interesting. Taxpayers of the well-to-do countries would learn that in many cases the taxes they pay for foreign aid are in reality taxes for the sale of armaments to poor countries which often do not even want them but are under pressure to buy them.
~ Idea 1060 ~ 5 June 1997The great men and women of today who will be remembered in history are those who had the courage to be global world citizens and to build a new world order against all odds and obstacles, the same way as those who created the nation state especially the United States as a historic advance over their time are still remembered and celebrated today.
~ Idea 1061 ~ 6 June 1997I have never understood why nations condemn murder as a crime and often punish murderers with the death penalty, when they themselves send their youth to kill other youth in wars and give them medals for it. It is not called murder in that case, but duty or heroism. I predict that in the next century this will change:1. a new human right will be adopted, the sacred right not to kill another human being not even in the name of a nation;2. in a universal declaration of human duties, it will be specified that nations have the duty to solve problems with other nations through peaceful means;3. that any nation who breaks this duty, will be condemned by the International Tribunal for Crimes against humanity.
~ Idea 1062 ~ 7 June 1997We have learned of late to love the sky, the sun, the seas and oceans, the birds and all nature. Why should we not learn to love also our human brothers and sisters world-wide? Aren't we all children of the same Earth? Are we not created in the image of God, a cosmic phenomenon of the first order?
~ Idea 1063 ~ 8 June 1997I propose the creation of a World Association of Love as a contribution to our entry into a new century and millennium. Let us make them the century and millennium of love.
~ Idea 1064 ~ 9 June 1997Someone should create a world association of global politicians or planeticians, a global political science and action groups, thinkers and activists who would think first of the world and humanity and secondly of nations, and not the reverse as is the case today. No wonder that the Earth and humanity as a whole suffer from their secondarity. Planeticians, planetic science and administration are words which should come into use, since polis in Greek meant only the city.
~ Idea 1065 ~ 10 June 1997Patriotism should never be allowed to lead to hatriotism. We should coin a new word meaning love for the world. Earthlove? Earthtriotism? Gaiaphily?
~ Idea 1066 ~ 11 June 1997When we speak of the environment, we should always keep in mind that we are really speaking of the future evolution of this planet, of Earth, of humanity and of all living species on it. It is one of the most sacred challenges the human species has ever faced in all history.
~ Idea 1067 ~ 12 June 1997It is high time to create a new discipline or field in Universities which would include but go far beyond marketing and advertisement, namely the ways, strategy and methodology of influencing people psychologically. It should include the propaganda of dictators and the means employed by the rich and powerful to stay in power and in wealth. The media would occupy a high place in such a discipline which I would call psychocracy: power and government through psychology.
~ Idea 1068 ~ 13 June 1997Democracy, the government, the power of the people is of such importance and has been so distorted of late that every University on Earth should create a Department of Democracy.
~ Idea 1069 ~ 14 June 1997The International Association of University Presidents should take up the subject: what are fundamental new preoccupations of the human society or subjects which have been neglected and should be reestablished as disciplines in Universities?
~ Idea 1070 ~ 15 June 1997Providing the peoples with objective information has become a major aspect of democracy. Noone on Earth could probably imagine the amount of distorted, false, planned misinformation which is being served daily to the people. Governments, business and many other institutions are involved in this power game. I fully approve the proposal of Carol Chase, a Pre-school teacher, author and children's advocate, to have the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations transformed into a Peoples' Council which would have as one of its main roles to provide truthful, objective information to the peoples of the world.
~ Idea 1071 ~ 16 June 1997In each government, global agency and institution, corporation, etc. there should be created two central Councils: a Council of Youth, because their future is concerned, and a Council of Wise Elders to provide their wisdom and advice so that decisions concerning the future will not be detrimental to the seventh generation.
~ Idea 1072 ~ 17 June 1997What a symbol and privilege it is for me to live, after a whole life of world service in the United Nations, in a demilitarized country, in the first University for Peace on this planet, on a sacred hill from which according to indigenous prophecy a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world. And none of it was planned. It was the will of God or of the mysterious forces of the universe. I have become convinced that if one is of service to peace and to a better world, God or the universe's forces help you in the most incredible, unexpected, unplannable ways.
~ Idea 1073 ~ 18 June 1997The date of 18 June always reminds me of the French underground group to which I belonged during World War II. It was named the Group of 18 June, date of the appeal by General de Gaulle to the French people. Remembering all the killings I saw, I am reminded of the idea in which I recommend that all mothers should claim the fundamental human right not to see their sons, the flesh of their flesh, kill or be killed by other sons of mothers, not in the name of a nation or a religion or of anyone else. Conflicts between all groups must be settled by peaceful, non-violent means.Someone should collect cases when mothers were able to prevent their sons from being drafted into military or war service. I have heard of two: some US mothers decide to give birth to their children at home and not to register their sons, but to do it only after they are 25 years old, i.e. beyond the age of military service.Another case was when American mothers went to Viet-Nam, took off the uniforms from their sons, dressed them in civilian clothes and took them home. The military authorities did not challenge them in order not to draw attention to the act.As a pretending civilized human species we should solve all conflicts by intelligent, civilized and non-violent means. Even better: let us have a disarmed and demilitarized planet with a good world security system at the top. This is what the United Nations were created for, and now that the excuse for not doing it, namely the cold war, is gone let us do it instead of extending military alliances like NATO and SEATO.
~ Idea 1074 ~ 19 June 1997Benjamin Franklin, at a session of the Continental Congress trying to ratify the US Constitution rose to say: "Gentlemen, if a sparrow cannot fall on the ground without the knowledge of the Creator, how can we expect to give birth to a new nation without His assistance. I propose therefore that we open each session with prayer."This beautiful remark is relevant to all human affairs. I therefore propose that every family meeting, every school class, every meeting of institutions, government, business and people will begin with prayer. May the whole world follow the example of the yearly sessions of the United Nations General Assembly which open and end with a minute of silence for prayer or meditation.
~ Idea 1075 ~ 20 June 1997Yesterday I implemented idea 1049 by making available the following appeal to the members of the Extraordinary Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, held to review after five years the implementation of the recommendations of the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the environment:Dear Esteemed Member,After the world's concern for peace, humanism and economic development:After the world's concern for the population explosion;After the world's concern for the environment;After the world's concern for the Earth's climate;The new, even vaster concern is now how to save this planet and the human race by creating urgentlyA PROPER EARTH GOVERNMENTThis is the absolute priority which faces us, the top item on the agenda of world affairs as we enter a new century and millennium.I appeal to you, I beg you, Member of the UN Extraordinary Session, to adopt a resolution requesting an Initiative for URGENT PROPER EARTH GOVERNMENT.This text was followed by my ideas 502 to 547 and 556 to 564.
~ Idea 1076 ~ 21 June 1997We need not only daily weather reports, we now need also daily Earth reports.Barbara Gaughen
~ Idea 1077 ~ 22 June 1997We should replace Stock Exchanges by Earth Exchanges to give us daily valuations of the main Earth conditions: quality of the atmosphere, of the waters, of the top soils, of the forestry cover, of the seas and oceans and their oxygen production, of climatic changes, of living species, etc.
~ Idea 1078 ~ 23 June 1997An important element to obtain a better world is for each individual to look deep inside and to dream what kind of a world his inner nature desires and dreams of. Dream first. Get your dreams straight including of the role you wish to play in order to fulfill your dream. You will be surprised by the wonders which will happen. God or the invisible forces of the universe will help you beyond all imagination. Coincidences will happen of which you could not have any idea. God recompenses in astonishing ways those who are of service to a peaceful, better world.
~ Idea 1079 ~ 24 June 1997When you pick a fruit from a tree or get a vegetable from a garden you will receive a life force at its best. The fruit and vegetable are at their optimum life intensity. This is a fact which must obtain first rate consideration in the marketing of such products. There should be laws providing that each product should have a label indicating on what date it was picked. Associations including a World Movement of Fresh Cut Produce should be created. It would be a further progress in addition to the concept of organic foods.
~ Idea 1080 ~ 25 June 1997I approve wholeheartedly and applaud this draft resolution to be presented by the Netherlands World Federalist Movement to the 50th anniversary session of the World Federalist Movement in Montreux:The World Federalists,Gathered in Montreux, Switzerland, September 1997,Considering the proximity of the Centennial World Peace Conference in the Hague, in 1999 to commemorate the first World Peace Conference of 1899;Considering the proximity of the year 2000 and humanity's entry into a new century and millennium;Considering that our Earth is in urgent need of proper global government for the preservation of the Earth and the benefit of all humanity;Calls for a world-wide alliance of all federalist movements, world government associations, world constitution authors, planetary, global and world citizens to obtain from the 185 national governments of this planet the creation, early in the 21st century, of the proper Earth Government so urgently needed;Appeals to the Centennial World Peace Conference in the Hague in 1999 to endorse and recommend this proposal for World Government to the community of nations;Recommends for the United Nations to convene in the year 2000 a general conference on proper Earth government, and to draft a World Constitution to that effect;Hopes that by the year 2007, the centennial commemoration of the Second World Peace Conference of 1907, in the Hague, the new World Constitution will come into effect, having obtained the ratifications of the required number of states;Appeals to all peoples of the World to plead and pray their leaders for the fulfillment of this historic, indispensable institutional progress of humanity.
~ Idea 1081 ~ 26 June 1997Barbara Gaughen and I, both members of the Club of Budapest on planetary consciousness, sent today a message of congratulation to Mikhail Gorbachev who was receiving in Frankfurt, the city of Goethe, this year's prize for planetary consciousness. We ended our message as follows:We are sending you our warmest love, congratulations and prayers. May you become the prophet of a united human family, and the global architect who will give the world his vision, plan and proposals how the Earth and humanity can become the ultimate cosmic success of the universe and of God. May we be privileged to see soon a Gorbachev Plan for a World Union or Proper Earth Government as we saw a Robert Schuman Plan for a United Europe, now an astonishing reality. May you, all your co-workers and guests contribute to our entry into a new phase, the cosmic age of our evolution into the 21st century and third millennium.Let us all heed the advice of the great Goethe, the honor of the city of Frankfurt in which you receive the Planetary Consciousness Prize:"Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it,Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."
~ Idea 1082 ~ 27 June 1997There are people who achieve greatness by being the perfect realization of the ideals and values of their time. Businessmen are mostly these people nowadays. There are others who will achieve greatness because they embody and are the prophets of the values and ideals to be achieved by humanity tomorrow. Who are these prophetic leaders today?
~ Idea 1083 ~ 28 June 1997There is a great need for global saints. My candidates would be Dag Hammarskjöld, U Thant and Robert Schuman. I am glad to be a member of the canonization committee of the latter. Perhaps the United Religions Organization could proclaim global, planetic saints.
~ Idea 1084 ~ 29 June 1997I am delighted that Mrs. Mary Robinson, the President of Ireland has been appointed Commissioner of Human Rights at the United Nations. My correspondence with her in which I had exhorted her to be a candidate for Secretary General, will allow me to submit to her a whole series of human rights which should be considered during her mandate. There are already several others proposed in these 2000 ideas, but here are three which come forthwith to mind, even if one or two have already been stated elsewhere:- the fundamental human right of all people to participate and contribute to the birth of a meaningful, orderly, just world society;- the fundamental human right to a new, objective global education;- the fundamental human right to move and to establish oneself in any country of this Earth, on any place of this planet, except where specifically prohibited by world law to preserve the Earth and its basic functioning.
~ Idea 1085 ~ 30 June 1997Message to the Club of BudapestDuring fifty years of world service with the United Nations, I have observed three major phases in recent human history: from 1945 to 1970's a period of most intensive, unprecedented global humanism (peace, human rights, health, well-being, economic development, racial equality, decolonization, human longevity, literacy, etc.); from 1970's to 1980: the birth of a novel, unprecedented concern for the environment (UNESCO's 1968 world conference on the biosphere, the UN's 1972 world conference on the environment); since the 1980's (the 1978 UN world conference on the ozonosphere, the two UN conferences on the climate in 1979 and 1987) the problem number one has become the fate of the Earth itself. Throughout this period I have considered the birth of a global consciousness to the human species and the creation of global institutions and convening of world conferences as the major hopes for humanity to cope with the acute global problems all of a sudden facing us. I became therefore an enthusiastic member of the Club of Budapest created by my former colleague and friend Ervin Laszlo, a world thinker, servant and activist of great vision.Having just now followed the UN extraordinary General Assembly convened to assess the road covered since the UN Rio de Janeiro world conference on the environment of 1992, I was appalled by the resistance, slowness, if not opposition of many governments, including major ones, to act upon the recommendations and agreements of the Rio Conference. In the meantime the world population continues to increase at an alarming rate, and so does the deterioration of our environment and the outright destruction of nature. I consider it therefore to be my duty to make the following recommendations.1. to declare a state of emergency of the Earth;2. to consider the present situation as an outright war, a World War III against the Earth and its elements and we humans must end this war;3. to request a second world conference on the biosphere, thirty years after the first one in 1968, to see what the state of our biosphere is today;4. to support the extension to other countries of the World Party of Natural Law already existing in 85 countries due to the initiative of British scientists;5. to place all our weight behind a radical change of the political system of our planet which provides for services and financial resources from local communities, cities, provinces to nations, but leaves almost entirely the Earth and the human family without adequate common services and financial resources at a time when these are most desperately needed;6. in view of the chaos of the purely nation-state system and its colossal duplications of services (e.g. the military establishments) and their financial costs, I recommend that we urgently agree upon the absolute and imperative necessity, unavoidable sooner or later, to create a proper Earth Government either in the formof a profoundly transformed, strongly upgraded, powerendowed, well financed, second generation United Nationsof a federal Earth Governmentor a United States of the World,or a World Union on the model of the recent European Union,or an extension of the European Union to other regions,or of five continental unions with a world super-structure,or an Earth Government patterned on bio-regional or bio-organizational models responding to nature's diversity on our planet.In the absence of such initiatives and a new political system for planet Earth we are likely to see the disappearance of most life forms, including human life from this planet in the 21st century.Robert Muller
~ Idea 1086 ~ 1 July 1997Through business and profit, marketing and advertising we are made to admire things which are not admirable and not necessary.Personally I have no admiration for monstrous, overcrowd cities which try to attract me with museums, world fairs, meetings of famous people, national or world conventions and sports events. I prefer to go to a conference held in a beautiful natural surrounding.It is not the monstrous cities on the ocean coasts of this planet which are the object of my admiration, with their boats, yachts, wharves and businesses. My admiration goes to the vast oceans, to the natural, unencumbered seashores, to the snow-capped mountains often to be seen on the horizon.I can have endless love for the Earth, for God's divine creation. But I will never be able to love skyscrapers.It is not the construction of more skyscrapers and cities which must be the ideals and objectives of humanity. It must be the preservation and embellishment of our miraculous home and garden Earth, the masterpiece, the cathedral, the Temple of God.Humanity must get its loves, admirations, values and wisdom straight.
~ Idea 1087 ~ 2 July 1997I am so glad that I came across one of the most important books of our time, World War III, Population and the Biosphere at the end of the Millennium, by Michael Tobias, Bear and Company, publishers in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Michael Tobias and I could be twin brothers. His evaluation of the current world situation and dangers is identical to mine. His book and my 2000 ideas should be world enlightening best-sellers.
~ Idea 1088 ~ 3 July 1997Message to the Chairman and Members of the group of 77*In view of the defensive position in which the United Nations finds itself at the end of this century, your meeting in Geneva takes on a very particular historic importance for the future of the world. Here are a few ideas from someone who has served the United Nations for forty years in various capacities, including as aide to three Secretaries General:1. introduce a draft resolution in the General Assembly asking for the transfer of the main seat of the United Nations to a lower cost member country known for its staunch adherence, support and strengthening of the UN and offering the best financial conditions for such a transfer. Keeping the seat of the UN in the US will hamper progress of the world;2. request the Secretary General of the UN to publish a report on the geographical distribution of all the seats of the UN and of its 32 specialized agencies and world programs, with figures of the incomes derived by the countries of location from the local expenses of these organizations, from the local representations of member countries, from conferences held at these seats, and other possible expenses;3. solicit from the European Union a report on the structure, functioning and financing of that most recent innovative and progressive model of international cooperation, strikingly better than the United Nations;4. request a yearly report from the UN Secretary General comparing funding for peace and international cooperation through the United Nations with yearly military and armaments expenses in the world;5. replace in all UN debates and documents the word "reform" by "strengthening" of the United Nations;6. undertake a study and consideration on the eve of a new century and millennium of models for world cooperation better than the United Nations, e.g.- the creation of a federal Earth government;- a World Union on the model of the European Union;- the extension of the European Union to wider areas and its progressive transformation into a world union, as envisaged by its founder Robert Schuman, the first extension being to the Eastern European countries;- the creation of five continental unions with a world superstructure;- any other ideas and proposals for an urgent better management of our Earth and human affairs.7. implement the recommendation of the European Union Parliament that the UN create urgently a UN Consultative Parliamentary Assembly made of representatives from all national parliaments to express their views, ideas and plans for the strengthening or new forms of world cooperation. It would play a role similar to that of the earlier European Consultative Parliamentary Assembly which played a fundamental role in the creation of the European Union;8. request that on the occasion of the year 2000, all member governments of the United Nations should review the successes and failures of humanity in the last 100 years and formulate ideas and proposals to achieve a better world in the next century;9. take note and keep being informed of the meetings and celebrations to be held in the city of The Hague in 1999 as the centennial anniversary of the first World Peoples' Peace Conference held in that city in 1899, followed by a second peace conference in 1907. Despite the 1914-1918 war which prevented a third conference in 1915, these efforts led to the creation of the International Court of Justice, of the International Labor Organization and of the League of Nations, the precursor of the United Nations.I consider it providential that the Group of 77 should hold this meeting at such an opportune time. I congratulate you and wish you a resounding, historic success.Robert Muller* This is a group of member countries of the UN which during the cold war were called the Non-aligned Countries, i.e. non-aligned to the big powers.
~ Idea 1089 ~ 4 July 1997I would like to be considered and remembered as one of the revolutionaries against the chaotic, wasteful, duplicating, unjust economic and political so-called world "order" of today. Nothing less than a revolution is needed to get a new order which will save this Earth and humanity in the next century and millennium and prevent our extinction.
~ Idea 1090 ~ 5 July 1997Even I, the most passionate advocate and prophet of the United Nations will be accused by future generations for having not done enough, for having underestimated its momentous, mind-boggling capacity and role for the history and evolution of humanity and of planet Earth. May I be forgiven and may the new, young generation of UN officials have more audacity and faith than I had.
~ Idea 1091 ~ 6 July 1997There are labour inspectors in most countries of the world. But there are practically no prices inspectors on this planet. To create them would be the greatest service to laborers and poor income earners of the world because they always lag behind the price increases. Since labour inspection and protection is the achievement of the International Labour Organization, I repeat my recommendation that the time has come to create a World Consumers Organization.
~ Idea 1092 ~ 7 July 1997Whenever I see an unnecessary waste in a hotel, result of the marketing by the producers, I leave a note to the manager suggesting that they put an end to the waste. The big, wealthy hotels are the worst. It is part of their show-off techniques. We should cease to admire them, avoid them and prefer simple, small hotels, bed-and-breakfasts.
~ Idea 1093 ~ 8 July 1997The same way as I have sworn long ago never to consume a single bottle of Coca Cola and other so-called soft drinks, preferring plain water and natural fruit juices, I have similarly decided never to buy anything in a supermarket, preferring to buy from little shopkeepers who need to make a living for their family and who often have better, less processed and cheaper products.
~ Idea 1094 ~ 9 July 1997The US press is replete with articles on the UN reform and the expenditures of the world organization. 1.3 billion dollars is considered by the US Congress as excessive, at a time when the US budget allocates 268.2 billion dollars for the military, and the world spends 1000 billion dollars on armaments and the military. I wonder if there is and ever will be another crazy, mismanaged planet like ours in the whole universe and eternity.
~ Idea 1095 ~ 10 July 1997I have more and more admiration for Hindu political science which observes that human societies are managed by a caste system: the kings or central government, the military, the merchants and the priests. The ordinary citizens are the lowest, servant caste, while there are alliances between the higher, ruling castes: the king with the military, and/or with the priests, and/or the merchants.Today's world society is ruled by the merchants, the new kings, supported by governments and the military, while most priests have joined the lower people's caste which has little to say.But one new, evolutionary, revolutionary, all encompassing partner has appeared: the Earth which is becoming our supreme ruler and preoccupation.The creating in 85 countries of a World Natural Law Party conceived by British scientists, reveals this new trend and should appeal to all peoples.
~ Idea 1096 ~ 11 July 1997The Romans had the lapidary statement:Carthago delendum estCarthage must be deleted (destroyed)I have this lapidary statement:NATO delendum estNATO must be deleted (destroyed)A peaceful way of doing that would be to integrate NATO and SEATO into a UN World Security System (see idea 499).
~ Idea 1097 ~ 12 July 1997The modern world should adopt St. Francis's ideals formulated on the sacred hill of Assisi:to love God the Creatorto love peaceto love the Earthto love simple, frugal lives
~ Idea 1098 ~ 13 July 1997The same phenomenon will happen at the end of this century as happened at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, when industrialists and arms manufacturers like Alfred Nobel and Andrew Carnegie were seized by repentance and wanted their names to be remembered as peacemakers and created peace prizes or commissioned good thinkers to draft the statutes of a League of Nations or created foundations like the Rockefeller foundation:Many multi millionaires and billionaires of today will seek ways to clear or immortalize their names by becoming philanthropists and gaiaphilists. In anticipation of that I delivered already several speeches over the last few years on that subject. To guide them I will reproduce my 1991 speech at the Second World Congress on Philanthropy in Miami as an Introduction to my next 100 ideas. Its many specific ideas will provide them with guidance beneficial to all humanity and to the Earth.** My friend Ted Turner whom I acquainted with the United Nations many years ago has opened this new page by announcing on 28 September 1997 his decision to donate 1 billion dollars to United Nations humanitarian programs over the next five years. Thank you, dear Ted. You are showing the lead and follow the recommendation in my Miami speech on global philanthropy through the United Nations and its agencies which have the widest beneficial effects, give the donors maximum world recognition and visibility and receive the smallest percentage of world philanthropic aid.
~ Idea 1099 ~ 14 July 1997I attended today the reception by the Embassy of France for the celebration of the French Revolution on 14 July 1789. I went there only because the Ambassador was new and I left him a documentation and an invitation to visit the University for Peace where we will try to convince him to get France to ratify that University. I was shocked by the lavish party for the local diplomats and Costa Rican high officials. A party like that costs money which would have fed several hundreds of poor children. And I was reminded of one of my favorite subjects: the need for the publication of a world budget showing the expenditures of all nations. Just the cost of 185 countries giving parties to each other on their national holidays and other occasions would create a shock in world public opinion.I was thinking also that if the young French revolutionaries who were celebrated were alive today they would blast the bottles of champagne against the walls because it is exactly against such practices of the powerful aristocracy of their time that they made the revolution. What about simplicity and frugality of governments? The UN and its 32 specialized world agencies should give the good example and suppress all receptions. It will be the last reception I attend in my life.
~ Idea 1100 ~ 15 July 1997My idea 620 has received the beginning of a modest implementation: during his recent visit to Costa Rica, President Clinton offered US aid for the conservation of primeval forests in that country. It is a program which could be called, "oxygen by the poor for the rich". As a result the Costa Rican Parliament is now considering a legislation which would give 10,000 colones (about forty dollars) per hectare (2.5 acres) of primeval forests which are conserved by private owners. A good little first step.
~ Idea 1101 ~ 16 July 1997Some of the great errors of our time were these:- humanity rushed into economics, changing our home before ecology, the knowledge of that home;- we accepted capitalism as the dominant ideal of the human society and not the environment or love and preservation of our Earth;- we let business globalize itself and become the master of the world and of our lives, while governments, the entrusted defenders of justice, of the poor and the downtrodden did not globalize themselves and even became the servant of business;- and religions did not globalize themselves at all.These errors were not basically wanted:- capitalism did wonders for humanity at the beginning when the world population was small and the resources of the Earth were unexploited and seemingly unlimited;- governments were still in the era of consolidating nations recently born from ethnic groups fighting each other;- religions still believed that their truths were absolute, immortal and meant to spread to the entire world.Well, today our objectives and efforts should be:1. to see the religions globalize themselves urgently in order to give us a universal, cosmic meaning of life on Earth and give birth to the first global, cosmic, universal civilization; the recent initiative to create the United Religions can do that;2. national governments must absolutely globalize themselves in a new, second generation Untied Nations with much more power, especially legislative power, or a United States of the world with proper balance of powers in a world democracy, or a World Union along the lines of the European Union;3. business must be made the servant of the people's needs within a properly preserved Earth, and no longer be instruments of unlimited power, profit, enrichment and programming of the people's lives and consumption;4. more generally we must put an end to the Darwinian theory of competition and survival of the fittest, and replace it by a new science, strategy and methodology of cooperation for our evolutionary survival and fulfillment on this particular planet in the universe.
~ Idea 1102 ~ 17 July 1997Today I received the visit of a Swiss couple who was looking for ideas which would allow them to make a contribution to a better world. We discussed several of them, especially in the field of education. I asked them if they had any particular dreams, even if they were wild dreams. The husband, Mr. Pierre Brunner-Dubey said that he had indeed a wild dream. It was to see a University for Peace created in Jerusalem. I told him that it was not a wild dream, on the contrary. One could dream that during the year 2000, when a world conference on forgiveness was planned in Jerusalem, the creation of such a University could be announced.
~ Idea 1103 ~ 18 July 1997Two ideas from the prestigious International School of Amsterdam which uses my world core curriculum and provides a reputed global education to more than 700 students from many countries:1. to launch a project of Pilot Schools from around the world which have experience in teaching peace and non-violence;2. to create a world association of consultants on global education. As the "father of global education", I would be considered for its presidency.
~ Idea 1104 ~ 19 July 1997I am glad to learn that courses on environmental geography are being taught at the University of Amsterdam. This goes beyond geography (gaia, the Earth, and graphein, to write down, to describe, i.e. the mere description of the Earth) but is an extension to its environmental meaning, to its value to humanity and evolution.
~ Idea 1105 ~ 20 July 1997Robert Silverstein, founder of People for Peace, who is putting my 2000 ideas on world-wide web, presents me as follows: "Robert Muller says that his greatest honor is not the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education, or being decorated by the Pope, or even his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, but the remark of a custodian at a school named after him who said: "In all my years here I have never seen two children fight."I dream that all founders and principals of schools around the Earth will receive some day the same compliment.
~ Idea 1106 ~ 21 July 1997Dear Barbara,You called me last night to tell me that you found in your library a life story of Teilhard de Chardin from his earliest youth on and that you wanted me to write a similar biography. At 12:15 in the night I woke up in the middle of a dream in which I tried to put order in my souvenirs of the place in Belgium where I was born: Weismies or Waimes in French (the white meadow). And I suddenly remembered that it was 21 July, the national day of Belgium. It was again one of those coincidences or messages. May God help me to write a moving, inspiring life story, a truly magical one.
~ Idea 1107 ~ 22 July 1997Napoleon created a Polytechnic School in Paris. We must create today Polyethnic, Polynational and Polyreligious schools.
~ Idea 1108 ~ 23 July 1997We urgently need much more than the United Nations. We need a proper Earth government. The earlier we design and agree on one, the better. Time is of the essence, if we want to save this planet and most life on it.
~ Idea 1109 ~ 24 July 1997An 84 years old gentleman from Canada, Don Toppin, who has followed my efforts for years, called me to suggest that I should be the Ambassador of the peoples and visit every head of state during the year 2000 and tell them what they should do for peace and a better world. When I objected that I did not merit such an honor, he replied: "Yes, you do, because you are number 1 in the world."
~ Idea 1110 ~ 25 July 1997Elisabet Sathouris, the evolution biologist, in a remarkable writing entitled The Biology of Globalization recommends a world-wide, open, peaceful dialogue of ideas, because nobody has a monopoly of the truth. She finishes by saying that it is time to revive great ideas such as a World Declaration of Interpendence and Constitution. Yes, this was done: see Introduction to ideas 501 to 600 in volume II.
~ Idea 1111 ~ 26 July 1997As we near the 21st century, I recommend that the International Association of University Presidents take up these two subjects:1. what should be the ideal University in the 21st century? How should it be structured? What would be its principal objectives and Departments, given the needs of the Earth and humanity and future evolution on this planet?2. What should be an ideal network of world Universities around the planet which would deal with global subjects of concern to all humanity and to the fate of the Earth, e.g. the seas and oceans, the atmosphere, the world's climate, the world's waters, global education, global ethics, proper Earth government, etc.?
~ Idea 1112 ~ 27 July 1997We have entered the age of globalozation, of common denominators, common goals, common dreams, common institutions, common actions, common celebrations, common successes. Please, dear reader, take part in some or several of these common efforts which can save and even at long last make this Earth a paradise of peace, well-being and happiness.
~ Idea 1113 ~ 28 July 1997Someone asked me this question: "Mr. Muller, after having written more than one thousand ideas, which one or two would you consider the most important?"1. The absolute, urgent necessity for proper Earth government;2. That every person on Earth, from children to the elderly, from East and West, from North and South, from individual families to the United Nations and its world institutions, from leaders of nations, business, religions, Universities, professors and people from all walks of life and professions, would write down their truest, innermost, deeply felt dreams and ideas for a better world. It would be the greatest world-wide democratic survey ever held in all human history. All these dreams should be sent to the United Nations and on their basis a great action plan for our successful evolution towards a peaceful, non-violent and happy world society should be drawn up.
~ Idea 1114 ~ 29 July 1997This century should not pass without seeing established a World Commission of Eminent Personalities to devise an equitable tax system both to humans and to the Earth and its life sustaining resources. They could discover that we have at present the worst tax system conceivable in the universe.
~ Idea 1115 ~ 30 July 1997To make further progress in world affairs, I recommend that the UN General Assembly decide to hold a conference in the year 2000 to redraft the Charter and strengthen and enable the UN to deal successfully with the unprecedented global problems facing today and tomorrow humanity and the Earth. It will also give a voice to the 134 member nations of today's 185 which were not represented at the first San Francisco Conference at the end of World War II.
~ Idea 1116 ~ 31 July 1997The nature of this Earth, its vital elements for the survival of humanity can be saved only if measures are taken which are commensurate with the dangers and catastrophes expecting us.Actions by governments are totally insufficient. People's protests and activism for the environment and the Earth should be a main concern of the year 2000.I recommend that there should be candidates for political office who call themselves outright environmentalists, Earth defenders and members of the new Natural Law Party. All existing parties are obsolete given the menaces on the Earth. I even recommend the creation of an Earth Party.
~ Idea 1117 ~ 1 August 1997The early work of the United Nations on Restrictive Business Practices has practically disappeared over the years. It would be interesting to find out which government were cause of that.It is urgent to reestablish it. Big business wanted free trade in the world and got a lot of it. But now it is the same business which creates monopolies and restrictive business practices contrary to their own ideology and the people's interests. This is what happens each time a particular group acquires excessive power.
~ Idea 1118 ~ 2 August 1997The same is the case of nations, inside and outside. I recommend that a new item be placed on the agenda of the United Nations, entitled:Restrictive anti-democratic practices or more generally: the state of democracy in the world of today.
~ Idea 1119 ~ 3 August 1997People and communities should also complain about restrictive history practices.What history do we learn in school? The nation, the nation and again the nation. Not a word about our own personal family history, of the place where we live, the village, the city, the natural area, the province. Nothing either about the history of the continent, except from a national point of view. As for world history, it is presented again from the point of view of the particular nation.On recent new global history (League of Nations, the United Nations and its world agencies, international peoples' movements and associations, regional unions like the borderless European Union) again nothing. And there is little also on the history of the Earth, whose fate has become number one.Ministers of "national" education should be ashamed and design a new education of history in which the nation is put at its right place.
~ Idea 1120 ~ 4 August 1997The problem of democracy should become one of the major items for world attention on the eve of a new century and millennium. I recommend two actions:1. the establishment of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Democracy;2. the inscription of the item on the agenda of the United Nations for in depth study and yearly reporting by nations.One of the subjects for example should be a world-wide comparative study of electoral laws. Is it normal, is it democratic that in certain countries candidates can receive big campaign funds from business? How free will they later be to resist the demands of those who helped them to power?
~ Idea 1121 ~ 5 August 1997It will never get into my head that nations spend 1000 times more on armaments and the military than on the United Nations.It will never get into my head that the people allow without protest or tax revolution, the colossal duplications of governmental expenses of 185 nations when so much could be saved if they would do things together. One example would be a security system for the entire world, the same way as there is one for each nation, which prevents the states or provinces from having each their own army. If they had, there would be hundreds of armies on this planet. We still have to replace 170 national armies by one world or United Nations Security System or Force.It will never get into my head that so many humans spend their time and intelligence to invent new technologies, products and "services" to be marketed, and so little on ideas for social improvements, more justice, a better way of governing this planet and preserving it.I cannot help concluding that the nation-state has reached a stage similar to the one that existed when George Washington exclaimed:"The primary cause of all disorders lies in the different state governments and in the tenacity of that power which pervades the whole of their systems."
~ Idea 1122 ~ 6 August 1997In the next century we will have a peaceful, imaginative, visionary evolution or a revolution on this planet. The choice is in the hands of today's leaders of nations and thinkers.
~ Idea 1123 ~ 7 August 1997World criminals are better organized than nation-states. This is why I recommend the urgent creation of a World Police endowed with the most modern equipments, information, communications and experience in combating crime, terrorism, highjacking, hostage taking, drug trafficking and other contemporary evils.
~ Idea 1124 ~ 8 August 1997In face of the rising world-wide criticisms against capitalism, I recommend that a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Capitalism be established to look into this subject. It is high time to do that. Even the chief executive officer of Mitsubishi in a speech to the World Future Society says that it seems to him " that the global business community is driving quickly to a cliff, and we have our eyes closed."
~ Idea 1125 ~ 9 August 1997We must fear that capitalism will bring this world to an end. It was born at the end of the 19th century like communism, when conditions were very different from today: the world population was small, except for China: the resources of the planet were barely exploited and seemed inexhaustible. Like communism, capitalism has become contrary to evolution and will collapse if it does not change course. As is shown by Toynbee in his study of past great powers, it is unlikely to do so because powers believe in their continuance and are unable to adapt to the new requirements of evolution.This reminds me of the following: after the first world conference on the environment in Stockholm in 1972, the Ford Foundation hired a consultant to report to them on the meaning of that conference. One day he stopped me in the corridors of the UN and said: "Robert, you will be interested in my finding. The environment is basically a spiritual question." I expressed surprise, and he continued: "Yes, because if a businessman is only concerned about profit, he will not give a damn about the environment. But if he thinks of his children and grandchildren, he will be concerned."
~ Idea 1126 ~ 10 August 1997Among the signs of capitalism's decadence is the frenzy of marketing and advertisement. Business does not know what to do anymore to continue to compete, to win markets, to make more profits, to change products, to make people consume more.In airline magazines and in formerly serious magazines, the substantive articles are interwoven, cut up, drowned in advertisements which nobody reads anymore. But it all costs the Earth and our lungs entire forests.Miniaturization is the latest device: offering any salable products in minuscule containers or flasks at the cash registers of supermarkets and in restaurants!Signs of decadence are mounting everywhere. Why does not capitalism re-examine itself? Its business geniuses should sit down and ask themselves: where are we going? What will be next? What will be the end result?
~ Idea 1127 ~ 11 August 1997I am surprised that there are only about 400 billionaires on this planet. I am sure that there are many more, but they prefer to remain anonymous and hidden.I would recommend to all of them to give away their fortune through philanthropy and gaiaphily, and retire as monks in monasteries or in nature to reflect on the meaning of life.
~ Idea 1128 ~ 12 August 1997The role and responsibility of the new United Religions Organization and of the World Parliament of Religions will be enormous at the end of this century: it will be no less than to give humanity a new spiritual, planetary, cosmic ideology to follow the demise of communism and capitalism.The new Natural Law Party in which western scientists converge with eastern spiritualists can become the political arm of that ideology.
~ Idea 1129 ~ 13 August 1997Proposal for environmental family adoptions:As I fly over Nicaragua and other Latin American countries I am amazed how beautiful the land and the seacoasts are, and how sad I am when I read that farmers and families often struggle in vain to keep the land and finally decide to move to overcrowded cities.What if in rich countries there would be an "adopt a family program" under which a US family would adopt a family and their land in Nicaragua or in another similar country. Families from overcrowded rich cities would go and spend vacations with their adopted family whose living conditions they could help improve and imitate.Some of my fondest memories are of summers spent on a very rustic farm in Oregon, catching trout for breakfast, collecting eggs and gathering vegetables fresh from the garden, which you never get in a city.Barbara Gaughen Muller
~ Idea 1130 ~ 14 August 1997The preceding idea leads me to propose that the United Nations conceive a World Plan of Direct People to People, Family to Family Aid. Now people in rich countries are taxed by governments to provide governmental foreign aid, which is costly to administer, cause of bureaucracy and often misdirected towards purchases of armaments and other goods which the giving government or big firms want to sell.It reminds me of my mother, a poor milliner who was so happy whenever she looked at the photos of a poor African orphan whom she had adopted at the recommendation of a priest. She loved and supported that child with her modest means until she died without ever meeting the little boy.
~ Idea 1131 ~ 15 August 1997Here in the hamlet of El Rodeo, the seat of the University for Peace, the schoolchildren collect aluminum cans for recycling against a small recompense. When I keep aluminum cans for them or pick them up during my cleaning up of "the cleanest mile on Earth" between my little farmhouse and the University for Peace, I remember this information on aluminum cans:• When one tosses out one aluminum can one wastes as much energy as if one filled the same can half full of gasoline and poured it onto the ground.• If one throws away an aluminum can, it will still litter the Earth up to 500 years.• In 1988 alone, aluminum can recycling saved more than 11 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to supply the residential needs of New York City for six months.~ Idea 1132 ~ 16 August 1997In the United States there is now a peoples' and parents movement of "One week without television." The results are apparently very positive: the children speak more to each other and with the parents; they undertake activities of their own and are more creative. But when the week is over, the children rush back to the television set in order to catch up with their favorite programs.I propose that there should be a world movement "Families without television." I can list the magnificent benefits in terms of personal life, happiness and creativity I have derived from giving away my television set years ago. And with my remarriage, we have maintained this rule: no television ever as long as we will live, be it in our home or outside. We have never missed anything, only gained a lot of more intensive personal, happy, creative life.
~ Idea 1133 ~ 17 August 1997As we talked about the concept and virtue of forgiveness, Barbara came up with the excellent idea that the United Nations should establish a yearly World Prize for Forgiveness, to give to countries and other entities who would forgive other entities the evil and wrongdoings they did to them A great recent example is that of New Zealand where the Maori indigenous people forgave the white New Zealanders and their government the wrongdoings inflicted upon them in the past.She proposes that each member country of the UN should contribute 100,000 dollars to a capital fund for such a prize. Multiplied by 185 countries, this would yield a capital of 18 and a half million dollars which would produce at say 3 percent of revenue a yearly prize of 555,000 dollars.I proposed elsewhere that the UN should establish a whole series of world prizes for great causes, easily financed by a community of 185 nations. The money could come from a reduction of military expenses. Let us open an unprecedented era of world prizes for good causes and achievements given by the United Nations and its agencies. A Committee of the UN should study this idea and start with giving out the first prizes in the year 2000. It also shows what wonderful things could be achieved if nations would put some of their resources in common.
~ Idea 1134 ~ 18 August 1997One idea worth looking into: since the United Nations, i.e. the Organization to care for the whole humanity and world is not allowed to borrow money and to contract loans, why not apply the same rule to all government, from national to state and local governments. A non-indebted world would be the happy result.
~ Idea 1135 ~ 19 August 1997It is a strange world in which women at home and raising children, the most important task in the world, have been considered until recently unemployed. Thank God, the International Labour Organization has finally decided that they are employed. Hopefully this will be accepted in all countries of Earth. It is also strange that people who are no longer employed due to age are considered "retired". Retired from what? Many would rather consider themselves liberated. Personally I did not consider myself retired from the United Nations in the last eleven years. I am involved in it even more, since I have no longer any daily office obligations. I accepted with delight the position of one-dollar-a-year Chancellor of the first University for Peace on Earth. Please, dear "retired" people all around the world, refuse to consider yourself retired. Do more than when you were active in your profession, do what you would have dreamt to do if you hadn't been forced to be employed. It is never too late. I will not even retire after death. When I appear before God I will ask Him to use me as one of His instruments and workers as a spirit on Earth.
~ Idea 1136 ~ 20 August 1997People sometimes call me a "genius". I answer them: Please don't, because you defeat my purposes. I simply want to prove that every human being is a miracle, a genius who can have splendid ideas and be of service to humanity and a better world. Hasn't God created us all in His image? Please keep this in mind, forget me and remember the great, divine power in you. Produce your seeds and sow them profusely. The more seeds you sow, the more you will harvest.
~ Idea 1137 ~ 21 August 1997We have a World Law of the Sea and a remarkable Moon Treaty as commons of humanity thanks to the UN. Why not have also a Law of the Atmosphere, of the Ozonosphere, of the Mountains, of the world's Forests, of the Rivers and Water, of the Seacoasts, of the Arctic and Antarctic?
~ Idea 1138 ~ 22 August 1997Under a world policy aiming at the preservation of the Earth and a restriction of the number of humans on it, one could consider that families who live simple, frugal lives and consume less Earth resources would be entitled to have more children than those who consume lavishly.
~ Idea 1139 ~ 23 August 1997I wish someone would collect and publish all pledges and oaths of allegiance from around the world. It would be an interesting, revealing document.
~ Idea 1140 ~ 24 August 1997I have often proposed that each General Assembly of the UN should be accompanied by a Peoples' Assembly, the same way as every UN World Conference is accompanied by a parallel Peoples' Conference. It was done in 1995, during the 50th Anniversary of the UN in San Francisco. I had the honor of being elected its President and to sit in a replica of Benjamin Franklin's armchair with a golden half-sun on its back used by him during the Philadelphia Constitutional Assembly.I am glad that the new Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Kofi Annan, has proposed that the General Assembly 2000 of heads of states be accompanied by a World Peoples' Assembly 2000. I will make sure to be there, God willing. I was informed that the half-sun armchair will be waiting for me.
~ Idea 1141 ~ 25 August 1997Why is it that whenever a good idea for peace and a better world is proposed, it is almost invariably turned down with the argument that there is no money or that it is unrealistic?Why is it that whenever the military come up with a new crazy, costly idea for weapons, it is accepted and there is always money?I wonder on what kind of planet we are living. An intelligent planet? By far not yet.
~ Idea 1142 ~ 26 August 1997I wish there would be in the world as much debate on the astronomical budgets of the military (one trillion dollars) as there is on the tiny budget of the United Nations (1.3 billion dollars) the first organization in human history created to serve the entire world and humanity
~ Idea 1143 ~ 27 August 1997I have received a letter from Mr. Helmut Schmidt, former President of Germany and now chairman of an InterAction Council of 24 former heads of states, sending me the draft of a Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities submitted to the General Assembly of the UN. I have endorsed it with enthusiasm.
~ Idea 1144 ~ 28 August 1997In his communication, Dr. Schmidt underlined these seven social sins signaled by Mahatma Gandhi:1. Politics without principles2. Commerce without morality3. Wealth without work4. Education without character5. Science without humanity6. Pleasure without conscience7. Worship without sacrificeWe better work on all of them.
~ Idea 1145 ~ 29 August 1997Today I mailed a letter to the outgoing President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Razali Ismail of Malaysia suggesting to him to create an Association of Former Presidents of the General Assembly whose first task would be to formulate dreams and ideas for the next century to be announced and published as a contribution to the celebration of the year 2000. If he doesn't do it, I will address the same proposal to his successor.** I did in a letter of 31 October 1997 to M. Hennadyi Udovenko, Foreign Minister of the Ukraine, the new President of the General Assembly.
~ Idea 1146 ~ 30 August 1997Driving today to San Jose I saw an enormous advertisement panel, lit day and night, of Marlboro cigarettes with this big sentence: Mantenga limpia su ciudad. Keep your city clean. I would have rather expected to read: Mantenga sus pulmones limpios. Keep your lungs clean. All municipalities in the world should keep a close watch over such advertisements. Most of the main road accesses to and from San Jose are filled with advertisements which are a true insult to the beauty of the Costa Rican natural landscape In many cities and areas of the US they would not be allowed. This is why they invade now the poor countries. Advertisement should be looked into as part of the subject of democracy to be taken up by the UN or a World Commission.
~ Idea 1147 ~ 31 August 1997I have been asked by an American couple to perform their marriage ceremony at the United Nations because they consider themselves global citizens. When I said that it would not have any legal validity, they answered: "We will take care of the civilian side, but we attach more importance to the blessing by a man in an organization who both epitomize the new humanity to which we belong."
~ Idea 1148 ~ 1 September 1997If you have an idea write it down immediately because it might never come back, unless you continue to cherish and take good care of it. Millions of good ideas for a better world are thus being lost every day.And if it is an idea to do something, do it immediately. For example if you see some pollution which can be avoided or corrected, do not complain but pick it up.
~ Idea 1149 ~ 2 September 1997To indigenous people who visited me recently I recommended to create a World Indigenous Peoples' Organization or United Indigenous Nations (UIN). Such an organization would represent 300 million people of this planet who have a timely contribution to make to human fate through their ancient wisdom and intimate knowledge, respect and relations with mother Earth, nature.
~ Idea 1150 ~ 3 September 1997At the fiftieth anniversary conference of UN accredited Non-governmental Organizations this month at the UN, I will recommend that they create a United Peoples' Organization (UPO) with headquarters in the almost empty magnificent Peace Palace in The Hague, Holland built by Andrew Carnegie after the first World Peoples' Peace Conference held in 1899 in that city.
~ Idea 1151 ~ 4 September 1997Taking into account the fact that a United Religions Organization will now be created, implementing my recommendation at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1993, I will propose that the United Religions Organization and a United Peoples' Organization become specialized agencies of the United Nations, thus creating a new, second generation United Nations, a more democratic one for the 21st century.
~ Idea 1152 ~ 5 September 1997At a conference on conflict resolution and peace-making in Latin America at the University for Peace the decision was taken to create a World Association of Peace Educators. It is a wonderful decision. I proposed that its seat should be at the University for Peace.
~ Idea 1153 ~ 6 September 1997The world press abounds with articles on the hundreds of billionaires existing now on this planet. Practically all of them admire these people. But where are articles which would show how they were able to accumulate such fortunes without being justly taxed? It would be most interesting to learn how they got there, which tax havens they used, which legal devices their lawyers came up with to avoid paying taxes without penalty.
~ Idea 1154 ~ 7 September 1997I recommend that a country like Russia or China or the non-aligned countries propose a new item on the agenda of the UN Security Council or General Assembly:"Attempts of NATO and SEATO to become the world security system. Is this the right course? Doesn't the world need and deserve a true, democratic world security system?"
~ Idea 1155 ~ 8 September 1997As a reaction to the plans of extension of NATO, SEATO and other military alliances created by the US against communism, now that communism is dead, a peoples' worldwide movement against all military alliances and their replacement by peace alliances should be created.
~ Idea 1156 ~ 9 September 1997If I were the women delegates to UN meetings concerned with women's rights, I would request at the opening, that the seat of the Holy See delegation be occupied by a woman from the Vatican.
~ Idea 1157 ~ 10 September 1997I have seen so many small village communities in Costa Rica with deserted churches and parish houses, due to the shortage of priests, that I begged His Holiness in two letters to allow Catholic sisters to officiate mass and religious ceremonies and to be the spiritual counselors of the people in these villages who need it so much.I had asked Costa Rican sisters if they would be ready to do it, and they said that they would do it enthusiastically.But my appeals to the Pope have remained unanswered. This is why I repeat them here. May God and Catholic sisters give me a hand!
~ Idea 1158 ~ 11 September 1997If I were a philanthropist I would channel all my philanthropy through the United Nations in order to get the maximum benefit, world impact, visibility and perennity possible.
~ Idea 1159 ~ 12 September 1997When one lives in a tropical nature and sees the marvels of Creation and evolution in so many incredible, inimitable life forms, one wonders how human nature can be so irresponsible, so foolish, so shortsighted and consider itself to be the highpoint of Creation and evolution. We have to do a lot of progress to justify that belief. Perhaps this should be our aim in the next century.
~ Idea 1160 ~ 13 September 1997I rejoice immensely at the birth of a new political party in the world: the Natural Law Party created by a group of British scientists and existing now in 85 countries of the world. In the US, the party under the leadership of a brilliant, young scientist, Dr. John Hagelin, has obtained 2.5 million votes in the last presidential elections. I met him at a meeting of visionaries in Washington and after hearing him, gave him my full support. We sorely need a new party to replace the antiquated ones, based on values dating back to the 19th century.When I asked my four US children if they had ever heard of him and of the Natural Law Party, they told me that they had all voted for him. That is of good omen.
~ Idea 1161 ~ 14 September 1997We speak of the building and population explosion. Why don't we also speak of the consumer explosion, the skyscraper explosion, the marketing and advertising explosion, the media explosion, the irreligiosity explosion, the materialism explosion, etc.?
~ Idea 1162 ~ 15 September 1997A return to nature, to simple and frugal lives, to spirituality and the growth world-wide of the Natural Law Party are among our best hopes to save the Earth and humanity from the present quandaries and ultimate cataclysm.
~ Idea 1163 ~ 16 September 1997To abandon oneself to God means to give oneself to heaven where all religions locate God. It is the greatest consciousness expansion of which a human is capable. So please do it and you will find untold peace and happiness.I am glad that my colleague and friend from UNESCO, the philosopher and artist, Dr. Ervin Laszlo, has created the Club of Budapest whose objective is to raise the planetary and divine consciousness of humanity.But when I look at the wonderful Costa Rican nature around me, I feel that God is right here on Earth and I do not have to look for Him in empty skies .
~ Idea 1164 ~ 17 September 1997We can save life on this planet only if each of the 5.6 billion people reduce their consumption of goods and services to what is really essential. Please take this decision and soon you will feel happier, distant from the artificial, materialistic world of marketing and advertising.You will discover the immense richness of your own miraculous, natural, outer and inner life.
~ Idea 1165 ~ 18 September 1997After the resounding, epoch-making book of the seventies, The Limits of Growth, we need now badly books on the Limits of Destroying the Earth.
~ Idea 1166 ~ 19 September 1997Only proper Earth government can save this planet.
~ Idea 1167 ~ 20 September 1997At the General Assembly of the UN, one or several governments should inscribe this item on the agenda of the UN:"Consideration of a new political system for proper Earth Governmentin order to save planet Earth from destruction."
~ Idea 1168 ~ 21 September 1997No further undue development should become the ideal and rule in several places of Earth. Costa Rica is a good example: one-third of the surface of the land consists of national parks, biological reserves, provincial parks and protected areas where no forests can be exploited and trees cut. I am glad to live in one of these areas, on a sacred hill on which Rasur, the God of the indigenous children appeared to them, asked them to take good care of all nature and prophecized that from that hill a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.
~ Idea 1169 ~ 22 September 1997A young man called me today from Toronto, Canada, suggesting that humanity should observe a vigil during the night of 31 December 1999 to think, to dream and to pray as we will enter the year 2000. I told him that it was an excellent idea and advised him to propose it to the United Nations and to the Government of Canada's national committee for the celebration of the year 2000.I was thinking: if such individual ideas can already arise more than 2 years before the year 2000, what will it be when we get closer to it? There is likely to be a multitude of peoples' proposals, a true world-wide movement, a new peoples' democracy. May all governments be inundated with dreams, ideas, prophecies and requests from the people for peace, justice and a better, well preserved Earth, saved from a dangerous, potentially terminal destruction.
~ Idea 1170 ~ 23 September 1997The American continent was much more natural and valuable when only indigenous people inhabited it. Its discovery by Christopher Columbus was a disaster. This is why all Latin American countries, except the Dominican Republic, refused to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the discovery. It might have been much better if the indigenous people of America had discovered Europe.I suggest that a World Commission of Elders of the indigenous peoples of America becreated to advise the world how they would govern and treat the Earth.**A conference of Indigenous People on How to Save the Earth will be held in Virginia Beach in October 1998.
~ Idea 1171 ~ 24 September 1997We do not need atomic bombs to destroy life on Earth. Unlimited, uncontrolled "economic growth" will do it more slowly and surely.
~ Idea 1172 ~ 25 September 1997I find the US much worse than when I came for the first time from Europe to the United Nations in Lake Success in 1948. And it will be worse in the 21st century until this whole way of life will collapse and the Earth will no longer be able to sustain the American dream and idolatry of materialism.
~ Idea 1173 ~ 26 September 1997The 21st century should be proclaimed Century of Demilitarization and Disarmament by the United Nations.
~ Idea 1174 ~ 27 September 1997It is quite possible that at one point in the 21st century the poor people of the poor countries will be better off than Westerners when the present political and economic system will collapse: they will be able to survive on their chickens and eggs, on their cowmilk and self-cultivated products, whereas the unemployed Westerners in their big cities, loaded with bills and debts will not be able to survive. Wise are those who today move already to the countryside or to a poor country and start a self-sustaining farm.
~ Idea
1175 ~ 28 September 1997Today, for the first time I delivered a
speech at the Karpeles Museum in Santa Barbara on the subject of 2000
ideas and dreams for the year 2000. When I reflected on the subject,
I discovered that there existed no science on how ideas are born,
neither was there any strategy of ideas, nor a methodology. For
dreams there exists a very advanced science, but no strategy and no
methodology for their implementation. Well, there is need for a
science, strategy and methodology for ideas and dreams. I outlined
some of my first findings and suggested that we call the science
"ideology", the science of ideas and dreaming distinct from the
current sense of ideology which should have been the science of
ideas, but was distorted by politics.
~ Idea 1176 to 1179 ~ 29 September to2 October 1997When I was about to deliver a second speech, on 2000 ideas and dreams at the Meditation Center of Mt. Ojai in California, a man handed me a paper with the following thoughts. I asked him by whom they were written. He said that this was not important and that he would tell me later, which he did not. I read these thoughts in the evening and consider them indeed important. A science of ideas seems really necessary, accompanied by a strategy or direction of ideas, and a methodology. Here are these four ideas:Idea 117629 September 1997 That a situation is without solution is only imagined by those who would lean upon people instead of upon the power of thought.Idea 117730 September 1997 Images of Truth, which you call ideas, rule the Karma of the world. While the masses of people decay in the fury of ignorance, thoughts of Truth weave their heavenly nests, which for the true evolution are more imperative than the worship of entire nations.Idea 11781 October 1997 As the meditator begins to demonstrate soul quality in his daily life, he becomes a magnet for spiritual ideas. He attracts into his field of consciousness the outlines, and later the details of the hierarchical Plan. These impressions he need not seek out nor learn laboriously to ascertain. They drop into his mind and are impressed upon his brain when he sees and loves and serves by the Light of the Soul.Idea 11792 October 1997 The work you have to do is to take the knowledge which isyours and adjust its application to the world's need so that recognition of the truth may be rapid. In the heart of every human lies hid the flower of the intuition. On that you can depend, and no eternal or cosmic fact clothed in a suitable form will fail to receive its need of recognition and understanding.I believe in these ideas and seem to have followed them instinctively.
~ Idea 1180 ~ 3 October 1997We need also a science, strategy and methodology of what I would call Whyology, the human capacity and art of asking the fundamental question "Why?" Why the mysteries, phenomena and happenings surrounding us? I would like to see a long inventory of whys published for the year 2000:why are there still wars and armed conflicts on this planet?why is not every conflict resolved by peaceful means?why do conflicts arise in other forms?why is there still so much poverty on this planet?why do we destroy nature unnecessarily?why are there still "sovereign" nations?why are there 5000 religions and why are some of them making war on each other, contrary to their preachings of peace?and so on and so forth.
~ Idea 1181 ~ 4 October 1997On the other hand, I would like to see published by the year 2000 an inventory of all the blessings for which we should be thankful on this planet, of all the marvelous progresses we have achieved and of the dreams and progresses still to be achieved.I will recommend that the Thanksgiving Foundation in Dallas, Texas make and publish such inventories, especially if the UN endorses my dream 2000 and declares the year 2000 World Year of Thanksgiving.**It did by a resolution of the General Assembly of 20 November 1997.
~ Idea 1182 ~ 5 October 1997I have often observed in these ideas that youth is not given a proper voice in world affairs, while it is the first interested party in the future. I therefore recommend that youth should be given a prominent role in the Peoples' World Assembly 2000, accompanying the UN General Assembly 2000. Youth might even envisage to hold a separate World Youth Assembly parallel to these Assemblies.
~ Idea 1183 ~ 6 October 1997If they do not change course, the USA, Europe and Japan might well become the grave diggers of this planet. I recommend that these countries hold a summit meeting to see how this can be avoided.
~ Idea 1184 ~ 7 October 1997Heads of state are too removed from the United Nations, the most important world institution dealing with the fate of the entire Earth and humanity including their own. If I were a head of state I would make the permanent representative to the UN my own, direct personal representative and not an envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He would report directly to me and be one of my cabinet members. I would consider the UN to be a central affair and not a foreign affair of my country.
~ Idea 1185 ~ 8 October 1997I intend to send my 2000 ideas to all 185 heads of state of this planet. If only ten of them read them, some of these ideas might be implemented and possibly change the course of the world.
~ Idea 1186 ~ 9 October 1997In the 1960ies Norman Cousins and I had monthly luncheons to review the state of the world and come up with ideas. One of them was that the UN should publish a yearly State of the World Report. The Secretary General of the UN considered it to be too daring and turned it down. A young man visited me at that time inquiring how he could have a useful role for the world. I told him about the need for yearly state of the world reports and that he might think about the subject. He did and founded the World Watch Institute in Washington which publishes yearly states of the world and a host of other extremely useful documents on world problems. The name of the man is Lester Brown. I thank him for having listened to me and having performed a tremendous job.
~ Idea 1187 ~ 10 October 1997A government would become famous by putting on the agenda of the UN General Assembly an item entitled:convening of a second San Francisco and Bretton Woods Conference to produce a better UNcreation of a world federation of statescreation of a World Union on the model of the European Unioncreation of an Earth Government
~ Idea 1188 ~ 11 October 1997I remember that Dag Hammarskjöld used to go to a different church, temple or house of worship every week to learn what they had in common. He then reported it to God. Thus he discovered that global spirituality is what all religions have in common. I discovered it too and wrote the book New Genesis, Shaping a Global Spirituality. He must be happy in heaven to learn that a United Religions Organization similar to the United Nations is now on the way of being created.
~ Idea 1189 ~ 12 October 1997Barbara Gaughen Muller has many interesting ideas. Here is one: that the seat of the United Nations should be moved every fifty years to another continent and country.
~ Idea 1190 ~ 13 October 1997In order to save our Earth it is imperative to disarm and demilitarize the planet and use the one trillion dollars released for urgent purposes related to our environment, climate and vital elements of life. The oxygen of our lungs has become our most important security.
~ Idea 1191 ~ 14 October 1997The notion of a world government is decried by nationalists. They claim that it would lead to world dictatorship. Well, the same applies to national government. If the concept is rejected for humanity and for the Earth, the same should apply to national and all other levels of government. Let us see what the world would be if national governments, state and provincial and local governments would disappear. It would be an incredible disaster. How would these societies function without laws for implementation, without common services financed by taxation? Well, the same problem poses itself now pressingly to the entire humanity and Earth which find themselves in a chaotic state of non-government that imperils our future generations and survival.
~ Idea 1192 ~ 15 October 1997I am glad that the Gandhi Institute for Non-violence and the Martin Luther King Centers for Non-violence have partly fulfilled my idea 236 and have launched a Season of Non-violence from January 30, 1998 to April 4, 1998, the 50th and 30th anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi's and Martin Luther King's assassinations. I hope that this season of non-violence will become a yearly event and repeat my recommendation that all associations, movements and institutes working for a non-violent world should create a World Alliance for Non-Violence and request that the United Nations should convene urgently the World Conference on Non-violence recommended in my idea number 5.
~ Idea 1193 ~ 16 October 1997Napoleon thought that he was very smart when he decided that his militaries should not be educated and trained in Universities and created military academies where they would be taught a science of war, a strategy of war and a methodology of war. The German general Clausewitz in the 19th century thought that he was smart to proclaim as a guideline for the militaries that "there was no limit to the form and use of violence". Well today the world should be happy that they had these wrong ideas, because as a result Universities do not have any military programs, at a time when wars, armaments and militarism are becoming obsolete, and the militaries are confined to their academies, on the defensive and facing year after year an increasing unpopularity and final extinction.
~ Idea 1194 ~ 17 October 1997On the other hand it is refreshing to note that peace and conflict-resolution has become a subject of major and increasing popularity in the Universities around the world. It is notable also that the International Association of University Presidents has appointed one University in each country which is in charge of keeping track of all peace and conflict-resolution courses in all the Universities of that country.
~ Idea 1195 to 1196 ~ 18 to 19 October 1997I recommend that UNESCO publish every year a report on the number and finances of military academies and the young men being trained as militaries in the world.I recommend that a philanthropist establish a yearly World Prize on Demilitarization and the Reduction of Military Training. The Prize should be announced yearly at a meeting of the UN General Assembly or in UNESCO.
~ Idea 1197 to 1198 ~ 20 to 21 October 1997I recommend that the United Nations publish each year a report on the reduction of military expenditures of member countries, on demilitarization and on the closing of military bases.
~ Idea 1199 ~ 22 October 1997Reading my journals of 1970, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the UN, and of 1985, the fortieth anniversary of which I was in charge, I am struck that the US and other big powers consistently complain about duplication, bureaucracy and excessive costs of the UN. This was again the case during the fiftieth anniversary of the UN in 1990, and is worse today since the US Congress even withholds the payment of the US contributions to the UN. I then remembered that even in the speeches of the US and the USSR during the first General Assembly of the UN in Lake Success in 1946, they complained about excessive costs! This all proves that the issue is primarily political. The big powers do not want a strong, effective UN. They want to keep their power and tax revenue, creating infinitely more duplications of expenses between themselves and the total of 185 nations at the expense of the taxpayers, prisoners of their nations.My heart bleeds when I think that some essential services of the UN have been suppressed for that reason, and that the main talk today is the suppression or consolidation of more UN services. For instance, I lament that the UN Fiscal and Financial Branch in which I worked immediately after World War II has been suppressed. It could render most valuable services to the world community today on two subjects:1. How is it possible that so many billionaires can arise in this world? What is the taxation of their incomes? How do they use tax havens which exist in the world?2. At this time when we want to save forests to produce oxygen for our lungs, would it not be good to survey the taxation of this common wealth? Should forests not be tax-exempt or even receive tax incentives, instead of seeing owners forced to exploit or to sell them because of excessive land taxation? This is a subject which we would have taken up immediately in the Fiscal and Financial Commission and Branch of the UN.I recommend therefore that this UN intergovernmental organ and its Secretariat be reestablished. I recommend that the current Secretary General propose to the General Assembly not exclusively consolidation and suppression of UN services but come up with a whole list, a bold strategy of new institutions, organs and services which he considers essential for the well-being of the Earth and happiness of humanity. The latter should be the only criteria.It goes even beyond the Secretary General. The whole UN should be upgraded into a second generation UN urgently needed in the 21st century. A second Charter Conference and Bretton Woods Conference should be convened to that effect.
~ Idea 1200 ~ 23 October 1997eve of United Nations DayHopi Prayer for Peace*Great Spirit and all unseen, this day we pray and ask you for guidance, humbly we ask you to help us and our fellow humans to have recourse to peaceful ways of life, because of uncontrolled deceitfulness of humankind.Help us all to love, not hate one another.We ask to be seen in an image of love and peace.Let us be seen in beauty, the colors of the rainbow.We respect our mother the Earth with our loving care, for from her breast we receive our nourishment.Let us not listen to the voices of the two-hearted, the destroyers of mind, the haters and self-made leaders, whose lusts for power and wealth will lead us into confusion and darkness.Seek visions always of world beauty, not violence nor battlefield.It is our duty to pray always for harmony between humans and Earth, so that the Earth will bloom once more.Let us show our emblem of love and good will for all life and land.Pray for the House of Glass, for within it are minds clear and pure as ice and mountain streams.Pray for the great leaders of nations in the House of Mica who in their own quiet ways help the Earth in balance.We pray the Great Spirit that one day our mother Earth be purified into a healthy peaceful one.Let us all sing for strength of wisdom with all nations for the good of all people.Our hope is not yet lost, purification must be to restore the health of our mother Earth for lasting peace and happiness.James Kootshongsie* This Hopi (the Peaceful ones) Prayer for Peace was given to me in Shongopavi when I was honored with a feather from an eagle's head, closest to the Great Spirit, for having opened the doors of the House of Mica or Glass (the United Nations) to Hopi elders to deliver their prophecies. On that occasion I was given the name Kogyun Deyo, Spider Boy, my task being to make a vast spider web to catch all evil on Earth and then throw it far away into the universe.
~ Idea 1201 ~ 24 October 1997It is wonderful, on this United Nations Day, the 57th anniversary of the United Nations and International Day of Peace, to which I have devoted 55 years of service, to see three of my dreams on the way of being fulfilled:1. the likely adoption by the General Assembly of a proposal by the UN Economic and Social Council that the year 2000 shall be declared World Year of Thanksgiving by all humanity. I expressed that wish in my Dream 2000 reproduced at the beginning of these 2000 ideas;2. to see a United Religions Organization similar to the United Nations being created, a dream formulated in one of my first books New Genesis, the Birth of a Global Spirituality and proposed in my speech to the 1993 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago;3. to learn that my recommendation has been adopted that another session of the World Parliament of Religions shall be held not in a hundred years, but in 1999 on the eve of the year 2000 and of our entry into a new century and millennium. The Parliament will meet in Capetown, South Africa. Having been invited to be a main speaker, I will present my views and specific ideas regarding a world-wide spiritual Renaissance, making again spirituality the highest value of human civilization.
~ Idea 1202 ~ 25 October 1997I recommend that all current and former officials of the United Nations and of its specialized agencies and world programs write down their ideas and dreams for a better world. The UN and its agencies should publish these ideas for the year 2000. More generally there should be idea-banks in all world agencies.
~ Idea 1203 ~ 26 October 1997Today is a great day in Western Europe. From this Sunday 26 October on, the citizens of the sixteen countries of the European Union will no longer need a passport when they travel to another country of the Union. This would have been inconceivable a few decades ago. My grandparents who held successively five nationalities (French, German, French, German and French) and knew three wars; my parents who had successively four nationalities (German, French, German and French) and knew two wars, must be rejoicing and celebrating in heaven. As for me who was born in Belgium and had three successive nationalities (French, German and French) I remember with sadness all my youth school friends from Alsace-Lorraine who died unnecessarily in German or French uniforms during World War II. I pledge to them that I will not cease my efforts, as long as I live, to create a World Union in which all borders will be suppressed and no passports be any longer needed. This Earth is our country and we are all its citizens.My thoughts go also to my deceased compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine, Robert Schuman, who was the author of that miracle. May God, the saints and the souls of all Europeans in heaven embrace him, and may he soon be declared himself a saint. I am working for it.When I read this text to my wife Barbara, she commented: I was born from a family of Hungarian origin in the United States, therefore became an American. Now I consider myself to be an Inlovian, someone in love with you, with this magnificent Earth and with all humanity.
~ Idea 1204 ~ 27 October 1997Among the new Universities I would like to see established would be Universities of Consumption and Universities of Employment. This is in response to the fact that all Universities are concentrating on production and marketing, taking employment for granted as a result of the existing economic system. Since we have both underconsumption, overconsumption and wrong consumptions on this planet which destroy or diminish humans and the Earth, it is high time to deal seriously with this subject. And since a slowdown and changes of consumption habits are absolutely necessary in the world if we want to save the Earth, we should also study the concept and ways of proper, fulfilling employment in the western countries especially. I have a whole file of original ideas in this field. Someone should write 2000 ideas for fulfilling employment of humans on planet Earth. The environment, spirituality and voluntary service provide great possibilities in countries where the machines have made much employment dispensable.
~ Idea 1205 ~ 28 October 1997I am delighted that the first World Conference of Ministries of Youth will be held in Lisbon from 1 to 10 August 1998. The Conference aims inter alia to step up the struggle against unemployment, drugs, poverty and disease. It will intensify implementation of the UN Program of Action for Youth in the Year 2000 and beyond. If God permits me, I will go to that conference and offer it a whole list of proposals, dreams and ideas for today's youth, the adult citizens of the next century and millennium.
~ Idea 1206 ~ 29 October 1997I am delighted that Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu has launched a Jubilee 2000, a Debt-Free Start for the New Millennium. Jubilee 2000 would fulfill my idea that all debts of the poor countries be forgiven by the rich. Archbishop Tutu says: "This is the Jubilee principle in the book of Leviticus. You cancel any debts still owed; if there are slaves, you act to free them &endash; it is a chance for renewal for everybody".Yes, this is a great idea: let the whole of humanity seize the chance for renewal offered by our entry into a new century and millennium, at all levels, from the top of the world in the United Nations, down to the local communities, the family and each individual. In spite of my 74 years of age, I will listen to that advice and write down my own, personal pledges for renewal.
~ Idea 1207 ~ 30 October 1997Since business has gotten out of gear with the evolution of this planet, I suggest that business organize itself as quickly as possible to review the situation and to try to find adequate answers to it. In idea 557 I proposed that business should be requested to hold a World Conference on Proper Earth Government through the Free Market System. Perhaps the International Chamber of Commerce should change its name into International Organization of Business and hold such a conference or a series of smaller conferences, including regional ones, to bring forth much needed answers and changes in the business world. It might prevent a major world economic crisis, unavoidable if business continues on the same course, as was pointed out by Mr. Tachi Kiuchi, Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Electrical, in a keynote address to the World Futures Society in July 1997.
~ Idea 1208 ~ 31 October 1997Since we all want a better world and happier humanity, why not think of making our planet a paradise in the universe? We might not be able to do it, but by formulating the highest objectives we will get closer to them. That method is used in all good planning and inventions. Inventors do not consider anything impossible. Humanists, social innovators, long-term scientists and above all heads of states and of world organizations should do the same. In the Divine Comedy, Dante forecasts that after the Purgatory (the correction of our sins and errors) we will see paradise on Earth.As an invitee to the 20th World Congress of Philosophy in 1998 in Boston, I have recommended that the organizers should compile a collection of visions of earthly paradise in human literature and visionary political science.
~ Idea 1209 ~ 1 November 1997When I told this idea to Barbara she said that she had the same idea, living here in the paradise of nature of Costa Rica, and that she started to write down a view of the achievement of individual paradise. Some of the elements she mentioned were:no luxurymeditationabsence of traumaabsence of desiresabsence of rat-raceabsence of disturbancesI am anxious to see the result. She is also thinking of ordering T-shirts for gifts, with these words:Life is a miracleThe Earth is a paradise
~ Idea 1210 ~ 2 November 1997If outer space beings would visit our planet they would ask us what we call it. We would answer: planet Earth, from the old Germanic goddess Eartha, and also Gaya, from the Greek belief that the Earth is a nebula, Goddess Gaya, which became the Earth.They would comment: that is beautiful but from what we see around us you should change its name to planet Business and Marketing.Our comment: well, this was thought of also by the Romans who called it planet Pluto (wealth) and planet Mammon (the God of money).
~ Idea 1211 ~ 3 November 1997There is a lot of talk and complaint in the UN and in the public about non-compliance of UN decisions by member governments. The issue of non-compliance of the Agenda 21 for the improvement of the environment, agreed to in Rio de Janeiro, even led to the holding this summer of a special session of the UN General Assembly on the subject. The results were nil.I suggest that the Agenda 21 be brought to the attention of all local communities and relevant institutions in the world, who can implement them without waiting for action by central governments. Nothing prevents a city or province or business from implementing the Agenda. The result world-wide would be considerable.The situation also raises the urgency of considering a proper Earth government as I outlined earlier which would give the United Nations or a new world institution like the European Union the basic legislative authority to adopt global laws which would be enforceable. As the days and months pass, I am more and more convinced that this has become an utmost urgency if we want to save this planet from destruction.
~ Idea 1212 ~ 4 November 1997I suggest that the three former Secretaries General of the UN still alive &endash; Mr. Kurt Walheim, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar and Mr. Boutros Ghali &endash; should meet or correspond and offer their views and proposals for a better world, an improved United Nations and a different world political order.
~ Idea 1213 ~ 5 November 1997The notion of ethics in business is making progress these days, but we must go one step further and speak of the accountability of business towards the Earth and future generations. I recommend that a Universal Declaration of Business Ethics and Responsibilities be drafted and adopted by the UN.
~ Ideas 1214 to 1215 ~ 6 to 7 November 1997Idea 1214 When I received recently from Mr. Helmut Schmidt, the former Chancellor of Germany, the draft of a Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities prepared by an Interaction Council of 24 former heads of states, I signed and endorsed it enthusiastically. The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948 will be a great occasion to take up the subject in the United Nations.Idea 1215 I suggested to Mr. Schmidt that he should ask each head of state of his group to write down his or her ten most important ideas and proposals for a better world in the next century and millennium. This would yield a total of 240 ideas which could become a document of resounding world importance.
~ Idea 1216 ~ 8 November 1997Seeing today a bus of American Elderhostels tourists pass by a group of several dozens of poor Nicaraguan men, women and children come to Costa Rica to earn some money as coffee pickers and living in an abandoned former milking station, I was reminded of Barbara's idea 1129 of an "adopt a family program". Yes, why don't those elderly Americans instead of traveling to see preserved primeval forests stay at home, cultivate their gardens and plant trees in their area. With the money saved from not traveling they could adopt one of these poor families in Nicaragua and create a lot of happiness, vastly superior to the happiness of traveling around the world.I hope that someone will take the initiative of creating an Adopt a Poor Family Program. We have a marvelous UNICEF program. Why not have also a World Adopt a Family Program (WAFP) from which mothers, children and old people in poor families, at home and abroad would receive friendship, help and happiness?
~ Idea 1217 ~ 9 November 1997The notion of sustainable development is now an accepted concept, after fifty years of endless, unlimited development. Still we must go one step further and speak of unsustainable, Earth destroying development, and speak of the cessation of growth in many cases and places of the Earth.
~ Idea 1218 ~ 10 November 1997A letter to the Nobel Prizes Committee,May I humbly suggest that you consider asking all Nobel Prizes winners in all fields, to formulate their ideas for the future as we near the 21st century and third millennium. You may wish to consider holding a meeting or meetings of them prior or during the year 2000. Their views and suggestions might have a deep influence and contribute to a better world, fulfilling the expectations of Alfred Nobel when he instituted the Prizes.I was very grateful when you implemented my idea of calling a meeting of all Nobel Peace Prize winners in San Francisco on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. I attended their notable meeting with youth. You will be happy to learn that the meeting had the following beneficial effect: thanks to the presence at it of Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Edmund Tutu, he and Bishop Swing of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco decided to go on a world tour to launch the idea of a United Religions Organization similar to the United Nations. They received such a good response that the initiative was taken to create it. This is of utmost importance since most of the remaining conflicts on this planet are of an ethnic and religious nature. The United Religions Organization is expected to be launched on 26 June 2000 in the same room of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco where the Charter of the United Nations Organization was adopted on 26 June 1945.I thank you for your decision and know that my proposal will receive your kind consideration.Nobel Committee19 Drammensveien N-0255OSLO #2 Norway Yours warmly,
Robert MullerChancellor of the University for Peaceformer UN Assistant Secretary General
~ Idea 1219 ~ 11 November 1997In a hundred years people will be astonished at the state of the world of today. They will admit that we made many progresses, as we admit it when we look back one hundred years, but they will hardly understand that we could be so primitive in the political and economic management of our planet, stagnating in philosophical, social and spiritual retardedness. It will be rewarding for me to see that from heaven and to rub my hands for having written unorthodox ideas, considered crazy or at best ahead of their time, which helped that evolution. I will keep a record at that time of all my ideas which were implemented during the 21st century.
~ Idea 1220 ~ 12 November 1997Today, Barbara and I decided to build on our peace park a wooden kiwa benches arrangement on the indigenous observation platform overlooking the magnificent Monument of Peace of the University for Peace. I remember how I was invited years ago by the Hopi Indians in Shongopavi-Hautevilla to meet with elders in kiwas to meditate and exchange views on the state and future of the world. The kiwas are round adobe structures inside of which benches are arranged in circular fashion. In the middle of the roof of the kiwa there is a hole towards the heavens, and in the middle of the ground is a hole covered by a slab of stone which is removed when meetings begin. As a result the attendants are reminded that they are sitting around a line which goes from the center of the Earth into the infinite heaven. They must therefore have a cosmic consciousness.I tried in vain to have the same done in the vast General Assembly Hall of the United Nations where there is an opening in the cupola towards the sky, but no hole in the middle of the floor. If there is one place on Earth where delegates from all around the world need to have a cosmic consciousness, it is the UN General Assembly HallWell, we will have an open-air kiwa here, with a hole in the Earth but without a roof because the indigenous people of this sunny country do not believe in closed western buildings required by cold and rainy weather.When we will have meetings with friends we will ask them to sit on the circle of benches and will remove the stone slab on the hole in the middle of the ground.And I will remember that I was named by the Hopis, Kogyun Deyo, Spider Boy with the task of making a big spiderweb to catch all evil in the world and then throw it far away into the universe.
~ Idea 1221 ~ 13 November 1997What a different world it would be if the United Nations which was created for the good of the entire humanity and world, were given the human resources, the financial resources, the legislative power, the executive and judicial power of a medium size country or a big power like the United States which are governing only a small part of the Earth and of humanity.
~ Idea 1222 ~ 14 November 1997When I look back over my long life, read my journals and these ideas, I am becoming optimistic. There is definitely a basic shift from old ideals towards international, global ones. Leaders of nations do not dream anymore of waging wars and winning territory from a neighbor. We have been able to reduce the population explosion by 2.2 billion people in fifty years, to solve colonialism, apartheid, racism, end the cold war and eradicate major epidemics. The militaries themselves are beginning to doubt their future. Old problems like poverty, illiteracy, the population increase, the environmental deterioration, are still with us, some even worsening. But these too we can solve in the next century if there is the will. Please, dear readers, work on them, do not remain impassive, take one of these causes which attracts you. You will be surprised by what you can achieve. In the process you will forget to get sick and old, and God and the universe will recompense you with untold happiness. Never fail to write down an idea when it comes to you.
~ Idea 1223~ 15 November 1997Regarding retired senior persons living in New York city, I give you this advice: if you want to have a fascinating life, feel young and have no time to get old, join the United Association or one of the numerous non-governmental associations working with the UN. There are many of them covering a wide range of human concerns. Select one after your heart and you will soon thank me for my advice.
~ Idea 1224 ~ 16 November 1997I recommend that the world should establish as its first utmost priorities poverty and underconsumption of the poor in all countries, and overconsumption of unnecessary goods and services damaging the Earth, especially in rich countries. Wrong productions and the preservation of our Earth must become priority concerns in the 21st century.
~ Idea 1225 ~ 17 November 1997If someone would ask me: which of my 2000 ideas is the most important in my view? I would answer: the absolute necessity to create a proper Earth government. We should inscribe this as the priority item on the agenda of world affairs. The world will not survive if it remains on the present course. I deal with this requirement in many of my ideas. I am forced to return to it constantly. If proper Earth government is established, most other ideas can be fulfilled. The whole of humanity should cry out for proper Earth government. If national governments, if heads of states do not respond, we should start a world peoples' peaceful revolution, with strikes, public demonstrations, boycotts, refusals to be incorporated into an army, refusal to pay taxes, etc.As in the case of the French revolution, it is youth which must start that revolution. I will be happy to give them advice. But it is up to them, as the most advanced units of human evolution, to enter into action.As the indigenous people pray: "Great Spirit, grant us Strength and Dignity to walk a new Trail."
~ Idea 1226 ~ 18 November 1997If the reforms implemented by the new Secretary General at the request of the US government still will not satisfy the US Congress, which for political reasons might never be satisfied, I suggest to him to put an item on the agenda of the UN General Assembly or Security Council, asking that the seat of the United Nations be transferred to a more faithful and committed country offering the most favorable financial conditions.
~ Idea 1227 ~ 19 November 1997The only positive gain that came out of World War II was the creation of the first world-wide but imperfect organization in all human history, the United Nations.Instead of waiting for another World War, why not strengthen the United Nations or create a new, much more effective world organization to prevent such a war and to solve our gigantic global problems?
~ Idea 1228 ~ 20 November 1997It is strange that most industries of the world are located in northern regions where for three to four months forests and trees have no leaves to absorb carbon dioxide and to produce oxygen. This is why the northern countries are likely to perish first from atmospheric pollution and oxygen deficiency. Instead of developed and under-developed countries, the world will be divided into livable and unlivable countries. Life sustainable conditions will become more important than sustainable development.
~ Idea 1229 ~ 21 November 1997In idea number 625 I note that the UN Charter does not contain the words Earth, nature or resources nor does it speak of the environment, a word coined by the UN only twenty-five years later. I recommend therefore that the Charter be revised in order to make it more responsive to the new environmental challenges faced by the Earth and humanity. Attention should be paid to the recommendation of the European Parliament to set up an International Environment Court, a World Environment Agency and a Consultative Parliamentary Assembly of the UN.
~ Idea 1230 ~ 22 November 1997If I were the Secretary General of the United Nations I would change the name of the Administrative Committee of Coordination which brings him together every year twice with all the heads of the 32 specialized agencies and world programs of the UN. I would call it the Supreme Council of World Care, would use it as such and have its proceedings televised world-wide for the people to see. I would appeal to the people to send to this world cabinet meeting their ideas, dreams, wishes and proposals for a better world.
~ Idea 1231 ~ 23 November 1997I just cannot understand why someone who is appointed Secretary General of the United Nations for five years does not have the courage to have more audacity and to speak more openly. Nothing prevents him or her for example to have weekly fire-side chats with people, great thinkers, Nobel and other Prize winners, reactionaries like Gary Davis, Helen Caldicott, Betty Williams etc.He is the servant general of the world. He can launch innumerable ideas, big ideas and small ones. People would begin to listen to him and implement them. They would have a greater love for the UN.
~ Idea 1232 ~ 24 November 1997I am happy to hear that the government of Kyrgyzstan, a member of the United Nations as a result of the dissolution of the USSR, has proposed that the United Nations proclaim an International Year of the Mountains. This reminds me of my idea in which I say how wonderful it would be to have a Himalayan Forum, an Andes Forum, a Rocky Mountains Forum, an Alps Forum as we have the Arctic Forum conceived by governor Walter Hickel of Alaska. The mountain areas of our planet merit the creation of a World Mountain Agency considering their vital role in weather formation, water sources, forest cover, health areas and places of prophecies closer to God.
~ Idea 1233 ~ 25 November 1997I was glad to receive from Dr. John Hagelin, president of the third United States Party, the Natural Law Party, a book he has just written entitled Manual for a Perfect Government with the subtitle, How to Harness the Laws of Nature to Bring Maximum Success to Governmental Administration. I had sent him my first five hundred Ideas for a Better World but he did not have as yet idea 690 in which I recommend the holding of a UN World Conference or the establishment of a world commission on The Ideal Earth and Humanity in the 21st Century.It may sound utopian but even if we do not get a clear answer we will learn a lot and move closer to it. Yes, Dr. Hagelin's book is the right book to publish on the eve of a new century and third millennium. We need more views on what a perfect government of this Earth and humanity should be at this crucial time of our evolution.
~ Idea 1234 ~ 26 November 1997The most fundamental human right after the right not to be killed must be the right to non-poverty, the right to life sustainment through basic necessities and education. We must achieve for all humans on this planet a Civilization of Fulfilled Basic Necessities. And why not the right to happiness?
~ Idea 1235 ~ 27 November 1997I sincerely hope, I pray that entire groups of humans whose rights, participation and needs are not satisfactorily heard in the United Nations, in regional organizations and national governments will submerge these institutions with numerous, concrete ideas as we move to the year 2000 and a new century and millennium. I am thinking in particular of youth, mothers, indigenous people, the poor and the unemployed of the world. I do not know why noone has created a world party of the poor. It should have been done at the UN Copenhagen world conference on poverty, as I had recommended.
~ Idea 1236 ~ 28 November 1997I hope that the European Union, our greatest hope for a world-wide Organization better than the UN, will implement many of these 2000 ideas as far as Europe is concerned. For example, being beset by unemployment of many young people, why not create a European Volunteer Peace Service. The money for it would be taken from the military budgets. Such service in poor countries could be in lieu of military service. Young Europeans working together in the rest of the world would begin to feel proud as Europeans and would get closer to becoming the world citizens of tomorrow.Why not also revive the idea of a Conference to create a European army as Churchill and my compatriot, Robert Schuman from Alsace-Lorraine, wanted to do in the year 1991 when he was Minister of Foreign Affairs of France?
~ Idea 1237 ~ 29 November 1997I congratulate the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Jean Chretien, for having challenged the United States' world policy at the meeting of heads of states of industrialized countries in Denver in June of this year. He did not accept "the notion that one or two countries dictate the policy of an international organization." He suggested and repeated recently in a US television interview that the seat of the UN should be transferred to Montreal, Canada. Because the US Congress since then again refused to pay the US obligatory dues to the UN I suggest that the item of the transfer of the UN seat be placed officially by Canada or a group of countries, e.g. the French speaking countries, on the agenda of the UN.
~ Idea 1238 ~ 30 November 1997Since Costa Rica has been for years the most peaceful and most prosperous country in Central America, thanks to the genial decision of former President Jose Figueres to demilitarize the country by Constitution in 1949, I recommend that wealthy people of Costa Rica and sympathetic foreign philanthropists contribute to a fund which would give a yearly Jose Figueres Demilitarization Prize to the country which has demilitarized itself or made most progress towards demilitarization.
~ Idea 1239 ~ 1 December 1997I applaud the following appeal which adds to the strategy for a non-violent world which I submitted to the State of the World Forum in San Francisco in 1995 and reproduced as Introduction to ideas 601 to 700:AN APPEAL FOR CHILDREN OF THE WORLDFrom 23 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Fall 1997In every single country throughout the world many children are silently suffering the effects and consequences of violence. This violence takes many forms &endash; physical, psychological, socio-economic, and environmental.In order to reduce the suffering of children these Laureates are addressing an appeal to all Heads of State of all member countries of the General Assembly of the United Nations, for the UN General Assembly to declare:b That the first decade of the new millennium, the years 2000-2001, be declared the "Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence."b That the year 2000 be declared the "Year of Education for Non-violence."b That non-violence be taught at every level in our societies, to make the children of the world aware of the practical meaning and benefits of non-violence in their daily lives.Together, we can build a new culture of non-violence for humankind which will give hope to all humanity and in particular, to the children of the world.With deepest respect,The Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
~ Idea 1240 ~ 2 December 1997I cannot repeat it enough, NATO has lost its justification now that the cold war is over. NATO should be transferred to the UN as a regional arm of a world security system. Its forces would become blue-beret Peace-keeping forces. Its resources would do a lot of good to the UN. As proposed earlier in these 2000 ideas its War Room, which monitors the world situation should become a United Nations World Peace Room. How long will people tolerate the ongoing waste of expenditures of NATO and SEATO? A peoples' world movement for their abolishment should be formed. The subject should be taken up by The Hague Centennial Peoples' World Conference in 1999 and by the World Peoples' Assembly 2000, accompanying the UN's General Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1241 ~ 3 December 1997It is high time to convene a first world conference on waste and garbage, a subject which has never been considered in its global dimensions. The results would be staggering and show that humanity is on the course of disaster. Watching every day from our hill in Costa Rica the huge fires of garbage in the valley below, spreading fumes over the city of Alajuela, Barbara and I are deeply concerned. And the people down there do not see the blanket extending over their heads, the same way as in huge cities in the world they do not see the brown blanket of pollution over their homes, affecting the lungs of their families.The world conference I propose could give birth to two much needed new sciences, strategies and methodologies under the names of:wastologyandgarbologyThese should be worked on and taught in Universities and schools in the world.
~ Idea 1242 ~ 4 December 1997As a progress towards a better administration of planet Earth (planetics) I recommend that an autonomous World Public Administration Institute or Agency be created similar to the European Institute for Public Administration which would become one of its regional arms with others being created on other continents of the world.
~ Idea 1243 ~ 5 December 1997The Japanese foundation created in the memory of Ryoichi Sasakawa who gave me a million dollars for the construction of the United Nations Peace University in Costa Rica should establish a yearly Sasakawa Peace Prize given by the University for Peace to the country having achieved the highest record of peace and non-violence.
~ Idea 1244 ~ 6 December 1997The Nobel Prize for Peace should be given in the year 2000 to the United Nations for its remarkable success in practically eliminating international wars.The Prize should be used by the UN to create means and actions for the solution and reduction of internal ethnic and religious conflicts which still prevail in the world.
~ Idea 1245 ~ 7 December 1997The next session of the Interparliamentary Union should be held in Costa Rica at the seat of the University for Peace and deal with the following subjects:- Parliamentarianism and democracy in the 21st century- Creation of a UN Consultative Parliament- Establishment of a yearly world budget including proper financing of international and regional institutions, actions and projects for the benefit of all humanity and the Earth;- Equitable taxation for all people of the world and elimination of international tax evasion.
~ Idea 1246 ~ 8 December 1997As we enter the next century and millennium, it is absolutely indispensable for nations to consider a new system of financing the United Nations. The more advanced and more effective method of financing of the European Union should serve as a model.
~ Idea 1247 ~ 9 December 1997A World Association Against Unsustainable Development should be created. It should give yearly prizes to countries, local governments and firms which have put a halt or limit to Earth destructive, non-essential development.
~ Idea 1248 ~ 10 December 1997In 1998 the world will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It will be a great occasion to review this essential field in human progress, its successes and failures, and the new vital human rights and Earth rights which should be considered. We must also take up for the first time human responsibilities and duties including our duties towards the Earth. I foresee that soon the UN Commissioner for human rights will become the Commissioner for Human Rights and Duties.
~ Idea 1249 ~ 11 December 1997A major world television program should be created entitled:Goodbye 20th century and second millenniumGood morning 21st century and third millennium
~ Idea 1250 ~ 12 December 1997All heads of states, of great institutions and of firms should write a Testament to the 20th century, giving their views of what was right, successful and beneficial to humanity and to the Earth, what was erroneous, what were failures, what they regret not having done and what they recommend should be done and ideas to be implemented in the 21st century.
~ Idea 1251 ~ 13 December 1997It is high time for the UN to convene a second world water conference thirty years after the first one I got convened in 1967. The world consumption of water has dramatically increased since then. Water is one of the most vital elements of which human life is made (70 percent of our body) and depends on. It will become one of the next biggest global problems of this planet.
~ Idea 1252 ~ 14 December 1997I have written a popular book entitled The Birth of a Global Civilization.Other books which should be published as we enter a new century and millennium are:The birth of a new world economic orderThe birth of a new political world orderThe birth of a new spiritual world orderThe birth of a new world educational orderThe birth of a new scientific and technological world orderThe birth of a new world transportation orderThe birth of a new world energy orderThe birth of a new world peace and security orderThe birth of a new world order of the mediaPlease add your own ideas of needed new world orders.
~ Idea 1253 ~ 15 December 1997I have noted that since the first International Year of the Handicapped in human history which I got the United Nations to proclaim, the number of handicapped in the world has increased from 300 million to 500 million. I therefore urge the creation of a World or UN Organization for the Handicapped. The sooner, the better.Pending this I recommend that a private organization or the United Nations establish a world reporting system on philanthropy for the handicapped and promote the creation of more prizes honoring persons and institutions which have done an outstanding work or given substantial aid for the handicapped.
~ Idea 1254 ~ 16 December 1997I would also like to see established a World University of Handicapped which would develop a science of all handicaps in the world and their causes, together with a world strategy and methodology to prevent and avoid handicaps and help the handicapped live the best possible lives.
~ Idea 1255 ~ 17 December 1997We need a World Association of World Savers.
~ Idea 1256 ~ 18 December 1997I observe that the firms of the rich countries are exporting frenetically bad consumption habits to the poor countries. Where the latter used to consume a large variety of healthy fruit juices (naturales as they call them in Costa Rica) and local foods, today it is fashionable to drink carbonated sugared drinks, to eat hamburgers and to smoke American cigarettes. In locally made clothes they put labels "Made in America", because through advertisement which is cheap here, the people are programmed to crave for American products. A US citizen consumes 30 times what a person in a poor country consumes and leaves behind during a lifetime a mountain of garbage 4000 times his weight, against 150 times the weight of a person in a poor country. From the point of view of the Earth, while there is a population explosion in the poor countries, there is a worse consumption explosion in the rich ones. There are today 4.4 billion people in the poor countries and 1.2 billion in the rich. But the Earth could complain and say: since you the rich consume thirty times more of my resources, I consider that you represent thirty times 1.2 people, i.e. a population of 36 billion. And if the poor countries should someday have the same consumption levels and patterns as the rich countries, their 4.4 billion would have to be multiplied by 30, yielding a total of 132 billion!As you live your daily lives in the US and in other rich countries, you do not see this. But when you look at it from a world point of view, it is a major problem.
~ Idea 1257 ~ 19 December 1997The main purpose of education should not be to give children skills to "compete" and to "succeed" in life, but to lead a happy, fulfilled life. But where on Earth is that taught? It is at least in the handful of 33 Robert Muller schools.
~ Idea 1258 ~ 20 December 1997Our whole Earth and nature are a Temple of God. No human-made temple will ever be able to match or replace it. It is high time to organize human life on this Earth in a manner that nature and Earth are again the paradise, the cherished, inimitable well-preserved Temple of God.
~ Idea 1259 ~ 21 December 1997It is with alternative meals obtained by special request on airplanes as it is with alternative schools like the Montessori schools, the Rudolf Steiner schools and the Robert Muller schools: they should be the normal meals, while the overrich, fatty, meaty and saucy meals should be alternative meals served only on special request.
~ Idea 1260 ~ 22 December 1997When Barbara called Jay Gary, author of Star 2000, to inform him that I was prepared to offer 1000 dollars to the winner of his best Ideas 2000 contest, because he was the first man on Earth who began collecting 20 years ago information on projects planned for the Year 2000, he replied:"No, the first man who to my knowledge thought of the preparation and celebration of the year 2000 and suggested to me to keep a record of plans and projects, was Robert Muller."Thank you, dear Jay for implementing my idea. The truth is that to come up with the idea took me only a little time, but to implement it took you an enormous time.
~ Idea 1261 ~ 23 December 1997One of the aims of the celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights next year, should be to obtain the creation of a World Court of Human Rights even if it takes decades to win against the stubborn opposition of the antiquated sovereignty of nations, cause of most of the chaos of our time.
~ Idea 1262 ~ 24 December 1997I love to remember on Christmas eve this comment of Napoleon to his aides when he was an exile and prisoner on the island of Elba: "I conquered most of the world and I am sitting here as a prisoner, having lost all my power and conquests. And tonight the people are celebrating the birth of someone who had no power, no army, no wealth, was a total destitute, and is still remembered after more than a thousand years."Well, most heads of states, of world institutions and of big firms you better prepare yourselves to hold the same reflections on Christmas eve 1999 and 2000: have I lived a life which will be remembered in the hearts and annals of humanity? Will at least my children and grandchildren celebrate the fact that I was born?
~ Idea 1263 ~ 25 December 1997On this day of celebration of the birth of Jesus, I wonder what the Christ is thinking in the heavens looking down upon the Earth. He cannot fail to bemourn the millions of his beloved human brothers and sisters who were killed over the last 1997 years in his name and in the name of other prophets and emissaries like him. May I place in His mouth this prayer to His representative on Earth, Pope John Paul II:"I pray you to rescind on Christmas 1999 the Papal Bull Inter Cetera of your predecessor in the 15th century requesting the colonialists of the Americas to subjugate and kill the indigenous people for the propagation of the Christian Empire and faith. No papal bull was ever so contrary to my teachings and message to the world. Please do not invoke papal infallibility. No human being on Earth, not even I in heaven am infallible, given all the killings and sufferings which were committed in my name. Please do it out of love. Please read the Declaration of Vision of the United Indigenous People at the World Parliament of Religions in 1993 in Chicago, which my son Robert Muller reproduces at the end of these 1300 ideas for a better world on my bimillennial birthday in 2000."
~ Idea 1264 ~ 26 December 1997I recommend a world strategy for simple, frugal living in order to save and preserve our mother Earth. A first point is: do not admire the rich, the golfers, the yachts, the private airplanes, the villas, the tourism and lavish hotels of the rich, etc. turn your back on them, because they mean in large part unneccessary Earth destruction.Please, people, create urgently a World Association or Movement for Simple and Frugal Living.
~ Idea 1265 ~ 27 December 1997There is a good degree of overpricing of products, of untruths in advertisement, of unethical and health impairing ingredients in food sold on this planet, that in addition to the creation of a World Consumers Agency, I recommend also the creation of a World Court for Consumers protection. Advertisement of cigarettes and tobacco products is one of the first items to be brought before it. Alcohol should be next.
~ Idea 1266 to 1267 ~ 28 to 29 December 1997Idea 1266 Recently an author called Barbara to say that her husband wanted to tell everyone on the planet one thing each person could do before the year 2000 to make this world a better place and as hard as he thought he could not think of one. Barbara suggested that if each person would plant a tree we would have 5.9 billion more trees on the planet and if they planted a fruit tree, countries like India would have more food. I agree with this idea and suggest that each person, adults and children alike, plant a tree before the year 2000.Idea 1267 She suggested that every birthday of the 5.9 billion persons of this planet should also become their own Earthday to celebrate the Earth which is their mother, to give thanks for the miracle of life and to promise to take good care of the Earth. If a tree would be planted on the birthday of each person on Earth, 5.9 billion trees would be added to our capital of trees every year.We promised to do it on each of our birthdays and will recommend it to our children and grandchildren. Eighteen trees will thus be planted by us in 1998.
~ Idea 1268 ~ 30 December 1997There exists a Non-governmental Organization born in Italy which recommends the creation of an International Court of the Environment. How right they are: the majority of business firms and governments will not fulfill the recommendations of the United Nations concerning the environment, not fulfill their obligations under treaties they have adopted. Only law will force them to do it. The same way as we had an International Court of Justice against the criminals of World War II and will now have another one for the crimes committed in Yugoslavia we need International Courts of Justice for Human Rights and for the Environment. The International Court of the Environment Foundation is presided by Amedeo Postigliopne, Judge at the Supreme Court of Italy. Address: Corte Suprema di Cassazione, Piazza Cavour 1, Rome, Italy.
~ Idea 1269 ~ 31 December 1997On this last day of the year, I dream that humanity will say someday: "It is on that sacred hill, indigenous Mt. Rasur, that Robert and Barbara Muller dreamt their visions of paradise Earth, of a divine, happy, peaceful humanity living on a demilitarized planet, and from which these visions spread to the entire world and were fulfilled."
~ Idea 1270 ~ 1 January 1998What better way to start the new year with more ideas for the year 2000 than to reproduce this beautiful text:ODE TO THE YEAR 2000Lyrics by Don Toppin, Music by Don Toppin & Rudy Van Horne, 1995*I dream that sometime very nearThe Year Two Thousand will now appear.I dream that somehow humankindWill share hearts, hands and mind.Give us the eyes to seeThis fresh humanity!Give us the ears to hearThe sounds of hope!Give us the faith to hailVast serendipity!Give us the soul to braveA better world!I dream that we shall celebrateThe Year Two Thousand and contemplateThe Great Millennium we'll shapeWith Peace, Love and Joy.*A song for UN/50 and The Great Millennium Campaign inspired by "My Dream 2000" - a classic by Robert Muller from his books, The Birth of a Global Civilization and Idea #1 of Ideas and DreamsFrom Robert Muller, long-time Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations: "Don Topin's Ode to The Year 2000 is marvelous. May I photocopy it and send it to people. It can go far during the next years to the Year 2000. We must give it vast dissemination."From Don Toppin: "Permission is hereby granted to all readers to photocopy and distribute widely, especially for singalongs."**The music to this and other Great Millennium Songs is available with song folio and audiocassette to donors of $20.00 or more payable to: World Millennium Network, c/o Toronto/2000, 390 Bay Street, Toronto, Canada, M5H2Y2, Tel. # (416) 214-2000.(The World Millennium Network and The Great Millennium Campaign are initiatives of the Global Foundation)WORLD MILLENNIUM NETWORKThe committee on Toronto/2000 was initiated in 1980 by the Toronto Futurists Group (1972) in association with the Department of Adult Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and the Planning Commission of the City of Toronto. The purposes are to build bridges of understanding, locally and globally, and to foster a greater sense of personal and organizational responsibility toward the future.
~ Idea 1271 ~ 2 January 1998At the historic second world conference on the environment in Rio de Janeiro in 1993, the United Nations created an Earth Council seated in Costa Rica.This could be the first step towards a proper Earth Government. I recommend that the next step should be to create a Consultative Earth Parliament to which national Parliaments would delegate a number of representatives. This would be a direct, effective way for all Parliaments to be informed about the Earth' global conditions. Such a measure could be vitally important at our current stage of evolution and perils. The Parliament would meet in Costa Rica at the Earth Council or at the UN University for Peace.
~ Idea 1272 ~ 3 January 1998Sent anonymously to Robert Muller:"In the central valley of Costa Rica not far from San Jose, there are three volcanoes: two are on the North-eastern range of hills, the Poas and the Irazu volcanoes. On the other side, on Mount Rasur above the University for Peace, there is a third volcano of ideas: Robert Muller. The first two are inactive, the third one, Robert Muller is in full eruption."
~ Idea 1273 ~ 4 January 1998At the beginning of my first 500 ideas, in idea number 5, I recommended the early holding of a world conference on non-violence. I believe that it would be worthwhile to hold also soonest a world conference on education of peace and non-violence.
~ Idea 1274 ~ 5 January 1998We receive yearly about 7000 Elderhostels at the University for Peace. It would be good if the visitors would formulate their ideas for a more peaceful, better world and submit them to the University for Peace, to the Secretary General of the UN, and to the President of the United States. I make that appeal to them.
~ Idea 1275 ~ 6 January 1998In the reform plans of the UN, attention should be given to the proposals of Russia to create an Environmental Security Council or to replace the UN Trusteeship Council which has completed its work by a UN Environmental Council as a main UN organ.
~ Idea 1276 ~ 7 January 1998The United Religions Organization, once established, should proclaim its own saints and holy persons, namely global saints who worked for the peace and cooperation of all humanity, of all religions, for the birth of a global spirituality, for the promotion of the high spiritual values shared by all religions, and for the advent of a spiritual third Millennium.
~ Idea 1277 ~ 8 January 1998As a preparation of our entry into the 21st century and third millennium I recommend the creation of three World Commissions of Eminent Personalities:- a World Commission on Philanthropy (love for humanity)- a World Commission on Gaiaphily (love for the Earth)- a World Commission on World Prizes
~ Idea 1278 ~ 9 January 1998I hope that a World Association of Long-term Scientists and Thinkers will soon be created. The preparatory work has been done by Erika Erdmann and Professor Jean-Claude Leonide in their world survey of possible interested scientists (see idea 526). The world needs urgently such an association.
~ Idea 1279 ~ 10 January 1998These 2000 ideas suddenly appear to me as a gold mine. I will no longer have to go to many conferences. I will simply send them sets of concrete ideas excerpted from my compendium. This can be easily printed out by computer. It might invite other participants to do the same.I discover that I am in reality writing a kind of encyclopedia of ideas for a better world. I should plan a better one by subjects and not chronology.Why not conceive a new method of world-wide human cooperation; stock-exchanges of ideas for a better world in all conceivable fields of human concern. We have stock exchanges for money. We might as well have idea-banks and stock exchanges of dreams, visions and ideas. The Earth would be thankful.Of equal importance is the implementation of ideas. I keep a record of my efforts and results.
~ Idea 1280 ~ 11 January 1998I will send my ideas to the first world conference of Ministers of Youth in Portugal in August of this year.In addition to those from my 2000 ideas, I will propose that:- only men aged forty or over should be sent to war because they decide the wars and then send to war young people who had no part in their decision to fight;- no head of state, Minister, Parliamentarian or head of a national administration should be allowed to be more than forty to fifty years old, because they are the result of an obsolete, not up-to-date, non-global education and would take decisions and manage affairs in ways not commensurate with the needs of the new generation of youths who still have decades of life before them.Barbara made the following comment to me when I read this text to her:" I have concluded long ago that it is only worth talking to people of less than forty and of men of more than sixty. The first are open-minded and forward-looking, the others are experienced. You can forget about the middle category because they are sold out to existing systems, beliefs and institutions."
~ Idea 1281 ~ 12 January 1998People should not buy and eat seedless fruits. They are no longer natural. Nature produces the flesh of the fruits as nutrients for the seeds to permit them to germinate and to grow. The smart "experts" who through genetic engineering produce seedless fruits should be indicted by the proposed World Court for Consumers Protection. There can be no doubt that the prevention of seeds formation has a negative influence on the flesh of the fruit which has lost its natural function. One cannot fool nature for long.
~ Idea 1282 ~ 13 January 1998If an outer-space team came to this Earth either now or later after this planet will be dead, they would not understand that humans were so appallingly disorganized to face the global dangers confronting them. For example we have an International Atomic Energy Agency, but not a World Energy Agency covering all sources of energy; we have an International Civil Aviation Organization and a World Maritime Organization but not a World Transport Organization covering and coordinating all forms of transport; we have a World Meteorological Organization but not a World Climate Organization; we have no World Water Organization, no World Air Agency and so on and so forth.They would not be surprised that humans put an end to the further evolution of life on this planet. Their greatest surprise would be to learn that one country was sending instruments and missions to other planets to find out how life became extinct on them, instead of looking at what was happening to their own planet.
~ Idea 1283 ~ 14 January 1998Dear Friends and Readers,As an update to my ideas and New Year's letter, I am glad to inform you that on 20 November 1997, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming the year 2000 International Year of Thanksgiving as suggested in my Dream 2000. It decided to hold in the fall of 2000 a General Assembly 2000 which is to focus on means of solving our primary global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century. This heads of states Assembly will be accompanied by a World Peoples'' Assembly 2000 serving the same purpose. Former Presidents of the UN General Assembly adopted another of my 2000 ideas and created a Council of former UN General Assembly Presidents which will assist the UN with its views, proposals and ideas.To all of you I address this appeal: may every institution, every nation, every peoples' association and movement, every university, college and school on Earth, every religion, every province, city and rural area, every indigenous, ethnic and linguistic group, every corporation and business enterprise, every profession, and why not every family and individual on Earth formulate their dreams, proposals and ideas for a better world. It would be a unique unprecedented state of the world and humanity, global, world-wide public opinion survey and poll. The submissions should start with an assessment of perceived achievements in the twentieth century, of failures, disappointments, losses, mistakes, wrong avenues and beliefs, untruths and unwarranted destructions, thus producing a momentous, world-wide assessment of our stage of evolution on this unique life-endowed planet in the vast universe and eternal flow of time.I am recommending to the Secretary General of the UN to provide such an assessment, survey and agenda for the future together with the 32 specialized agencies and world programs of the UN, as a State of the World and Humanity Report 2000 to the General Assembly 2000 in the fall of 2000. Please send to Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary General, Room S 3800, United Nations, New York, NY 10017 your report, assessment, proposals, plans, dreams and ideas. Let us make this a unique event in all human history, perhaps applauded and supported by God, the saints and mysterious forces of the universe concerned with our doings on this miraculous planet and with our fate on it as the most advanced, most knowledgeable, conscious and capable of all living species. Let us make this magnificent Earth a Garden of Eden, inhabited by a miraculous humanity, a first-class success of the will of God and of the universe, a true paradise of fulfillment and happiness for our children and grandchildren.
~ Idea 1284 ~ 15 January 1998In my Christmas mail I received the following quotation of the opinion of Leon Tolstoy about the military:"Armies will disappear when public opinion brands with contempt those who whether for advantage or from fear, sell their dignity as men and enter the ranks of those murderers dressed in fools' clothes &endash; called an army. When men will be ashamed to wear as they do now implements of murder, and when the word military will be what indeed it is &endash; a word of foul abuse, only then will armies first diminish and then quietly disappear and a new age in the life of humanity will commence."Personally I have never dared to go so far and in such strong terms. What I have requested fundamentally in these 2000 ideas is the basic human right not to be asked to kill or to be killed by another human being neither in the name of a nation, nor of a religion, nor of any other group; and also the right of young people not to be incorporated into military training to kill other human beings.Perhaps my dreams, strategy and actions are too weak and should be upgraded to the level of Tolstoy's views, feelings and language.
~ Idea 1285 ~ 16 January 1998The private enterprise, financial, marketing, advertising capitalist system claims that it will bring prosperity to the entire world.Well, the Secretary General of the UN reported to the last UN General Assembly that 100 nations on this planet have become poorer in the last fifteen years and that 1.3 billion people of this Earth have a daily income of only one dollar.The UN also reports that world-wide and within all nations the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer.When will someone at long last stand up and challenge the present free enterprise system?
~ Idea 1286 ~ 17 January 1998There begin to be on this planet bi-national or international parks. For instance there is a Costa-Rican-Panama international park. The world should know that there exists also a first world park: several thousand acres of primeval tropical forests donated to the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. It would be worthwhile for the United Nations and environmental institutions to see how such a treasure could be opened to plant and animal scientists, become a highpoint of education and model of a well preserved and managed world park also offered as highpoint of world ecological tourism.
~ Idea 1287 ~ 18 January 1998It would be useful if UNESCO could publish a world report on existing world universities, continental universities (American, European, Asian, African, Pacific, Middle-Eastern Universities) and other global universities dealing with major segments of the Earth and of humanity (the seas and oceans, the biosphere, the atmosphere, the mountains, the waters, the polar caps, the deserts, etc.; the human population, sexes, races, age groups, longevity, religions, cultures, languages, etc.). Such a survey would reveal the overconcentration on national Universities, no longer in step with the globalization of knowledge, problems, professions and management.The International Association of University Presidents could request or undertake such a survey.
~ Idea 1288 ~ 19 January 1998On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the member countries of the European Union should introduce a resolution in the UN General Assembly asking that the UN should create a World Court of Human Rights, following and expanding on the example of the European Union which has created a European Court of Human Rights.
~ Idea 1289 ~ 20 January 1998I suggest that all former Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives of nations to the UN should create a world association and offer their views to the General Assembly 2000 on how the UN should be strengthened, transformed or replaced by a better world organization. They should do that thinking for the future of their children and grandchildren.
~ Idea 1290 ~ 21 January 1998In all matters earthism and humanism must now be given precedence over nationalism. This is the imperative new phase of evolution. Nationalism is the gravest, costliest, retarding obstacle to human progress. It makes no sense any more except for its historical, cultural aspects which can be beautifully preserved and cherished as part of the world's diversity.At the legal level, national law must give way to Earth Law and Universal Human Law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be the first UN instrument to be given world legal enforcement through a World Court of Human Rights.
~ Idea 1291 ~ 22 January 1998On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a whole series of new human rights should be placed on the agenda of the United Nations. I have suggested a series of them in these 2000 ideas (see index). I would like also to stress the following major institutional reforms:- create a World or UN Court of Human Rights on the model of the European Court of Human Rights;- create regional courts of human rights on each continent.
~ Idea 1292 ~ 23 January 1998I recommend that the UN should launch a World Ideas Bank or Network, starting with an Ideas Office at the UN and in each of its specialized agencies and world programs. Officials in those units would channel the good ideas received to the appropriate Departments or officials and keep a record of follow-up and implementation.Each year a report on ideas received and their implementation would be submitted by the UN Secretary General and the heads of the agencies to member governments, to non-governmental organizations and to the people.This idea could be launched by the World Peoples' Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1293 ~ 24 January 1998I hope that on the American Thanksgiving Day, which should become a world-wide Day, and during the International Year of Thanksgiving 2000: proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, we also give the floor to the Earth which should have an opportunity to give thanks for actions saving, preserving and embellishing her. The UN Environment Program could offer the world a list of substantial progresses achieved in favor of the Earth. The yearly Earth Day could also serve that purpose.
~ Idea 1294 ~ 25 January 1998From democracy we will now move quickly to Gaiacracy or Earthcracy. From the power of government and the moneycracy of big business, we will now see the power of nature, of the Earth itself. The retribution will be terrible. The Earth will take revenge against her most advanced species which has begun to destroy her. She will retaliate with lack of oxygen, ultra-violet rays, lack of water, mounting cancers, the breakdown of the immune system of the human body, etc. God will not allow us to destroy His Creation and to put an end to the Earth's careful, miraculous evolution over billions of years. He is more likely to let humanity be destroyed.
~ Idea 1295 ~ 26 January 1998Dear Mr. Secretary General,During a recent conference I attended in Paris, Edgar Mitchell, one of the US astronauts who set foot on the moon told me that a group of powerful US businesspeople was exercising pressure and lobby with the US government to allow exploitation of the moon. This would be in total violation of the Moon Treaty elaborated and adopted by the member countries of the UN. I am sure that the Outer-space unit of the UN and you are aware of it. Just in case I wanted to convey to you what I have learned.Yours always for the good of the world,I write letters like this almost every day to the UN Secretary General, to heads of states, heads of world institutions and people of influence. One must watch out that achievements of the world community are not impaired by people of limited interest who suddenly discover that such agreements are not of benefit to them.
~ Idea 1296 ~ 27 January 1998If Jesus had seen the mountains of trash and discarded packaging thrown away in the western world after Christmas, He might have decided not to be born.
~ Idea 1297 ~ 28 January 1998All governments of the world should adopt a law that on at least one day each month the newspapers would not be allowed to have more than one page. This would save sizable forests in the world, diminish trash by huge amounts and provide more oxygen.Which will be the first government to do it?
~ Idea 1298 ~ 29 January 1998Perhaps all Catholics in the world should return to the holy practice of not buying anything and not visiting any stores on Sundays, a holy day to be devoted to spirituality. They could remember the example of Jesus chasing the merchants from the Temple.Perhaps all Jewish people should do the same on Sabbath and all the religions of the world on their sacred, holy day.The subject should be taken up by the United Religions Organization when it enters into function. This would be a great contribution of the world's religions to a better ecology.
~ Idea 1299 ~ 30 January 1998On this anniversary day of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, a Season of Non-violence in the World was opened until 4 April 1998, anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. We held memorial services at the Monument of Peace and at the Gandhi monument of the UN University for Peace, during which I gave my views on how to achieve in the next century a civilization of non-violence. I also distributed the following text:University for Peace30 January 1998WORLD SEASON FOR NON-VIOLENCE30 January to 4 April 1998in memory ofMahatma GandhiandMartin Luther KingCreate Global Awareness of theNeed to ForgiveJesus on the cross asked the Father in heaven to forgive those who crucified him.Mahatma (the Great Soul) Gandhi, as he was shot in his garden, on the way to prayer, exclaimed: "O God, forgive him."Pope John Paul II went to the prison cell to pray with his intended assassin.Nelson Mandela, when he was inaugurated president of South Africa, had his jailer at his side on the platform during the ceremony.Martin Luther King said: "Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you."Permit me to give you my exhortation "Decide to Forgive" and to tell you two anecdotes related to it.Decide to ForgiveFor resentment is negativeResentment is poisonousResentment diminishesand devours the self.Be the first to forgive,to smile and to takethe first step,And you will see happiness bloomOn the face of your human brotheror sister,Be always the firstDo not wait for othersto forgiveFor by forgivingYou become the master of fateThe fashioner of lifeThe doer of miracles.To forgive is the highest,most beautiful formof love.In return you will receiveuntold peaceand happiness.Robert MullerTwo years ago, John Denver visited me at the University for Peace, on his way to sing for hope to young people around the world. In my little wooden farmlet he went to the bathroom and I was waiting for him outside. After a while he came out, with tears in his eyes and said to me: "Robert, you have rendered me a great service." I looked at him astonished, and he answered: "I read your text hanging on a wall, 'Decide to Forgive' and it gave me the answer to a nightmare I am going through: my Australian wife has abandoned me, taking with her our daughter. I was desperate and did not know what to do. You gave me the answer: I forgive her."Also, after a speech somewhere in the world, a lady approached me and said: "Mr. Muller, I was in Hawaii where I found your poem 'Decide to Forgive'. It changed my life because I decided to forgive the people who killed my husband. Ever since I have tried to do good work for the world and I found peace and happiness."I expressed the hope that the Season of Non-violence will be repeated every year. I made the announcement that the Peace Monument of the University will henceforth be a monument to all known and unknown peacemakers in the world and a memorial to all peacemakers and peacekeeping personnel of the United Nations who lost their lives in the service of peace.I also proposed that the United Nations should proclaim 30 January as an International Day of Visions and Dreams in memory of Gandhi and Martin Luther King who had both fundamental visions and dreams for the world.
~ Idea 1300 ~ 31 January 1998We must be glad that the General Assembly of the UN has decided to hold in the fall of 2000 a General Assembly 2000 which is "to focus on means of solving our primary global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century" (see Idea 1283).I am afraid, however, that this is insufficient. The UN Charter written and adopted more than fifty years ago and amended only on a few matters, is insufficient at a time when the entire future of the Earth and of all life on it, including human life, is at stake. I have often said that the words Earth, nature, natural resources, ecology and the environment do not appear in the UN Charter, because it was not their time. The Charter is an outdated document in the light of recent happenings and the immense requirements of a new century and millennium. It does not need remedies and amendments, it calls for surgery, for rejuvenation, for a second birth.Please, dear leaders of nations, convene urgently a 21st century or Trimillennium Conference to remain in session for all the time necessary to lay down the fundamental objectives of our life and time and create the new proper world system, means and institutions needed. The paramount need at this juncture of evolution is to save this Earth and its miraculous biosphere, to make it a paradise on which the most advanced, now globally conscious human species can live peaceful, well-nourished, long, just, unheard of, incredibly happy lives.If not, the 21st century is likely to be a catastrophe for this planet and for all life on it.
~ Idea 1301 ~ 1 February 1998The gravest problem of our time is that the dominant values of the western world are business, wealth, prominence, power, strength, glory, sovereignty and not the perennial values taught by great religious leaders and philosophers over millennia: kindness, spirituality, compassion, justice, cooperation, gratitude, forgiveness, prayer, meditation, hope, and above all love.Yes, what is missing most is love for humanity and for our miraculous mother Earth whose elements we are made of, depend on and will return to.There are more and more peoples' organizations who are saying this. May their views be heard at the Peoples' Assembly 2000 which will accompany the UN General Assembly 2000. May they redress the current hierarchy of values and wrong course of history. That is the fundamental challenge on the eve of the 21st century.If I were the Secretary General of the UN, I would call for a world conference on the meaning and fulfillment of human life and declare the next century the Century of Love and Happiness.
~ Idea 1302 ~ 2 February 1998The communists must be happy that they got out of the power race and that the world crisis to come will not be attributable to them.The US and its obsolete Earth-wide and sky-high business dream will have to bear the full responsibility of the nightmare.
~ Idea 1303 ~ 3 February 1998The time will come when even without proper Earth government national governments will call for emergency meetings at the UN to adopt world environmental laws enforced by a World Environment Court. The US could be the first country to request it. But it might be too late.If it succeeds, after the crises have passed, humanity will look back with dismay at the irreparable damages done to the Earth and at our lack of foresight in the 20th century.
~ Idea 1304 ~ 4 February 1998Humanity, governments and the UN should explore and propose a whole body of incentives for people and institutions to consume less. For example, families and firms who would submit bills showing how little electricity or water they used per capita would be given tax reductions. Yes, a whole new field should be explored: fiscal incentives for less consumption in order to save the Earth. And fiscal penalties should be established against firms producing useless packaging and harmful products to humans and to the Earth.This prophecy will soon become a reality.
~ Idea 1305 ~ 5 February 1998The American author Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: "Every great and commanding moment in the annals of the world is the triumph of some enthusiasm."The trouble at the end of the twentieth century is that our predominant enthusiasm is for business, money, even more consumption, and acquisition of ever more "goods" and wealth.Human enthusiasm in the 21st century should be for our wonderful planet Earth and the fulfillment of the miracle of human life. It should be an enthusiasm of love, coming from the heart (en theos, God in us).
~ Idea 1306 ~ 6 February 1998If our miraculous paradise of land adjacent to the University for Peace should ever be used for a human purpose I wish that it should become a center of enlightenment, of inspiration, of elevation, a school and spiritual center for heads of states and leaders of institutions. It would thus help fulfill God Rasur's prophecy that from that hill a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.
~ Idea 1307 ~ 7 February 1998While I was autographing My Testament to the United Nations for the new Ambassador of Costa Rica to the UN, Mr. Bernd Niehaus, Barbara proposed that a yearly prize be given to the most loyal and active servant of the world and of the United Nations. In her view, I should be the first to receive it in the year 2000.
~ Idea 1308 ~ 8 February 1998The day will soon come when noone will be able to find a pound of sugar, or salt or flour in a food store. Marketing which is taught in Universities to the intelligentsia of young business people will make sure that everything is sold at higher prices in small packages, flasks and containers. Salt is being sold in small salt shakers with garlic taste, cinnamon taste and a whole series of other tastes. This is one more subject for the World Consumers Agency to tackle.
~ Idea 1309 ~ 9 February 1998I applaud the plan of the United Religions Initiative for a Global Religious Cease-Fire on December 31, 1999. I even wish that it should be a Global Cease-fire for the entire year 2000. Nothing would please more Jesus in heaven and other great founders, leaders and prophets of religions.
~ Idea 1310 ~ 10 February 1998I suggest to UNESCO to make a comparative survey of the costs of military education and training and peace education and training on this planet. The results would be eye openers.It would show something similar to the statistic that there are:556 militaries per 100,000 inhabitants of this planet.85 doctors1 world servantWhat a poor image of our 20th century!
~ Idea 1311 ~ 11 February 1998The time will soon come when the packaging of goods, the disposal of trash and the throwaway of so called obsolete goods will be more expensive than the production of all goods on Earth. And people should have no illusion: all this packaging, waste and throwaways are included in the price of their purchase. These new elements in the so-called "economic system" should be studied as a major factor of inflation, the constant increase of prices and costs of living.
~ Idea 1312 ~ 12 February 1998I recommend that following the example of Costa Rica which had the courage to demilitarize itself, one country on Earth should be the first to de-advertise itself. It would be equivalent to demilitarization, since the main war is now the war against the Earth and advertisers and marketers are the new militaries. The UN must absolutely convene a world conference on advertising and marketing to put order in this new calamity.
~ Idea 1313 ~ 13 February 1998If I were the Secretary General of the UN, I would create a special unit in the Secretariat to follow and report on the implementation of decisions by the UN organs. All too many decisions agreed to by governments are not implemented, especially not by the big powers, which then call the UN a paper mill. The overall results should be published each year in a major report by the Secretary General calling a spade a spade. There is always talk about a necessary reform of the UN, but seldom of the reform of the behavior of governments.
~ Idea 1314 ~ 14 February 1998A study of military training and peace education in the world would also reveal that while the militaries are both educated and "trained", peacemakers are not. The Institute of Peace in Washington which was originally conceived as a West Point for the training of peacemakers, was accepted by President Reagan on the condition that it would only produce peace studies but not educate or train peacemakers. The UN University in Tokyo was agreed upon by the US only on the specific condition that it would be limited to studies. And the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica was ratified by only a handful of governments and financed by almost none of them, as a result of which it is practically without students. Neither in national Universities can one find any training of peacemakers. Napoleon was a genius when he decided that he would not send his militaries to Universities, but would create special military "academies" to train them and prepare them for war. This situation still prevails today.
~ Idea 1315 ~ 15 February 1998I like the ideas proposed by Dr. Klaus Schlichtmann to the Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN, namely to include in UN reform the proposal that nation-states would limit their national sovereignty in favor of "a United Nations security sovereignty".He cites as a first step in this direction the provision in the Japanese Constitution abolishing war as a sovereign right of the nation.The subject should be inscribed on the agenda of the UN upgrading as we enter a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 1316 ~ 16 February 1998I often think that some day US citizens will invade a country like Costa Rica in order to have access to its pure oxygen, due to its location between the vast Atlantic and Pacific, and its still good forest and tree cover. Yes, the inhabitants of the western countries will soon have to leave their big, polluted cities. But I can also see this new problem: from my hill over the central valley of Costa Rica I can see more and more fires and smokes of the garbage dumps filled with plastic packages and containers introduced by the western world. Also the big US construction firms which since 1970, according to my journal, have plans for the de-concentration and abandonment of all major US cities, once building there will no longer be profitable, are now looking at the building markets of the poor countries, were it only for hotels and tourism resorts. As a result even Costa Rica might no longer be a place of environmental refuge.
~ Idea 1317 ~ 17 February 1998There is now a very strong current in the world that to human rights should be added human responsibilities and duties. This will come up strongly at the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year. For the first time also in human history we will have an Earth Charter which defines the "rights" of the Earth, i.e. our duties towards her.All this leads me to conclude that henceforth the best economics in the world is to take into full account the value, preservation and proper management and renewal of our Earth. Perhaps in order to bring this closer to the people we should change the names ecology and economics (Greek oikos, logos and nomos, knowledge, and management of the home) to Earthology (science or knowledge of the Earth) and Earth management. In the political language we should replace world government by Earth government and the United Nations Organization by Earth and Humanity Organization. The Charter of the UN does not mention once the words Earth, nature and ecology. This shows the dramatic changes which have taken place since World War II. An entirely new philosophy (love of wisdom) and ideology (science of ideas) are being born on this planet.
~ Idea 1318 ~ 18 February 1998Increasing numbers of proposals are being made these days for world taxes: a world tax on the colossal international financial transactions which escape all governmental control; a world tax on tourism and trade; a world tax on multimillionaires and billionaires. It would be quite normal that since the UN has opened the world to trade and tourism, such a tax should be levied on their beneficiaries. It reminds me that years ago, Professor Jan Tinbergen, Nobel Prize winner in economics, a staunch advocate of the United Nations and proper world government said that poor countries should levy a tax on undesirable imports, e.g. tobacco products and alcohol, to improve the health of their people and finance the UN. This would stop the complaint of the big countries that they carry the main "burden" of the UN, and as result exercise constant pressure on the world organization.I think that the time has come to establish a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on World Taxation and Finance.
~ Idea 1319 ~ 19 February 1998Many persons write to me urging the United Nations or UNESCO to study thoroughly the subject of global education. They are right: there are so many global issues, institutions, hopes and perils on this planet, that UNESCO should establish a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Global Education. A World University of Global Education should also be created. I am ready to design its program and structure and to be a member of its Board to continue meriting my title of Father of Global Education given to me in the 1960ies.
~ Idea 1320 ~ 20 February 1998In my view the subject of institutions has been given insufficient attention by humanity. Institutions and laws are probably the two most important factors of governing and organizing human groups and societies. And institutions and laws must be constantly adapted and changed to respond to new problems, needs and evolutionary requirements. This is true today at all levels, local, provincial, regional, national, continental and global. I propose that a World University of Institutions be created.
~ Idea 1321 ~ 21 February 1998Why doesn't the International Association of University Presidents take up the subject of designing and creating truly universal, global Universities and not so many national Universities? And also create true Earth universities in which humanity would be part of the Earth processes and futures and no longer an evolutionary, dominant, currently adverse factor.
~ Idea 1322 ~ 22 February 1998I have proposed a UN conference on the meaning of life. One should add to it the subject of death to which we pay insufficient attention. We deal with death in a very primitive, obsolete way. To begin with our non-natural way of dealing with the bodies of dead people, not allowing them to be returned to the Earth where they came from, where they belong and from which they are resurrected into other vegetal and animal forms.
~ Idea 1323 ~ 23 February 1998To be an optimist does not mean to accept any injustice, any non-sense on Earth. There will always be new injustices and new non-senses sold through new methods. To be an optimistic is to take a problem, perhaps the most difficult, and to have the optimum determination to solve it. This is why I recommend so many ideas and causes. I beg every human being to take up a cause or implement an idea, even if it looks crazy and impossible. Work relentlessly on it, even if it will not succeed during your life time. Dear reader, if you want to thank me for these 2000 ideas, please take up a cause or join with others in a good cause or implement one or more of my ideas.
~ Idea 1324 ~ 24 February 1998I hope that someone will create a world peoples' association or movement called "Enough Is Enough" calling for the total demilitarization and disarmament of this planet. Read what Tolstoy said about the military (idea 1284). Peoples' opinion should not tolerate that close to a trillion dollars are being spent by governments on militaries and ever more sophisticated armaments when there are so many poor, hungry, suffering people in the world. People should have the courage to say to their governments: "we are fed up; we want a change; give the UN the means to secure peace among nations; the plans are all ready for it; all that is missing is your consent. We will create a world-wide national tax revolt movement, if by the year 2000 you have not changed."
~ Idea 1325 ~ 25 February 1998I wish sometimes that all indigenous people, peasants and poor people of the world would create a world party to put a halt to the destruction of the Earth by governments and big business.
~ Idea 1326 ~ 26 February 1998I saw this inscription on the T-shirt of a young man during the ceremony of inauguration of a bench of dreams at Unity Village:WILDERNESS IS THE PRESERVATION OF NATURETHOREAUHow admirable such an inscription is compared with Coca Cola and cigarette advertisements. I wish that all inscriptions on T-shirts will be of a natural or philosophical nature: love, beauty, peace, kindness, friendship, cooperation, faith, prayer, forgiveness, etc. I wish also that there were T-shirts and kitchen, towels with my Decide to exhortations: Decide to be happy, decide to be peaceful, decide to forgive, etc.
~ Idea 1327 ~ 27 February 1998I repeat my hope that in 2000, as a celebration of the bimillennium, all rich countries will annul the debts due to them by the poor countries. It would be in reparation of all the robberies of land, mineral resources and works of art over the centuries, for their own enrichment. The poor countries should ask their economists to calculate the astronomical debts due to them by the rich countries.I also repeat that it was short-sighted of the US not to ask for the reimbursement at some future date of the interest-free Marshall Aid. Now that the recipient countries are rich, they should in the year 2000 reimburse that aid into a UN Revolving Fund to help the poor countries which would reimburse it in turn when they have become rich.
~ Idea 1328 ~ 28 February 1998By the year 2000, for a more proper entry into the new millennium, the UN should publish a report on world tax evasion and tax heavens which benefit the rich while the poor and medium income peoples of the world are taxed pitilessly, especially through sales taxes.
~ Idea 1329 ~ 1 March 1998Indigenous people who owe money on loans from the banks or governments should say: "We owe you money but you owe us the lands you robbed from us."
~ Idea 1330 ~ 2 March 1998Several people have written to me that the UN should proclaim an International Day of Atonement and Reparation. Each year nations would review their wrongdoings, ask for forgiveness and offer reparation to the victims. Cases would be: colonialism, racial discrimination, atomic bombings and tests, the robbing of indigenous lands, the destruction of the Earth and nature, the protection of nazi gold and assets in foreign banks, the keeping of land mines in the soil of foreign lands, etc. Yes, an International Day of Atonement would be justified. (see Annex: The Dismal Alphabet)
~ Idea 1331 ~ 3 March 1998For every person killed by a land mine, the government should introduce a law suit to the International Court of Justice or to the International Criminal Court when established, and ask for just reparations to the family of the victim.
~ Idea 1332 ~ 4 March 1998The seat of the League of Nations was located in Switzerland because it is a "neutral" country. For the same reason it was selected as the seat of the International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Telecommunications Union, and GATT. It became also the seat of numerous international non-governmental organizations accredited with these organizations.The US was selected as the seat of the United Nations to avoid that the absence of the US from the UN would lead to the disastrous situation of the League of Nations which was incapable to stop nazism and fascism, leading to World War II.Today the situation is entirely different. Prime Minister Chou En Lai pointed out to us when Secretary General Waldheim and I visited him after the reentry of China into the UN that all the world agencies are located in the West, not a single one in vast Asia which has two-thirds of the world's population. He complained bitterly about it, "Not even the Security Council would have the decency of holding once a session in Asia." To introduce a correction in that situation, China decided to use their veto to make sure that at least the position of Secretary General would rotate on a regional basis, which is now the case.To top it all, Switzerland is not even a member of the United Nations, only an observer, and cashes in the substantial resources spent by all these agencies on its land, and the US refuses to pay its contributions to the UN budget, cashing in on the local expenses of the UN and of 185 national delegations in New York.This scandalous, unjust situation should be revised thoroughly as we enter a new century and millennium. The General Assembly of the UN should inscribe it on its agenda, and a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on the Geographic Location of World Agencies should be created.
~ Idea 1333 ~ 5 March 1998Similarly, the question of the selection and election of the UN Secretary General should be reviewed in the new historical circumstances prevailing on the eve of a new century and millennium. The first Secretaries General were from neutral countries: Norway, Sweden, Burma and Austria. China, in view of its change of policy, ensured the election of a Latin American for two terms and thereafter of two Africans for one term each.The following new approaches are relevant:1. true global citizens should be considered for the position i.e. individuals who have the experience and passion for the interests of Humanity and of the Earth above the interests of nations;2. after seven male Secretaries General a woman should be elected;3. each candidate should make a declaration of his/her ideals and intentions during his/her mandate;4. all members of the Security Council and of the General Assembly should be informed of the names and biographies of all candidates, to have at least an idea who is considered by the five Permanent Members of the Security Council.In order to open up these questions I have written First Lady of the World in which a woman becomes Secretary General of the UN. I presented my own global candidacy and issued a declaration of intentions if elected (see pages 8 and 9 of the first 5000 ideas). At least the election of a woman Secretary General is now wide open. The next Secretary General will almost certainly be a woman.
~ Idea 1334 ~ 6 March 1998From a Costa Rican newspaper I learn that two young men in England have launched a National Movement for the Renaissance of Optimism. They consider that there is no problem in the country that cannot be resolved with optimism. The same is true of world problems. Perhaps we need a World Movement for the Renewal of Optimism. Having been given the epithet of Chief Optimist in Residence at the UN I would be delighted to be a Board Member.
~ Idea 1335 ~ 7 March 1998We must absolutely lay down for the next century and all times the fundamental law that a human being is anterior and superior to the recently invented national being. He can therefore not be asked to kill another human being in the name of a nation nor of any other group. All conflicts on this planet must be resolved by peaceful means not through murders. That age must pass like slavery and apartheid.
~ Idea 1336 ~ 8 March 1998In the spiritual Renaissance of humanity the views, precepts and practices of religions regarding nature, our home the Earth, its place and meaning in Creation and cosmic evolution must play a fundamental role for the safeguard of our planet and of humanity. The contributions of the indigenous religions in particular will be most valuable. The United Religions Organization must place this subject high on its agenda, when it is created, second only to the prohibition to all religions to resort to wars and violence.
~ Idea 1337 ~ 9 March 1998When humans decide and are really determined to solve a problem, however intractable it may seem, they invariably succeed.Thus, after two world wars nations decided to abolish international wars, creating the United Nations. They are very close to success after fifty years: there are almost no international wars left as we enter the next century and millennium. Only three remain: the Middle East, Cyprus and Kashmir. They are all three religious wars and are kept basically under lid.Why not decide to solve all other forms of violence the same way, from religious and internal ethnic wars, to urban violence, street violence, family violence, media violence, etc. Governments could make the UN University for Peace a main world instrument for non-violence in all realms. Its name could be changed to UN University for Peace and Non-violence.
~ Idea 1338 ~ 10 March 1998From an evolutionary point of view, the attacks of the US against the UN and reduction of its role and means will be considered some day as one of the greatest errors and lacks of vision in world history. It seems that power went so much to the head of the US that it lost its sense of proportions and direction. Therefore the US will decline as a power as did all past powers which did not adapt to new fundamental trends of evolution. This happens on the eve of a new century and millennium when all countries, especially the best informed ones, should have the clearest possible mind, views and heart towards a future written in the stars.I deeply mourn the fact that the US has lost its consciousness of the world's future and of its guiding role in it.
~ Idea 1339 ~ 11 March 1998On my 75th birthday today I received as a gift a book entitled The Wisdom of the Saints with this inscription by the donor: "To Robert Muller whose life, words and actions exemplify a saint."This was very kind but it could also be a good advice to all readers of these 2000 ideas who want to contribute to a better world: "Through the example of your life, through your words and through your actions exemplify a saint."This would greatly benefit the world.
~ Idea 1340 ~ 12 March 1998If I should ever be proclaimed a saint by the Catholic religion or by the United Religions Organization, I would like to be named or known as:Saint Robert of Mount Rasur
~ Idea 1341 ~ 13 March 1998There are thousands and thousands of people these days who have high spiritual and philosophical thoughts. And yet, noone knows them, none of them reaches fame and an audience, because publishers are looking for markets, and there is apparently no market for good books and philosophers.Dear reader, ask for good books and do not buy murder and violence books or so-called best-sellers. Get the publishers to understand what books you want to buy.
~ Idea 1342 ~ 14 March 1998I decided in my 76th year to work relentlessly for a better, perfect world, even if it seems hopeless. I do not need hope to do it. I do it because since I was a child I considered life to be a miracle and the Earth a paradise. This is not hope, it is a conviction. I am sure that it is also the conviction of every mother on Earth, looking at her child.Please dear reader, follow my example. Do something good for the world. To be told that it is hopeless is the best reason and challenge to work even harder.
~ Idea 1343 ~ 15 March 1998Humanity has achieved so much progress, has solved so many problems, avoided so many dangers, and yet we now face the most colossal problem in the entire human history and evolution, namely that industry, technology, commerce, transport, overpopulation and overconsumption might destroy the very essence and future of the Earth, including our own, namely its nature. We need innumerable great and small ideas and efforts to countervail that.
~ Idea 1344 ~ 16 March 1998Ecology (the science of our home) and economy (the management of our home) should be merged. Economic decisions should only be taken in full knowledge of their effects on our home, the Earth. University students should be required to study both ecology and economics. In idea 573 I recommended that no student should be allowed to take economics before having studied ecology. The time has come to coin a new word: ecolonomists, a new economic profession who would take ecology fully into account.
~ Idea 1345 ~ 17 March 1998People who invest in stock markets should increasingly think of the fate of their children and grandchildren. They might decide not to invest in business that destroys the environment. To help them, governments should devise new regulations for banks and stock-markets regarding proper reporting on their "results". Consideration should be given to daily ecology indexes together with the purely financial market quotations.
~ Idea 1346 ~ 18 March 1998Erika Erdmann (see idea 526) wrote to me that Costa Rica which demilitarized itself and has more than one third of its rich nature protected from development should be called an Island of Sanity and Hope. How right she is.
~ Idea 1347 ~ 19 March 1998I have recommended in ideas 671 that people should follow my example and ask themselves each time they are tempted to buy something whether that something is really necessary and what amount of nature, Earth resources its production, transport and advertisement required.I recommend that all governments and institutions should ask themselves the same question before spending money. Economics should be replaced by economy, and productivity by Earthpreservation.
~ Idea 1348 ~ 20 March 1998Each time I see peaceful, tranquil cows in our pasture I ask myself if the Earth would not be better off if humans had never been born. Someone should write a book The Earth Without Humans. It would reveal our foolishness and many of our mistakes and misdoings.
~ Idea 1349 ~ 21 March 1998To all the past empires, totalitarianisms, slaveries and colonialisms, we are now adding the biggest, most global, most sophisticated, probably definitive, destructive ones:the imperialism and totalitarianism of moneythe destruction of the entire EarthThis should become the priority item on the agenda of world affairs. If I were Secretary General of the UN I would put it on the agenda of the General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level.
~ Idea 1350 ~ 22 March 1998Great cities of the world should establish world prizes for ideals they profess, or great events of their history, or famous citizens who were born there or lived there.Thus, Kansas City which calls itself the heart of America, possesses a heart forest which I suggested to them years ago. The city could give a yearly prize for World Love. It could have been given to Mother Teresa.San Francisco, the birthplace of the United Nations could give a yearly Peace or United Nations Prize; New York City a Liberty Prize; Strasbourg in France a Gutenberg Prize; Frankfurt a Goethe Prize, Metz in France a Robert Schuman Prize, etc.Even a small town like my hometown, Sareguemines in Lorraine, France, could give after my death a yearly Robert Muller Prize to world citizens.
~ Idea 1351 ~ 23 March 1998Let us create a United Languages Organization like the United Nations, like the United Religions. In it, all linguistic groups of the world would be represented. It would provide us the most incredible insights into the manifold perceptions by humans of all realities and dreams all over the world. There are still numerous living languages, particularly the indigenous languages, which give us clues of the original perceptions of nature and Creation around us.
~ Idea 1352 ~ 24 March 1998Humans have been doing extremely well in science and technology, due to the fact that huge resources were given to them and profits derived from them.This was not the case of the social sciences. The 21st century must see to it that huge resources will be devoted to social sciences. Our profit will be the preservation of nature, of the Earth, our biggest capital, bigger than all the banks, stock markets, billionaires and industries of the world.
~ Ideas 1353 to 1361 ~ 25 March to 2 April 1998After having launched successfully a world movement for peace, the peoples and their associations in the world should now launch several new world movements. Here are those I recommend:Idea 1353 a world movement of loveIdea 1354 a world movement of cooperationIdea 1355 a world movement for justiceIdea 1356 a world movement for well-being of allIdea 1357 a world movement of hopeIdea 1358 a world movement of spiritualityIdea 1359 a world movement for simple, frugal lifeIdea 1360 a world movement of repentance and forgivenessIdea 1361 a world movement for true democracyand there are many other good ones whose time has come.
~ Idea 1362 ~ 3 April 1998Such movements or world alliances of national and international associations should apply for accreditation to the UN where they will acquire world-wide hearing, visibility and impact.The launching of such movements and alliances could be a major achievement of the Peoples' World Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1363 ~ 4 April 1998As part of the year 2000 being a year of forgiveness, repentance and reparation, I recommend an active implementation of the UN resolution on the return of stolen works of art which got adopted by the UN General Assemly in 1972. Many such returns should take place during the year 2000. The Secretary General of the UN should publish a report of all the works of art returned since the resolution was adopted: returns of lands to the indigenous people, of hoarded nazi gold and assets to their families; many other such gestures should take place during the year 2000 at all levels of society, from nations down to families. What an unprecedented year in all human history that would be!
~ Idea 1364 ~ 5 April 1998I sometimes take out one of my old journals or Markings from past years to see what I thought at that time. During the night I came across the following Marking in 1983, fifteen years ago:"In a hundred years, capitalism and communism will be past history."Well, it did not take 100 years for communism to disappear, and I wonder if it will take as much for capitalism. I think it will be much sooner. The collapse of the South Korean stock market last December was the first sign, but the US stopped it immediately with a donation of 10 billion dollars infinitely quicker than paying its past dues to the United Nations. Within days noone spoke about it anymore. But there will be other crises which will put an end to this second obsolete ideology of the 19th century or force it to change.
~ Idea 1365 ~ 6 April 1998An intern of our International Radio for Peace to whom I told that, answered: "But I know of a new monetary system which could remedy all that." I replied to him: "I do not want to see it. I have at least twenty of them. The problem is that the holders of the existing system do not even want to look into anything else. The only thing which can save us is to call in a world conference to rethink from scratch the whole economic system of this planet."I gave him another example: "You have many proposals for a world federal government. They might all be good, but there will be people who will object, by saying: 'the states you would federate are totally artificial. They are the results of conquests, marriages, stealings of lands, etc. What is needed is an Earth government based on bioregions, regions which have a life in common, like the great river basin countries, the mountain countries, the Arctic and Antarctic, etc. Proper Earth government requires that we think in those terms.' My answer again to them is: "We need urgently a world conference to rethink from scratch the way this planet is governed or rather misgoverned. At it, all ideas would be reviewed to find which is the best, or which is the best combination in the interest of the Earth and humanity."I refer therefore here to ideas 527 to 547 in which I urge that 21 basic segments of human life on this planet should be reconsidered and rethought from scratch: a new political system, a new economics, a new education, a new media and communications, a new democracy, a new global leadership, a spiritual Renaissance, a non-violent human society, a well preserved planet, a decent well-being for all humans, a stabilization of world population, right human settlements, disarmament, demilitarization, a global security of the planet, a new science and technology, a new world psychology, a new science and art of planetary management, and a new art and culture.These should all be the object of major world conferences to be held as rapidly as possible as we enter the 21st century and third millennium.Governments might not listen to me, but it is my duty to say this in the light of my fifty years of world experience.
~ Idea 1366 ~ 7 April 1998Philanthropists and gaiaphilists should give priority to global philanthropy and gaiaphily to foster the solution of global problems, the most recent, unprecedented, urgent and potentially catastrophic, terminal ones. They should help the convening of major world conferences and the creation or strengthening of new, vitally needed global institutions and legislations. Thus, the University for Peace in Costa Rica was created with one million dollars donated by Ryoichi Sasakawa from Japan. He has his statue on the grounds of this first University for peace on this planet. Mr. Sasakawa also funded the yearly UNESCO Peace Education Prize. Ted Turner's philanthropy to the UN is also an example. Please philanthropists and gaiaphilists take inspiration from them. World philanthropy will give you maximum world visibility and enduring fame.
~ Idea 1367 ~ 8 April 1998During a night, after a crisis of pessimism provoked by the remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus and the assassinations of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, I woke up with this message from God Rasur, the indigenous God of children:"Be what the Hopis named you: Kogyun Deyo, Spider Boy. Make a vast spider web to catch all evil in the world and throw it far away into the universe from this hill where I appeared to the children and where you have the privilege to live."I listened and decided to return to my 2000 ideas, dreams and prophecies which I had neglected for a while. And I regained happiness, God's recompense.
~ Idea 1368 ~ 9 April 1998Every time I go through a spell of pessimism, I wake up the following morning with a great enlightenment, with positive, elated thoughts for a better world and a better personal life and duty.Since humanity is becoming one body, should we not consider our global crises and pessimisms to be also eves of new enlightenments? I often say that humanity is in its kindergarten of the global age. This is wrong. I am 75 years old and a very much life experienced man. So let us consider humanity's crises and pessimisms to be also a phenomenon of maturity and wisdom.
~ Idea 1369 ~ 10 April 1998I am glad that years ago an idea of mine was implemented in New York City: the creation of an Institute for the Science of Hope. When I received their latest report I wrote to them and suggested that they should consider transforming themselves into a University of Hope. We badly need a whole series of World Universities on perennial great philosophical concepts which have saved and helped humanity to survive and progress over eons of time. An instance is the creation of the first University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica. I would like to see also created on this planet World Universities of Love, Faith, Optimism, Happiness, Spirituality, Cooperation, Vision, Inspiration, Beauty, Harmony, Meditation, Prayer, Forgiveness, and there are others. What a tremendous, different world would emerge from them!
~ Ideas 1370 to 1372 ~ 11 to 13 April 1998Idea 1370 On 10 December 1998, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN should commission a monument honoring all UN servants and voluntary workers who died in the service and defense of human rights around the world.Idea 1371 Another monument should be commissioned for the anniversary of the despatch of the first UN Peace-keeping force, in honor of all the peacekeeping and peacemaking servants who died in course of the years.Idea 1372 In the year 2000, the UN should inaugurate in its gardens a tall monument to all unknown peacemakers who died in the service of peace and justice all over the globe in human history.
~ Idea 1373 ~ 14 April 1998I claim the fundamental individual human right not to see my life, my family, my descendants and my home Planet Earth endangered and possibly annihilated by the existence of atomic weapons, the spread of nuclear energy, and by the sending into the universe and around this planet of space vessels carrying nuclear materials (e.g. the Cassini vessel).I want this right to be proclaimed on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1998, or at least to be put on the agenda of the United Nations Commission of Human Rights.
~ Idea 1374 ~ 15 April 1998I claim also the fundamental individual human right of my children and grandchildren not to see this Earth on whose elements our lives depend destroyed by unending wasteful construction, industrial production, wasteful commerce, marketed and advertised unnecessary, harmful consumption, colossal built-in obsolescence, and other evils of the current materialistic economic system. This new right should also be put on the agenda of the UN Human Rights Commission, supplementary to the great new work on an Earth Charter.
~ Idea 1375 ~ 16 April 1998In the real, last analysis money is cosmic energy: it embodies and represents natural resources, land, human labor and creativity which are all cosmic energies on our planet.
~ Idea 1376 ~ 17 April 1998National parks? After having invented zoos to park animals and reserves to park indigenous people, our so-called western "civilization" has now invented reserves to park nature! Western man always finds ways to overcome obstacles to his own, stubborn conquering, greedy ways. But this time it is his final attempt, because the destruction of the Earth and of his own are at stake.Let us make the whole Earth a well-preserved paradise and put industries and commerce into restricted "parks". In other words nature first everywhere and economic activities in limited confines.
~ Idea 1377 ~ 18 April 1998A Costa Rican youth asked me for advice concerning his legal studies: should he select penal law or international law as a specialization? I answered him: "If your heart is with the world and humanity, choose international law and try to transform it into world law. The time is highly ripe for that. But if you need a good professional income you should select penal law, because there will for some time remain a good deal of violence in your country and need for judges and lawyers. What would be exciting would be for you to take an interest in a yet unexisiting world penal law system. A beginning is being made with the probable creation of a World Criminal Court directed at certain world crimes. But much more is needed, namely legal penalties for world corruption, terrorism, hostages taking, bribery, colossal tax evasions, etc. You could become famous by being a prophet of the first world penal legislation and system."
~ Idea 1378 ~ 19 April 1998There are innumerable United Nations Models for children and youth around the world. Young people enjoy them greatly: they take the seat of a government at the UN and come up with their ideas and solutions for world affairs.I propose that similar UN Models be organized for adults and for the elderly.And then intergenerational Models could be organized between children, youth, their parents and the elderly. What lessons, what philosophy (love for wisdom) would emerge from them!
~ Idea 1379 ~ 20 April 1998I would like to see a world with only beautiful names, like: Curacao, the Heart; Sri Lanka, the beautiful island; Canada, the land of many villages; France, the land of the free; Pakistan, the land of the pure; Philippines, the country of the horse lovers; Tanganyka, the lake surrounded by trees, etc. Any others?
~ Idea 1380 ~ 21 April 1998I also wish that there were more etymological articles in newspapers, magazines and schoolbooks: names of people, names of countries, of rivers, of mountains, of cities, of neighborhoods, of streets, of products. How many people would benefit from knowing that alcohol is an Arabic word that came to us via Spanish and means Al Kohol, the Devil!
~ Idea 1381 ~ 22 April 1998It is wonderful to be alive today on this beautiful planet, so far the only one detected with life in the universe. It will be even more wonderful to live on it when in the 21st century we will have eliminated from it all wars, violence, injustices and all unnecessary wounding and destruction of our miraculous nature. If we have the will, we will succeed in making the Earth the greatest evolutionary success in the universe. God gave us the message when he placed Adam and Eve in paradise.
~ Idea 1382 ~ 23 April 1998Like the capitalists and communists did at the end of the last century, we should think hard and conceive how we can make the next century a true paradise. Since both communism and capitalism have failed and since we live in planetary conditions very different from those at the end of the last century, we must think afresh all our current beliefs, doings and institutions, and formulate an entirely new ideology or dreamology for an unprecedented future in all human history. Heads of governments, of corporations and of all human institutions should be excited by this new, wonderful challenge.
~ Idea 1383 ~ 24 April 1998I recommend that two world political parties be created on this planet: a World Party of the Poor and the extension of the Natural Law Party which exists already in 85 countries to the entire planet. All existing parties belong to an earlier period of human history and challenges.Also, when political leaders are of the same party, great things can happen. My compatriot Robert Schuman, the saintly founder of the borderless European Union once told me that this was possible only because Konrad Adenauer of Germany, Alcide de Gasperi from Italy and he himself from France were all three Christian Democrats.
~ Idea 1384 ~ 25 April 1998I am quoted by a magazine (Endtime) as having said that if Jesus came back on Earth, His first visit would be to the United Nations. I think that I am right, because it is there that He would get the most comprehensive and truest picture of the world as it is and a host of dreams and proposals to improve it.I have a poster reproducing a painting showing Jesus knocking at a window of the UN. My Secretary had bought it for me. She had counted the floors and windows and said that He was knocking at my window! I have kept that poster preciously to remind me of my mission.
~ Idea 1385 ~ 26 April 1998Four years ago I was asked to speak at the graduation ceremony of the business students of Stanford University. I told them that in reality they had been trained to destroy the Earth for the benefit of business. In the question period, a student asked: "What can we do against it? It is so overpowering."I answered: "You can at least react on an individual basis. For example, I have sworn not to drink a drop of Coca Cola or any other so-called "soft" drink as long as I live. That at least I can do. It might well represent several thousand bottles during my lifetime."And the whole studentship broke out in applause.Well, dear reader, you can do the same and enjoy pure water or natural fruit juices.
~ Idea 1386 ~ 27 April 1998The recommendation of the UN Secretary General that a General Assembly be held at the heads of states level in the year 2000, accompanied by a Peoples' Assembly 2000 reminds me of my idea 40 which mentions the holding of a Peoples' Assembly in June 1995 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the UN in San Francisco. I served as its President. I will be happy to participate most actively in the Peoples' Assembly 2000. My 2000 ideas will be ready for it.
~ Idea 1387 ~ 28 April 1998At the third World Parliament of Religions in Capetown South Africa, I will propose that the Parliament become part of the United Religions Organization in formation. It would play in it the role of the UN General Assembly which for its part should become the Parliament of Nations.
~ Idea 1388 ~ 29 April 1998Someone said to me: your book is an important, novel contribution to democracy: "Your ideas ruffle up all kinds of deeply entrenched prejudices, ideas, power positions and institutions which resist firmly any changes or adaptations to evolution, thus retarding human progress." yes, innumerable ideas by people in all fields would break the monopoly of technocracy, sciencecracy and plutocracy (moneycracy) which use their own innumerable, ceaselessly new ideas to rule the world.Well, why not start a peaceful world movement or revolution of people's ideas? That is what democracy means (Greek demos: the people, cracy: the power, the rule)
~ Idea 1389 ~ 30 April 1998We should be ready to report at any time to a celestial inspection team. The United Nations should publish a yearly report to the Universe, and the religions yearly reports to God or their founding prophets.
~ Idea 1390 ~ 1 May 1998The newly elected President of Costa Rica, Miguel Angel Rodriguez, announced that he will make an effort during his mandate to see the military expenses of all Central America substantially reduced. His aim will be the total demilitarization of that area, following the example of Costa Rica, demilitarized since 1949, the most peaceful and prosperous country in the area. His project will be executed by the UN University for Peace which will show how such demilitarization would permit providing more education facilities for more than a million children. He will call for an international conference for demilitarization at which the rich countries would be asked to participate in that effort.
~ Idea 1391 ~ 2 May 1998A young man in New York, Sandy Hinden, who took it as his ideal to create peace gardens for children, wrote to me: "I feel crippled, except when working for peace and a better world."This reminded me of Pablo Casals who said: "I feel crippled except when playing music."May there be many more Sandy Hindens and Pablo Casals* in the world.Dear reader, how do you feel?*Addition by Barbara Gaughen-Muller and Robert Muller
~ Idea 1392 ~ 3 May 1998I hope that at the first world conference of Ministers of Youth in Lisbon this summer the decision will be taken to create a World Organization of Youth. This is long overdue.
~ Idea 1393 ~ 4 May 1998After the creation of the United Nations Organization and its 32 specialized agencies, after the Initiative to create a United Religions Organization on the model of the United Nations, a host of more united world-wide efforts and institutions should be created on this wonderful planet which needs and deserves them highly. Why not a United Peoples' Organization, a United Youth Organization, a United Indigenous Organization, a United Mothers Organization, etc. There are thousands of national organizations. Why should there not be at least a few hundred world organizations and nature organizations? The Earth and human family deserve them urgently. Governments resist them because they want to keep their power and do not want to share it with others. How blind they are! How much happier they would be if they cooperated excitedly, with enthusiasm, in the building of a new, peaceful, happy world!
~ Idea 1394 ~ 5 May 1998Sitting at my bench of dreams on sacred Mt. Rasur, I remember that at the inauguration of a similar bench of dreams on the sacred grounds of Unity Village in Missouri, in the presence of 700 youths and 3000 visitors from around the world, Barbara expressed the dream that there will be 2000 benches of dreams in the world by the year 2000. Please, dear readers, do something about it. Write to me and I will send you a shining, golden stick-on for it.
~ Idea 1395 ~ 6 May 1998How can we not be excited to live at a time when there remain still so many exciting things to do and problems to be solved on this magnificent planet:e.g. eliminate all warseliminate all injusticeseliminate all violenceeliminate all povertyeliminate all unnecessary destruction of natureetc. etc.to create joy and happiness for all humansto love and be excited by all living other speciesto increase everywhere the beauty of our planetto make it a true paradise for our descendantsthose should be our dreams and objectives.We should draw up a genial agenda of ideals in the new century. How exciting this would be! If I were the Secretary General, I would draw up such an agenda with the input of all UN agencies and offer it to the community of nations as an ideal agenda to be adopted by the UN General Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1396 ~ 7 May 1998I think that it is mostly in the solitude of the night or at dawn that one can feel one's belonging to God, to nature, to the universe and to eternity. Once involved in the daily world of objects, noises, claims and obligations, one is diminished, reduced, dragged down by the agitated world, unless one takes refuge in nature. We must be concerned that with diminishing nature humanity's psyche might deteriorate as we go into the next millennium.Ecologists should therefore not only study how other species can be saved in natural parks. They should also study the effects on humanity of a diminishing nature.
~ Idea 1397 ~ 8 May 1998Projects like the US Cassini spacecraft carrying 72.3 pounds of deadly plutonium 238, which might endanger the whole humanity when reentering the Earth's outer-space and orbiting around us, should be subject to the approval of the world community and not left to the sole decision of any one country. The central US government would not allow it either to any of its States. Why then the world? The United Nations should establish a high-level scientific council of the best world's scientists to evaluate, approve or prohibit such projects which can harm all humanity and the Earth.
~ Idea 1398 ~ 9 May 1998I sometimes feel like writing an Appeal to Humanity, to all human brothers and sisters, asking them to take things into their own hands. For the people are closer to the truth, nature, common sense and God than their governments.
~ Ideas 1399 to 1400 ~ 10 to 11 May 1998Idea 1399 A reader from England whose father died in Auschwitz, wrote to me proposing that the United Nations institute an International Day of Repentance and Atonement, "as an annual event to be kept as a holy day by every nation to become united in the spiritual task of facing and teaching its children the truth about their history &endash; the sins of the fathers &endash; so that they may be fully understood by future generations. All our misdeeds economic, cultural, military, and those done in the names of religion should be truthfully shown, illustrated and explained in exhibitions in every town and country. The need for atonement and restitution should be made clear."I fully support that proposal.
~ Idea 1401 ~ 12 May 1998Dear readers, I beg you: create or join networks of love and common concerns to counteract the conspiracies of evil and of interests on this planet. Join a United Nations Association, or create one if there is none in your area, or join any other non-governmental organization or peoples association working for peace and a better world. You cannot imagine how much happiness you will derive from it. Networking and peoples' movements and associations are the new democracy. Do not say: there is nothing I can do.
~ Idea 1402 ~ 13 May 1998Many people will say: this guy Muller is crazy to come up with so many ideas, to write so many books, to deliver so many speeches, to receive and listen to so many people.Well, I do not think so, because when I observe nature in Costa Rica, I see that every plant, every tree produces thousands of seeds of which only a few will germinate.I do the same: the more seeds I produce, the better the chance to see a few grow. And I have an advantage over nature: my seeds can spread far over the world.Please remember, dear reader: if you have an idea spread it wide and far. Network it. Read my Decide to Network exhortation. Even better: have many ideas, to see the chances of results increased.My greatest expectation and reward from these 2000 ideas would be to see numerous, if not all humans come up with ideas for peace, a better world, a most beautiful, well-preserved Earth, a true paradise of happy, fulfilled humans.
~ Idea 1403 ~ 14 May 1998Sitting at our meditation and prayer place in the jungle and listening to the water trickling down from an ancient tank into a carved-out stone of the indigenous people, I was so at peace and thinking: what a miraculous planet this is, which has water, the fountain of life, and is probably the only planet in the universe which fulfilled the innumerable conditions to be able to produce life. And yet here we are, the supposedly most intelligent species developed on it over eons of time, and we destroy a species every five minutes, a species which it also took eons to time to form. I want to shout this to the heavens for all humanity, God and the saints to hear: please, dear human brothers and sisters, revolt against the abuses and the war against the wonderful, the miraculous nature of this planet
~ Idea 1404 ~ 15 May 1998I propose that the Ministries of Environment of this planet be given a new name: Ministries of the Defense of Nature. A good part of the ministries of War or Defense could be transferred to them to use their techniques of defense, this time against the destruction of nature. It would be a useful transformation of these Ministries into defenders and protectors of nature. The same applies to the police. It too should be mobilized to defend our most precious capital: the Earth, its elements of life, its manifold forms of life, the products of billions of years of evolution.
~ Idea 1405 ~ 16 May 1998I hope that a student will write a thesis on the experience of the Ministry of Peace created by President Eisenhower, a former general, probably the first Ministry of Peace ever on this planet. It was abolished due to the cold war. Since that war is gone, it would be very useful to reestablish such a Ministry in the US and create similar ones in other countries. Harold Stassen, the last US signer of the UN Charter still alive, was the incumbent. His Memoirs and the US archives could be a good source of information, experiences and ideas.
~ Idea 1406 ~ 17 May 1998Perhaps such a study could be undertaken by the newly appointed Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Mrs. Louise Frechette who was Under-Secretary of Defense in Canada. She could take up the proposal by the wife of General Harbottle from England to create Ministries of Peace. See Annex to my eleventh one hundred ideas: Ministries of Peace, A Proposal by Generals for Peace.
~ Idea 1407 ~ 18 May 1998I recommend the creation of a World Association of Visionaries by the conference of the World Futures Society in Chicago this summer. Such an association could have remarkable world-wide effects on human evolution. It would present its views for the next century and millennium to the UN General Assembly 2000 and to the accompanying Peoples' Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1408 ~ 19 May 1998There is so much waste, duplication and indebtedness of national public expenditures of 185 nations &endash; military expenditures being the worst of them &endash; that the right to tax citizens should be challenged by the Peoples' Assembly 2000. In a proper Earth government, there would be a tax and financial system under which common, economical world services would replace many 185 national duplications. A foremost example: the creation of a world security system which would dispense with the 171 national armies of today which each year cost the citizens a trillion dollars. What fantastic good could be done with such savings! We could have world engineering projects, financed in common instead of doing the same thing in several nations. They would bring in huge economies of scale. Under it would be a system of financing bioregional services for the seas and oceans, river basins, mountain areas, common water resources, etc.Then would come proper continental financing responding to the needs, common services and institutions for each continent.Then would come national financing;Then would come provincial or state financingThen would come cities and local communities financing.What would be wrong with such a system? It would give marvelous results and would permit us to solve most urgent problems. We need it absolutely for the 21st century. A World Commission or a UN Commission should be established to work it out.The early Fiscal and Financial Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council should be re-established to do such work and study the tax systems of nations, and avoid international tax evasion. Having worked as a young man in the UN Fiscal and Financial Branch which serviced that commission I would be happy to make my contribution to a central fiscal and financial task force for our planet.
~ Idea 1409 ~ 20 May 1998Despite strong scientific and peoples' protests, the United States went ahead with the Cassini project: a space capsule has been launched with several pounds of plutonium on board and will reenter the Earth's atmosphere in a year, accelerate around our globe (at the risk of our destruction) to gain more speed &endash; and continue at a propulsed speed farther away into the universe.Despite the Moon Treaty adopted by all nations, to keep the moon as an untouchable common property of humankind, the United States has decided to launch another lunar expedition to explore the colonization of the moon and its "economic" exploitation, caving in to American business hunger for profits.Hearing such things, one wonders if there is not some madness prevailing on this planet.
~ Idea 1410 ~ 21 May 1998I recommend that the Arab countries introduce action in the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization for the world-wide prohibition of alcoholic beverages. They would be qualified to do so, since they prohibit the production, transport, sale and consumption of alcohol (an Arabic word, Al Kohol, meaning "the devil"). The good it would do the world would be incalculable: less drugs consumption associated with alcohol, less violence due to alcohol, less health problems, less miseries and poverty in families and violence against children. The UN has calculated that if beer alone were prohibited in the world, the land released for other food products would be sufficient to feed the entire world population. It was also shown that the production of a can of beer requires four gallons of water! And I speak elsewhere of the longevity of a beer can thrown into nature.Dear people, wake up. At least you have one power which I exercise: I decided in recent years not to touch a drop of alcohol in any form for the rest of my life.China could join the Arab countries in this fight, since Confucius recommended a similar prohibition. He said: you drink the first cup of wine and the cup drinks you.As for smoking it should urgently be prohibited world-wide. Non-smokers should protest that their contributions to health insurance are used to help smokers. They should as a minimum obtain a reduction in their contributions. The same for non-alcohol consumers.
~ Idea 1411 ~ 22 May 1998I wish that a group of eminent global economists would calculate the enormous benefits which could be achieved by a global government which would avoid the incredible duplications between 185 nations: duplication of military expenses, of Universities, of innumerable research and other services which would be more efficient under a global budget than under scattered national budgets insufficient for the purpose. I atrongly recommend the creation of such a group of experts. Being a fully trained economist, I would be delighted to join it.
~ Idea 1412 ~ 23 May 1998Last year, on a rapid train ride of five hours from my hometown in Alsace-Lorraine to Paris, a ride covering half the breadth of France, I was shocked that there was practically no forest left. There were hundreds of miles of uninterrupted ploughed fields for the cultivation of cereals. Only on hills on the horizon could one see some forests. But when closer, I noticed that two-thirds of their slopes had been "cleared" to plant vineyards. I can understand that France needs plenty of cereal foods. But do we need wine, al kohol? Where will France get its oxygen from? Some day the world will be divided no longer into developed and underdeveloped countries, but oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor countries. Why doesn't the French government at least decree that a minimum number of trees must be planted on each acre of cereal fields? This practice is already wide-spread on coffee plantations in a "poor" country like Costa Rica which would not even need it, since more than a third of the country is covered by legally protected forests and which gets ample oxygen from both the Atlantic and Pacific.
~ Idea 1413 ~ 24 May 1998I also asked myself: why are there no more villages on these lands? Where are the villages which existed in my youth? Alas, their children have moved to multi-storied buildings in big cities deprived of nature and seeking happiness making money through producing more and more often useless goods. What a world! And this is called progress!Much of what I saw around me reminded me of Mark Twain's statement: "Man was a creature made by God after a whole week of work, when He was tired."
~ Idea 1414 ~ 25 May 1998In Paris I saw so many Christmas Trees everywhere. In my modest hotel I saw three of them And I wondered: what would Jesus say if He returned to Earth and saw the millions of trees which are killed each year to celebrate His birthday. Perhaps He would not have come to Earth.
~ Idea 1415 ~ 26 May 1998Noting during my trip to Europe how unhappy many people were, the thought occurred to me again that each government should create a Ministry of Happiness. The US should be the first to create one since "the pursuit of happiness: is specifically mentioned in its Constitution as a principal aim of government. Such Ministries could hold public opinion polls or surveys to find out why people feel unhappy. It would yield fascinating results.
~ Idea 1416 ~ 27 May 1998French stores and "supermarkets" offer about three times more diversified, often unnecessary merchandise than US stores. One wonders if all that merchandise will ever be sold, and what will be its fate. The pupils of the US around the world are overdoing their masters. All this will create a disaster for the Earth.I urgently recommend the creation of a World Peoples' Movement to Save the Planet by Consuming and Buying Less.
~ Idea 1417 ~ 28 May 1998What we call "goods" in a store might be "bads" for the Earth. What we call production might be destruction. What we call progress might be regress. Please, dear member of the 6 billion human family, before you buy anything ask yourself these two questions:1. How much Earth has it cost to produce?2 Do I really need it?
~ Idea 1418 ~ 29 May 1998On the airplane back to the US they sell "customs-free goods". The UN International Civil Aviation Organization should prohibit that any merchandise be sold on airplanes. We must de-merchandise the world in many places where business has merchandised it. Only then can humans find again their individuality and magic, inner self. For the same reason, movies and television should be prohibited on airlines, which are one of the few places on Earth offering long hours of solitude for reflection and meditation.
~ Idea 1419 ~ 30 May 1998I am glad that the European Union has introduced changes in the borders of local provinces to respond to common ecological features. I hope that at one point the European Union will implement my proposal to redesign the whole political and administrative map of Europe according to natural biological regions. It could serve as a model for other continents. Even if it looks utopian today, I recommend that this exercise be undertaken right away, because it might produce astonishing results and save a lot of nature.
~ Idea 1420 ~ 31 May 1998The incredible efficiency of the French national railroads and the excellent United States Postal Service lead me to recommend that the world should not believe blindly in the fundamentalist, almost fanatic claim of superiority of privatization, and consider more, not less, state enterprises. It will lead to inefficiency, business will claim. Well, how come that the French national railroad networks are faster and more convenient to all people of France while the number of their employees and workers has been reduced from 475,000 thirty years ago to 175,000 today? And they have all a stable, secure employment and revenue.
~ Idea 1421 ~ 1 June 1998Perhaps a state enterprises stock market, even a world enterprises stock market should be created, so that people could invest their savings in public common service enterprises if they prefer them to private enterprise, the latter being subject to speculations, risks and staggering waste caused by excessive competition. Darwinism, which is being challenged for evolution should also be challenged with regard to business and economics.
~ Idea 1422 ~ 2 June 1998One wonders if economics has remained faithful to its meaning? Does it really lead to economies? Has it not become the most mind-boggling waste production on this planet? Should it not be rethought, re-evaluated from scratch on the eve of a new century and millennium? I challenge economists to do it seriously and honestly for the good of the people, of nature and of the future of the Earth.
~ Idea 1423 ~ 3 June 1998After 50 years of keen observation and warmest cooperation, I must honestly confess that the nation-state system must either obey its own rules laid down in the UN Charter or it will perish.Do Heads of State know their solemn obligation under the UN Charter? I suggest that before assuming office they read that Charter and on the day of their inauguration read out its Preamble to their people. They could swear on the UN Charter as some do on the Bible.There is urgent need for a world school for heads of State in which they would learn about global affairs and be taught to co-administer the planet properly. There is not a single University on Earth that provides such training. The only substitute is service with the United Nations. Please let us create a UN World School for heads of states.
~ Idea 1424 ~ 4 June 1998I am so happy that three former Heads of State, all women, as a result of the campaign I started with my novel First Lady of the World, have recently been appointed to very high positions in the UN System: Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland now UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Gro Harlan Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway now Director General of the World Health Organization; and Louise Frechette, former Deputy Secretary of Defense of Canada now Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. They will be astonished by the ridiculous sums put at their disposal to run their world-wide functions, compared with what they had when they were in national service. I wish that an outgoing President of the United States were appointed Secretary General of the UN. I would like to see his face when he sees his budget!
~ Idea 1425 ~ 5 June 1998I offer that the University for Peace created by the UN in a paradise of peaceful nature in demilitarized Costa Rica become the first University for heads of states, fulfilling the wish of Confucius when he lived in a China torn up by feuding provincial lords as is the world today by the feuding, competition and race of 185 nations.
~ Idea 1426 ~ 6 June 1998One could make a serious plea for local, state, national, continental and world common ownership. For example:- the archives and archives building of my hometown in Alsace-Lorraine belong to the city, and rightly so;- many art treasures belong to local, state and national museums. The UN and its agencies are also conservation places of art treasures;- there are many municipal, state and national parks in the world and the beginning of world parks with the wonderful preserved lands of the University for Peace;- the high seas and oceans are a commons of humanity and are to be administered by a United Nation High Authority;I would like to see more of all this, in order to stop the destruction of the planet by sole national sovereignty and private business motives.It is a major question worth looking into on a world-wide basis. This is why I have recommended the creation of a world land ownership register or cadastre. It would yield the most interesting results. The publicly owned roads, highways, bridges and airports of this planet would alone yield an impressive figure. I highly recommend that WIPO, the UN's World Intellectual Property Organization be entrusted with the holding of a World real estate register or cadastre.In a true democracy, people are entitled to know to whom this Earth belongs. It will be a good subject for the Panel of personalities under former Secretary General Boutros Ghali appointed by UNESCO to look into the subject of democracy. I will send them my ideas on the subject.
~ Idea 1427 ~ 7 June 1998I recommend that the 134 member countries of the United Nations who were not among the founding members at the Bretton Woods Conference (51 of today's 185 members) at the end of World War II, should form a new group of countries at the United Nations: the group of non-founding members. Their role would be to say what reforms should be made in the UN Charter and in the structure and functioning of the world organization. This would be done in preparation for a Charter revision and a second Bretton Woods Conference to be held as early as possible. Their thinking and proposals could be a momentous landmark in modern world history. These steps could save the Earth and humanity from the disasters impending upon us in the 21st century.
~ Idea 1428 ~ 8 June 1998In preparation of a Charter Revision Conference, the Secretary General of the UN should be requested to prepare a compendium and documentation on all proposals for UN reform made over the years since the creation of the organization and to submit his own suggestions. I will open myself a file on all proposals which came my way during my many years in various key positions at the UN and came to my mind. There are already quite a number in these 2000 ideas. (see index)
~ Idea 1429 ~ 9 June 1998I cannot repeat often enough that common world projects should be planned and undertaken to increase the efficiency of the world ecology, economy and management and put an end or at least reduce the colossal duplications between 185 nation states. I hope that the European Union will become a second leading model for the world, after the United States, and that many more regional communities will be created, leading at long last to a true world community, a United States of the World or a World Union.The UN should create an office of collecting and proposing many common world projects.
~ Idea 1430 ~ 10 June 1998There is utmost urgency to have a clear, well thought-out plan for proper Earth government when a crisis like the South Korean financial collapse will seize most if not the entire world. I urge earliest implementation of my ideas 528.
~ Idea 1431 ~ 11 June 1998I also recommend a world conference of all major partners in the globalization of humanity and world affairs: governments, the United Nations and its 32 agencies, other world institutions, regional institutions, e.g. the European Union, business, scientists, the media, global non-governmental associations, global private institutions, religions, global philanthropists, world universities, global visionaries, etc. We need to move from the United Nations to a United Peoples, to a United Earth.
~ Idea 1432 ~ 12 June 1998When future generations and historians will look back at our century, they will be appalled by the minimal resources allotted to world organizations to cope with colossal, unprecedented problems affecting our Earth and humanity, while astronomic sums were spent on national prestige and power programs and Earth destroying business.When national leaders and chief executive officers of businesses will appear before God's tribunal, they will be condemned not for classical sins but for new global sins against nature and God's Creation.
~ Idea 1433 ~ 13 June 1998We urgently need as we enter a new century and millennium a world conference to appraise the present state of evolution on this planet and to provide world views on future evolution in the next century and millennium.
~ Idea 1434 ~ 14 June 1998To live or not to live on such a big planet does not make such a big difference. I think however that Mother Earth loves those best who do not destroy her and take from her bosom only the minimum needed so that she can feed many other children of hers.Perhaps it is from that point of view that God will judge us after our life, Mother Earth sitting next to Him as a judge.
~ Idea 1435 ~ 15 June 1998No dog, no cat would ever touch alcohol or tobacco. Only "intelligent" human beings do! Why? Because we are conditioned, enslaved by billions of dollars of advertisement of firms which want our money. If governments do not prohibit such advertisements, people should resort to tearing them down. We need a world peoples' movement or association against advertisements and marketing of evils.There ought to be smoking, drinking and drug boycotts by young people similar to the Nestle boycott. Boycott is a form of democracy, insufficiently studied and used.
~ Idea 1436 ~ 16 June 1998After 20 November 1997, when the UN General Assembly adopted my Dream 2000 proposal to declare the year 2000 International Day of Thanksgiving, the President of the Thanksgiving Foundation in Dallas, Texas, wrote to me:"We count on Youas a Thanksgiving Angelsince when things are roughthe Angel says:'Fear not'And shows the way."What a nice compliment! I hope to merit also some day the epithet of Earth Angel, since when things get rough for the Earth I say "Fear not," and show the way.
~ Idea 1437 ~ 18 June 1998I love your idea, Barbara, to make of our beautiful land in Costa Rica a Monnet Garden, a temple of beauty to nature and to God Rasur, the indigenous children's prophet of peace.Let us make the whole Earth a Monnet garden, a temple of beauty to nature and God.
~ Idea 1438 ~ 19 June 1998I received from an admiring author a great book One Hundred Saints with a beautiful inscription of his wish that I should be declared a saint too. I perused the illustrated book and noted that only seven of the 100 were saints of the military (four of soldiers, the others of hunters, armorers and paratroopers). I suggest that these qualifications be suppressed. Christ would not give saintly support to the militaries who are trained to kill other humans. I also do not understand why the Pope has never accepted my request that St. Francis and St. Claire be made the patron saints of the United Nations. Almost everyone of the 100 saints is the patron saint of a nation. Some European nations have several national saints!One good news: Robert Schuman, my compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine who fathered the borderless European Union will be declared saint in the year 2000. I am a member of his canonization committee. The Pope asks us to hurry up, because he feels rightly "that the world needs political saints."I have also recommend that the United Religions Organization should grant global sainthood to humans who have devoted their lives to peace and to a better world, irrespective of their religion. I would love to receive it after my death. It would help me up there with my connections to all religions, Gods and prophets.
~ Idea 1439 ~ 20 June 1998University students who have received top marks and diplomas and who after graduation are unable to find a job for more than a year should be given a legal recourse against the University which cost them so much and receive an appropriate reimbursement. This question merits to be raised and studied.
~ Idea 1440 ~ 21 June 1998In the vast, modern Conference Center where the Club of Budapest met in Paris with business people to consider ways to a better world, I saw a European Union Information Center for the public, exhibiting an impressive documentation of books, pamphlets and even children's games on this new, very welcome political miracle on planet Earth. I asked if they had a book on the European Union as a model for the construction of a World Union. I was told that there was no such book. I recommended therefore to Ervin Laszlo, the head of the Club of Budapest, to hold before the year 2000 a conference on that subject.
~ Idea 1441 ~ 22 June 1998Barbara decided to share the dream of a young Japanese woman, Naoka Mira, who visited us recently and wants the mothers of the world to work together for the betterment of their families and the human family. Barbara proposed to her to create a World Union of Mothers (WUM), or preferably a United Mothers Organization. Barbara would accept to be its Vice-President for the Americas.I lauded Barbara for this proposal which would help to obtain a Charter or basic Declaration of fundamental Mothers' rights, in particular the right of mothers not to see the flesh of their wombs kill or be killed by the flesh of the wombs of other mothers, not in the name of any institution or human group, in particular a nation or a religion.I suggested that the creation of the World Union of Mothers or United Mothers Organization be announced formally to the United Nations on 10 December of this year, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.It is interesting to note that just two weeks earlier Debra Latham, co-founder of the Radio for Peace International (RFPI), and Barbara had decided to launch a new 30 minute program on the Radio for Peace dedicated to World Mothers. When the time has come for an idea, they emerge from several sources at about the same time all around the world. This is another example of how the nascent world brain and heart work.
~ Idea 1442 ~ 23 June 1998Mothers who have such a central, vital role in the transmission of life on this planet and its evolution, must be given a tremendous voice in human and Earth affairs.I cite this view of my mother: like Rousseau and Krishnamurti, she was against all institutions, nations, religions and associations which, in her view, divided humans instead of united them. For her, as for Rousseau and Krishnamurti, there was only one natural society: the family.Also this answer of an indigenous woman to my question, "How would you govern the world?" she answered. "If you know how to run a family, you know how to run the world."Perhaps indeed tomorrow's Earth government should be run by a strong majority of mothers who have a full comprehension of the miracle of life and how to run a family.
~ Idea 1443 ~ 24 June 1998Observing the incredible diversity, proliferation, complexity and creative explosion of the fauna and flora of a tropical country like Costa Rica and other similar countries, I wonder how the western world had the nerve to call them underdeveloped countries. From an arrogant human point of view perhaps, but not from the point of view of God's nature and tremendous Creation. The West was saved from starvation in the Middle Ages with the discovery of the potato brought back to Europe from America by the explorers. How much more we could learn from the tropical countries, from their peoples, in particular the indigenous people who found a right, harmonious relationship with nature. What wealth is hidden in the biology of these countries! One evolutionary theory claims that it is the weakness of the human body to fight against wild animals which gave birth to the development of our brain to survive. Well, this might be true of humans who lived in cold, adverse climates. But how can they now come and tell the rest of the world that they are undeveloped or underdeveloped? It is the North which has not yet found its right relationship with nature. What we need is a new civilization and understanding in which all regions of the world will contribute their knowledge and wisdom to our survival and fulfillment. And since humans are children, products and parts of nature, I submit that henceforth we speak of a new era in world evolution: the era of United Nature, a far step beyond United Nations, our first but now insufficient global enlightenment after World War II.
~ Idea 1444 ~ 25 June 1998It is becoming clear to me, dear God, that You cannot save us. It is us who must save ourselves, your miraculous nature and You, its Creator.
~ Idea 1445 ~ 26 June 1998I would like to see a conference held between some of the worlds' most eminent astrophysicists and cosmologists and authoritative spokespersons of the great ancient cosmologies, like the Egyptian, the Mayan, the Aztec, the Inka, the Persian and Asian cosmologies. They would compare notes between scientific knowledge and the mystical views of ancient civilizations to see if they have something in common and what this would be. Most important, such an encounter could perhaps provide us with an enlightened cosmology for our coming 21st century and 3rd millennium.
~ Ideas 1446 to 1447 ~ 26 to 27 June 1998Before the year 2000, I would like to see two conferences held in the fundamental field of education:Idea 1446 A meeting of all the winners of the UNESCO Peace Education Prize since it was established. Some of the winners like Mother Teresa are demised, but others like myself are still alive. An encounter at UNESCO could produce a comprehensive world-wide strategy of peace education for the 21st century.Idea 1447 A conference between representatives of the so-called "alternative" educational systems, such as the Montessori schools, the Rudolf Steiner schools, the Robert Muller schools and others. Such a conference could find what they have in common and raise the question whether these types of schools are not better geared to the needs of the 21st century than are current national schools.The reports and recommendation of these two meetings should be submitted to the UN General Assembly 2000 and to its accompanying Peoples' Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1448 ~ 28 June 1998At the risk of repeating myself, I urge the Nobel Prizes Committee to obtain from all living Nobel Prizes winners their views, recommendations and specific ideas on how to achieve a better, livable, peaceful optimum 21st century. All world and other philanthropic prizes for a better world should do the same. All of them should submit their reports to the UN General Assembly 2000 and to its accompanying Peoples' Assembly 2000. Such contributions might open up a completely new era of world evolution. They could provide building materials for an ideal peaceful, happy 21st century and third millennium.
~ Idea 1449 ~ 29 June 1998Since the reforms implemented by the new UN Secretary General at the request of the US Government still did not satisfy the US Congress which turned down again the payment of its legal financial obligations and back dues to the UN, I suggest to the Secretary General to put an item on the agenda of the UN General Assembly or Security Council, asking that the seat of the United Nations be transferred "to a more faithful and financially committed country".
~ Idea 1450 ~ 30 June 1998Isn't it strange that the President of the US and other western leaders found close to 10 billion dollars within 2 or 3 days to relieve the crisis of the South Korean stock exchange market and the US continues to refuse to pay its contribution and backlog of payments of 1.2 billion dollars to the United Nations. In what kind of a world do we live?
~ Idea 1451 ~ 1 July 1998Most people have very limited ambitions. For example, they still seek national glory at a time when world glory is widely open to them. They want to be national leaders when they could be world leaders. They want to be national artists or writers when they could be world artists and writers. They want to be national philanthropists when they could be world philanthropists. They love a nation when they could love the whole world. Doesn't anyone want to be really great and lastingly famous?
~ Idea 1452 ~ 2 July 1998Disarmament talks have lasted for more than 150 years and the situation is worse than ever. Perhaps it is time to recognize the plain truth that disarmament is incompatible with national sovereignty. Disarmament requires a new world order. There can no longer be any doubt about that. Please people, join a world government or Earth government group.
~ Idea 1453 ~ 3 July 1998I often dreamt of heading:- a school for heads of state- a school for world peacemakers- a school for world happiness, cooperation, love and the art of livingAt least the second dream came true.
~ Idea 1454 ~ 4 July 1998Heads of state should all go to a global school: they may know their nation well, but do they know as well the world which they co-administer? There is great need for opening a school or world university for heads of state.
~ Ideas 1455 to 1466 ~ 5 to 16 July 1998I have been invited to attend again a Findhorn conference in England but am unable to go. To support the advocacy work of that splendid environmental organization, I reproduce here the following text:Transcript of short talk by Robert Mullerto the Ecovillages and Sustainable Development Conferencein Findhorn, in October 1995In my 40 years in the UN, I have seen three very basic changes. From 1945-70 the UN was focused on humanism and humans; on avoiding war, on preventing children dying, and on The Declaration of Human Rights. The Charter of the UN does not mention the Earth. Why? Because in our belief the Earth was limitless. This continued until the late 60's when poets like Rachel Carson and advanced countries like Sweden began to notice that something was wrong with nature around us.A completely new period of history thus started with the First World Conference on the Environment in Sweden in 1972. There was continuation of the preoccupation with humans, but also a new preoccupation with the world around us. It was only in the late 60's that we realized that we had a population problem, because the fertility rate continued at about the same level, while the mortality rate was declining. The population explosion intensified the problem of the environment. In 1980 we began to get warnings from climatologists that something was going wrong with the world's climate.As a result since 1980 we have entered a third period &endash; from now on the Earth is number one, and humanity is number two. Humanity is number two because we wish humans to decline on this planet. And we have begun to question the consumption of resources by Western countries which is 30 times the amount consumed by developing countries. Believing that the world was unlimited, we started with the discipline and science called economics, (from Greek, oikonomos, the management of the home), before ecology, (the Greek, oikologos, the knowledge of the home). We began to manipulate the home before we knew what we were manipulating. Economics should have been and should become a sub-science of ecology.The prospect of the third millennium has an incredible effect. Humanity is preparing itself for a new millennium and century. I have pages and pages of events which will take place even beyond the year 2000.There is reason for optimism. Humanity is really trying. But we are only in the kindergarten of the global age. We have not yet learned to be the careful managers of our planet. We are still its exploiters.I have just attended the Gorbachev meeting on the State of the World in San Francisco, and I have gained a lot of hope. They had the courage to get some of the best world experts to look into the state of the world and into the future, to create a vision of the society we want in the next millennium...and then do it. They want to implement the population plan, support simple and frugal lives, and get multinational corporations to acquire global consciousness. This gives me hope. From a pessimistic young man, when I entered the UN immediately after World War II, I have become an optimistic elder.Let me give you some very specific recommendations and ideas:Idea 1455 Create a World Association of Eco-Communities to be NGO-accredited by the UN.Idea 1456 Support the UNESCO Planet Society Program.Idea 1457 Create a world ecological university at Findhorn.Idea 1458 Hold a meeting or conference of long-term evolutionary scientists, because they are now switching to thinking that it will be local and global consciousness which will save humanity, and will install humanity as the most advanced species on this planet.Idea 1459 Mobilize any groups that are in favor of simple, frugal living in the developed countries.Idea 1460 Ask the UN to hold a conference on garbage, built-in obsolescence, and waste.Idea 1461 Ask Gorbachev to create a world commission on the denuclearization of this planet.Idea 1462 Request a world conference for rural development and the stabilization of the villages.Idea 1463 Demilitarization: ask for the closure of the RAF base next door to Findhorn.Idea 1464 Support the World Commission on the Oceans.Idea 1465 Look into the errors of transferring Western values and technologies into the developing countries.Idea 1466 Celebrate World Environment Day, Earth Day and other days that support a global consciousness of nature and of our miraculous Earth.To finish, when you speak of eco-villages, oikos &endash; the home, I would develop a whole strategy which would go from the 'eco-individual', the management of my own person, to the 'eco-family', the 'eco-school', the 'eco-village', the 'eco-neighbourhood', the 'eco-city', the 'eco-region', the 'eco-community', the 'eco-nation and finally, an 'eco-earth' in the 'eco-universe'. This would lead to a strategy to clean our home of all the past errors and values which have become wrong today.We need to actively practice good public relations, spread the word. Last year I decided to write down every day an idea that would help bring these changes about until the year 2000. These ideas may seem crazy, but then you meet someone who will be very happy to implement them. Out of my first 500 ideas more than 50 have been implemented. Remember Margaret Mead's saying, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
~ Idea 1467 ~ 17 July 1998If only all global issues movements and groups knew how much they can help and be helped if they supported and sought the support of the UN!The environmentalists, first ridiculed as the "birdwatchers", understood the importance of the UN, brought the issue before the UN, obtained a first world conference on the environment in Stockholm and changed the course of the world. Prior to that conference there existed not a single Ministry of the Environment on this planet. Today there is not a country without one. Please, other movements for vital world concerns, follow that example. Request world conferences on all valid, determining global issues.
~ Idea 1468 ~ 18 July 1998An American lady wrote how delighted she was to learn from my Introduction to my first 500 ideas that the toys manufacturers of Sweden had made an agreement with the Government not to produce any longer war toys. She will ask her Congressman why the US does not follow that good example. It would be good for UNESCO to publish a list of countries who do not produce war and violence toys. It is one of the numerous methods which can be used in what I call a methodology of non-violence.
~ Idea 1469 ~ 19 July 1998If I were a chief of government I would appoint several Ombudsmen or women as part of my immediate staff:an Ombudsperson for consumer complaintsan Ombudsperson for human rights complaintsan Ombudsperson for excessive bureaucracy complaintsand there could be others. It would reinforce democracy.
~ Idea 1470 ~ 20 July 1998We have chanted the advent of world communications as a herald of greater world union, understanding, peace and democracy.Alas, there is also a negative side, namely governments, business and powerful institutions have acquired a good part of the means of communication and use them to program the people with their views and objectives.We must congratulate UNESCO for having established a Panel of Eminent Personalities on Democracy under the chairmanship of the former Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Boutros Ghali. I will send him my ideas on this subject excerpted from these 2000 ideas.
~ Idea 1471 ~ 21 July 1998We need a good book of great quotations on the United Nations, beautiful, elevating, inspiring, hopeful quotations by its Secretaries General, heads of states, delegates, world servants, scholars, the media, NGO's, and visitors. There are many in my own works. I will open a file to jot down those I come across or are born in my mind.The United Nations could publish a volume of such quotations for the celebration of the year 2000. It would be a great light for the world.
~ Idea 1472 ~ 22 July 1998There is also need for a book of expectations from the United Nations: expectations expressed by Secretaries General, heads of states, delegates, world servants, scholars, the media, NGO's and the public. All visitors to the UN should be handed a form to fill out with these two question after their visit:What do you think of the UN?What do you expect from the UN?
~ Idea 1473 ~ 23 July 1998Costa Rica which was one of the first sizable countries to demilitarize itself should become world famous for two more firsts:- to create a Ministry of Peace and Non-violence (comprising the police renamed peace agents)- to create a Ministry of Happiness
~ Idea 1474 ~ 24 July 1998We celebrate in the world International or World Days, International Weeks, International Anniversaries, International Decades and for the first time a new century and millennium. There has also been this year an International Season of Non-violence from 30 January (anniversary of the assassination of Gandhi) to 4 April (anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King).There is still an opening to be taken advantage of: international or world months.
~ Idea 1475 ~ 25 July 1998There are millions of local, state, provincial and national laws on this planet but not a single world law! And this happens when the world and humanity have entered the global age characterized by incessantly growing movements, interrelationships, interdependencies and global problems of the planet and the human family. Visitors from outer space would not believe it. Well, it is time that we do not accept it either. We must request that during the year 2000 we should see the birth of the first world laws and the birth of a global judicial system for this planet. Let us work towards the implementation of that pressing idea. The non-implementation of the agreements taken at the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the environment is a glaring example that the world cannot count on national legislations to save the Earth.
~ Idea 1476 ~ 26 July 1998Will the world remain for long disorganized on such a colossal scale with astronomical sums being spent by 185 national governments on the management of their fragments of Earth or will we manage the Earth and humanity properly and economically together?I pray God that humanity will put proper Earth and human government as the top priority items on the agenda of world affairs during the stock-taking year 2000.
~ Idea 1477 ~ 27 July 1998My God, how George Washington would be shocked if he saw the present mess in the world and the lack of vision and leadership of the US to bring about progress in the orderly, beneficial management of the Earth, possibly through a United States of the World. Yes, he would not even see an effort to transform the United Nations born on American soil into an effective Earth government. Where is the resurrected US George Washington today?
~ Idea 1478 ~ 28 July 1998In its efforts to strengthen world democracy, the Panel of Personalities of UNESCO on this subject should give consideration to world public opinion polls and peoples' referenda. Also there is no office in the UN System which follows the fate and functioning of democracy in the world. The Panel should recommend that this should be corrected. Democracy in the world is of such importance that institutional arrangements must be created for it. Perhaps the UN Trusteeship Council which has completed its mandate could be replaced by a Council on Democracy.
~ Idea 1479 ~ 29 July 1998Given the interdependence between economics and ecology, often pointed out in these 2000 ideas, the UN could perhaps give the good example by merging its Department of Economic Affairs with the UN Environment Program into a Department of Ecology and Economics or Ecolonomics. Nations should then follow that example.
~ Idea 1480 ~ 30 July 1998The same way as we must be careful about what we consume as foods, we must be no less careful about the intake of liquids which represent two-thirds of our physical body. The notion of healthy liquids is rapidly becoming as important as that of healthy foods. We must similarly be careful about the consumption of ideas, news and cravings served to us by the media and advertisement. The notion of healthy media must and will soon become as important as those of healthy foods and liquids.
~ Idea 1481 ~ 31 July 1998Tourism is unfortunately becoming a destructive human activity. Most people from wealthy countries should choose to stay at home instead of coming by the thousands to Costa Rica to see a sane and healthy natural country, a jewel of preserved nature, but now affected by luxury hotels, increased transportation, imports of luxury foods and replacement of local fruit juices by a colossal marketing of Coca Cola and other soft drinks. I begin to see a rather black future for Costa Rica if this continues.
~ Idea 1482 ~ 1 August 1998I think more and more that with the problem of unemployment, especially of young people, the question of volunteer services inside and between nations should be taken much more seriously, not as a side issue but as a central one. Why not indeed have vast numbers of young people in social, health, environmental and other services employed and paid by governments as volunteer servants? The funding could come from reduced military and armaments expenditures. I suggest that a world conference on volunteer services be held by the United Nations or the International Labor Organization to study the vast potential of that subject and how it could be best organized. I could well see volunteer services promoted world-wide under a new United Nations Volunteer Agency. Foreign volunteer aid could perhaps become as substantial as foreign financial aid. Years ago I obtained the creation of a UN World Food Program to prevent that surplus food crops be burned in the rich countries and be sent instead to hungry people and refugees in the poor world. It became the biggest international aid program. I would like to see something similar created for unemployed, young people, a World Volunteer Program which would also create more international friendships and solidarity. Why not? There should be at least as less unemployment and wasted human talent as there are now no longer any wasted, burned surplus food crops. The latter have completely disappeared from this planet.
~ Idea 1483 ~ 2 August 1998Another way to reduce youth unemployment and increase world cooperation would be to create or increase very substantially youth internships in the United Nations and in its 32 specialized agencies and world programs. Again this could be financed by a reduction of military and armaments expenditures. I was glad to learn that the Canadian government earlier this year developed a Youth International Internship Program as part of its Youth Employment Strategy. Funding is provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and other departments to support the placement of recent graduates from colleges and universities in International Internship Programs. Youth, nations and world cooperation would gain enormously from them.
~ Idea 1484 ~ 3 August 1998I wish that UNESCO or the International Labor Organization would begin to publish statistics of employment in peace service. I have signaled that there is only one world servant per 100,000 inhabitants of the planet, compared with 556 militaries. When I returned from the French Resistance after World War II my father asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I answered: work for peace so that my children and grandchildren will not see the horrors I saw in this war. He shrugged his shoulders and said: "There are no peace jobs in this world. You can forget it." Well, fate and a good essay on world government opened to me the doors of the United Nations and an entire adult life devoted to peace. I think the time has come to have more peace professions and jobs at all levels of society. It should be a new category in world and national employment statistics.
~ Idea 1485 ~ 4 August 1998The more I work on these 2000 ideas the more I am convinced that this would be a great method to solve many world problems: come up with concrete, progressive ideas in innumerable fields. I suggest that the UN and each of its 32 specialized agencies and world programs should have at least one official, if not a small unit attached to its Secretary or Director General to collect, encourage, develop and inspire ideas. This would represent a network of 32 officials in the UN system producing at the highest level new, bold, much needed ideas. Perhaps some day ideamen and women will also become a new category of profession in employment statistics!
~ Idea 1486 ~ 5 August 1998Humanity has won some great victories during its history:it has won againstslaveryracismapartheiddiscrimination of womendiscrimination of indigenous peopleOut of these victories, the last five were won under UN leadership.I propose that we engage vigorous action on the following:violence in all its formsmilitarismarmamentsextreme povertyEarth destructioncorruptionexcessive materialism and overconsumptionreligious fundamentalismextreme national sovereigntylack of ethicsI am sure that humanity can win all these victories within a few decades. Nothing is impossible for the human species if it decides so. And we have gained a lot of experience!
~ Idea 1487 ~ 6 August 1998In addition to the World Commissions I recommend in idea 571 I would like to see also established a World Commission on Exploitation:exploitation of peopleexploitation of other countriesexploitation of nature
~ Idea 1488 ~ 7 August 1998If George Washington were alive today, he would replace the word states by national governments in his famous statement which would then read as follows:"The primary cause of all disorders lies in the different national governments and the tenacity of that power which pervades the whole of their systems."And he would work hard for the creation of the United States of the Earth.
~ Idea 1489 ~ 8 August 1998I recommend that the words foreign "aid" be abolished and be replaced by reparations. Indeed, what the rich countries "give" to the poor ones is only a trickle compared with the exploitation of these countries over the centuries and in new, more subtle forms today. Exploitation and reparations should become a serious subject of concern to the UN which should not accept so easily the concept of "aid".
~ Idea 1490 ~ 9 August 1998Since evil always reappears under new forms, often more subtle, I recommend that the UN should submit each year to the General Assembly a report on early detection of new forms of evils and injustices, and often sheer robbery and exploitation of the defenseless.
~ Idea 1491 ~ 10 August 1998The UN should also survey the hidden aspects of foreign "aid", henceforth to be called reparations: the amount of that aid which the rich countries give to the poor countries in order to buy armaments or goods and services which are useless to them; also the votes extorted from them in the United Nations and other international agencies. This is a whole field which requires investigation.
~ Idea 1492 ~ 11 August 1998The UN, in my view, is the most mind-boggling effort ever in all human history to come to grips with all of humanity's and of the Earth's problems, dreams and further successful evolution. It does it in three forms:- the fight against all evil, errors and injustices;- the fulfillment of our dreams: peace, justice, well-being, human rights, literacy, the environment, etc.- the promotion of great philosophical concepts and ideals such as hope, faith, dreams, visions, prayer, gratitude, forgiveness, etc.
~ Idea 1493 ~ 12 August 1998I recommend that the 16 nations of the European Union and others interested in following the same path should form a new group in the United Nations and work together in the light of their experience towards the creation of a World Union of all nations.
~ Idea 1494 ~ 13 August 1998People should realize that:the non-drinking of alcoholic beverages,the non-consuming of artificially produced and treated foods,the non-buying of unnecessary "goods"are all of the same nature. They help purify, aerate our lives and bring them to their optimum functioning, self-realization and happiest essence.
~ Idea 1495 ~ 14 August 1998There is need for strong world associations or movements for the promotion of a moral world consciousness and order.
~ Idea 1496 ~ 15 August 1998We do not like to be overweight. We do not admire obese people. Why then should we like and admire overweight, obese cities, overweight obese nations, overweight obese companies, oversized villas and palaces in which overrich people dwell? Why do we admire millionaires and billionaires? Perhaps all this is against nature, unhealthy and should be corrected by diets instead. Perhaps in our social sciences we should take up the subjects of oversize, monstrosity, obesity, subjects which are not studied now in view of our wrong current values. This is also an important subject to keep in mind when organizing a proper Earth government, not to let it become oversize and a central ruling machinery. We need a harmonious system from the individual, the family to the entire human family, to the Earth and our place in the heavens and in time. This is why decentralized federalism is such a favored formula.
~ Idea 1497 ~ 16 August 1998While I feel that we need to have a serious look at how democracy functions on this Earth, the time has also come when we must look at a new reality and consciousness and concept, namely what I would call geocracy or Earth democracy (gaia, the Greek word for the Earth, the power, the rule of the Earth). A Copernican revolution is taking place: we learn that we are not meant to be the rulers of the Earth; the Earth or its processes are the rulers of everything there is on it, inert or alive, vegetal or animal (possessing an anima, a soul). We must therefore determine what are its laws we must obey and what the consequences and her reactions will be if we do not obey them.Yes, a whole new science of geocracy and natural laws is needed by humans on this planet. Thank God a World Party of Natural Law now exists on this Earth. Dear readers, take an interest in it: write to Professor John Hagelin, President of the US Natural Law Party, Maharishi University, 1000 North 47th Street, Fairfield, Iowa 52557.
~ Idea 1498 ~ 17 August 1998If we interfere too much in the ways the Earth functions and rules itself and all that is part of it, the Earth will obviously react and function differently. This difference might affect humans a lot. It is even possible that the Earth will get rid of the destructive species we have become. Let us remember that she got rid of the dinosaurs.
~ Idea 1499 ~ 18 August 1998After communism and capitalism, frugalism might become the new ideology and rule of our behavior on Earth, demanding from us more frugal and simple lives in order not to destroy life giving nature. A new economic system must be born which will not produce colossal waste, unnecessary products, built-in rapid obsolescence, and colossal duplications between 185 nations. Frugalism and simplicity of life might become the salvation of the Earth and future generations.
~ Idea 1500 ~ 19 August 1998In the nineteenth century when capitalism and communism were born, the world population was small and the Earth's resources were unexploited and seemed practically unlimited. Capitalism did wonders in those circumstances. It was the right obvious way for humans to progress in evolution, on the basis of the right Darwinian concept of competition at that time. Communism was the wrong way and had finally to give up after a century of vain efforts.Today the situation is entirely different:- the world population has exploded from about one billion in the last century to close to 6 billion today and at the present rate will stabilize only at around 10 to 11 billion.- the population explosion was recently accompanied by a consumption explosion, first in the rich countries and now spreading also to the rich and middle classes of the poor countries;- the air, the waters, the soil, the biosphere, the climate of this planet which were all in equilibrium have been disrupted, endangering the normal functioning of the planet;- the whole Earth, its life-systems and further evolution are in mortal danger, if humans continue on the same course.Conclusion: capitalism has done its best and produced wonders but it must now capitulate too as did communism. The best minds and leaders of the planet must conceive the new indispensable ways and behaviors of humans in the coming new century and millennium.That is the central, overriding issue to be put at the top of the world agenda during the year 2000. All the rest is secondary.
~ Idea 1501 ~ 20 August 1998If I should die in a country away from Costa Rica and possessing militaries and armaments, I request that my remains be transferred to demilitarized Costa Rica and interred on Mount Rasur from which the indigenous God of children, Rasur, prophecized that a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.
~ Idea 1502 ~ 21 August 1998Parliamentarians, the elected representatives of the people, must absolutely be brought closer if not right in the middle of the world agencies. The fate of the Earth and of humanity cannot be left one hundred percent in the hands of national executives. This cannot continue. Given the importance of global problems, parliamentarians must be well informed and actively contribute to the work of these agencies. Rather than wait for the creation of a United Nations Consultative Parliament, the Inter-Parliamentary Union could be made immediately the Parliamentary Assembly of the United Nations and its family of 32 specialized agencies and world programs. Let us aim at that for adoption and entry into force during the year 2000.
~ Idea 1503 ~ 22 August 1998I highly recommend that all world religions submit to the United Nations for the year 2000 their concrete proposals and ideas for a better world in the next century and millennium. This could be a remarkable, most useful, enlightening documentation.Please religions, do not fail to do it, I beg you.
~ Idea 1504 ~ 23 August 1998Humanity has been able to progress and surmount the most incredible obstacles in evolution: the horrendous climates in cold and in hot areas, early death, wild animals, epidemics, wars after wars, conquerors, empires, colonialism, slavery, racial hatred, etc.Our conscious will for survival and progress, our learning have constantly increased, but we have also encountered new obstacles and problems to resolve in recent years.Today there is one major difference with all our past. The French historian Michelet said in the 19th century that despite Hannibal, the Romans and Napoleon crossing the Alps, the Mont Blanc had not changed a bit. Well, today this is no longer true: there is a tunnel crossing the Mont Blanc, its slopes have suffered damage as a result of climatic changes and the Winter Olympics. For the first time in human history, humans are changing substantially the Earth, its ozonosphere, atmosphere, its waters, its biosphere, its soils, its vegetal cover, its climate, its ocean currents, and are responsible for the extinction every five hours of a species which it took millions of years to form.This situation requires an entirely new thinking, new values, new objectives, new preventions new behaviors, new healings and new institutions. It also requires for the first time a sense of urgency. I urge the creation of a World Ecological Emergency Committee. The Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro Conference could become it.
~ Idea 1505 ~ 24 August 1998On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December this year, we absolutely must begin to speak of fundamental human rights to a clean air, to pure water, to unpolluted cities, to a non-violent society, to a disarmed, denuclearized and demilitarized planet, to a well preserved Earth, to a rational use and conservation of nature and its resources. It is not too early, it is most urgent to proclaim these rights.Beyond human rights, duties and responsibilities, I recommend that the UN should open up an entirely new chapter of work and international conferences on imperatives of the 21st century and millennium. If I were Secretary General I would create a new UN Department of Earth Imperatives and Urgencies.
~ Idea 1506 ~ 25 August 1998The non-saving of the astronomic sums spent by 170 of 185 nations on militaries and armaments must be considered one of the main evolutionary aberrations in human history. These sums must urgently be transferred to the salvation of the Earth and the continuance of our evolution.All national security systems must be replaced by a world security system the plans of which have existed since World War II but were not implemented because of the cold war. That obstacle is now removed. It must become the priority one item on the UN's agenda.
~ Idea 1507 ~ 26 August 1998Readers might exclaim when reading these 2000 ideas: "Why so many of them? Are they really necessary? I am getting tired of them."Well, just think for a moment of the tens of thousands of ideas which are being produced around the clock and the world every day by government officials to promote their government, to levy more taxes, to start new projects, to spread their national influence in the world; and how many are produced by businessmen, builders, architects, engineers, marketing experts, advertisers, etc. to promote their professions and businesses. This is what national schools, business schools and Universities teach and prepare their students for. Think of the thousands of humans flocking every morning into the skyscrapers of big cities to do only that!And who asks and prepares people to come up with ideas for a better world and a happier, more fulfilled humanity? Almost noone. My 2000 ideas are a mere drop of water into what must become a world wave of proposals.Please, dear reader, begin to write down your ideas for peace, cooperation, a better world, a happier humanity, and to prevent the destruction of our beautiful home, planet Earth. Apply these goals to your profession and you will see wonders happen, as I did with my innumerable, incessant ideas during my forty years in the United Nations and now as Chancellor of the first World Peace University in demilitarized Costa Rica.
~ Idea 1508 ~ 27 August 1998Darwin's theory of competition for survival of the fittest was right in the past. Today it must be changed to cooperation for the survival of the Earth and humanity and for the continuation of evolution.
~ Idea 1509 ~ 28 August 1998In Idea 20 I proposed that the demilitarized countries should create a world association and a group of demilitarized countries at the United Nations. I would like to amend that proposal and change its name to: world association and group of demilitarized, demilitarizing and countries interested in demilitarization. The latter would learn from the former, be encouraged to go ahead, and would see the benefits of demilitarization and also how certain obstacles and adverse situations can be overcome and satisfactorily resolved.
~ Idea 1510 ~ 29 August 1998We must deeply rethink our world's and humanity's future. It would be good to remember the fathers of the US Constitution who believed that the function of good government was "to effect the greatest happiness of the greatest number of citizens and to effect harmony between the public and private interests." Today they would add harmony with the Earth and a world-wide dimension to the attaining of happiness.I recommend that the thinkers and leaders of this world return to that down-to-Earth, common sense but correct philosophy of the founders of the United States. It has always been my philosophy too and earned me the nickname of "philosopher of the United Nations" which I must continue to merit.
~ Idea 1511 ~ 30 August 1998Sometimes when I do something with my hands, I say: "It is not going to work, it will fall, it will break." And indeed it does. I then exclaim: "Well, I knew it, I was right."But in the back of my mind lingers the thought: "If I had held it better and been more careful and optimistic, it would not have fallen and broken." And I conclude that it was to a large extent my own fault.Well, the same applies to social relations and to humanity. We all too often say: "It will not work." When writing these 2000 ideas I changed my attitude and said: "It will work. I and other people will make it work." As a result I never give up and the spirits of the universe visit me in the night and show me the ways.As Immanuel Kant said:"It will be proved, I know not when or where, that the human soul stands even in this life in indissoluble connection with all immaterial natures in the spirit world, that it reciprocally acts upon these and receives impressions and help from them."
~ Idea 1512 ~ 31 August 1998Speaking of demilitarized countries, here is a typical example of what they could do in conformity with their philosophy and status in the world: when earlier this year, there was a menace of an all-out attack by United States military forces against Iraq, the US sent to Costa Rica their permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Elliot Richardson to convince the Costa Rican government to support their position at the UN. Costa Rica, mindful of their demilitarized status, refused to go along and answered that they wanted the Secretary General to be the mediator and go to Iraq. This position prevailed and won the approval of the UN member-states, and as an American neighbor said to me: "We thank the United Nations for having prevented us from bombing again women and children." I told him that his thanks should go to Costa Rica.
~ Idea 1513 ~ 1 September 1998The new President of Costa Rica, has announced that he will seek the demilitarization of all of Central America and make it the first demilitarized zone on this planet. The University for Peace established by the UN in Costa Rica will show how many children can be educated with the funds released by demilitarization in other Central American countries. He will seek the establishment of a demilitarization fund for the region, to which the rich countries would be welcome to contribute.
~ Idea 1514 ~ 2 September 1998Since I will have completed my 2000 ideas and dreams well before the first of January 2000, I have decided to continue writing ideas when they are finished. The title will be "My Third Thousand Dreams and Ideas for a Better World."
~ Idea 1515 ~ 3 September 1998The countries going fastest will be the first to be confronted with the abyss. Wisest will be those taking it easy. The time will come when people from the first countries will emigrate to the second.
~ Idea 1516 ~ 4 September 1998To assist the rebirth of spirituality in the world, I propose that World Associations of Spiritual Leaders be created in all walks of life: scientists, business people, builders, educators, the media, diplomats, heads of corporations, heads of states, etc. Not a single profession or walk of life should be omitted. It would be a great help to a better, well-preserved Earth and happier humanity.
~ Idea 1517 ~ 5 September 1998Please, dear women of the world, remember the old saying: "Behind each great man there is a great woman." I would rather say: "Behind each happy, fulfilled man there is a great woman." It has been my case. My life could have never been what it was without Margarita, my first life companion, alas deceased in 1993, and now Barbara, another heaven sent companion. With Barbara we recommend a thorough study of the couple as a major cosmic phenomenon as the ancient Mayans believed. The role of the wife is capital, evolutionary in that relation.
~ Idea 1518 ~ 6 September 1998Humanity has many recognitions of valuable merits and contributions to a better world: for example the Man of the Year award, the Nobel and other prestigious prizes. This is good for human progress and should be fostered, well studied and even become a field applicable to all segments of human life, a science of rewards or meritology, a new major human discipline. It could be taught in Universities.On the other hand there should also be a science or discipline of dishonors, disapprovals, demerits and condemnations. These could be proclaimed both for individuals and for institutions. Philanthropists could finance centers around the world which would make proposals for honors and dishonors.
~ Idea 1519 ~ 7 September 1998We badly need a science, a strategy and methodology of love, because love is the highest concentration and right direction of cosmic, evolutionary energies.
~ Idea 1520 ~ 8 September 1998As part of a much needed World Spiritual Renaissance I recommend that governments at all levels should not hesitate to help religions financially, for example for the maintenance of religious buildings and sacred sites. I would recommend that a part of the reduction in military expenditures should go to spiritual expenditures. God and the saints in heaven would rejoice.
~ Idea 1521 ~ 9 September 1998Dear reader, if you know any person or institution which might be interested in one or several of these 2000 ideas, please do me a favor and to humanity, bring it to their attention.
~ Idea 1522 ~ 10 September 1998To go to luxury hotels should definitely be included in the list of unnecessary Earth-destructive western types of overconsumption. Environmentalists and Earth-concerned people should never go to luxury hotels.
~ Idea 1523 ~ 11 September 1998Reading again Idea 820 in which I speak of friendship between the families of heads of states, especially their children, I recommend the creation of a World Association of children of heads of states. These children would formulate their dreams and ideas for a better world and submit them to their fathers or mothers in office.
~ Idea 1524 ~ 12 September 1998Similarly a World Association of spouses of current and former heads of states should be created to formulate their views, ideas, dreams and proposals for a better world and submit them to the same. I am glad that the wives of all Latin American heads of states will meet in Costa Rica at the University for Peace during the Millennium Celebration in January 2000.
~ Idea 1525 ~ 13 September 1998I suggest that the Union of International Associations which published an encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential at my suggestion, should also publish for the year 2000 an encyclopedia of ideas for a better world collected from its 28,000 international member associations.(The index to my 2000 ideas could be made available to them to guide their work. Excerpts and lists of ideas could be sent to world conferences, to world agencies, to heads of states, to the media and institutions dealing with specific subjects.)
~ Idea 1526 ~ 14 September 1998(All international and world associations, not only those accredited with the Union of International Associations, should formulate their dreams and ideas for a better world, publish and distribute them widely for the preparation and celebration of the year 2000, especially the Millennium Peoples' Assembly.)
~ Idea 1527 ~ 15 September 1998Seeing the magnificent sculpture on forgiveness at the Casa de Maria Conference Center in Santa Barbara, I dream that more sculptures should be planned and inaugurated in the year 2000 on all the great philosophical concepts which have helped humanity to progress on its mysterious journey in the universe, concepts such as love, faith, hope, peace, friendship, compassion, prayer, meditation, gratitude and others. I could see a major sculpture inaugurated in 2000 on Peace in San Francisco, the city where the United Nations was born and a major sculpture on Love in Kansas City which considers itself to be the heart of America and possesses already a Heart Forest near the airport, etc. What beautiful, elevating, encouraging contributions such sculptures would be to the celebration of our entry into a new century and millennium!I was glad that we were visited by a famous sculptress, Edwina Sanders, the granddaughter of Winston Churchill who offered us to build a magnificent monument to the Bimillennium on the wonderful, sacred, world grounds of the UN University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica.
~ Idea 1528 ~ 16 September 1998If we could only have at least as many social, esthetic and loving ideas as we have business, marketing and advertising ideas on this planet!
~ Idea 1529 ~ 17 September 1998We must absolutely add overconstruction and overurbanization to the destructive trends of our present society against the Earth, namely overpopulation, overconsumption, overtransportation, overactivity, etc.Yes, how many new buildings, hotels and houses are being constructed often at sizes which are not necessary, require huge energy consumption, water consumption, maintenance, and lead progressively to the destruction of the Earth? For example the annual rate of new housing in the US alone was 1,613,000 in 1998. In 100 years this would mean 161,300,000 and by the year 3000 1 billion 613 million new houses. Can the Earth bear this?More generally how many new activities and products are invented every day by the western society making people confused and doubtful about the real, deepest, spiritual meaning of life?
~ Idea 1530 ~ 18 September 1998I am glad that three good things are happening regarding democracy:1. the holding of a first international conference on direct democracy in the Czech Republic in August of this year;2. the establishment by UNESCO of a Panel of personalities on democracy, headed by former UN Secretary General Boutros B. Ghali;3. the holding of a Peoples' Assembly 2000, accompanying the UN General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level.
~ Idea 1531 ~ 19 September 1998The purposes of the International Conference on Direct Democracy in the Czech Republic are well taken:- to reach a consensus on the general principles of direct citizen participation in decision-making processes on which future political systems are likely to be based.- to present and discuss reports on procedures of Direct Democracy (citizen initiatives, referenda, citizen control and politicians' accountability, direct personal elections, electronic voting) which are already practiced in certain regions of the world.
~ Idea 1532 ~ 20 September 1998Two major conditions for the achievement of a new, proper world democracy are:- an objective education of humans. National education programs them into the nation's interests and not humanity's and the world's interests. Like everything else democracy has to be global if we want to take good care of our human brethren and sisters in other parts of the world and of the well-being and preservation of our Earth. The World Core Curriculum which I derived from the wonderful global education I received from the United Nations should be considered as a correct basis for education in all schools of the world conducive to proper democracy. (see table in first volume of 500 ideas)- an objective information of all humans by governments at all levels, from local to global, by the media, advertisement and business. This is an absolutely fundamental condition to proper democracy and world survival. (see table on Media in first volume)The above conditions are so serious that I recommend the holding of a world conference on democracy by the United Nations or the establishment of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Democracy.
~ Idea 1533 ~ 21 September 1998A Jewish American friend who expressed to me his happiness that the United Nations was able to prevent the bombing of children and mothers in Iraq by military intervention of the US said to me: "Thirty years ago, when I said that the United Nations was not treating Israel fairly, you said to me: 'the conflict in your region involves several parties and politics plays a role in this. But remember that thanks to the United Nations Israel was created, is guaranteed unobstructed international postal services and telecommunications, and other international freedoms guaranteed by the UN.' I never forgot your comment."
~ Idea 1534 ~ 22 September 1998During the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, the UN should place on its agenda the creation of a World Court of Human Rights. There exists now a great international precedent: the European Court of Human Rights which protects the rights of all citizens of the 16 countries of the European Union. A similar court is needed for all countries of the world if human rights are to become universal in their application and enforcement.If the UN does not take that decision, the European Union should establish an informal international study group of countries willing to work on the draft of such a World Court.
~ Idea 1535 ~ 23 September 1998During the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a Draft Declaration of Human Responsibilities will be taken up, written by 24 former heads of states under the leadership of former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of Germany. Among these duties should figure prominently the responsibility of each nation to teach peace, tolerance and non-violence.
~ Idea 1536 ~ 24 September 1998I recommend the creation of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Human Unity and Diversity. Such a Commission would study, propose and promote a large variety of means, policies, instruments and legislations to foster humanity's progress towards unity while preserving its rich, valuable diversity.
~ Idea 1537 ~ 25 September 1998Armed aggression is an international crime, the biggest of all. To kill another human being as a soldier is a crime. To train soldiers to kill other humans is a crime.
~ Idea 1538 ~ 26 September 1998The creation of the European Union is the greatest political achievement and breakthrough of the second half of the 20th century, a real blessing on the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium. It must absolutely be used as a model for a World Union.What I suggest the European Union should do for the creation of a World Court of Human Rights should be extended to a whole series of other issues relating to proper Earth government. For example the European Parliament should open a permanent consultation between any interested governments of the planet on the ways of creating a World Parliament, first of a consultative nature, later with certain legislative powers as is now the case of the European Parliament. This would help world democracy and have the peoples' representatives share in the shaping and governing of the Earth, not leaving it to the exclusive prerogative and authority of national executives.
~ Idea 1539 ~ 27 September 1998When an individual becomes conscious that he is sick he turns immediately to the ways of healing himself, either through personal measures, or through remedies or to seeing a doctor.Now that humanity has become fully conscious of its sicknesses, it must also turn to measures of self-healing, to remedies and to the first world doctors, namely the United Nations, its 32 specialized agencies and the thousands of global healers and healing institutions that have sprung up everywhere in the world. A new profession of world healers should be recognized and trained.
~ Idea 1540 ~ 28 September 1998Humanity writes its biography in three manuscriptsthe book of its deeds,the book of its wordsand the book of its art,Not one of these can be understood unless we read the two others,but of the three the most truthful is the last(For, as Plato said, beauty is the splendor of truth.) added by Robert MullerJohn Ruskin
~ Idea 1541 ~ 29 September 1998In the 21st century United Nations the UN Regional Economic Commissions should be transformed and conceived as the Continental Commissions of the United Nations dealing not only with economic questions, but political issues and all other vital segments of the human condition listed in ideas 527 to 547. They should be headed by Continental Deputies Secretaries General.
~ Idea 1542 ~ 30 September 1998Mrs. Gabriella Christopher Roncoroni, the founder of the Robert Muller School in Buenos Aires, holds the view that education would deserve an entire separate world agency devoted to it, and not to mix it with science and art, as is the case in UNESCO. Perhaps indeed UNESCO should be subdivided into a UNESCO I for education, a UNESCO II for science, and a UNESCO III for art and culture.
~ Idea 1543 ~ 1 October 1998I would be thrilled if all countries having a Ministry of National Education would drop the adjective national and call it Ministry of Education, so that it can include also the vitally crucial global education needed to save the Earth and give it peace.
~ Idea 1544 ~ 2 October 1998Every city in the world should have a Mayor of Happiness, the happiest person in town to be elected to keep the happiness of that town.Barbara Gaughen MullerThis is an excellent idea which complements my idea that each government should have a Ministry of Happiness, since the pursuit of happiness should be the aim of government as stated so rightly in the US Constitution. As for the United Nations, it should have a Department of Philosophy, Ethics and Happiness.
~ Idea 1545 ~ 3 October 1998I strongly recommend the creation of a World Association of Dreamers on the eve of a new century and millennium. The world badly needs audacious dreamers to be healed and saved from obsolete thinking and outdated institutions. The association should deal specifically with seemingly "impossible dreams".
~ Idea 1546 ~ 4 October 1998I am infinitely grateful to Barbara, my wife, not only for having suggested to me to write these 2000 ideas but for another splendid idea: to have an index prepared and to excerpt from the computer entire sets of ideas on any conceivable world subject, for example on education, on children, on youth, on demilitarization, on democracy, on human rights, on the natural law party, on ethics, etc. I can send these excerpts to heads of states, UN delegations, institutions, people actively engaged in these fields, conferences, the media, universities, schools, etc. As a result, quite a number of these ideas, blessed by God's help, have a chance of being implemented. The two ideas of Barbara show what one person can do on this planet. Please, dear reader, come up with ideas. Thought creates energy. Ideas are cosmic energy which makes us co-workers with the designs of the universe and God. The same is true of dreams, visions, prayers, ideals, hopes and all other great philosophical and spiritual concepts which have helped humanity to survive and progress in the infinite universe and eternal stream of time.
~ Idea 1547 ~ 5 October 1998One great advantage of demilitarization is that a demilitarized country acquires a special, higher level of morality and becomes a natural, inspiring, peace-advocating country in the world. This is what has made one of the earliest demilitarized countries, Costa Rica, a peace model in the world and one of the best members of the United Nations. It was recompensed for it by being selected as the seat of the first University for Peace on the planet and of the Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro conference on the environment. President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica also received the Nobel Peace Prize for his successful peacemaking in Central America, followed now by his efforts to demilitarize more countries. Dear leaders of nations, follow the example of Costa Rica if you want to be remembered by humanity's new global history and be recompensed with major world prizes.
~ Idea 1548 ~ 6 October 1998It was wonderful to attend today in Costa Rica a yearly event organized by a Unity Church to honor 45 men and women, leaders of local charitable and volunteer service organizations, media, musicians and artists, with "peace constructors awards". It was a remarkable opportunity for these people to meet, celebrate, inspire and network with each other for good human and Earth causes. Speakers were heard on peace efforts in the world, demilitarization of Central America, non-violence inside nations and in families.I recommend that similar encounters of peace, charitable and volunteer organizations be held in every city or local community in the world. Such meetings should be attended, sponsored and supported by the local representative of the United Nations if there exists one.In the 21st century, local representatives or offices of the United Nations should exist in every city of the world.
~ Idea 1549 ~ 7 October 1998I dream that in the year 2000, proclaimed by the United Nations International Year of Thanksgiving, the US Thanksgiving Foundation in Dallas, Texas, will donate to the United Nations a primeval tropical forest in peaceful Costa Rica to become the United Nations World Thanksgiving Park.
~ Idea 1550 ~ 8 October 1998The Nazis invented gas chambers to take the lives of Jews. Today industrialists and capitalists are making of our whole atmosphere a gas chamber which might finish the human species and others. National governments do not stop them, because they have become the servants of industrialists and capitalists.How long will people accept this to continue? There is an urgent need for a peoples' revolution against the present economic system if they want to save themselves and their descendants.
~ Idea 1551 ~ 9 October 1998I have been called a Leonardo da Vinci who observes every aspect of the Earth and of human life. Alas, I am a very imperfect one. I would need to know infinitely more on all life forms living on this planet, their interrelations and their changes. I hope that someday a World University of Total Earth Science and a World University of all Life Forms will be created next to the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 1552 ~ 10 October 1998A few decades ago there was a very brilliant President of Costa Rica, Daniel Uruez, who wanted to obtain more agricultural products for the country and avoid the depopulation of the rural areas in favor of the capital San Jose where there was insufficient employment. He came up with this idea: he promised each peasant a free gift of a number of bags of beans, corn or rice to sow in the fields. If they had a good crop they were asked to give in turn free bags of those seeds to other poor peasants. As a result a real agricultural revolution took place which made Costa Rica self-sufficient in these products.
~ Idea 1553 ~ 11 October 1998Since the Millennium Peoples' Assembly in the year 2000 will have the same objectives as the United Nations General Assembly 2000 I hope that it will come up with very concrete proposals for an upgraded second generation United Nations or for a novel, proper world democratic Earth government.It is becoming more and more urgent for governments to use the UN General Assembly of Heads of State in the year 2000 to create a proper system of Earth government.
~ Idea 1554 ~ 12 October 1998Some day, the servants of an infinitely stronger United Nations or of a true Earth Government or World Union will read with astonishment and disbelief the journals of UN officials of today like me. They will ask: how could they achieve so much faced as they were by the most incredible opposition and obstacles of political retardedness?Well, dear UN officials and all peacemakers of today, please keep a journal. Historians will look for them in a hundred years. As someone said to me: in a hundred years people will exclaim: why didn't we listen to Robert Muller when he spoke up a century ago?
~ Idea 1555 ~ 13 October 1998I am happy that military service is no longer compulsory in Italy and that thousands of young people are taking advantage of this new legislation.The United Nations should publish a yearly report, statistics and legislation concerning military service, alternative service and freedom from military service in member countries. Italy should propose this subject as a new item on this subject on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly.
~ Idea 1556 ~ 14 October 1998I recommend that the Millennium Peoples' Assembly to accompany the UN General Assembly 2000 should create a permanent World Peoples' and International Associations Agency. The agency could be located in the prestigious Peace Palace built in the Hague at the beginning of this century for that purpose by Andrew Carnegie. The 1999 Centennial Peoples' Peace Conference in the Hague could also take that decision.
~ Idea 1557 ~ 15 October 1998Speaking of identities we should accept happily that we have a poli-identityOur specific individual identityA family identityA local identityA provincial identityA national identityA continental identityA world identityA cosmic identityAn eternal identityThe future Earth and human government of this planet should take all these diverse identities into account.
~ Idea 1558 ~ 16 October 1998We are fast moving toward a global, planetary consciousness. We must next move to cosmic, evolutionary consciousness. This will be an incredible new phase of life fulfillment on this planet in the universe.
~ Idea 1559 ~ 17 October 1998I recommend that UNESCO and/or the United Nations convene a world conference on love and happiness, love being the key to peace, justice and good world government (see the Einstein and Freud exchange of views in idea 1020) and happiness is the result. We should never forget that the ultimate, highest objective of government should be the pursuit of happiness as was so well understood by the drafters of the United States Constitution.
~ Idea 1560 ~ 18 October 1998I wonder how much waste is included in the so called gross national product. In reality it is included twice, once in the production of goods and services wasted then again as waste "services" such as waste collection, transportation, disposal or recycling. Economics really requires a very thorough revamping.
~ Idea 1561 ~ 19 October 1998Some cities, communities, states and neighborhoods should have a sign at their entrance, "Developers go home."
~ Idea 1562 ~ 20 October 1998More and more communities in the world should decide that they will stop to develop having reached the state of proper harmony with nature. The concept of non-growth and harmonious stability with nature should become normal in more and more places.
~ Idea 1563 ~ 21 October 1998Governments should begin to offer tax incentives to deconcentrate some of their monstrous cities, to have people leave them and live in smaller communities including rural areas which have been abandoned during this century. A return of people to nature would be a great blessing for humanity, for our future and for the Earth.
~ Idea 1564 ~ 22 October 1998As part of the people's trend to consume less in the rich countries in order to save the Earth I recommend that they should no longer buy magazines which contain advertisements.One reason is that magazines are highly paid for advertisement and will therefore not publish articles critical of products or of business malpractices.The price paid by the reader for the magazine should cover the costs of its production plus a profit to the publisher. To get revenue from business and advertisement is immoral and should be illegal. The whole matter of advertisement which has become a major new, all pervading phenomenon in modern society should be subject to very close government scrutiny. It is closely linked with the question of democracy and truth.
~ Idea 1565 ~ 23 October 1998I recommend that well to do retired people should buy a farm in their own country or in a poor country and let the farmer or a hired young man till the land, share its products and receive a salary that will help him raise a family thus avoiding that he abandons the land to seek employment in a city.We have done it in Costa Rica to the happiness and satisfaction of all concerned. I could not have done better in my life.
~ Idea 1566 ~ 24 October 1998United Nations DayToday on this UN Day I give my special thanks to God for the creation of the United Nations after World War II during which I saw so many horrors and lost all my school friends of the year 1939, in Alsace-Lorraine, killed in German or French uniforms. I also thank my friends of Thanksgiving Center in Dallas for having fulfilled my dream to see the Year 2000 declared International Year of Thanksgiving by the United Nations, and to start that celebration with a World Assembly "Spirit of a Thousand Years" from 12 to 16 March 1999 at the Center for World Thanksgiving.
~ Idea 1567 ~ 25 October 1998Books and publications with concrete proposals and ideas for a better world and humanity should become the new literature of the 21st century. There are all too many books in the world with endless pages and very few concrete ideas. A book of ideas will be read by heads of states and people of action. The others will not. I'm reminded of the comment once made to me by Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuellar, "I like your books Robert because I can open them at any page and I find an idea which stimulates my mind into thinking. I cannot stand any more books where I have to read hundreds of pages to find out what the outcome is. There is only one other author who is able to do to me what you do, namely Charles Proust whose works I can open at any page and he sets my mind and feelings on the sense of beauty."
~ Idea 1568~ 26 October 1998After the great, global historic page of human rights opened fifty years ago in the United Nations with the adoption of the fundamental Declaration of Universal Human Rights on 10 December 1948, another great, new historical period has been opened with the drafting of an Earth Charter and the Rights of Nature, accompanied by a Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities. Henceforth, humankind will never be the same. The question of our life, survival and harmony with the Earth, its elements and nature is now fully raise. Questions such as the following are now ominous:Is it normal that we let a species die every five hours on this planet when it took evolution millions of years to form that species?What is the human race doing to safeguard further evolution of life on this planet, save its elements, its vegetation and all other species living on it including the human species itself?The last surviving drafter and signer of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Ambassador Feyroudin Hoveyda wrote to me recently that the declaration was considered at the time to be a mere piece of paper to be thrown into a wastepaper basket. And yet no head of state, no government today wants to be accused for violation of human rights. The same will happen with the new texts on the rights of nature and of the Earth.
~ Idea 1569 to 1572 ~ 27 - 30 October 1998On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights I recommend the following:Idea 1569 a review of all human rights texts adopted by the United Nations since its creation in the light of the current state of the world and our long-term evolution.Idea 1570 a list of the gaps still to be filled for human groups not yet covered by human rights declarations, namely the family, mothers, the poor, the homeless, the handicapped, the newborns, youth, the elderly and the dying.Idea 1571 an examination of a new expanding group of rights to be considered for the Earth, the commons, nature, vital elements and the survival of species.Idea 1572 to open an extremely important new, historic evolutionary chapter namely, the chapter of responsibilities of all individuals, human groups and human institutions.
~ Idea 1573 ~ 31 October 1998When visiting Rome and its antique and art treasures the thought crossed my mind that the preservation, presentation and development of the world's art and antiquities would benefit enormously from a proper Earth government. Military expenditures should be eliminated in favor of art and antiquities expenditures.
~ Idea 1574 ~ 1 November 1998The phenomenon of globalization has such diverse, challenging and controversial aspects varying from group of countries to other groups, from country to country, from profession to profession, etc. that it should be placed on the agenda of the UN General Assembly for full debate and consideration. It is of immense importance for the social and political future of humanity.
~ Idea 1575 ~ 2 November 1998Since the Earth and nature have become a major preoccupation of humanity, it is imperative to reconsider notions such as liberty which was correct in an earlier period but no longer is. For example, the concept of free enterprise and full business freedom can now lead to substantial destructions of the Earth, of its natural resources and elements on which we live. This should become a major subject for debate in the United Nations. What was a justified moral concept yesterday may be today unethical and immoral. Many other philosophical concepts must similarly be reviewed.
~ Idea 1576 ~ 3 November 1998The problem of overproduction and overconsumption in the western countries is at least as preoccupying if not more than the problem of overpopulation in the poor countries. Why? Because western consumption habits are being ferociously marketed and advertised also in the poor countries by giant western corporations. If the consumption levels of the poor countries should ever reach those of the rich countries their total number of 4.7 billion people today, from the point of view of the Earth would have to be multiplied by thirty meaning 141 billion people on this planet! Multiply their future numbers of 6 to 7 billion by thirty and you will have a staggering figure! Multiply also their number by the average waste produced by an American during his lifetime (4,000 times his weight) and you will see that the world would be confronted with an unimaginable disaster.
~ Idea 1577 ~ 4 November 1998We have accepted the concept of sustainable development. We must now also adopt the concept of sustainable consumption. This is very urgent.
~ Idea 1578 ~ 5 November 1998When I look at stores in the western countries and see the incredible variety of goods produced and displayed by a multiplicity of firms I'm sure that they cannot all be sold and will be returned or thrown away.This might be a phenomenon of such colossal magnitude unknown to the public that things must be very basically wrong with the so called western "economic" system. All this is at the expense of the Earth's resources and nature. If it continues unchecked it might mean sooner or later an economic catastrophe.
~ Idea 1579 ~ 6 November 1998The United Nations must absolutely publish as many statistics on consumption as are now published on population and production. For example the total value of cosmetics consumed on this planet is equivalent to the total world expenditures on education. There is something wrong with that. Also, the teaching of international affairs in universities costs more than the total budgets of the UN and of its 32 specialized agencies. This is not normal either. Consumption, waste and uneconomics must become major new subjects of information, study and correction on this planet.
~ Idea 1580 ~ 7 November 1998I think the time has come to replace the term ecology (oikos logos, the science of our home) by Earthology (the science of the Earth) of which we are an integral living part. To distinguish ourselves, to separate ourselves from the Earth is a grave error which can cost us our future evolution and possibly lead to our extinction.
~ Idea 1581 ~ 8 November 1998Having spoken at the Casa de Maria in Santa Barbara at the foot of the famous monument on forgiveness I was asked by the sculptress, Francis Jansen how I became interested in the concept of forgiveness.I stretched my mind to remember it and discovered something that was far back but deep in my memory: in the French underground during World War II one day we had to take twelve French citizens who had collaborated with the Nazis to the woods to be executed. Only one of them, a woman, took it calmly. She did not resist or throw herself on the ground as others did. She walked erect praying, her eyes directed to the heavens. On the way I heard her murmur, "I forgive them." She prayed the Hail Mary when the shots were fired. The shots cut her prayer in half and she fell into the grave dug by them the day before. Her words remained with me when I joined the United Nations. I decided to network forgiveness with my poem Decide to Forgive. The last words of Jesus and Gandhi were of forgiveness.
~ Idea 1582 ~ 9 November 1998I would like to see the United Nations and all its 32 specialized agencies and world programs publish information on existing, planned and possible world projects. For example, regional and world engineering projects, international water pipelines, common world hydro-electrical projects in the Andes and the Himalayas, regional electrical grids and a world global energy grid (GENI) to take advantage of the night and day time difference on this planet, etc.Insufficient attention has been given to world cooperative projects which could improve the overall efficiency of the world economy tremendously. Thinking stops at the nation. Attention is given almost exclusively to national projects when the whole outlook of humanity and the fate of this planet have become overwhelmingly global. I cannot understand it.
~ Idea 1583 ~ 10 November 1998There is an absolute urgent need to convene a world conference on consumption, to create Ministries of Consumption in all countries and a United Nations specialized agency on consumption. It has become as important as the world population problem.
~ Idea 1584 ~ 11 November 1998If I were the Secretary General of the UN I would ask my legal affairs department and other colleagues to collect all proposals made over the years to reform and strengthen the United Nations as well as all proposals for a new, better world organization and draft constitutions for a true democratic world order and government.I would submit that documentation to the General Assembly 2000 with my personal views and recommendations regarding a proper, urgent government and administrative system for the Earth and humanity as we enter the 21st century and the new millennium. I would place national governments squarely in front of their grave responsibilities toward the future fate, evolution and survival of the Earth and of humanity.
~ Idea 1585 ~ 12 November 1998Earlier this year I was asked to give advice to a 35 year old new prime minister, the youngest prime minister ever in the history of his country. This was my advice:never accept to deliver a speech which does not contain a concrete idea.address yourself every morning to the entire population in a Good Morning television program.remain in very close touch with the people by having televised fireside chats with them on Saturday or Sunday evenings.create a Vice-presidency for Global Affairs and the Future following the example of the United States which has created a Vice-presidency for Global Affairs.consider the United Nations to be your own affairs and not belong to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latter should deal only with bilateral relations with other countries but the United Nations should be your direct responsibility.keep an open telephone line with all other heads of states, day and night.write down every idea that comes to you in any field possible. Come up with 2000 ideas and try to implement them.keep a Journal of your philosophical thoughts, similar to Dag Hammerskjöld's Markings.follow the example of President Kennedy and decide to open yourself every thousandth letter sent to you in order to remain in touch with the people.in your public appearances, Good Morning show and fireside chats encourage the people to send you concrete ideas and complaints about injustices or things which should be corrected. Give every month a prize to the best idea or suggestion sent to you.I learned that the young man had become the prime minister because during three years he traveled all over the country speaking directly with the people and acquainting himself with their problems, dreams and ideas.
~ Idea 1586 ~ 13 November 1998Examples of the byproducts of these 2000 ideas: I gave to the UN official in charge of youth matters an excerpt of ideas for youth from the first 1000 ideas to use and distribute to the first international conference of youth ministers in Portugal this year. I sent to Mrs. Mary Robinson, the former Prime Minister of Ireland, now the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights an excerpt with my ideas of new human rights which should be considered and proclaimed on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December. Even if only a few of these ideas are considered and implemented it will mean some progress.
~ Idea 1587 ~ 14 November 1998Ideas should have a main place in governmental affairs from local communities to the top of the world. All public leaders in the world should solicit and collect ideas from their officials and from the public. This could become a new progressive people's democracy and "ideology" for the 21st century. If industry, science and business do it with an incredible intensity, there should be all the more reason for public service to do it too for the social benefit of all peoples. Let us open the 21st century with an era of social and public visions, inventions, dreams and ideas.
~ Idea 1588 ~ 15 November 1998I am anxiously waiting for the time when I will have finished all 2000 ideas to see them indexed and submitted to the forthcoming Millennium Peoples' Assembly 2000 which will accompany the General Assembly 2000 of heads of states. Who knows, perhaps they will have an unexpected, welcome, even exciting impact on the year 2000 celebrations and on our entry into a new century and millennium.This is so promising that I have decided to finish the 2000 ideas by 31 December of this year. This will enable me to devote the entire year 1999 to their dissemination and implementation.
~ Idea 1589 ~ 16 November 1998I have been invited to speak at a major conference on the famous French anthropologist and philosopher Teilhard de Chardin in France. The subject proposed to me is Hope for Peace, a subject close to the heart of that man. I am expected to lift the spirits and hopes of the audience and participants with an optimistic visionary opening speech of the conference. I wrote back that I would be happy to do so and that perhaps the subject could be extended to Hope for Peace and for an Better World. This would allow me to offer a design for a peaceful, happy, fulfilled human family on our miraculous, well-endowed, beautiful planet Earth.
~ Idea 1590 ~ 17 November 1998The subtle, invisible flows of cosmic energy in and among all humans and between the entire Earth, nature, matter, all species including humans are of incredible importance and power. If you open yourself to them you will be magnified and merged with the universe and eternity. You will feel ecstatic. And why should it not be so if this entire planet, all its species and life form only one living entity, one living cosmic body of which we are all parts. And that the same way as all parts of our body are linked, cooperate and vitalize each other so does the entire planet, its vegetation, all its living species including the human species and perhaps the entire cosmos.
~ Idea 1591 ~ 18 November 1998We must never cease to see possibilities in all impossibilities, probabilities in all improbabilities, the visible in all the invisible, the openings in all that seems closed. As we try we will be astonished by the result.
~ Idea 1592 ~ 19 November 1998There are optical fibers, there are mental fibers, there a sentimental fibers, moral fibers and spiritual fibers in the whole human being. Use them all to the fullest and you will feel aggrandized to an incredible degree. People around you will consider you a genius or a saint.
~ Idea 1593 ~ 20 November 1998Tansnational is better than international. Global is better than transnational. Cosmic is better than global.Someday soon everything on this planet will be at long last understood in its cosmic, evolutionary nature. Then an entirely new page of human civilization, a non-destructive, exalted, fulfilled and glorious one will arise.
~ Idea 1594 ~ 21 November 1998We speak of the Earth as our planetary home.We could also speak of it as our planetary garden, the garden of Eden.We could even better speak of it as the miraculous temple of God.
~ Idea 1595 ~ 22 November 1998We must make of this Earth a new Athens, a unique, miraculous paradise in the vast, mysterious universe.
~ Idea 1596 ~ 23 November 1998The year 1999 will be the 50th anniversary of the demilitarization of Costa Rica. The President of the country should call for a world conference on demilitarization or at least hold a conference in Costa Rica of all demilitarized countries to show the way to the rest of the world for the 21st century. (see Idea 1390)
~ Idea 1597 ~ 24 November 1998I whole-heartedly support the idea suggested in the European Union that the United Nations General Assembly should establish a new community of the twenty to twenty-five regional communities in formation around the world. It would be a substantial progress toward the creation of a world community or world union.
~ Idea 1598 ~ 25 November 1998Since industries and business have provided immense benefits to humans but often at the detriment of the Earth which was taken for granted and unlimited, I recommend that industrialists, businessmen and corporations who have become immensely rich engage into a vast world movement of philanthropy (love for humanity) and gaiaphily (love for Gaia, our Earth) to redress the inequities in the human society and to insure the good preservation and restoration of the Earth.
~ Idea 1599 ~ 26 November 1998I learned that a recent groundbreaking "Living Planet Report": from the World Wide Fund for Nature and other groups, documents that human beings have destroyed more than 30 percent of the natural world since 1970, and this destruction is accelerating.This would mean that with an average yearly population increase of 50 million people and a continued worldwide increase of production, construction, consumption, air, sea and soil traffic, the whole nature of this PLANET MIGHT BE IN JEOPARDY IN SIXTY YEARS FROM NOW. This is obviously not acceptable and would lead to economic and ecological disaster. We must therefore declare a world emergency to prevent it by all means.I would recommend to the Secretary General of the UN to establish a World Committee on Environmental Emergencies.
~ Idea 1600 ~ 27 November 1998Evolution biologists tell us that most evolution proceeds as a result of crises. The world economic and ecological crises looming ahead will therefore force humans to adopt new values and institutions to permit further evolution. But the more changes we can initiate now, the less severe and less miseries-creating these crises will be. I pray God that some of the changes I recommend in these 2000 ideas on the basis of my fifty years of world experience will be seriously considered and put into effect.
~ Idea 1601 ~ 28 November 1998I beg UNESCO to convene before the year 2000 or during the year 2000 a conference on cosmologies, ancient and modern scientific ones. They have much in common and will be able to offer humanity on the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium a common, united cosmology the same way as religions are in the process of defining the spirituality they all have in common. A United Cosmologies Initiative should be taken similar to the United Religions Initiative, to create a United Cosmologies Organization.
~ Idea 1602 ~ 28 November 1998What a day it will be when all national militaries and armaments will disappear from this planet thanks to the adoption by all nations of a world and regional security system!What a delight it will be to reallocate the savings from three quarters of a trillion dollars of military expenditures to major causes of poverty, environment, climatic protection, literacy and the general embellishment of our planet!May we soon see the day break and the sun shine upon an Earth when this will happen. Let us devote all our efforts towards it.
~ Idea 1603 ~ 29 November 1998I recommend that universities should create entirely new Departments of Earth Health in which students become Earth doctors who will deal with the health of the Earth, with sicknesses created by humans and develop a planetary medicine. They would absorb and expand the faculties of the environment created in the second part of this century.
~ Idea 1604 ~ 30 November 1998In idea 843 I speak of the need to have Earth designers or Earthscape experts the same as we have interior designers and landscape experts. The new profession would have the Earth, our beautiful and lovable home, as their objective. I hope that universities will create entirely new Departments of Earth design and Earthscape.
~ Idea 1605 ~ 1 December 1998One of the outcomes of the Millennium Peoples' Assembly parallel to the United Nations General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level should be either the creation of a permanent Peoples' Assembly in the United Nations or the transformation of the Union of International Associations in Brussels into a World Peoples' Agency.
~ Idea 1606 ~ 2 December 1998All airlines on Earth which have already taken the decision not to allow smoking in airplanes should also take the decision not to serve and allow alcoholic drinks on flights. The reason is that in case of an accident people having taken alcohol would not be in full possession of their faculties, might have less chance to save their lives and might be a hindrance to other passengers.
~ Idea 1607 ~ 3 December 1998In any reform of the United Nations or creation of a proper Earth government a major institutional error in the current UN system must be corrected: the existence of an International Atomic Energy Agency while there is no world energy agency which would deal with all forms of energy including the atomic one. The reason for creating the IAEA was to make sure that atomic energy plants would be built with the maximum security. But the world deserves to have the entire energy situation constantly reviewed by a world energy agency.
~ Idea 1608 ~ 4 December 1998I wish that someone would establish a comprehensive list of all the great people who have recommended world or Earth government. I have cited several of them in these 2000 ideas. A systematic search would be very important since it would show humanity how the greatest humans have thought about this and it might make current heads of state aware of their smallness and lack of vision by not taking initiatives for proper Earth government.
~ Idea 1609 ~ 5 December 1998A lady taxi driver who took me to a New York airport blessed me for my recommendation that all tolls on planet Earth should be abolished because they are responsible for a large degree of pollution since millions of cars are stopped and have to be put again into motion at a cost of a lot of gasoline and pollution She said, "If you obtain this you would become the patron saint of the taxi drivers because you cannot imagine how we hate those tolls. I just do not see any reason why I should stop at them four to six times a day and sometimes more."Well, taxi drivers of the world, associate in an international association of taxi drivers and address petitions to all heads of states, Ministers of Transport and national parliaments to obtain the suppression of all tolls. And if you get no results, go on strike.
~ Idea 1610 ~ 6 December 1998If the UN General Assembly 2000 does not decide to hold a world conference to redraft a charter written more than fifty-five years ago I recommend that the 134 members which did not participate in the drafting of the charter in 1944 sit down and write a new one more appropriate for the pressing needs of today's and of tomorrow's world government.
~ Idea 1611 ~ 7 December 1998I remember the excitement provoked by the initiative of the government of Malta in the 1960's to prevent a fierce battle for the mineral exploitation of the seas and the oceans and hold a Law of the Seas Conference to make these seventy percent of the planet a world commons under a common world law. Well, it took many years until the Law of the Sea Treaty was drafted and ratified on 11 March 1988 by the required number of governments. The treaty had been considerably watered down to meet the objections of the United States but at the last moment the US decided not to ratify.I recommend that in view of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Maritime Organization, a world conference be held to review the entire situation of the fate and management of the seas and oceans, including a reform and upgrading of that organization's role.
~ Idea 1612 ~ 8 December 1998The fate of the Law of the Sea Treaty and of the proposed International Criminal Court shows that it will not be possible to create a world order with the participation of the Untied States in such efforts. The treaty of Outer Space, making it also a commons of all humanity, has been violated by the United States by the launching of the Cassini space capsule containing seventy pounds of plutonium which upon reentry into the Earth to accelerate its speed might cost the lives of millions of people in case of an accident. The treaty of the Moon might be next to be violated by the United States, the President of the United States being under strong pressure to renege it and to let business establish itself on the Moon. On top of all this the United States doesn't even pay its contribution to the United Nations!
~ Idea 1613 ~ 9 December 1998When I received an invitation to be a member of an international advisory board of a new Foundation for the Future which intends to look to the year 3000 I was very excited. I wrote to them: "From today on the world will no longer be the same." I said the same words when in 1970 the UN adopted the resolution to convene the first world environment conference in Stockholm in 1972. I wanted to quote this here to be on record and have the future generations judge whether I was right or wrong.
~ Idea 1614 ~ 10 December 1998The objective of the Foundation for the Future is to hold in 2000 a major conference of the best scientists, visionaries and futurologists of this planet to give the world an idea of where we will be and could be in the year 3000 if proper action is taken. The first advisory board meeting I attended was extremely interesting and well taken. It will convene four times a year until the conference takes place. Their preparatory work is a magnificent example of how humanity can proceed in the light of the enormous complexity of our knowledge, diversity of views, opinions and images of what the world and humanity should be. It was one of the most fascinating meetings I have ever attended.
~ Idea 1615 ~ 11 December 1998One revelation of the work in which I participated was that the mere target of what the world could be in a thousand years forces one to think in the most global, holistic, daring, imaginative way possible. One can no longer be lost in details or in a particular profession, nation, ideology, philosophy or religion. It has mind-boggling, radical effects on one's outlook.
~ Idea 1616 ~ 12 December 1998Among the many detailed proposals I just cite one namely to conduct a world-wide poll of images of the future in 3000. This could be the first world poll of the psychology of the human species. Does it have confidence in the future, in the present structure of the world, in what is being done internationally, globally by the United Nations, or is it convinced that there is no hope? What a survey this will be! I had proposed it to the Gallup Organization a few years ago. The President of Gallup agreed but the idea was not implemented. A world democracy implies numerous world polls on many issues. The Millennium's Peoples Assembly will be such a world-wide public opinion survey.
~ Idea 1617 ~ 13 December 1998The United States, in its efforts to reduce the United Nations to the minimum role in the world, has obtained from the General Assembly that the UN would hold no longer any world conferences. This means that the UN no longer has the major drum it had to warn nations and humanity of deep social injustices and of things that might go wrong globally such as the population explosion, the environment, the depletion of the ozonosphere, world water shortages, climatic changes, etc. This reduces the United Nations to impotence. It might be as well to transform and expand the much better European Union into tomorrow's World Union.
~ Idea 1618 to 1619 ~ 14 to 15 December 1998In 1970 US Congressman Gallager from New Jersey requested the creation of a group of US Parliamentarians and American citizens to evaluate the United Nations after twenty-five years of existence and the role which the United Nations should play in the future. I recommend that this idea should be repeated for the year 2000:1618 each government member of the United Nations should establish a group of parliamentarians and citizens to evaluate the United Nations after fifty-five years, the role of that government in them and their expectations for the future1619 the Secretary General should undertake a similar reflection and submit a report to the General Assembly in the year 2000.
~ Idea 1620 ~ 16 December 1998The main commissions of the General Assembly have remained the same since 1945 and the Trusteeship Committee has accomplished its task. History and humanity would merit that these commissions be reviewed and that proposals should be made to create new ones. I have made several proposals to that effect in these 2000 ideas like replacing the Trusteeship Council by a Council of the Future, creating main commissions on the environment and on the climate etc. (see index)
~ Idea 1621 ~ 17 December 1998After the one billion dollars donation by Ted Turner to the United Nations and the adequate machinery established to that effect both on his side and by the United Nations regarding the use of the funds, I recommend again that the subject of world philanthropy should be inscribed on the agenda of the United Nations. It is a social element of such importance that the United Nations should publish a yearly report on the magnitude of world philanthropy, its structure, its destination and its effectiveness to respond to the major needs of humanity and of the Earth.
~ Idea 1622 ~ 18 December 1998On the occasion of the year 2000, after fifty-five years of United Nations existence I recommend that the overall structure of the entire United Nations system be reviewed and re-evaluated. There are several major ideas to that effect in these 2000 ideas. For example, that the United Nations should have a major agency on energy, that the work on population should be done by a full specialized agency and that given the fact that overconsumption, needless, wasteful consumption and the protection of consumers have reached vast proportions, it is indispensable to create a UN specialized agency on Consumption.
~ Idea 1623 ~ 19 December 1998We have two major explosions on this planet:- the explosion of the number of humans, especially in the poor countries;- the explosion of produced goods, activities, consumption, accumulation and movements of humans, especially in the rich countries.Together these two explosions mean a substantial destruction of nature and of the normal functioning of the Earth. They are likely to lead to the end of evolution on this planet, including of human life. The first explosion is well understood. The second is negated by predominant economic and business forces. The population explosion continues, but at a slower rate each year. The goods, activities and movements explosion continues to increase world-wide at an accelerating rate. A new education, a new media, a new political system, a new economic system, a new philosophy of values, etc. (see the 21 segments in idea 527 to 547) are too slow to be agreed to. Although thousands of meetings are taking place around the world to look into this matter, they will not have the necessary impact in time.I therefore recommend the urgent creation of a UN World Emergency Committee on the subject: How to Save Planet Earth. Are humans putting an end to evolution?
~ Idea 1624 ~ 20 December 1998We call everything sold human "goods" and "services". Well, more and more of these "goods" have become "evils" or "disgoods" for the Earth and nature, and more and more "services" have become "harms" or "disservices" to them. There is an absolute, urgent need to change our language and to redefine what is good and bad in the new colossal, global conditions of our planetary evolution.
~ Idea 1625 ~ 21 December 1998Global consciousness is not enough. Once one knows that one is sick, one must seek healing. We urgently need global healing, a planetary medicine, world healers and world surgeons.
~ Idea 1626 ~ 22 December 1998Of the population explosion and the products explosion, the second is worse than the first. I have said before ( idea 505) that in the eyes of the Earth, the rich population of 1.2 billion today in reality represents thirty times more, since the rich consume 30 times more than the poor. Well, suppose the 10 billion people we will be in the future have the "ideal" consumption levels of the rich today, advocated, idealized, marketed and advertised world-wide by big business, in the eyes of the Earth this would represent 300 billion humans consuming her skin and flesh!
~ Idea 1627 ~ 23 December 1998It is high time no longer to admire the rich peoples, their villas, their luxury cars, their yachts, their airplanes, their lavish Earth-destroying lives. In the new circumstances of today and tomorrow the people with simple, frugal lives and the least possessions are the truest, most loving and caring children of the Earth.
~ Idea 1628 ~ 24 December 1998Yes, but all this will lead to unemployment, will you say. The answers are easy to find. For example get the unemployed or artificially employed militaries and armaments manufacturers for which the people have to pay taxes of 3/4 of a trillion dollars a year, to be re-employed in planting trees and saving nature. Let us devise an entirely new employment policy for the people on this planet, including the saving and good care of the Earth.
~ Idea 1629 ~ 25 December 1998On this Christmas Day I learned of the experience of a young American who had graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in the United States and intended to join the United Nations but decided to join instead the New York police. After a couple of years he went to visit several American universities and convinced 135 graduates to join him in the police corps of New York City. He said to them, "If you like to work for a good cause and know of the sufferings of the people, you do not have to go to the poor countries. You will find them right here in the streets of big US cities.Well, this is why I proposed to transform all polices of the world into peace and well-being agents.
~ Idea 1630 ~ 26 December 1998Everywhere in the United Nations system economic development is the first and foremost subject. Would it not be good also to deal with the subject of compassion, taking care of the miseries of the people in the world by all kinds of means: by religions, by charities, by non-governmental organizations, by philanthropists and so on and not have everything rest on economic development and foreign aid whose name should be changed into foreign love or compassion or a similar word, excluding from it all military "aid" (see Annex to ideas 1501 to 1600 "Is It a Compassionate Society? a text which should be on the desk of every UN servant).
~ Idea 1631 ~ 27 December 1998One of the most prominent, admirable former United Nations officials, Mr. Jean d'Arcy from France, told me when he left the United Nations about his impressions and proposals for reforms of the world organization. He said that the most fundamental problem of the United Nations was governments and the fact that they are represented at the United Nations by officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The Charter of the United Nations starts with the words "We the Peoples" and not "We the Governments". It was a folly to believe that the fate of the world could rest in the hands of governments who have no interest in constructing a different world order. He gave the example of Aldous Huxley who was a wonderful man when he was a member of the executive board of UNESCO but when he was appointed Ambassador of the United Kingdom to UNESCO that was the end of it.
~ Idea 1632 ~ 28 December 1998Stanley Kubrik the producer of the film 2001 once said that in fifty year the world will wake up and become aware that the United Nations and its institutions have been, are and will be the Earth government.
~ Idea 1633 ~ 29 December 1998The word politics should be abolished and be replaced by something much deeper: I like planetics, the management of our planet. But it is even deeper than that. What is happening on our Earth is a whole series of fundamental biological, evolutionary changes. We need to consider the biology and evolution of the Earth in its entirety. This should be the only concern of government. The collective preoccupations of humanity should be for the state of the planet, and the conditions and future of all life on it. The word politics must be abandoned. Politicians should become Earth biologists and all Faculties of Political Science Faculties of Earth Biology and Evolution.
~ Idea 1634 ~ 30 December 1998Human history proves that there are always very great barriers, obstacles to a peaceful, just and harmonious world. In the past it was feudality, then the kingdoms and the empires. Today it is nationalism and tomorrow it will be the big, multinational companies. It is a mistake to hope that these barriers will disappear by themselves. All human history proves that they have to be dismantled in order to be replaced by something else. We have reached that point of modern history when both nationalisms and big, multinational corporations must be dismantled and replaced by something else. It has to come from an outside force, a people's revolution or a revolution of the scientists, thinkers, visionaries, prophets, globalists, futurologists and synthesizers of this planet.
~ Idea 1635 ~ 31 December 1998I replace here an idea by a joke to finish this year on a cheerful note. Apparently the father of Nehru, who was the president of India's Congress Party which led to India's independence, liked to smoke English cigarettes. One day someone reproached it to him and said that this was contrary to the law which he got adopted prohibiting all imports of English merchandise to India. Nehru's father answered, "Yes, but you have not read the law carefully because there is a paragraph that says, 'and if you find British products in India, burn them'".
~ NOTE ~The remaining ideas to the year 2000 will appear without a date.
~ Idea 1636 ~I wonder if humanity would not be entitled to obtain through the United Nations a world survey and assessment of all the sites of nuclear missiles, atomic bombs, other nuclear hardware and nuclear plants located in places likely to suffer from earthquakes. Humanity is entitled to know these risks.Here is the anecdote of a lady who, when she learned that a nuclear plant was to be built in the neighborhood of Santa Barbara started a public campaign against it since Santa Barbara is prone to have earthquakes. The official answer was that she cannot prove this. So she asked all the indigenous people from the region to assemble at the place where the nuclear plant was to be built and to pray for an earthquake. They did so for two days after which a small earthquake took place and the atomic plant was not built.
~ Idea 1637 ~The Millennium Peoples' Assembly which will accompany the General Assembly of Heads of State 2000 will have the opportunity to make a whole series of proposals to ensure a people's representation at the United Nations. One is that governments would not be represented by ambassadors of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but by representatives elected by the people during regular national elections. The European Union has a European Parliament elected by the people. We must give credence to the Charter's words "We the peoples of the United Nations".
~ Idea 1638 ~I can try to rethink the present world situation in favorable terms but it does not work. In a nutshell, governments no longer govern. They are governed by big business. They support, promote and love big business. They have become the servants of big business which was born to exploit the resources of the Earth for the benefit of the people. And it has done so for a long time with great success. But now it has become to a large extent the destroyer of the Earth.One way out: proper Earth government. This would avoid the need for atomic weapons, atomic tests, huge armaments and military expenditures which could be used for economic justice, the well-being of humans and good care of the planet.
~ Idea 1639 ~If Plato and the Greek philosophers would came back to Earth, see how we govern or misgovern ourselves and have a look at the structure of national governments they would exclaim: you mean to say that you do not have a Ministry of Philosophy? Philosophy embodies the highest aims of humanity. Phil (love) and sophia (wisdom) is what you need more than anything else on your human journey in the universe. You got wild with development, production, scientific inventions whose consequences can be disastrous for the world. So, we recommend to you the creation of a Ministry of Philosophy in each government and a Main Commission on Philosophy of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The United Nations itself must become the central philosophical body of planet Earth.I would answer: you are absolutely right. I had only thought of a Ministry of Happiness but happiness is included in philosophy. Your idea is much better. It includes compassion, faith, hope, prayer, meditation, forgiveness, love and all the great philosophical concepts which have allowed humanity to survive and to progress on this incredible planet in the fathomless universe and mysterious steam of time.
~ Idea 1640 ~Margaret Mead was right when she said that the world goes so fast that parents can no longer be guides for their children. The children have to find their own ways. There is another fundamental problem. It is that the scientific, industrial, materialistic civilization has produced the model of a human who has become a prime danger to the equilibrium of life on this planet and to our continued survival and evolution. Therefore only a new education, an education for a new generation of humans can save us. This is why the Montessori Schools, the Steiner Schools, the Robert Muller Schools, the Gandhi Schools should be taken as the new education for this planet, transcending the national educations we have now all around this Earth. An Ambassador to the UN suggested that a comparative survey and study should be made of a US public school and a Robert Muller school to see why in the latter there is no violence.
~ Idea 1641 ~In a second generation United Nations or in a proper Earth government there should be an entire ministry or agency devoted to children. In the current United Nations I would recommend the transformation of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, (UNICEF) into a full United Nations agency for children. They have so much at stake in the future that they deserve an entire agency devoted to them. So does youth which has no voice in world affairs.
~ Idea 1642 ~How can we expect the world not to be destroyed when every morning millions of Americans and western people rush to their newspapers to see if their shares in companies which are supposed to constantly grow and to give higher dividends, even if it is at the expense of the Earth, have increased or not? And when tens of thousands of highly educated humans rush every day to skyscrapers or offices of big companies to sell more, invent more, diversify more, render old products obsolete and increase markets and sales through endless increasing, sophisticated advertisements even at the price of exaggeration, falsehoods and lies.
~ Idea 1643 ~Since it is mainly with the United States Congress that the United Nations has difficulties may I recommend to do something which was done at my time when I was assistant to Secretary General U Thant, namely to have frequent visits to the UN of US Congressmen and Senators. Sometimes we received groups of up to a hundred of them. I loved to speak to them and instill in them belief and enthusiasm for the United Nations basically created by their country.
~ Idea 1644 ~I wish, that the United Nations would publish one of the most remarkable world's series of simple pocketbooks giving the people the essentials of the world situation. For example, pocketbooks on the peace, world population, the seas and oceans, outer space, the climate, poverty, over-consumption, armaments, the military, etc., etc.
~ Idea 1645 ~We need a "cosmopause" in the evolution of this planet. Humans are going too fast. We need a pause in the growth of population. We need a pause in economic growth. We need a pause in the growth of cities. We need a pause in the growth of consumption of the rich. We need a pause in the destruction of nature. The human race is on a wrong path. It is too growth crazy. If we remain hyperactive like that the whole humanity will get heart attacks and strokes. There are global diseases as there are individual ones.
~ Idea 1646 ~At the end of this century and millennium we should make a world-wide inventory of our progress, successes, achievements, mistakes, wars, misdoings, destructions and other major facts in our evolution. The survey might not be perfect, but the mere fact of looking through a glass window and of having electricity are such wonders that if people from the middle ages would live today they would not believe it. This is why I have obtained from the UN General Assembly the decision to declare the year 2000 International Year of Thanksgiving as expressed in my Dream 2000. Yes, I think that humans have every reason to give thanks to God for our miraculous home and for having allowed us to do so much progress. We should also promise to do infinitely better in the next century and millennium and fulfill finally His dreams and wishes to see a divine human family live happily in His divine Creation. Our objectives can be nothing less.
~ Idea 1647 ~I regret that in 1970 when the Club of Rome raised the question of the limits of growth my suggestion to create a Committee of the Future in the UN Economic and Social Council was not accepted. Today, twenty-eight years later, I recommend that a Committee of the Future be created as one of the main commission of the General Assembly. It could replace the Trusteeship Council which has accomplished its mission.
~ Idea 1648 ~The yearly reports to the General Assembly are concentrating mainly on what is on its agenda, i.e. on what the United Nations was supposed to do. If I were Secretary General I would conceive something much more appealing. I would publish a yearly World Progress Report covering all fields in which the United Nations and its specialized agencies are engaged, propose their ideas and solicit ideas from all governments and peoples to achieve further progress. Such a report should be disseminated world-wide and become a major discussion among the peoples of the world.The current world reports published by the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other sources are not comprehensive enough. They should cover all segments of the world core curriculum derived from my experience in the United Nations and summarized in the table on global knowledge published in Volume I.
~ Idea 1649 ~All human views of civilization, cosmologies, religions, ideologies, philosophies including the most ancient ones considered the pursuit of riches to be contrary to the true meaning of life. The Bible says that it will be more difficult for a rich person to enter into heaven than for a camel to go through a needle's eye.In recent times the American Dream set the pursuit of profit, unlimited wealth, acquisitions and consumption as the ultimate goal of human life. That ideology was also adopted by many western and Asian countries.Where will it ultimately lead to? That is the fundamental question we must ask ourselves at the end of this century.
~ Idea 1650 ~I do not know why humanity speaks only or predominantly of developed and underdeveloped countries? Could we not also speak of warm, beautiful, paradise-like countries and cold, inhospitable, nature destroying countries? Or of spiritual, God and life-loving countries and materialistic, atheistic and power-loving countries? Or of disarmed and demilitarized countries and hypermilitarized and superarmed countries? Or of high nuclear risks and non-nuclear risks countries?Who decided to have only the first distinction, in favor of the rich, spoken of in the world and politics? An interesting question, isn't it?
~ Idea 1651 ~The celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be a great event because that declaration was an immense step forward in the concept and practice of justice in the human family. But it will also reveal that more work has to be done to other and new concepts of human rights which have become evident during the last fifty years. The subject is of such importance that I recommend the convening of a world conference on human rights including new ones, by the United Nations.
~ Idea 1652 ~Since from experience the poor countries of the world have little if anything to gain from the so called help from the rich countries and on the contrary are being invaded by their capital ideology, private firms, technology and see their cultures progressively destroyed, it would be good if these countries would begin to think of creating their own world government without participation of the western countries. It is worth looking into it to see what effects it would have. I feel compelled to launch this idea after a half century of experience with a very imperfect, often hypocritical, self-interest cooperation from north to south.
~ Idea 1653 ~My Dutch friend Jan Tinbergen, a wonderful consultant to the United Nations who received the first Nobel Prize in Economics, told me once that he would create a good number of world-wide public service institutions, not only of multinational corporations and businesses. Unfortunately this has never been done by governments. They have not paid much attention to that need. I hope that the great thinkers, visionaries, globalists and futurists of this planet will come up with a good number of world public service institutions and joint governmental projects which would deserve to be created.
~ Idea 1654 ~The ideal of the lawnmowers manufacturers is to cover the world with lawnmowers, big and small.The ideal of the lawnmower gardening firms is to get lawnmowing contracts wherever possible.Result for the Earth: not a chance for grass to grow and to give oxygen; production of polluting CO2 from the gasoline of the lawnmowers and a lot of unnecessary noise.Reaction from the people: nil. They are made to believe through advertisement, that it is progress.And the same story is happening in innumerable other fields all around the world.
~ Idea 1655 ~I was invited to participate and submit papers to a world congress on water in Australia in 1999. I wrote to them that I convened the first world water conference of the United Nations in 1967 and that they should get its reports. The predictions were that between that time and the year 2000 the world water consumption would increase fourfold. The report contained many recommendations regarding ways of reducing water consumption in industrial and private processes. I recommended to them to have the government of Australia approach the United Nations and offer that the world congress be a second world water conference under the auspices of the United Nations.
~ Idea 1656 ~The Nobel Peace Prizes Foundation should create somewhere on planet Earth a World Hall of Honors for Peacemakers, notably of all the Nobel Peace Prize winners since the creation of the prize. Great peacemakers who did not receive the Nobel Prize but made a significant contribution to peace on this planet should also be honored. I'm thinking for example of the Peace Pilgrim and of Jill Jackson Miller who wrote May There Be Peace On Earth and Let It Begin With Me . Such a hall could be ereated on the magnificent natural grounds of the University for Peace in demilitarized, peaceful Costa Rica.
~ Idea 1657 ~1999 marks the twentieth anniversary of the first world conference on the climate which I got the United Nations to convene in 1979 on this new, emerging global problem.It predicted the climatic changes which we begin to see today. But why did it take governments and the media twenty years to listen to the warnings of that conference? Still today some major governments, the United States in particular, say that there is no sufficient scientific evidence. The second UN world climate conference was held in 1987. The reports of both conferences should not be left in libraries but should be on the desks of each head of state, head of the media, business leaders and parliamentarians. Don't they want to keep the Earth they are so eager to run? A third world conference on the climate should be convened urgently.
~ Idea 1658 ~One of the climatologists at the first world climate conference predicted that early in the 21st century the ocean currents of the planet will begin to change course and that it would take thousands of years for them to return to their original direction. Well, the newspapers are filled with the phenomenon of El Niño but I have not seen a single report that this is linked with a climate change.
~ Idea 1659 ~Science is considered with a great awe and respect as a kind of sacred affair in human evolution. Scientists who disagree with certain findings are usually a minority and not given a sufficient voice. I recommend that there should be a new discipline challenging scientific findings and their application to humankind when they can have negative effects. For example, the scientific reasons which led to the launching of the Cassini spacecraft which upon its return might kill millions of people should be challenged not by a few individual scientists but by a whole discipline whose major task would be to challenge such science applications. Governments should finance and universities should create departments for scientists whose main role would be to evaluate the consequences of scientific findings and tell the world whether they should be applied or not. This would simply follow the good wisdom of the Iroquois Indians whose leaders were always asked to think of the effects of any changes on the lives of the seventh generation.
~ Idea 1660 ~I recommend a huge world Marshall Plan of the rich countries giving aid to poor countries which do not destroy their forests and nature. The developing countries still have large amounts of forests providing a good part of the planet's oxygen. The same way as we pay for water and other resources, the time has come when we should pay for the oxygen we receive from the poor countries.
~ Idea 1661 ~Further to adversary scientific research I recommend adverse advertisement research, adverse business research, adverse news and information research and adverse institutions research. Units or Departments to that effect should be created in governments and universities. It is absolutely necessary that the negative effects of all glorified discoveries and activities should receive challenging judgments. This should become a major new means of government and proper education. Nothing on this planet should ever be allowed to become fundamentalist to the point of preventing and neglecting opposing, challenging views.
~ Idea 1662~I am delighted to reproduce this statement of a great spiritual leader in favor of a united world. I was glad to write the foreword to the new edition of the Autobiography of a Yogi..Prayer for a United Worldby Paramahansa Yogananda."May the heads of all countries and races be guided to understand that men of all nations are physically and spiritually one: physically one, because we are the descendants of common parents the symbolic Adam and Eve; and spiritually one, because we are the immortal children of our Father, bound by eternal links of brotherhood.Let us pray in our hearts for a League of Souls and a United World. Though we may seem divided by race, creed, color, class, and political prejudices, still, as children of the one God we are able in our souls to feel brotherhood and world unity. May we work for the creation of a United World in which every nation will be a useful part, guided by God through human enlightened conscience.In our hearts we can all learn to be free from hate and selfishness. Let us pray for harmony among the nations, that they march hand in hand through the gate of a fair new civilization."I have advocated relentlessly a World Union or Untied World and I like very much the idea of a World Spiritual League or League of Souls. The United Religions Organization can become that.
~ Idea 1663 ~The world does not only need an Earth Council, it basically needs an Earth Government. Perhaps the Earth Council created in Costa Rica by the UN Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment will be the stepping stone to it. I will work on it.
~ Idea 1664 ~Our present period of history is fundamentally different from all preceding periods because of the massive increase of human population and our ways of living and doings which change the basic elements and structure of the planet. This requires a fundamental rethinking of all segments of human life on this planet from politics to economics to philosophy, to our individual lives. It requires changes in our institutions, beliefs and ways of living and world laws to prevent major catastrophes in the decades to come.
~ Idea 1665 ~Humanity has the means, the intelligence, the knowledge and the capacity to make the fundamental changes required to save the Earth and humanity and to make this a well-managed planet in the universe. It requires an audacity from leaders which has never been seen before in history. I beg you, o leaders of nations, have that audacity and be the savers and builders of a new Earth era and humanity in the 21st century and new millennium.
~ Idea 1666 ~It took ten years for the Constitutional Assembly in Philadelphia to draft the US Constitution 200 years ago.It took forty years to get the European Union created in this century.How many years will it take to get a World Constitution and World Union created? Governments do not even dream of doing it.The most likely result will be the end of the human species and of all life forms on this planet.When will this obsolete political 20th century system finally wake up and accept its defeat?
~ Idea 1667 ~Arnold Toynbee said: "The deeper, slower movements not apparent in passing headlines, have been the ones to change human history over the long span of time."Alas, this is no longer true today when everything changes so fast. By the time the ecological movements will have won, the Earth will be finished by insane economic growth and business. Let us remember that every 5 hours a species becomes extinct on this planet. See in ideas 506 to 519 the minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day damages inflicted upon this jewel of an Earth.
~ Idea 1668 ~Perhaps it would be good to re-establish the position of court jester which existed in ancient times. In cabinet meetings of heads of states, in parliaments, in United Nations meetings and in offices of the heads of multinational corporations there should be court jesters who would challenge the seriousness and righteousness claimed in such meetings and remind the participants of the need for common sense and consideration for the people and for the Earth.
~ Idea 1669 ~I am so glad that in the year 2000 we will proclaim the first political saint of modern times, St. Robert Schuman, my compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine, the founder of the borderless European Union. We need many more political saints. The United Nations could, from time to time, proclaim a United Nations Saint. But needed above all would be business saints who demonstrated through their life that their main purpose was not to make profit and enrich themselves but to provide the best goods and services to the people, especially the poor. Who will be the first business saint on this planet?
~ Idea 1670 ~A new fundamental human right is coming progressively to the fore: the right of children to be given the right information about their home the Earth and humanity their family. In other words, global education before national education. How many times when I speak to children and young people visiting the UN do I hear them say, "If this is so, why didn't anyone tell us? We have a right to know." I think that as we move into the 21st century this should be a fundamental right of children and fundamental duty of educators.
~ Idea 1671 ~When my wife Barbara and I attended the graduation from elementary school of one of our grandchildren, Roberto, I noticed that the first item on the agenda was the Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag. I commented to Barbara and another grandchild sitting by me, Adrian, that such ceremony should start with a Pledge of Allegiance to the Earth. Someone should draft one. They did it immediately. Here is the Pledge to Planet Earth by Adrian O'Barr, eight years old, and Barbara Gaughen Muller:I pledge allegiance to planet EarthOne planet under GodWhose nature I protectWhose people I serveWhose environment I care forAnd whose seas and oceans I cherishOur planet where all humansand creatures are protectedPlanet Earth is my homeTo be respected and loved by all22 June 1998Cold Spring, New York
~ Ideas 1672 to 1674 ~As the graduation ceremonies proceeded I also had the following ideas:Idea 1672 After the pledge to the flag came the song America the Beautiful. This should be preceded by a song Planet Earth the Beautiful. Someone should compose one.Idea 1673 There were a number of awards for physical education, sports, music, art, technology and achievements. Since the United States complains so much about violence in schools I expected also awards for peace and non-violence but there were none. I am sure that the children would also love to sing the song Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin With Me.Idea 1674 UNESCO should make a world survey of graduation ceremonies and recommend changes in them beneficial to all humanity and to the Earth.
~ Idea 1675 ~Schools that practice a United Nations model and are located in the New York area should hold their graduation ceremonies in the UN General Assembly Hall. During the beginning of the summer period that hall is practically empty and could serve that purpose. The children would never forget it.
~ Idea 1676 ~I further propose that UNESCO and the United Nations should give awards during such graduations to teachers who have taught the children about the United Nations, world affairs and peace or have organized United Nations model programs.
~ Idea 1677 ~I consider that the creation of a world association of scientists and thinkers concerned with long-range evolution is one of the most important things to do at the end of this century. Such a world-wide association would serve as a guidelight to governments and to all segments of society regarding their actions, policies and long-term plans and make sure that they do not contradict the needs of further human and Earth evolution. This is vitally important. There is no single world association that would be more important at this stage of our history. I hope that as an outcome of the Conference organized by the Club of Budapest in 1999 in Sardinia for such scientists and thinkers, this association will be created. The preparatory work has been done by Erika Erdmann and Professor Jean-Claude Léonide as reported in ideas 526, 1278 and in the Introduction to ideas 1401 to 1500.
~ Idea 1678 ~The findings, forecasts and recommendations of such an association would be a major input into the Ministries of the Future which I recommend to be created in every government and the Commissions of the Future to be created in the United Nations and in each of its specialized agencies and world programs.
~ Idea 1679 ~We have become a throw-away, Earth-wasting species. We risk putting an end to evolution and to all life on this planet, including our own and preparing an unprecedented disaster for our descendants. When will we wake up to that sad reality? Recycling is only postponing the disaster. Non-consumption of unnecessary, non-natural, harmful and overpackaged products is the answer.
~ Idea 1680 ~The industrial revolution which was perceived as a great blessing in human history might soon turn out to be a great catastrophe leading to the end of evolution on this planet. When will we wake up to it?
~ Idea 1681 ~Outer-space being:Why don't you rename your planet Planet of Garbage? It seems that one of your main activities is to produce more garbage, dispose of more garbage, recycle more garbage and throw more garbage away on the Earth. We see ever more garbage disposal equipment and advertisements, including this surprising one: recycling a second time makes it even better. And you call the whole thing industry and production and include every stage of it into your so-called "national product" which you would better re-name "natural waste".
~ Idea 1682 ~Willy nilly we must recognize that an outright war is being waged against the Earth. It is not the fault of anyone except the wrong belief that the exploitation of Earth resources would be unlimited. Suddenly we discover that this is not the case. To put an end to this war we need a science, a strategy and a methodology.The science of peace with nature exists already since the 1970's and is pretty well advanced. Its name is ecology. Regarding a strategy, this is also beginning. Ecologists must sit down and develop a strategy from outer space to genetics and the atom passing through all segments of the planet and of human life. As regards a methodology, we do not have a systematic one but there are innumerable methods which are being applied, developed and advocated by many people to respect nature and to restore it.
~ Idea 1683 ~It is henceforth essential to broaden the objectives of all peace movements on this planet to include also peace with nature, the biggest war ever on this planet. Peace movements should make it their priority issue.
~ Idea 1684 ~If we had a UN World Transport Agency I would recommend that it adopt a basic rule that along all the roads of this planet it would be prohibited to place advertisements, the reason being that the attention of the drivers might be drawn to the advertisement and might cause an accident. In addition, it often destroys beautiful sights of nature.
~ Idea 1685 ~Yes, we must absolutely create a UN World Transport Authority. We have an International Civil Aviation Organization and an International Maritime Organization but we do not cover all transports. This is absolutely necessary for a better coordination of all world transports and to deal with this increasingly important human activity on this planet. In a World Cabinet for the Earth there is no doubt that there would be a World Ministry for Transport.
~ Idea 1686 ~Thirty years ago I delivered a speech to the Caterpillar company in which I begged them to slow down their production in order not to unduly destroy the Earth. After my speech, some members of their Board commented that I had made a point which should be given serious consideration. Today, when I see the innumerable caterpillars in action all over the world I cannot help remembering that speech and regret that I was not heard. The proportion of unnecessary caterpilling on this planet must be staggering.
~ Idea 1687 ~If I were the UN Secretary General I would request the United Nations Statistical Office to collect and publish statistics on voluntary services in the world. I learned in Italy that there are five million Italians who give voluntary services without payment. The number for the world would be staggering and probably continues to grow. Statistics should also be published on private charities and donations inside countries and international. International private aid might be more substantial than foreign "aid" by governments paid from taxpayers' money and often including armaments. This situation should be reviewed.
~ Idea 1688 ~Humans often forget that we are just one life form perhaps the most advanced and intelligent but that we are now involved in destroying nature and the Earth of which we are the product. We must wake up urgently to our true nature in the living kingdom, be respectful for nature and redefine what we call "intelligence".
~ Idea 1689 ~If I were the UN Secretary General I would open a new page in my ways of operating namely, to have a series of direct communications called Personal Letters to Heads of States. One of the first would be to ask them to submit to each General Assembly specific ideas and dreams they would like to see fulfilled. At the internal governmental level this would mean that the head of state would want to collect ideas and dreams. Like Franklin Roosevelt, each head of state would surround himself with idea men and women or at each cabinet meeting ask every Minister to come up with concrete ideas for a better world. What a change in the United Nations this would make!
~ Idea 1690 ~Each member government's report on ideas and dreams could be preceded by a report on ideas and dreams that were fulfilled locally and on all positive contributions made by that country to a more peaceful, better world situation.
~ Idea 1691 ~In view of the numerous extensive forest fires which took place on the planet, especially in poor countries during 1998 I recommend that the United Nations create a rapid, effective, coordinated international fire-extinction system to save vast areas of forests in unequipped or insufficiently equipped poor countries. The United States as a neighbor of Mexico is already giving substantial aid in this respect but it would be good if this could be done internationally since some countries are afraid that foreign help could mean in reality a military occupations.
~ Idea 1692 ~If I were the people of the United States I would request my government not to have any bilateral aid programs anymore to other countries. Why should a taxpayer pay for that? Aid to other countries should be international. All governments should cooperate and put the immense resources and goodwill of this planet together. Then we could produce miracles at the cheapest price, avoiding the duplications we have nowadays between 185 nations. World security should be the first item on such an agenda. There is no need to have 170 armies on this planet and 34,000 atomic missiles. An inspection team from outer space would give us grade F in planetary management.
~ Idea 1693 ~I recommend the creation of a United Nations International Mother's Agency (UNIMA) which would foster cooperation between all mothers on Earth, in particular (a) to allow mothers in rich countries to help mothers in poor countries, (b) to have the work of mothers at home be considered as a productive, valuable economic activity instead of scandalously leaving it out of national income and (c) to get a world alliance of mothers against the drafting of their sons into military service and wars that kill the sons of other mothers, (d) to allow mothers to have a major voice in world affairs. In the Iroquois culture, it was the mothers who decided upon war.
~ Idea 1694 ~I have always been impressed that violence in labor relations has been practically eliminated since the beginning of this century thanks to the work of the ILO and that the worse laborers can do is to go on strike if they are dissatisfied. This miracle should be repeated for nations. There should be no violence between nations, no armies to resolve them. All disagreements between them should be resolved by peaceful means. Humanity should be against violence in all realms of life. Violence between nations is the first and most important one to eliminate. No human being on this planet should be forced to become a murderer in the name of a nation.
~ Idea 1695 ~If you want to save nature, our gracious mother Earth and allow for more descendants to live on this beautiful planet please want less, consume less and waste less. I have recommended for years that it is time to create a World Association of People who Want Less, Consume Less and Waste Less. I stress this recommendation most urgently.
~ Idea 1696 ~I am so happy that the government of Costa Rica has decided that all families which use less than 400 kilowatts of electricity per pay period will not have to pay for it at all. This applies to about 40 percent of the population. This could be done by legislation, because electricity in Costa Rica is produced and sold by a state enterprise. Which private enterprise would ever take such a decision in the world? It has also the good effect that an effort will be made by many households to reduce electrical consumption. The same should apply to water consumption.
~ Idea 1697 ~The new government of Costa Rica should raise in the United Nations the question: how could this Earth be best administered, managed, governed? Costa Rica has an entitlement to do that since it has demilitarized itself, has done enormously for its environment, for the salvation of its forests and nature and has taken so many great initiatives in the United Nations. Furthermore, it is the seat of the first World University for Peace, first International Radio for Peace and of the Earth Council created by the UN Rio de Janeiro Conference on the environment. Costa Rica is admired all over the United States. Many Americans want to come, visit and often live in this model country, a "place of refuge" or an "island of sanity" as they call it. Since we have a Club of Rome, a Club of Budapest, we could also have a Club of Costa Rica which would deal with the question of how the Earth should best be managed.
~ Idea 1698 ~I will recommend that in the Universal Declaration of Human Duties which will be taken up during the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the following duty should be included: the duty of humans to consume less, to avoid unnecessary consumption, to want less and waste less in order to save nature and our beautiful mother Earth. This has to become one of the primary duties of humanity which is now destroying the Earth and nature by overpopulation and overconsumption.During the war governments asked people to consume less in order to help the war effort. Since we have now a war against nature, governments of the overconsuming countries should recommend the same to their people. The UN should be asked to prepare and publish a survey of consumption reduction measures taken during World War II in various countries.
~ Idea 1699 ~A World Consumers Agency should be urgently created to protect consumers who are helpless against the pricing and advertising practices of producers.
~ Idea 1700 ~The cooperation between Ted Daley and Harold Stassen on a new Charter of the United Nations reminds me of one of the fundamental proposals of Stassen: that the United Nations should convene each year a conference of religious leaders and also a conference of philosophy. The religious conferences would help reduce inter-religious conflicts and fundamentalism. This reminds me of an omission on page 65 of the first 500 ideas where I give a timetable of events to the year 2045. In 1999 I forgot to mention an important event, namely the Third World Parliament of Religions in South Africa. This was a direct response of Nobel Prize Winner Bishop Desmond Tutu to my appeal in my keynote address to the World Parliament in Chicago in 1993 that they should not wait another hundred years to convene a Third Religious Parliament but should have one before 2000 to prepare the next century. Secretary General Kofi Annan plans to convene a meeting of the world's major religious leaders at the UN in the year 2000.May all heads of state and religious leaders meeting in 2000 elevate their hearts, minds and souls to the rapid making of a peaceful, happy, just, prosperous human family on a marvelous, well-preserved, divine planetary home. So help us God and our own nature.
~ Idea 1701 ~We are accustomed on this planet to the notion of limits. We have speed limits on many roads of the planet. Well, that is wise. Why should it be so impossible to conceive also limits to economic activities and to their speed? We could have a speed limit to pollution, a speed limit to the growth of garbage, a speed limit to construction, a speed limit to the growth of cities, a speed limit to the growth of population, a speed limit to economic growth, to enrichment, to endlessly increasing consumption, a prohibition to build skyscrapers etc.At least the notion of sustainable development has been accepted; a development that can be sustained by the Earth. The Earth has its limits, the atmosphere has its limits, the soil has its limits, the water supply has its limits, etc. But I would prefer the words harmonious relations or development.
~ Idea 1702 ~I am dreaming that Costa Rica will become the new Athens of the world, and bring humanity a philosophy that we have lost. Philosophy means the love of wisdom. I would like to have Costa Rica give the world a prestigious, magnificent, all encompassing new philosophy:of peaceof demilitarizationof natureof loveof beautyof spiritualityof hopeof faithof forgivenessof healthof happinessof cheerfulnessand of common senseFor each of these values a science, a strategy and a methodology should be developed as we do it for peace at the University for Peace.
~ Idea 1703 ~How can anyone on this Earth dream of becoming a millionaire or a billionaire when you can dream of a life contributing to a peaceful, better, happier, healthier humanity and a well-preserved, more beautiful Earth, an entire planet?The modern society and leaders should get their dreams straight.
~ Idea 1704 ~Looking at the map of the world I am wondering why great places like Athens, Rome, Paris, London, etc., which were high points of philosophy and intelligent leadership have been unable to recover that role? In reality there is not a single place on Earth that provides today such leadership. All is economic, financial, business, materialistic, scientific, far from philosophical, spiritual dealing with the depth and breadth of the miracle of life and creation.The new place could be Costa Rica, well located between North and South, between Atlantic and Pacific. It is already a world model of nature preservation and of demilitarization. Let us make it the country of wisdom, of philosophy. We have the building blocks for it on Mt. Rasur with its philosophical benches, meditation places, and prophecies. Perhaps this is what God wants us to do: start a world natural philosophical and spiritual Renaissance from Costa Rica, the seat of the first University for Peace, the first International Radio for Peace and of the Earth Council on this planet. They might be the first steps to the proper Earth government for which I plead in these 2000 ideas.
~ Idea 1705 ~Arnold Toynbee, the British historian has shown that no empire of the past has survived, for always the same reasons: non-adaptation to new evolutionary requirements and the belief that power has the power to remain in power whatever may happen.Today the human species is the biggest power of change on Earth. If it does not adapt to the laws of nature and the requirements of further evolution it will die as did the dinosaurs. We are already a good distance on that road.
~ Idea 1706 ~A great thing rich persons can do is to purchase beautiful, natural land and donate it during their lifetime or as an inheritance to a local community, a city, a state, a province, a nation or to the United Nations to be preserved forever in its natural state. A wonderful example was given by a Costa Rican land owner who donated to the United Nations thousands of acres of primeval land on which the United Nations University for Peace was created and all forests are to be preserved forever in their primeval state.
~ Idea 1707 ~I hope that some of my Decide to poems, e.g. Decide to be Happy, Decide to be Peaceful, Decide to be Spiritual, etc. will become popular songs.
~ Idea 1708 ~Regarding globalization, one could take my World Core Curriculum (see Vol. I) and envisage the globalization and futurization of every segment of it. An individual can globalize himself. Families can globalize themselves. States, provinces, departments, i.e. local levels of government could globalize themselves by creating world associations for local communities, states, provinces, etc. It would be of benefit to them to learn how other subdivisions like theirs are governed, legislated and administered elsewhere in the world. It would be an incredibly rich, reciprocal experience.
~ Idea 1709 ~Henceforth there will be more advantages for small and medium-size cities not to continue to grow, to remain livable, to increase their nature and beauty following the example of famous Santa Barbara in California. Such cities increasingly attract people who love nature and want to live away from noise, overcrowding and the pollution of big cities. The value of their land and dwellings constantly increases. Here is a typical case where non-development and the reaching of harmony with nature is becoming one of the greatest values on this planet.
~ Idea 1710 ~In Barbara Gaughen Muller's plan for an Earth government called United Nature, the sovereignty of nations would be replaced by the sovereignty of nature for the benefit of the health, happiness and survival of the human species. What a wise, most timely change in values!
~ Idea 1711 ~In addition to voluntary services dealt with in these 2000 ideas I would like to propose a World Volunteer Service for elderly persons in which retired people like doctors could offer their voluntary services to poor countries or poor areas in their own country. As a 75 year old volunteer one-dollar-a-year chancellor of the University for Peace I never get sick and I do not feel old. I have no time for that and I am rewarded with good health and a lot of happiness. Perhaps this is one of the secret laws of the universe.The United Nations should create a World Peace Service for elderly persons. Nations should create national ones.
~ Idea 1712 ~The United Nations should publish a yearly world report on all prizes, awards, honors and distinctions given by the United Nations and its agencies.Philanthropists should be encouraged to endow many more world prizes. They would have a greater effect in inspiring and elevating larger numbers of people world-wide if they were announced and given in the United Nations.The Secretary General should create or a small Secretariat unit to deal with the subject of world prizes and distinctions.
~ Idea 1713 ~Since World War II we have solved many great human problems as noted in these 2000 ideas. Until recently there were no Earth problems. Now they are mushrooming and becoming priority number one. We must similarly solve henceforth and sometimes with even greater urgency and speed, Earth problems. This is an entirely new chapter in this Earth's history.
~ Idea 1714 ~The United Nations Environment Program or the United Nations Development Program should follow the example of the work of the UN in the field of population and collect laws, regulations and policies limiting economic growth and reducing production and consumption around the world. This has not been done so far but is now becoming essential for further human survival and progress.
~ Idea 1715 ~All national constitutions and international charters like the United Nations Charter must be redrafted in view of the fact that they did not take the Earth into account at the time when they were drafted whereas today the Earth has become our priority number one.These constitutions should also take into account the overriding preoccupation and obligation for peace. Only one constitution, namely the Japanese Constitution adopted after World War II outlaws war as a way of solving international problems. This provision should be adopted by all constitutions on Earth.Furthermore there should be included in national constitutions the concept of global duties and global responsibilities. Most of them were drafted and adopted at a time when there was no concern about the global world in its totality and responsibilities toward the Earth and the whole of humanity. Another chapter should deal with non-rights or prohibitions, e.g. no nuclear arms and tests, no projects endangering other countries or the world commons (atmosphere, seas and oceans, outer-space).
~ Idea 1716 ~There exist already two Declarations of Interdependence one written by Henry Steele Commager, proclaimed in Independence Hall, Philadelphia on 24 October 1976, United Nations Day, in presence of the Secretary General and all heads of UN Agencies. The other is by Charlotte Newsburg of the American Association of Retired Persons. These texts (and there might be others) should be examined by a United Nations Committee and a text submitted to the General Assembly of heads of states in the year 2000 for adoption and universal proclamation.
~ Idea 1717 ~We should have Declarations of Interdependence in a whole series of fields: a Declaration of Interdependence in the educational field, in the political field, in the medical field, etc. There should not be a single field and segment of human concern without a Declaration of Interdependence and a Code of Ethics. This would definitely enhance human progress and world-wide cooperation.We should also have a whole series of World Declarations of Cooperation and Friendship. I could imagine a first great Declaration of Cooperation between the rich and the poor countries in all fields of life from development to the environment, from peace to non-violence, the avoidance of terrorism, etc.
~ Idea 1718 ~The United States should get its democracy straight. It is not normal that 70 percent of US citizens consider that the United Nations do a good job and a minority of Congresspeople wage a campaign against the UN and obtain that the US does not pay its legal dues to the UN!May I repeat here the plea I addressed in 1996 to the American people in the first Volume of these 2000 ideas, after quoting President Franklin Roosevelt:May I reinforce this prayer that the US Congress pursue the American dream to be the cradle and foundation of a new world order, and consider a bold, visionary strengthening of US-born United Nations, instead of letting their minds be poisoned by the thought of letting the UN die by withholding US financial contributions. The non-joining by the US of the League of Nations was an invitation to Hitler and Mussolini to become dictators and provoked World War II. May America not repeat that mistake, I beg you. See what Europe has achieved by creating the seeds of World Union. Do even better since you are the land of dreams. Love and concern of the American people for the world and humanity find their highest expression in the United Nations. I pray God to enlighten all Americans to that basic truth. Please listen to the prayer of one who has suffered greatly during World War II and was miraculously blessed with survival. I would be happy to address the US Congress and all Parliaments in the world to plead for a bold, visionary strengthening of the United Nations and for a peaceful, better world.
~ Idea 1719 ~I think the time has come to create a United Nations Save the Earth Emergencies Fund.
~ Idea 1720 ~Short-sightedness, not non-intelligence is the main default of the world's leaders. Rare are those indeed who look into the future. And it is in the future that most of our main problems lie. That short-sightedness characterizes most of humanity. We rarely think of our death and afterdeath, neither individually nor collectively. For every thousand of historians there is barely one futurologist.
~ Idea 1721 ~We must make every human being, every tree, all nature, the entire Earth a temple of God, a temple to the miracle of life, to the greatness of Creation.We must do that for every couple, every family, every home, every place on Earth. Even a prison can be made a temple of God (see my story, Happy Even in Prison in What War Taught Me About Peace).
~ Idea 1722 ~An outer space team returning from our Earth and reporting to the Council of Wise Elders of the Universe was asked this question: "Why did life disappear on planet Earth?"Answer: "Humans invented money, which helped them to develop tremendously. But then it went to their heads and they took money not as a means but as the purpose of life, and that was their end."
~ Idea 1723 ~People who pollute the atmosphere should pay those who provide oxygen to them. When President Clinton visited Costa Rica he proposed that the United States might give subsidies of 5000 colones (twenty dollars) per hectare (two and a half acres) of forests which the owners would pledge not to destroy.Later the new Minister of Natural Resources of Costa Rica informed the University for Peace that there will be a small additional tax on gasoline and that the money levied will serve to give a subsidy of 25,000 colones (100 dollars) per hectare to owners of forests who will not exploit them. As a result the University will receive each year 24,000 dollars for 240 hectares of protected primeval forests.Well, this is a marvelous new field for ecologists and economists to cooperate: subsidies for non-development, and non-destruction of natural resources for the benefit of human life and survival. A new science or discipline of ecolonomies might finally see the birth. They could deal with several other recommendations in these 2000 ideas, for instance: no longer any road tolls on this planet. Build your bridges and roads with money coming from the government budget or from what people pay for their gasoline.Which University on Earth will be the first to have a Faculty or Department of Ecolonomies or Ecolonomics?
~ Idea 1724 ~I'm very glad that the Earth Council created in Costa Rica by the 1992 UN Rio de Janeiro Conference will be located on the sacred paradisiac grounds of the University for Peace. As a result, dealing with peace and with the entire Earth we can become an important center of the world, a new Athens.
~ Idea 1725 ~It would be important to revise the basic charters and constitutions of all institutions on Earth: world and international institutions, regional institutions, national constitutions, universities, basic charters of corporations, of transport agencies, etc. The Earth changes so quickly these days that one cannot continue to operate on basic texts which are twenty, thirty, fifty or a hundred years old. A new science or discipline should be developed for the updating and revisions of the basic charters, constitutions and founding texts of all institutions on Earth. One could consider a new university department to deal with this subject on a cross-discipline basis to make sure that up-revisions would take place in all human disciplines.
~ Idea 1726 ~I recommend that more and more world conferences should be held because there are more and more world subjects that need to be considered. At each General Assembly the Secretary General should make proposals on world conferences he considers essential including repeat world conferences ten or twenty years after the first conference in order to see where we stand. From the list of these conferences circulated to all governments, some of them would take the initiative of holding such a conference on their soil under the auspices of the United Nations. The results would be submitted to the General Assembly of all nations.
~ Idea 1727 ~I will propose to the UN Secretary General to send an appeal to all member governments reminding them of the early resolutions of the United Nations on the return of works of art to the countries of origin, hoping that there will be a large number of such restitutions during the year 2000 in order to celebrate the advent of a new age of humanity on this planet.
~ Idea 1728 ~I recommend that the countries which benefited from the US Marshall Plan should announce in 2000 the creation of a new World Marshall Plan on a reimbursable basis into which they would put the equivalent or more of the aid they received after the second World War. That that aid should go to needy countries in the world who, when they will be prosperous would in turn repay the money received to be reused for the needs of other peoples in the world. This would be the realization of the early idea we had in the United Nations to have a permanent World Aid Revolving Fund but which was unfortunately turned down by the western countries.
~ Idea 1729 ~On the occasion of this years 50th anniversary of the International Maritime Organization, governments should ask the UN Secretary General to produce a comprehensive report on what is being done for the seas and oceans by various United Nations agencies, in particular the International Maritime Organization, the Law of the Sea Treaty, the Sea Tribunal, etc. It would be good after so many years to have a comprehensive review of the progress made and see if there are any major gaps missing in the proper management of our seas and oceans which represent 71 percent of the surface of the Earth.
~ Idea 1730 ~I got a soft drink advertisement sign removed from the entrance of the guardhouse of the University for Peace and decreed that there would be no commercial advertisements on the land of the University. It is undignified. So called soft drinks are a catastrophe for the poor countries where they eliminate natural, local fruit juices. I recommend that in all natural parks of the planet there should be: no newspapers for sale, no advertisements, no fast food or western soft drinks, only natural foods, only natural lawns, no lawns with grass cut constantly with lawnmowers, many fruit trees from which people and children can pick the fruits directly when they are still fully alive.
~ Idea 1731 ~It is time that other member nations consider the non-payment of the contributions of the United States to the United Nations budget as an additional veto. By not paying as a condition for certain reforms the United States now is directing by and large the United Nations and there is no guarantee that they will change this policy because it seems to succeed. Twice already the Secretary General has introduced reforms requested by the United States and the result each time was that the US still did not pay. There might be behind that more than a dissatisfaction with the procedures and structures of the United Nations but a total dissatisfaction with the United Nations which is an obstacle to the US policy of wanting to rule the world. I think that it is the duty of the rest of the membership of the UN to look very seriously into this situation to protect their interests and the interests of humanity and of the Earth. The persistent non-payment of the US contribution should be placed as an item on the agenda of the General Assembly for full debate.
~ Idea 1732 ~Regarding means to slow down the population explosion, it would be worthwhile to consider the concept of non-children's allowances and subsidies for small numbers of children in certain countries. So far we have lived with the principle of giving children's allowances because we wanted to have more children on this planet which was sparsely populated except China and a few Asian countries. This has changed very dramatically. In developing countries with a high rate of population growth the Untied Nations, the rich countries and the local countries should give "small number of children's allowances" which would be stopped after a given small number of children. The parents would be incited to look for or be given means of controlling the result of their lovemaking. The UN should also consider population policies according to countries and regions that would be based on bio-regional considerations, namely, what can each country or region take in numbers of population? A proper Earth government would certainly have to raise such questions.
~ Idea 1733 ~When talking with a colleague about non-children's allowances to stop the population explosion he even came up with the idea of a Non-birth World Fund, a United Nations Fund that would give allowances for not having children or having only a small number of them.
~ Idea 1734 ~This opens a new field. So far all subsidies, plans and efforts are toward growing, more of everything, more sophisticated goods, greater number of goods, greater purchasing powers, bigger national products, greater fortunes etc., etc. Perhaps we have entered a new age of humanity when, in order to save the Earth, we must devise a whole series of funding, subsidies and incentives for non-activities. Why not create a World Fund for Slow or Non-development? A first example is given by the Costa Rican legislation which gives subsidies for the non-cutting and non-exploitation of forests. There is need for many similar measures which will benefit and save the Earth and our descendants.
~ Idea 1735 ~There could also be a World Fund for Non-consumption and measures to promote non-consumption. People could get a tax reduction if they submit their electricity bills and show that for a family of a given number of members their electricity bills didn't go beyond a certain limit, that they have done everything possible to reduce their electricity consumption. The same thing could be done for water. This may have been crazy in the past but now we are living in a completely new world where this is should be considered a new reality, an urgent reality if we want this planet not to go under.
~ Idea 1736 ~At long last and after the pressing efforts of many non-governmental organizations at the United Nations the question of a direct people's representation in the United Nations is raised. There will be a Peoples' Assembly in the year 2000. May it open a new page in United Nations history and democracy. I will put my full weight behind it.
~ Idea 1737 ~I agree with Filipino economist Sixto Rojas who says that it is not during the eighteen century that the market economy was invented. Market economy has existed for millennia. The radical innovation of the eighteenth and nineteenth century was not market economy but company economy; gradually the company, an institution organized for the production of salable products or services, imposes its vertical coherence thus provoking the disintegration of the past horizontal coherence of largely autonomous local markets. The word free market has become an illusion. On the contrary, corporations, money and wealth rule the world. The consumer is being programmed in innumerable ways by the big companies. Even governments are manipulated by them or have become their servants. The question should be placed on the agenda of the United Nations so that all countries, cultures and people's organizations can express their opinion about the existing economic field.
~ Idea 1738 ~It is the same with democracy. There is no true world democracy. The people in the poor countries have no real voice in world affairs. The big countries with their vetoes are ruling the United Nations and other countries with their foreign aid. I am glad that UNESCO has appointed Mr. Boutros Ghali, the former Secretary General of the UN to look into the whole question of democracy world-wide and that a first conference is being held in Czechoslovakia on that subject.
~ Idea 1739 ~It would be good on the occasion of the 1999 International Year of the Elderly to seek the opinions of elderly people on what values have unnecessarily been lost since their youth, to make proposals for a better and more peaceful world in the 21st century, and give advice to the younger generation which will take over. This could be their contribution to the celebration of the year 2000. The United Nations should organize such a consultation with the elderly associations around the world.
~ Idea 1740 ~Once during a meeting between American visitors to the University for Peace and students at the University for Peace an American gentleman raised the question, how can you afford being demilitarized in Costa Rica when one of your presidents could be assassinated? A Costa Rican student answered him: Dear sir, we are demilitarized in Costa Rica and we never got one of our presidents killed and the United States has the biggest army on Earth and you've got three presidents assassinated.
~ Idea 1741 ~I recommend that at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the following major subjects be taken up:1. the legal enforcement and protection of human rights through national, regional courts and a Universal Court of Human Rights. Precedent: the Court of Human Rights of the European Union;2. a whole series of new basic human rights outlined in these 2000 ideas (consult Index);3. work towards the adoption of a Universal Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities;4. the rights of nature, of all other living species' and life manifestations on Earth, the adoption of the Charter of Nature;5. taking up the subject of non-rights, e.g. the non-right of Governments to enlist young people into military service and force them to kill other human beings; the non-right to spike the Earth, the seas and oceans, the atmosphere and the heavens with nuclear arms; the non-right to launch space vessels like the Cassini vessel with plutonium on board; the non-rights of institutions, e.g. of giant multinational corporations and big business to act against the interests of humanity and of the Earth.
~ Idea 1742 ~From a speech I made to educators at the Institute for Ethical Leadership in Vancouver, Canada: "Do not let the children despair about the world. Tell them it is through their participation, through their will and action that things will change. If you let them drift and say that the whole situation is hopeless because of governments, because of institutions you are not helping children. You have to tell them it is a matter they will have to take in their own hands, that it is going to be their world and the securing of peace is a great challenge. Tell them they will be the peacemakers and good managers of our global world, of tomorrow, the first generation ever in human history."
~ Idea 1743 ~I call my wife the most perfect earthly manifestation of heavenly forces. Well, I think that all humans, all creatures on this planet are that. We are all miracles of the cosmic, heavenly forces of the universe. Our whole Earth is condensed cosmic energy. The energy of our food is solar energy which is cosmic energy. How wonderful if we would tell our children that they are perfect earthly manifestations of heavenly forces and show them the consequences of that for their lives, for the lives of all other humans and for the entire Earth.
~ Idea 1744 ~Since the United Nations is no longer supposed to hold world conferences, a fact that diminishes its value and effectiveness, it would be advisable to create in the Carnegie Peace Palace in the Hague, Holland, a World Association of Peoples' Movements and Associations which would convene world conferences to warn humanity of new global problems and take necessary action.
~ Idea 1745 ~On the occasion of the year 2000 governments and the diplomatic community should pay attention to the proposals for a better United Nations offered by Harold Stassen, one of the last living members who signed the Charter. He sees the UN change from a place where meetings on political, economic and social issues are held into a creative center where ideas on religion and philosophy are exchanged for a better future. Among his proposals are a central cabinet of administrators, a universal environmental institute, a United Nations Legion, an inspection corps, a world panel of mediators, a world board of arbitration, a world court of equity, a world-wide conference on religions and a research institute of people and government. His book should be read by every delegate to the UN, by every head of state before coming to the year 2000 General Assembly, and in all political science faculties of universities throughout the world. ** It is available at the United Nations Bookshop, published by Learner Publications. The title, United Nations, a Working Paper for Restructuring by Harold Stassen.
~ Idea 1746 ~The United Nations should keep an honor role of great world philanthropists and founders of world voluntary people's services. One of the first on the list should be Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman who was so horrified by the unattended wounded at the Solferino battle that he created the International Red Cross which has rendered immense services to humanity since then.Also to be honored should be Madame Bouchardeau, the lady who created the League of Nations Women's Guild which, after World War II led to the creation of UNICEF and continues to render services around the world as the United Nations Women's Guild formerly headed by Margarita Gallo Muller and now headed by Mrs. Kofi Annan, the wife of the Secretary General .
~ Idea 1747 ~All great scientists and visionaries of this planet should sit down and outline their visions, blueprints, ideas and dreams for a better 21st century and millennium, a happy, fulfilled human society on a well-preserved, most beautiful, stabilized, harmonious planet. Their proposals should be communicated to the Secretary General and to all heads of states meeting at the Year 2000 UN General Assembly.
~ Idea 1748 ~Since cosmic evolution has made humanity the most knowledgeable species on this planet, I am sure that the cosmos will not let our species go under. It will, on the contrary create a wave of new consciousness in many people around the world as well as eye-opening crises. That will be the next phase of evolution, namely the ability of our species to perfectly manage our planetary home, to continue evolution in its diverse, manifold forms and to achieve the fulfillment and happiness of all its members and other living species. That is the new page which is opening. All those who hold contrary beliefs, who think that wealth and power are the objectives of life, will disappear, the same way as slavery, as wars, as racial discrimination, as sex discrimination and all other errors in evolution have disappeared. It is just not conceivable that the cosmos or God have taken such a pain to create humans only to let a wealth discrimination and a small minority of humans destroy the result of millions of years of evolution. It is not possible.
~ Idea 1749 ~As I shared this view with Barbara and told her that there is one woman on Earth, an evolutionary scientist, Elizabet Sathouris who is closest to that truth she exclaimed, "But you know, a miracle has happened. Her new book Walk in Time has been accepted by a major publisher in San Francisco."I remembered how excited I was when she sent me from Greece many years ago the draft manuscript of her book on the Gaia hypothesis, how I blessed her for this book. It is she who is at the origin of the Gaia hypothesis, the name of the nebula Goddess that whirled in the universe and became the Earth.
~ Idea 1750 ~A glimpse into the newspaper garbage: one day at a railroad station on the Hudson Line, Croton Harmon, where I had to change trains, I had the curiosity of counting the newspapers at the end of the day which would no longer be bought. There were 23 copies of the New York Times each with 50 pages (a total of 1150 pages), 22 copies of the Wall Street Journal with 74 pages (a total of 1630 pages), 10 Daily News with 83 pages (total 830 pages) and the New York Post 20 copies of 71 pages (a total of 1420 pages). So in this little station alone there were at the end of the day 5030 pages of newspapers that would have to be recycled. Can you imagine what this means in the New York area alone? And I'm not speaking about the Sunday edition where the New York Times has hundreds of pages with sections that many people do not even look at. And all this goes into the gross national product when it is produced, recycled and reused in other forms. And it is beginning to be imitated by newspapers in other countries. It just cannot go on that way. We speak of stopping deforestation. Better stop buying newspapers.
~ Idea 1751 ~A good news is that in many train stations there are now on the platforms bins for recycling with this appeal: dear people, when you throw away papers, packages and other discarded materials into us, please ask yourself the question, could I have avoided buying this in the first place or bought something less packaged or less damageable to the environment and natural resources to this planet?
~ Idea 1752 ~I hope that in advance of the UN General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states levels, all 185 chiefs of government will submit their visions, blueprints, ideas and dreams for a better world, a happy, fulfilled human society on a well-preserved, most beautiful planet. The Secretary General of the United Nations should send them each a personal letter inviting them to do that.
~ Idea 1753 ~When I visit a US or western supermarket I just cannot believe the incredible multiplicity, sophistication and calculated attractiveness of the endless and often so needless merchandise they offer. To the concept of sex-appeal we should add that of consummation-appeal. The exclamation of Socrates when he visited the Athens market comes to my mind: "Why so many goods? Who needs them?"If he were alive today I would tell him that in the United States today there are more supermarkets than schools. He would be horrified and swiftly return to his tomb not to see the rest of the world.
~ Idea 1754 ~At the entrance of a US supermarket I saw this sign: "Enjoy instant savings." Look out for our savings notices. In my mind I replaced it by the announcement: Please enjoy instant non-buying. Look out for things you do not need to buy.
~ Idea 1755 ~If I were the government of Costa Rica I would have all official stationary bear these words:Costa Rica, seat of the UN University for Peace,of the International Radio for Peace and of the Earth Council.If I were the President of the United States I would have all official stationary bear these words:United States of America, seat of the United Nations.If Franklin Roosevelt were alive, he would do it.
~ Idea 1756 ~The same should be done by every country which has the honor of being the seat of one of the United Nations specialized agencies or world programs. For example, Italy the seat of Food Agriculture Organization, France, the seat of UNESCO, etc.
~ Idea 1757 ~The preceding could induce countries which do not have a seat of a United Nations agency to express the wish of being selected for one. Whenever a new office or agency is created preference should be given to a country that has no such seat. A list of them should be established by the Secretary General and circulated to all member governments before a decision is taken.With time we could have a world government by the world itself, in all its diversity.
~ Idea 1758 ~Every country that has the benefit and honor of being the seat of a United Nations office or agency should make every effort to be worthy of that honor. This should become part of the national policy at the highest level. Each year the president of the country should receive a report on what was done during the year to honor that agency and inform the peoples of his country, especially the schools and the media of its work. This alone would be a contribution to a better world and give more hope and belief in world cooperation. If I were the Secretary General of the Untied Nations I would like to receive a yearly report on what was done by each country having the seat of a United Nations agency. The report would be communicated to all governments to enhance greater world cooperation.
~ Idea 1759 ~Consideration should even be given to the complaint by Premier Chou En Lai to Secretary General Waldheim when we visited Beijing that most agencies of the United Nations are located in the western world and none of them in the vast continent of Asia. There are places like Geneva which are overcrowded with United Nations agencies. Consideration should be given to transferring the seats of some of them to Asia.
~ Idea 1760 ~Premier Chou En Lai also complained that UN conferences and meetings, in particular of the Security Council, were all held in the western countries and that it would be normal that the Security Council would meet once in a while away from headquarters, in Asia in particular. I would add that the Security Council should meet at the very places of conflicts or nearby.
~ Idea 1761 ~An enormous progress should be made to show United Nations meetings directly to the world public through television. This would give the public a better idea of what world problems we have, how difficult they are to resolve, what the different opinions of member nations are and how they can be resolved. This is a very important civic education. I have, in these 2000 ideas, recommended that the two meeting a year between the Secretary General and all the heads of the 32 specialized agencies under the name of Administrative Committee of Coordination, which are in reality world cabinet meetings, should be televised world-wide. World public opinion polls could be conducted after them.
~ Idea 1762 ~I recommend that henceforth there should be yearly national, continental and world reports showing the surface of non-destroyed nature and destroyed areas of this planet so that we know where we go. We have world building and construction statistics. We need also world nature destruction and conservation statistics.
~ Idea 1763 ~I learned from a meeting of experts at the University for Peace on buffer zones around national parks that the number of national parks was not increasing in the world. Perhaps new UN statistics should be published including world, continental, provincial, state, municipal and private parks. This would give us a better picture whether natural parks are increasing or not. My belief is that they are increasing even if national parks do not.
~ Idea 1764 ~Special legislation should be adopted regarding private, family natural parks. Under present French legislation, I could not declare that I do not want the inheritance of my land to be sold for construction but should be maintained forever in a natural state. Any heir could sell it at will. The Costa Rican legislation is better: an inheritance cannot be sold as long as all heirs have not agreed to sell. So my land here has a better chance to survive in a natural state than in France. Also in Costa Rica one can make a will in which a land one owns can never be sold but any descendant will have the right to live on it. It is a subject worth to be looked into world-wide. It could even be a new, fundamental human right to decide that a land one owns cannot be sold after one's death and that its nature should be preserved by the heirs.
~ Idea 1765 ~Yes, there should be a new concept, protection and legislation of family parks in addition to municipal, state and national parks. It would be interesting to develop also the concept of international and world parks. There exists already a Costa Rican - Panama International Park. Also the law adopted by the Costa Rican Parliament regarding the legal status of the land of the UN University for Peace as a world park is something that should be studied and considered by other countries.
~ Idea 1766 ~I believe that since World War II the concept of neutrality has lost enormous ground on this planet. It is not conceivable anymore that in such an interdependent world, any country should have as a permanent policy to be neutral and to keep out of all involvements. I think therefore that a country like Switzerland, should revise its policy of strict neutrality. It would be a great contribution to the year 2000 if Switzerland would decide to give up its principle of permanent neutrality and become a full member of the United Nations.
~ Idea 1767 ~There is also the question of income and expenses to be considered regarding the seats of the United Nations offices. The city of Geneva in Switzerland is the seat of the European Office of the United Nations and of several of its specialized agencies. This represents a substantial income for Switzerland which is not even a member of the UN and hence does not have to pay a contribution. The expenses of the United Nations and of the permanent missions of the 185 member nations to the UN in New York would probably show that the US has a surplus of income over its contributions since 1945 and especially during the last few years when it did not even pay its dues. Such information should be assembled and made public every year to keep the public, parliamentarians and all member nations well informed.
~ Idea 1768 ~If I were Secretary General of the United Nations I would publish a study of what New York City would lose as income if the Untied Nations would leave the United States. It would create an uproar in New York City.
~ Idea 1769 ~I will suggest to the Nobel Prizes Committee in Oslow to create a Hall of Fame of all Nobel Peace Prize winners at the United Nations and at the UN University for Peace.
~ Idea 1770 ~I like the project which began in Canada, Our Planet in Every Classroom. Thirty thousand posters have been distributed to classrooms in Canada in the past years showing simply the photograph of planet Earth. This idea has been also adopted by twenty other countries including Russia and the United States. The idea is simple, namely that a photograph of the Earth in the classrooms of the world helps prepare the next generation of all countries to live together on a small, endangered planet. The quotation which they use is by Fred Hoyle the British astronomer in 1948, "Once a photograph of Earth taken from the outside is available an idea as powerful as any in history will let lose." I suggested to the people who started this movement to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that statement in 1998. The photograph is displayed in all the Robert Muller Schools together with the inscription: "Our planetary home, our human family, our place in time and the miracle of individual life." Indeed it would be good to have a picture of planet Earth displayed in every classroom on Earth.
~ Idea 1771 ~A great hope for humanity is the fact that more and more heads of states want to be remembered as peacemakers.As a direct aide to three UN Secretaries General I have met many heads of states at dinners or official functions and I continue to meet some of them visiting the University for Peace. I always manage to ask them this question, "Do you think that you could become famous by conquering another country or winning a war?" And they look at me as if I was an idiot to ask such a question.Then I put my second question, "Would you like to be remembered as a peacemaker and receive the Nobel Peace Prize?"And they smile, their face gets illuminated. Well, this is the best proof that the times of Alexander the Great, of Atilla, of Julius Caesar, of Napoleon, of Stalin, of Hitler and Mussolini are gone.Thanks be to God.
~ Idea 1772 ~Perhaps a similar question could be asked to billionaires, "Do you think that you will remain famous and be admired in human history for having become a billionaire?" They might not give an answer or look a little puzzled. Then you ask them the second question, "Do you think you would be remembered in human history if with your huge money you would do something very good for humanity like Henry Dunant who after the Solferino battle decided to create the International Red Cross to help wounded soldiers in wars and now also accidented people all over the world?" And they would probably smile and put it on their mind to do something similar.
~ Idea 1773 ~Since my youth I always had a very useful, popular multi-purpose, red pocket knife which I still have today in my briefcase and which is called a Swiss Army Knife. Well, I propose that it should change its name and be called henceforth a Swiss Peacemakers Knife, as I do.
~ Idea 1774 ~At a US airport I saw a man wearing a T-shirt with this inscription, "My son is a US Marine."I hope that a T-shirt will be produced in Costa Rica and in all other sixteen demilitarized countries with the inscription, "I will never be a soldier. I am a citizen of demilitarized Costa Rica".More generally, people should wear T-shirts with uplifting, moral, spiritual exhortations such as Decide to be peaceful, Decide to be happy, I am a global citizen, I love peace, I trust in God, etc. Every person could state his/her belief or dream. People should refuse free headgears and T-shirts giving free advertisement to businesses like Coca Cola, or request at least 100 dollars to wear them.
~ Idea 1775 ~I recommend that the International Labour Organization (ILO) should offer the world a new, unprecedented world employment policy based on the fundamental changes and new needs and ideals required by our rapidly evolving society. Thus, military expenses, arms production and the number of military must be soonest suppressed as being totally in contradiction with our new needs. These resources must be shifted to environmental occupations and tasks of which there are innumerable and very urgent ones world-wide if we want to save this Earth and its vital elements. The ILO should also exploit the wonderful employment opportunities offered by voluntary international and global youth services, as illustrated in Ideas 701, 702 and 703 of Volume II.
~ Idea 1776 ~Since the destruction of the Earth' nature and of its life-providing elements is continuing at a dangerous rate I recommend the following:1. The immediate creation and World Association of Long-term Evolutionary Scientists which would give the world their evaluation on where we stand in terms of putting an end to evolution on planet Earth and what should be done to avert this course.2. The creation by the United Nations of a World Emergency Council to Save Life on Earth which would propose emergency measures.3. The creation of a World Commission of Eminent Persons to propose a system of proper Earth government.
~ Idea 1777 ~Someone said, "Do not have little dreams. They have no magic."I say, "Have little dreams and big dreams, have local dreams and global dreams. Together they are artisans of a better world."
~ Idea 1778 ~The lack of proper global government of this planet is so dangerous, so preoccupying that it might help if the name of the United Nations were changed into United Governments. It would increase the consciousness of governments of their global responsibility.
~ Idea 1779 ~Writers can have a great influence on the coining of new words. Here is an illustration.Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met in Washington in December 1941 to begin to think of what kind of World Organization should be created after the war. Franklin Roosevelt proposed to create an Associated Powers. Churchill quoted to him a passage of Byron's Child's Harold Pilgrimage where United Nations drew the sword to defeat Napoleon in Waterloo. He proposed and Roosevelt accepted it for the planned organization.As a writer and elder of world affairs, I propose that we must now create an Earth Government as we enter the next century and millennium I hope that one or several heads of state like Churchill and Roosevelt will plan a new world organization for the Earth and humanity in the 21st century and new millennium.
~ Idea 1780 ~Why not create a World Association of Idea and Dream People for a Better World and Better Humanity?
~ Idea 1781 ~As a remedy to the problem of unemployment on this planet why not consider setting a limit to work. For example, once a person has made so much money or has reached a sufficient retirement income that person should leave and enjoy life and leave his or her place to another human being. What is wrong with doing nothing and enjoy simply life and nature and be of voluntary service to other people? This could be the best part of one's life when one has no longer to work. Let us give further thought to this and make it a new virtue of the modern society as distinct from earlier times.
~ Idea 1782 ~The word retirement should be abolished and be replaced by a new word like fulfillment age. I have retired from an active profession, from making a living and have entered the age when I can fulfill my dreams, do what I always wanted to do: tell stories, write, come up with ideas and dreams, travel and visit the world, take good care of nature or just do nothing with increasing enthusiasm.
~ Idea 1783 ~Whether big power groups on this planet love it or not, whether they are opposed to it or want to prevent its growing influence and role in the world, the United Nation is the first institution in the whole human history which is in charge of protecting and speaking for the 6 billion people of this planet and for the Earth itself. This is of incredible importance. The people should remember it and support it because it is their best guarantee to be heard world-wide. It is the greatest chance the Earth and humanity ever had. Not even the United States with all its powers will ever reach the level of vocation of the United Nations. There should now be a people's representation at the UN Support the UN by every possible means. Never neglect to do it despite all the adverse publicity, propaganda and campaigns financed by the powerful and the rich against it.
~ Idea 1784 ~I highly recommend that the principal overriding objective of the Peoples' Assembly 2000 should be to begin the drafting of a new Charter for humanity and for the Earth.
~ Idea 1785 ~After the three Declarations of Human Duties and Responsibilities reproduced or mentioned in Ideas 301, 418 and 1214*, I received also a fourth one from the second United Peoples' Assembly of San Francisco in June 1998.I am glad that the subject is spreading. I pray that there will be soon Codes of Ethics, professional oaths and Declarations of Duties and Responsibilities for all professions, human groups, entities and institutions on planet Earth. Together they would represent an important new progress in our evolution.The fact that a second United Peoples' Assembly was held in San Francisco to take up the subject of human responsibilities could be a model for a new world democracy. United Peoples' Assemblies could be held everywhere in the world and would submit their views, wishes and recommendations to the Peoples' General Assembly 2000 at the UN and later to a World United Peoples' Organization to be created. I have proposed earlier in these 2000 ideas that the Union of International Associations in Brussels should be transformed into such an organization and be transferred to the largely empty Carnegie Peoples' Peace Palace in The Hague. The organization could be made a specialized agency of the UN.*There is also a very valuable Declaration of Responsibilities of the present generation towards future generations by UNESCO.
~ Idea 1786 ~I suggest that the organizers of the Peoples' Assembly 2000 should collect and publish all the draft world constitutions of the World Federalists and of other world movements as a background document for the creation of a new world organization better than the weak, powerless United Nations.
~ Idea 1787 ~Can you imagine what North America would be today if instead of creating the United States they had kept to the Articles of Confederation? It would be a great mess on Earth. Each state would have its army, New York state and California would have nuclear weapons, etc. It would be unthinkable. Well, this is what we have in the world with 185 sovereign nations. Who are the leaders, who are the great personalities who will have the courage to stand up as a new George Washington and create a United States of the World? That is a fundamental question in all these 2000 ideas.
~ Idea 1788 ~In view of the recent primacy of the Earth over human affairs on this planet I recommend that in the Secretary General's Office of the UN and in each specialized agency an indigenous elder should be appointed as a wise man to always remind us that we are a part of the Earth, how important she is to us and how damageable we can be to her. These people have still an intimacy with the Earth which we have lost. They have also an enormous common sense and follow the rule that for each decision that is made one has to think of the effects on the seventh generation to come. Almost noone does that in the western world!
~ Idea 1789 ~I am inclined to recommend that the next Secretary General of the United Nations should be an indigenous person, man or woman. The world needs to regain common sense and am sure that a Secretary General of indigenous background would be able to give the world a guidance, a light and a common sense which most of us western people have lost.
~ Idea 1790 ~Every world conference convened on this planet should include indigenous people and receive the input of indigenous peoples. Parallel Indigenous Peoples' Conferences could also be held next to each world conference.
~ Idea 1791 ~I would love it if the indigenous people could take an interest in my World Core Curriculum derived by a long experience in the United Nations and in the Robert Muller Schools. It would allow them to acquire the vast western knowledge without losing their cosmology, quite the contrary, indeed confirming it as was the case already with the Panajachell Robert Muller School and the Mayan Cosmology. Yes, they might see their cosmologies confirmed by the cosmology emerging from the United Nations.
~ Idea 1792 ~Reading my first volume of 500 ideas I came across idea 158 in which I say that international and bilateral aid should be made inversely proportional to the expenditures of the receiving countries on armaments and the military. Premium aid should be given to those who reduce their armaments and demilitarize themselves. Well, I would go a step further and recommend that this principle be applied by the United Nations and all its agencies and world programs. There is no doubt that demilitarized and disarming countries should receive premium United Nations aid.
~ Idea 1793 ~The United Nations Charter is, very much behind the modern times. If the present leaders of nations do not revise the Charter future generations will not forgive them. The year 2000 cannot pass without a decision to revise the Charter or to write a new one more commensurate with the current needs of the Earth and of humanity. I warn you leaders of nations: if you do not do this you will go down in history with a lot of blemish as dwarfs instead of great men and women of the year 2000. Young people especially will not forgive you. They will not understand that their elders did not have the vision and courage to prepare for them a better world, century and millennium.
~ Idea 1794 ~I just received from Barbara the news that a strong campaign for a new United Nations Charter has been started in California by a man called Tod Daley as a project of Community Partners in Los Angeles.The campaign works- to build support for global citizenship, planetary patriotism;- to redesign the United Nations to meet global challenges such as environmental regeneration, human rights enforcement and the governance of transnational corporations;- to democratize the United Nations to provide a voice in the affairs of the world beyond the five victors of World War II, including both developing and non-state actors;- to empower the United Nations to protect not just "national interests" of individual states but the long-term interests of our common human community.I asked Barbara to attend a meeting held on that subject in Los Angeles and to promise these people my full support.
~ Idea 1795 ~Barbara attended the meeting and told me that Harold Stassen, the last living signer of the United Nations Charter has also become a supporter of this movement and has communicated to them his own redraft of the UN Charter published in 1996. Mr. Daley, in his speech proposed among others the creation of a volunteer United Nations Peacekeeping Force. This is a wonderful idea because one of the objections of national parliaments to get involved in the solution of foreign conflicts is that they do not want to be criticized by their citizens for sending young people of their country into wars in which they might be killed for foreign causes. A United Nations Volunteer Peacekeeping Force would escape such criticism.
~ Idea 1796 ~Barbara sent him immediately an excerpt from my first 1500 ideas of all ideas related to a United Nations Charter reform. This shows the usefulness of this goldmine of 2000 ideas and dreams.
~ Idea 1797 ~I have suggested to Mr. Daley to have someone prepare a collection of all ideas for Charter reform which were proposed since the adoption of the Charter and also a survey of proposals which were rejected during the preparation and finalization of the draft UN Charter because in the meantime they might have become more appropriate and acceptable. I will also suggest to him to write to all living former Secretaries General namely Mr. Waldheim, Mr. Pérez Cuellar and Mr. Boutros Ghali and ask them what their major recommendations for a new Charter or Charter reform would be. Scholars could collect for him the ideas expressed by former Secretaries General Trygve Lie, Dag Hammarskjöld and U Thant in their memoirs.
~ Idea 1798 ~The world received with joy the great news announced by Secretary General Kofi Annan in a speech in San Paulo that he invited all the leaders of nations to meet in a summit conference in the year 2000 to review the last 100 years, the successes, the failures including some barbaric events and thus make a general overview of the state of the world on the eve of a new century. I am delighted that he made this great proposal.
~ Idea 1799 ~I will offer my volunteer services to the Secretary General to help him prepare the Summit Meeting 2000 and in particular to have for the meeting one of the greatest, most imaginative collections of ideas for a better world in the entire human history. My 2000 ideas are only a drop of water. There are thousands of people around the world who have great ideas and must be heard. It is an occasion to make this the first, world-wide democratic peoples' consultations on planet Earth.
~ Idea 1800 ~Being a member with Barbara, of the preparation of the 1999 Centennial Peoples' World Conference in The Hague to commemorate the first Peoples' Conference on Peace in history in that city in 1899, I will propose there that ideas for a better world should be one of the main objectives of the conference and that a full report on such ideas should be submitted to the Secretary General for distribution to the Summit Meeting 2000. The first step will be a collection of ideas which were already formulated at the 1899 conference and later by some prominent people like Charles Otlet and La Fontaine who drafted the statutes of the League of Nations, of which a number of important provisions were not accepted by the signatory members at the time. These ideas, in particular relating to a people's representation in the League of Nations should be made known to the summit meeting. They might have a better chance to be accepted at the beginning of a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 1801 ~I support a hundred percent the proposal of Harold Stassen that the United Nations should become the supreme philosophical organ of humanity, the place where philosophy, meaning the love of wisdom, the wisdom of life, will continue to be worked out through dialogues and all kinds of means as part of the evolution of the human species and of this planet. Yes, the United Nations is the meta-biological, holistic institution of all human phenomena, the central path of cosmic, terrestrial evolution of all life forms on miraculous planet Earth.
~ Idea 1802 ~Barbara, when she communicated to me the announcement of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that he proposed a world summit of heads of states in the year 2000 to look at the past century and at the future said to me, "You must continue to write to him because I have the impression that he listens to you." Yes, I will write to him and offer to help him prepare this unique event in human history, a meeting which can and must be a breakthrough towards an infinitely better managed, well-preserved Earth and happy humanity.
~ Idea 1803 ~When the Director General of the Spanish Red Cross visited Costa Rica to sign an agreement of cooperation with the University for Peace. I asked him how many young Spaniards served in the Spanish Red Cross instead of the army. He answered 8000 and that he was in the process of obtaining legislation that would allow him to send such young people abroad. I expressed the hope that the International Red Cross will publish yearly information on how many young people in the world can serve in the Red Cross instead of an army.
~ Idea 1804 ~I hope that a philanthropist will send as a gift the four volumes of my 2000 ideas to all 185 heads of state who will participate in the summit conference 2000. They might find in them ideas that they would like to implement for a better world. The total cost would only be 14,800 dollars. This should not be too much for one of the 400 billionaires of this planet who would get the credit for doing it.
~ Idea 1805 ~Consideration should be given to electing a Secretary General of the United Nations for only one term and not be re-eligible. I say this because it is a wonderful top position in the world and the man or woman who is elected might really dream to be re-elected and in order to achieve that might be careful not to hurt any of the five permanent members of the Security Council who will take the decision. We need a Secretary General who has the audacity to speak up even at the risk of displeasing one, several or all five permanent members of the Security Council. He is the Secretary General of the Charter of the United Nations which starts with the words, "We the Peoples". Therefore he is the Secretary General and servant of the people and not of the permanent members of the Security Council. Knowing that there is no chance for re-election, he or she will work for the progress of humanity and for the reputation and fame left behind in world history. In peace matters it is as in war matters: there is no chance of becoming famous if one lacks audacity.
~ Idea 1806 ~Rather than moving towards catastrophes in the 21st century as is the predominant view these days, I am convinced that we are entering one of the most incredible periods of all evolution, a period of tremendous success and fulfillment of the human species as a major factor of evolution on this particular planet in the universe. It will rest on the change from a period of competition which had its great value, to an age of intensive, of working together: between individuals, between man and woman, cooperation in a family, in a community, between all human communities, all institutions, all religions and last but not least, cooperation with nature, with our Earth and beyond that with the universe, with the cosmos. An age of cooperation with the cosmic energies of the universe will be the miracle of the 21st century. We have every reason to believe we can make it the greatest century ever in the evolution of this planet. This is what the universe has in mind for us, we who are its most advanced, evolutionary species.
~ Idea 1807 ~The preceding evokes in me three personal remembrances: the fact that Buckminster Fuller, the genius of engineering considered his body to be a perfect cosmic unit not allowing any malfunctioning through smoking or taking alcohol. Pablo Casals who considered life and each human being to be a miracle. And U Thant who often said to me, "Robert, I do not understand you western people who confine spirituality to an hour in church on Sunday. For me, all my life is spirituality from morning when I wake up to evening when I go to rest." Yes, here are three persons who knew how to cooperate with the universe and to contribute to a new, exalting period of evolution on this planet.
~ Idea 1808 ~In its simplest form, the preceding means that humanity will now enter in an age when the most incredible fulfillment's of human life and harmonies with nature and creation can materialize. Our minds are not audacious enough to understand it yet. But we will see undreamt miracles on this planet. It will produce its own very special results as did all earlier periods of human history despite our mistakes and disbeliefs. We are now doing unnecessary harm to nature and to the Earth itself, but this will be overcome as were all our errors in the past.
~ Idea 1809 ~The older I get and the more I have lived an entire adult life in the United Nations and in the first world peace university of this planet the more I become optimistic about the human fate. My optimism has become incredible. If I could hear me when I was age eighteen I would hear: this old man is crazy. You will not even be alive at the age of seventy-five. You will not live in a demilitarized country. You will never be the Chancellor of a University for Peace. You will not write fifteen books, and have any successes in your life. At the age of seventy-five you will not gain the love and cooperation of one of the most beautiful women on Earth, eighteen years younger than you. And yet, how did it all happen? It did, because I kept my dreams alive and dreams are the greatest force on Earth.
~ Idea 1810 ~On the way to Boston to create and inaugurate a World Commission on Spirituality during the 20th World Congress of Philosophy, the idea came to me that we also need a World Commission on a New World Philosophy. The United Nations and UNESCO should convene a World Conference on a New Philosophy for the 21st Century. In the revised United Nations Charter prepared by Harold Stassen the United Nations would become the world's central organ of philosophy. How right he is. I share fully his view after my many years of work in the United Nations.
~ Idea 1811 ~The Secretary General of the UN wants the Summit Meetings of Heads of State in 2000 to look into the last 100 years and what good and also barbaric things we did during that century. I feel that the future should be even more important. In Idea 356 I suggested that the UN should write an Inventory of Hopes for the 21st century and 3rd millennium and that all nations and social groups and entities should do the same. What an elevation of the human journey this would be! Yes, let us publish a United Nations and many other Inventories of Hope during the year 2000.
~ Idea 1812 ~The Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro Conference in Costa Rica could implement idea 381 in which Carolyn Hawkins, a co-worker of these 2000 ideas suggested that a world children's contest for the design of stamps should be organized. The contest could be called Love the Earth Stamps. The best designs by children would be recompensed and issued during the year 2000 by the Untied Nations postal service.
~ Idea 1813 ~The 21st century will be a century of spirituality, philosophy and ethics or there will be no 21st century.
~ Idea 1814 ~In idea 399 I mentioned that there is a House of Freedom in the United States which surveys and ranks all nations according to the freedoms they uphold or deny. I would like to see more such houses created in the world for other great human ideals and concepts: a World House of Peace which would rank nations according to their peace, a World House of Justice, a World House of Cooperation, a World House of Understanding, a World House of Forgiveness, a World House of Beauty, a World House of Love, a World House of Faith, a World House of Optimism, and so forth to cover all the great philosophical concepts which have helped humanity to survive, to progress and to always look towards better times in our long journey on this particular planet in the vast universe.
~ Idea 1815 ~During the entire year 2000 the facade of the UN building should be lit every night with the number 2000, leaving lights on in certain windows as was done for the fortieth and fiftieth anniversaries of the UN.
~ Idea 1816 ~On 1 January, the world will celebrate One Day in Peace all around the planet. I was given the honor of being appointed the honorary Chairman of that campaign, in fulfillment of my dream 2000:I dream...That on 1 January 2000The whole world will stand stillIn prayer, awe and gratitudeFor our beautiful, heavenly EarthAnd for the miracle of human life...I hope that there will be a world-wide CNN coverage of the celebration on 1 January 2000, without a single bad news of a war, conflict, violence, scandal, or accident, a CNN ONE DAY OF PEACE.
~ Idea 1817~I suggest the creation of forest cemeteries, areas where people would be buried under a cover of trees which would be nourished by their remains. They would thus live again in another life form, in a tree receiving the cosmic energy from the sun. My wife Barbara suggested to the people of Kansas City, who created a Heartforest near the airport as a symbol of their being the heart of America that they should plant more rows of trees with that purpose. It would be a good feeling for the departed to be buried in a heart forest, to continue to be nourished by cosmic solar energy and to be reborn in other life forms.
~ Idea 1818 ~I am surprised that US cigarette companies do not apply for the United Nations population prize. Why? Because through their intensive advertisements in the poor countries they provoke lung cancer which kill many people, especially young people who are highly reproductive. As a result they help alleviate the world population problem! I am astonished that no advertising firm has suggested it to them.
~ Idea 1819 ~One of my secret dreams and wishes is that these 2000 Ideas for a Better World I will start a whole world-wide literature and movement of ideas and dreams for a better world. It would be marvelous if every human being would formulate and network his/her ideas. It can be done so easily now with Internet and other means of communications. Please read "Decide to Network" in Volume I.
~ Idea 1820 ~All governments should follow the example of Sweden and impose "green taxes". Taxes on sulphur dioxide emissions resulted in a 20 percent reduction of acid rain in Sweden between 1989 and 1995. The tax on chemical fertilizers has led to an estimated 10 percent reduction in their use.
~ Idea 1821 ~My insistence in these 2000 ideas that overconsumption is as much, if not a greater danger than the population explosion will be remembered when my following prophecy will come true: within ten years governments will enforce laws requiring people to consume less. It will finally be realized that what is happening on this planet is a global, world war against nature. Governments don't want to recognize it today because they continue to believe in the illusion of endless economic growth, enrichment and power. But they will remember that during the first and second world war, people were asked to reduce their consumption because of the war effort. It will be the same situation once they recognize that there is an all out , possibly terminal war against the Earth.
~ Idea 1822 ~Extra-terrestrials would express many puzzlements at the way we do things on this planet. Here is one:How come that you want a world-wide free movement of goods and merchandise with no obstacles whatsoever and you do not let people move and settle where they want? Are goods and merchandise more important than people? We didn't know that there existed an inhabited planet in the universe which was so wrong in its judgments.
~ Idea 1823 ~I woke up one day with an idea which hit me very strongly: namely, why is there a law of constantly wanting to be bigger if you are big? Why do big cities have big projects? Because they are big, they have lots of financial resources or they have institutions that have been created for a big project and then do not bring in money anymore so that new big projects have to be invented to bring in money. Practically all governments on this planet are in big cities. The big fairs have to be in big cities. The municipalities of all cities ask themselves and their boards what new big projects they can undertake. Nowadays, big conferences, are the way of getting bigger. You cannot have a world conference in nature. You need transport facilities, airports, hotels, etc. The bigger you get the bigger your infra-structure and the bigger the new projects you have to invent. Well, many world conferences should be held in the middle of nature to be reminded of the laws of nature. There should be a world conference on "Why bigness?" It should deal with billionaires as well as with big powers and big, giant corporations. All this runs against the planet This Earth, from a governmental, political, economic point of view has become unrunnable. We have to re-think from scratch bigness and smallness, the proper size of things. This should be an important item on the world agenda.
~ Idea 1824 ~Perhaps we need a World Peoples' Movement against Bigness, the bigness of governments, of corporations, of our houses, of our collections of goods which we really do not need, and go back to smallness and simple and frugal lives not to destroy this planet. Bigness is one of the major forms of destruction of this planet. It is not done on purpose. It is a wrong human law which developed over time and whose time is over. We cannot go on with values, beliefs and admiration for things which had their time and now destroy our planetary home. We should study them as historic curiosities. We should build museums for them but reject them as our ways of life.
~ Idea 1825 ~There was a man called Schumacher who became famous by launching the idea that small is beautiful. There exists a Schumacher Institute in England. I would add to it the motto: simple and frugal life is also beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful.
~ Idea 1826 ~I highly recommend the urgent creation of a World Commission on Simple and Frugal Living and the creation of a World Commission of a New Philosophy for Our Survival and Future Evolution in the 21st Century and Third Millennium.
~ Idea 1827 ~The most important duty and responsibility of every human being, especially those of the rich countries, is towards the preservation and salvation of the Earth. We should think of that every day of our life.
~ Idea 1828 ~Ideas might not have a chance of succeeding but they have the merit of raising fundamental questions regarding our current behaviors, institutions and philosophy. Once the question is raised and a discussion and examination takes place nobody really knows what the end result will be.This is perhaps why new ideas are considered dangerous except if they are of benefit to those in power, to big corporations and institutions. We are possibly in a period of evolution when fundamental questions are not raised because existing powers and institutions do not want them to be raised. As a consequence we might perish. It is the role of visionaries, prophets, audacious personalities and dreamers to shake up this dangerous situation by raising fundamental questions and ideas.
~ Idea 1829 ~The idea of a World Peoples' Assembly 2000 took a long time to germinate but it is now in the world limelight. Its mere proposal to be held has aroused a whole series of new, revolutionary ideas. For the first time also it challenges the non-democratic world in which we live and will provoke a discussion, review, re-defining and restructuring of democracy at all levels of human society from the top of the world down to the local communities. The people will come to realize that democracy does not function the way they would like it to function and to be organized. The Peoples' Assembly 2000 will open a big, long overdue world-wide popular debate.
~ Idea 1830 ~Millions of ideas float among humans on this planet, most of them if not all, dealing with one particular segment of the human society or one of the five thousand religions or one of the thousands of corporations or one of the twenty-eight thousand international associations. Perhaps my 2000 ideas have one merit, namely they are all aimed at only two subjects: a better Earth and a better humanity. This is due to the fact that I worked all my life for the world and humanity.
~ Idea 1831 ~The League of Nations statutes were drafted in New York by two Belgian's, Mr. Otlet and La Fontaine who had been brought over to the United States by Andrew Carnegie during the first World War to draft a world institution that could prevent war on the planet. They conceived the League of Nations to consist of governmental representatives of all nations, representatives of the people and several specialized agencies like the Universal Postal Union, the International Telecommunications Union which existed already in the 19th century and the International Labour Organization born in 1919 with tripartite representation of governments, employers and employees. A peoples' representation was turned down by governments. People received no representation. They were represented by their governments. Someone should bring forth the exact proposals of how the people were to be represented in the League of Nations. It would be a very important background document for the People's Assembly in the year 2000. So would be the debates on the question of people's representation when the United Nations Charter was born. A little compromise was made at that time for people's representation through non-governmental organizations accredited with the UN Economic and Social Council. They were permitted to follow the meetings and submit papers to that Council on economic and social matters but not on political affairs. The question of peoples' representation at the UN will be an important issue of the People's Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1832 ~Dear readers, if you wish to do something good for the Earth and humanity on a world-wide scale please write to the Union of International Association, 40 Rue Washington, Brussels, Belgium and ask them for a list of International Associations existing in your field of interest with their addresses. You can then write to those which attract you, become a member either of the international association or of one of the affiliated associations in your country or if there is none, take the initiative of creating one.
~ Idea 1833 ~I recommend that the Union of International Associations in Brussels should publish a general subject index of the international associations registered with them (more than 28,000) and offer it for sale to the public.The public can then order excerpts from the UIA's yearbook on those associations in which they are interested.
~ Idea 1834 ~I recommend that the Interparliamentary Union publish excerpts from all national Constitutions dealing with the electoral procedures, conditions, and mandates of parliamentary elections. These rules should be made uniform for all nations. It would greatly help the political functioning of this planet.
~ Idea 1835 ~The time is ripe to think of means of action in the year 2001 to keep the momentum of the year 2000 going. One of the first tasks of the UN would be to evaluate the results obtained in the year 2000 from all the activities, celebrations and conferences that took place. The UN should also begin to keep track and publish information on the activities scheduled in 2001.
~ Idea 1836 ~I suggest that all governments and the United Nations should conduct public opinion polls and ask the people for their ideas on existing problems and the attainment of a better and happier world. A World Public Opinion UN Agency could organize this world-wide. What a tremendous new world democracy this would mean!
~ Idea 1837 ~There is one fundamental problem to be solved on this planet: how should we humans govern properly this Earth for its preservation and for the continuation of human life on it. All the rest is secondary.Please, dear readers, pray for the attainment of this next higher level of our human evolution.Please pray for the elevation of national leaders to world leaders.Please pray for the elevation of all religious leaders to global, spiritual leaders.Please pray for the elevation of all educators to global educators.Prayers can lead to miracles. Pray God and all the saints in heaven to help us.
~ Idea 1838 ~On our farm in Costa Rica there is no garbage pickup available. We solve our problems as follows:Everything that the Earth recycles herself like vegetable peelings, food wastes, etc. is put into a compost and yields after a time excellent black, highly fertile soil.We listen to the news on the radio and do not buy any newspapers and magazines.We refuse most packaging when we buy products.Waste to be burned is burned in an outdoors stove and the ashes are used to fertilize flower bushes and vegetables.Most metal cans are collected by school children. Other items which cannot be burned are thrown into an open ditch which is covered with earth when it is full.We have an outhouse inherited from ancient times which has a most magnificent view of nature.Result: garbage produced almost nil. Public garbage collection: nil.
~ Idea 1839 ~When we are in our apartment in Dobbs Ferry in the Hudson Valley in the US my wife Barbara, during the winter puts into the flower boxes on the balcony all food waste or vegetable refuses and covers them with ground. In the spring she has a good black, fertile soil to plant flowers.
~ Idea 1840 ~My recommendation that elders of wisdom and peasants with common sense be appointed in the councils of world affairs, national affairs and big businesses was born from this remark of Albert Einstein: "The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking that created the situation."
~ Idea 1841 ~The only thing necessary for this planet and humanity to go to economic, ecological, evolutionary catastrophe is for people, especially leaders, visionaries, thinkers and spiritual people to do nothing, to give up hope and consider that it is impossible.
~ Idea 1842 ~The most colossal, gigantic problem humanity faces today on this planet is the incredible amount and complexity of the knowledge it has acquired. We are lost and bewildered in that knowledge. The main values that are offered to us are those which are spread by the tenants of power and wealth. The situation seems almost hopeless to emerge from. And yet it is possible, even wonderfully possible.I have learned from my many years at the United Nations that the totality of this knowledge makes very good sense and can be presented in a very simple form:1. Our knowledge of the universe from the infinitely large to the infinitely small with our total knowledge of our planetary home in the middle.2. Our total knowledge of our human family, from the total human population and its natural classifications down to the family, and all humans groupings and institutions.3. Our knowledge of the place in time of all the above4. Our knowledge of the miracle of individual human lifephysicalmentalaffective moralspiritualThis holistic knowledge acquired by humanity gives the individual the sense of being part of the entire universe and eternity, of feeling as a cosmic unit, a very important, active part in the evolution of the totality. If one looks at our problems classified according to this framework there is no longer confusion. Everything is at its place. Everything can be understood as a part of the totality and all of it appears miraculous, especially human life. If we educate the children of this planet on the basis of this curriculum they will find their right place in the universe and in time. They have the necessary diverse talents to make a valid contribution and be recompensed by happiness. This is the immense hope I have derived from my experience in the Untied Nations reflected in the following table.See Framework for A World Core Curriculum found in the table of contents on the main page.
~ Idea 1843 ~There is a second rule of proceeding which we must follow, the one adopted by Napoleon, a general, who did not like long reports and big books and theories but who wanted a synopsis, a visual presentation of the objective. This is what we must do. We must visualize the future we want. I try to do this in these 2000 ideas, namely show almost visually how great and beautiful the results can be. Once on the basis of an analytical situation you make a synopsis you do not have to write innumerable pages. You put it into a dream, into an idea, into a vision, into a prophecy, as all religious leaders and indigenous people have done for time immemorial. This is why the year 2000 should five us the vision of a peaceful, better, well-preserved Earth and a happy, fulfilled humanity.
~ Idea 1844 ~The same way as a man is attracted by a beautiful woman and a woman is attracted by a handsome man we are attracted by a beautiful world. The more beautiful and peaceful we make this planet, the more people will be attracted to it and will feel happiness by being in union with it, by contributing to its beauty, feeling the immense satisfaction of having done something that is right, that is of service to the Earth and to humanity.Beauty and love are the two most important feelings of a right objective wanted by evolution and no longer, power, money and competition. When we recognize beauty we know that we do the right thing and we are recompensed by happiness. This is how evolution works. Without the beauty and love of male and female there would be no reproduction, without the love of mothers for their children we would not have children , without love for a beautiful Earth and a happy humanity there would be no progress.The same is true of the great concepts of peace, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, happiness. All these concepts form what the Greeks called philosophy, the love of wisdom. This is what the philosophy of the 21st century must be, not the continued drive and competition for wealth and power. We are entering a great new age of evolution, the age of peace, love, beauty, cooperation and philosophy.
~ Idea 1845 ~In his last public statement in 1955 Albert Einstein said, "We appeal as human beings to human beings. Remember your humanity and forget the rest."This is a very profound statement. In my last public statement I would say: "Remember this beautiful Earth is a paradise and each human being is a miracle." Love of humans for humaneness and for this beautiful Earth must be the agenda of the next stage of our evolution. Next will be to reach a total union with the universe and the eternal stream of time and do what is expected from us by God, by the Great Spirit, by evolution, by the universe, or whatever you wish to call it.
~ Idea 1846 ~In Idea 1290 I recommend the creation of a World Court of Human Rights. In addition I recommend the creation of a World Court of Human Duties and Responsibilities and a real legal authority for the International Court of Justice to condemn non-permissible acts of nations, what I call non-rights, a third great new page to be opened in the field of human rights.
~ Idea 1847 ~I hope that in all regional efforts to create regional unions of states, consideration will be given to the creation of Regional Courts of Human Rights. Since the United States is the great champion of human rights, it should call for creation of an All-American Court of Human Rights which would guarantee the human rights of all the peoples of the Americas from northern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego?
~ Idea 1848 ~It is not conceivable that evolution which has created so many miracles on this planet including the human species would let us remain unable to manage in an orderly, harmonious and renewable fashion the nature and resources of this planet. We will receive the necessary signs, warnings and crises to do the right things and will be astonished by our future successes. The 21st century will be the greatest in human history.
~ Idea 1849 ~There are already two groups of people in the United States who are gathering and publishing wonderful collections of statements for the 21st century:Invocations for a New Millennium by Elias Amidon and Elizabeth Roberts in Boulder, Colorado:Voices on the Threshold of Tomorrow by George Feierstein and Trisha Lamb Feierstein.Both kindly published my Dream 2000 in their texts.What is still very much needed is an institution, group or movement who would collect, solicit and publish very concrete ideas, proposals, plans, dreams and prophecies for a better 21st century and 3rd millennium.I have done my best in these 2000 ideas but many more are needed from all around the world so that things will at long last really change for the better in a new, incredibly progressive quantum jumps of humanity into the 21st century and 3rd millennium.
~ Idea 1850 ~Handgun Control, Inc. a Citizens Campaign Against Community Gun Trafficking 1225 Eye Street, NW, Room 1100, Washington DC 20005-3991, has this text in large letters on its mail envelopes:In New York you'll find517 McDonalds3099 Licensed Gun DealersAnd you thought you were safe fromHandgun violence in New York?
~ Idea 1851 ~There is a project to make of the Presidio in San Francisco a second world center for the United Nations on the US West Coast I suggested to the sponsors that they could also consider making it a center the Pacific Community. Earlier in these 2000 ideas I have expressed the view that we should go beyond what the military have done with NATO, with SEACOM and other regional military alliances. We should create peace and cooperative alliances of all the riparian countries of the seas and oceans of this planet: a PACOM, Pacific Community, a NACOM, North Atlantic Community, a SEACOM, South East Asia Community, a MEDCOM, Mediterranean Community. This could be the basis for a new world community tomorrow. The military themselves could consider transforming their military regional alliances into peace communities, because soon they will not have anything to do anymore in an increasingly peaceful world.
~ Idea 1852 ~The special United Nations General Assembly held in 1998 five years after the Rio de Janeiro Conference to review what progress had been made on the environment noted a notorious failure in the implementation of the Rio decisions by governments. In view of this, I recommend that the proposal of the European Parliament to see an International Environmental Court created by the United Nations be placed on the agenda of the General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level.
~ Idea 1853 ~The recommendation of the European Parliament to see a World Environment Agency created by the UN of which the European Environment Agency would be a regional branch should also be considered by of the UN General Assembly. All other continents of the Earth should create their own Regional Environment Agencies which would similarly become regional branches of the World Environment Agency.
~ Idea 1854 ~The fundamental wrongness, the dead alleys, the uneconomics, the disparities, the discrepancies, the crass injustices, the mismanagement, the monstrous wastes and duplications created by the current economic and national political systems of handling human and Earth affairs are such that I recommend the urgent establishment of a UN World Committee to Save the Earth and Humanity.Its first task would be to establish the list of fundamental wrongnesses.The second list would be the irreparable damages committed right under our eyes to the Earth and to normal, healthy human lives.A third list would cover the even worse, crazier plans, ideas and projects on the mind of certain people and nations such as genetic engineering, the Cassini Project, the US Outer Space Nuclear Space Command for immediate retaliation on any place on Earth if something happens that is not to the liking to the United States, and there are many others.
~ Idea 1855 ~Gary Davis, is a US pilot whom I saw camping at the Bridge of Kehl between France and Germany in Strasbourg in 1948 refusing to show a passport because he considered himself a world citizen, dismayed as he was for having bombed German cities in World War II. I proposed to his World Citizens Foundation to create a world-wide alliance of all organizations, associations, and citizen's movements which are in favor of world government. And since world government has been downgraded by a systematic campaign of extreme right parties claiming that it would lead to dictatorship, I recommend to use the words proper Earth government. I also proposed that there should be an honor roll of world personalities who throughout history have recommended world government and global citizenship. He sent me the following impressive list which should be widely known:Advocates of World Government/World CitizenshipThe following prominent individuals have advocated world government and/or world citizenship in their writings or speeches:Jane AdamsMortimer AdlerJohn AndersonPercy BarbevikStringfellow BarrPierre BergéLord BeveridgeErnest BevinSir Adrian BoultClaude BourdetChester BowlesLord Boyd-OrrHeather BrandonAndré BretonGro Harlan BruntlandAlbert CamusBrock ChisholmGrenville ClarkSen. Joseph ClarkNorman CousinsAlan CranstonWalter CronkiteDanteJustice William DouglasKatherine DunhamAlbert EinsteinErasmusClifton FadimanDouglas Fairbanks Jr.Thomas FinletterCharles FrankelBenjamin FranklinJohn Kenneth GalbraithMahatma GandhiAndré GideMikhail GorbachevMike GravelHugo GrotiusOscar HammersteinVáclav HavelEdouard HerriotArthur HolcombeRobert HutchinsImmanuel KantAdm. Gene LaRoqueGeorgia LloydLola Maverick LloydThomas MannMarcel MarceauLord MenuhinAkio MoritaEdgar A. MowrerLewis MumfordRobert MullerJawaharlal NehruPaul NewmanRobert OppenheimerTom PaineRonald ReaganWalther ReutherEmery RevesOwen RobertsElliot RooseveltFranklin RooseveltJoseph RotblatBertrand RussellAndrei SakharovKory SanfordJean-Paul SartreRobert SchumanRosita SchwimmerLouis SohnHarold StassenJohn SteinbeckGloria SteinemPatrick StewartStrobe TalbottLord TennysonHans ThirringArnold ToynbeeHenry UsbornePeter UstinovCarl Van DorenMark Van DorenGeorge WaldH.G. WellsE.B. WhiteHarris WoffordJoanne WoodwardRichard WrightWendell Willkie
~ Idea 1856 ~"Looking at nature from our terrace on sacred Mount Rasur in Costa Rica I see nature as the model for the world, a United Nature where all humans and other species live and strive like nature. We need a United Nature Government where all species are honored and respected." Barbara Gaughen Muller
~ Idea 1857 ~It would be providential if the United Nations would convene early in the 21st century a World Conference on Proper Earth Government preceded by a World Public Opinion Poll on such government. The conference would be preceded by regional conferences to obtain on each continent the people's views and ideas. I pray that the UN General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level will take that decision.
~ Idea 1858 ~World alliances should be created and world conferences convened on the great philosophical concepts which helped humanity to survive, to have faith and to progress over the eons of time of our evolution on this particular planet in the universe, concepts such as hope, love, happiness, faith, optimism, gratitude, forgiveness, charity, compassion, philanthropy, gaiaphilly, repentance, cooperation, etc. I plead also for the creation of World Universities on all these concepts. The example of the University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica should be followed by the creation of universities of happiness, hope, faith, cooperation etc.
~ Idea 1859 ~"The sense of wonder is our sixth sense and it is the natural." J. H. LawrenceYes, because nature, our Earth, our life and the whole universe are incredible wonders. Wonder has been a permanent part of my being during all my life. In my elderly years it has reached its maximum. This is why I offer so many ideas and dreams for a better world.Please dear reader, have a sense of wonder for your magical, divine life and for all the miracles that surround you. Express your wildest dreams, ideas and visions for a still better world which is meant to be by evolution, and by God.
~ Idea 1860 ~The time is long overdue for governments and the United Nations to look into the problem of advertisement. The rich companies of the rich countries are flooding the poor countries with their advertisements for which they pay little in these countries, while the poor countries cannot afford any advertisements in the rich countries. One can see western cigarette advertisements bigger than a house in cities and on highways of the poor countries. Advertisement of smoking should be prohibited world-wide. The UN should convene a world conference on advertisement and marketing. The World Health Organization should take up the subject of smoking and alcohol advertisement.
~ Idea 1861 ~The UN Secretary General should inform each year member governments which world conferences he considers important for the fate and future of the Earth and humanity. He should ask which government would like to sponsor one or more of these conferences to be held under the auspices of the United Nations and with the cooperation of the United Nations specialized agencies and world programs.
~ Idea 1862 ~I recommend that a United Nations Inter-agency Committee on World Conferences be established to which each UN main department, specialized agency and world program would submit recommendations on which world conferences they consider urgent and important for the fate of the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 1863 ~Become and Earth TrusteeThe Actions That Can Do The Most For You And Your Planetby John McConnell, founder of Earth DayThe first view of Earth from Space inspired the idea of Earth Day. "We set out to explore Space and discovered Earth." From this came the idea that we should all think and act as Trustees of Earth.Presaging the future on March 20, 1998, outriders of Planet Earth celebrated Earth Day in Space. At the Mir Space Station there was a brief ceremony that included the special moment when the Peace Bell at the United Nations was rung as Spring began (2:55 p.m. in New York). Astronauts, Cosmonauts and people on Earth joined at that time in a brief dedication to be responsible trustees of Earth.The Earth Trustee idea appeals to people of every creed and culture. It is very simple and powerful. All that is needed is for every individual and institution to think and act as a trustee of Earth, seeking in their own way to, "Make choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and nurture people and planet."We can now halt the awful record of history with its injustice, wars and violence. Napoleon once said, "Imagination rules the world." Internet opens new opportunities to capture the imagination of the world with solutions that can appeal to all. Projects and efforts that are achieving Earth Trustee goals can be posted and verified by experts on the web.Let every person who receives this message decide to be an Earth Trustee. Follow this with Earth Trustee commitment and action personally and in any group you belong to. Forward this to a few friends and suggest they do the same. Let's circle the world now with positive Earth Trustee visions that can save and rejuvenate our planet.
~ Idea 1864 ~It is now quite possible even probable that capitalism, the second economic political system born from the 19th century Industrial Revolution will soon collapse and give up the same way as did communism. Both were born at a time of a relatively small world population in the midst of quasi-unexploited world resources and in a hyper-nationalistic political system. Communism failed in its effort at globalization. Capitalism did wonders for a time. Both with their fundamentalism didn't pay attention to evolution and to the potential and actual destruction they were inflicting upon the Earth and social justice. Public service, public institutions, public enterprises, public entities and government from the local to the regional to the world level have been decried and put on the defensive while they should be the highest, most sacred Earth-conscious and peoples'-conscious services. If this is allowed to continue it will lead to great disaster on this planet.This is why I recommend so stubbornly a complete re-assessment of the current political and economic systems, two of the twenty-one major segments of human aims, activities and institutions on this Earth needing total re-appraisal.The Proper Management of our Earth must be the priority item on the agenda of the Summit UN General Assembly of Heads of States in the year 2000. May God and the people's of this world hear me.
~ Ideas 1865 to 1872 ~The Summit UN General Assembly in the year 2000 should be the most incredible, unprecedented world meeting ever held in the entire human history. All heads of states should begin to prepare it right now. I propose therefore:1865 each head of state should appoint a national preparatory committee to assess the world situation, the successes achieved and the dreams, ideals and plans still to be fulfilled for a better world.1866 the UN Secretary General and all heads of the 32 specialized agencies and world programs of the UN should do the same.1867 the heads of all regional organizations of this planet should do the same.1868 the heads of all major business corporations should do the same.1869 the leaders of all major world religions should do the same.1870 the leaders of all major labor organizations should do the same.1871 all prominent intellectuals, visionaries, scientists, philosophers, furturologists, evolutionary experts and sages should do the same.1872 all people's movements and international associations should do the same for the World Peoples' Assembly 2000.The tasks of this unprecedented, ominous world-wide assessment, thinking, planning and dreaming for the Earth' and humanity's future are so vast and mind-boggling that I recommend it to be an on-going instrument for quite some time perhaps even a permanent new millennium method of proper human and Earth government. Since the heads of state have to return to administer their nations, I recommend that they should all appoint a deputy head of state who would be permanently stationed in New York to continue the work of the Summit Assembly 2000 until it is accomplished.
~ Idea 1873 ~Pope John Paul II should participate in the Summit Meeting 2000 and call for a world-wide spiritual Renaissance and a universal, spiritual civilization in the 21st century and 3rd millennium. He should announce at it the sainthood of Robert Schuman, the father of the European Union and should ask for nominations of more political saints.
~ Idea 1874 ~I pray the UN Secretary General to make arrangements that my four volumes of 2000 Ideas for the Year 2000 and its index be communicated to all heads of state as a goldmine of ideas to bring about a better world and happy humanity. They should be published as United Nations documents and translated into the working languages of the UN. I would not request a single penny of author's rights. The volumes are the children of my fifty years of experience in the United Nations and a gift of gratitude for all I owe to that wonderful organization which made me a knowledgeable, passionate, global, citizen of the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 1875 ~I recommend that for the Summit Meeting of Heads of States in 2000 each member government prepare a list of ideas they have proposed in the UN since its foundation or since their membership in the organization. The ideas should be listed in four categories.1. Ideas implemented2. Ideas partly implemented3. Ideas which did not obtain agreement4. New ideas for the 21st centuryThe same should be done by member governments for all the UN specialized agencies, by past Presidents of the UN General Assembly, by past Secretary Generals, past heads of UN specialized agencies and present ones, by retired and active world servants of the UN and of its agencies and finally by all the non-governmental organizations accredited to the United Nations and to the specialized agencies.What a maelstrom of ideas and dreams for a better world that would represent! It could change the fate of the Earth and assure our future evolution.
~ Idea 1876 ~During the year 2000 there should also be a record of the betrayals by government of the great people who wrote the UN Charter and whose ideas were not implemented.Highest on the list would be non-compliance by the five permanent members of the Security Council to establish a Military Staff Committee at the Chiefs of Army level to design a world security system and then proceed to the disarmament of the planet. This was never done, not even tried.Instead of that we have today 34,000 nuclear missiles around the world, NATO and SEACOM and an Outer Space Strategic Command of the United States equipped with nuclear plutonium to intervene instantaneously on any spot of Earth if it is in the interest of the United States!
~ Idea 1877 ~Every head of state should write philosophical thoughts which can be quoted in the world as coming from an eminent personality with great responsibilities. Today of the 185 heads of states I see only one quoted in many writings, magazines and non-governmental organizations, namely Václav Havel, the President of the Czech Republic. They are very profound. They are heart lifting. Here is a statesman who is also a philosopher and who will be remembered in history while others will not.Among the Secretaries General of the UN, the one who has left the profoundest thoughts is Dag Hammarskjöld. His Markings will remain for ever a classic of world literature.I recommend that every responsible person on Earth, of any institution, of every walk of life, especially fathers and mothers and grandparents should leave behind philosophical (wisdom) thoughts about the meaning of life and give advice to their descendants. As a result they will never be forgotten.
~ Idea 1878 ~A popular radio station in Costa Rica, ECHO, plays at six o'clock in the morning the Ave Maria of Gounod and at six-thirty the Ode to Joy of Beethoven. This is a wonderful way of starting the day. It made me regret that I was unable to obtain that the Ode to Joy by Beethoven be adopted as the hymn of the United Nations. The latter was composed by Pablo Casals which never reached great popularity. I propose that the Ode to Joy, with the beautiful words of Schiller on human brotherhood translated into many languages, should become the Ode of the Third Millennium and that many radio stations should begin the day by playing it.
~ Idea 1879 ~The best of my 2000 ideas was to marry Barbara Gaughen who was the person who suggested to me to write them. But there were many other very lovely reasons for falling in love, marrying her and being inspired by her.
~ Idea 1880 ~I met a remarkable American lady, Mrs. Mary Morrissey who created an Association for Global New Thought in Chicago, Illinois. I told her that we needed not only new thoughts but also new visions, new dreams, new ideas, new loves, new values, new actions, new behaviors, new policies, new laws and new institutions. We will meet to discus these proposals.
~ Idea 1881 ~The real capital of this Earth is not money, capital, shares, stock markets and banks. its real capital is the air, the water, the soils, the animals, the plants, the tree covers, the weather, the climate and the rays of the sun we receive. We better remember this as the Bible, Koran, Upanishads of the 21st century and 3rd millennium.
~ Idea 1882 ~After the industrial revolution we are now entering the natural revolution. Capitalism should more appropriately be called kaputalism from the German word kaput, destroyed because it is on the way of destroying the Earth.
~ Idea 1883 ~There are in my view only two persons on Earth who have a world-wide visibility and a deep faith in their destiny which is to change the course of this planet and avoid its destruction. They are from the two main ideologies born in the last century and the two biggest powers on Earth, the United States and Russia. I have in mind Mr. Gorbachev and Ted Turner. They should get together, offer the world their concrete ideas and become the new George Washington and Robert Schuman of the world by offering a bold new plan for the next century.To both I have written and sent my paper on the Absolute Urgent Need for Proper Earth Government (see Introduction to Ideas 1501 to 2000). I am glad that Ted Turner is thinking of becoming a candidate for President of the United States.
~ Idea 1884 ~The old generations never believed that peace was possible on this planet.Youth believes it today and therefore peace will now be possible.I hope that the first World Conference of Youth Ministers in Portugal will produce a comprehensive list of the beliefs of youth. These could be:- there will never be any more world and international wars on this planet- religious and ethnic wars will also vanish in the 21st century- violence will be substantially reduced on this planet in the years to come- we will see the birth of a proper Earth government in the 21st century- a decent well-being will be assured to all humans on Earth- the world population will soon be stabilized- people will live more frugal, simple and happy lives, and our miraculous Earth will be respected, preserved and beautified to an incredible degree- humanity will see a spiritual Renaissance and transcend itself into a spiritual union with the universe and time- we will live in harmony and cooperation with the Earth, with each other, with the past and the future and with the heavens- alcohol, drugs and smoking will disappear from this planet- our planet will be demilitarized and denuclearized; its security will be assured by a proper world central security system.- we will make it the most fabulous century of human history, the ultimate success of evolution, of the universe and God, the attainment of paradise to Earth
~ Idea 1885 ~Numerous foundations are being created on this planet. I personally would create "Unfoundations" to review from scratch the foundations of all existing institutions and disciplines and reform them into new ones responsive to the needs of further human progress and evolution.E.g. an Unfoundation to revise the current political system of the world and create at long last a world union.E.g. an Unfoundation to reform the current educational systems and create a new global, world, cosmic, spiritual education.E.g. an Unfoundation to revise from scratch the media of this planet and transform them into real global, Earth and one humanity media, etc. (do the same for all other 21 segments listed at the end of Ideas 1900).
~ Idea 1886 ~A few years ago at a conference held at Lake Mohonk, a Quaker Retreat in the Hudson Valley, I read and copied this beautiful text:"A Declaration from the Harmless and Innocent People of God,called Quakers, to Charles the Second (1660)We utterly deny all outward wars and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or any pretense whatever; this is our testimony to the whole world. The spirit of Christ by which we are guided is not changeable, so as to command us from a thing as evil and again to move unto it; and we certainly know and testify to the world, that the spirit of Christ, which leads us into all Truths, will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the Kingdom of Christ nor for the kingdoms of this world."It is after reading this text that I wrote for the first time the new fundamental human right for all humans on this planet "not to kill and not to be killed, not in the name of a nation or a religion nor anyone else."
~ Idea 1887 ~We have now a world-wide economy.And why not:a world-wide governmenta world-wide humanitya world-wide spiritualitya world-wide philosophya world-wide justicea world-wide cherished, well-cared, magnificent earthly homeetc.while keeping our incredible, cherishable, precious diversity?
~ Idea 1888 ~What an incredible planet in the universe this will be when we will be one human family living in justice, peace, love and harmony with our divine Earth, with each other and with the heavens.
~ Idea 1889 ~One thing humanity must learn according to my observations in the last fifty years at the UN is the fact that we cannot let a period of twenty to thirty years elapse until a major new global phenomenon is acted upon by governments. This was the case of the population crisis, the environment crisis, the climate crisis, the aging crisis and now the governance crisis of the planet. We cannot loose twenty to thirty years each time. The reaction must be much faster and less time lost in excuses that it should not be done, that everything will be fine. If this continues, we will soon be in terminal trouble.
~ Idea 1890 ~To a professor of environment from a Canadian University I said that one of my recommendations was that no student of economics should be allowed to enter that field without having studied first ecology. Before you change your home, the planet, you should know your home, the planet. He said that this has been solved, that he was teaching, Economic Ecology. I would prefer Ecological Economics or Ecolonomics.
~ Idea 1891 ~One of my main reasons for hope is that God or evolution can not have taken all the pains to create this marvelous Earth with its incredible diversity of life to let the most advanced of all species, humanity destroy it. It just cannot be. Humanity will now discover that the end purpose of God or evolution was not to make money and flood ourselves with material possessions but to take good care of this marvelous, miraculous Earth and of its further evolution. We have entered a new era of this perhaps unique living planet in the universe. The quicker all people see this, the less damage will be done to life and to the Earth itself.
~ Idea 1892 ~In the declarations of duties and responsibilities which are now coming strongly to the fore in the United Nations there should be the fundamental duty of every nation not to undertake anything that might endanger populations outside of their own territories. The most glaring example is the launching by the United States of the Cassini Space Capsule with eighty pounds of plutonium on board as a source of energy, return to the Earth, twirl around it in order to accelerate its speed and be able to reach more distant areas of the universe. If there is an accident, millions of people will die on this planet from nuclear radiations, many of them outside the United States. I strongly support the people's request to the President of the United States that the capsule should be redirected into the sun which would absorb it.
~ Idea 1893 ~The UN Human Rights Commission should begin to establish a novel list of Universal "No Rights". One would be that no nation has the right to undertake activities putting in danger populations of other nations or the basic elements of life on which all humans depend. The Cassini Space adventure would be one of the first typical examples of "No Rights". But there are many others. After rights, responsibilities, no-rights should become the third great area of action of the United Nations.
~ Idea 1894 ~Closely linked to the preceding is the question of nuclear testing and nuclear arms and stockpiles. To have nuclear arms and to make nuclear tests should be placed on the same list of "No Rights". Nations can assure their security by a Central World Security System as is foreseen in the Charter. They have no rights to endanger neighbors and the entire Earth with nuclear tests and missiles.
~ Idea 1895 ~One of the greatest obstacles to a better world is the built in pride, stubbornness and power obsession of institutions. A nation is never wrong. A religion is never wrong. A private firm is never wrong. One could count on one's fingers the nations, religions and firms which have acknowledged that they did something wrong. Has Germany asked forgiveness from the Jewish people? Has the US asked forgiveness for Hiroshima and for Viet Nam? Have manufacturers of land mines asked forgiveness for the killing of so many innocent people?The United Nations Secretary General was therefore right when he asked for a convening in the year 2000 of all heads of states to review the last one hundred years including some barbaric actions committed during that period.I pray that in 2000 many governments will acknowledge their barbaric actions, ask for forgiveness and offer some repair or compensation, for example to forgive the debts of the harmed countries.
~ Idea 1896 ~Another subject which should be raised at the beginning of a new century and millennium is to challenge a political, economic and social system which gives particular value to those who are in power and makes the ordinary, humble people admire them. There are endless examples. One should tell people not to admire undeservedly such and such people or such and such countries. For example, no one on Earth should admire the United States for launching the Cassini outer space craft at the risk of millions of people on this planet. No one should admire countries which posses nuclear arms or are armed up to their teeth. No one should admire multi-millionaires and billionaires. Nobody should admire big, enormous, powerful companies for having that power. Noone should admire militaries. We should turn our back on them because they are people who are ready to kill. We should remember the definition of the military by Tolstoy reproduced in idea 1284. Noone should admire big cities like New York, Bombay, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and so many others which have lost most of their oxygen. Noone should admire people who have mansions far beyond their needs, filled with endless amounts of things. Noone should admire families who have children whose rooms are filled with toys. Noone should admire people who have two or three automobiles or yatchs. Noone should admire people who have private airplanes, and so on and so forth. This might perhaps bring about a better world. Governments are paying huge sums to make foreign countries admire them. The United States is the best example. In every poor country there is only one wish of the people, it is to be admitted as an immigrant to the United States because they admire the United States as a paradise. Everything that comes from the US is by definition admirable and is presented as such by the public relations of the American Embassies and corporations. And then they complain about illegal immigrants!
~ Idea 1897 ~Since the end of the last century, starting with the first World Peoples' Peace Conference in 1899 in the Hague, the phenomenon of world conferences has reached an incredible degree of influence, affluence and breadth of coverage for the further progress and journey of humanity on planet Earth. This new fundamental, global social phenomenon must be very thoroughly used and studied by humanity, as we enter the next century. Such stock-taking is essential in the general review of the world situation and of our further evolution in the next century and millennium. It is a very vital new social, anthropological, evolutionary phenomenon.
~ Idea 1898 ~To forgive all or most foreign debts during the Jubilee year 2000, to poor countries, would be a classical means of pumpriming the world economy, especially now that the world economy begins to be in crisis. I am surprised that the classical economists of our time do not think of it. It would simply be a new Marshall Plan: no interests, no reimbursements, except voluntarily some time in the future, preferably to a world revolving aid fund (see Idea 435 in Volume I).
~ Idea 1899 ~With the creation of the United Religions Organization, the holding of a regular World Parliament of Religions and many other new means of inter-religious cooperation we are at long last emerging from our past religious chaos and conflict and on the verge of a world spiritual Renaissance around the common spirituality of all religions while maintaining their precious diversity.This will be of immense help to our 21st century evolution, giving again spirituality a first place in human affairs. It concerns one of the 21 basic segments of human life which I consider to be in need of reconsideration and rethinking from scratch, namely:- a spiritual Renaissance and inter-religious cooperation (see Volume I, Idea 538 and the following idea.
~ Idea 1900 ~"The world will not evolve past its current state of crisisby using the same thinking that created the situation."EinsteinWhat will happen when there will come a world economic crisis? Well, the smart economists of the dying American dream of endless economic development will resort to the old means of pumpriming thousands of billions of dollars into the world economy, including this time to poor countries, in order to stimulate consumption, i.e. production and employment. And the result will be a world ecological disaster, a quicker death of our nature, and of the Earth.Why not hold urgently a world economic conference to rethink the whole obsolete economic and monetary system? Europe is creating a European currency. Why not create a world currency? The world conditions have changed so fundamentally with the population explosion, the consumption explosion, the destruction of nature, the climate changes, the disruption of the normal functioning of our planet, that I constantly return to my request that we must rethink from scratch the 21 fundamental segments of human life listed in Ideas 527 to 547 of Volume I.Let us therefore convene urgently the following 21 world conferences on these subjects:a new political system for planet Eartha new economicsa new educationa new media and communicationsa new democracya new global leadershipa spiritual Renaissance and inter-religious cooperationa non-violent human societya well-preserved planeta decent well-being for all humansa stabilization of the world populationright human settlements on the planetthe disarmament, demilitarization, denuclearization and global security of the planeta new science and technologya new anthropology, sociology and new ways of lifea new human biologya new philosophy, cosmology and long-term view of evolutiona new world ethics and justicea new world psychologya new science and art of planetary managementan art and culture Renaissance
~ Idea 1901 ~It is a rare privilege for humanity to stand on the eve of a new millennium. It provides a unique opportunity to measure the road covered and to chart the road ahead.On the eve of the year 1000 humans feared the end of the world. Pest and cholera were sweeping over Europe. The people took refuge in churches waiting for the moment of the Apocalypse. But nothing happened and the people expressed their gratitude to God by building cathedrals.Today we have our scares too: the scare of an atomic holocaust, the threat of possible deterioration of our planet's environment and climate to the point that it might become unlivable. This is therefore a time for reflection, for stock-taking, confession, forgiveness, foresight, rededication and an evolutionary vision of the future.It would be criminal to enter the third millennium with business-as-usual. We must absolutely use the year 2000 to undertake an unprecedented, comprehensive evaluation of our journey on this planet, of our progress, our mistakes and foolishness, of our failures and growing pains, and of our hopes, dreams and ideals of the future.We must hold an extraordinary world-wide celebration of life in the year 2000, preceded by unprecedented thinking, action and determination to solve our remaining problems in order to enter the Third Millennium with a clean slate.The United Nations, the world's global organization, is at the center of this celebration. It stimulates and coordinates numerous world-wide activities in preparation of the celebration and events during the celebration. The UN will hold a Millennium General Assembly at the heads of states level accompanied by a Peoples' General Assembly 2000.Several governments have created national commissions for the year 2000, to coordinate national activities and events. Religions, professions, institutions, media, businesses, local authorities, citizens organizations, the arts, and last but not least individuals and families are active in the preparation and advent of a better, peaceful third millennium.For the first time in history we can enter a new millennium with our eyes wide open, with all the basic information available about our planet and human condition, with a host of proposals, ideas and visions for our further successful evolution on this perhaps unique life endowed planet in the universe.The 1st of January 2000 has already been declared One Day in Peace and the entire year 2000 International Year for a Culture of Peace and International Year of Thanksgiving. I hope that the 1st of January will also be declared World Day of Love to be celebrated every year. On that day there should be innumerable manifestations of love for peace, for all our human brothers and sisters, for our miraculous nature and for everything that is good in the heavens and on Earth.
~ Idea 1902 ~Delegates to the UN should use more often the word love in their speeches which are too political, too intellectual. Former Secretary General U Thant regretted that he seldom heard the word spirituality in UN meetings. I regret that I seldom hear the word love. Every UN delegate speaking should have before him a "heart stick" as the indigenous people have to remind them that they should speak from the heart. I use such a stick.
~ Idea 1903 ~When will we see at long last on this planet the first Ministry of Peace, Love and Non-violence? Its founder would find a whole agenda and a host of ideas in these four volumes of 2000 ideas. The computerized index would produce them automatically. The first leader on Earth who had the courage to create a Ministry of Peace was a general, President Eisenhower, after World War II. Harold Stassen, one of the signers of the United Nations Charter was the US Secretary of Peace. The ministry was later abolished when the cold war came. It would be interesting to return to the files and see how this ministry was organized. Mr. Harold Stassen is still alive. I will write to him and see if he could send us documentation on it.
~ Idea 1904 ~I recommend that a totally new world organization should be considered for our Earth and humanity, a World Organization of Evolution into which the United Nations could be incorporated. Thisorganization would listen to evolutionary scientists who look at evolution in its multiplicity of forms from the smallest bacteria to the evolution of humankind within the basic elements of the planet, its airs, its water, its climate etc. and who have a long-term view of what the future evolution of this planet is likely to be. This is indispensable because henceforth everything on this planet has to be seen in terms of a long-term future evolution . Our species is now in charge of the Earth's future evolution. If we stick to obsolete values we will put an end to it. If we adopt new values, new objectives, visions, institutions, and laws, evolution will continue. This is henceforth problem number one on this planet. Everything else has to abide to it.
~ Idea 1905 ~The New World Organization of Evolution would issue yearly reports on the state of evolution of our planet, review the prospects of the future and recommend corrective actions, including emergency measures and world laws.
~ Idea 1906 ~The most important single step that could help save the Earth and humanity would be to create in each government a Ministry of the Future and in the United Nations and in each of its agencies a Department and Commission of the Future. It would be the first step towards the creation of a World Organization of Evolution. It is good that the European Union had the vision to create a position of Commissioner for the Future. May this good example be followed by many institutions around the world, public and private.
~ Idea 1907 ~When one considers the vital importance of the future evolution of this planet and of humanity, it would be also important to create a World University of Evolution and the Future, or at least Faculties of Evolution and the Future in all Universities.
~ Idea 1908 ~When rethinking from scratch the 21 basic segments of human life listed in ideas 527 to 547 in Volume II and in the Introduction to this volume, one of the principal thinking processes and foresight should deal with the future of each segment.
~ Idea 1909 ~When Barbara and I got married, people called us the Cosmic Couple. We took it as a nice nickname and compliment. But we would have never expected that two years later we would be the prophetic couple of a new age in humanity's journey on planet Earth: the age of cosmic consciousness, evolution and spirituality.Thirty years ago I was already called the prophet of a new global age and the father of global education. It is good after such fatherhoods to be now also the co-worker with the feminine, the next new age of humanity in the 21st century, the cosmic, spiritual age.
~ Idea 1910 ~The UN Summit General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level should be a unique, unprecedented World Peace Assembly, aimed at settling once and for all the few stubbornly persisting ancient international conflicts prevailing on Earth (especially the Middle East, Cyprus and Kashmir). All mediations, negotiations, behind the scenes efforts of heads of states during 1999 should be aimed at that goal. It would be the greatest anniversary gift to humanity of all times.The Assembly should then decide the holding of a World Conference on Violence (see idea 5 in Volume I) which would deal with all other remaining forms of violence on this planet and formulate a world strategy of ways and means to eliminate them.
~ Idea 1911 ~The poor countries when accused by the rich ones of their overpopulation, one of the main adverse factors in our future evolution, should retort:You caused it because no one asked you to come and save our children from early death. Smart as you claim to be you could have told us that it was no longer necessary to have six children to have at least two left to till the land and take care of our old age. You could also have offered us a world old age security system or opened your borders to allow the immigration of our surplus youth to your own countries.Yes, when will we see the first world-wide old age security system on this planet? It could be done by a proper Earth government with the savings from military expenditures which would no longer be necessary if we had a central world security system as is foreseen in the Charter of the United Nations.
~ Idea 1912 ~The creation by the Rio de Janeiro Conference of an Earth Council is a great step ahead in human history. One of its first tasks is to draft an Earth Charter. An admirable text of that Charter is now in circulation among Non-governmental organizations for their comments. It opens a completely new chapter of world charters. We also need a charter for the seas and oceans, a charter for outer space, for the air and atmosphere, for the world's waters, for the mountain areas, for arid zones, for the world's forestry covers, for the world's vegetation, for other species, for human settlements, etc. A vast new field of human philosophy, behavior and future evolution has been opened: the fundamental rights of the Earth.
~ Idea 1913 ~Similarly the three existing Draft Declarations of Human Responsibilities which are mentioned in these 2000 ideas have opened a completely new chapter too because I can see the rapid emergence of requests and work on declarations of human responsibilities and duties:Toward the Earth as a wholeToward the seas and oceansToward outer spaceToward the air and atmosphereToward the waters of the EarthToward its forest coversToward vegetationToward other speciesToward human settlements, etc.Toward evolution, etc.And another great chapter will be opened by my recommendation in Idea 1892 that there should be Declarations of No-rights, the rights not to do harm and unnecessary damages to people and to the Earth.
~ Idea 1914 ~The Director of the Robert Muller School in Buenos Aires, Mrs. Gabriella Roncoroni Christeller, claims that existing human rights are incomplete and will remain inefficient until humanity recognizes the first and foremost human right of each individual to be transcended by a new education to our total planetary home, to the total human family, to the universe, to the heavens and to our role and fulfillment in the eternal stream of time. In her view, the World Core Curriculum provides for such an education and should be applied in all schools of the world.
~ Idea 1915 ~We have on this Earth a top level of institutions dealing with the world and humanity as a whole, a host of economic organizations like the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the International Bank, the Regional Economic Commissions, the International Monetary Fund, the General Agreement Tariffs and Trades, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Development Program, the World Food Program, the Food and Agricultural Organization, etc., but we do not have a single organization that deals with the most fundamental problem of all, namely the meaning and fulfillment of human life. I recommend that as we enter the 21st century and 3rd millennium a World Agency of Philosophy should be created. The Greek word philosophy means love of wisdom. It is about time that we deal not only with the materialistic side of life. At our stage of evolution we must ask ourselves very basically about the meaning of human life on this planet, in the universe and evolution of time.
~ Idea 1916 ~A World Agency of Philosophy would put on the top of its agenda the attainment of happiness not only through economic means. One can be happier with a frugal, simple life than a life of affluence imposed on us by marketing, advertising and the media. The drafters of the US Constitution were very wise when they declared that the pursuit of happiness was one of the main purposes of government. So let us have governments on this planet from the local to the top of the world which will bring peace and happiness to all humans admitted to the miracle of life.
~ Idea 1917 ~After I have finished these 2000 Ideas and Dreams for the Year 2000 I will return to the main subject that occupied all my life, namely the subject of happiness and the art of living. This should not only condemn all our errors of the past mentioned in the 2000 ideas but it should also aim at eliminating forms of making people unhappy for purely economic motives. I'm speaking of the damages made to human happiness by over-selling, selling the wrong products, fostering overconsumption, reducing the personal life of the human being to be a pure materialistic consumer.The Joy of Living in the 21st Century will be my Testament to humanity.
~ Idea 1918 ~It would be good for the world to return, during the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to the proclamation made by President Franklin Roosevelt at the beginning of World War II when he was very preoccupied with the violation of human rights in a number of fascist countries and said that we should build a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.The freedom of speech and expression everywhere in the world.The freedom of every person to worship God in his own way everywhere in the world.The freedom from want which translated into world terms means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peace-time life for its inhabitants everywhere in the world.The freedom from fear which translated into world terms means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor anywhere in the world.
These are very beautiful human freedoms enunciated by one of the most remarkable men of this century. We should look how they fare today and perhaps expand them. I propose to add:The freedom of any human being to settle in any location of this planet which is our common homeThe freedom from military service which teaches young men how to kill other human beings.The freedom of planet Earth from any military establishments and armaments on its soil, in and on its waters, in the atmosphere and in outer-space.
~ Idea 1919 ~I hope that in the 21st century there will come a day when there will be hundreds of world servants and hundreds of doctors and not a single military for each 100,000 inhabitants of the world, the reverse situation from today when there are 556 militaries, 85 doctors and only one world servant per 100,000 Earth inhabitants.
~ Idea 1920 ~I recommend that the Earth Council, the new body created by the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment should give every year a number of great prizes to people and institutions who have done something very remarkable to preserve the environment, to beautify the Earth, or who have come up with remarkable, impactful, successful new ideas. They should be tantamount to Nobel Prizes for Peace with the Earth.More generally: why don't the 185 governments of the United Nations create substantial world prizes to recompense major advances in peace and world cooperation? A small contribution of 100,000 dollars a year per nation would represent a total of 18.5 million dollars for United Nations Prizes. They could be a major instrument for world progress in many fields such as peace, human rights, the environment, etc. I suggest that the Secretary General or a member government inscribe the subject of World Prizes on the agenda of the General Assembly 2000.
~ Idea 1921 to 1923 ~To Robert, the man of my dreams and Dreams for a Better World,Here are three ideas for you from me for a Better World:Barbara Gaughen MullerIdea 1921 The best seller book Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler speaks of personal courage of the heroine, to leave her confused, meaningless life and start over with nothing but the clothes on her back and $500. The process of the benefits of simplicity to find one's meaning for life is summed up when she moves to a new home with her thought on page 171, "she liked the notion of a life no larger than a single, compact box."What a beautiful idea that each of us could have a more meaningful life, as Gandhi did when all his possessions at this death were gathered they took less space than one compact box.Idea 1922 As Robert and I listen to the radio in our simple cabin on Mt. Rasur, so many songs reflect the peace and justice humanity seeks. This morning the song, 'If I Had a Hammer', speaks to the theme of justice: "I'd hammer out justice, I'd hammer out love for all people all over the world." Beautiful ideas, in fact once while riding in a taxi to the airport in New York, I asked the cab driver what two songs he remembers learning first and he said, 'If I Had a Hammer' and 'Let There Be Peace on Earth'.There could be two new songs 'The Cleanest Mile on Earth'* to show how one person can make a difference and the Hopi word, Kogyun Deyo for 'Spider Boy' given to you to remind you to capture all evil on planet Earth and toss it into outer space.*See Annex to ideas 1401 to 1500.Idea 1923 David Cooperrider and Jim Lord inspired the following idea. Children of Planet Earth can become the new vision keepers using the technique of imagining a perfect world and asking their parents, teachers and clergy as well as elected officials of their communities three or four questions that both renew the dreams of the one being interviewed as well as inspire the younger generation. The questions could be as follows:1. "As you reflect on your career, can you tell me the story of a highpoint, a time when you felt most alive, most impactful, most successful in terms of contribution to this school, community, etc.?"2. "So what was it that made it a highpoint? Can you tell me what you value the most about yourself?"3. "What one thing are you most proud of?"Thus the connection of generations and inspiration begins with a shared vision of hope and joy.
~ Idea 1924 ~Never give up if you have an idea in which you believe profoundly, an idea that will improve the peace, the happiness and the living conditions of your human brothers and sisters. I will narrate here an anecdote from my own life:Many years ago in the 1960's a proposal was made by two great Latin American UN people, Raul Prebish from Argentina and Hernan Santa Cruz from Chile. It was to create a United Nations Marshall Plan of a revolving nature. Poor countries would repay interest free, long-term loans at a time when they would be developed. The debates on this took years. Both Raul Prebish and Hernan Santa Cruz returned to their countries. I remained one of the lone fighters for this idea that was staunchly opposed by the United States because they said nobody on Earth should get loans at fuzzy or no rates of interest or for long-term periods of time. This would disrupt the normal banking system. The proposal was known as SUNFED, Special UN Fund for Economic Development. At one point the US State Department sent a former colleague of mine who said to me: Robert, we are sick and tired to get all these cables about what you try to do. You should stop. We and our western allies will never agree to this proposal as you perfectly know. I answered him: Well, I will stop only when you give in. The earlier you give in the less cables you will receive. After that, a last determining meeting took place for a final voting on the proposal. To the astonishment of everyone, the German delegate instead of voting against it voted in favor! The western delegations withdrew for consultations and after a while came back and voted in favor of it, including the US. The plan was passed. After the meeting was over I asked the German delegate why Germany changed its vote. He answered: Germany did not. I did. I was commander of a German tank Division in the second World War. When I heard a man like you who had the courage and tenacity to continue his fight for an idea he considered a blessing for the world, I broke my instructions and voted in favor. I salute you from the bottom of my heart.My own heart is full of joy when I remember that today. This is how the United Nations Development Program was born first named Special Fund for Development, one of the biggest aid programs on Earth which otherwise might not have been created.
~ Idea 1925 ~I recommend that the World Peoples' Assembly 2000 should most forcefully recommend that UN world conferences should be reconvened at certain intervals and that a permanent item should be included on the agenda of each UN General Assembly, "New world conferences or repeat world conferences needed to keep peace, well-being, social justice, the environment and the further evolution of this planet on a positive course."
~ Idea 1926 ~As one of the major new UN world conferences I would recommend a conference on more frugal, simple and less Earth destroying lives in the rich countries and the urgent improvement of the consumption and well-being of the people in the poor countries.
~ Idea 1927 ~Another urgent UN world conference should be held on marketing and advertisement in the world. There are many negative and detrimental aspects of these two new, giant modern activities . They promote in the poor countries lifestyles and types of consumption which are detrimental to these countries and are exported to them for pure profit motives.
~ Idea 1928 ~My dream is to see a World University of the Art of Living created on the campus or near the University for Peace in Costa Rica. The magnificent world land of the University is vast enough to accommodate several world universities.
~ Idea 1929 ~Are we really an intelligent species? Suppose the astronauts brought back from another planet a plant, a flower, a bird, an insect or a butterfly? What excitement it would provoke with humanity! And yet the same humanity lets die every five hours one of our own miraculous species formed over millions or years!Are we an intelligent species when we bomb mothers and children of our own race in big cities because our government dislikes a leader or a particular country?Are we an intelligent species spiking our miraculous, infinitely precious home with 34,000 nuclear arms, the accidental explosion of which might create havoc?And what will we answer when the youth of tomorrow will ask us: "What do you leave us to live on and to administer? You have recklessly destroyed 30 percent of the nature of this planet in the last thirty years?"
~ Idea 1930 ~The UN General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level must absolutely measure up to its historical tasks and be remembered for its audacity and long-term views of the future. It should above all decide to embark on the writing of a constitution for proper Earth government. If it does not, future historians will not forgive its members.
~ Idea 1931 ~At this stage of our evolution the concept of competition and survival of the fittest must be abandoned in favor of the concept of cooperation. The whole future evolution of the Earth and of humanity depends on it. Only cooperation will save the Earth and humanity. From now on cooperation must be the supreme law of Earth and human survival. We must aim at a United Earth and Nature.
~ Idea 1932 ~What a strange world in which the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (US, France, UK, Russia and China) account for eighty percent of the world's arms exports! No wonder that there is no progress in the disarmament of this planet. Given this condition I suggest that a people's movement, a world non-governmental organization be created to request the abolishment of the veto power given to these countries. An outer space inspection team visiting this planet would declare that we are politically completely out of our minds. They would recommend that the veto power be given to demilitarized, disarmed countries. Why give a premium to bigness, power and the possession of horrendous means of violence against humans and the Earth?
~ Idea 1933 ~I hear more and more voices and read more and more articles that slowly but surely the economic system of this planet is going towards disaster. I suggest that someone should have the courage like President Roosevelt to speak of a new deal and that the United Nations be requested to convene an unprecedented world economic conference to review entirely the situation, to see what is wrong, to pinpoint the dangers, to correct our course and system, and to provide for emergency situations. I have at least a dozen books that were sent me by people who propose new ways in the economic and monetary systems for the planet. The conference would probably get many more.
~ Idea 1934 ~I am glad that at the opening of the 20th World Congress on Philosophy in Boston the creation of a World Commission on Spirituality has been announced. Together with the creation of United Religions Organization similar to the United Nations it will bring about a much needed spiritual Renaissance.
~ Idea 1935 ~At the same World Congress on Philosophy I proposed the creation of a World Agency of Philosophy. We very much need a new world philosophy for our behavior and ideals on this planet.
~ Idea 1936 ~For the same reason at the Conference of Long-term Evolutionary Scientists which will be held by the Club of Budapest in Cagliari, Italy in 1999 I will recommend the creation of a World Association or Organization of Long-term Evolutionary Scientists.
~ Idea 1937 ~My main message in these 2000 ideas is this: Humans from now on must understand that the fate of the whole Earth and of our future evolution is at stake. This world-wide evolutionary challenge has never existed before. It requires from humanity new values, new ways of life, new institutions and new laws.
~ Idea 1938 ~It is an irony that at the end of this century when it would be so essential to review the role and structure of the first world-wide organization ever created on this planet, the United Nations is placed on the defensive instead of upgrading it to cope with the colossal, numerous global problems facing this planet and humanity. It is totally incomprehensible especially from an enlightened country like the United States. I feel compelled to say it and to beg all nations to do with courage, audacity and vision what is right and necessary for the Earth and humanity, irrespective of the US position.
~ Idea 1939 ~Dear reader,Send me your ideas and dreams. Send them to the President of your country, to your elected parliamentarians, to the Secretary General of the UN, to the heads of UN agencies, etc. Big, urgent problems and emergencies are facing humanity. The future of our descendants depends on our actions of today. Proclaim your ideas and dreams for a better world. It is your sacred duty. God and humanity will recompense you beyond belief.
~ Idea 1940 ~Governments at the General Assembly 2000 should request the United Nations to submit a report on the most economical ways public services could be provided for the common good of humanity and of the Earth. Such a report should be prepared by the top economists of the world. Governments would be surprised by the number, costs and duplications of the same public services in 185 nations. They would be appalled by the almost non-existence of common services for humanity and for the Earth as a whole, for the seas and oceans, for our air and atmosphere, for our waters, for transportation. An infinitely more rational, cheaper and more effective system of common public services must be adopted for the world.
~ Idea 1941 ~For every new human-made gadget, instrument, invention comes along an instruction manual. But for the biggest, most incredible, most mind-boggling invention we live on and depend on, namely the Earth, there is not even an outline for an instruction manual! This is why the Earth is in trouble and why we need so urgently, so absolutely a proper Earth government: it will be the beginning of creating, at long last in our checkered, often dismal history, an instruction manual for our planet. Without it we are bound to destroy it and to be doomed ourselves. Anti-Earth government thinking and advocacy towards the Earth is criminal.
~ Idea 1942 ~Two of the worst principles and words still used on planet Earth are: fundamentalism and infallibility. Examples:my nation, right or wrongmy religion, right or wrongmy business, right or wrongthe infallibility of religious leaders, etc.The two words should be eliminated form human language. No human person, no human institution can be totally right and infallible. We are all imperfect, if only in minimal ways Human progress can continue only if we learn from each other and cooperate. After the era of competition we are entering the new, evolutionary era of adaptation and cooperation which will produce wonders.
~ Idea 1943 ~The world sociology has fundamentally changed since the 1920's when the League of Nations was created and since the 1940's when the UN was born. The New 21st Century UN must reflect the world society of today and not of past times especially in a period of evolution which is so rapid. There should be every ten years a new San Francisco conference of all nations to review, update and modernize their first global instruments for world cooperation.
~ Idea 1944 ~The proper representation of peoples' and of their associations must henceforth be placed as an item on the agenda of the UN General Assembly. A 96 year old gentleman sent me anonymously a Peace Plan in which he proposes the creation of a world humanitarian government elected through a plebiscite conducted by a union of all the world's humanitarian associations. Perhaps the human society has reached the point when such associations have become indeed the skeleton and backbone around which the world of tomorrow should be organized and governed.
~ Idea 1945 ~Since the multinational corporations have by far been the greatest beneficiaries of the work of the United Nations which has opened to them the whole world to trade and invest, to the minimum of customs controls and other obstacles, it is high time that these multinational corporations be taxed to provide financial resources for the United Nations to do other good work for the planet. An inspection team from outer space would be astonished that this is not yet done. The people of Earth should express the same astonishment and request that this major anomaly be corrected. With increased financial resources the United Nations and its 32 specialized agencies could do more wonders.
~ Idea 1946 to 1947 ~To my ideas 557 to 564 (Volume II) on proper Earth government, I want to add the following:Idea 1946 A conference which would contribute to thinking and planning of proper Earth government by reviewing the entire range of problems and solutions that would allow the provision of the most economical public services and means for the common good of the Earth and of humanity from the local to the global levels.Idea 1947 A world Earth and human government in which people would be represented by international and world peoples' associations and movements.
~ Idea 1948 ~I consider my proposal for a world conference on Proper Earth Government through the Free Market System important. Indeed the most remarkable businessmen and executives on Earth have given a lot of thought, imagination and work to achieve the highest and most economical profits for their enterprises. If these people were called upon to exercise the same talent on how to govern the Earth and humanity including the provision of common public services, an entirely new world political system might emerge. For example, it is not impossible that they would recommend that the financing of common services should not come from taxation of the people and consumers but would come from taxation of the business world itself.
~ Idea 1949 ~Following the creation of the United Nations Organization and the forthcoming United Religions Organization I highly recommend that a United Philosophies Organization be also created. Philosophy is love for wisdom. We sorely need a common, recent, global, new wisdom for our further evolution on this planet, a wisdom which includes the care and preservation of the Earth itself, its nature and the elements which sustain our lives. Such an organization would have a permanent inter-philosophical world staff the same way as the United Nations is serviced by a permanent international world staff and the United Religions Organization will be served by a permanent inter-religious world staff.In idea 1151 I proposed that the United Religions Organization and a new United Peoples' Organization should be made specialized agencies of the United Nations. So should the new United Philosophies Organization whose task it will be to give humanity a new global meaning adequate for our current stage of evolution.
~ Idea 1950 ~There are constant, numerous mergers, fusions and partnerships between larger businesses and multinational corporations. Why don't we see mergers, fusions and partnerships between nations? At least, don't complain that the corporations rule the world.
~ Idea 1951 ~The International Chamber of Commerce should also be transformed into a United Business Organization serviced by a permanent world business staff and also should become a specialized agency of the United Nations.
~ Idea 1952 ~Many more United World Organizations should be created with world servants provided by their various members and become specialized agencies of the United Nations. As a result the major association phenomenon of our current stage of evolution on this planet would receive a concrete, positive and contributing form. The diversity of our planet and of humanity would be building blocks of a world unity and proper Earth government.
~ Idea 1953 ~The Inter-parliamentary Union should be transformed into a United Parliaments Organization with a permanent inter-parliamentary staff from all parliaments of the world.
~ Idea 1954 ~As proposed before the Union of International Associations in Brussels should definitely be transformed into a United Peoples' Associations Organization with a permanent inter-associational staff and should also become a specialized agency of the UN.
~ Idea 1955 ~New world universities should be created next to all united organizations. We have already a United Nations University and a University for Peace. We similarly need a World Spirituality University, a World Business University, a World Parliamentary University, a World NGO's University, and several others. The whole university system of this planet must be upgraded from scratch.
~ Idea 1956 ~And why not a World Heads of States University fulfilling the dream of Confucius and my own that there should be at least one place on Earth where heads of states could be properly trained to take good care of the world? And why not create also a United Heads of States Network connected by instantaneous communications between all of them and with the Secretary General of the UN?
~ Idea 1957 ~I hope that students in local, national, regional, international, transnational and world affairs or planetics will read these 2000 ideas and decide to write a host of new, audacious, path-breaking theses and ideas to bring about the new world order so urgently needed for our further successful evolution.
~ Idea 1958 ~I hope that the International Association of University Presidents will bring these ideas to the attention of the faculties of politics and world affairs around the globe. They should produce by the year 2000 a major report of their ideas concerning university education in the 21st century.
~ Idea 1959 ~I hope that all elderly people in all walks of life will write down their ideas for reform and progress in the world and in their respective fields as I have done at the age of 75 for mine. It is your absolute duty. Do not let them get buried with you in your tombs.
~ Idea 1960 ~The UN was able to put an end to political colonialism within a short period of forty years. But colonialism, the spread of power always resurges in other forms. Today we have Pluto-colonialism, the colonialism of money. We have Coca Cola-colonialism, the sales power of products displacing natural local products. We have the media-colonialism, the domination of those who own the media. We have atomic-colonialism, the imposition of power through the threat of atomic weaponry. We have Martial-colonialism the colonialism of the big military powers.A new item should be placed on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly entitled, Survey and Inquiry into New Forms of Colonialism in the World.If there is no agreement in the United Nations to take up that subject I recommend the creation of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Neo-colonialisms.
~ Idea 1961 ~Most existing political parties in the world are becoming obsolete: conservative, labor, socialist, republican, democrat, etc. They are part of a past period of our evolution. Since the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing world-wide, there should be a World Party of the Poor and since the Earth has become a major preoccupation, the new parties must be ecological parties like the Greens and World Party of Natural Law which recommends that we follow the laws of nature in our government of the Earth. Also a World Peace Party, the Golden Party.In this connection I have an idea for the Green Parties that might seem silly: the Hindus wear a red dot in the space right above the middle of their eyebrows. They call it the third eye. The people who believe in nature should wear a green dot at that spot to show that they love and care for nature and the preservation of the Earth.
~ Idea 1962 ~Economy (oikos, the home, nomos, the management) has received a shock from ecology (oikos, the home, logos, the knowledge) which should have come first. I propose a few new words and philosophies, namely ecophily (the love of the home) and ecocracy, the voice of the home. And since the Greek word Gaia means the goddess Earth we could also speak of Gaiacracy or Geogracy, the voice, the power of the Earth, or of Terracracy (from the Latin), or Earthcracy (from English).
~ Idea 1963 ~Young men of this world: when you are adolescents be faithful to the dream(s) of your childhood planted into you by God, evolution, nature or the cosmos. Express it in your life, beliefs, words and studies. This will attract to you a loving life companion who will help you remain faithful to your dream(s) and not fall prey to false values offered or promoted by society. It has happened to me twice in my life. Without Margarita Gallo, my wife from Chili and Barbara Gaughen of Hungarian origin my life would not have been the magic, incredible fulfillment of my childhood's dreams it has been.
~ Idea 1964 ~The Secretary General of the UN and the heads of the 32 specialized agencies and UN world programs should prepare a comprehensive mind, heart and soul-boggling report for the year 2000 entitled:Major Challenges to the World and Humanity in the 21st CenturyThat report should review major evolutionary challenges to peace, education, well-being, good health, justice, the environment, democracy, human rights and other major subjects on the human agenda.
~ Idea 1965 ~The yearly State of the World Conference held by the US Gorbachev Foundation in San Francisco should similarly deal with the major challenges to the Earth and humanity and publish a pathbreaking document for the year 2000.
~ Idea 1966 ~As early as 1960 Norman Cousins and I recommended to the Secretary General of the UN that a yearly report on the state of the world should be published by the UN and by all United Nations agencies and world programs. The idea was turned down. It was too daring, too political. The practice was continued to submit to the General Assembly and to other UN bodies like the Economic and Social Council only reports requested by governments in these bodies. I propose that our idea should be implemented from the year 2000 on every year and by all UN agencies and world programs.
~ Idea 1967 ~There is a new, important factor we must take into account on this planet: on the one hand the acceleration of many phenomena, such as new scientific and technological developments, new productions, new constructions, new transport, new marketing, new media, etc. and on the other hand the slowness, the lagging behind of changes in values, institutions and laws. Values: it took humanity twenty years to become concerned about the population explosion, twenty years for the environment, twenty years for the climatic issue, and not yet concern for the consumption explosion. Institutions: it took twenty years, a world war and sixty million deaths to create a second, slightly improved international institution over the League of Nations, the United Nations; it took forty years to create the European Union. Laws: no real, world laws were adopted in this century; it is a field in which there is no progress practically, due to the stubborn opposition of national sovereignties; as a result most recommendations for the survival of the Earth have not been implemented.Here are a few outstanding recognitions of the preceding:ValuesAccording to a survey of long-term evolutionary scientists, both a number of astrophysicists (e.g. Eric Chaisson) and biologists (e.g. Nobel Prize winner Christian de Duve) have come to the conclusion that on any planet in the universe on which there is life, one species develops sooner or later to the point of gaining a total knowledge of its planet. At that point a change of values must take place to permit further evolution; if that species sticks to its earlier values, evolution on that planet will end.According to these scientists we have reached that crucial point on planet Earth (see Introduction to Ideas 1401 to 1500 in Volume III).Two opinions from statesmen:Mikhail GorbachevWe are in dire need of redefining the parameters of our society's economic, political and social development. The conflict between man and the rest of nature carries the risk of truly catastrophic consequences. We are suffering a loss of fundamental spiritual values, the anchors that are indispensable for normal life worthy of human nature.Vaclav HavelThere are good reasons for suggesting that the modern age has ended. Many things indicate that we are going through a transitional period when it seems that something is on the way out and something else is painfully being born. It is as if something were crumbling, decaying and exhausting itself, while something else still indistinct were arising from the rubble.InstitutionsIn a pathbreaking second world report Beyond the Limits, published in 1992, twenty years after the first famous report The Limits of Growth in 1972, the authors offer a series of computerized futures of humanity and of the Earth, taking various assumptions of population growth, economic growth, consumption growth, etc. Only one set of assumptions point to both the survivability of humanity and conservation of the Earth's vital natural elements. But the authors conclude that even that hypothesis is unlikely to succeed because existing institutions will not change in time to avoid the catastrophe. Hence the absolute need to change our institutions and to urgently create a proper Earth government as I recommend repeatedly in these 2000 ideas.LawsRecent examples regarding the attempt to create new world law and world legal institutions, were it only in the field of world criminality and human rights, have shown the stubborn opposition of the United States in particular against any world legal system or laws, such systems and laws being contrary to American sovereignty and constitution.Some hope rests in the 1999 World Peace Conference in The Hague, sponsored by the World Federalists to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the first World Peace Conference held in Holland in 1899 at the initiative of the Czar of Russia.
~ Idea 1968 ~What a historical, moral irony it is that the United States, the great enlightened country of this century, has become the most powerful and stubborn obstacle to the further evolution of this planet with its fundamentalist belief in the freedom of profit-making and endless so called economic development, a correct American dream at the end of the 19th century but now a disastrous ideology. The United States, if it does not change its basic philosophy will become responsible for the end of evolution on this planet. Why is that? It is because like all great empires in human history the US believes in its power, nourishes and increases it by every possible means and does not adapt to the new requirements of evolution. The British historian Toynbee has shown this to be the case of the demise of all great empires of the past. The only difference is that this time, the US might bring along with its own demise the demise of most of life on Earth.
~ Idea 1969 ~From a beautiful, equilibrated, harmonious, interdependent natural Earth ours is becoming a severely ill, dying Earth. We have innumerable hospitals to care for sick people, but we have no hospitals to care for this sick world. Healthcare must be extended to the world! The United Nations should be renamed the World Health Organization!
~ Idea 1970 ~Work on an Earth Charter undertaken since the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment is extremely useful but too slow, a period from 1993 to the year 2002 being much too long.I recommend that work be immediately undertaken on a whole series of particularly important aspects of the Earth such as:A Charter for our Solar System and Outer-spaceA Charter for Future EvolutionA Charter for the AtmosphereA Charter for the Seas and OceansA Charter for World WaterA Charter for World SpeciesA Charter for the Earth Forest Covers and VegetationA Charter for Top SoilsA Charter for Mountain AreasA Charter for the World's Great LakesA Charter for the Arid and Semi-arid ZonesA Charter for the Arctic and Antarctic.The same procedure was followed after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights when Charters for Children's Rights, Women's Rights, Indigenous Rights, Racial Equality, etc. were undertaken.
~ Idea 1971 ~A prophecy: The time will come when humanity will rejoice when learning that the so called gross national product has declined as well as the world population, that world tourism has declined, world transportation has declined, that consumption has declined, that prices have declined, that waste and garbage have declined and that as a result the Earth and nature have been less destroyed. Once this will happen a new era will be born.
~ Idea 1972 ~The time has come when governments should give tax incentives, financial subsides, encouragement and recognition to people who preserve nature, who do not allow natural lands and grounds they possess to be developed, or sell them to developers to pay for the high-cost education of their children in Universities where they are taught to further "develop", i.e. destroy the Earth as business people, architects, marketing and advertising experts, etc.And why do we humans speak of developed and underdeveloped countries? Why not overdeveloped countries and underdeveloped countries? Overflying the Untied States one sees below several ecological disaster areas and yet the US continues to offer itself as a model to be envied and imitated by all countries in the world.I recommend a new classification of countries into:Still livable countriesIncreasingly unlivable countriesMany western overproducing and overconsuming countries would be in the second category together with the overpopulated countries of the world. Each country should establish a basic distinction between its natural still livable areas and its overpopulated, overdeveloped unlivable areas.
~ Idea 1973 ~To help the birth of a proper Earth and Humanity government, it would be useful to see created a number of new world movements and international non-governmental organizations: e.g. to disarmament and demilitarization there should be added desecretization and decorruption movements. They would pinpoint and denounce the many secret agents planted by big powers in other countries, in world organizations, non-governmental organizations and the media, as well as their corruptive practices through monetary bribes and other rewards. No nation on Earth should have secret services and corruptive practices. The taxpayers are entitled to get full information on what such so-called "services" cost. This should become an important item on the subject of world ethics which is coming strongly to the fore in UNESCO and the UN. Simon Bolivar was right when he recommended the creation of a Moral and Ethical Department in national governments.
~ Idea 1974 ~The Secretary General of the United Nations and the heads of all 32 specialized agencies and world programs of the UN should publish for the year 2000 a document in which they would list and elaborate on:1. The main subjects and world issues on which they are hopeful and optimistic.2. The world problems and issues which give them major worries and concerns.Each regional organization should prepare the same report for the various continents and regions.Each member government of the United Nations should do it for their country.This could be of ominous help in planning appropriate actions, behaviors, policies and legislations in the 21st century to assure our future evolution.
~ Idea 1975 ~Since disarmament talks have taken place since 1899, during the first Peoples' Peace Conference in The Hague, continued during the entire twentieth century under the League of Nations and the United Nations, and the situation today is worse than ever, I suggest that consideration be given to suppressing disarmament from the agenda of the United Nations and that governments which enjoy continuing the debate should hold conferences and meetings on it outside the United Nations. It would be a substantial saving for the UN budget.
~ Idea 1976 ~I dream that out of the United States, which was the result of a dream and had the dream of a progressive, just and prosperous world a host of new dreams will be born for the 21st century. At the top of these should be the dream of a United States of the World, a well governed world. Humanity is anxiously awaiting a renaissance of the United States as a country of dreams and visions for a better world and not to remain entrenched in its current, materialistic, soulless, Earth-damaging moneycracy.
~ Idea 1977 ~Dear reader,Do not defer, do not postpone your hopes, your dreams, your ideals, you ideas. Write them down and work for them right away and constantly. This is an essential part of your cosmic or divine nature as the religions call it, and role in life. Put your joys and passion into it. It will bring you untold happiness and unexpected rewards. They mysterious forces of the universe will help you as they did me, making my life a magic, miraculous story which I could have never imagined in my wildest dreams.
~ Idea 1978 ~The UN is in my view and experience the most mind-boggling effort ever in human history to come to grips with all of humanity's and of the Earth's problems and further successful evolution. It does this in three ways:- the fight against all evil, errors and injustices;- the fulfillment of our dreams: peace, justice, well-being, human rights, literacy, the environment, the preserving of the Earth, continued evolution, etc.- the promotion of great philosophical concepts and ideals such as hope, faith, dreams, visions, prayer, gratitude, forgiveness, etc.Is it not astonishing that the problem of climatic changes which was signaled to humanity in a first UN world climate conference in 1979, followed by a second on in 1987, took almost twenty years to get the attention of the world media and of many governments? I will never forget how in the late 1970's a number of climatologists (a new profession born in the wake of meteorology, i.e. weather forecasting) flooded the UN Secretary General and my office, as his assistant, with warnings that something basically wrong was going to happen to the world's climate. We convened the 1979 world conference because we believed that their warnings deserved attention. The conference predicted that around the year 2020 we will see changes in the ocean currents which would bring havoc to the climate of a number of regions. Well, we have already today the problems created by the Niño current. The US also reports that the last fifteen months had the highest temperatures in recorded history. But many articles say disparagingly that this is a pet-project of Vice President Al Gore who prefaced the first major, classic report of 1990 Climate in Crisis, by Albert K. Bates (The Book Publishing Co., Summertown, PO Box 99, TN 38483) which names some of the climatologists who sent us their warnings (Stephen Schneider is a name I remember because Schneider was my mother's name.)Well, I am glad that at least one country on Earth has a vice presidency for global affairs. In a recent letter to Al Gore on the celebration of the year 2000 I mentioned to him that in my 2000 ideas I recommend the creation of the same vice presidency for global affairs in all countries on Earth. A draft treaty to prevent a further climate deterioration and increase in world temperatures is waiting for ratification by the US Congress which has its severest doubts about it. Of course because capitalism is not ready to accept such an obstacle in its ideology.
~ Idea 1979 ~With regard to world water, the United Nations convened the first world water conference in 1967. The experts forecast at it that world water consumption would quadruple by the year 2000. At that time there existed barely any Ministries of Water on the planet. We hired the one from Argentina, Guillermo Cano, as the Secretary of the Conference. Today there are Ministers of Water in most countries of Earth. Thirty years having passed since 1967, the UN should urgently convene a second world water conference.Let us remember that thanks to the UN World Population Conferences of 1954, 1965, 1974 and 1984 an increase of the world population of 2.2 billion people by the year 2000 was prevented (see Idea 503, Volume II). The convening of further climate and water conferences could have similar beneficial effects for the world.
~ Idea 1980 ~Another fundamental element of human life merits urgent attention world-wide: air, the oxygen we must breathe to keep alive. The UN has a World Atmospheric Program but has never held a world conference on the air or atmosphere. I recommend that one should be convened urgently. The content of oxygen in the Earth' atmosphere is diminishing in particular over big cities and industrial areas. This merits a close world watch. I regret that the World Meteorological Organization has not yet been transformed into the World Climate Organization.
~ Idea 1981 ~To the group of 14 demilitarized countries of this planet (see idea 20 in Volume I) I would like to see added another group: countries which have abolished war in their constitution. The only country which has done it so far is Japan in its postwar constitution (Article 9). Japan should take the leadership in inducing and helping other countries to amend their constitution the same way. Such dispositions in national constitutions would be a first step towards the limitation of national sovereignty, an example to be followed in other fields, such as the environment and preservation of the Earth.
~ Idea 1982 ~In Idea 502 (Volume II) I listed the three main periods through which the Untied Nations and humanity have gone since 1945: 1) humanism; 2) the environment; and 3) the Earth as number 1. In these last 500 Ideas I mentioned a fourth period: our future evolution.It suddenly occurs to me that the UN is still structured according to the needs and philosophy of the first period, namely humanism with the objectives of peace, well-being, health, labor, food, education, culture, human rights, etc. The structure of the UN system does not reflect adequately the other three recent and equally fundamental preoccupations, except the environment. A basic, restructuring of the UN and its specialized agencies must therefore be considered, to make it the principal, central Organization of the Earth and of Future Evolution. We should create a World Air and Atmosphere agency, a World Water Agency, a World Climate Agency, a World Ocean Agency, a World Outer Space Agency, etc. Within these fundamental aspects of the Earth we should consider the place, actions and fulfillment of the human species.This reform should become a priority item on the agenda of world affairs at this beginning of a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 1983 ~I have underlined before the fallacies in the existing world political and economic systems under which the rich countries and the rich in those countries are getting richer often without any work while the poor countries and the poor in all countries cannot get out of their poverty despite all their work and efforts. I kept a document of 6 October 1976 in which Mr. Robert McNamara, the President of the International Bank underlined that there were 900 million people in the poor countries who lived in desperate poverty. In 1997, 20 years later the UN Secretary General, at the Conference on the World Social Situation held in Denmark reported that there were 1 billion 300 million people in the poor countries who had an income of only one dollar a day. When will the world community at long last try to correct this situation in an effective, humanitarian, right economic, social and political system for this Earth and the entire humanity?
~ Idea 1984 ~I pray that someone will create a World Association of Reformers for a Better World. I would be happy to be one of its first members. Would anyone on this planet have ever imagined that some day billions of bottles of water would be shipped from Evian at the foot of the Mt. Blanc in France to far away countries, when nature has provided most of humanity with pure water in most places of the Earth?Soon we will probably also see bottles of compressed pure air shipped from Costa Rica to be sold in the United States and in overpopulated cities.Crazy will you say?Well, remember my words in a few years.
~ Idea 1985 ~I recommend that starting in the year 2000 the UN and all its agencies and world programs should publish yearly reports on two major subjects not or insufficiently covered by world organizations namely:1. Actions of love, compassion, generosity, volunteer services, philanthropy and gaiaphily to bring about a better Earth and human condition on this planet.2. A report on spirituality in the world.
~ Idea 1986 ~A Pilot's view of polluted EarthHere in Europe, we pay up to five times the US price for fuel. It is very highly taxed for sure, but it does have the effect of making us a little more responsible in the field of energy consumption. In fact, the motor-fuel tax in the United Kingdom is being increased expressly for this purpose.Global warming is fact, not fiction. There are dreadful floods in Bangladesh, and the world's climate is changing I read in the UK newspaper that dragonflies the size of small birds have been borne across the Atlantic Ocean from the US and appeared in the British Isles for the first time.I am a British Airways airline Captain who has been flying for 30 years. And I can tell you from my position high above the surface of the Earth how much worse pollution has become during my career. No longer do I enjoy such wonderful views of the Alps, the Rockies or Mount Kilimanjaro. No longer can I see Mount McKinley from 200 miles away.When I began my career, Purple Haze was a Top 10 hit song. Now, unfortunately, it is often a reality.Come on, America. Catalytic converters aren't the answer. Get real, get walking or at least get more efficient power plants.Michael D'AltonWest Sussex, EnglandUSA Today, 19 October 1998
~ Idea 1987 ~In my view the two main purposes of government should be:- to make the Earth a paradise- to render humanity happy.Well, since we have already words like humanizing, civilizing, pacifying, why don't we coin two more words: paradizing and happinizing, to create paradise and achieve happiness on Earth. A landscaper or a person tending a beautiful garden would be a paradizer by beautifying a little corner of the Earth. A philanthropist would be a happinizer, a gaiaphilist a paradizer. Why not? It is all a matter of starting a new custom. After a while it would be accepted as common sense. Did not God give us this message and duty when he placed Adam and Eve in paradise Earth?How exciting will be the day when we will be able to say: we did it, we have made the Earth a Paradise, a garden of Eden inhabited by a happy human family! And how exciting this task will be for the 21st century!
~ Idea 1988 ~After the appearance of global crises on this planet, we will now see the appearance of evolutionary crises.After the birth of global institutions for this planet we will now see the birth of evolutionary institutions.After the need for global education we will now see the need for evolutionary education.After the birth of global media we will now see the birth of evolutionary media.After the appearance of global conferences we will now also see the appearance of evolutionary conferences,etc.
~ Idea 1989 ~Global consciousness and evolutionary consciousness will now be the two keys to our survival and further evolution. We must rethink everything within the global character of our planet and its further evolution. Only then will we succeed and will everything make sense. This is a new, very exciting era in humanity's journey and fate on this planet. It will lead to the most unexpected, marvelous results, held impossible today. Of course old beliefs, values, institutions and interest groups will oppose it, but their opposition will not hold against the inexorable imperatives of evolution which will show up in major crisis and emergency situation, if we do not act in time.
~ Idea 1990 ~In 1975 I was asked by a British magazine, The New Era, to contribute an article with my views on education. I wrote it on The Need for Global Education. Given the birth of a global consciousness to humanity at that time, it had profound effects and earned me the title of Father of Global Education and let to a new education in 34 Robert Muller Schools around the world.Twenty-two years later a new consciousness is being born to the human species: an evolutionary consciousness, a growing concern for the future of the Earth and humanity. I would therefore write today an essay on The Need for an Evolutionary Education. We teach history but no futurstory. I am sure that not a single school on Earth teaches the children what the world is likely to be when they will be adults. This is as irresponsible as was the absence of a global education in 1975. And in a few years, I will have to write a third essay on The Need for Cosmic Education, because a cosmic consciousness will be born next to humanity.
~ Idea 1991 ~Since Barbara and I were brought in mysterious, unplanned ways to meet, become husband and wife, and to live on Sacred Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica where Rasur, the indigenous God of the children appeared to them and prophecized that peace will extend from this hill to the entire world, we consider ourselves to be his messengers too, day and night, day after day and wherever we go on this planet.The demilitarization of Costa Rica was born on this hill,The first University for Peace on this planet was created on it,The first International Radio for Peace is located here,The first Earth Council created by the 2nd UN Conference on the Environment in Rio de Janeiro will have its seat here.Please, dear friends, add to the above.And please dear reader, come and sit on one of our benches of dreams, visions, ideas, hope, faith, love, forgiveness, gratitude, or build a BENCH OF DREAMS wherever you live and become messengers of Rasur, helping him to fulfill his prophecy.
~ Idea 1992 ~As part of a world spiritual Renaissance I hope that a best-selling, widely distributed world report and book will be published on the world's religions' basic environmental beliefs and recommendations to their faithful: e.g. to respect Gods' Creation, to protect nature, to live simple, frugal lives, fasting etc. I have come across many of them in my work around the world. The indigenous spiritualities are probably the most environmentalist religions of all and would merit a world report of their own. A coordinated world-wide effort by the new United Religions Organization could have very beneficial effects. I am glad to learn that Harvard University has held ten conferences on the environmental contributions of the world's religions and has submitted the finds to the United Nations.
~ Idea 1993 ~It should become a world law and law of every nation that each city publish a daily air quality report, indicating the CO2 content.Similarly, at the end of each flight of passenger airplanes, the amount of fuel consumed and CO2 emitted in the atmosphere should be announced to the passengers. The International Civil Aviation Organization should publish every month the total tonnage of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by aviation. The time will soon come when air traffic will be limited.
~ Idea 1994 ~The current political and economic "system" of planet Earth is a disastrous, chaotic, unjust, illogical, unacceptable humanity', Earth' and evolution damaging system. It is surprising that it could last so long. If not rethought from scratch, it will lead to auto-destruction and untold havoc, similar to what happened in a Russia unprepared for the end of communism. Please, leaders of nations, lift yourself beyond your states and become the artisans of a much needed novel, political and economic world system adequate for the new conditions prevailing on this planet and required by our further evolution.
~ Idea 1995 ~I hope that during the UN General Assembly 2000, one head of state will have to courage to stand up and say to his assembled peers: "The world of sovereign nations has created an unbelievable chaos; the powers given to economists and business are leading us to disaster; the Earth, its vital air, its waters, its nature, its vegetation and many species which it took millions of years to form, our climate are all in jeopardy. We live in a World War III against the Earth, our home. All this will end in a global disaster without precedent.I appeal to you, I beg you, I implore you, let us put aside all other items on our agenda and keep only one fundamental one: to have this General Assembly of heads of states remain in permanent session day and night if necessary, until we give birth to a new political and economic system for this miraculous planet and its sacred human family. Please stand up, delegates of the world, hold each other's hand and let us swear together that we will accomplish this historical miracle before it is too late: to save this Earth, to save humanity with a new world constitution. All the rest is secondary. Let us create a United States of the World or a World Union like the European Union. Let us perform this miracle in the House of Mica, on the shores of the River of the Rising Sun, wherefrom our indigenous brethren prophecized that a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world."
~ Idea 1996 ~If Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were alive and members of the UN Assembly they would be the first to request that the UN Charter be reviewed and updated to the new conditions and needs of the Earth and humanity. Who in that Assembly will be the new Franklin Roosevelt and Churchill and be remembered by future generations?!
~ Idea 1997 ~I pray that on the occasion of the year 2000 celebration, the United Nations and its member nations will produce an ominous report on the achievements and progress of humanity during the 20th century, along with the miseries and errors we have still committed. On the basis of such reports we will be able to make a fresh start and accomplish more miracles. If I have learned one thing in my half a century at the United Nations, it is that when humans decide to achieve a great, noble objective, they always succeed. We must pray with our American indigenous brethren:"Great Spirit, grant us the strength and dignity to walk a new trail closer to our Creator."
~ Idea 1998 ~Twenty years ago I wrote an essay on The Need for Global Education. Today I would write an essay on the need for evolutionary education. Tomorrow I would write an essay on the need for cosmic education.After World War II humanity acquired beyond national consciousness a global consciousness. Today humanity is acquiring an evolutionary consciousness, a consciousness of the future. Tomorrow humanity will acquire a cosmic consciousness.After World War II, the United Nations was born as the planet's first global organization. Today the United Nations is becoming the planet's evolutionary organization. Tomorrow the United Nations will become the planet's cosmic organization.With humanity's transcendence into cosmic consciousness in space and in time, the sciences and religions well converge into an all-encompassing, holistic, spiritual age dreamt of by our ancestors, prophets, visionaries, saints and earthly incarnations of the divine, cosmic forces over eons of time.Our future is incredibly bright and hopeful if we hasten these processes and think in time of ways to face very likely emergencies.It is good that the UN has been thinking ahead of time by establishing a UN Trust Fund for Preventive Action.
~ Idea 1999 ~What is my last, most important dream, my Dream of Dreams after these 2000 ideas and dreams written at the end of fifty years of United Nations experience?It is to see this Earth well preserved as a unique paradise in the universe, inhabited by a miraculous, deeply loving, spiritual, happy and peaceful humanity, fully enjoying the miracle of human life in that paradise.
~ Idea 2000 ~From our current world pessimism we can be saved and uplifted by this personal conclusion I arrived at in Idea 552, namely:Perhaps, out of my passion for life and for this miraculous Earth, a new theory of evolution can be shaped, namely that with our recently acquired tremendous human knowledge of the universe and of our planet we will henceforth be more than the mere preservers and savers of the Earth, but will be her instruments, her most advanced evolutionary agents, her children endowed with the evolutionary task to make it an even more astonishing planet and cosmic evolutionary success, perhaps the most advanced, ultimate masterpiece of the universe and God. Since each species born from nature is a miracle, we are certainly a miracle too.What great excitement it will be when in the year 2000 humanity will accept this as its new, all-encompassing, common objective for the 21st century!To make this Earth a paradiseTo make humanity a miracleThink of what a world we could build if the power unleashed in war were applied to constructive tasks! One-tenth of the energy that the various belligerents spent in the World War, a fraction of the money they exploded in hand grenades and poison gas, would suffice to raise the standard of living in every country and avert the economic catastrophe of world-wide unemployment. We must be prepared to make the same heroic sacrifices for the cause of peace that we make ungrudgingly for the cause of war. There is no task that is more important or closer to my heart.Albert EinsteinAMENIdeas 2001-2500An Agenda for the FuturePart IIntroduction: A Great Historic DecisionIdeas 2001 to 2100Annex: Sample of Letter to People in High PositionsPart IIIntroduction: A Great New Step in EvolutionIdeas 2101 to 2200Annex: Rashmi Mayur, famous Hindu peace activistPart IIIIntroduction: What One Idea Can DoIdeas 2201 to 2300Annex: A Point in HistoryPart IVIntroduction: An Appeal for the United Nations FoundationIdeas 2301 to 2400Annex: Encouragement from a Young ManPart VIntroduction: Never Give UpIdeas 2401 to 2500Annex: Common Sense from a Famous US PresidentEpithetsNew or Unusual Words Used or Coined
An Agenda For The Future
Our absolute priorities and objectivesfor the 21st century and the third millennium should be:
1. To make this planet a paradise2. To stop destroying nature at all cost3. To eradicate from it all the poverty, miseries and errors engendered by power, greed and egotism4. To make out of all humans one united, cooperating family5. To create a new social, political world order for the centuries to come6. To attain a life of fulfillment and happiness for all humans7. To achieve a human family in harmony with the Earth and the heavens8. To be the ultimate cosmic success of the Universe and God.
No dream is too big
Barbara Gaughen Muller and Dr. Robert MullerA Cosmic Couple
See the world with global eyesLove the world with a global heartUnderstand the world with a global mindMerge with the world and the heavens through a global soul.
Media 217456 Evergreen DriveSanta Barbara, CA 93117(805) 968-8567Fax: (805) 968-5747Email: Barbara@rain.org
IDEAS
"Is there a doubt whether a common government can embrace a larger sphere? Let experience solve it...It is well worth a fair and full experiment."George Washington
"The world no longer has a choice between force and law; if civilization is to survive, it must choose the rule of law."President Dwight D. Eisenhower
"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than are governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of their way and let them have it."President Dwight D. Eisenhower
"If the money spent on armaments was spent on education, there would be no more wars."President Dwight D. Eisenhower
"It will be just as easy for nations to get along in a republic of the world as it is for you to get along in the republic of the United States."President Harry S. Truman
"...a genuine world security system...capable of resolving disputes on the basis of law, of insuring the security of the large and the small, and of creating conditions under which arms can finally be abolished...This will require a new effort to achieve world law."President John F. Kennedy
"No difficulty in the way of a world government can match the danger of a world without it." Carl Van Doren"There is no salvation of civilization, or even the human race, other than the creation of a world government."Albert Einstein
"Today the universal common good poses problems of world-wide dimensions, which cannot be adequately tackled or solved except by the efforts of public authorities endowed with a wideness of powers, structure and means of the same proportions; that is, ...on a world-wide basis."Pope John XXIII
"Internationalism does not mean the end of individual nations. Orchestras don't mean the end of violins."Golda Meir
"The whole future of the Earth, as of religion, seems to me to depend on the awakening of our faith in the future."Teilhard Chardin
"Imagination rules the world"Napoleon(Yes, but he had the wrong imagination of conquering the world. Humanity must have the right imagination.)
A vision of the third millennium: "When the lion will lay down with the lamb and nations will learn war no more."The Bible
"Blessed be the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."Sermon on the Mount
"Science has made unrestricted national sovereignty incompatible with human survival. The only possibilities are now world government or death." Bertrand Russell
"Unless some effective world super-government for the purpose of preventing war can be set up...the prospects for peace and human progress are dark...If it is found possible to build a world organization of irresistible force and inviolable authority for the purpose of securing peace, there are no limits to the blessings which all men may enjoy and share."Winston Churchill
"The Universe is not to be narrowed down to the limits of our understanding, which has been man's practice up to now, but the understanding must be stretched and enlarged to take in the image of the Universe as it is discovered." Francis Bacon
"If governments fail to seize the opportunity of the year 2000 to provide for a better government of planet Earth, history will not forgive them - if there is a history." Robert Muller
PART I
IDEAS 2001 TO 2100
Introduction
A Great Historic Decision
The UN General Assembly 1998 has decided "to hold in the fall of 2000 a heads of states Assembly to focus on means to solve our primary global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
This great historic decision is one of the timeliest and broadest decisions I have ever seen adopted by the UN General Assembly.
May the whole humanity applaud it, look up to it, pray for it and contribute to it its ideas, dreams, visions and active cooperation.
On 11 July 1994, my beloved wife Barbara drew my attention that there were 2000 days left to the year 2000 and that I should write down every day one idea for a better world to reach a total of 2000 by 31 December 1999. I happily began writing and finished them already by 20 December 1998. So many others came to my heart and mind, generated by my fifty years of world service, that I continued to write them down. I thus produced 1000 more ideas bringing the total to 3000 which I dedicate with my love and prayers to the ominous, historic world meeting of heads of states in the year 2000, to all workers of the United Nations and to all those individuals, groups, movements and institutions around the planet working for a new better world, new century and millennium.
May God and the saints in heaven descend to Earth, be actively present amongst us and help us create at long last a just, peaceful, happy human family on our beautiful, miraculous planetary home, our loving, generous Mother Earth, the only planet endowed with life discovered so far among the billions of planets circling around the billions of suns of our galaxy, among the billions of galaxies of the universe.
So help us God and the invisible forces of the universe.
Robert Muller
~ Idea 2001 ~In the Introduction to ideas 1901 to 2000 of Volume IV, which reproduces my statement to the Cagliari Conference in May 1998 on Globalization and the Future of the Nation-state, I underlined three major periods of planetary human concerns since the end of World War II:
I. from 1945 to 1970's, a period of unprecedented, all-encompassing Humanism;
II. from 1970 to 1980, humanity and the Environment;
III. from 1980 on, the Earth became priority number one.
Since things go so fast, less than one year later in March 1999 I had to add a fourth, new, unprecedented period in all human history:
IV. from 2000 on, our foremost concern will be the future Evolution of planet Earth and of humanity on it.
~ Idea 2002 ~In the same Introduction I had this statement by the Earth:
"I have another major complaint, namely while there is a population explosion in the poor countries you have also triggered off a wild inventions, production, business, marketing, advertising and overconsumption explosion in the rich countries. In these countries an individual consumes 30 times more of my resources than in the poor countries. From my point of view, namely the damages you do to my body, your population statistics are wrong: while the less developed countries count 4.7 billion people, the more developed countries' 1.2 billion should be multiplied by 30, i.e. they represent in my eyes 36 billion people!"
A year later I have to add this new complaint by the Earth:
"Since I see now the poor countries being invaded by western marketing, advertisement and multinational corporations to increase their business and sales, and since the ideal of the poor countries is to attain the western levels of consumption, I see an even greater disaster coming up: if the 4.7 billion people of the poor countries ever reach the levels of consumption of the rich, your population statistics would again have to be changed: multiplied by thirty times, they would represent from my point of view 141 billion people. And since the people of the poor countries are expected to be 7.75 billion in 2050*, they would represent from my point of view a total of 232.5 billion people!
This would mean the end of my evolution, of most of my nature, of many species, including the human one, which it took me millions of years to evolve."
*The UN's latest forecasts of the world population in 2050 are: a total world population of 8.91 billion, of which 1.16 billion (a decline of 40 million) in the rich countries and 7.75 billion (an increase of 3.05 billion) in the poor countries. World population in October 1999: 6 billion people.
~ Idea 2003 ~From the preceding excursion into the future follow three major conclusions:
1. we must absolutely accelerate and intensify our efforts to reduce the world population explosion;
2. we must raise forcefully the necessity to reduce also the consumption explosion;
3. the same way as the UN created a World Population Commission, a Population Division and a UN Population Fund, it must urgently create also a World Consumption Commission, a Consumption Division and a UN Consumption Fund. A World Population Agency and a World Consumption Agency would be even better.
~ Idea 2004 ~A new fundamental factor in our society is that the rich countries are becoming richer and the poor countries poorer. As was reported by the UN in 1997, 100 nations have become poorer in the last 15 years. And in all countries of the world the rich people are getting richer and the poor poorer. This is due to the possession of capital by the rich and the non-possession of capital and the saving inability of the poor.
Countries: huge capital of the rich governments, of multinational corporations with seats in these countries, major scientific and technological property rights, advanced scientific research capacities, high levels of education, especially massive business education, ownership of natural resources in poor countries, military power to defend this situation, and use of foreign 'aid' to get their way and exercise pressure on the poor countries.
Individuals: inheritances, accumulated savings, properties and capital of their forebears, family fortunes, higher scientific, technological and business education, often no need to work at all, just letting their capital grow in stock markets, trust funds, mutual funds, deposits in foreign banks and actual or fictitious domicile in foreign tax havens.
In poor countries and for the poor everywhere it is just the contrary. Even immigrants in rich countries cannot make it because their salaries are barely sufficient to pay for their lodging and nourishment.
Among the rich countries and people it is the United States and its citizens who are getting ever richer. This position of the US in the world allows it to rule practically the entire planet and its outer space.
To counter this, the European countries have created a Union of fifteen countries which will be the second richest and powerful community on Earth. The union has created its own currency, the first one to escape from the USA monetary domination and money creation in the world.
I recommend that the poor countries do the same and create a World Union of Poor Countries on the pattern of the European Union, thus creating their own multinational government. They will thus rule over their own natural resources and territories which are their main capital. They will have a base for a collective bargaining power. They will be able to prevent their invasion by foreign capital, by rich dominant multinational corporations, foreign marketing and advertisement. They could create their own common currency in addition to their national ones, as Europe has done. They would be able to define their own ideals, policies, ways of life and preservation of their cultures.
I recommend that they start this process forthwith without waiting for a reform of the United Nations. They have waited for that reform in vain for more than fifty years. Nothing has happened, rather the contrary, namely a constant weakening of the United Nations by the United States, now candidate for sole world power.
~ Idea 2005 ~In Idea 190 I said, "In order to save our Earth it is imperative to disarm and demilitarize the planet and use the 3/4 of a trillion dollars released for urgent purposes related to our environment and vital elements of life. The oxygen of our lungs has become our most important need and security. Carbon dioxide has become a greater enemy than any foreign country."
Today one now hears the military say that they will be needed to insure the defense of the waters and oxygen of their country and secure free access to the waters and oxygen of other countries, if need be to conquer them. The only answer is the creation of a proper common Earth government equipped to ensure water and oxygen to all humanity and with a central world security system beneficial to all nations.
~ Idea 2006 ~There are still so many injustices in this world with new ones coming up constantly that I propose a new science or discipline called injustology. University departments under that name would prepare and train a new profession of injustologists. The subject of injustices should be regularly covered in newspapers and all medias.
~ Idea 2007 ~On each floor of the United Nations, in each of its agencies and in all institutions on Earth there should be a peasant or an indigenous elder who would remind the leaders and workers of these agencies to have common sense and to think of the little people.
~ Idea 2008 ~We do not have a single doctorate in the art of living on this planet. This is astonishing when every human being seeks to be happy, to be fulfilled and to play a useful role on Earth.
~ Idea 2009 ~Humanity is incredibly neglecting the future. Very few people think about it, care about it. There are no Ministries of the Future in governments, no Main Committee on the Future in the United Nations. We will have to pay very dearly for this. We should also be thinking of the emergencies which we will have to face, one after the other, as a payment for this neglect.
~ Idea 2010 ~If all humans were not smoking, not taking drugs, not drinking alcoholic and carbonated drinks, drinking only pure water and fruit juices, not consuming canned, non-natural foods tampered by biological engineering, what a different peaceful, happy, fulfilled world it would be! Try it dear reader, and you will be amazed by the results. You will feel in heaven and be down here on Earth for quite a longer time.
Governments should help in this process by at least prohibiting advertisement of harmful products.
~ Idea 2011 ~It is astonishing that given the manifold adverse effects of advertisement, no international effort has been made as yet to control this sector of human activities, to proclaim an ethics for advertisement and to protect humans against its exaggerations, non-truths and damaging effects on human life and the Earth.
~ Idea 2012 ~Everybody complains about violence but few dare or make the effort to obtain government control over violence in the media. We should therefore not be surprised of the kind of world we have. Peoples' peace and anti-war movements have succeeded in reducing international wars to practically zero. We need now anti-militarism, anti-armaments, anti-religious wars, anti-ethnic wars and every conceivable anti-any form of violence movements. An anti-violence in the media movement should be high on the list.
~ Idea 2013 ~A mere re-drafting and amending of the United Nations Charter would be insufficient to respond to the new requirements and urgencies of our time. Only a new charter, rethought from scratch, can do the job or a World Union Charter like the European Union or a United States of the World.
~ Idea 2014 ~Future historians will write that at the end of the twentieth century the United States turned from a world inspiring country into the major world domineering and destroying country. Its scientific, technological, economic, financial and business successes went up to its head, were promoted and imitated blindly by the rest of the world, impairing further evolution on this planet.
I see only one hope: that US capitalism will now disintegrate as the second obsolete nineteenth century ideology, as was communism.
~ Idea 2015 ~From my observations of the incredible, admirable, diverse nature of Costa Rica I have concluded that the main objective of nature is ever more perfect, successful reproductions and increased diversity. Every seed is cared for and enrobed in the necessary nutrients and liquids to bring forth life. We should therefore never eat fruits which have been bio-tampered to have no seeds. Nature will not continue to make an effort and what we eat will no longer be natural or healthy.
Alas, this bio-tampering is now being practiced on massive scales by most western countries. The attempts to hold a world conference in Colombia to end the scientific tampering of seeds and agricultural products has been killed by the United States for commercial reasons arguing that it would affect fifty billion dollars of yearly exports of US farm products which are biologically 'engineered'. The United States had already rejected the convention on biological diversity drafted at the Rio de Janeiro Conference of the United Nations in 1992.
~ Idea 2016 ~It would be very interesting to be informed on how much big, multinational business corporations on the one hand and national governments, regional and world organizations on the other hand practice futurology, i.e. the study, evaluation, forecasting of future trends, promises, opportunities, dangers and failures of our evolution.
~ Idea 2017 ~What a pity and regret that the United States no longer merits to be the seat of the United Nations. The world of tomorrow deserves to be built around the new borderless European Union since the United States opposes any changes in an obsolete, fifty-five years old Charter of the United Nations born on US soil from the US dream at that time. The United Nations has no future if it stays in the United States unless the United States brings forth a new world vision and leadership role of the United Nations.
~ Idea 2018 ~It would be beneficial for the United States to agree with the move of the United Nations to another country because then it can complain of the insufficiencies of the United Nations on foreign soil rather than get the blame of its inefficiency on United States soil. It would no longer want to be a member of the United Nations and would be able to continue its world-wide power dream without having to listen to anyone else. As for the remaining countries of the world, they would take cognizance of their own individuality and contribution to a better world and no longer imitate blindly the United States as the great model for modern times. The United States, unfortunately is no longer that model. Forty-five percent of the US population are of that opinion.
~ Idea 2019 ~At the UN Medical Analysis Office where I was sent for a yearly check-up, I saw a diploma hanging on a wall saying that the lady who headed the office was a member of the Costa Rican Association of Microbiologists.vI asked her if she had ever heard of an Association of Macrobiologists. No, she had never heard of one and doubted that there existed one on this planet. I said, "Well, that is strange because science never ceases to dig into the ever smaller but seems to shy away from the whole. Macrobiology would do for the totality of life forms on this planet what you do for your individual patients and their blood and liquids. Macrobiology would deal with the respective life forms, locations, interdependencies, vegetal and animal, all over the planet. It could be one of the most essential sciences on this planet. It would be fascinating to be a macrobiologist."
~ Idea 2020 ~What Barbara and I did with our little wooden farmhouse in Costa Rica on a sacred hill above the UN University for Peace is marvelous: we achieved good order, harmony and beauty in it with acts of intelligence, self-interest and deep love for the saintly, marvelous nature surrounding us.
Why doesn't humanity do the same for our entire home, the Earth: achieve good order, harmony, beauty and love for holy nature. This could be a new, wonderful policy for the 21st century.
It reminds me of the indigenous woman who was asked how the world should be governed. She answered, "If you know how to run a family, you will know how to run the world." Yes, the ultimate, highest task of politics is to achieve a well run human family in a well-preserved planetary home.
~ Idea 2021 ~The World Core Curriculum in Volume I, page 18 could serve as a basic framework for a world employment policy. I could well see the curriculum reproduced on a wall at the United Nations International Labor Organization, or in the Director General's Office. Under each segment there would be actual employment and forecasts: will employment diminish or increase in that sector? For example, the environment is a recent field of concern which provides for increasing employment while militarism and armaments no longer look so good. The information could be by industries, countries and regions.
~ Idea 2022 ~There are thousands of books published around the world as part of national literatures, often in collections of huge, complete works of national authors. But where are the collections of world authors, a true, badly needed world, global literature? There is none. My global books find only a haphazard place in certain national literatures. When I die there will never be a collection of the complete works of Robert Muller, contrary to the case of so many national authors. I care for the inspiration, thinking and action results of my works in any nation where they are published and kept in print. Alas, in the absence of a global, world literature and publishing houses, they are mere drops of water in the ocean.
~ Idea 2023 ~Perhaps the word government should be suppressed at this stage of our evolution and replaced by common services. The United Nations would become the world's common services, with ocean common services, air and atmosphere common services, world agricultural, educational, etc. common services corresponding to what are today the 32 United Nations Specialized Agencies and World Programs. Under them there would be:
common services for continentscommon European servicescommon American servicescommon Asian servicescommon Oceanic servicescommon services for nationscommon services for provincescommon services for citiesfor all local communitiesfor neighborhood communitiesfor people living in the same buildingcommon services for families.
Nobody would really govern or rule the world, all would be done by cooperation and common interests and services from the local to the global communities.
~ Idea 2024 ~We must simplify, purify our western lives from the innumerable, unceasing, increasing, never ending diversity of outside incursions into our personal lives by sight, sound and consumption.
I love these words once uttered by Pablo Casals during one of his visits to the United Nations, "Life is simple. Everything must be simple in life. There are too many complicated people. They complicate themselves, they complicate life. We must fashion a simple world in which humans can be happy, not this ugly world of armaments and hatred. Here, in the United Nations, is our home. It stands for humankind. This is why I have never failed to be of help to you. The final word for life, the great secret, is love."
~ Idea 2025 ~The forces or laws of evolution will not allow us not to succeed. They didn't take all the pains to create the extraordinary human species as the lead species of evolution to let us now destroy its achievements. Quite the contrary, they will enable, guide and almost force us, even unwillingly, to make this planet the ultimate success intended by evolution, the cosmos or God.
~ Idea 2026 ~Or might evolution, on the contrary have decided that the human species has become an evolutionary aberration and will do everything possible to get rid of us?
In that case, what will be the main factors or means of our destruction: the disappearance of oxygen, the ultra-violet rays going through the ozonosphere, Aids, the giving up of the human immune system, the reciprocal destruction of humans in wars over territories and resources, the nuclearization of the planet, mounting waves of cancer? Only God knows.
~ Idea 2027 ~It is not the over-population of the poor countries which is the main global menace on this planet. Disaster cause number one is the over-production and over-consumption of unnecessary, wasteful products and services and needless activities of the peoples of the western world offered as a model and ideal of 'development' to the poor countries. Half of the total production of the western countries consists already of waste.
~ Idea 2028 ~Yes, we must start a world crusade against over-consumption, waste, unnecessary consumption and services, useless activities, unnecessary transports, tourism and travel, built-in obsolescence in manufactured products, over-packaging and all other unnecessary-Earth-destroying productions and activities invented and promoted by the so called genial western economic system which has become a disaster for the Earth, the biggest, most monumental war ever in human history. Past wars were little compared with it.
~ Idea 2029 ~A growing number of western youth does not want to have children any more. How can they renounce this incredible happiness instead of fighting against the over-consumption, useless consumption and waste the western society has created as the ultimate ideal for humans?
If people in the west would live simple and less wasteful lives there would be ample room for more children. How sad that live, miraculous little children have to give way to excessive consumption and possessions of life-less material 'goods'.
The whole western world has become decadent considered from the Earth's point of view and soon also from the people's point of view. Nearly three quarters of Americans believe the world as we know it now will undergo radical and catastrophic changes by an act of God.
~ Idea
2030 ~The world's Non-governmental Organizations, under the
leadership of those accredited to the United Nations, should become a
second United Nations. They should deal with all major problems
before the United Nations and group or associate themselves
accordingly. I could well see NGO World Associations on world
security, disarmament, demilitarization, anti-useless development,
distribution of world income, natural resources, the environment,
human rights, just taxation, etc. They should do the basic
re-thinking of the twenty-one human sectors listed in Ideas 527 to
547. They should appoint a Secretary General of that second United
Nations and create a common secretariat for it. Later the NGWO
(Non-governmental World Organization) could become the World's House
of Peoples' Representatives and the UN its Senate of Government
Representatives.
~ Idea 2031 ~Dear God, allow me to be your full servant to make of this Earth a true paradise of love, peace and beauty and of your children the divine species which you have created. After thousands of years of efforts, allow us at long last to succeed and become the ultimate jewel of Your creation.
~ Idea 2032 ~The little Robert Muller farmhouse on sacred Mount Rasur in Costa Rica and the farm of Sima Mon Amour in St. Gix Divonne-les-Bains, France, are two of my dreams come true, the two poles of irradiation of a new world, the centers of peace and happiness for which I labored all my life. All homes on Earth should be that.
Margarite Gallo and Barbara Gaughen were the two god-sent, wonderful, loving life companions who inspired me, led me and never allowed me to give up the extraordinary, almost impossible mission they saw in my life.
~ Idea 2033 ~All humans, all professions, all institutions, all cultures, all religions, all human groups should have one supreme objective and question: is what I do or we do an action of love for all this Earth and all humanity? Is it a contribution to a better world, to an ultimate, peaceful, perfect success of the will of God and of the cosmic forces of the universe?
~ Idea
2034 ~
O divine life of mine, never let me do something which is not an act of love, a contribution to a better world and humanity, starting with my own miraculous being, with my divine life companion Barbara, with my family and with all communities of the world up to the highest, first noble universal achievement of all humanity and of this Earth, the United Nations.
~ Idea 2035 ~How can this Earth survive when in a small health-restoring community like Divonne-les-Bains in France one hears already at four o'clock in the morning an uninterrupted flow of trucks and cars going where? Doing what? The world of business and busyness?
~ Idea 2036 ~Why do I wake up so often in the middle of the night thinking about the capitalist system which is ruining this Earth and will soon end in disaster?
Why do I think of a new world monetary system with a new monetary unit, the Terra, replacing the US dollar, following the example of the European Euro?
Why did I meet at the second World Peace Conference in the Hague, a former high official of the International Monetary Fund who has become the head of a religious order instead of offering the world a new world monetary system?
~ Idea 2037 ~There is an urgent need to create a group of great world lovers and thinkers to save the Earth and re-think all major forms of human activity. We should establish it with the Earth Council which will move to the UN University for Peace. I will think of its members. Elizabet Sathouris, the evolutionary biologist, Barbara my wife, Erika Erdmann, Barbara Marx-Hubbard and Donella Meadows are the first names that come to my mind, all five women.
~ Idea 2038 ~I opened twenty-one files to record ideas for the twenty-one fundamental segments of human activities, behaviors and concerns on this planet. Two ideas came to me this morning on human employment. I am not a voice in the desert. I am a voice in a growing world mess, human bewilderment and search for answers.
~ Idea 2039 ~The new World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality created by Dr. Karan Singh of India and myself should have its seat at the University for Peace on sacred Mount Rasur. I must make sure of it.
~ Idea 2040 ~My Alsatian friend, Georges Schmidt, who joined the United Nations the same year as I in 1948 became the world record holder of world languages. He knew 115 of them. I probably hold the world record of the largest number of ideas for a better world: two thousand published, another 1000 in the works and innumerable ones in my speeches, journals, articles and sixteen books so far.But I am largely beaten by the flood of ideas produced by businessmen flocking to the skyscrapers of the world to make more money and the military inventing more arms to sell them all over the world. It is an absolute scandal that in the United States the expenses on the military and armaments are equivalent to all the rest of the US budget, health, education, foreign affairs and social security combined. One wonders why the people accept that. I am glad to end my life in Costa Rica, where the military are prohibited by constitution since 1949.
~ Idea 2041 ~When one reads global newspapers like the International Herald Tribune, one gets the impression that this is the worst managed planet in the universe. The nation-state system has become an obsolete political system. This statement by George Washington applies fully to today's world political situation: "The primary cause of all disorders lies in the different state governments and in the tenacity of that power which pervades the whole of their systems." This should be the priority issue on the world agenda.
~ Idea 2042 ~It is as timely and urgent to convene in the year 2001 a World Conference on the Evolution of the Earth and of Humanity to the Year 3000 as it was to convene in 1972 the first World Conference on the Environment. It would create a shock as great as did the conference on the environment. Very substantial changes in human values, behavior and policies must be made and would follow.
~ Idea 2043 ~In view of catastrophes likely to occur in the third millennium (geological, climatic, biological and manmade) I recommend the early establishment of a UN World Fund of Prevention endowed with billions of dollars or Terras to intervene quickly when catastrophes will occur.
~ Idea 2044 ~I recommend that henceforth a new category of nation-states should be labeled: the group of Earth-irresponsible, insane nations, namely those possessing and not destroying their nuclear arms. Noone should admire them. The non-nuclear nations should pity them and tell them how happy and proud they are not to have nuclear arms.
~ Idea 2045 ~I hope that to celebrate the year 2000 and our entry into a new century and millennium the nuclear powers will destroy at least a few nuclear arms during that year. The world would applaud and rejoice.
~ Idea 2046 ~It is with thousands of ideas, big and small, from world/global to individual/local ones that we can save this Earth and make humanity the peaceful, happy, fulfilled miraculous species intended by God and by the mysterious evolutionary forces of the universe. Dear readers, come up with ideas, write them down, promote them and do everything you can to get them implemented.
~ Idea 2047 ~I prayed for health and a long life to do great things and so far I have been blessed with both. I sometimes feel that God and the mysterious forces of the universe are amidst us, anxious to help but we must ask, we must open ourselves to let them in. If we are closed to them, they cannot enter. "Ask and you shall receive."
~ Idea 2048 ~The notions of evil and bad were essential from the beginning of evolution because the first humans had to experience and communicate to their children what should be avoided. Later this was used by groups of humans: local communities, tribes, religions, language groups and finally nations. The next great step of evolution, which is in full birthing now, is to define what is good and evil for the whole of humanity and for the Earth. The only retarding elements are the former groups which want to keep their fullest possible power, even increase it.
Another new, dangerous factor is that merchants and business which globalized themselves first, have the upper hand in deciding what is good and bad for the people but not in order to achieve a better humanity and a well-governed planet. The world must challenge the claim of business that with total freedom and more money they will solve all problems of the world. It just is not so. Quite the contrary.
~ Idea 2049 ~Historically it will be the privilege of capitalism to destroy the Earth in the 21st century unless government re-establishes its pre-eminent role and function for the people's and the Earth's fate. The communists must be glad to have given up their pretense to create a perfect, just world. Now the issue rests on the shoulders of capitalism.
~ Idea 2050 ~Western countries, especially the United States, have their mouths full of fundamental human rights and are ready to bomb other countries who do no fulfill such rights.
But we should claim, at the beginning of the 21st century and third millennium, the basic human right not to be enlisted in an army and to kill other human beings for national or religious causes .
Killing another human being is murder, but nations give medals and honors for it. It is high time to claim that new fundamental human right. Without it the human rights chapter of humanity is incomplete. Anyone being enlisted in an army and being trained to kill should have the right to come before the International Court of Justice and claim that this is the most flagrant injustice on this planet. Conflicts must be solved by peaceful means and not with armaments, bombs, individual and wholesale murders.
~ Idea 2051 ~The active, passionate cooperation between all people, groups, institutions, religions and nations for the survival of our Earth and of humanity must be our greatest hope and objective in the 21st century.
~ Idea 2052 ~It would be good if the 300 million indigenous people on this planet would refuse to drive cars, to take airplanes and to go on tourism in hotels around the world. It would be a lesson to the western people and a great blessing for the Earth.
~ Idea 2053 ~Humans are a strange race. They spend infinitely more time on building perfectly running airplanes and atomic missiles than on achieving a perfectly running human society. The latter is almost ignored except how to get taxes to build more perfectly running airplanes and atomic missiles. No wonder that our political and social management of the planet and humanity is a dismal mess of incredible duplications between 189 nations. Military expenditures alone of humanity are equal to all other expenditures by governments on this planet! What an aberration. People are sheep not to revolt against it.
~ Idea 2054 ~To conceive great ideas keep your eyes on the stars.
To implement them, keep your feet on Earth.
~ Idea 2055 ~Why do groups of humans on this planet continue to believe that they have the ultimate truth? Why is that so? We had the Roman Empire, they called it the Pax Romana which they imposed with the Roman legions all over Europe. We had the Pax Britannica with the British ruling all their colonies. We have now the United States which rules the world with its money, corporations and industrial military advance. Many of the religions continue to assert that they have the ultimate truth, that there is no other truth than their own Why is it not possible for all these groups to get together and to work on what they have in common? The United Nations is a first, very modest but wonderful attempt to do it for nations. But the United States doesn't like it because it wants to rule the world. We're now going to have, thank God, the United Religions which I advocated at the 1993 World Parliament of Religions. So there is some progress but we're losing incredible time. Since 1970 we have destroyed one-third of the nature of this planet. If we continue with the same population and consumption explosions we will have only seventy years until we have destroyed all nature. Why do leaders of nations not react against this? Why do they only think of their nation, their party, their religion, their constituency? This has become a major disaster. The merchants are now ruling the world because they were intelligent enough to rapidly globalize themselves after World War II. This new global power is supported by the United States and those countries where the seats of the multinational corporations are located and bring in money. We have now a coalition of the rulers, the merchants and the military to support and strengthen this whole system. What a world! This is the situation which prevails at the beginning of a new millennium. One has really the impression that we humans are still a very primitive, underdeveloped species.
~ Idea 2056 ~We should not speak only of 'sustainable development' but also of 'unsustainable destruction'. Indeed the Earth, which has been and could be ignored so far by humans wanting to develop, is now being destroyed by giant business in the name of economic development and growth. The new, biggest war ever on this planet is now the war against the Earth.
~ Idea 2057 ~Communism has died. It is now the turn of capitalism to change or die. The new ideology should be Earthism, the proper management and conservation of our precious, life-nurturing and sustaining Earth. Capital should be used to save the Earth and become eco-capitalism.
~ Idea 2058 ~Where is the new Andrew Carnegie who will hire scholars to conceive and draft the statutes of a new world organization, of a proper Earth government, of a World Constitution? He did it by bringing over to the United States, two Belgian scholars during World War I who drafted the statutes of the League of Nations, the first international organization in world history, forerunner of the United Nations which must now be replaced by something infinitely better, commensurate with the new, mind-boggling global needs and problems of the third millennium.
~ Idea 2059 ~The 21st century will be the century of world union or there will be no 21st century. It must see the birth of a borderless world on the model of the successful borderless European Union between fifteen formerly inimical nations.
Who will create a body of eminent world thinkers and political architects to plan and give birth to a world union? Perhaps since my compatriot from Alsace Lorraine, Robert Schuman fulfilled his dream for a United Europe I must follow his example and try to fulfill my dream for a peaceful World Union. He died and never saw his dream fulfilled. I went to his tomb to report it to him. I will probably die too before I see my dream fulfilled. I hope that someone will be so kind and visit my tomb to report success to me.
~ Idea 2060 ~The United Nations and its 32 specialized agencies and world programs should create an Earth-wide World Investments Fund in which the world civil servants, families and any people and institutions on Earth could invest their money and savings. The funds would be invested only in projects and productions beneficial to the peoples health and welfare, especially the poor and helpless, and to the preservation of the Earth. It would be the world's first global ethical investment fund aimed at world justice, the welfare of the people and the salvation of the Earth.
~ Idea 2061 ~On a bank in San Jose, Costa Rica, I saw for the first time a big sign saying: "The world population has reached 6 billion people." I hope the whole business and advertisement world will help in solving our global problems.
~ Idea 2062 ~When I was a child in our province of Alsace Lorraine where we still spoke a German dialect, I often heard people say, "Geld regiert die Welt, money rules the world." Today, as an elder, I would say, "Geld vernichted die Welt, money destroys the world."
~ Idea 2063 ~UN world conferences on life and death global issues should be held much more frequently. Instead of every 20 or 10 years as was the case until now, such conferences should be held at least every five years, some even should remain in permanent session until their objectives are attained.
~ Idea 2064 ~The rose garden adjacent to the visitors' entrance of the United Nations in New York and the vast Parc des Nations of the UN in Geneva should be transformed into Peace and Human Rights Parks open to people. Statues and busts of great peacemakers and human rights defenders should be erected on them, following our example at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. The vaster Park in Geneva could also be made into an ecological demonstration center for the public.
~ Idea 2065 ~Given our slowness to react to many mounting global, evolutionary problems which might create untold havoc if unattended, I recommend that a Global Emergencies Unit be created in the office of the UN Secretary General and of each head of state.
~ Idea 2066 ~André Malraux, the French atheist and famous writer said: "The third millennium will be spiritual or there will be no third millennium." I would go further and say that the next millennium must be a cosmic, spiritual millennium, or there will be no third millennium.
I am glad that I obtained the creation of a World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality. Being a co-chairman of it, I will try to gear its work into the larger framework of evolutionary, cosmic consciousness.
When future historians will look back at our twentieth century they will recognize in it the birth at long last, of a natural, global, celestial consciousness to humanity.
~ Idea 2067 ~The dominant political and economic systems of planet Earth are so wrong that one could cry. If beings from outer space would visit us they would not believe their eyes.
~ Idea 2068 ~We do not have to worry if there will be enough food on this planet to feed the increasing human population. The packaging industry alone, through its colossal waste of resources will be able to put an end to our future.
~ Idea 2069 ~I recommend that during the General Assembly 2000 all countries which received Marshall Aid after the second World War should give back this sum to a United Nations Revolving Fund to help the poor countries. When a poor country becomes rich it will then return the same sum received to help other poorer countries. I would also like to see many restitutions of stolen works of art and antiquities as well as restitutions of assets hoarded by the Nazis abroad. The Secretary General of the UN should establish a list of specific actions, misdeeds and injustices committed by governments, religions and other institutions which should be repaired in the year 2000 or after.
~ Idea 2070 ~I recommend that consideration be given to yearly reports by the United Nations and all its agencies and world programs on the degree of globalization in all fields of human concern.
~ Idea 2071 ~Has there ever been, will there ever be a country where the prices go down?
No, at least there was none in the past.
So why speak of economy, economics, higher productivity, economic systems, economic progress and higher standards of living?
An answer should be given by governments and their economists to this basic, legitimate people's question.
~ Idea 2072 ~What we call economic progress is in reality in many places and on an increasing scale an Earth regress. It is not yet called that in our century. But it will in the 21st century.
Advertisement, the media, the packaging industries, economists, marketing experts, architects and the construction industries will be accused of putting an end to life on this planet. And they in turn will put the blame on Universities and governments.
~ Idea 2073 ~To foster a world spiritual renaissance I recommend that all religions should allow their clergies, male and female, to be married in order to increase the number of spiritual families and children raised in such families.
~ Idea 2074 ~The 21st century must see humanity's transcendence into cosmic consciousness in space and time. Then human sciences and religions will come together. Then we will have a peaceful, harmonious, fulfilled planet and humanity, functioning according to the laws of the universe. We have already a World Natural Law Party. We must have next a World Cosmic Laws Party.
~ Idea 2075 ~The creation of philanthropic foundations is becoming a strong movement in the world. I suggest that it should be a new, major subject in universities. A yearly report and statistics on philanthropy should be published by the United Nations (see my proposal on philanthropy in Introduction to Ideas 1701 to 1800 in Volume IV). A World Philanthropic and Gaiaphilic Organization and University should be created.
~ Idea 2076 ~The western countries have begun to spend monstrous sums for waste disposal. The UN should publish world statistics on these expenditures. In the US it has become a 32 billion dollars a year 'industry'. And this sum is entered into the gross national product!
~ Idea 2077 ~Humans should claim the fundamental right not to be buried in a vault of concrete or in a metal box nor to be burned but to have their body returned to Mother Earth, preferably with a tree planted on the ground above them so that they can resurrect into other life forms as the law of nature wants it. Our bodies are all Earth and must return to the Earth. The Earth cannot be deprived of the colossal biomass of dead humans, increasing year after year.
~ Idea 2078 ~No humans should accept as gifts T-shirts or head-gears bearing the advertisement of a commercial firm or product. When offered to them, people should at least request a few hundred dollars to wear them instead of giving out free advertisement. The same with business signs on shops offered 'free' by 'soft drinks' and cigarette firms all over the world, especially in the poor countries.
~ Idea 2079 ~The UN should be enabled to conduct world-wide public opinion polls on all major world issues. I recommend the creation of a UN World Public Opinion Bureau. What a boost to democracy and evolution that would be!
~ Idea 2080 ~Humanity has invested enormous efforts and obtained great successes in the optical science, the knowledge and healing of our miraculous eyesight capacity.
In the third millennium we must devote as much effort in our human capacity to see with other means:
to see with our dreams (dreamsight)to see with our mind (mindsight)to see with our heart (heartsight)to see with our soul (soulsight)to see with music (musicsight)to see with art and writing (artsight, writingsight)
Just think of the Ode to Joy of Beethoven, the Ave Maria of Gounod which bring tears to our eyes, and of the Italian popular O Sole Mio.
I cannot live without writing my visions, dreams and ideas and trying to fashion them into realities. I recommend that a World University of Visions be created on an elevated place, nearer to God and the heavens. Sacred Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica, the seat of the UN University for Peace and the Earth Council.
~ Idea 2081 ~Henceforth, during the 21st century and 3rd millennium, the evolution of the Earth and of humanity must be our foremost priorities: all other entities and 'sovereignties' must fall into place, into service to that.
~ Idea 2082 ~Efforts and success in demilitarization are more effective than efforts for disarmament. Why? Because the weapons manufacturers have their lobby with the military and the government. But if there is demilitarization there will be no soldiers to use the weapons. Hence, armaments will disappear.
~ Idea 2083 ~When a child begins to walk, you encourage it and do not scold it for its weaknesses. It is the same with nations' children's steps for world peace, cooperation and union in the young United Nations, their kindergarten. Encourage them and say bravo to their first successes which prepare high school and university.
~ Idea 2084 ~In my opinion it is humanity's dreams and ideasthat decide our fateThere is no other kind of fate.I do not believe thereforethat we must necessarily continueto follow the path which leadsonly downwards; we may yet turn aboutbefore we arrive at the very end.
This is an Albert Schweitzer text in which I replaced in the first line "man's temperament" by "humanity's dreams and ideas".
~ Idea 2085 ~After a speech at Ames University, in Iowa, I was accompanied in the bus to the airport by a Professor who told me: "I am a Professor of Agricultural Mechanics and Engineering. We have reduced agricultural workers to the minimum. I have invented machines which make bales of straw and hay as big as a house. We have reduced to a minimum warehouses to stock agricultural products. We have reduced the length of the stems of corn and wheat to increase productivity. And what was the result? To enrich the cities and not the rural areas, to increase the size of the cities and to reduce the people living on the land. The Earth is 98% made of air, water and soil, and not of cities. We have invented poisons to kill the insects feeding on plants and today my children accuse me of having put such poisons into circulation. I do not know what to think anymore. My whole life appears now as a vast error."
More and more people ask themselves the same question, now that the fate of the entire Earth and of all humanity are in peril.
~ Idea 2086 ~It would be good if an agency or institute of the United Nations would undertake a study of how world and global affairs of this planet and of humanity are being handled by the 189 national governments. At what level are they handled? At the Prime Minister's level, by a Vice President for Global Affairs (United States), by a Ministry of Foreign or External Affairs, regionally or by substance, by each ministry in its own area of substance, the role of Parliament?
Such a study would put the finger on some very fundamental questions of our time and would enlighten governments. It would be hailed as a very important document for our new century and millennium when global problems are growing in numbers and in importance and at an accelerated rate endangering or uplifting our entire future.
~ Idea 2087 ~We absolutely need a World Agency of Philosophy to look into the meaning of life on this extraordinary, miraculous planet in the universe. It would be enlightening for all other world agencies and for governments.
~ Idea 2088 ~The word politics should be abolished. It is an obsolete remnant of the ancient Greeks who administered at the time only a city (polis). Today it is a total Earth process, a biological, cosmic phenomenon: we must take care of the whole biology, life forms and processes on this planet. Planetics would be my preferred word. But the words are less important than the actual tasks and responsibilities now incumbent on the human species. This will mark the whole new century and millennium.
~ Idea 2089 ~In the new world each human being should be recognized as having a specific role or message that should be read by this person. Each individual should read himself and find the reason why he or she is alive, the mission, the role, the duty expected by God, by the universe, by humanity and the Earth. This will be the foundation of a new democracy, a government by the people, by the cosmic units, a cosmocracy.
~ Idea 2090 ~There are on our planet innumerable scientists, doctors, institutions and firms whose main objective is to prolong human longevity, the miracle of human life, and to postpone death, the end of human life.
And yet on the same planet the biggest expenditures of nations are on the creation of instruments of death: armaments, bombs of all kinds, and the training and maintenance of millions of militaries prepared to kill other humans, to end lives at any moment on massive scales, hundreds of millions in our civilized twentieth century alone.
I recommend that all doctors, scientists, institutes and firms working for life prolongation should request the disarmament and demilitarization of our planet. They should create a world movement to that effect and menace to go on strike.
~ Idea 2091 ~My first deceased Chilean wife, Margarita often accused me and modern men to be restless dreamers never at real peace, always seeking new problems, new inventions, new markets, new products, new challenges. She said, "I never dream. We Latin Americans seldom dream. This unrest is a characteristic of northern people living in cold, hostile climates."
Well, in the Foundation for the Future an Australian anthropologist, Dr. Philip Tobias specializing in the world's long-term future came to the conclusion that only Africans and indigenous people will retain their basic humaneness while the western societies will lose theirs (order the video tape Tobias from the Foundation for the Future, 123 105th Ave. SE, Bellevue, Washington USA 98004, Telephone (425) 451-1333. Also ask for more information on the important work of that foundation which has as its time framework the year 3000.)
~ Idea 2092 ~There might soon come a day when the distinction between developed and underdeveloped countries will be replaced by northern unlivable countries and southern, still livable countries.
~ Idea 2093 ~God was very kind to me when he decided that I should leave the northern, western world and live in demilitarized, nature-rich Costa Rica, an 'island of sanity in the world', 'a remnant of paradise', except San Jose.
~ Idea 2094 ~We absolutely need on this planet a new fundamental field of knowledge, investigations and concern at all levels of the human society, from the personal, local to the global level, namely the field of waste. We need:
a science of waste and anti-wastea strategy of anti-wastea methodology of anti-waste
In universities there should be a faculty of anti-waste, in governments a ministry of anti-waste and in the United Nations a Department of Anti-waste. Fifty percent of the whole production of the western countries are already waste! Where will it stop?
~ Idea 2095 ~The United Nations should move out of the United States which persistently refuses to pay its dues to the world organization and cashes in most of the expenses of the UN and of the 189 delegations of member countries in New York City.
For the same reason the UN European Office located in Geneva should move out of Switzerland which is not even a member of the United Nations. All specialized agencies of the UN located in Geneva should reconsider their location and make in particular a move to Asia, the most populated continent in the world where practically no United Nations offices are located except one each in overpopulated Tokyo and Bangkok. There should be a more equitable and intelligent distribution of world agencies over this round planet.
~ Idea 2096 ~We need a new age on this planet, an age of wanting less, buying less and accumulating less in order not to devastate our Earth and to regain our freedom and personality. The US can save itself and become a new source of inspiration to the world. It has the best thinkers, scientists and good-hearted people to do it. What a great new page of history, nay of evolution this would open! The US should prepare and offer a tremendous, unprecedented plan for our tomorrows everywhere in the world, in response to the agenda of the Heads of States General Assembly 2000. (see Introduction)
I have done my duty in my 2000 ideas and dreams especially in my statement at the Cagliari meeting in Sardinia on "The Absolute Urgent Need for Proper Government" (see Volume IV, Introduction to Part II). I pray that many other people and institutions will follow my example. Assailed by plans, ideas, peoples' movements, governments might finally give in and take up seriously the subject.
~ Idea 2097 ~Due to wrong human thinking, wrong education, wrong powers, wrong values, wrong institutions, wrong laws and a very confused, checkered past, planet Earth is probably the worst run, most uneconomical and wasteful planet in the universe. May the advent of a new century and millennium engage our best minds to change very fundamentally our ways and political and economic systems and make this beautiful planet a cosmic success instead of a planet of waste.
~ Idea 2098 ~Henceforth, anything that goes against the further evolution of the Earth and of humanity must be considered unethical, sometimes even criminal.
~ Idea 2099 ~I was told that on the advice of two consultants in the field of philanthropy a US company decided to ask its stockholders to which causes its philanthropy should go. The answers were eighty percent in favor of spiritual causes and institutions. All companies should follow this good example. It would help the practice of democracy and bring about a better world.
~ Idea 2100 ~In the European Union there are countries like Sweden which are much more advanced in the protection of the people than the United States. For example, there is an agreement between the government and Swedish toy manufacturers that they will not produce any war-type or violent toys for children. This example should be followed by many countries in the world. Also Sweden prohibits advertisements addressed to children less than twelve years old, another good example to follow.
ANNEX
Sample of letters I send constantlyto people in high positions who cando something for a better world.
23 September 1993Dear Mr. President,
I am so happy to congratulate you on your election to the Presidency of the General Assembly. I had received your remarkable press kit and I recognized you immediately from your picture, and your assignment to the United Nations, where I served for forty years, mostly in the economic field but also as Director of U Thant's and Kurt Waldheim's Executive Office. Under Javier Perez de Cuellar I was in charge of the fortieth anniversary of the UN, extended at his request beyond retirement age. And three days before actual retirement I was appointed one-dollar-a-year Chancellor of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.The reason why I am writing to you is that I tried to advise and help the last three Presidents of the General Assembly, but only Samir Shihabi listened to me and thanked me before leaving, saying that I had helped him play a historical role in the Assembly, in particular by getting an early decision for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations in 1995. I have asked my publisher to send you a copy of my Testament to the UN, a contribution to the fiftieth anniversary, and The Birth of a Global Civilization which has a chapter on UN celebrations, in particular the 50th anniversary and the year 2000. Herewith I am sending you also a Peace Plan 2010, several points of which have already been implemented, but there remains a lot to do. I was particularly glad that my proposal for a new Commission of Eminent Persons, after the Brundtland Commission, has been established under the Chairmanship of Mr. Ingvar Carlson, the former Prime Minister of Sweden, on the subject of Global Governance. The members have all my writings and I sent also the Peace Plan 2010 to the members of the Security Council when they met at long last at the heads of states level, something we have been clamoring for during years, with U Thant and Perez de Cuellar.I take the liberty of suggesting to you a few avenues of possible action which would make your Presidency a historic event, leaving a mark on the history of the world at the end of this millennium.
1. As you will see from the peace Plan 2010, right at the beginning I suggest another Commission of Eminent Persons to deal with violence in all its forms in the world, or with non-violence. It is based on remarks by U Thant who often said to me that we westerners knew only how to speak about physical violence, but that there were other forms of violence preceding it, namely verbal violence and violence in the mind. My suggestion is that you may perhaps talk to the Ambassador of India and see if India would not want to call for a World Conference on Non-violence in one of the years to come. He could make the proposal on 5 October, anniversary of Gandhi. I think the world is waiting for a major move on the question of violence which is so wide-spread and rising. The world would applaud such a decision by the General Assembly.
page 223 September 1993
2. The fiftieth anniversary of the UN can be a great, unprecedented event. The subject is on the agenda of your Assembly. My impression from the reports of the Preparatory Committee is that things go pretty slowly. You should request that in their report they list the countries which have appointed National Committees and the composition of such committees. At a recent meeting of the First Ladies of Latin America and the Caribbean for the International year of the Family, I exhorted the ladies to get their husbands to appoint very eminent national committees for the anniversary. I hope there will be a substantive debate on what the anniversary can achieve. I remember that for the 25th anniversary, when I worked with U Thant we asked all Secretariat services to give us statistics and reports on the major changes during the last 25 years. The same could be requested of the Secretariat, namely a review of the last fifty years since World War II. Your session of the General Assembly should adopt a substantive resolution on what will be expected from the anniversary, almost an agenda for it, to help progress in history.
3. The celebration of the anniversary in San Francisco will be a big affair, with a majority of heads of states, like during the 40th anniversary where I underestimated the number of them who would come as I tell in my Testament. What preoccupies me is that it will be primarily a ceremonial affair, with big, lofty, philosophical speeches. I think more and more that it should be conceived as a milestone in peace-making. Why not convene in San Francisco in 1995 a world peace conference where heads of states would sit down and settle conflicts and problems as a contribution to the anniversary and to allow the world to move into the third millennium with a clean slate. This would impress the public. Perhaps such an idea would be welcomed by President Clinton who could make the proposal in a speech in the General Assembly. I am sure also that the City of San Francisco would be delighted and contribute to the costs: Rio de Janeiro attracted more than 100 heads of states and 30,000 people I just attended and spoke to the second World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, attended by 6000 people. The San Francisco Conference could be one of the greatest peace gatherings ever, thinking of the presence of so many peace groups. Maurice Strong would be the perfect man to organize it.
4. The enclosed correspondence from some media people shows the interest they may have in UN celebrations. They mention rightly the anniversary of UNICEF. A whole series of UN agencies are going to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. An assistant could perhaps give you a list of such anniversaries. They might lend themselves to some consideration and thinking by the General Assembly. In this connection you may wish to read the chapter on global celebrations in my Birth of a Global Civilization. The media will certainly do something for these anniversaries. Ted Turner, a good friend of mine, made a film The 'House of Hope' for the 40th anniversary of the UN. It was seen by fifty million people. I suggested to him already two years ago to do some planning for 1995.
page 323 September 1993
5. As you will see from my Peace Plan 2010, I attach great importance to the celebration of the year 2000. I have written a poem about it years ago which has circulated around the world. My latest novel First Lady of the World turns around the year 2000. In The Birth of a Global Civilization I suggest that the Preparatory Committee for the fiftieth anniversary of the UN in 1995, should transform itself into the Preparatory Committee for the year 2000. I think it would be great if you could talk around you of the question: what will we do for the year 2000? The earlier the UN thinks about that, the better. After all it is the most universal organization and it should celebrate and take advantage of what is for all practical purposes a universal date. It would be wonderful if you could get something started for the Bimillennium. You could even consider calling for your own committee of eminent persons to prepare the Bimillennium after your term as President of the General Assembly. Your position is so eminent that you should not lose the momentum of it. Very few Presidents have been able to keep that momentum and to do something very visible and historic after their term.
Please do not bother to answer this letter. I know how busy you are. I would like to have the same agreement with you as I had with various Secretaries-Generals: that I write to them, when I have an idea, and that they never have to write back to me, especially when they do what I suggest to them!
I pray God that He will bless you Presidencywith many good things for this beautiful planet andfor its genial human race.Yours in Peace
Robert MullerChancellor
H.E.Mr. S.R. InsanallyPresident of the General AssemblyUnited Nations
"Si
vis pacem, para pacem"Tels: 506-205-9000. Apartado 138-6100 Ciudad
Colón, Costa Rica, C.A. Fax: 249-1929e-mail:
upaznego@sol.racsa.co.cr
1 April 1997(E-mail)
To: His Excellency, the Honorable President William Clinton,From: Dr. Robert Muller, Chancellor of the University for Peace
Dear President Clinton,
Since you are the President of the most prominent and forward-looking country in the world, may I suggest that you announce on 6 April, the date when 1000 days will be left to the Year 2000, the creation of a US Millennium Committee composed of the best thinkers and visioneers of the US, including youth, to offer the world by the year 2000 a new vision for the 21st century and the third millennium, a vision of peace, justice and well-being for all humanity.
It would be appropriate for you to be the President and Chair of that committee. Other countries would follow your example and the whole world would benefit from your history making initiative.
Peace to youYours Warmly
Robert MullerChancellor of the UN University for PeaceFormer UN Assistant Secretary General
"Si
vis pacem, para pacem"Tels: 506-205-9000. Apartado 138-6100 Ciudad
Colón, Costa Rica, C.A. Fax: 249-1929e-mail:
upaznego@sol.racsa.co.cr
26 June 1998Dear Mikhail Gorbachev,
We were sorry that due to health impediments you were unable to participate personally in the conference held under your auspices in Cagliari, Sardinia. I would have liked to talk to you and to convey to you an idea of mine. You know me indirectly from my book The Birth of a Global Civilization which Senator Alan Cranston gave you a couple of years ago. My feeling and idea is that you should announce to the world a Mikhail Gorbachev Plan for the proper government of planet Earth as we enter a new century and millennium. I am a Frenchman from Alsace-Lorraine who has lived the birth and the announcement of my compatriot Robert Schuman's Plan which led to the creation of the European Union. We need a similar bold plan for the world. If not, we will soon be in deep trouble. It is better to think and plan for a better international system of world government while there is peace than to wait for the time of trouble when emergency measures have to be quickly put together. We can no longer live in the kindergarten stage of the global age, waiting to react until we burn our fingers. In the enclosed paper submitted to your conference you will find several avenues into which we can engage. The world would not expect you to come out with a fully worked out plan. You could outline its main features, and announce that you establish a Gorbachev World Commission of Eminent Persons to work out the needed Plan and World System for proper government of our beautiful planet and the happiness and fulfillment of all humanity.My wife Barbara, also a member of the Club of Budapest, sent you a year ago, on 26 June 1997, a similar message when you received the Planetary Consciousness Award in the City of Goethe. We reproduce it herewith.
With our warmest wishes for good healthand great happiness as well as to your wife Raissa
Barbara and Robert Muller
"Si
vis pacem, para pacem"Tels: 506- 205-9000. Apartado 138-6100 Ciudad
Colón, Costa Rica, C.A. Fax: 249-1929e-mail:
upaznego@sol.racsa.co.cr
26 June 1997
Message to Mikhail Gorbachev on his receipt of the Planetary Consciousness Prize in the City of Frankfurt
We send you our warmest love, congratulations and prayers. May you become the prophet of a united human family, and the global architect who will give the world his vision, plan and proposals how the Earth and humanity can become the ultimate cosmic success of the universe and of God. May we be privileged to see soon a Gorbachev Plan for a World Union or Proper Earth Government as we saw a Robert Schuman Plan for a United Europe, now an astonishing reality. May you, all your co-workers and guests contribute to our entry into a new phase, the cosmic age of our evolution into the 21st century and third millennium.
Let us all heed the advice of the great Goethe, the honor of the City of Frankfurt in which you receive the Planetary Consciousness Prize:
"Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it,Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."
Barbara and Robert Muller
6 March 1999Dear Mr. Secretary General,
With the year 2000 you are becoming the most important person on Earth in the entire human history. How can you face this overwhelming challenge in one of the most complex and "messy" (your words used in the latest World Diplomatic Bulletin) human, Earth and evolutionary situations this planet has ever known?
Here are a few advices from a life-time world public servant and direct aide to three former Secretaries General:
1. You cannot count on anyone else but yourself. Every morning you must say to yourself when you wake up: I am the only one who can give the inspiration and ideas to the world regarding our future. You can be helped, but your final proposals and recommendations are yours. Pray God and the invisible forces of the universe to help you.
2. Place heads of national governments squarely before their responsibilities. Advise, inspire and elevate them in your personal Note Verbale to all heads of state as is usual before every General Assembly. This is an extremely important document. Tell them what you expect from them as actions between now and the Millennium General Assembly which they are expected to attend. Issue that Note Verbale as early as possible. Do not wait until we are closer to this year's General Assembly.
3. Mobilize the Administrative Committee of Coordination (your twice yearly World Cabinet Meeting), all substantive Secretariat services (headquarters and regional), and all specialized agencies and world programs to come up with states of the world reports in each of their fields and segments of the human and Earth condition. As part of their input, ask for the following:
- an inventory of achievements since the creation of that agency (in the case of the UN it already exists for the last fifty years)- an inventory of major world problems and issues to be solved according to urgency (immediate, medium-term, long-term)- an inventory of hopes- an inventory of proposals, ideas and recommendationsa. regarding the need for changes in human valuesb. regarding the need for changes in institutions and the creation of new onesc. regarding necessary change in laws and implementation
4. The preceding will provide you with the basic materials for your personal report to the heads of states at the Millennium Assembly and make it the most comprehensive, courageous, epoch-making, forward-looking message in modern human history. It must serve as a guide and be quoted during the decades to come.I have done my personal duty in producing 2000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World based on my fifty years of world experience. They are finished, the last volume IV having just come out. I am sending it to you as I did the preceding three volumes. Since they are published well ahead of the year 2000, I will devote the rest of the current year to their dissemination and implementation. Being an advisory member of the newly created Foundation for the Future in Bellevue, State of Washington, which looks as far as the year 3000, I will continue to write a thousand more ideas. The Foundation will hold a conference of the world's 100 best futurologists and evolutionary scientists in Seattle in the summer of 2000 in time to issue their report for the Millennium General Assembly.
5. Please appoint one of your officials to read the four volumes and draw your attention to those ideas which you could use in your speeches and recommendations to the Millennium Assembly. He or she can count on my full cooperation.
6. From the 2000 ideas many ideas regarding special fields can be excerpted by computer. I am sending you herewith an excerpt dealing with the Future. In the copy I have marked the ideas which could be of interest to you. For example in idea 500 which lists all the World Commissions held over the years to help the United Nations, I suggest that you ask an official to make a list of all the specific recommendations made by them. The result would be a very remarkable document of interest to governments and to many people. With Dr. Karan Singh of India we have just created a World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality to promote a much needed spiritual Renaissance. I am sending the other members an excerpt of 50 pages of ideas regarding religion and spirituality, similar to the one on the Future.
Last but not least, ask Mrs. Annan to keep the four volumes on her nighttable and to peruse them, drawing your attention to ideas she would like you to make yours. My life's work has been incredibly helped and enhanced by my alas deceased wife Margarita Gallo from Chile, the President of the UN Women's Guild, succeeded now by Mrs. Annan. I have written a novel in her memory First Lady of the World and donated a bust of Eleanor Roosevelt with whom she worked as a delegate of Chile to the Commission on Women's Rights. It was inaugurated last 10th of December at the University for Peace on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Her remains will be transferred next month to a hill, called Mt. Margarita, of the property Mt. Rasur I have acquired on a sacred mountain, adjacent to the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. God has sent me since then another wonderful life companion who inspires me and helps me enormously. It is she who asked me to write 2000 ideas for the year 2000, which I did.
She joins me in wishing you and Mrs. Annan a great historical role in the fate of humanity and of planet Earth.Yours in Peace,
Barbara
and Robert MullerH.E. Dr. Kofi AnnanSecretary General of the UN"Si
vis pacem, para pacem"Tels: 506- 205-9000. Apartado
138-6100 Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica, C.A. Fax: 249-1929e-mail:
upaznego@sol.racsa.co.cr
30 November 1999His Excellency, The Honorable Theo-Ben Gurirab (UN Interne 1963)President of the UN General AssemblyNew York
Dear Mr. President,
From one former UN Interne (1948) to another, may I suggest that you make a recommendation in this General Assembly that the Secretary General of the UN should submit to the General Assembly 2000 his vision of the world and humanity in the next century.
The only great new idea in this century was the creation of the European Union when France and Germany became friends and the borders between 15 European countries were suppressed.
I suggest that in your General Assembly speech next year you propose a World Union or Alliance to eradicate poverty from this planet. No details needed in your speech.
What is needed most in the United Nations is the audacity of great, memorable ideas. So far not a single President of the General Assembly is remembered for a great, new idea or initiative.
As a famous French revolutionary proclaimed: De l'audace, de l'audace et toujours de l'audace. Audacity, audacity and still audacity. We have remembered that appeal when after World War II we got tired of the wars between France and Germany: three wars which made my grandparents change nationality five times without leaving their village. I am proud, as an Alsace-Lorrainer who suffered from this situation to be a member of the canonization committee of Robert Schuman, an Alsace-Lorrainer, who had the audacity to found the European Union. We will make him the first political saint of our time.
I pray God that He inspire youto listen to my appeal,
Robert
MullerChancellor EmeritusFormer UN Assistant Secretary General"Si vis
pacem, para pacem"Tels: 506-205-9000. Apartado
138-6100 Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica, C.A. Fax: 249-1929e-mail:
upaznego@sol.racsa.co.cr
20 December 1999
Mr. Ted TurnerPresident, CNNAtlanta, GA 30348
Dearest Ted,
Herewith a status of nuclear weapons in the world. In your world appeal of 1 January, ask that the year 2000 should be celebrated and remembered in human history as the year of destruction of nuclear weapons. (See my Idea 2153)
I also pray that you will take the initiative to launch and chair a World Commission on the Media. See Idea 2157 which gives you an idea of the World Commissions and their usefulness. No rush, but please keep it in mind.
With all my love, admiration and heartiest wishes to you.May 2000 be the greatest and happiest in your life,
Robert Muller
PS. We must now open our eyes, minds and views to the year 3000 and become the Third Millennium Makers. Someone wrote and sent me a 17 pages paper on Robert Muller: the Millennium Maker, Early Herald of the Bimillennium. I must now start becoming the Third Millennium Maker. One of your TV programs could interview me to launch the wave. The fate of the Earth depends on our vision 3000.
"Si vis pacem, para pacem"Tels: 506-205-9000. Apartado 138-6100 Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica, C.A. Fax: 249-1929e-mail: upaznego@sol.racsa.co.crNuclear Weapons at a Glancefrom Project Plougsharers, Canada, 1998
• Eight countries are known to possess nuclear weapons: the five acknowledged nuclear weapon states - Russia, the United States, France, China and the United Kingdom - and three countries - India, Pakistan and Israel - that are not nuclear weapon states under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty but nonetheless are known to have developed and stockpiled the components for nuclear weapons. A ninth country, North Korea, also may have produced a small number of nuclear weapons. In May 1998 India and Pakistan conducted 5 or 6 nuclear tests respectively, demonstrating extensive nuclear capabilities and beginning what could become an intense nuclear arms race in South Asia.• South Africa is the only country to have acquired nuclear weapons and subsequently eliminated its nuclear arsenal.• The total number of nuclear weapons in the world is estimated to be as many as 35,000.• At its peak in 1986, the total number of nuclear weapons in the world was about 70,000.• The explosive power of the world's arsenal is equivalent to approximately 500,000 bombs of the size that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.• There are currently five major international Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones. These zones include all the countries in the Southern Hemisphere.
Nuclear Arsenals of the Nuclear Weapon States (1998)
Russia
21,000United States11,500France450China400United Kingdom260Israel100-200India60-80Pakistan15-25
Total
34,000
American and Russian figures include thousands of weapons held in reserve or retired but not yet dismantled. The US strategic nuclear arsenal is estimated to contain about 7,250 operationally deployed warheads. The Russian strategic nuclear arsenal is estimated to contain about 6,240 operationally deployed nuclear warheads. Israeli, Indian and Pakistani figures represent the potential number of weapons, based on estimates of the amount of fissile material those countries have produced.
PART II
IDEAS 2101 TO 2200
INTRODUCTIONA Great New Step in Evolution
Let me report an enlightenment I had during the night of Friday 13 August 1999. I was wide awake in bed. Barbara also awoke. I briefly said to her how important it was to have the visions of Eric Chaisson, the astro-physicist and Christian De Duve, the Dutch Nobel Prize Winner for biology, namely that we have arrived as a species on this planet at an advanced stage of evolution when we know our planetary home inside out and have a knowledge of the universe from the infinitely large to the infinitely small. Once any species on any planet has reached that stage, then the future evolution of that planet rests in the hands of that species. If that species does not change its values and continues on the lines of the preceding values which led it to that success, then evolution will be ended by that species.
What is needed are new human values geared to the future evolution of life on planet Earth. De Duve calls it the need for wisdom and Chaisson says that we must abandon the Darwinian theory of competition and replace it by cooperation.
This was not new to Barbara. She had heard it before. It was rather a summary to myself in order to draw further conclusions from it. I remembered a paper in which I wrote down the needs for a new global education, global anthropology, global economy, global communications, global business, global governance. That stuck in my mind. I said to myself: look at the complexity of a human being; there are trillions and trillions of cells with their subdivisions, each infinitely smaller. And all these organs function together marvelously and make a whole human being what it is, an incredible living unit of the universe for a number of years then returning into the Earth from which it came.
If this has happened to the evolution of the individual, do we not now witness something similar happening to humanity as a whole, evolving into one body, infinitely more complex than the individual, with a global brain, a global nervous system, a global heart and a global soul? We have global values, global ideas and we seek now global instruments, policies and behaviors within a newborn concept and reality, namely the unity of the human species forming one body with this planet. Progressively that global consciousness and self-organizing will win against the oppositions of those who stick to the values of the past. This is a new phase in evolution of this planet, a very, very important one.
And when we look at the total map of the world, we can see it either from a natural or from a historical, cultural point of view. At the UN University for Peace we have a big map called an ecomap of the word, the natural regions of the world. We begin to understand that we must live within those natural regions and not destroy them. These are fundamental phenomena of the nature of this planet.
For the first time in the entire human history and evolution the total Earth comes first. We recognize that we are born from her and will return to her. Each human being is a living, conscious cell of the Earth, an active part of her life and further evolution. Hence, we must now speak of global evolutionary responsibilities of individuals and of all groups in the immense climatic and ecological diversity of this planet. My God, what momentous new evolutionary thinking and behaviors are required!
The globalization of nature and of humanity must now be the foremost rule. The requirements of the Earth are fundamental to preserve the future of humanity. I am tempted to coin a new word, namely Earthcracy, the rule of the Earth. What is needed is a cooperation of all humans in this incredible globalization of the Earth on top of the incredible diversity of her nature, her species', her human beings and groups.
What an enlightenment and new hope that was!
~ Idea 2101 ~The same way as my compatriot Robert Schuman's prayer to God to obtain the creation of a European Union was fulfilled, I pray God to help us obtain the creation of a Union of all states of the world. The following historic decision could do it:
"The heads of states of the peoples' of the world, assembled in the Year 2000 United Nations General Assembly, inspired by the great precedents of the United States of America and of the European Union, request the Secretary General of the UN to prepare proposals for the creation of a Union of all States of the World to be submitted to us meeting again in the General Assembly at the heads of states level in the year 2002. That Assembly shall remain in session until the draft statutes of a Union of all States of the World (USW) are ready for submission to our peoples. "So help us God."
This might be the most important of all my 3000 ideas, dreams and proposals.
~ Idea 2102 ~The questions of philanthropy and gaiaphily (love for people and love for the Earth) should become major items on the agenda of world affairs. I repeat my recommendation that the United Nations should publish yearly world statistics, both national and international, on these subjects. I am sure that such statistics would reveal that international private philanthropy is bigger than governmental aid.
~ Idea 2103 ~Humans have developed an endless imagination to change the Earth and nature for our benefit and not yet any real concern to preserve the Earth and her nature for our benefit. If this relation is not rapidly reversed it might mean the end of our and of all evolution on this planet.
~ Idea 2104 ~If in the future outer space beings discover our Earth and undertake research why life disappeared on it, they will discover that it could have been avoided if the views and recommendations of a strengthened UN and of its visionaries had been adopted and implemented.
If they find a successful planet with a healthy, happy, peaceful humanity living in harmony with the Earth, the past, the present and the future they will discover that it was primarily thanks to the United Nations.
~ Idea 2105 ~We might not even care any longer whether NATO, SEATO or a UN World Security System should ensure the security of the world. Why? Because the United States and its wealth, power, armaments, militaries and endless so called economic 'progress' are now likely to lead us to the end of the world. The US is now the new Roman Empire likely to ruin the Earth and put an end to its evolution.
~ Idea 2106 ~Only a world movement for a drastic reduction of purchases and consumption of unnecessary products and services will be able to save the Earth, added to a much more rapid world population containment.
~ Idea 2107 ~Communism was unable to defeat capitalism. Consumerism will.
~ Idea 2108 ~On a road in the United States I saw a sign: End of Construction.
Placing myself in the position of the Earth the opposite sign came to my mind: End of Destruction.
~ Idea 2109 ~The poor countries of the world should:
1. stop very rapidly their population increase2. stop imitating the western countries
The rich countries should:
1. stop their overproduction2. stop their overconsumption3. stop their Earth destruction4. stop their frantic, wild marketing and advertisement at home and abroad5. stop re-atomizing planet Earth
~ Idea 2110 ~During my youth I heard the slogan:
Deutchland über Alles (Germany above everything).
During my adulthood I heard the slogan:
US über Alles (USA above everything).
At long last I now hear:
Planet Earth and humanity über Alles.
~ Idea 2111 ~Buddha in his cosmology held that man would never be able to leave our small solar system. Whenever U Thant was visited by astronauts or astrophysicists, he asked them whether Buddha was right and they always agreed: the star closest to us, Proxima Centauri, is 24 trillion miles away from Earth and at the present maximum speed of Apollo (25,400 miles per hour), it would take many centuries for a spaceship to reach it. In order to realize how small we are in the universe, we must remember that there are billions of galaxies, each consisting of trillions of stars and suns, burning or extinguished, with their barren non-life-supporting planets. The farthest galaxies now visible with giant telescopes are about five billion light-years away! The largest of the visible specks in Berenice's Hair is believed to be a giant galaxy of a trillion stars, ten times bigger than our Milky Way - in which Proxima Centauri is our closest neighbor!
I wrote this more than twenty years ago. Today the US launches space vehicles like Cassini, fueled with plutonium, which return to the Earth' atmosphere to whirl around it to accelerate their speed of 45,000 miles per hour and go farther into the universe. If an accident should occurred to them during that whirling millions of humans would die!
My view is this:
We need urgently more poverty explorations and Earth saving explorations than space explorations.
A proper Earth government would decree that all costly space explorations be stopped until our urgent human and environmental problems are resolved on Earth.
We should be more concerned and devote more resources to how life might vanish from Earth than why it disappeared from Mars.
~ Idea 2112 ~Humans can do wonders if they are inspired or determined to do so.
Here is an example: When I visited for the first time the land donated by Costa Rica to the United Nations to create on it a University for Peace, I saw such a wild jungle in the hills inhabited by a few very poor people that I exclaimed: we must have our heads examined to consider building a university in such a wild, forlorn place without an access road, electricity and a water system.
Today when I see the beauty, the paradise, the garden of Eden made of this area, I can hardly believe it. It shows what humans can do when they are determined to live in full harmony with nature and to create highest beauty.
We should do the same everywhere on Earth.
~ Idea 2113 ~People who migrated from the land to big cities should not brag about it and induce their families and friends from home to follow their example. They should tell them about the hard life and troubles in those cities and say that life on the land is much better.
~ Idea 2114 ~At the end of each air trip the passengers should be informed of the quantity of carbon dioxide emitted by the airplane into the atmosphere. The International Civil Aviation Organization should decree and implement that rule.
~ Idea 2115 ~We should thank God for countries like Guatemala which has still vast surfaces of untouched forests and not call them underdeveloped. We should call the western countries wrongly developed, half-destroyed countries and countries like Guatemala natural, undestroyed countries. Their people should be asked to stay on the land and be given by the rich countries subsidies to do so. It would be in the interest of the Earth and of everybody.
~ Idea 2116 ~I propose a World Marshall Plan to save the Earth. Stay-on-the-Land help and subsidies should be an important part of it.
~ Idea 2117 ~We might be coming to the end of the scientific age. Science and scientists have become too complicated. They are lost in their theories. No clarity emerges from their research anymore. They complicate the world, use excessive resources, teach too many students and cost the world too much money. Science should confess its limitations, review itself and better help the world's continued evolution.
~ Idea 2118 ~The statement by a UK pilot in Idea 1986 should be amended. Arriving near the Miami coast already miles away the Earth is covered by a blanket of yellow, brown pollution. That is the model, successful United States which seeks the admiration and emulation by the rest of the world.
~ Idea 2119 ~Heads of big corporations which cause a good deal of pollution and destruction of the Earth should not be allowed after their retirement to go and live in unpolluted areas on sea shores or on mountain tops. They should be compelled to stay in the places they polluted.
~ Idea 2120 ~I am really astonished how heads of states are so little concerned with their future reputation, with the mark they will leave on history, even their fame. They believe that to have become a head of state is the top. It is no longer so when there are 189 nation states. You can become famous only if you did or proposed something that changed the world for the better. The world stage is the biggest stage, no longer the national one, not even that of the biggest countries.
~ Idea 2121 ~Perhaps it is not even overpopulation and overconsumption which are the culprits of the destruction of the Earth. The real culprits are big corporations and business. At least they should be added to the first two.
~ Idea 2122 ~The whole western gift habit should be reviewed in favor of nature conserving and embellishing gifts: flowers with roots instead of cut flowers, seeds and bulbs, little fruit trees to be planted by children, books on nature preservation, membership in environmental movements or clubs, peace toys. Avoid violence toys, horror books and unnecessary objects which required Earth resources to be made. World-wide this could have a substantial effect.
~ Idea 2123 ~For the cost of two fighter aircraft, (45 million dollars), we could install 300,000 hand pumps and give access to poor people to safe drinking water in third world countries.
~ Idea 2124 ~Nature and humans are the true capital of planet Earth, not money, not stock markets, not bank accounts. If we do not change our values the Earth and humanity are doomed.
~ Idea 2125 ~For each year and decade of the 3rd millennium we should establish:
inventories of achievementsinventories of hopeinventories of errorsinventories of injusticesinventories of wrong beliefsinventories of wrong-doings
~ Idea 2126 ~In the Hudson Valley, near New York City there are a good dozen big, solid, brick built abandoned business buildings along the railroad track. Why doesn't the US Government or New York state transform them into low cost homes or homes for the homeless!
~ Idea 2127 ~Each of us is a cosmic unit which can grasp the incredible divine meaning of life and of the miraculous planet on which we live. We need to seek harmony with the heavens and with our beautiful Earth. We need to obey the laws of the cosmos. The messages from the universe given to us by heavenly messengers like Jesus, Mohammed, the Buddha and others should be heard.
~ Idea 2128 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, I cherish and admire your efforts but to tell you the truth I often wish that the human species, the most intelligent one I have produced, would vanish from this planet, permitting innumerable other species to continue to live and to develop."
I:This is what my daughter, an ocean biologist often says to me, "Don't worry Dad, the earlier the human species will disappear from this planet the better it will be for all other life forms and for evolution."
That is the conclusion she has drawn from seeing the destruction by humans of life in the seas and oceans.
~ Idea 2129 ~The accumulation of wrongnesses on this planet is so much bigger than goodnesses that it seems almost impossible for humanity to succeed.
No government on Earth wants to recognize this. It is business as usual which means power, business, national prestige and sovereignty while an entirely new factor has come up in our destiny, namely the fate of the entire Earth.
How to cope with this? How to create a new political and life order on this planet? That is the crucial, overwhelming challenge facing us in the 21st century. We must do it or perish.
~ Idea 2130 ~If there existed no cigarettes on this planet it would not occur to anyone to smoke. Millions of premature deaths, incredible sufferings and huge sums of health care money would be saved. Human longevity would be prolonged. The soil needed for tobacco production would be used for food production. So why not prohibit the production of cigarettes on this planet? Do we not prohibit already the production, smuggling and sale of narcotic drugs?
~ Idea 2131 ~In the elevator of an apartment building in New York I saw a sign, No Smoking, under which someone wrote: anywhere in the world. I congratulate the unknown person who wrote it. More people should imitate that person. It would be a new form of democracy, a health democracy. Why not launch a people's advertising movement for what is good and against what is bad for humans and for the Earth.
~ Idea 2132 ~It is with alcohol as it is with cigarettes. If no beer, wines and alcoholic liquids existed on this planet it would not occur to anyone to drink. The benefits would be even greater than those from non-smoking considering the accidents, violence and miseries caused by alcohol.
Alcohol is a drug, so why not prohibit it and use the released land for the production of food? Why not follow the laws of the Muslim countries where the production, transport, advertisement, sale and consuming of alcohol are prohibited? The word alcohol comes from the Arabic, Al kohol which means the devil. Please remember it.
~ Idea 2133 ~On a new fruit juice bottle advertised as a real fruit juice I had the curiosity to read the minuscule text of the ingredients as required by law. I read that it contained thirteen percent real fruit juice and the rest was water, cane sugar and various chemicals. How wonderful it is to live in Costa Rica where when you ask for a fruit juice you will get the choice between several of them all squeezed out in front of you from fruits. Unfortunately these are diminishing too, soon to be wiped out by the advertisement and marketing of Coca Cola and other 'soft drink' manufacturers. I recommend that the label 'soft drink' should no longer be allowed and that all these beverages should be labeled artificial, unnatural.
~ Idea 2134 ~The people who oppose any idea of world government have been very badly defeated: now we have world government by multinational corporations which have been given almost total world freedom to act as they want and where they want and often have governments as their obedient servants while governments should be the servants of the people, of justice, of the downtrodden, of the helpless and more recently of nature and of the Earth.
Moreover most corporations do not give a damn about the Earth and its nature which have become priority number one of our survival.
When I wrote to a multi-millionaire that he and his kind were destroying the Earth he answered, "Well the Earth and our solar system will explode anyway in a few million years into the universe so we might as well have fun making money in the meantime."
We need very urgently a proper Earth government in order to control these non-elected masters of the world chosen and kept in power by people who have money to buy shares in stock markets and by banks.
~ Idea 2135 ~There is an absolute, urgent need for a World Public Opinion Agency which must be a public inter-governmental agency not a private one. It would be a key instrument to stop the decline of democracy in the world.
~ Idea 2136 ~There is an absolute, urgent need to hold a world conference on overconsumption in the rich countries and underconsumption in the poor countries.
The Secretary General of the United Nations should create a department or office on consumption. World statistics are as much needed in this field as they are on economic development and population. The concepts of gross and net national consumption and world Earth consumption should be urgently introduced by the United Nations.
~ Idea 2137 ~When I called an ecologist today I asked him, "How are you?" He answered, "I am fine, but every hour the Earth is getting worse." What a sad comment.
~ Idea 2138 ~After its tribal age,
After its national age,
After its global age, humanity is now entering its next most evolutionary age,
the cosmic age.
The first manifestations are:
- the worries of humans for the fate of nature, of all life forms on Earth and for the Earth herself.
- the birth of a Natural Law Party in many countries (100 in October 1999) which recommends a government of the Earth according to the laws of nature. And since nature, humans and all life forms and the Earth herself are solid or flowing forms of cosmic energy, it is now natural that the further evolution of this planet should be the main concern of humanity.
What an incredible new age of human history we are entering!
~ Idea 2139 ~After the recent birth of global education still sparsely implemented around the world we must now give our children a cosmic evolutionary education as most religions have done already for a long time.
~ Idea 2140 ~The day might come when all humans on Earth will be businessmen and businesswomen. The cars, the trains, the airplanes, the skyscrapers, the hotels will be filled with them. Everyone will be busy being a business person, each others customer. Then there will be no unemployment. Everybody will be busy except nature and the Earth which will be destroyed bringing in the wake the end of the human race.
~ Idea 2141 ~When one sees the admirable, historic cultural work done by UNESCO on world art such as the saving of the Abu Simbel Monuments one remains really flabbergasted that a great country like the United States is the only country on Earth that has walked out of that organization. The United Kingdom, out of friendship with the United States, walked out of it too, but returned to it soon thereafter. The United States art museums, art associations, foundations of art and art loving people should make the United States Government ashamed of itself.
There might of course, be an advantage in the absence of the United States Government from UNESCO. Quite a number of people say that UNESCO functions much better since the US has left it. Perhaps the same would be true of the United Nations.
~ Idea 2142 ~In US airplanes they announce that under federal law it is prohibited to smoke. I wonder if there will ever be a time when the announcement will be in the name of a world law. There are millions and millions of national and local laws on planet Earth but not a single world law at the crucial time when the whole Earth and humanity are at stake. Outer space visitors to planet Earth would be totally aghast to learn that!
Thank God we could tell them that there are now European laws which apply to all fifteen borderless nations of western Europe. My compatriot, Robert Schuman has succeeded doing that for Europe. My generation has not yet succeeded doing it for the world. Hopefully it will come. We are waiting for the Robert Schuman of the world.
~ Idea 2143 ~The Secretary General of the United Nations should submit to the Heads of States UN General Assembly 2000 well worked out proposals for an intelligent, rational, inspirational and evolutionary world political system for the proper government of planet Earth and humanity and they should work on it. If not, he and they will leave no mark on human history.
~ Idea 2144 ~During a conference on Teilhard de Chardin's views of the future of humankind and the Earth at the famous World War II Memorial of the city of Caen, Normandy, France I made the following proposals to the mayor and to the president of the Memorial:
1. that the name of Teilhard de Chardin should be added to the roster of great world philosophers and peacemakers engraved on the wall of the Memorial.
The idea was implemented.2. to invite the Secretary General of the United Nations to visit the Memorial on the occasion of one of his visits to Europe. The mayor and president of the memorial will send to him an invitation.
3. to invite all Nobel Peace Prize winners to the Memorial where there is a Nobel Peace Prize Gallery and express their views, recommendations and ideas for a peaceful world in the 21st century, to be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly 2000 at the Heads of State Level.
4. to create a world association of war and peace memorials around the world such as the Verdun Memorial, the Wall of Berlin Memorial, the Hiroshima Memorial and others, to draw lessons from past wars and help build a warless, peaceful, non-violent world. The association should be accredited to the United Nations and help the UN in its peace efforts as well as those of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 2145 ~It is such a marvelous feeling to travel in French trains, the best in the world, devoid of all advertisements. This example should be followed by all other public transportation means in the world and on all public roads and lands.
~ Idea 2146 ~In France two families have introduced lawsuits against the national cigarettes and tobacco manufacturing company. They thus follow in the footsteps of the American government which is waging lawsuits against private cigarette companies because its public health system has to pay for the treatment of cancers produced by smoking.
I suggest that families should also introduce lawsuits against governments which allow advertisements of smoking and alcoholic drinks in order to derive revenues from such products and advertisements. This should be considered totally immoral and contrary to public health interests.
~ Idea 2147 ~I recommend that a country like Costa Rica should wage a national campaign for the consumption of natural fruit juices and against artificial carbonated drinks. Costa Rica should also have a systematic policy of exports of natural fruit juices in order to derive income from such exports and help local producers of its large variety of wonderful fruits to survive and not be forced to abandon such cultivation as had a neighbor of ours.
~ Idea 2148 ~Advertisement is a one-way programmed communication from business and big corporations to which the people cannot respond. It is a new form of domination of the rich over the poor. I recommend that governments urgently look into this problem and come up with proper legislation. A World Conference on Advertisement and the Media should be urgently held. I cannot repeat it enough. Please dear people, request it from your legislators.
~ Idea 2149 ~It is good that France is following the example of Italy and is determined to put an end to obligatory military service. It wants to build a professional army by the year 2000. In the meantime any young people who have a labor or employment contract for at least six months are exempted from military service.
The United Nations should publish a yearly report on the status of military service and its progressive elimination from the world. What a beautiful progress of humanity this would be. Such a progress report should be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly 2000 at the Heads of States Level.
~ Idea 2150 ~The European countries should move out of NATO and create a common European security system of their own. They should return to the proposals to create a European army by Robert Schuman and Winston Churchill when they met in Paris in 1951. Where are the Robert Schumans and Winston Churchills of today?
~ Idea
2151 ~
In discussions on the evolution of human life on planet Earth there is a lot of talk about 'polar couples', of husbands and wives, of males and females being 'poles of Earth evolution'. I would prefer the words 'cosmic couples', a concept already coined by the Mayan cosmologists and adopted by me and my wife (see Idea 759 in Vol. II). One could speak of cosmic couples as poles of Earth evolution.
~ Idea 2152 ~I consider it a major historical irresponsibility to let this century pass without convening the United Nations Security Council's Military Staff Committee at the Chiefs of Armies level, an organ created by the UN Charter to design a common world security system and after that disarm the world. Even if it should not succeed, it is a sacred obligation of the Security Council toward the world's people to convene it. If I were the UN Secretary General I would request it most emphatically from the Security Council and if not accepted I would submit my resignation.
~ Idea 2153 ~The UN should proclaim the year 2000 World Anti-nuclear Missiles Year. Announcements of the reduction of nuclear missiles should be made solemnly by nuclear powers during that year and televised world-wide from the United Nations. A large map of nuclear missiles in the world and their progressive elimination should be displayed at the United Nations on the pathway of delegates and visitors. Ted Turner should give a prize to the country that destroys most of them.
~ Idea 2154 ~In any enclosed place where a number of people gather for a duration of time, for example movie houses, restaurants, gambling places, conference halls, theaters, airplanes, etc. the law should require that architects calculate the volume of oxygen needed by the people, the carbon dioxide emitted by their lungs and make sure that a necessary ventilation system exists for proper respiration by all. The certificate that this has been done should be displayed by law in all these places. There are already a number of them in the world who do it, but there should be many more. It is a means to increase the health, welfare and longevity of people.
~ Idea 2155 ~The greatest support to internationalism will be 'internetism'. To my poem Decide to Network I must now add another, Decide to Internetwork.
~ Idea 2156 ~When most people and institutions have become money crazy the word democracy should be replaced by moneycracy (moneycrazy?) or plutocracy from the Latin god Pluto, the god of wealth.
~ Idea 2157 ~In the last two or three decades we had nine World Commissions of Eminent Personalities usually headed by a current or former head of state and dealing with major world subjects. These commissions complement and often outdistance usefully the work of the United Nations. The list of these commissions contained in Idea 500 of my 2000 Ideas is reproduced below. I have proposed myself several more world commissions (see item World Commissions in Volume V, the Index of the first 2000 Ideas).
I think it would be very useful if these heads of states and personalities would create a common world office to follow the fate of their recommendations, to republish their reports when they are out of print, to look for ways to have their recommendations implemented, to plan reconvenings and to get more world commissions created on vital global human issues.
A summary of all the concrete proposals made by these commissions would be a remarkable, very useful document for the UN General Assembly at the Heads of States Level in fall of 2000, more eminent and useful than these personal ideas of mine.
List of World Commissions of Eminent Personalities held in recent years:
The World Commission on North-South Relations headed by former Chancellor Willy Brandt of Germany,
The World Commission on Disarmament headed by Mr. Olof Palme, former Prime Minister of Sweden.
The World Commission on the Environment headed by Mrs. Gro Harlan Brundtland, Prime Minister of Norway.
The World Commission on Global Governance, headed by Mr. Ingvàr Carlsson, former Prime Minister of Sweden.
The World Commission on Funding of the United Nations, headed by Ms. Hazel Henderson, US economist,
The World Commission on Population and the Quality of Life, headed by Mrs. Maria de Lourdes Pintalsigo, former Prime Minister of Portugal,
The World Commission on Art and Culture, headed by former UN Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuellar,
The World Commission on Education in the 21st century, headed by Jacques Delors, former President of the European Economic Community,
The World Commission on the Oceans, headed by Mario Soares, Prime Minister of Portugal.
The recently created World Commission on Consciousness and Spirituality co-chaired by Dr. Karan Singh (India), and Robert Muller (France).
~ Idea 2158 ~Similarly, there are several former heads of states who individually or in groups mediate conflicts behind the scenes or launch new ideas, for example the InterAction Council of 27 former heads of states headed by Dr. Helmut Schmidt, former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, which drafted a remarkable Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities.
Why not create a common office for former heads of states similar to the one proposed for the World Commissions of Eminent Personalities?
Again, it would be very remarkable if former heads of states individually or in groups could submit their concrete proposals and ideas to the General Assembly 2000 of the UN at the heads of states level which is "to focus on means of solving our global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century" (resolution of the 1998 UN General Assembly).
~ Idea 2159 ~And why not consider several similar common offices for former Ministers of Foreign Affairs and any other former Ministers? The world would be greatly enriched by their exchanges of visions, experience, ideas, contributions and by their friendships.
~ Idea 2160 ~I have suggested to the President of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) to ask all retired and active UN journalists and press correspondents to write down their ideas concerning a better UN and a better 21st century and 3rd millennium. I am sure that many of them have ideas which are dear to them. The answers received could be submitted to the Secretary General of the UN, to the heads of states of the General Assembly 2000 and to the Peoples' Assembly 2000. Given the importance of the press, especially the international press, in world affairs and with the Permanent Missions to the UN, it is quite possible that at least some if not many good suggestions submitted might be implemented and have a deep influence on the future of the world.
~ Idea
2161 ~
The US better wake up and begin to think what kind of Earth government or world federal system they want and discuss it with other nations. If not, I predict that they will wake up some day with a new world government system developed progressively by the European Union behind their back. Remember my words. It will be the same situation as when the United States never believed that the European Union would be created and would succeed.
~ Idea 2162 ~I repeat that it is absolutely essential and urgent to create a World Public Opinion Agency of the United Nations to give world democracy a real chance by ascertaining the views and wishes of the people. Such an agency would keep track of all public opinion polls in nations and would organize world public opinion polls of its own on the global issues besetting this planet.
~ Idea 2163 ~I would like to see the birth of people's movements against advertisement. For example, how much more beautiful a railroad station along the magnificent Hudson River would be if it did not display often ugly, stupid advertisements which are real insults to God's nature and to human intelligence. To the law of freedom of enterprise we must oppose the law of the people's opinions, good taste and true democracy.
~ Idea 2164 ~A new idea is the Miami's TOP, Tourist Oriented Police, a police helping the tourists. Why not also a PHP, a Peoples' Helping Police, an EHP, an Elderly Helping Police, a CHP, a Children's Helping Police, a YHP, a Youth Helping Police? Why not transform all the polices of the world into Peace Loving and Protecting Agencies or Services?
~ Idea 2165 ~Love? You want a definition of love?
Just look at a mother and her child.
Regarding Mother Earth, she loves us as her children, but we have not yet learned to love her as our mother. It must come. It will come. It is written all over the Earth.
~ Idea 2166 ~Do not watch TV. Do not listen to noisy radio programs. Do not read newspapers and magazines. They are almost irrelevant and have only superficial coverage of the main trends and needs of humanity and of the Earth. Read instead magazines of World Peoples' Associations, the so called Non-governmental Organizations. There you will find the real conditions, needs and ideas to obtain a better world. Listen only to the International Radio of Peace of the United Nations University for Peace and you will get an astonishing daily briefing on the deeper conditions, preoccupations and hopes of our world and of innumerable citizen's efforts. You will be recompensed with untold happiness instead of the frustrations, pessimism and depressions created by national TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. None of them has implemented my Framework for World Media Coverage published in Volume I, page 59.
~ Idea 2167 ~The time will soon come when plain, drinkable water will be sold with the indication of the year. Stores will offer assortments of water from the French Alps or other mountains in the world of a given year accompanied by advertisements regarding purity and health factors.
And God in heaven will shake once more his head at what humans are doing on Earth.
The day will also come when government will prohibit cows because they drink too much water when more city dwellers need more of it for toilet uses, washing machines, etc.
~ Idea 2168 ~When John McDonnell, the President of McDonnell Douglas Aircraft died, he requested that I should be the first speaker in his memorial lectures. If he were alive today he would request it again, I am sure.
Years ago, in a speech to the US Caterpillar Company, I recommended that they should slow down the production of earth-moving equipment. They would be making enough profit anyway with the normal progressive development in the world. They should not advertise the sale of this equipment.
I note with satisfaction, many years later, that I have never seen an advertisement by Caterpillar even on locations where there are new constructions and the need for much earth-moving equipment. I am sure that the Earth must rejoice at such restraint contrary to what most businesses do around the world.
~ Idea 2169 ~How can humans with insufficient global education give the right leadership to government, business, news, TV programs, education and today's humanity? They cannot. They are unprepared for it. This is why we have the current confusion in this world. Humans would be better, more hopeful, more inspired, more exalted about life if they received the right global education on this planet, the one I propose in my World Core Curriculum (see the table of its program in Volume I) used only in thirty-four of the millions of schools in the world.
~ Idea 2170 ~I pray that a great university will re-think from scratch the twenty-one major human segments listed in Ideas 527 to 547. Indeed ideas and proposals for a new political world order, for a new economics, for a new social order, for a new education, for a new world spirituality etc. are scattered all over the world in numerous institutions, associations, thinkers and books. Since time is of the essence it would be of utmost benefit to humanity and to the Earth if a concentrated, coordinated effort were made to re-think fundamentally our human and Earth administration.
~ Idea 2171 ~There is much debate these days about the phenomenon of globalism: globalism of business, of US power, of the media, of marketing, of advertisement, etc. But the most urgent globalism of all is being ignored: the need for a proper global government and administration of the Earth and of the human society. For the sake of the Earth, the well-being and justice of all humans, and the fate of future generations this crucial problem must receive first, absolute priority.
~ Idea 2172 ~There are growing criticisms against globalism. Rightly so because business globalism, the most gigantic one, fostered by rich countries which have an enormous advance in science, technology, patents and capital accumulations, etc. started its conquest and domination of the world with a global materialistic culture, consumption promotion, marketing, advertising, literature and media. As a result globalism has essentially become business globalism, business gigantism fostered by US and rich countries' world expansionism and power.
There are other globalisms which should have precedence: global institutions like the UN, spiritual globalism of all religions, ecological globalism, great world engineering and public service projects, etc. This is now powerfully coming to the fore thanks be to God.
~ Idea 2173 ~I think I am one of the few persons on Earth who thinks and worries day and night about the future of the world and humanity. I am well prepared to do it by my many years in the United Nations exclusive of any other service such as national and business service. There should be many more people like me in the world. I am alone for each 100,000 inhabitants of the world, while there are 85 doctors and 556 militaries.
~ Idea 2174 ~One great avenue for capitalism to survive would be to propose and obtain the creation of a United Earth Government with a World Stock Exchange in which all peoples of the world could participate and invest for the good of humanity and of the Earth.
~ Idea 2175 ~There is need for much more scientific and academic work on the concept, problem and practice of cooperation. For example, in a meeting or conference, hearing other people one has suddenly an idea or is reminded of an idea one had forgotten. It should be a vast field of study from cooperation between cells, and all organs of the human body, to cooperation between big entities like nations and corporations to cooperation between humanity and the Earth, and humanity, the Earth and the heavens. What a wonderful era this would open. It would give us the answers to most of our current problems.
~ Idea 2176 ~We need more words dealing with the future. We have an infinity of words dealing with the past and the present but not for the future. We have futurology, the science of the future. That is fine. I would suggest to introduce also the words 'futurism', 'futuration', to 'futurize' i.e. to give a future input in what we are doing or planning today. Many other words need to be coined for the most gigantic and longest period of time evolving out of our past and present, namely the future. How extraordinary, how exciting to be part of an infinite universe and infinite stream of time!
~ Idea 2177 ~More money and intellectual resources are spent on the future of our solar system, on the explosion of the sun in five billion years, on possible collisions with asteroids, on the return of an ice age in seventy thousand years than on the effects of current human behavior, beliefs and values on the next one hundred years and third millennium. As my son Francois, who works at the United Nations says, "Humanity should get a triple D for its performance: dumb, disastrous and dangerous. Instead it should try to earn a triple C: courageous, creative and cooperative."
~ Idea 2178 ~Whenever I destroy something which has not been fully used
Whenever I buy something which is not absolutely necessary
I hear
the Earth cry.
~ Idea 2179 ~The building industry now destroys a lot of nature all around the world to build luxury dwellings principally for rich people who want to return to nature after having enriched themselves by destroying it. It is just one more injustice to be denounced on this planet.
~ Idea 2180 ~It is likely that when the Latinos and other immigrants to the United States will be the majority of the US population then the legislators elected by that majority will effect a redistribution of wealth in the USA. It might be the first ever in human history.
~ Idea 2181 ~Do not admire the rich people. Most of them are evolutionary failures or aberrations who have, through their work and lifestyles, damaged a great deal of the Earth and increased human inequality. Pity them. Try to help them by giving them good ideas and examples so that they will be forgiven.
~ Idea 2182 ~Which will be the first airport on Earth which will rejoice at a decline of its air traffic? It will happen some day. Perhaps sooner than we think.
~ Idea 2183 ~There will come a day when people will first be advised and later compelled to travel less and to buy less in order to save the Earth. People in the western countries have already started to reduce the number of their children. The western population will decline by forty million inhabitants between now and the year 2050. Western people are also beginning to live more simple and frugal lives (see Ideas 34 and 295 in Volume I). This trend is irresistible. The US will then launch a vast Marshall Plan of financial aid to poor countries so that western business will have new outlets and sales in these countries not caring much about their destruction. But this too will have effects on the Earth and the environment and restrictions will have to be imposed there too sooner or later or most probably too late.
~ Idea 2184 ~Outer space visitors to planet Earth would be happy to learn that we have an International Maritime Organization (IMO) and an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). But they would be astonished that we do not have a World Road Transport Organization neither for other means of transportation (railroads, canals, etc.). They would ask:
"Why don't you have a comprehensive World Transport Organization which would include the IMCO and ICAO and cover all other forms of transportation? Would it not be more logical and world efficient?"
Yes, why, why, why? I would answer: "Why don't you ask this question to the heads of national governments who think they are so intelligent and efficient?"
~ Idea 2185 ~Until recently the 'progress' of humanity was not wrong but with overpopulation and overconsumption it became destructive of the Earth and from right it became wrong. If we continue on the same course and make it world-wide as we are now doing it will mean the end of evolution and of most life forms on Earth.
What species and vegetations will survive and will start a new process of evolution? We will not be alive to see it.
~ Idea 2186 ~'Sustainable economic development'? No.
Economic development in the poor countries and areas? Yes.
Earth-preserving, and only indispensable human development in the rich countries and rich areas? Yes.
~ Idea 2187 ~For each person working for a better environment and Earth there are at least one thousand working often unknowingly for its destruction. This is a basic, fundamental, built-in fault in the economic capitalistic system which will be acknowledged only when the first big crises will occur.
~ Idea 2188 ~Why don't governments give a credit card to each individual or family and let them buy what they need up to a certain limit and pay the credit card instead of the United States giving in one year five hundred billion dollars to Japan to restore the banks, sixty billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund to inject money into national economies in trouble and twenty billion dollars overnight to South Korea for their stock exchange? And then all these stock exchanges and banks will lend that money again to industries to continue to produce increasingly unnecessary products and investments, buildings, roads and so on which destroy the Earth. Why does the money always go in the same direction, to big benefiting intermediaries and not directly to the people who need it? How wrong the world economic "system" has become!
And how pitiful that a country considers itself great while disbursing almost overnight the colossal sum of 580 billion dollars to save stock exchanges and refuses to pay a mere yearly 1.3 billion dollars contribution to a second infant world organization in human history, the United Nations, after having killed the first one, namely the League of Nations.
~ Idea 2189 ~It is the constant injection of new money into society by governments mainly the United States, directly or indirectly through the International Monetary Fund, which keeps what is called the world economy going but at the same time creates inflation as well as ecological and Earth disaster.
Although I was trained as an economist at Columbia University I have not yet gone into the fundamental task of re-thinking the economic system of this planet because my first priority is the political system. I am glad that there are so many economists who send me books with their proposals for a reform of the world's economic system. All I can do is to indicate certain very fundamental wrongnesses and the absolute need to have a concerted world effort to review from scratch our planet's economic system. It is one of the twenty-one basic segments which require urgent, complete re-thinking as we enter the 21st century and 3rd millennium (Ideas 527 to 547).
~ Idea 2190 ~Why in Paris, New York and other capitals and big cities are the banks always located in the most luxurious buildings which they mostly own? Is that the way the money has to go and you have to plead with them, give them all kinds of guarantees to get a loan and pay interest for an apartment in an almost unlivable suburb high-rise, standardized, soulless building and compete with millions of other people for a job polluting the atmosphere? Is that a human economy? Is that a way of life? Are not indigenous people in their forests and on their lakes living better lives? Or is there not a possibility to find an intermediary way of life where people do not lose the fundamental happiness and peace of living in nature?
~ Idea 2191 ~It is interesting that President Clinton has announced that the United States will no longer act when a stock exchange crisis appears in the world. He doesn't want these crises to scare the public and therefore has established a preventive system of giving all these billions of dollars to stock exchanges on the eve of trouble so that the trouble will not break out and appear in the press and scare the public. That is the preventive system of 'free enterprise' capitalism! They might prevent the collapse of capitalism, but not the collapse of the Earth. One consolation is that the western population will diminish by forty million until the year 2050, and a good part of the new US population will be immigrants who, it is to be hoped, have more common sense. Also more and more rich Americans are emigrating to natural, still livable countries of the southern hemisphere, such as Costa Rica. Perhaps this is how equilibrium will be restored.
~ Idea 2192 ~Flying over the magnificent Rocky Mountains and then over disastrously overpopulated, polluted Los Angeles I thought that the big building companies, who for years have already planned the future abandonment of big cities, must now have detailed plans for building human settlements on those high mountains for people to move there and be saved from deadly pollution. Mark my prophecy.
~ Idea 2193 ~Governments should close all stock exchanges and create national stock exchanges or a new institution to receive the savings of the people and to invest the money into businesses and projects which will not be Earth destroying and detrimental to the well-being and health of the population. The investment decisions should be guided by a national Earth council of eminent, ethical personalities in each country and at the world level by the UN Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro Conference in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 2194 ~All Ministries of National Education in the world should be transformed and renamed Ministries of Human Education. All systems of education on this planet must be rethought from scratch as I have recommended several times in these 3000 ideas. On that aspect of human activities I have done my duty by recommending the World Core Curriculum published in Volume I, page 18.
~ Idea 2195 ~If a taxpayer in any country of the world does not pay his due taxes by a certain date he will have to pay a fine within another deadline and if he still doesn't pay there will be a legal action against him. Well, when it comes to the organization that is concerned with the Earth's and the people's vast global problems, namely the United Nations, a government is quite able not to pay for a number of years without any penalties and if it still does not pay, all that government will lose is its right to vote. Why is this rule not applied also to people so that if they do not pay their taxes within a certain deadline all they would lose is their right to vote? A peoples' movement should be created to obtain that.
~ Idea 2196 ~I recommend that the celebration of the year 2000 should make a big room to the visionaries, philosophers, prophets and leading minds of this planet. The UN Secretary General should solicit their visions and publish them in a major world report to all nations. Rare are indeed the national leaders who have the time to think about the long-term future of the Earth and humanity, absorbed as they are by daily, immediate problems and national interests.
~ Idea 2197 ~It is such a tragedy to see the US Congress repeat toward the United Nations almost the same error it committed after World War I by not ratifying and joining the League of Nations: it opposes practically all measures and effectiveness of the United Nations. With the non-joining of the United States of the League of Nations we had as a result Hitler and Mussolini who got away with their misdeeds for quite a number of years leading to World War II. What will historians write in fifty years on what happened to the world and humanity because the United States began to disregard the United Nations and took it upon itself to rule the world and intervene anywhere according to its own interests? But this time there will be no Hitlers, Mussolinis and communism to make the culprits. Who will be labeled the new culprit? Probably the United Nations.
~ Idea 2198 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, ecological movements might as well abandon the illusion that they will be able to save me. They can only get some improvements here and there, but globally for each ecologist there are thousands of business people who will continue to seek profit, even at my expense. It might be better for ecologists to give up so that disaster can come sooner for it is only ecological disaster which will move governments to act."
~ Idea 2199 ~There should be obligatory daily air pollutions information published in all cities of the world. This should become a fundamental human right of all city inhabitants. The world-wide recognition of that right should be raised in the United Nations. Many rich people are quite able to destroy nature with their business, industry, marketing and advertisement but make sure to have a beautiful dwelling somewhere in nature to enjoy fresh air. As a builder of New York skyscrapers once said to me when I asked him why he was building such monstrosities, "I'm not crazy. I do not live in New York. I commute every weekend from my home in the suburbs of Madrid." Not all rich people and businessmen do this of course, but it would be an interesting statistics to know how many of them do. Why not publish statistics on multiple dwellings of people and their locations?
~ Idea 2200 ~When business and money making are concerned everything is perfectly organized in the western society, especially in the United States. When the Earth and nature are concerned very little is decently organized and this happens at the time in our evolution when the Earth and nature have become priority number one of human concerns.
When outer space beings someday will visit planet Earth they will wonder how the human species became extinct. Their research will reveal that humans invented money as a means of exchange. It did wonders for many centuries, but then it became the objective of life and it was the end of that species.
ANNEX
Rashmi Mayur,famous Hindu peace activist
Rashmi Mayur and I have met many times and have been involved in many common efforts to bring about more peace, justice, well-being, happiness and spirituality on our miraculous planet Earth.
Thinking about his life and efforts, it occurred to me that he is the perfect example of a new kind of human being as well as of an old one.
A new kind of human being:
He is what I would call a One-person World Organization by himself with the following characteristics:- he creates his own vision, ideology and objectives of what needs to be done on this planet, constantly revising his views from what he learns;- he uses every capacity of his to get it done: meditation, thought, speech, writing, preaching, inspiring, passionately elevating everyone he meets or any audience he addresses;- he uses every opportunity to get others to contribute: proposing and attending conferences, creating thinking groups, new associations and movements, being part of every effort by world institutions like the United Nations and its specialized agencies and world programs, and closely associating himself with many non-governmental organizations;- he contributes as many articles as he can to books written by others on world subjects and writing his own;- he is always ready for media interviews, radio and television programs;- he writes innumerable letters to persons in high positions and answers letters from the poorest and humblest ones;- he has constantly new ideas, concerns and dreams;- he leads a simple, frugal life to be in the best physical condition to do his considerable work and live longer;- he has no staff, no organization of his own, he is a one-man operation;- he turns always to the heavens and God for help and guidance.
A member of an old invisible nation of world servers:
"For generations an invisible nation of world servers has been slowly forming all over the planet, an invisible web of individuals who share distinctive traits and attitudes, the dominant one being a sense of service toward their neighbor, their community and the world at large. This self-constituting 'nation without any territory' is an expression of the progressive opening up of humanity to a more holistic and unified view of reality."
"One meets these people of goodwill all over the planet. They have existed since time immemorial. Although they have never heard of 'a serving nation' they belong to it by their spirit of disinterested service and by their way of life. They have pledged themselves to a certain quality of beingness and living. They have made a commitment to human rights, not always verbally, but by the integrity of their thoughts, actions and existence. They strive to 'walk their talk'."
These words are textually from a proposal to create a Serving Nation Without Territory, by a wonderful couple of such servers in Geneva, Switzerland, Elly and Pierre Pradervand. The idea was launched at The Hague Appeal for Peace Conference in May 1999. It is open to a public dialogue for one year and then meetings to elaborate further developments will be held at the NGO Millennium Forum in New York, end of May 2000, and in Geneva end of June of the same year.
I hope that Rashmi Mayur will join in this effort and be a major force in the recognition and growth of this vast invisible community of world servers.
I would like to conclude by making two proposals to him:
- Write down all your specific ideas and dreams for a better world, derived from your many years of action, observation and dreaming. I am doing it in my Three Thousand Ideas and Dreams for a Better World. It is a great rewarding experience and a potential path-breaking contribution to a better world.- please place yourself in the shoes of a head of state who wants to become a great world leader and describe in your words the world and humanity you would like to see flourish in the next century and millennium. It could be a great document for the UN General Assembly of heads of states in the fall of 2000 whose task it will be "to focus on means to solve our primary global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
I wish Rashmi Mayur a very long life in order to bless humanity and the Earth with many more good undertakings and actions on his part. I beg many people in the world to follow his inspiring example and to be like him.
Robert Muller
PART III
IDEAS 2201 TO 2300
INTRODUCTION
What One Idea Can Do
In 1996 during an airtrip over the US a stewardess had a chat with me. She said that she had a very strong desire to do something for world peace. During our talk an idea arose, the results of which are reported in the following letter.Airline Ambassadors
Caring and Sharing for Each Other and the Earth19 March 1999
Dear Robert,
Thank you so much for your note of February 2 and the inspiring articles and comments you sent. Do you know you are one of the first individuals to inspire me with a vision of the travel industry playing a more fundamental role in building a better world - and really the "Grandfather of Airline Ambassadors"!
Since 1996 our accomplishments are as follows:
• Provided over 400 travel escorts for Third World disadvantaged orphans and children in need of medical life changing medical care.
• Coordinated the donation and delivery of over $3.7 million worth of humanitarian aid to disaster areas, orphanages and medical clinics in need.
• Assisted regularly at shelters for the homeless, schools for disadvantaged children and homes for battered women in 10 US cities.
• Presented or assisted at over 50 events or conferences focused on global issues including 14 United Nations' official meetings.
• Involved over 62,000 children in 54 countries in youth education projects and humanitarian outreach programs.
Flight attendants are just ordinary people. Our goal is to focus attention on the worldwide need for humanitarian aid. We want to inspire thousands of others with opportunities to volunteer their own skills in the alleviation of human suffering.
I opened my Executive Council meeting last week with a quote from the article you sent on a Global Peace Service. We also decided we would like to have some day our Executive Council Meeting in Costa Rica at the UN University for Peace! Is there a nearby place to stay and what would be the costs involved? Also, we would love for you and Barbara to be there and share with us the inspiration of your experience and breadth of vision and perspective.
Again Robert thank you so much for your note of encouragement. Congratulations on your new book - 2000 Ideas for Peace. I'm sure it will be an inspiration to thousands.
Love, Light and a Big Hug,Nancy RivardFounder and PresidentP.O. Box 117321Burlingame, CA 94011-7321
~ Idea 2201 ~Businesscism has become the most sophisticated, good looking new empireship in human history. If past emperors would resurrect they would exclaim: "My God, they are doing it without being hated by the people who even love them and they do it world-wide without any resistance. We were children compared to them."
~ Idea
2202 ~
Of late I have observed that animals like dogs and cats and our cows in Costa Rica have a deep sense of love for me which was not the case in the past. I think I have found the explanation: they feel that I have come closer to them as one animal in direct relation with other animals and nature. Their eyes and mine reflect it all. They are eyes smiling at each other. The same must become true of all humanity's relations with each other and with nature. Love for nature will be returned to us by her love. And both humans and nature will be happy. Women have always known that. Love must become the main factor of human civilization.
~ Idea 2203 ~I will never understand why there was not a single country of NATO which had the courage to leave NATO after the cold war was over and even less that not a single country had the courage to refuse participating in the NATO military actions in Yugoslavia. Did not any of these countries know that this was a vast strategy and occasion for the United States to prevent a European Union cohesion like that of their own states, to prevent the creation of a European army and that now the US is co-ruling Europe militarily? No, I will never understand it. The Pentagon is still strategist number one in the world. Question: Would the US accept an intervention of NATO on American territory?
~ Idea 2204 ~Philanthropy (love for humankind) and gaiaphily (love for Gaia, the Earth) should start at the very beginning. You do not rob people and destroy nature to get rich and then you give a little or a lot of philanthropy back to look better. Philanthropy and gaiaphily are daily human duties. They both must start right away at the personal level and throughout our life.
~ Idea 2205 ~At a meeting of the personnel of the UN Earth Council at the UN University for Peace and the visit of the Ambassadors of Ecuador and Peru who deposited a border peace agreement between the two countries it was announced that Costa Rica might propose to the United Nations the creation of Green Helmets to help defend and protect the environment. Bravo! They would be a welcome addition to the UN's Blue Helmets of peacekeeping services and White Helmets helping in the case of natural disasters.
~ Idea 2206 ~Several years ago already, Mr. Federico Mayor, Director General of UNESCO, at a conference on water, recommended that there should be a water ethics. How right he was! Humanity should adopt at the United Nations a whole series, a true World Code of Earth Ethics including
water ethicsair ethicsforestry ethicsvegetation ethicsanimal species ethicsriver ethicsmountain ethicssoil ethicsetc.
~ Idea 2207 ~Note to the Captain of an American Airlines from Chicago to Seattle
Dear Captain,
We greatly enjoyed this flight without television. We could think, be ourselves, dream, make a balance sheet of our lives, write down ideas and plans for our future and for a peaceful, happier, better world.
Airplanes can be the monasteries of modern times. High up in the skies one can better see and judge our Earth and one is closer to God. Thank you for making this possible.
I am glad that years ago, at the United Nations, I was able to obtain an international convention against airplane highjacking.
We wish you and your family a great, happy life.
Robert Muller and Barbara Gaughen Muller
~ Idea 2208 ~If the US government does not redirect the plutonium-loaded Cassini space vehicle into the sun and if an accident should occur during its orbiting around the Earth at a speed of 46,000 miles an hour, all nations afflicted by millions of cases of cancer and destructions up to billions of dollars, should indict the United States before the International Court of Justice and request for reparations far beyond the total reparations of 100 million dollars foreseen in the Price-Anderson Act. Many nations should consider severing their diplomatic relations with the United States, which should be declared an irresponsible country by the United Nations.
~ Idea 2209 ~In November 1863 Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States delivered the now famous Gettysburg Address. One newspaper called it at the time, "silly, flat and dishwatery utterances".
I hope and pray that in September 2000 at the opening of the UN General Assembly of heads of state Mr. Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary General of the United Nations will deliver an address which will be remembered by the whole world with the same fame and fondness as is the Gettysburg Address by the American people.
As we enter a new century and millennium we need a new world order and thinking. As Einstein said, "we shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive. We cannot solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that gave rise to the problem." And as the famous French revolutionary Mirabeau proclaimed at the time: "De l'audace, de l'audace et encore de l'audace." "Audacity, audacity, and still more audacity."
~ Idea 2210 ~Competition as a main rule of life must be replaced by cooperation to preserve the precious air, waters, vegetation and other natural resources which are the fundamental elements of our life. Those are the supreme values, not the commercial values advertised by an obsolete, condemned, non-natural capitalism.
~ Idea 2211 ~The capitals and offices of the heads of states of all countries should be moved to mountains, sea shores or other places of beautiful, pure nature so that our leaders can remain sane and be inspired by the laws of nature and the common sense of the inhabitants of these regions. A popular wisdom states it: in nature one is closest to God.
The same transfer should be considered for the United Nations and its 32 specialized agencies and world programs, all located in capitals or big cities.
Thank God the UN University for Peace and the Earth Council are located in a paradise of nature in a peaceful, demilitarized country.
~ Idea 2212 ~As a result of the globalization, gigantism, immense money power of business corporations, marketing and advertisement firms uncontrolled by national governments, I recommend the multiplication, spread and mushrooming of World Peoples' Movements, associations and non-governmental organizations.
A first WPM which comes to my mind is a World Peoples' Movement Against Soft Drinks which increasingly monopolize drinking water, produce unhealthy drinks, create incredible wastes of plastic bottles and metal cans, displace local natural fruit juices and fruit production both in poor and in rich countries, charge outrageous prices and become more powerful than many governments. Visitors from outer space would consider this totally incomprehensible.
The second is a WPM Against Improper Advertisements of cigarettes, smoking and alcoholic beverages. The WPMs and non-governmental organizations should request the creation, in all governments, of a Ministries of Proper Ethical Marketing and Customer Information.
~ Idea 2213 ~It is not only with wars that people are disgusted. It is also with the crass business injustices and doings permitted by governments which no longer govern to help the poor and helpless but have become the servants of big business. It is this that creates violence in so many forms. They are also disgusted with the destruction of nature, of the Earth by big business. This is why in big countries, the militaries and the media are so happy with the Kosovo affair because any ethnic, or religious troubles in the world divert the attention of the people from their own miseries and injustices. This is also why there is such intensive reporting in the western world media of any ethnic and religious troubles in the world.
The alliance between giant business, governments and the militaries has become a big curse for the Earth and might lead to her demise. That is the biggest, most preoccupying, worst globalization we witness these days on this planet.
~ Idea 2214 ~The words non-governmental organizations should be abandoned. They reflect a subordinate, lower level of institutions, governments being higher to them.
I would propose the words Peoples' Associations and World Peoples' Movements (WPMs). They should create a United Peoples' Organization parallel to the United Nations, have a world Secretariat and a Secretary General. It is only with the menace of such a creation that governments will give in and allow a peoples' representation, or a peoples' assembly in the United Nations.
~ Idea 2215 ~What a planet are we on which not a single government has a Ministry for Peace, Ministry of Happiness and a Ministry of the Future! What is government for if it is not for peace, happiness and a better future of the people and the Earth?
~ Idea 2216 ~Soon the most profitable and busiest business on Earth will be the building of new airports. This new 'need' is coming up everywhere. Soon there will be as many airplanes in the air as there are cars and trucks on the roads of the Earth. Today already they are a main contributor to the production of carbon dioxide which amounts to twelve thousand tons every minute that passes!
That thought came to me at Newark Airport, one of the biggest and newest in the world; at 7pm we were informed that there were still seventeen airplanes to take off before ours to Costa Rica.
I took the decision no longer to accept speeches around the world and attend conferences abroad. I will limit my air travels to visits to my family.
~ Idea 2217 ~Humanity has rightly created years ago in the United Nations at my suggestion an office to deal with natural disasters in the world.
But this is not enough. That office's functions should be extended to disasters caused by humans to nature and to human-produced social disasters.
~ Idea 2218 ~Darwin's theory of competition and survival of the fittest was right in the 19th century when the human population was small and the resources of the planet barely exploited but it has become obsolete in the 20th.
Today it is the survival of the Earth and of the human species which are the primary challenges. The new requisites of evolution are henceforth cooperation and service to the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 2219 ~We have too many individuals in the world, especially males, who think and act primarily to become famous, 'recognized', rich, remembered and even immortalized. Why?
And we have too few individuals who place their service to the Earth and to humanity above their personal fate. Why not more?
This is a major problem of humanity today.
~ Idea 2220 ~We have too many social, racial and ethnic groups in the world which want to be recognized, famous, powerful and rich. Why?
And we have too few social groups who place their service to the Earth and humanity as their foremost duty, pride and priority. Why not more?
That too is a major problem of humanity today.
~ Idea 2221 ~We have too many institutions in the world, especially national governments, corporations and religions which want to be famous, recognized, rich, bigger, more powerful and remain in existence forever. Why?
And we have too few institutions which have the welfare of the Earth, her nature and of all humanity as their primary objectives, want to be of service to them and are quite ready to be only temporary. Why not more?
That too is a major problem of humanity today.
~ Idea 2222 ~5:30 in the morning, looking at the incredible beauty of Mt. Rasur and admiring my beautiful wife Barbara, the thought came to me: what a miracle it is to live as a couple in a peaceful, disarmed, nature protecting, demilitarized country like Costa Rica. Why do not more countries do it?
I see the two crosses on top of Mt. Rasur, the crucifixion cross and the cross of hope and resurrection. What an uplifting task Barbara and I still have on this planet! Yesterday, after I spoke to a group of Latin American military officers, one of them came to see me and said: "I pray that you will never lose the passion that possesses you." Several of them asked to be photographed with me. One of them said, "You are expressing the message of Christ." The tears came to my eyes. I thought that I had unjustly challenged these militaries and it was just the contrary. I opened their eyes, not only in my speech but in the rejoinder when one of them asked, "How could you say that you hated borders and that you hated militaries in your youth?" And I told them why. I'm sure they will accept my invitation to come to this university, sit down with us, make it a peaceful world and transform all militaries into agents of peace, protectors of peace and make out of SEATO and NATO a UN World Security System. I told them that I had just given a telephone call to Betty Williams, the Nobel Prize winner for peace and asked her to create a world movement of mothers to claim the fundamental human right that the flesh of the flesh of a mother will never be asked to kill the flesh of the flesh of another mother.
~ Idea 2223 ~All people living in a warring, conflictual country of the world should remind governments of their sacred human right to peace proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in a declaration of 12 November 1984. It reads: "Aware that the establishment of a lasting peace on Earth represents the primary condition for the preservation of human civilization and the survival of humankind, recognizing that the maintenance of a peaceful life for peoples is a sacred duty of each state, solemnly proclaims that the peoples of our planet have a sacred right to peace."
(UN General Assembly resolution 39/11 of 12 November 1984)
~ Idea 2224 ~Humanity has become one of the wrongest species on Earth, in full process of destroying instead of loving the Earth, our home. A real revolution is needed to redefine our proper place, role, fulfillment and cooperation with our miraculous planet.
~ Idea 2225 ~I do not understand why governments have not created a Main Commission on Democracy in the UN General Assembly. This, together with a Main Commission on the Future, is one of the most missing central organs in the world organization. Please let us request both from the Year 2000 Heads of States General Assembly.
~ Idea 2226 ~Before having even achieved a proper democracy on planet Earth (from the individual through all groups to humanity as a whole) we are faced now with the needs and cries of an Earthcracy or Ecocracy, the rule of the Earth, of all its Ecoregions around the planet, the airs, the oceans, the climate, the species, the vegetation etc. My God, what a turning point this is at the end of our century and millennium!
~ Idea 2227 ~Minorities often want to pull out of a dominant culture and obtain independence. The individual can do that too. I can pull out of the whole human current society or my wrong doing nation to be purely myself and become a co-creator, an interdependent cosmic unit of a new global species on an Earth understood as a cosmic entity and home. More people could and should do that.
~ Idea 2228 ~We speak a lot of human justice. But where is Earth justice? Where are the laws which would protect the Earth against excessive, needless destruction by money-makers, business and developers?
~ Idea 2229 ~There might come a day on this planet when there will be stockpiles of books on butterflies but no living butterflies anymore.
~ Idea 2230 ~Visiting the Costa Rican hill locality of Escazu, I could not believe my eyes: several skyscrapers are being built at the mercy of the first earthquake, but it enriches the architects, builders, insurance companies and capital holders. I sometimes wish that capitalism had capitulated together with communism. The Earth would have benefited. Visiting the monstrous shopping centers, even now in poor countries, provokes in me the same rage.
~ Idea 2231 ~Seen in one of the Costa Rican shopping centers, this ultimate corruption by marketing, namely big displays offering a full bottle of rum and a 'free' two liters of Coca Cola. Surely this must be the strike of genius of a US marketing expert who reasoned as follows: the kids will want their mother to get that Coca Cola and their mother will think that her husband will be happy if she brings home a bottle of rum for him as a result of a good deal. And thus, after having added drugs to Coca Cola for many years to make people addicted to it, now alcohol is used as an incentive!
Hence my recommendations that a World Peoples' Movement (WPM) be created against unethical advertisement and marketing, and a Ministry on Marketing and Consumer Information created in each government.
~ Idea 2232 ~For the first time in my life I feel tempted to read Karl Marx's, Das Kapital.. He might have predicted in the 19th century what we see today and what is still more to come. In East Germany they tell now this joke: What Russia told us about socialism were all lies, but what they told us about capitalism was the truth.
Someone should write a book with the title Kaputalism.
Humanism and Earthism should become the new two-pronged ideologies of our time.
~ Idea 2233 ~"A person's life purpose is nothing more than the rediscovery, through the detours of art, or love, or passionate work, those one or two images in the presence of which that person's heart first opened." Albert Camus
Yes, he is so right. My own dominating images in early childhood were: the beauty of nature, the miracle of human life, the ugliness of the border with the neighboring country, and the elevation towards God and the heavens at mass.
Please remember what were yours when you were a child. It will make a miracle of your life and bring you the incredible help of the invisible forces of the universe.
~ Idea 2234 ~In Idea 1611 I said that the proposal of the government of Malta to agree on a Law of the Seas, a commons of the Earth (70 percent of it) which nations had forgotten to 'sovereignize', except for a distance reached by a canon shot, took about 30 years to negotiate. The US Government over the years watered it down to almost irrelevance. And when its demands were met and the Law of the Sea was opened to ratification, the US simply did not ratify it!
The US Government uses this tactic in any effort or world conference which does not suit its interests. It would use it in any effort or conference dealing with a UN Charter reform or strengthening or with the creation of a proper Earth Government or World Union or World Constitution.
I recommend therefore that in any world conference or effort on a new political world order between governments, the US Peoples' Non-governmental Association suggested in Idea 2030 or the new Global Peoples' Assembly should have a seat. The US Association could organize a peoples' poll which might show that US citizens support an idea which their government opposes. It would be progress toward a true democracy.
~ Idea 2235 ~There can be progress on this planet: in the early 1970's, of all Central American countries only Costa Rica had a democratic government. All others were run by generals or dictators. Today all five republics have democratic governments and the militaries are on the decline or way out.
~ Idea 2236 ~We must absolutely deciticize and renaturize the places where humans live on this planet. Deciticization and renaturization must become two major movements on planet Earth. Big cities do not know what to invent anymore to continue to grow, to attract more people, activities, institutions, conferences, hotels, entertainments, sports, arts, etc. It has attained a state of folly and contributes significantly to the destruction of the planet. Outer space beings would tell us that immediately.
~ Idea 2237 ~To stop the advance of NATO due to US pressure and substantial bribes to former Soviet Block satellites, I recommend that the European countries should urgently leave NATO and construct an all European security system based on the European army which Winston Churchill and Robert Schuman planned already in 1951.
The European Union should simultaneously reactivate the creation of a world security system as foreseen in the Charter of the United Nations. Such a system would render NATO and SEATO obsolete or would integrate them into the new system. The UN World Security System could not be created because of the cold war. Now that the cold war is over, the subject should be actively re-opened in the United Nations. If President Eisenhower were alive he would request it immediately. And he was a general!
~ Idea 2238 ~The same way as the security of the fifty-one states of the United States is ensured by the Federal Government's US Armed Forces, the security of the 189 nations of the world should be insured by the United Nations or a Federal United States of the World and not by the armies of 170 armed, militarized nations. The savings from demilitarization and disarmament derived from a central World Security System would be colossal. They would be sufficient to eradicate all poverty from the Earth. What a pity that the United States, which was one of the great leaders for a world civilization at the times of George Washington and Franklin Roosevelt, has now become the main undertaker of the world. But this has been the case of all great empires as was shown by Arnold Toynbee in his historical survey.
~ Idea 2239 ~I am sure that God wanted me to retire, to write, to teach and to live in a paradise of nature and get me far away from New York to recover and champion a world common sense from the midst of the magnificence of His miraculous natural creation and in a demilitarized country.
~ Idea 2240 ~In the year 2000, a World Peoples' Assembly will meet as well as a United Nations General Assembly at the heads of state level. If youth is not well represented in that Peoples' Assembly, I recommend that a separate Youth Assembly be convened. It is essential that youth tell world leaders what kind of a world and future they want. I hope that world youth associations will join their efforts to make sure of it. I did let them know.
~ Idea 2241 ~The Mothers of the Earth for World Peace Summit proposed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Betty Williams to be held at the United Nations in 2000 is a most vital and timely event: mothers should be given a world floor to say what future they want for their children in the 21st century and 3rd millennium, and claim the fundamental mothers' right not to see the flesh of their flesh forced by nations or religions or ethnic groups to kill the flesh of the flesh of other mothers. Peaceful means and not murder should be the ways to peace. I hope that the summit will create a World Mothers' Movement for Peace.
~ Idea 2242 ~During the Summit General Assembly 2000 of the United Nations I hope that the heads of state will do two things for the future citizens of the 21st century: transform the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) into a UN World Children's Organization and create for youth which has no institution in the international system a UN World Youth Organization.
~ Idea 2243 ~In the 21st century and 3rd millennium competition must be limited to doing good, to good causes and to good results beneficial to the Earth and to all humanity.
~ Idea 2244 ~Each step forward in evolution begins with an idea, a dream or a vision.
I recommend the creation of a World Association of Visionaries, Dreamers, Idea People and Prophets for a Better World. It would be a blessing for the future of our evolution and of planet Earth.
~ Idea 2245 ~It is wonderful that in airplanes passengers are given UNICEF envelopes to put in them their coin or other money left over from their trips abroad and donate it for the help of poor children in the world by UNICEF. It is a simple, great, beautiful, idea.
I recommend the further idea that people in the rich countries should send to UNICEF dolls, teddy bears and other toys with which their houses are filled, for children in the poor world. The Association of Airline Ambassadors (see page 65) could arrange for their free transportation by airplanes. There could be a UNICFF World Dolls and Toys Collection Day.
What joy and happiness this would bring to many poor children.
~ Idea 2246 ~We should reduce our consumption to goods really needed. In order to do that we should no longer invest our money in banks, in speculative shares, in the stock market but instead invest it in local small businesses, in farms which produce our food, and in local public services we need. Local peoples' associations should be created to do that. And governments should no longer be allowed to issue huge quantities of money to stimulate businesses which produce often huge quantities of unnecessary products and services. This is an entire new field of proper management of our planet and of reformed capitalism which must absolutely be studied and opened.
~ Idea 2247 ~Thirty years ago we needed a new education, a global education.
Twenty years ago we needed a new education for the protection of the environment.
Today we need a new education to save the Earth and our future evolution.
What new educations will we need in the decades ahead? My predictions are:
A new education to reduce unnecessary, excessive consumption and to live more simple and frugal lives.
A new education to reduce substantially the use of cars, of airplanes and tourism.
A new education to live in more modest houses, to abandon big cities and to return to rural, natural areas.
What educations will we need in fifty years, in a hundred, in a thousand years from now?
These are questions which should be raised in UNESCO and in the Foundation for the Future which looks as far as the year 3000.
I have done my duty by having fathered global education and produced the World Core Curriculum for the teaching of our tremendous cosmic, global knowledge in all schools of the world prior to national education (Table in Volume I, page 18).
~ Idea 2248 ~All realities and phenomena in the universe must be seen from the point of view of the past, the present and the future.
Humanity is doing pretty well regarding the knowledge of the past: history, archeology, anthropology, biology, etc.
Humanity has recently made substantial progress in evaluating every year the state of the world globally and in an increasing number of sectors.
Humanity, except in a few sectors like population, food and the climate has paid very insufficient attention to the future at a time when everything is changing so rapidly that our future evolution and that of the Earth might be in jeopardy.
Please United Nations, please all governments, all institutions, all human groups and all humans do pay henceforth utmost attention to the future. We must have the intelligence and courage to look as far as the year 3000.
~ Idea 2249 ~Outbursts of youth participants at a conference in Holland on the future evolution of the world:
"What intelligent species is it that sends tomatoes from Holland to China and French water to the United States?"
Other participant: "And Coca Cola to poor countries where a worker has to work a whole day to pay for one bottle of that artificial drink for his children who have been programmed through advertisement to want it?"
~ Idea 2250 ~A participant coined a good new word, namely that of advertised human beings. Yes, we are not well informed and educated human beings. We are advertised beings, targets, subjects and victims of colossal, ever growing advertisements. The 20th century might not be remembered solely as a great scientific century, but also as the golden age of business, marketing and advertisement.
~ Idea 2251 ~Gigantic western cigarette, alcohol and Coca Cola advertisements in the poor countries are a flagrant demonstration of the decadent capitalistic system. The business world should establish its own rules of ethics to stop that scandalous situation. But can it? Will it? I doubt it.
~ Idea 2252 ~The United Nations and its world agencies should be strengthened and expanded a hundred times to be able to deal effectively with the host of global problems increasing in numbers, intensity and gravity facing this Earth and humanity as has never been the case before in all human history.
The accusations of bureaucracy, waste and communist infiltration launched by the US extreme right since the very birth of the United Nations have only one objective: to see the world ruled by the United States.
The US people should vigorously and effectively react against this situation. If not their country will be more and more isolated and depreciated in the world. They should request from their leaders a great new, positive, ethical, inspiring vision of the world.
~ Idea 2253 ~Humanity should request from the United Nations and its world agencies the following yearly reports:
1) What has become better in the world: economic well-being, health, lower children mortality, longer life expectation, diminishing wars and conflicts, reduction of smoking, etc.?
2) What has become worse but at a slower rate: population increase, illiteracy, certain accidents, etc.?
3) What has become worse at a greater rate: the environment, climatic changes, internal violence, alcoholism, drugs, suicides, homelessness, etc.?
4) What new phenomena must we watch out for: terrorism, corruption, mafias, hopelessness, insurrections, political and actual wars over resources and the environment etc.?
~ Idea 2254 ~My dreams and ideas are important because they are the result of a very unique adult life of more than fifty years in the first world-wide organization. There I was like a tree nourished by the entire Earth and humanity. But my fruits are not yet the good, perfect ones. They will require innumerable more trees like me all over the Earth. Please, dear educators, be the loving gardeners of such trees. I will watch you and thank you from heaven.
~ Idea 2255 ~In the 21st century the age of freedom and rights must be accompanied by a new age of duties and responsibilities. If not, freedom and rights of the powerful and rich will lead to their domination over the poor and almost certainly to revolutions.
~ Idea 2256 ~Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. We need a new social invention."
I would add: "And never doubt that one thoughtful, committed human being can change the world. It starts with an idea whose time has come." We need innumerable new ideas and social inventions. Please, dear reader, write yours down, send them out and act on them.
~ Idea 2257 ~While I have thousands of ideas for a better, more peaceful, happier and well-preserved world businessmen, marketers and advertisers have millions of them to produce more and sell more irrespective of the environment and of the people's real wants. For example, some gasoline stations, where many people have to stop, have become picnic and playgrounds and places to buy all sorts of goods. The latest inventions are advertisements in large revolving doors at airports, in hotels and shopping centers. Where will it stop? We will some day see an enormous Coca Cola sign in the night on the moon.
~ Idea 2258 ~By what will the current decultured western so called civilization be replaced?
We should give a lot of thought to a new, better one to replace it. Let us have a world competition among people to design the next better, peaceful, Earth-preserving, cultured and happy peoples' civilization. The UN or UNESCO should organize that as we enter into a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 2259 ~Capitalism and communism were both born from the industrial revolution. Communism did not succeed and collapsed. Capitalism did wonders as long as the world's population was small and its natural resources were abundant and unexploited. Now that these conditions have drastically changed capitalism will collapse too. Big businesses and capitalists should be grateful to David Korten for showing them a way to avoid collapse in his new book The Post Corporate World which he wrote after the famous book Corporations Rule the World.
~ Idea 2260 ~As a joke I said to the passport control officer for citizens of the European Union at Amsterdam airport as I passed it with my American wife, Barbara:
"Why don't you annex the United States to the European Union and you would not need two separate lines."
He and his colleagues in the other line made the most disbelieving, bewildered faces thinking that I was mad.
But then I discovered that my joke was a brilliant idea.
Indeed the US wanted and has obtained that NATO become the European-United States institution for defense. Well, why not go a step further and broaden the European Union by including in it the United States and all other NATO countries? Among the benefits: we would gain a Court of Human Rights, an Environmental Agency and a Commission of the Future for this vaster area of twenty-six countries.
And since the European Union is far superior to the United Nations as an international organization why not open its membership to all democratic countries of the world and progressively make it the true, more effective world union which humanity and the Earth need so urgently?
I therefore recommend the creation of a World Commission of Eminent Persons to transform the European Union into a World Union.
~ Idea 2261 ~The word education (Latin educare, to lead out...of ignorance) should be suppressed and replaced by 'inducation' i.e. leading children into the broad, knowledge of the universe, the Earth, humanity and time, down to the local community, the family and their miraculous self.
The following should be suppressed:
NationalismPatriotismMilitarismHeroismUnreserved admiration for science and technologyMoney-making as the main purpose of lifeTo ignore other countries, the world and its global agenciesTo compete instead of cooperatingTo be hyper-intelligent ignoring the heart and the soulTo ignore family history, local history and most of world history and concentrate only on national historyThe same with geography, literature, the arts, etc.
~ Idea 2262 ~The news about accidents, murders, conflicts, violence, bad events with which the front pages and insides of newspapers and images of television are filled must have as one of their main purposes to distract the attention of the people from the monstrous destructions of nature and of the Earth by businesses, big corporations, power and militaries all around the world. On capitalism the news on front pages are that the stock market has jumped etc. In other words, capitalism is good. Let us not forget that the media are to a large extent owned by capitalists. What then can we expect? The way out is to have only a glance at newspapers and not to watch television. That is the way of my wife and I. And we are one of the happiest couples on Earth.
~ Idea 2263 ~We should immensely cherish our planet Earth which is our home. We should preserve her, beautify her and do every good we can for her. She should be the object of our constant concern and love. Never has this happened before in all human history. It will require from us a totally different attitude toward the Earth. We can become, if we want, the most extraordinary, advanced civilization in the universe, a United Earth and Humanity.
~ Idea 2264 ~If the Fiscal and Financial Commission of the United Nations is not re-established a World Association of Taxpayers should be created to collect information and study tax evasion, tax injustices and tax havens in the world. The association would become one of the most important non-governmental organizations on Earth.
~ Idea 2265 ~In 1989, during the bicentennial of the French Revolution, a movement of French youth wanted the UN to draft a new Declaration of Human Rights for the 21st century and to create a World Organization of Human Rights. These were excellent ideas to be considered by the United Nations. The issue of human rights is so central to human ideals and affairs that the United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights should indeed become a full specialized agency of the UN or a World Organization of Human Rights. I still have a file with the letters received from these young people. I helped them in every way I could but without success.
~ Idea 2266 ~If I were a philanthropist I would finance radio and TV stations which give no advertisements and concentrate on providing useful, inspiring information, joy and happiness to the people. The International Radio for Peace of the UN University for Peace provides a model.
~ Idea 2267 ~In the year 2000 a special celebration of all demilitarized and denuclearized countries should take place in the world. The place of the celebration could be the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 2268 ~According to the famous German economist Schumpeter, economic crises are necessary from time to time to wipe out run away activities and products born in a period of excessive economic growth. This rule might now apply to most of the world economy and create serious havoc.
~ Idea 2269 ~A halt in the growth of monstrous cities must take place before the people will be forced to leave them for lack of oxygen and in many cases of sufficient water.
~ Idea 2270 ~My God, how many things will we have to stop growing in the 21st century! It is likely to become the century of voluntary and forced non-growth.
~ Idea 2271 ~The number of big passenger airplanes will sooner or later have to be limited. They grow in numbers year after year and destroy the atmosphere. Their main passengers are business people and tourists. They should be allowed only for urgencies and important occasions to be defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The time will soon come when this will be unavoidable.
~ Idea 2272 ~The International Civil Aviation Organization should decree that all passengers of airplanes be informed at the end of their flight of the quantity of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by the aircraft during that flight. There should be a little booklet for frequent passengers showing the total carbon dioxide production in which they have been involved during their total mileages flown. 'Carbon dioxide mileage meters' should be installed and lawful in all airplanes and automobiles.
~ Idea 2273 ~All institutions and firms on Earth which use the adjective 'united' should become members of a world association accredited to the United Nations and support the unitedness of humanity and of humanity with the Earth, nature, the heavens and time.
~ Idea 2274 ~Einstein was right when he underlined the perfection of means used by humans and the confusion of purposes. Yes, the most perfect airplanes have been created to transport people around the world, two thirds of them being only 'tourists'.
~ Idea 2275 ~People in the poor countries may not feel at all the need to take airplanes and are even scared of them but their country has to build an airport and create an airline in order not to remain behind the times and in order to enter the international market race for air transportation.
Which country on Earth will have the courage not to have an airline and an airport? It should receive a world Nobel or other prize.
~ Idea 2276 ~When seventy percent of the US people state that the UN does a useful, important and satisfactory job and an extreme right minority gets the US government to refuse to pay its obligatory contribution to the UN budget then there must be something wrong with US democracy. I therefore recommend that the subject of democracy be placed as one of the top items on the agenda of the United Nations and that a high level commission of eminent US citizens be convened by the United States President to review the entire question of democracy. This is most needed for a new century and millennium. The US must continue to be a guiding light of democracy and human rights in the world.
~ Idea 2277 ~If I were the governor of the State of New York and Mayor of the city of New York I would not risk losing the seat of the United Nations which makes that state and that city the capital state and the capital city of the world.
I would address a joint appeal to the philanthropists, businesses, institutions and peoples of the state and city of New York to pay the 1.3 billion dollars which the US Congress refuses to pay in arrears to the United Nations.
I would also, if necessary, consider levying a tax of the State and City of New York to help the institution which brings in billions of dollars to the state and the city through its expenses as well as those of the 189 countries who have permanent ambassadorial missions located in New York. I would ask my best brains to come up with very original ideas which would link the peoples directly to the United Nations and not leave the monopoly of that important organization to the central US government. The United Nations Charter starts with "We the peoples," not "We the governments". We must thank the Secretary General of the United Nations for having proposed that the General Assembly 2000 of Heads of States of the United Nations be accompanied by a World Peoples' Assembly.
~ Idea 2278 ~The same as smoking is a pollution of our lungs, alcohol (Arabic: the devil) is a pollution of our body. If we want to achieve a healthy, happy and more peaceful humanity more and more persons should stop consuming alcohol. What God and nature gave us is pure water. Let us stick to it. This is one of the most important recommendations of these 3,000 ideas and everyone can do it.
~ Idea 2279 ~For everything on Earth we should establish a list of advantages and disadvantages.
For example:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of nations?What are the advantages and disadvantages of big cities?What are the advantages and disadvantages of big business?What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various means of transportation?etc.
The trouble is that those who own or head these institutions or ways of life speak a lot of the advantages and little, if at all, of the disadvantages.
For example turning around in an aircraft for a long time over a city, waiting for an open channel to land is something that contributes greatly to air pollution. It should therefore be mentioned in the columns 'disadvantages of big cities' and 'disadvantages of air transportation'. This is a proper subject for good Earth and city government.
~ Idea 2280 ~We speak a lot about the world's overpopulation but should we not also speak of the overpopulation of aircrafts and motor vehicles? Also, there are efforts to stabilize the world population but I've never heard of a stabilization of motor vehicles and aircrafts. Their overpopulation is called progress and development. In the years to come these overpopulations might do more damage to the Earth than the peoples' overpopulation. It does not occur to the leaders of this planet to visualize what the consequences will be in the next few decades, not to speak of centuries.
~ Idea 2281 ~Governments, museums, galleries and collectors pay fortunes for antiquities and artifacts from the past but it does not occur to many to preserve the living cultures and ways of life of indigenous people. They are a great treasure of the living diversity and evolution of the human species. We should spend fortunes to preserve them. I recommend the creation of a World Indigenous Marshall Plan to preserve ancient living cultures and traditions. Their living natural languages would merit alone at least the same funds as those allocated to studies of the Sanskrit origin of Indo-European languages. Here we have languages which are straight perceptions of nature and life. This would be so precious for a better understanding of the meaning of our planetary reality and of human life.
~ Idea 2282 ~Further Earth and human evolution will become our absolute, foremost preoccupation in the 21st century.
A new world system of government, administration and education must therefore be conceived as an Evolutionary Earth Government open to constant changes, orientations and adaptations to new evolutionary requirements. All existing human institutions on this planet must become evolutionary or they will perish or make us perish.
~ Idea 2283 ~I am surprised that there is not more violence in the world, given the extreme poverty of 1.3 billion people and the cultivated unhappiness of the well to do. Cultivated? Yes, by business, by marketing and by advertisement which one should really call propaganda to make people unhappy with what they have and make them want constantly more. The media, advertisement propaganda, television and radio alone will be able to finish this planet. Why is there not a single Ministry of Happiness on this Earth to look into all this?
~ Idea 2284 ~Every day the Earth dies a little. If we do not change our values and habits she will die a lot and faster. What a sad 'civilization' we have become!
~ Idea 2285 ~We are living in invisible force fields like speed, thoughts, dreams, ideas, inspiration, love, meditation, prayers, mystical elevation, etc. They are perhaps the forces which will save us and our planet. Let us open ourselves widely to them.
~ Idea 2286 ~Free market economy has to a large extent become a plunder-destructive economy of the Earth. In order to gain more profit, wealth and power any trick is good enough. To gain further ground government has to be 'deregulated', 'privatized' to become a servant or the property of 'free enterprise'. Democracy must be replaced by businesscracy.
~ Idea 2287 ~We should cease to admire big cities and rush to them to visit their museums, monuments, festivals, theaters, sports events and conferences. We should consider them as outdated, polluted human concentrations whose air we will not breathe and expensive hotels not subsidize. We should support instead and enjoy healthier smaller communities in nature, replete with oxygen, peace and sanity. Please dear reader, follow this advice. It will help save the world and preserve your health, sanity and happiness.
~ Idea 2288 ~In Idea 1882 I said that after the industrial and scientific revolution we have entered the age of return to nature. A year later I must say that we are now entering the age of further evolution or non-evolution of the entire Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 2289 ~Among the world conferences needed in the year 2001 and 2002 I recommend these four:
- a World Conference on Excessive, Unnecessary Consumption
- a World Conference on Unnecessary Destruction of the Earth
- a World Conference on Democracy
- a World Conference on the Long-term Future
~ Idea 2290 ~The further evolution of planet Earth and of life on it must become the new, overriding supreme sovereignty on this planet, no longer national sovereignties of 189 cut up parts of it. The Earth, her survival and our own have become item number one of the agenda of world affairs.
~ Idea 2291 ~Earth Day must become one of the most important yearly events of humanity. The UN should publish for it every year a State of the Earth Report.
~ Idea 2292 ~Peace must be the new patriotism or matriotism for the Earth, no longer killing in the name of a nation.
Pater, from which patriotism, in Latin means father. A father of a family would not ask a son to kill in the name of the family but nations do.
~ Idea 2293 ~We speak a lot these days of endangered species'. We should also speak of endangered evolution, of the endangered Earth, of the endangered human species and of the future.
After world government we speak now of proper Earth government. We should even go a step further and speak of right Evolutionary government, of government and institutions constantly adapted to the new requirements of evolution.
~ Idea 2294 ~The main challenge to humanity in the 21st century will be the continuance of evolution and the main ideal will be a peaceful, happy humanity living in harmony with a well-preserved, beautiful, ever-renewed nature.
~ Idea 2295 ~In the early 1970's humanity got a shock from a famous book The Limits of Growth.. As a result the world now speaks of sustainable development or growth.
As two new progresses in human awareness we need now two further best selling books: "The Limits of Consumption" and "The Limits of Evolution".
~ Idea 2296 ~'Planet Garbagia', the United Nations should publish yearly world statistics on garbage produced and rank nations according to the total and per capita garbage they produce. The United States would come out as number one, outdistancing by far all other countries. The statistics should be reproduced by the media world-wide. Half of the entire production by the western world is waste which they call economic progress.
The US President in his yearly State of the Union should not forget to report that the US holds the world record of garbage production.
~ Idea 2297 ~Nature, our wonderful Mother Earth is humans' real friend not the male-run multinational corporations who have become the new warriors destroying her.
~ Idea 2298 ~Solitude even disappears in planes and in trains: television has invaded planes and in trains most people are absorbed by newspapers, magazines, portable telephones and computers.
The only two refuges left on this planet are unspoiled nature and churches. Alas, both are more and more on the retreat.
Where will all this end? To more happiness? No. To losing our human nature in favor of business, the media, marketing, advertisement, tourism, sensationalism and bad news. The World Party of Natural Law better look into this.
~ Idea 2299 ~I am determined to live as long as possible in order to denounce the stupidities, injustices, misdoings, insanities and destructions which are persistently committed against this marvelous planet by insatiable wealth and power holders and seekers.
~ Idea 2300 ~Dear heads of states, if you want to be remembered, honored and loved by future generations you must be for politics what Beethoven was for composers and the French Revolution was for humanity: de l' audace, de l' audace et encore de l' audace; boldness, boldness and still more boldness. Dare to make this beautiful planet and its marvelous humanity a jewel, a ninth symphony, a just republic in the vast universe: start in the year 2000 the process of giving us a proper Earth and Human Government.
ANNEX
A Point in History
A letter to the Ambassador of Sweden to the UN
14 March 1994
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
Please forgive me to write to you out of the blue, unknown to you, about events which are a quarter of a century old, but which still have a great relevance to the fate of humanity today.In 1969, when I was Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Council, I received the visit of the Ambassador of Sweden during the Council session in Geneva. He told me that Sweden, the most advanced industrial country in the world had discovered that something was going wrong, namely that your lakes were increasingly polluted and that your trees suffered from acid rain. In order to warn the world that one should look into that situation, you obtained the convening of a Biosphere Conference by UNESCO in 1968. Alas, the conference did not have the visibility and the effects on other governments and on public opinion which Sweden expected. "There was no response to our preoccupations and warnings that something was getting wrong," he said. He asked me if the United Nations could do something. I answered him that the main thing we could offer was a big warning instrument, a big drum, namely to hold a world conference, as we did in the case of population. He agreed immediately. I asked him: on what do you want that conference to be held? He said: I do not know. I told him that if it was held on the biosphere, it would have the same non-effect as the conference at UNESCO, because few people, not even heads of states knew what the biosphere was. We agreed that we would both think about it. Thereafter I held a meeting in my office to raise the question. I was personally in favor of a world conference on pollution, because this was already a popular concern. With my colleagues we were all against biosphere. Someone, I do not remember who it was, came up with the word 'environment'. I was against it because in French it means the neighborhood, and in Spanish it does not even exist (the word medio ambiente had to be invented, the milieu around us). Well, environment was agreed to as a compromise. Sweden agreed and made the proposal for such a conference. On the day when the resolution was adopted, I recall that at a diplomatic dinner in the evening, one of the diplomats said: "Do you know the ridiculous thing that happened today in the UN Economic and Social Council?" All guests looked at him, and he said: "The UN has opened its doors to the bird watchers. The Council has decided to convene a world conference on the environment!"When I heard this, I slammed my fist on the table, spilling a glass of red wine, to the consternation of my Chilean wife who was a real diplomat, and declared to the guests: "From today on the world will never be the same. You better mark my words."Well, my prophecy was right. The UN Conference on the Environment in Stockholm in 1972 was a turning point in the history of this planet and of humanity.
Later on, when I was a direct Aide to the UN Secretary General I always insisted that we should have repeat conferences at least every ten or twenty years to see what the world situation was. I convinced my good friend Maurice Strong in whose recruitment as Secretary General of the Stockholm Conference I was involved, to hold another world conference twenty years later in 1992. It took place in Rio de Janeiro. I had retired from the UN in 1986, but was invited to it as a kind of elder, as convener of the wisdom keepers of the Earth, the indigenous people. I could see in Rio how the world had changed in twenty years: at the Stockholm Conference there were only two heads of states, Mr. Olof Palme, the convener, and Mrs. Indhira Gandhi who happened to be visiting Sweden. In Rio there were 114 heads of states. In 1972 there did not exist a single Ministry of the Environment on this Earth. In 1992, every government had a Ministry of the Environment! 40,000 people were present at the Rio Conference, mostly from environmental non-governmental organizations.Well, as with the population explosion, once a global problem has been identified the situation continues to worsen for quite some time, although at a lower rate. Many other actions to accelerate the new 'progress' are needed.This short history, dear Mr. Ambassador, has one objective: I think that the government of Sweden could render another great historic, evolutionary service to the world if it requested the convening of a second world Biosphere Conference under the auspices of UNESCO, the scientific agency of the UN. The word biosphere (sphere of life) is much better understood today and is more accurate than environment which distinguishes humans on one side and nature and the Earth around us. We are part of the Earth, we are living earth. The biosphere, a small membrane surrounding our planet only a few miles into the atmosphere and into the seas and oceans, contains all the life forms in our solar system. At the time I had in my office at the UN a map of the Earth with a one meter diameter drawn by the UN cartographers. On it they showed the biosphere not thicker than an egg shell and I could say to politicians and businessmen visiting me: that is what you are playing with.I leave these thoughts with you, dear Mr. Ambassador. Perhaps Sweden can render another great service to humanity with a repeat performance on the biosphere, especially at the onset of a new century and millennium. The report of the conference on this most vital aspect of the fate of our planet and of all living beings on it, including ourselves, could be one of the most important contributions to the thinking needed regarding the further fate and evolution of the Earth and the human species.Please forgive me this long letter with its historical overview of one of the most important events in recent history of which Sweden can be very proud.
With warmest greetings and very best wishes for greatsuccess and happiness in your important functions.
Robert MullerChancellorFormer UN Assistant Secretary GeneralH.E. Mr. Peter OswaldAmbassador, PermamentRepresentative of Sweden to the UNOne Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza885 Second Avenue, 46th floorNew York, NY 10017-2201
PART IV
IDEAS 2301 TO 2400
INTRODUCTION
An Appeal for the United Nations Foundation
Dear billionaires, millionaires and very rich people of planet Earth who were blessed with wealth, please devote yourself to the causes of peace, human well-being for all and the preservation of our miraculous planetary home which has become priority number one of our concerns.
There exists now a United Nations Foundation endowed with the billion dollars donated by Ted Turner to the United Nations. Its address is: United Nations Foundation, 1301 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 700, Washington DC 20036. The Foundation administers the Ted Turner donation and can receive more contributions from people all over the world to be channeled to the great, urgent tasks of the United Nations: the fight against poverty and illiteracy, for human rights, peace, children, women, the handicapped, the environment and the salvation of our Earth, etc. Please make your generous contribution, specifying the cause to which it should be allocated: if it is children, UNICEF; if it is poverty, the United Nations Development Program; if it is peace, the United Nations; if it is peace education, the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica; if it is the environment, the UN Environment Program, etc. The list covers practically all the miseries of our planet and of the human family which require your help. This is a new, glorious, hopeful page of philanthropy, pressingly needed by the preservation of our Earth and the further progress of humanity.
Let us make this planet and human evolution a tremendous success in the next century and millennium. We are all human cosmic brothers and sisters endowed with incredible potentials and love in each of us.
May God bless you and recompense your generosity andgood you are doing for world peace and human happiness.
Robert MullerChancellor EmeritusFormer Assistant General Secretaryof the United Nations
PS. Call Washington DC, telephone (202) 887-9040 for information and the publications of the UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION.
~ Idea 2301 ~I could never understand why the poor third world countries have not coalesced and decided to plan a world government of their own. They have the vast majority of the world's population, the greatest forests left, the vastest natural and mineral resources of the Earth. The mere decision to do so would scare the western world which would counter-propose, were it only for tactical reasons, that all nations should get together and discuss the feasibility of a proper Earth government.
Perhaps it is not too late for the third world to do it. They could announce it at the year 2000 UN General Assembly of heads of states.
~ Idea 2302 ~When the Reagan administration launched a first assail against communism, raising armaments, especially nuclear missiles to the sky, a commission was created in Washington to look at 'The World After Communism'.
Now that capitalism is under assail by its internal contradictions, for the destruction of the Earth and increasing the gulf between the rich and the poor, someone should create a commission on 'The World After Capitalism'.
~ Idea 2303 ~Business is endlessly looking for more business and assails governmental public services accusing them of bureaucracy and impeding free enterprise. This all out campaign is called privatization.
Well the public should ask for more publicization in order not to have to pay for the costly competition between private firms when a public service is privatized. The total world cost of the competition, duplication and constant new advertised, often unnecessary services and products of private enterprises must be colossal but no one speaks about it, the media and even some governments having generally become the beneficiaries, the servants of big business.
~ Idea 2304 ~There is a wonderful association of airline pilots and stewardesses called Airline Ambassadors which has done a lot of good in the world since it was born (See Introduction to Ideas 2201 to 2300).
I recommend that similar ambassadors associations be created by many professions and human groups.
E.g.:
Lawyer's AmbassadorsDoctor's AmbassadorsEngineer's AmbassadorsTeacher's AmbassadorsChildren's AmbassadorsYouth AmbassadorsMother's AmbassadorsWomen's AmbassadorsFamilies' AmbassadorsElder's Ambassadors, etc.
What a difference it would make in the world. How much happiness it would provide to both the receivers and givers of aid across borders from people to people, from profession to profession, and not only from government to government. It would be a new form of world democracy. Write for advice to Nancy Rivard, President, Founder Airline Ambassadors, World Trade Center, Suite 268, San Francisco, CA 94111.
~ Idea
2305 ~
What a strange planet it is where one country with four percent of the world population, the United States, tells the rest of the world what to like, what to seek, what to value, what to believe and what to do and on top of it all speaks constantly of democracy.
~ Idea 2306 ~Newspapers should begin to publish an obituary page for planet Earth listing the species which have died, the nature destroyed, the airs and waters of the Earth become unbreatheable and undrinkable and many other Earth and life funeral cases.
~ Idea 2307 ~Increasing aviation, air travel and air transportation will be enough to finish this planet. The shareholders of airline companies might end up rich but on a dead planet. Just project the current yearly airline traffic increase to the year 3000. It is totally impossible.
~ Idea 2308 ~We should declare planet Earth in peril, in a state of siege. Economic growth is often Earth destruction. The stock exchanges have become the funeral homes of the Earth. Why cannot intelligent, enlightened leaders change and remedy this course?
~ Idea 2309 ~The materialistic, commercial, advertising, noisy, irritating, unsatisfied American society is no longer admirable. It is unnatural. It is severed from the Earth and is devastating it. I am catching glimpses of a horrible monster show on a US airplane television program. In it the beauty of nature and of humans is totally replaced by monsters and yet most passengers are watching this.
~ Idea 2310 ~On 11 July 1994, when there remained two thousand days to the year 2000, a US public opinion survey reported that forty-one percent of Americans believed their nation was in decline. I wonder what the percentage is in the year 2000.
~ Idea 2311 ~Some day we will see a classification of countries and regions into oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor, deficient countries. This will change the map of human settlements on the planet.
~ Idea 2312 ~The peoples of the world should menace having no children anymore until governments have put order in world affairs, preserved the future of the Earth, eliminated militaries and armaments, and solved the conflicts and crass human injustices still prevailing on this planet.
~ Idea 2313 ~At one point of evolution, humans created groups, communities and institutions to cooperate for their survival and the betterment of their lives. Nations and national institutions are the latest manifestations of that evolution, followed by big business. Today evolution demands world cooperation of all humans and institutions. But national governments, institutions and businesses are against it. They want to keep their existing power.
Arnold Toynbee, the British historian, studied all great empires of the past and came to the conclusion that they all collapsed or vanished because they did not adapt to the new requirements of evolution.
The same will happen today, but since the necessary new values and world institutions are not created or strengthened, the evolution of the planet is likely to come to an end. This might happen because of our increasing population, consumption and growing interference with the natural processes of the Earth.
~ Idea 2314 ~A man of a group of Elderhostels visiting the University for Peace asked me this question: "How come that we still have so many ethnic wars of hatred like the one in Yugoslavia?"
I answered: "It is because they have not been educated in peace but in hatred, hyper-patriotism, pledges of allegiance and readiness to go to war for their ethnic group, religion or nation. This is what national education does in practically all countries of the world. This is why the UN University for Peace is so important and should be well supported by UN member countries and not ignored by them as is the case now. Only 34 countries of the 189 member countries of the UN have ratified its statutes and only three have given it any resources. The United States government was the first to oppose it followed by most western countries."
~ Idea 2315 ~I was educated by the French under the motto: France above everything else in the world. Then came the Germans who occupied our region, called the French education decadent and re-educated us under the motto: Germany above everything. And each time we were given a rifle to shoot the people on the other side of the border.
Well, I decided later to throw these educations overboard and to take the Earth and humanity as my prime subjects of education and concerns, not a nation, not a religion, not an ideology nor any ethnic group. The United Nations became my school for that.
And I decided to donate my retirement to the first University for Peace on this planet for one dollar a year to propose a new education for all humanity taught already in 34 Robert Muller schools around the world. But these are only drops of water in a sea of national schools.
~ Idea 2316 ~I must live as long as possible in order to do maximum good for this Earth and humanity. We all must try to live as long as possible to do our best for a peaceful, better, wonderful, beautiful world.
~ Idea 2317 ~It would be a good idea if at the end of any human meeting there should not be only a conclusion or a summary of the debates but a specific list of ideas formulated during that meeting. I have seldom seen such reports in the United Nations. It is a great pity because if delegates knew that ideas and dreams would be recorded, they would be prone to formulate them. I recommend that in all meetings in the world people should be exhorted to have specific, concrete ideas and that a list of them should be published at the end of the meeting.
~ Idea 2318 ~The indigenous people, the chiefs, the elders when they speak have in front of them a 'talking stick' to remind them to talk with the heart. I have one which I adopted years ago. It is a wonderful tradition. It might be good also to have a 'dream and idea stick', reminding us to come up with dreams and concrete, good ideas. One never knows, it might help. When I was a direct aide to three Secretary Generals I established a rule that no draft text of a speech for the Secretary General would be accepted if it did not contain ideas. Today I would add that in each of the speeches of the Secretary General there should also be the word love. That would be the message of the indigenous people. Yes, the word love. I must make sure that in all my speeches I never forget love. One of the students at the end of a course that had lasted several weeks at the UN University for Peace said to me after I spoke at the graduation, "I am so grateful that you used the word love because in this entire course on communications and peace I heard it only once and you used it twice in your speech." If only all heads of states would speak from their hearts and even once in a while cry a little.
~ Idea 2319 ~I noted in Volume I, pages. 140-141 the main periods I have lived since the end of World War II and the creation of the United Nations, have been namely: from 1945 to 1970 an incredible, intensive concern with human issues; from 1970 to 1980 the upcoming concern for the nature around us, the environment; a third period from 1980 to 1990, during which the Earth became priority number one; and then since 1990 it is the whole future evolution of the Earth and humanity which is at stake. Regarding this last period I recommend the following:
1. That a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on the Long-term Future of the Earth and Humanity be created.
2. That for every continent there should be regional consultations or conferences regarding the future of that continent.
3. That all professions on Earth should have a long-term view and concern for the long-term future of each profession.
4. That every human being should have a long-term view and concern for his life on Earth, for his descendants and leave his dreams for a better world.
~ Idea 2320 ~A dream, an idea has no body, no concrete reality. It is an assemblage of immaterial images but it can be made into a very concrete, powerful reality. Dreams and ideas are the moving forces shaping the future.
~ Idea 2321 ~My book Most of All They Taught Me Happiness has been published in Italy under the title: Battersi per la felicitá, To Fight for Happiness. Yes, we have to do that for ourselves, for the whole humanity, the whole Earth and all life on it.
~ Idea 2322 ~On the eve of the 21st century and third millennium the Secretary General of the United Nations should prepare and propose a New Deal for the Earth and Humanity. One of them exists already called Agenda 21 for the environment adopted by the Rio de Janeiro Conference in 1992.
~ Idea 2323 ~I have prepared an excerpt from my 2000 ideas of all those which should be implemented or proposed to the world by the UN Secretary General. I will address it to all heads of state who will meet in the UN General Assembly 2000. I pray God that a few will read them.
~ Idea 2324 ~I wish that someone would conceive, collect and publish 2000 Ideas for a World Spiritual Renaissance. It might have wonderful results. I will recommend that it be undertaken by the United Religions Organization when it is created in the year 2000. I felt that I should start one myself and extract from my 2000 ideas those which deal with religion and spirituality. The result was a 59 pages document! I will send it to all the members of the new World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality created with Dr. Karan Singh of India.
~ Idea 2325 ~I recommend the creation of the following additional world commissions of eminent personalities:
A World Commission on Business CorporationsA World Commission on LoveA World Commission on HopeA World Commission on ForgivenessA World Commission on CompassionA World Commission on Philanthropy and GaiaphilyA World Commission on OptimismA World Commission on JusticeA World Commission on DemocracyA World Commission on Public Service, especially World Public ServiceA World Commission on World Institutions and the FutureA World Commission on Universities, especially World UniversitiesA World Commission on the MediaA World Commission on AdvertisingA World Commission on Human Migrations and proper human settlements
~ Idea 2326 ~There should be a Dreams and Ideas Box for the public visiting the United Nations to deposit their dreams and ideas for a better world. Next to it there should be a Donation or Contribution Box in which they can deposit money or checks to their United Nations (the Peoples') or to a specific project like UNICEF, Refugees, etc.
~ Idea 2327 ~The United States considers itself to be the great defender of human rights and enemy of genocide which means the killing of entire groups of people.
But what about the potential genocide if there is an accident of the Cassini outer space craft when it returns to turn around the Earth to gain velocity and go further into the universe? Millions of people would die. It was revealed recently that a rocket which was the same as one of the rockets of the Cassini craft had a serious accident and failed.We should add a new category to genocides, namely potential genocides caused by scientific and technological adventures.
Also to be taken into account are the 2000 tons of solid materials of human origin, resulting from explosions and collisions, which are floating already in outer space. We will end up even spoiling the heavens with our refuse and garbage.
~ Idea 2328 ~All thinking and planning on Earth must now go far beyond the current yearly states of the world reports and reach as far as the year 3000.
~ Idea 2329 ~Land belonging to universities, university parks, land endowments to universities should be the object of world statistics. Donations of land to educational establishments can be an important way of saving nature. It is a subject worth submitting to the International Association of University Presidents.
Similarly religious and ecclesiastical lands should be inventorized. Sometimes entire mountains belong to religions, for example, Mt. Abu in India as well as other sacred places and pilgrimages around the world. This again would represent a substantial area of nature preservation.
I also insist again that the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) should vastly extend its competence and be transformed into the UN World Intellectual and Land Property Organization (WILPO). We need a World Register (Cadastre) of all land properties on this planet.
~ Idea 2330 ~It is high time that we create a new profession of happiness advisors. They could be of great help to many people who, despite all their material welfare, have not found happiness. Further to my book Most of All They Taught Me Happiness I should open a file of 2000 ideas on happiness. One could coin two new words: happinesscracy, the rule of happiness and beautycracy, the rule of beauty.
~ Idea 2331 ~When we speak of non-violence against nature we could define it as the need to respect this extraordinary result of evolution. We speak of enemies of nations, of ethnic groups, of religions. We should also identify the enemies of nature.
~ Idea
2332 ~
More people in the world should write stories showing how success and results can be achieved if one never gives up. There should be a whole literature on this. It could be called a literature of perseverance. I am telling many of my own stories in my books. See for example how I got the United Nations Development Program created through perseverance (Idea 1924).
~ Idea 2333 ~I sent this message to Mr. Gustave Speth, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Program who is leaving this position:
"Having been a member of the first group of United Nations interns in 1948 which celebrates this year its 50th anniversary;
Having been a founder of the United Nations Development Program, one of the first staff members of Mr. Paul Hoffman, first Administrator of the United Nations Development Program, and the Secretary of the first governing council of the UNDP
Two of my views today are these:
I rejoice that after many years a long summary of the world report of the UNDP has for the first time been published in the New York Times.
You should become a great thinker and conceiver of audacious, new great ideas for a better Earth and human future, the biggest gap in human leadership and preoccupations today."
~ Idea 2334 ~Since the United Nations Charter starts with the words "We the peoples", all letterheads and documents of the United Nations should bear the words: "We the peoples of the United Nations". The Secretary General of the UN should take that decision.
~ Idea 2335 ~Nowadays fifty million people die each year. Suppose the average weight of them, taking into account children, is one hundred pounds. This would mean five billion pounds of human matter which is all Earth matter. This biological mass should be returned to the Earth. We should stop locking the dead in coffins, concrete vaults or burning them. We must return them to Mother Earth. She knows how to give them birth again from her flesh into other life forms, vegetal or animal, grasses, insects or fruits. It is a crime against her to withhold what came from her and belongs to her.
~ Idea 2336 ~We should examine very carefully the contribution of language to the solution of world problems. Very often we use negative words which make problems worse. Before we use the word violence we should hesitate. Instead of speaking of conflict resolution, we should speak of disagreement solving or lack of agreement resolution.
~ Idea 2337 ~There is an absolute need for a World Commission of Eminent Personalities to review world democracy. I wish for example that all parliamentary elections in the world should be held on the same day or in the same week or month and for the same duration so that we do not always hear that a problem cannot be solved because there are going to be elections in such and such a country. This was the case when I was political advisor to the United Nations troops in Cyprus. A forthcoming Greek election or Turkish election or American election put everything to a standstill. The report of a World Commission on Democracy would be most revealing.
~ Idea 2338 ~There are in the United Nations and in its specialized agencies and world programs the following groups of people:
World ServantsExpertsConsultantsDelegatesOfficialsInternsVolunteersNon-governmental OrganizationsThe Press Corps
These people have a lot to say, to remember, to propose, to contribute to world history, to the future and to a better world. Alas, few are those who can find a publisher among the traditional publishers who give usually the answer, "The United Nations is not a popular item. We cannot publish you." Why not therefore create a United Nations Publishing House? This could be a tremendous step ahead in human progress and history. And most likely be a source of income for the United Nations. The United Nations should become the greatest publisher on Earth.
~ Idea 2339 ~I urge all heads of states, of world agencies, institutions, and corporations, etc. never to deliver a speech written by someone else. Better say simply and most sincerely what you have on your heart and on your mind. The audience will never forget you.
~ Idea 2340 ~The best compliment I sometimes receive after speaking is when someone says, "I was moved to tears when you spoke." As a matter of fact, when speaking of the beauty of our planet, of the miracle of human life and the wonderful, peaceful, heavenly world we could be I often come close to crying myself and sometimes cannot hold my tears.
~ Idea 2341 ~A Swedish educator, after hearing me speak, said to the audience that I was the ideal to which all educators should aim, namely a contributor of knowledge, dreams, ideas, concrete proposals and emotions.
~ Idea 2342 ~I hope that someday we will have a Nobel Peace Prize Hall of Fame at the UN University for Peace. It would be wonderful. At the United Nations there should be a place where all the Nobel Peace Prizes received by the United Nations and by its officials should be displayed to be seen by the public.
~ Idea 2343 ~I would like to see a list of fields of human affairs in which there exist already regulations close to world laws. The laws of the seas and oceans, laws on the environment, laws of transportation, laws of human rights and laws against international crimes are those that come to my mind but there might be others. It would be interesting to have a compendium of already existing near-world laws.
~ Idea 2344 ~I'm afraid that business and the free market are unable to understand the process of evolution on this planet. They are thinking mainly of producing, transforming, selling and making profits. Well, this is the last conceivable purpose of evolution. It is so fundamentally wrong that if humanity sticks to it as the dominant value we will see an end of evolution. A total re-thinking, a new paradigm, new values are absolutely necessary. The human species must get its evolutionary values straight.
~ Idea 2345 ~Reading on the terrace of our farmlet in Costa Rica the Ode to Joy written by the German poet Schiller for Beethoven, I suddenly felt a gush of fresh soul from the universe expand my breast and nourish my heart. It was the air of Costa Rica, an ocean of peace. And this thought came to my mind: the United Nations should move out of New York City to sacred Mt. Rasur from which the Indian God of the children, Rasur prophecized that a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.
~ Idea 2346 ~The Secretary General of the UN should create an Implementation Unit in the United Nations and obtain from each United Nations agency a report on implementation. He would then report to the yearly General Assembly on the degree of implementation of decisions which were taken by humanity's collective bodies and addressed to governments for implementation. These reports would show the great weakness of the United Nations as a proper world organization, a large number of its decisions and recommendations not being fulfilled by governments.
~ Idea 2347 ~The time has come to seriously envisage a world-wide prohibition of oil exploration and exploitation from the sea bottoms in order to save the environment, and promote vigorously electric cars and the use of other sources of energy like solar, wind, sea and geothermal energy.
~ Idea 2348 ~The time has come when on the agenda of world affairs one should raise the question of the excessive, constant accumulation of wealth in rich countries, rich institutions and rich people and the need for redistribution. One could use a new word, namely decumulation of wealth.
~ Idea 2349 ~I will propose to the government of Costa Rica that it should consider seriously the matter of taxation of advertisements, e.g.:
- the taxation of the huge advertisements of American cigarette companies and other products along the highways, damaging the views of the beautiful Costa Rican natural landscapes;
- the taxation of multiple years long free advertisement gained by big firms like Coca Cola when giving shopkeepers free outdoor signs with their advertisement;
- the taxation of advertisements on signs for bus waiting stations given freely by big firms who then have a cheap, free advertisement for many years. And the same is done with poor shopkeepers by giving them implements free of charge but wearing the Coca Cola or other similar advertisements.
~ Idea 2350 ~The word advertisement should be abolished and replaced by information. The public should be informed that such and such a product or service is available and be given its true characteristics and value. Most of the time advertisement is pure propaganda and non-ethical.
Public institutions and services on the other hand are usually not advertised. The United Nations cannot advertise its activities. It can only inform the public. But more and more public services begin to advertise too. Governments sometimes use sheer propaganda. Cities advertise, etc. Advertisement, together with the media, has become a major world disease, an unethical deformity of the human condition, a farce to true democracy.
And when UNESCO wanted to hold a world conference on advertisement and the media the United States walked out of UNESCO, giving of course other reasons like bureaucracy, overspending, except the real one. Thus, a major government that offers itself as a model of democracy, human rights and ethics uses lies to protect its business interests. That is the world in which we live!
Yes, there exists now a new world-wide business 'unethics' which has never existed before on this planet. Cigarettes and alcohol advertisements are the most flagrant examples.
~ Idea 2351 ~It is probable that the natural oxygen production of the Earth cannot keep up with the carbon dioxide production by humans. Data on both should therefore be published monthly by all nations and globally by the United Nations.
~ Idea 2352 ~Together with gross national product (GNP) statistics, all nations should be required to publish also gross nature destruction (GND) statistics.
~ Idea 2353 ~Ever more frequent grass cutting with machines using gasoline should be thoroughly studied and its effects published and reported in the press. We need the oxygen produced by high grasses and the diversity of their vegetation. The interests of the grass mowing machine producers is such that expansion of this new way of handling nature might become a disaster in the years to come. To deforestation we should add the evil of degrassification.
~ Idea 2354 ~The United Religions Initiative (Organization) should collect information and publish statistics on abandoned, empty, disaffected churches and places of worship all around the world as well as on new constructions. It might be an interesting, revealing information on the state of spirituality in the world.
~ Idea 2355 ~Ministries of Labor should be transformed into Ministries of Employment with an emphasis on good, useful employment and happiness in employment. As I have recommended several times, a Ministry of Happiness should be created in all governments to insure that all other ministries will include happiness as one of their concerns and objectives. I cannot see how a Ministry of War can have happy students by teaching them to kill other human youngsters of their age and bomb civilian populations of mothers and children in cities.
~ Idea 2356 ~If someone like me, who has spent most of his life in world positions to figure out the meaning of human life on this planet and has not succeeded, how can I expect the other six billion people to understand it? One billion are excused because they never had an education. How about the others? Isn't it the role, the duty, the purpose of education to give humans that meaning? Why does it not do so? Why does it not succeed?
I will address that question to the Director General of UNESCO. I got the 1986 World Peace Education Prize of that organization but that is not enough. There should also be a world prize for the education of the meaning of life.
~ Idea 2357 ~When will we see on this planet a World No Newspapers Day or Week and a World No Television Day or Week? What a relief it would be for people. They would rediscover themselves.
~ Idea 2358 ~The United Nations should publish information on what effects there are on the future of nature and of the Earth when one new human being is not added to the world population, distinguishing between a rich and a poor country. Similarly the United Nations should study the effects of a decline in consumption on the preservation and future of the Earth.
~ Idea 2359 ~There should be a World Memorial Day to replace all national Memorial Days. UNESCO should publish a list of all national days and see which ones should become world days. Memorializing should become a subject of study, perhaps even a science.
~ Idea 2360 ~The same way as there exists already a Peace Corps, there should be a whole series of corps in the following fields:
Art CorpsHealth CorpsEnvironment CorpsPrison CorpsHandicap CorpsPoverty CorpsEarth CorpsEtc.
All these corps should be organized at the local, national, continental and world levels. A World Corps Association or Organization should be created.
~ Idea 2361 ~There should be a World Association of Non-activists and Non-doers, of people who do nothing with enthusiasm, who do not seek wealth, business, who have no television, no newspapers, who do not run around, who really love only nature, our Mother Earth and cultivate their gardens and own life.
~ Idea 2362 ~I wish that someone would collect and publish the views and feelings of all those humans who have seen our entire Earth from the moon or from farther distances in outer space, astronauts of whom there were many. This could be an enlightenment for us humans on Earth as we enter the new millennium. The indigenous people are so right when they consider their two main relationships to be with the Earth and with the heavens. Their views, cosmologies and prophecies should be also collected, publicized and studied.
~ Idea 2363 ~It is good that Harvard University has recently published several volumes of surveys of the views and contributions of the world's religions to the environment. The same should be done for the views and traditions of the indigenous people.
~ Idea 2364 ~If I were the UN Secretary General I would create somewhere in the world on a hill a place of encounter of visionaries from around the Earth who would give their prophecies, visions, hopes and warnings to humanity. Sacred Mt. Rasur above the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica would be a good place for a World Group of Visionaries.
~ Idea 2365 ~One of the great recommendations of the General Assembly 2000 of heads of state would be that a Ministry of the Future should be created in all governments and that commissions or offices of the future should be created from the top of the world in the United Nations and its specialized agencies down to continents, the seas and oceans, nations, provinces, local cities and communities.
~ Idea 2366 ~Global education should not be merely an addition to national education. It should be the most comprehensive education including continental, national, local and family education. Family education should play an important role, the fathers, mothers and grandparents having had life experience and being the basic cosmic units of evolution, as will be the children.
~ Idea 2367 ~In all the media of the world, newspapers, radios, television, etc. there should be a daily report on the state of the Earth and of its vital resources like air and water.
~ Idea 2368 ~I noticed that there are very few benches in the city of Paris. People have to sit outdoors of restaurants and consume beer or other drinks to sit down. In every city of the world there should be a given percentage of benches and sitting opportunities per thousand inhabitants. They could be labeled "Benches of Dreams".
~ Idea 2369 ~Dear people who love the Earth and nature, do not give your money so easily to the merchants who have the upper hand and will not hesitate to damage the Earth. Do not buy anything which you do not really need. The less you are surrounded by so called goods (let us call them things and some of them 'bads') the more you will be yourself and find increasing happiness in the depth, width, mystery, reason and miracle of your own life. Also go out into nature and you will find paradise, the real one, not the artificial one ceaselessly modified and invented by economists, the media, businesses and capital holders.
~ Idea 2370 ~We need to cultivate as much individual, social, environmental, cultural and evolutionary diversity as one finds in nature. This should be one of the principles of the upcoming United Nature as the proper government of the Earth.
~ Idea 2371 ~Why is there today such an incredible inventiveness in science, technology, industry, production, merchandising, selling and advertising and so little in the social sciences, in philosophy, in the science and art of living? This is an upside down period of human history which might cost us dearly. Future generations will wonder why we stuck so long to it.
~ Idea 2372 ~The United Nations must urgently convene a World Conference on Consumption to deal with the pathetic underconsumption of 1.3 billion poor people and the staggering, monumental, often wasteful overconsumption of most western people.
~ Idea 2373 ~The western world is afflicted not only with sexual exhibitionism but also with a much more Earth damaging commercial and selling exhibitionism. It is called more elegantly marketing, advertisement, products display, etc. and is being taught extensively in academic institutions. We should scoff at these new so called sciences or disciplines. We live in a distorted world totally ruled by business. How right is the title of David Korten's book Corporations Rule the World!
~ Idea 2374 ~We must absolutely make the peace, beauty and preservation of our heavenly Earth and the peace, happiness and well-being of the entire human family our two topmost priorities in the third millennium. Most of our past goals, cravings and ideals have become obsolete, outdated. All human groups, be it races, sexes, nations, religions, institutions, ethnic groups, cities, villages, families and last but not least all individuals must contribute and give priority to these two over-riding challenges of evolution.
~ Idea 2375 ~If every human being would clean a mile on Earth, since we are six billion people there would not be enough miles to clean! Think even beyond that: if every human being would beautify a mile on Earth...
~ Idea 2376 ~Of the population explosion and the overconsumption explosion which one is the easiest to cope with? Not the population explosion because you cannot kill people, only slow down reproduction. As for overconsumption you can stop immediately buying unnecessary things. Let us work on both of them with more immediate, concrete results from the second.
~ Idea 2377 ~I will have the lay out the strategy, plans and ideas for all twenty-one segments of major human concerns outlined in Ideas 527 to 547. Why? Because few if any people are doing it, most people being concerned with immediate, daily affairs..
~ Idea 2378 ~The US tries to obtain a lot of clout from its NATO military intervention in Yugoslavia for the defense of human minority rights.
But the same virtuous country refuses to remove the land mines it left in the soil of Vietnam and which continue to kill many innocent people, especially children. It would be interesting to see comparative statistics of the people killed by the Milosevich regime and those killed by US land mines. The United States too should be indicted by the new International Criminal Court. I hope with all my heart that a peoples' movement will introduce such a lawsuit against the US Government.
~ Idea 2379 ~We speak a lot about privatization but why not about worldilization and humanization?
To make war is dehumanizing not humanizing.
To radically change nature is not development, it is denaturing, often outright nature destruction.
The human species might have become, to a large extent, a destructive species of nature. The greatest cause of destruction and violence on this planet might become obsolete capitalism.
~ Idea 2380 ~The United Nations or a World Democracy Agency should publish yearly statistics on parliamentarism, democracy and political elections in all countries.
It would be interesting to learn:
- in how many and in which countries there are no elections at all
- the sex and age composition of parliaments, how many women, youth, elderly
- which
countries allow the financing of political campaigns and
contributions by business?etc.
~ Idea 2381 ~There is a much delayed urgent need for humanity on this planet: the need for feminization and lovenization, the acceptance and use of the virtues of love which are best known and practiced by women since they give life and raise children. All military schools on Earth should be run by women, by mothers. They would soon close them.
~ Idea 2382 ~I wish that one country in the world would decide that one national election would elect only women into office for a mandate to see what different ways of government would emerge and to draw proper conclusions and reforms from the experience.
~ Idea 2383 ~Humanity is so lost in its wealth and complexity of knowledge, beliefs, ideals, ideas, institutions, sentiments and actions that it risks to perish as the dominant species of this planet taking along with it many other life forms and most of nature.
I recommend that the UN should convene a World Emergency Conference on the Future of Humanity and of the Earth. This could be one of the decisions of the Year 2000 Heads of States UN General Assembly.
~ Idea 2384 ~Another idea would be to create a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on that subject.
~ Idea 2385 ~World thinkers and religious leaders should make an effort to see how the United Nations could become the world implementor of the precepts of the Bible and other sacred religious texts:
- to be the jubillennium of humanity, the place to rejoice at humanity's successes and progress,;
- to be the wall of lamentations where people, nations and institutions can lament their defeats, sins and miseries;
- to be a place of forgiveness;
- to write a new global Bible and sacred texts for the future of humanity and of the Earth.
~ Idea 2386 ~I hope that at some point on this planet there will be a new category of women called the non-buying women whose concern for the Earth will overrule their innate nature of buying. Since the Earth is a mother, all mothers of Earth should make her their primary concern and object of love.
~ Idea 2387~Which will be the first big city in the world to declare that it has become unlivable, unmanageable, that no more people should come to live in it and that many inhabitants should leave it?
~ Idea 2388 ~There is an absolutely constant, up to date, urgent need for global education at all levels of humans on this planet, from individuals, families, neighborhoods, villages, cities, provinces, nations, continents, to the world as a whole. Leaders in all institutions should make such education their foremost preoccupation. All that is needed is to use in all schools, media and institutions the World Core Curriculum I derived from humanity's first global organization, the United Nations. It presents in simple form the incredible knowledge we have acquired of our planetary home in the universe, of the human family in its totality, down to the family and the miracle of human life, all of this in the stream of time from the past into the future. If we give this basic information to all schoolchildren we will save the future of this planet. For adults there is similarly an absolute need for constant, up to date global information from the media and proper actions at all levels of government and by all institutions on this planet. (See the two tables on education and the media published in Volume I.)
~ Idea 2389 ~I dream of the creation of many communities of simple, frugal living respectful of the miraculous nature of our Earth. 'Eco-villages' exist already in many places of the world. They should spread extensively and be created also in big cities and their suburbs.
~ Idea 2390 ~Each time the Wall Street Dow Jones Index soars by a number of points the Earth-preservation Index plummets by the equivalent if not greater number of points. But where on Earth is there an Earth-preservation Index?
~ Idea 2391 ~The notion and ideal of free enterprise was perfect in the 19th and early 20th century when the world population was small and natural resources were plentiful and unexploited. Now in the new circumstances of an exploding population and a beleaguered Earth it has all too often become damaging and destructive to both. It should be replaced by the notion and ideal of human fulfillment and Earth-conservation enterprises. Can we expect at least some businesses to call themselves humanity and Earth loving enterprises and to work for it?
~ Idea 2392 ~The notions of sustainable development and growth should be replaced by Earth conservation and human fulfillment. All local, national, continental and world economic statistics (oikos nomos, Earth management) and indexes should reflect these two evolutionary imperatives.
~ Idea 2393 ~The same way as the notion interstate is part and parcel of the larger notion of nation, international should become part and parcel of the larger notions of global, world and planet Earth.
And the time will also come when the notions of global, world and planet Earth will become parts of the larger concept of cosmic, universal.
~ Idea 2394 ~In a new world terminology we must also insert at its right place the concept of biosphere, the sphere of life, the small layer or membrane around the Earth which reaches only a few miles into the atmosphere, a few miles into the seas and oceans and a few meters into the crust of the Earth and contains all life on our planet and in our solar system.
This is what we are dangerously playing with these days with wars, violence, overpopulation, overconsumption, excessive travel and transportation, etc. The UN must absolutely publish a yearly report on the state of the biosphere showing in particular the losses of pure air, pure water, soils, forest covers and the number of species vanished (the current rate is one every five hours).
~ Idea
2395 ~We see less and less birds and wild animals on this planet,
only more and more cars and airplanes carrying human animals around
in all directions, to do what?
~ Idea 2396 ~The capitalist world is no longer inspiring. It is dispiring, depressing because it needs ever more dissatisfaction and unhappiness of humans in order to sell them endlessly more and more products, services and 'entertainments'.
~ Idea 2397 ~The time might come when laws will be adopted in some poor countries that no couple should have more than two children while in the western countries allowances will be given for more children.
~ Idea 2398 ~I propose to former Secretary General Boutros Ghali, who has been asked to prepare a report on world democracy by UNESCO, to include a chapter on demo-ideology or people's ideology which would reflect people's ideas and dreams for a better world. It could produce surprising results.
~ Idea 2399 ~To the throw-away consumers' society a throw-away producers society has been added recently: if new products do not sell fast and well enough they are simply thrown away if they cannot be recycled. The size and diversity of this new Earth disaster added to the preceding one is relentlessly increasing.
~ Idea 2400 ~In my life as a dreamer and world improver, I have been endlessly astonished by the notable events, people and incredible coincidences that come constantly my way. It is as if God, the saints and invisible forces of the universe want to help me, guide me and make things happen. There is a text by the famous German writer Goethe which describes this situation well:
Until one is committedthere is hesitancy, the chance to draw back,always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative and creation,there is one elementary truth,
the ignorance of which kills countless ideasand splendid plans:
That the moment one definitely commits oneself,then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help onethat would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision,raising in one's favor all mannerof unforeseen incidents and meetingsand material assistance,which no one could have dreamtwould have come his way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
ANNEX
Encouragement from a Young Man
The following poem which I received in 1979 from a young admirer Sanford Hinden, living in Long Island, New York has helped me for the rest of my UN career and life to never lose hope. Whenever I am depressed and ready to give up I read it and I am reminded of the expectations and hopes of youth when they look up to adults in positions where they can do something for a better world and happier humanity. Thank you dear Sandy Hinden from the innermost of my heart. (see also Ideas 239, 240 and 1391)
Man of Optimism - Man of Grace - Man of Service
Man of optimism, Man of grace Man of service, Unifier of All-Time and All-Space
He speaks of Love, In social and economic terms. Glimpsing the not too distant peace dove, His vision-heart so yearns...
Seeking and questing, He finds his night's peace, In dreams and hopes, Of Universal release.
This man of optimism, This man of grace. This man of world service, Unifier of the human race.
Blessed is The road this server treads, And by the food of Love's substance His soul's hunger is eternally fed.
Deeply behold, this man of inspiration, This man of God's graces, This man of natural service, This man for all-seasons and all-places.
Learn by his daily truths, Made known to him through his day. Learn from this teacher of karmic wisdom, Through the action of his deeds and whole-souled worldly-way.
Students of Life, From all the world around, Hear in his secular benedictions, A keynote of Godly interrelatedness Therein to be found.With them he leaves A resonating new-start. An attunement to Mankind's new Planetary-Heart.
Therein they all do find, His heavenly Story of Life: "The Ending, Forever, Of Bitterness, and Strife".
Great being of hopefulness, Great man of the Lord's grace, Great being of our United Nations Organization, Great manifestor of this Holy-Planet-Place.
With you our hopes Are rekindled each time, As we listen to you weave your tale Of the Radiant-God message, so fine:
"God of our fathers and mothers, God of Divine, God of all nations And peoples throughout time... God of Wisdom's light, And God of Love, God in All-Forms, And God as the Holy-Aspiration-Dove... God by all man-made names, And God of all earthly natures, God of all eternally infinite And infinitesimally small life-producing creatures... God beyond all words, And God beyond all boundaries and war, God of all good(s) In the vast Universal Store... God of the co-evolving Holy realization, Of the God inside Our mundane-human situation... God of our actions, And God of all nations, God of our complete And wholly Integration... God of our structures, And social organization, God of fulfillment Through the harmonization of all nations... God of Service, In the form of Dedication To the Holy-Manifestation, Of the eternally evolving Plan of God's Creation..."
This is the story, His weaving of words thus tells, For those who seek to quench their aspiration-thirst, To drink from this wise man's well.
He mends their hearts With the miracle of creation, And works to heal The painful cleavages between nations.
This is the man optimistic about global-love, He is the man in the State of Godly Grace, The holy man uniting nation-hearts, The weaver of the new social and economic lace.
He is the builder of hope, In the House of Creation, Wherein can be found The room of infinite, and eternal, emanation.
Man of optimism, Man of grace. Man of service, Unifier of All-Time and All-Space.Sanford HindenOctober 1979
PART V
IDEAS 2401 TO 2500
INTRODUCTION
Never Give Up
In Idea 1924 I told how the United Nations Development Program, one of the biggest if not the biggest world aid program was created in 1959. I reproduce hereafter forty year old documents which I found in a file followed by more recent letters to successive heads of the United Nations Development Program.
Now that as a result of very rapid technological developments enormous quantities of equipment and machinery are being abandoned or discarded in the western world, I recommend that a new UN World Fund be created similar to the World Food Program entitled World Equipment and Machinery Aid Fund (WEMAF). The UNDP which has representative offices in practically all poor countries could take care of such a fund, transferring to these countries abandoned western equipment and machinery which would still be a blessed, highly welcomed gift to them.
24 January 1991
I gave the scribbled diagram attached to the following letter in 1959 to Paul Hoffman, former administrator of the Marshall Plan and Managing Director of the newly established Special Fund of the UN. I asked him why the US had not conceived the Marshall Plan as a revolving fund: the countries receiving the huge sums of money from the US would have to reimburse that money without interest after several years, once they would be recovered, to an international revolving fund, which then would continue to give it to poor countries with the same provision, etc. He answered me that when he was Administrator of the Marshall Plan a crazy Frenchman was running after him trying to sell him the same idea. He regretted that he did not accept it at the time.
I dug out this paper in January 1991 when asked to speak to the 30th anniversary ceremony of the creation of the UNDP and donated a bust of Paul Hoffman.
31 March 1996Dear Mr. Speth,
I read recently an excellent speech or paper in which you underline that the resources given by the UNDP match those given by the IMF and World Bank. What remembrances this brought back to me as I remembered the several years long battle we had to wage to get finally as a compromise the Special Fund, later the UNDP, created. With Hans Singer I was one of the two first officials of Paul Hoffman. I said good-bye to him after a few weeks, because I never like to stay with something I helped to create, looking always towards new avenues, as I am still today. Going through some old papers I found the enclosed which I gave at the time to Paul Hoffman, regretting that the Marshall Plan had not been conceived as a permanent revolving fund. I see in the lower note that it was not too late to do so at the time, and consider some bilateral aid as reimbursable in time, without any interest payments. Why not revive that idea today? It could be additional to the international and bilateral aid given today. It is never too late to do good.
When you were appointed, I believe I wrote to you about that and told you about two seemingly crazy ideas I had in the early times of the UN. One was that we always spoke of capital aid in terms of finance but in reality capital is savings, i.e. non-consumption of goods. Why not propose to the rich countries to channel the surplus foods they were burning to the poor countries? Well, this led to the creation of the World Food Program, which is even bigger than the UNDP. The only condition of the rich countries was that the food would go to the hungry and to children, in order not to interfere with the holy rules of the market. This was done. On another occasion, when Raymond Scheyven, a Belgian, was appointed on the Committee trying to create a UN Revolving Development Fund (SUNFED), before he paid his first visit to the Bank, I said to him: Tell the Bank that the time will come when they will be in bad need for concessional aid to go along with their normal loans, especially to construct roads and infrastructure projects. Well that was the birth of the International Development Association (IDA). Why not have some novel ideas today? Is it normal to let pass decades without new ideas? For example, if one is capable of transferring surplus foods, why not consider transferring also second hand machinery instead of scrapping it? Also, if one would calculate all the aid, voluntary and private, by religions, goodwill associations from the rich countries, one would probably come to staggering figures. Why not have a new look at the whole field. Even if nothing comes out of it, it would nevertheless be worthwhile. I have decided myself to come out with 2000 ideas as my contribution to the year 2000. Some of them are already being implemented.With my warmest greetings,
Robert MullerMr. James Gustave SpethHead of United Nations Development Program
~ Idea 2401 ~There are increasing numbers of people, groups and communities around the world, which practice simple and frugal living for their personal reward and happiness and for the preservation of the Earth. I believe the time has come to create a World Association for Simple and Frugal Living, a non-governmental organization (NGO) to be accredited with the United Nations.
~ Idea 2402 ~There should also be a World Council on simple and frugal living working with the United Nations Earth Council created in Costa Rica by the 1992 UN Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment.
~ Idea 2403 ~The current 20th century distinction between developed and undeveloped countries must be replaced in the 21st century by Earth destroying and Earth non-destroying countries.
~ Idea 2404 ~On our current, beleaguered, endangered Earth for anyone to become extremely rich is no longer a successful, admirable, enviable fact, but a rather deplorable one.
The rich people and countries should take an outright decision to give away most of their wealth to the poor in their countries and in the world. We need to achieve a world of satisfactory well-being for all humans on Earth, a world of justice without excessive disparities. Economists and sociologists should work out ideas, plans and a world strategy to that effect.
~ Idea 2405 ~Capitalism and communism are both two outdated extreme experiments, born from 19th century conditions. We need moderation. As the Romans said, "in medio stat virtus", virtue is a middle course. What word should one use for a new world ideology? Moderationism could be one; moderation in wealth, power and ownership, moderation toward the Earth, of population increase, of consumption, of the size of cities, of buildings, of houses, etc.
The age of competition, of the survival of the fittest, strongest and smartest is over. It would lead to our destruction. It is as simple as that. The new evolutionary phase of this planet must be cooperation.
Let us become a planet of cooperation and moderation, of love, of Earth-preservation, of beautification, of a satisfactory well-being and happiness for all humans blessed with the miracle of life.
~ Idea 2406 ~One country at least on Earth should have the courage to decree that no skyscrapers will be built anymore. It would set limits to the number of floors allowed in any building.
~ Idea 2407 ~The human species is terminally ill. Its sickness is capitalism.
We are in World War III, the biggest, most destructive war on this planet, the war against the Earth led by the obsolete, outdated, western capitalist system.
The people must come to the rescue of the Earth.
~ Idea 2408 ~At a meeting of the advisory board of the Foundation for the Future, in Bellevue, Washington, which reaches with its work as far as the year 3000, I insisted that there was urgent need to transform the United Nations into an Evolutionary Earth Government to prevent the end of evolution on this planet.
~ Idea 2409 ~Do we always have to buy more, to consume more, to want more, to accumulate more? Can't we be satisfied ever and live in peace and harmony with our inner self, with few goods, with our wonderful nature and Earth for the sake of her and of our descendants?
~ Idea 2410 ~I pray for the creation of numerous eco-indigenous communities in which indigenous and non-indigenous people would live together, learn from each other, improve the ways of living of the indigenous people and ecologize, dematerialize and demonitize the ways of life of the western people. It would be a middle way, a less destructive way of living in harmony with our perishable nature.
~ Idea 2411 ~There is need to create a United Nations Agency of Sports. It would render great services to the cooperation of all humans in sports competitions instead of military and war competitions. The World Olympics would be its General Assembly. Periods of armistice are already declared by the UN, renewing the Greek tradition that during the Olympic Games all conflicts and violence were prohibited. A UN Agency of Sports would contribute to the greater unity and diversity of the human species.
~ Idea
2412 ~I recommend that everywhere in the world there should be a
renaissance of ancient, local, indigenous names replacing many
modern, western names of natural areas, communities, villages and
roads. What a great contribution this would be to the ecology and
unity in diversity of our planet and human family!
~ Idea 2413 ~Development of what? Of the stock markets, banks, armaments, militarization, overpopulation, overproduction, overconsumption and deterioration of our air, water, soil and nature?
In the year 3000 the indigenous peoples in their forests, hills and villages might still be alive while the great cities proudly built by arrogant western man will be deserted cemeteries of airports, parking places, concrete, empty, meaningless skyscrapers, warehouses and houses filled with mountains of abandoned 'goods'.
~ Idea 2414 ~At the end of the second millennium some of the biggest stepping stones to the third millennium were:
1. The creation and work of the United Nations and of its 32 specialized agencies and world programs which provided an indispensable, comprehensive inventory of our planet and of humanity, the first ever in human history. This paved the way to the possibility of a proper planetary management of our Earth and of its further evolution.
2. The end of the cold war, the continuance of which would have meant irremediable disaster for the planet and humanity.
We must build on both.
~ Idea 2415 ~We have become a very wrong, chaotic, disorderly, destructive human society on one of the richest, most beautiful, stabilized, perhaps unique life endowed planets in the universe.
It would be good if politicians, businessmen, capital holders and militaries would imagine that soon they will live on a planet devoid of all the basic resources needed for life, to begin with oxygen and water, and to imagine a different future, different ideals, values and behaviors.
~ Idea 2416 ~Immortal can become on this planet only those who have an immeasurable love and concern for the Earth and for the entire human family. All others will be forgotten.
~ Idea 2417 ~The Earth should be our precious garden, our temple, our paradise. Our passion should be to preserve it, to embellish it and to see peace, love and happiness rein everywhere.
~ Idea 2418 ~The more I live the more I cherish life, and the more I love it the more life loves me. My relation with life and with the Earth is that of a couple, a very happy couple in love. Romeo and Juliet. Robert and Eartha. Please do the same.
~ Idea 2419 ~Emigration and immigration are no longer known to the citizens of the fifteen countries of the new European Union. They can settle anywhere in these countries without any restrictions. When will come the day when this will be true for the entire world? Should it not? Goods can now move freely around the world under the World Trade Organization. Why not people under a borderless World Peoples' Organization?
~ Idea 2420 ~May the thunder of God strike me if I should ever cease to think, to dream, to plan, to speak, to write, to work for a better, peaceful, happy, marvelous world. I want even to do it as a spirit after my death.
~ Idea 2421 ~I was reading a copy of my novel Sima Mon Amour which I will give to the mayor of Divonne Les Bains in France where this love novel unfolds in part. The tears came to my eyes. What incredible love I have for this planet and for its people, a truly magical life and love affair for which I am so grateful to God. Perhaps love for the Earth and its magnificent nature and love for humanity starting with one's own life, love for our spouse and family are the greatest fountains of happiness on this planet.
~ Idea 2422 ~All human beings, all institutions, corporations, religions should ask themselves these questions every day, at the end of each year and at the end of their life:
What have I done to help the further evolution of planet Earth, its beauty, its peace, the fulfillment of all its species, especially the most advanced, most knowledgeable, the human one?
What have I done that caused it damage, destruction or regress?
We badly need such examinations of conscience toward the Earth and humanity. The present western beliefs, values, institutions and ways of life are harming, if not killing the regenerative capacity of the Earth, its waters, species, air, soils, vegetation, climate. We must ask ourselves: how long can this last on such a colossal scale?
~ Idea 2423 ~Extreme liberalism and individualism and extreme communism are both wrong. Humans must cooperate in one humanity, one family the same way as cells and organs cooperate in the human body. Peace on Earth among all humans is still a priority. But peace with the Earth has become an even greater one. We must see the Earth and humanity cooperate as one vast entity with all cells and organs cooperating together.
~ Idea 2424 ~The International Standardization Organization must become a full specialized agency of the United Nations. World-wide standardization can prevent colossal wastes, duplications, costly expenditures, dis-economies and accidents.
~ Idea 2425 ~Mother Earth might become less and less proud of us and less loving. The time might come when she will rejoice when humans kill each other in wars, die in accidents or from environmental diseases and evolutionary degradations such as cancer, Aids, etc. The less humans there will be, the less the Earth will be destroyed and can keep other species alive and continue her incredible, marvelous diversified evolution. Just look at a butterfly, at a bird or at a flower to grasp her miracles.
~ Idea 2426 ~The Earth Council created in Costa Rica by the second United Nations World Conference on the Environment in Rio de Janeiro is as important, if not more, than the UN University for Peace also created in that demilitarized country and paradise of nature. The two together on the same miraculous tropical grounds of sacred Mt. Rasur can do wonders and become the new Athens of the world. Endowed with vast freedom, they can become the brain, the heart and the soul of the United Nations, of humanity and of the Earth.
~ Idea 2427 ~The more I advance in life as a world servant, the more I feel that the word politics should be eliminated from human language. It meant in Greek the administration of the polis, the city. Today we are far beyond cities and states. We have the major task of governing, administering and fulfilling the entire Earth and humanity.
We should therefore agree on new words for the sciences, skills, institutions and professions dealing with the Earth and humanity. Here are a few suggestions:
Earthology: the science of the Earth; humanology, the science of humanityEarthologists: the scientists of the Earth; humanologistsEarth Management, Earth Managers; humanity management, managersEarth Organizations, Earth Organizers; humanity organization, organizersEarth Institutions, Earth Servants; humanity institutions, servantsEarth Futurology, Earth Futurologists: evolutionary scientists; humanity futurology, futurologistsEarth Bio-regions, Bio-regional scientists; human bio-regions; bio-human scientistsEtc.
Let us work on new words and come up with a comprehensive Earthology and Humanology much deeper and further reaching than politics.
~ Idea 2428 ~Most visionaries and prophets were voices in the desert. I am such a voice too but in a paradise of nature on a sacred mountain wherefrom invisible, mysterious forces give birth to my dreams and ideas identical with theirs.
~ Idea 2429 ~We are all extremely important cosmic units in the evolution of the universe, of the Earth and of humanity. We are living cells of the universe, of the Earth and of humanity. Please never forget it. You have an enormous, extraordinarily important role to play for a better world, in your daily life, in your entire life and even after death.
~ Idea 2430 ~Only in solitude, silence and nature can we find answers to the mysteries of life, of the heavens, of a better world and of ourselves.
~ Idea 2431 ~People are sick and tired of wars and violence. Dear heads of states, you better take notice of it if you want to be loved and remembered. Pure nationalism no longer pays. Peace, please.
~ Idea 2432 ~I dream of the time when beautiful peace and love stories will be more interesting, popular, acclaimed and loved than war, horror and violence stories.
~ Idea 2433 ~We can be proud of our human intelligence only if we can conceive and properly mold our future on this planet without destroying it. We might be a tremendous evolutionary success or a dismal failure.
~ Idea 2434 ~A so called primitive species which does not destroy the Earth and itself might be smarter than the western human one fully involved in doing that. Full consciousness of the damages we do to the Earth might be our only salvation. It is a deliberate choice to make. The main difference between animals and humans is that animals live in harmony with nature and do not destroy her while we are now doing that on a world-wide scale. We scratch, dig, wound, misconstruct progressively the Earth to her death and call it economic development.
~ Idea 2435 ~The Earth and humanity are being boycotted by national governments:
- there is not supposed to be a proper Earth government
- there are not supposed to be any world laws, only national laws
- there is not supposed to be a world democracy and voices
- there are not supposed to be a World Court of Justice and court system
- there is not supposed to be any world taxation and world lending to provide resources for crucial common, global human and Earth public services.
As a result we continue to have wars, mind-boggling duplications of expenditures between 189 carved out nations and the whole Earth and some nations are going to pieces.
How long will this disastrous situation and blindness last? Perhaps a first few catastrophies will wake us up.
~ Idea 2436 ~The US government does not want any more UN world conferences considered to be obstacles to US political and economic dreams for the world.
There is need for many more world-wide conferences on how to save the Earth which has become the life and death priority of humans on this planet. The UN should move out of the United States if the current adverse US policies towards it go on.
~ Idea 2437 ~I would like to see statistics on meetings and conferences held around the world. I am sure that for each thousand conferences on production, business, marketing, advertisement and scientific and technological advances there is barely one on how to save the Earth, her nature and the future of humanity. What kind of an 'advanced' species and society are we?
~ Idea 2438 ~The Chief Executive Officers of business corporations have to work for the stock market and the shareholders, not for a better world. They cannot help it.
Similarly heads of state have to work for the nation, for their government, their people, their voters, not for the Earth, humanity and the future. They cannot help it.The drama of our time is that with the exception of a weak, powerless, almost resourcesless United Nations no institutions, no leadership and no resources exist providing for the care of the entire Earth and human family and their future.
This is so serious that it will most likely mean the end of the further evolution of this planet. Corporate business chiefs and heads of state will make strange, sorry faces when this will happen.
~ Idea 2439 ~World waste has reached such colossal proportions that I recommend the urgent creation of a World Organization on Waste Avoidance and Disposal with continental, regional and national branches. Among its first subjects would be wasteful technological processes, inventions, marketing, packaging devices in all professions and walks of life, to begin with architecture and construction. It is estimated that the United States collects 210 billion tons of wastes each year. This represents a 32 billion dollars waste disposal industry. And all these 32 billion dollars are included in the national product! I recommend that the United Nations request statistics on waste production and waste disposals in all countries on Earth, to furnish global statistics and a yearly world report and to exclude them from the world product.
~ Idea 2440 ~Humanity has learned to work with its hands, to construct, to produce;
Humanity has learned to think, to invent, to create;
Humanity has not yet learned to really cooperate;
Humanity has not yet learned to love;
Humanity has dislearned to pray, to dream, to believe in its miraculous destiny and to care for this marvelous planet in the incredible, breathtaking universe.
All this must be corrected with a global Earth and human philosophy.
~ Idea 2441 ~Since elderly French people have less and less grandchildren, the pets population of dogs and cats has substantially increased in France, to the delight of the producers of dog and cat foods.
Comment of the Earth: this is good because dogs and cats consume less of my resources and do not accumulate 'goods' as do humans; also the elderly people travel less and stay at home in order to take care of their pets. This is also good for me.
~ Idea 2442 ~Humanity has become a disoriented species on planet Earth. A thinking revolution is needed to re-define our proper place, role and future on our still unique, miraculous, life-endowed planet in the universe. Also new institutions must be created, for example a World Environment Court to deal with major Earth destructions, as recommended by the Parliament of the European Union.
~ Idea 2443 ~A World Media Tribunal should be created to receive complaints against campaigns of lies, rumors and false informations paid by governments and big business to achieve their purposes. What an unethical world it would reveal! From my United Nations experience I could cite glaring cases.
~ Idea 2444 ~I hope and pray that the Pope will speak in the name of spirituality and of all religions at the Year 2000 Heads of States General Assembly. He has the right to speak there because he is the head of a small state, the Vatican State.
~ Idea 2445 ~I do not understand why governments have not created a Main Commission on Democracy as part of the UN General Assembly's Main Commissions. Together with a Main Commission on the Future, it is one of the most glaringly missing central organs of the UN. I hope that the Year 2000 Heads of States General Assembly will correct this situation.
~ Idea 2446 ~The only great people whose memory was saved and survived on this planet were those who celebrated or contributed to the miracle of human life and to a better world. All other glories, especially national ones, are outdated and will not survive because they were out of step with the new trends, needs and laws of evolution.
~ Idea 2447 ~Business and the fanatic belief in business have become the funeral home of this planet. Noone should admire rich business people, big corporations and stock markets any more. The American dream is becoming a world nightmare, mark my words.
~ Idea 2448 ~We need basically four guiding spirits in our lives; personal, family, political and universal:
A spirit of the self
A spirit of all communities from the family, the profession, ethnic, religious community to the whole human family
A spirit of the Earth
A spirit of the universe and eternity, named also the spirit of God
~ Idea 2449 ~In a KLM plane from Geneva to Amsterdam they distributed, in wasteful plastic bags, wet towelets in other plastic bags with this advertisement:
"Avis is proud to be featured in the new James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies," and under it in big letters, Avis. Well, I wrote this note to the pilot of the plane:
Dear Captain,
Having been the UN Assistant Secretary General who obtained years ago from the UN Security Council the International Treaty Against Highjacking I beg you to obtain from KLM that they should no longer distribute advertisements like the Avis one showing a man aiming a gun. I thank you for your consideration.
Robert MullerOne-dollar-a-year Chancellor ofthe University for Peace in Costa Rica
And I will write a letter to Avis that for the rest of my life I will never rent an Avis car. Barbara commented to me, "Avis probably had to pay a million dollars to get Avis cars shown in the James Bond film."
~ Idea 2450 ~For every idea I formulate for a better world there are at least one thousand ideas for new forms of advertisement, more useless 'goods', more wasteful packaging, more unneeded services, more shows of violence. What a world!
~ Idea 2451 ~At the Geneva airport I saw an advertisement of a firm offering its services as a 'master of complications'. Well, what the world needs much more today are masters of simplification and common sense.
~ Idea 2452 ~An idea for advertisers: do what private firms do in Geneva, namely provide free baggage carriers at airports instead of paying ones, each carriage bearing the name of the firm. At least this will be a service to passengers.
~ Idea 2453 ~If only the 300 million indigenous people of this planet would decide not to drive cars and board airplanes, what a satisfaction for Mother Earth this would be! While the rest of humans are 'enmechanizing' and dehumanizing themselves they would remain the only natural race of humans.
~ Idea 2454 ~When I see crowds of travelers at the airports of poor countries like San Jose, Costa Rica I have these thoughts:
The faces of most of these people are not happy. Yes, there is the prospect of visiting family members who emigrated to the US or Canada, but it is a very costly trip which requires much sacrifice.
As for US tourists, they are mostly old people who seem to ask themselves why they came here at all. They saw a beautifully preserved nature, but they wonder about the meaning of their life. When they visit the University for Peace they often complain that they have no longer any aim in life, that all this is merely passive tourism.
And then you have the businessmen, the public officials, the diplomats who are all bent on their mission.
My feeling is that all this is a rather contrived, not really happy society. If I saw such scenes on another planet I would say, "Something is not right here."
I recommend that the World Tourism Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization look into this by issuing questionnaires and public opinion surveys to come up with answers and remedies.
~ Idea 2455 ~Instead of an idea, here is a question: What preoccupying, if not frightening new global problems will beset humanity in the years and century to come for lack of foresight today? We are not dealing with the future and we call ourselves an intelligent species capable to run a planet.
~ Idea 2456 ~I was brought to a sacred place of the world, Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica to tell my human brothers and sisters that none of us was born for a specific corner or nation of the Earth, but that the whole world and universe are our home, the incredible, breathtaking temple of our life.
We are all transient but very vital cosmic agents in the evolution of the universe. We are all living cells of the total heavens, of the Earth and of humanity. This is what all great prophets and founders of religions have told us. What a great, incredible privilege it is to be alive and human, especially on the eve of a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 2457 ~Basically I remain optimistic on my own will.
I overcome pessimisms and dark moments by writing down my ideas and dreams in the morning and reading my books in the evening.
I continue to try to do the impossible by remembering my past successes.
In one way or another I enter into action and never give up.
~ Idea 2458 ~Never forget that you are living Earth made of seventy percent water and thirty percent matter. You are a living cell, a unit of the Earth's body. You receive from the Earth and you contribute to the Earth but become a sick, cancerous cell when destroying it. That is the truth and not the wrong banners of misguided, manipulated political leaders, innumerable 'special interest groups' and insatiable, profit hungry businesses, media and advertisement. It is high time for a world reaction against this situation.
~ Idea 2459 ~When we came back from the second World Peace Conference in the Hague, Holland on the 8th of May 1999, I wrote this text which I affixed on a wall of our wooden, little farmhouse. "We have been brought here, on sacred Mt. Rasur for one reason, to save the Earth and to fulfill the indigenous prophecy that from here a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world." Yes, this must remain our mission.
~ Idea 2460 ~Please dear reader, build your own little paradise wherever you live on Earth. Do not let others pretend to build it for you. And if we all do it we will make the whole world a paradise.
A clean mile on Earth and a little paradise multiplied by 6 billions, what a wonderful planet it will be!
~ Idea 2461 ~We should never downgrade and despise the material, the touchable, seeable reality. Remember the incredible love and happiness that arise from the touching, the kissing, the caressing, the union of man and woman.
The Earth's body-reality must also be dearly loved by us, well understood and cared for.
This global material reality is acquiring now also, thanks to humanity, a global brain which is growing very rapidly. We are the advanced species which is giving the Earth that brain and receiving from her messages in return.
There is also the beginning of a global heart: love and respect and care for nature, beauty, cleanliness, love for life which is sacred, for peace, for harmony, for the past, present and the future.
Last but not least, a global, cosmic soul is now in formation: most religions begin to cooperate on spirituality in a United Religions Initiative, in a World Parliament of Religions and in innumerable religious encounters and cooperation on cosmic, global, human and Earth problems.
These are all great signs of hope for the future of the Earth and of the human species. The 3rd millennium might be an unprecedented, unthinkable, miraculous one.
~ Idea 2462 ~No head of state of this end of century and millennium will be remembered in history if he or she does not take a step for the creation of a proper Earth government. Most prominent so far will be Robert Schuman, the father of the European Union. He will be canonized as the first political saint. I am proud to be a member of his canonization committee. The question is, who will be the next Robert Schumans who will unite the entire world?
~ Idea 2463 ~I often heard this slogan in my life: Geld regiert die Welt, money rules the world. Today I would say, money, debts, banks, stock exchanges and credit cards rule the world.
~ Idea 2464 ~Economists will soon be considered as one of the most dismal professions on Earth because nothing stops them from destroying the Earth. Popular wisdom knows this. As they say in Germany, "Wer nichts wird wird Volkswirt: Who does not become anything becomes an economist."
~ Idea 2465 ~The United Nations should create a Main Commission or organ to report yearly to humanity on the non-ratification, non-implementation and violations of international treaties and agreements. It would be a very sad, revealing document. The only field in which this is being done is human rights which as a result has progressed significantly in the world. Why not therefore follow this good example more generally?
~ Idea 2466 ~I am so glad to have obtained from the UN General Assembly to proclaim the year 2000 International Year of Thanksgiving. The whole humanity should make a list of what we should be thankful for and a list of further thanks to be aimed at. We need next a yearly world thanksgiving day.
~ Idea 2467 ~In the year 2000 there should be a universal alliance of saints, spirits and souls of humans killed in all past wars to work with the living and bring about at long last a permanent, unbroken peace on this magnificent planet in the heavens.
~ Idea 2468 ~How is it that so often in the middle of the night I wake up with this obsessive thought: why are we humans destroying this Earth? What can I do to help prevent it? After my obsession with peace in the world since World War II this has become my new main obsession since the United Nations Stockholm Conference on the Environment in 1972. Humans born from the Earth, all made of Earth, instead of taking good care of their mother, seem to have taken a wrong way. See her complaints, her laments in many of my ideas. We must urgently change course if we don't want to bring to an end the further incredible potential evolution of this planet and of ourselves.
~ Idea 2469 ~In all schools of the world there should be a new field of education on advertisement and how children and youth can defend themselves against it.
~ Idea 2470 ~The 3rd millennium must be the millennium of world-wide human cooperation for the conservation of planet Earth and the peace and fulfillment of all humanity.
This should be the objective of the World Conference on the Future Evolution of the Earth and of Humanity which I recommend to be convened in 2001 or 2002 by the United Nations as a result of the heads of states meeting in 2000 and ten years after 1992 Rio de Janeiro second world conference on the environment.
There cannot be any other more urgent, vital task for humanity.
~ Idea 2471 ~Without the more than 30,000 non-governmental international peoples' associations there would be even less world democracy and cooperation. I am astonished that governments let them be established. They probably thought that they would be irrelevant and not numerous.
Well, I recommend that in the year 2000 they should constitute themselves into a World Peoples' Organization with its own world Secretariat and Secretary General.* The seat could be the 3/4 empty beautiful Andrew Carnegie Peace Palace in The Hague.
*They met in a World Peoples' Assembly in Samoa in April 2000 and appointed me Lifelong President of the Global Peoples' Assembly they created!
~ Idea 2472 ~There should be a World Criminal Court to judge crimes against the Earth. Atomic tests should be first to be judged as such crimes.
~ Idea 2473 ~In the year 2000 a new fundamental human right should be adopted by the United Nations:
The right to the further life and evolution of this planet, humanity's home, and its non-destruction by armaments, militaries, business and undue profit by capitalists.
~ Idea 2474 ~United Nations?
189 cut up territories of this planet who declare themselves 'sovereign' and do not unite their brains, their hearts, their souls, their resources and actions for a better, peaceful humanity and a well-preserved Earth, probably the most illogical, ineffective, costliest, most duplicated system on any planet in the universe. It must absolutely and urgently be replaced by an entirely new, efficient evolutionary Earth government.
There exist many plans for that so let us look into them urgently.
~ Idea 2475 ~One of the greatest gaps in philanthropy and gaiaphily is a lack of help to publishing and vastly disseminating writings, books, magazines, radio and television programs on ideas and actions to save the Earth and bring peace and justice to humanity. Also missing is an education, a teaching of philanthropy.
~ Idea 2476 ~The world needs more than a United Nations reform, it needs an outright, proper Earth and human government still non-existent after thousands of years. Our forefathers had at least the excuse that they didn't even know that the Earth was round, but we have no excuses whatsoever anymore.
~ Idea 2477 ~The United Nations is preparing an Earth Covenant. That is wonderful progress.
But let us not leave the United Nations alone up there. Let each of us have his or her Earth Covenant in our daily relations with our Mother Earth. Let us be Earth-stewards, Earth-trustees. Multiplied by 6 billion we can preserve the Earth and make it the greatest, cleanest, most beautiful heavenly body in the universe.
~ Idea 2478 ~Innumerable 'centers' for good causes are being created around the world. I am invited to join new ones almost every day.
That is just and good but we must not forget to be our own center, a center of good ideas and actions, of radiation of happiness, optimism and goodness all around us. Over a lifetime this can represent a lot. Let us all be wonderful highways of clean, simple, frugal living and good actions. God and the Earth will recompense us for it.
~ Idea 2479 ~There are 34 Robert Muller Schools in the world giving a new world education to children based on my many years of experience in the United Nations.
But when will governments ever accept that their national education should not be superior to global education but should be an integrated part of it?
When will that miracle happen? Which will be the first country to do it?
~ Idea 2480 ~Life would really be wonderful if we agreed to cut out all the nonsenses. Let us do it at all levels:
at the personal level
at the family level
at the local, community level
at the national level
at the world level
How wonderful it would be to have an item at all levels of society at least once a year entitled, What Nonsenses Have We Eliminated? I would like to see such an item at meetings of heads of states with their ministers entitled, What Nonsenses Have We Eliminated? What More Nonsenses Can We Cut Out? How about a yearly World No Nonsense Day?
~ Idea 2481 ~A dream shared by all humanity becomes a reality. What are the dreams of humanity on the eve of a new century and millennium?
Total peace on this planet
No nuclear armaments, no arms at all
No militaries
No violence in any forms anywhere
A decent well-being for all humans
A respect, love and care for our beautiful Earth
A celebration of gratitude for the miracle of life on our planet
This should be the agenda of the heads of states meeting at the UN General Assembly in September 2000.
~ Idea 2482 ~Children are born on this planet for living and loving not for killing and hating. We must therefore work toward a total elimination of all armaments, killings and hatred from this Earth. There were none in God's paradise. We therefore cannot visualize a paradise 2100 with any armaments, killing, hating and militaries. This is an absolute must.
~ Idea 2483 ~The greatest friends of the Earth are the poor, the indigenous people and the monks who consume the least of her flesh.
~ Idea 2484 ~All humans must be educated as well-informed, highly sensitive, perceptive, cooperating units of the total body of the living Earth. This turn of a century and millennium can be the birth of a totally well-evolved planet. The consequences would be mind boggling and wonderful.
~ Idea 2485 ~Our incredible Earth is able to recycle everything into new life: the excrements of animals, the dead leaves, plants and bodies of all living beings on her surface and in her waters and oceans.
But now she faces an unprecedented, perhaps mortal challenge: will she be able to recycle the monstrous skyscrapers, dwellings, highways and growing mountains of products and wastes of humans, including atomic wastes?
She might give up. There would then be one more dead celestial body floating in the universe, an object of curiosity where someday beings from other planets might land and study the reasons of its demise.
The Earth Council created in Costa Rica by the UN Second World Conference on the Environment 1992 should study the major sicknesses and alterations of planet Earth, its likely demise or restoration to good health and functioning.
~ Idea 2486 ~Until recently the human species was counted upon by the Earth to be its most advanced form of life, its greatest success. Alas, by ignoring her we have become a major misfit and factor of destruction. Let us change course quickly and regain her confidence. How? Through loving her and caring for her which will give us all the answers.
~ Idea 2487 ~We needed and had in the past revolutions against kings, slave owners, Napoleons, dictators, etc. We need today revolutions against the militarized, heavily armed, sovereign nations and their equally, if not more powerful allies: the giant world corporations.
~ Idea 2488 ~Our natural loves are being completely distorted by the powerful and wealthy of today: national governments, the military and the merchants, the new trilateral power.
Our real, central, never-changing love should be for the Earth and for our children.
~ Idea 2489 ~We have been able to solve racial apartheid since the end of World War II, but a new, immensely wider and deeper apartheid has grown world-wide between nations and inside nations: the economic apartheid between rich and poor everywhere on this planet. I recommend that economic apartheid be inscribed as a priority item on the agenda of the United Nations.
~ Idea 2490 ~On the occasion of the visit of President Clinton to Costa Rica I launched the idea that the people who own forests in poor countries should receive from the rich countries a compensation or subsidy for keeping their forests intact which produce oxygen for the world. The idea has made some progress. Costa Rica is levying an additional tax on gasoline to finance such subsidies
More generally I think that the western tax systems should be radically changed in favor of the environment. Thus in the United States the owner of a home with a garden has to pay a property tax. The city or community uses the revenue to build more roads and buildings, thus destroying the Earth. Owners of gardens and forests should not be taxed at all on such property. They should even be given a deduction from their income taxation for preserving a part of the Earth. The whole tax systems of the world must be revised in favor of whatever can be done for our Earth. So far there exists nothing or very little of this sort.
~ Idea 2491 ~This has become a world in which the supermarkets are full and the churches are empty. What a pity. What would Jesus, Mohammed, the Buddha and other great religious leaders say visiting the western world and its supermarkets?
Women have a certain responsibility in this situation. Just look at their happy faces when they push a full shopping cart in a supermarket.
~ Idea 2492 ~Speaking of human rights, in Idea 1694 I say that, "No human being on this planet should be forced to become a murderer in the name of a nation."
Under the category of Non-rights the people should request it as follows:
"No nation has the right to draft young people into military service or duty in order to kill other young people, thus becoming murderers."
~ Idea 2493 ~Do not deliver speeches in far away places anymore. They require travel, a lot of time of your life and a lot of carbon dioxide emitted in the air.
Do not write big books which are read less and less by people in leadership and influence who have little time to read.
Write down ideas and concrete proposals and send them to people and institutions which can implement them.
~ Idea 2494 ~When I watched the sun rise over the Costa Rican volcanoes this morning from our bench of visions on sacred Mt. Rasur I heard the sun say to me:
"If I stopped rising everyday what would happen to you all? I'm watching you. You destroy the Earth so rapidly that indeed someday I will stop rising over you."
I was dismayed, but when I looked at the bust of Teilhard de Chardin on the bench and saw his divine smile I knew that it would not happen, that a few great visionaries will prevent it and save the Earth.
~ Idea 2495 ~The Earth said to me, "You have all kinds of human rights on my surface, fundamental human rights, rights of the children, rights of women, of the indigenous people, etc. but where are my fundamental rights, the rights of the Earth?"
I answered her, "Well, the UN is now disseminating an Earth Charter. Since I have decided a long time ago that I want to be buried into your soil without a coffin so that I can be resurrected by you into other vegetal and life forms, I will propose the following right to be included in that Charter.
I, the Earth have the right that all humans who are seventy percent of my water and thirty percent of my solid elements be returned to me, to my body without a coffin so that I can resurrect them into other vegetal and life forms for as long as I will live.
~ Idea 2496 ~One of the main objectives, if not the objective of the Peoples' Assembly 2000 should be to lay the foundations and obtain the creation or the transformation of the United Nations into a United Peoples' and Earth Organization.
~ Idea 2497 ~I wish that someone would study the patterns, numbers, strengths, objectives and effects of the blanket of institutions covering this planet. We have statistics on anything else but not on institutions. We sorely need a world observatory, information and study center of institutions, an institutional science. It should pay particular attention to institutions for the entire humanity and the entire Earth. These are the latest born, the weakest but most needed for our future evolution.
Yes, we urgently need a major institutional reform, an institutional revolution on this planet. God said to me this morning, "The trouble with the institutions you create on planet Earth for many good social, wonderful causes is that they become more and more self-centered. The institution often becomes more important than the laudable objective for which it was
See what they have done to me. The church created to disseminate my message killed millions of innocent people around the world who loved and revered me under a different name in another religion.
Why don't you recommend that there should be a world-wide review of all institutions on Earth especially the political and religious ones. I and the Earth, which I created for you, would bless you for it."
My answer to God, "Okay, I will propose that the United Nations should publish such a review in 2001 to be reviewed every second or third year thereafter."
~ Idea 2498 ~The word government derives from the notion of governing a ship. It covers many things:
The self
The family
The local community
The city
The state or province
The nation
The continent
The whole Earth and humanity
Unfortunately the two last categories, namely the continents and the whole Earth and humanity which have become the most important ones are not really governed, nor welcomed nor strengthened as they should be.
We urgently need world institutions which would deal with the Earth commons: outer space, the ozonosphere, the atmosphere, the biosphere, the seas and oceans, the waters, the mountains, our climate, the poor, etc.
We need sorely new world-wide evolution-oriented institutions. Nations continue to be opposed to proper institutions for a total Earth and humanity. They are the most retarding, obsolete obstacles to the evolution of this planet. They have become a blemish, a retarding factor by refusing to consider a proper, global, common institutional system to govern, to administer well our planet.
~ Idea 2499 ~We need an institutional science which could be called institutionology. We need a proper evolutionary institutional strategy for our planet, an institutional methodology and adequate means of action, adaptation, constant reform and implementation.
We should heed these words of Thomas Jefferson when there was need to transform the Confederate American States into the Federal United States:
Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more enlightened, as new discoveries are made and manners and opinions change, with the change in circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. One might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain forever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.Thomas Jefferson
We would loose immensely, it would be a crime if, at this onset of a new century and millennium, if heads of states would not decide to review the fifty-five years old Charter of the United Nations and offer the world proper new, improved global institutions.
~ Idea 2500 ~In the newsletter of an international youth organization accredited to the UN, the World Youth and Service Organization, I found this heart-warming text from a participant in a youth assembly on Inner Peace in the cathedral of Rotterdam on the occasion of the second World Peace Conference in 1999 in The Hague:
"Amongst my treasured memories are the sight of Dr. Robert Muller, former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and now in his late seventies, leading us on his harmonica in a rendering of Beethoven's Ode to Joy and urging us to see the universe from the cosmically huge to the infinitesimally small as a wonder to be enjoyed but not ours to destroy."Janice Dolley
IDEAS 2501 TO 2600
INTRODUCTION
DECIDE TO BE PEACEFUL
Decide to be peacefulRender others peacefulBe a model of peaceIrradiate your peaceLove passionately the peaceof our beautiful planetDo not listen to the warmongers,hateseeders and powerseekersDream always of a peaceful,warless, disarmed worldThink always of a peaceful worldWork always for a peaceful worldSwitch on and keep on, in yourself,the peaceful buttons,those marked love,serenity, happiness, truth,kindness, friendliness,understanding and tolerancePray and thank God ever day for peacePray for the United Nationsand all peacemakersPray for the leaders of nationswho hold the peace of the worldin their handsPray God to let our planet at long lastbecome the Planet of PeaceAnd sing in unison with all humanity:"Let there be peace on EarthAnd let it begin with me."
~ Idea 2501 ~"A people without a vision perishes" (The Bible)
Unfortunately this is what is happening to the United States government these days. It has no vision of the world of tomorrow, except in terms of its power, military supremacy and the obsolete 19th century dream that capitalism is the recipe for a perfect world. But see what it is doing to the Earth!
Why doesn't the President of the United States bring together the best brains and visionaries of his country somewhere far away in nature, isolated from all world noise and daily affairs, the same way as the British government did during World War II with scientists to devise the best ways to win the war. He would ask them to come up with a vision of the world of tomorrow, a well-preserved Earth, administered with peace, justice and well-being for all.
~ Idea 2502 ~Why can't humans live happily in peace on this beautiful, miraculous planet? Why do we need wars, armaments, militaries, competition, wealth, glory, ever more business, money, goods and hectic activities?
I will never understand it.
It is high time for all people of the world to declare: we don't understand it, we are sick and tired of the mismanagement of this planet which has gone on for so long.
This is why it is an important historical event that a World Peoples' Assembly will meet for the first time in the year 2000 at the suggestion of the UN Secretary General.
A permanent Peoples' Assembly must absolutely be created as a principal organ of the United Nations.
~ Idea 2503 ~Message to a meeting of non-governmental organizations in New York City to launch the Jubillennium Initiative:
Dear visionaries:
We humans should be very exalted and jubilate (overflow with joy) for all the knowledge and capacities we have acquired after millions of years of evolution. An even greater, as yet unfulfilled task awaits us:
to avoid wrong avenues, destructions, wars, mistakes, prejudices, wrong values, and fashion a new, next more accomplished era of evolution of our Earth and human family.
Our entry into a new century and millennium uplifts us to that task. Each of us and all of us in groups can be miracle workers for our cosmic evolution.
Please, dear friends, fulfill your individual and group vocations to help the Earth attain the stage we dream for the next century and millennium. Do it with all your being, mind, heart and soul. With your means and capabilities give reality to your dreams and ideas, embodying them in writing, speaking, daily actions and ceaseless networking. Be jubilating cosmic entities radiating and networking all around you in all directions your dreams of a better world.
Try to visualize how humankind will remember you and thank you in the year 3000 as those who made the next thousand years a great evolutionary success, the true Jubillennium under whose auspices you meet on the eve of a new century and millennium.
Please receive all our love and gratitude andenthusiastic wishes and prayers
Barbara and Robert Muller
~ Idea 2504 ~The Earth, through the human species, is acquiring a brain, a heart, a nervous system and a soul. This is why the Earth must be present at every level of the human society. We must now conceive a wonderful, perfectly functioning Earth with humanity as her main artisan. Perhaps the Natural Law Party, created already in 100 countries, will perform this task.
~ Idea 2505 ~Outer space beings visiting someday planet Earth might find that the human species became extinct. Their research would reveal that humans invented money as a means of exchange. It did wonders for many centuries, but then it became the purpose of life and it was the end of that species.
~ Idea 2506 ~The builders of large airplanes and world airlines will someday be accused to be among the main destroyers of the Earth. The damages they cause to the atmosphere by far outstrip their benefits. But they will answer: We cannot help it. The market demands it.
~ Idea
2507 ~There is so much advertisement in New York City, in the
streets, in the buses, in the subways, in the suburban railroads, in
the newspapers, in magazines that one gets immune to them. This
is a hopeful sign of natural human immunity, resistance and healthy
evolution. The only trouble is that consumers and nature have
to pay the price for all that waste.
~ Idea 2508 ~There was once in the 1930's a great economic depression. In the next century the world is likely to suffer both a great ecological and economic depression.
~ Idea 2509 ~Every law, every decision on this planet as distinct from the earlier eras of evolution must henceforth be preceded by the fundamental question: What effect will it have on the Earth? This new era of evolution must be called the Era of the Earth, of God's Creation.
~ Idea 2510 ~The United States is unable to produce great world leaders and heads of state these days. Why? Because the United States does not have universities duty-bound to the rest of the world. It has only universities catering to United States interests. This is true of all other countries too. The result is a deplorable absence of visionary political leaders for the Earth and humanity.
A solution would be to create a World University for Heads of States. It could be established at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.
There was only one time in history when the same proposal was made. It was in China which was in such a political mess that Confucius proposed the creation of a school for heads of states to heal it. The same is true today of the world.
~ Idea 2511 ~I sometimes think that there must be a kind of permanent craziness or percentage of misguided leaders in the human species. When it is not war, they do something else. Now it seems to be business, industry and the destruction of the Earth. The role of philosophers should be to identify them.
~ Idea 2512 ~I prefer to write beautiful books and stories in heavenly Costa Rica likely never to be published than to write texts of best sellers in overpopulated, overpolluted New York City. More authors should do the same. The Earth needs them.
~ Idea 2513 ~A totally new era in the evolution of this planet has begun recently: the Earth first, the fundamental era of the Earth with priority over all plans, wishes, dreams and priorities of humans, harbored and developed over thousands of years. Yes, this is the first time but we have not yet realized it fully. Human power and interests are still first in the political, economic and social systems grown and refined over the past without need of any consideration for the Earth and her biosphere.
I recommend the urgent creation of a group of eminent thinkers and scientists on the future of the Earth and that the United Nations should be renamed and reformed into the United Earth or Earth Evolutionary Organization.
~ Idea 2514 ~A world movement and policy for the abandonment of over-crowded cities should be created. Tax incentives and subsidies should be given to people doing it.
~ Idea 2515 ~By the time new airports are built the architects have already plans for new, bigger ones. At one point in the future more than half of humanity will be in cars, trains, subways, buses and airplanes rushing where? To do what? To plan and promote more means of transportation for more activities and dreams for travel and transportation? What will be the end result of it all?
~ Idea 2516 ~The more I live, the more I observe, the more I come to the conclusion that capitalism and the freedom of enterprise system which were right in the nineteenth century have become a disaster in the present century and will soon collapse. Their ways are so contrary to the requirements of our further evolution and to the conservation of the Earth.
~ Idea 2517 ~How wonderful, what a happier, deeper, more elevated world it would be if the media, news, films, television, press, radio, etc. - would adopt the World Core Curriculum for the Media published in Volume I. Then they would help humanity to progress and the Earth to be saved. We need elevating media not diminishing, debasing ones. They need to show a great, hopeful, incredible, beautiful future for the Earth and humanity. Please leaders of the media, stop your decadence and profit priorities. Make a better, peaceful, happier, well-preserved planet your ideal. You cannot imagine the happiness it will give you.
~ Idea 2518 ~At a graduation ceremony at the University for Peace I was introduced as the visionary of the university. I liked that title better than that of Chancellor which originally meant the man who put his stamp on documents to certify them.
When I reported it to Barbara she was thrilled and said, "Report it in your 2000 ideas and recommend that each university on Earth should have a visionary."
Yes, this is indeed a new function which should be established for many, if not all Earthly institutions whose presidents or managers do not have the time or the preoccupation for visions, absorbed as they are by innumerable immediate tasks and demands.
A visionary on the contrary would have no administration and managerial tasks.
I could well see a visionary as a direct collaborator of every head of state and head of world institution. I played this role with three UN Secretaries General.
~ Idea 2519 ~I said to Barbara, "I dream that you will do two important things in your life ahead:
1. To offer the world your plans, concepts and ideas of the right government which this planet urgently needs, namely the United Nature of which you speak so often.
2. That you become the pioneer of new public relations, advertisement and media devoted to good causes and public services needed for our salvation and further evolution on this planet in the universe.
Together we should become an exemplary couple at the entrance of a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 2520 ~Gerardo Budowski, the famous ecologist who presided over some of the most prestigious US ecological societies, now a volunteer professor like me at the UN University for Peace, holds the view that only ecological catastrophes will force governments to act and people to fully understand. The only measures he can see is to forecast emergency situations and to provide measures and resources to cope with them.
He might be right. Twenty years ago in 1979 I convened the first UN World Conference on Climatic Changes, followed by a second one in 1987, and it is only in the late 1990's that the problem began to be recognized and seriously discussed in governments and in the media.
For my part I believe that we need long-term forecasting, future scenarios, positive and negative visions as well as proper planning for emergency situations and catastrophes.
~ Idea 2521 ~Often the thought arises in me that at some time in the future humanity will regret the invention of automobiles and of airplanes.
Poor countries of the third world, I beg you to stop following blindly the so called advances of the western world. On the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium you should create your own United Poor Nations Organization which, side by side with the United Nations, would appraise the past and develop a vision of their own for the future.
~ Idea 2522 ~The world does not need as much heads of states as it needs Earth-carers and humanity servants. Perhaps these should be recognized as a new profession trained in a World School of Earth Careers and Humanity Servants.
~ Idea 2523 ~It is not wars which are the main problem of humanity at this end of a century and millennium; it is not even the poverty and misery of two-thirds of humanity; it is the destruction of nature, of the elements of the Earth from which we are born and on which we live.
If humanity survives, future historians will not consider the 20th century as the most brilliant one due to its inventions, industry and commerce but as the dismallest due to its blind destruction of the Earth.
~ Idea 2524 ~The automobile and airplane industries and users alone are sufficient to put an end to life on this planet. The consumption of resources, the competition, the wastes of the construction of automobiles are colossal and constantly increasing. Most wastes are not recycled but dumped into the oceans. There should be this obligatory inscription at the front seat of each car:
"Beware: every minute twelve thousand tons of carbon dioxide are emitted into the air of this planet. Automobiles are one of the main sources. Please use this car only if really necessary. Think of the future generations"
~ Idea 2525 ~Hitler has still left a small impact on the Earth: the Volkswagen, his people's car which is built to use the minimum of steel and gasoline is still very popular. It should be a dominant car in big cities and poor countries.
~ Idea 2526 ~Someone told me that President Jose Figueres of Costa Rica was once asked by a US journalist why he had demilitarized Costa Rica. He answered, "And why not?"
~ Idea 2527 ~The most important mobilization on this planet should be that of governments to put order in their political mess and to save the Earth from ecological disasters and a possible end of evolution.
~ Idea 2528 ~Democracy, the word makes me laugh. How can there be democracy when all humans are pressed into and kept reduced to 189 national, sovereign and political enclaves, at a time when global ecological and economic problems and disasters are building up at a frightening pace all over the world, and the people have no say.
~ Idea 2529 ~The Earth:"Why do so many humans destroy me to such an incredible degree? Why, why, why? I am asking you, is it so necessary?"
I:Well, we must take care of 6 billion people on your surface and the number is still growing by almost eighty million a year.
The Earth:"You make me laugh. Taking care of humanity when in your century you had two world wars, hundreds of regional and local wars and killed close to a billion of your brothers and sisters. You must be kidding. I'm almost rejoicing that these at least do not draw on my resources anymore. I wonder if I should not pray for more wars, even a world holocaust which would put an end to all of you and allow a new evolution to proceed according to the laws of nature, of the sun and of the cosmos."
I:Well, we simply do not have the necessary financial resources to take care of you in addition to the needs of the people for education, health, food, lodging, communications, etc.
The Earth:"You must be kidding. One half of all your national budgets are for armaments and militaries to kill each other. You do not even have a world budget as I'm keeping one of my resources. It is a budget of a species become insane."
I:Well, what do you suggest?
The Earth:"The first step would be to combine your forces and resources. The same way as most ethnic groups have become nations, transform nations into one united human family, create a proper Earth government with a world parliament, with a central world security system, with an intelligent world budget. Submit your ideas for a peaceful, better world to the Year 2000 UN General Assembly. A new world thinking and order should occupy the first place of your deliberations."
I:That is a wild dream which many humans had before and it was never implemented.
The Earth:"But this time the situation is totally different: I am now at stake. My death would mean the death of all of you. You have no choice. Ask your heads of state who will meet in the Year 2000 to stay in session until they have hammered out a system of proper Earth and human government.
And remember, intelligence is not enough. It must be lifted by the heart, by love for me and by prayers to the God of the universe of which you and I are living servants."
~ Idea 2530 ~The US dream of the 19th century is now becoming a catastrophe. Free enterprise, yes freedom to destroy the Earth for the sole purpose of making money as if the billions of years of evolution on this planet creating many diverse species, transforming humans from animals into intelligent beings had as sole purpose to make money. God does not understand it. Jesus gave the warning when he chased the merchants from the temple. They have to be chased from the temple Earth, of this paradise of nature. They cannot be left to destroy it.
~ Idea 2531 ~Which countries on Earth will have the courage to declare themselves no longer developing and say, "We have developed enough, we have sufficient goods and services to enjoy happy lives, from now on we will give preference to the Earth, restore as much as possible what we have destroyed of its beautiful nature, return to the land and live in harmony with it."?
~ Idea 2532 ~Two new parties should spring up in the world, one in the rich countries, the other in the poor countries: an Earth conservation party in the first and a stable population party in the second.
~ Idea 2533 ~The peoples around the world should begin to boycott the products of countries which behave contrary to their ideals, for example products from countries which continue to produce, stock and sell nuclear armaments. This would be the best action to stop the further risks of atomizing and destroying this planet. The people should buy instead products from countries which do not have nuclear armaments. The list of nuclear countries is as follows (1998):
Russia 21,000 atomic missilesThe United States 11,500France 450China 400United Kingdom 260Israel 100-200India 60-80Pakistan 15-25
~ Idea 2534 ~All young people of this planet should refuse to become militaries and claim the fundamental human right not to kill other human beings, not in the name of a nation, nor a religion nor an ethnic group nor anyone else. They should refuse to be trained as murderers and submit their right and protest to the International Court of Justice, to the Secretary General of the United Nations and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who happens to be a woman, Mrs. Mary Robinson. She will have a greater understanding for their claim. It is high time to claim this universal human right in the new millennium.
~ Idea 2535 ~Names I would like to see given to planet Earth:
Planet of GodPlanet of PeacePlanet of JusticePlanet of UnityPlanet of DiversityPlanet of HappinessPlanet of Human FulfillmentPlanet of BeautyPlanet of KindnessPlanet of ForgivenessPlanet of LovePlanet Paradise
~ Idea 2536 ~Einstein said, "The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking that created the situation."
I would say, "The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking, values and institutions that created the situation."
The values to be changed would be, in my view: economics, wealth, business, militarism, national sovereignty and religious fundamentalism. The institutions to be changed would be nations.
~ Idea 2537 ~To be a human being among 6 billions of them may mean nothing.
And yet, that human being can aggrandize himself to the whole planet, to the universe, to the entire knowledge acquired by humanity from the infinitely large to the infinitely small.
Therefore a human has become an extraordinary being.
This is what is taught to children right from the beginning in the Robert Muller Schools and in schools using the World Core Curriculum I derived from the United Nations and reproduced in Volume I. They are told that they are miracles. Pregnant mothers tell this already to them in their wombs.
~ Idea 2538 ~All people living in warring or conflictual countries of the world should remind their governments of their sacred right to peace proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in a Declaration of the Right of Peace of 12 November 1984 (see Idea 2223).
I recommend that this declaration be reproduced as a letterhead in the correspondence of all peoples of the world, that it be widely reproduced by the world's media and religions and that each year the International Day of Peace on the third Tuesday of September, when the United Nations General Assembly opens its session, should be solemnly celebrated everywhere in the world.
~ Idea 2539 ~The elements and goods provided to us naturally by the Earth outweigh all human goods and inventions, whatever we may think and believe. We will have to pay dearly for our destruction of nature.
~ Idea 2540 ~Since the Earth is becoming the main preoccupation of humanity there should be a law that all newspapers on Earth must devote at least half of their content to news about the Earth, her nature, preservation, beauty, conditions, care, losses, gains and destructions.
~ Idea 2541 ~Several western products' advertisements should be prohibited in the poor countries because they increase the exploitation and misery of these countries. Thus, there are villages in Guatemala where they have no electricity but Coca Cola is advertised and sold there to the people. This is not right. Where is business ethics?
~ Idea 2542 ~Henceforth we should no longer speak of a western culture or civilization because what the West is really doing it to destroy the vital, miraculous, precious nature of this Earth; it is a deculture, a denaturing, a decivilization.
~ Idea 2543 ~On 19 August 1999, the news appeared on the front page of Costa Rican newspapers that the government had approved the operation of US war vessels along the Costa Rican coasts to prevent the traffic of narcotics. My peasant caretaker had this comment, "How stupid they are to give this news to the narcotics traffickers. If they know that, they will find other ways to get the narcotics into Costa Rica." I told him that it had little to do with narcotics traffic. It had to do with building more US war boats and having more US militaries controlling more countries and being everywhere in the world. It is a US victory against the total demilitarization of Costa Rica. They have tried everything else, even the request to build a military airport in Costa Rica for the same purpose. That is the world in which we live!
~ Idea 2544 ~My large number of ideas for UN actions in this collection should make heads of states ashamed. Don't they want a better world? Don't they want happier people? Don't they want to be remembered in history as the architects of a peaceful, better world? Don't they want to be admired and loved by all their human brothers and sisters on this planet? Why don't they come up with great ideas, much bolder than mine? We shall see what happens at the historic, much heralded Heads of States UN General Assembly 2000, how they will cope with the global problems and menaces affecting the world and how the means of government must be reformed.
~ Idea 2545 ~The more I advance in life, the more I agree with Gandhi, U Thant and several other great minds that a new education is essential to achieve peace on this planet. And this includes henceforth peace with nature, peace with the Earth.
Proper Earth government and a right global, universal education are humanity's two pillars of survival and continued progress.
~ Idea 2546 ~The Earth:
You westerners criticize and often condemn tribes and call them primitive people. I, for my part, consider nations to be the worst tribes on my surface. What you do to me and to each other is appalling. Yes, your nations are tribes and the heads of states are tribal chiefs. They do a lot of harm to me and to the future of humanity and their own people!
~ Idea 2547 ~What do we need most on planet Earth?
We need a world order for peace
We need a world order for justice
We need a world order for proper Earth government
We need a world order for spirituality
We need a world order for the well-being of all
~ Idea 2548 ~In the 21st century humanity will need a change of mind, a change of heart, a change of soul and a change of direction. It is absolutely essential.
~ Idea 2549 ~A Costa Rican university professor visiting the UN University for Peace commented to me, "What a beautiful, magnificent nature you are situated in." I answered, "Well, a University for Peace must be located in nature because nature gives peace." He commented, "How right you are. Among my students I have a girl who is very unhappy, deeply depressed. I tried everything but did not succeed. Recently I took the students out into nature and asked them to sit down and just be still and silent. After a while I saw the tears run down the face of the unhappy girl. I asked her why she cried. She answered: 'I have at long last found myself.'"
Yes, by segregating humans in big, monstrous cities far away from nature we have created a lot of unhappiness, dissatisfaction with life and even causes of violence and death.
I told him that in my 2000 ideas I recommend that all heads of states should have their offices in nature where they will find peace, take the right decisions and receive the messages of God and the universe who speak to us through nature, their creation.
He was surprised that a new Natural Law Party created by British scientists existed already in 100 countries and was the third main party in the United States.
May it become the first and visionary party in the whole world.
~ Idea 2550 ~My volumes of 2000 ideas and more are not best sellers now, but in the coming centuries they might become a major curiosity. It will be fascinating for the people to have these volumes of perceptions, concerns, dreams, ideas and state of the world conditions, dating from the year 2000.
~ Idea 2551 ~I learned with relief that consumer's movements are now beginning to introduce lawsuits against unethical, untruthful solicitations and advertisements by big firms. The case drawn to my attention is the United States Consumers Against Publishers Clearing House and Campus Subscriptions. Apparently since 1992 this firm has been sending out thousands and thousands of envelopes on which was written, "You are a winner" and inside they had only advertisement for what the people should subscribe to. There was no winner ever. I think it is high time for UNESCO or the United Nations to convene a world conference on advertisement, or a World Commission of Eminent Persons on the Media and Advertisement should be created.
~ Idea 2552 ~If there were as many doctors, health faculties, research institutes and hospitals for our mother Earth as there are for human beings we would not have to fear the end of her life. Why doesn't humanity and especially all governments realize that? How stubbornly wrong, ungrateful and visionless can we be? At least the same resources devoted to humans should now be devoted also to the Earth.
~ Idea 2553 ~We have statistics and surveys on almost any conceivable subject on Earth except one which is fundamental: happiness.
There is need for a whole education, science, inquiries and surveys of happiness.
As a first step the UN could inquire what definition of happiness each nation, each culture has, since the pursuit of happiness is or should be the main purpose of government. And we should ask religions to do the same: What were the messages on happiness of their founders, the messengers from the universe, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, the Great Spirit of the indigenous people?
~ Idea 2554 ~Political isolationists in human history have been a great obstacle to evolution, causing immense damages: their success in obtaining the non-ratification by the United States of the League of Nations which led to World War II is a famous example.
Today we must add the new isolationists who refuse to recognize our interdependence with the environment, with nature, with the climate and with numerous other globe-wide interdependencies of this planet which is our home.
Isolationists are a very sad, negative species. One new disturbing fact is that most big business also isolates, distances itself from nature, and big business is ruling the world.
~ Idea 2555 ~Here is a dream which came true:
When I suggested to former Secretary General U Thant to invite Pope John Paul II to speak at the UN General Assembly since he wanted to hear a voice of spirituality, he put me in charge of the invitation and the visit. I was told that the Pope wanted to offer me a gift at the end of his visit. What kind of a gift would please me? I answered: a modest crucifix which he had used personally. Well, I had a wonderful surprise. He gave me a golden cross and chain of his which would be worth being exhibited in a museum, perhaps some day in a Robert Muller Museum!
~ Idea 2556 ~Governments would better shift their 'military expenditures' to 'nature expenditures', for example reforestation in order not to be vanquished by nature which will simply give up and let humans perish by not renewing her airs, waters and other life giving resources. This is one further reason why armaments and military expenditures have become so unnatural, not only from a human point of view but also from an evolutionary one, from the Earth point of view, from God's Creation point of view.
The military of course, have found a new reason for their continuance: to protect the natural resources of a country and to conquer the resources of others if need be. Well, that would be a new facet of the apocalypse.
~ Idea 2557 ~More women should be candidates and elected to parliaments. They are more favorable to the environment and to the reduction or elimination of militaries and armaments: they do not want their sons, the flesh of their flesh to be killed. They could have a determining influence on the fate of the Earth and of our evolution.
A good example to follow:
Since the 1960's the nation of Sweden has worked hard to bring women into govenment positions and now the govenment is made up of a majority of women. Forty percent of the Swedish Parliament are women.
~ Idea 2558 ~There is no intelligent employment policy for this world. Most employment is left to the decision of business: more construction, more production, more services, more sales, more marketing, more advertisement, more profit. As a result young people are compelled to leave the land to seek employment in the expanding cities. Governments employ 'militaries' and public servants, but whom do they employ to save and take care of nature, of the Earth, of God's Creation? Unemployment is also sizable. There should be yearly States of the World Employment Reports. They should be widely publicized and contain very concrete ideas and recommendations responding to the crying needs of youth, of the Earth and of evolution.
~ Idea 2559 ~When teaching world affairs I teach first the Earth and humanity to whose global needs almost no resources are appropriated.
Then the continents where the situation is nearly the same.
Then nations whose governments allocate vast sums to the nation's needs, half of them being military and armaments expenditures, except in a few small countries.
Then I come to provinces and states which have moderate resources, to cities where the situation is the same, to neighborhoods which have nothing and to families which receive an income tax declaration which forms a main basis for this whole system.
Conclusion: We are probably the worst administered and financed planet in the universe. Given the growth of global problems and the neglect of the Earth we might soon see the end of evolution of the planet.
~ Idea 2560 ~A World Peoples' Association or Movement should be created on where to invest or not to invest money. It would publish information on good businesses, on bad ones, on companies which are unethical or produce products which are harmful to consumers and to the Earth. Since governments do not want to create Ministries of Consumption the people should take this in their own hands.
~ Idea 2561 ~All governments should adopt a law that advertisements must all be published in a separate section of newspapers which the customers would be free to buy or not to buy. That would really be a measure in favor of the freedom of the people vis a vis the news companies and media.
~ Idea 2562 ~I:Dear Earth, you complain all the time about us. This cannot be just. At least give us some hope and advice.
The Earth:Well, my first advice to you personally is to write 2000 ideas or more on how to love me, hear me, preserve me, not destroy me and regain the loss of a third of my vital nature since 1970. The second is that you ask all humans to do the same individually, in their groups, professions and institutions.
Regarding groups these would be the family, the neighborhood, the city, the province or state, the nation, the continent and the world.
Regarding professions there would be bakers, butchers, carpenters, painters, architects, builders, transport professions, public services, politicians, and so on.
Regarding institutions there would be government at all levels from the city to the United Nations; from labor unions to corporations, to religions, etc.
I gave you just a few examples. All this would represent billions of action units. Just think of 6 billion individual actions alone!
This reminds me of your beautiful story, The Cleanest Mile on Earth (see Volume III, Annex to Part V). If everybody would clean a mile on Earth there would not be enough miles to clean. This applies to everything else. One drop of water saved by 6 billion people every day would represent at the end of the year a river.
Start writing such ideas. Your 2000 and soon 3000 ideas for a better world are fine but they are too dispersed. Remember and put into action what you repeat so often, namely that I the Earth am now number one priority! Apply this great principle I beg you to everything you think, everything you dream, everything you write and everything you do.
These are only my first few ideas. I hope that we will continue this dialog. I will give you many, many advices looking at things from my point of view while you humans look at them from your point of view. There is no doubt that you must change your philosophy, values and ways of life now that you are so many billions of people.
~ Idea 2563 ~Our current return to the love and beauty of nature must be accompanied by a return to beautiful love stories, a beautiful loving literature, a beautiful loving art and above all the miraculous love and beauty between husband and wife and a beautiful loving family and home. There must be an incredible renaissance of love, beauty and happiness on this planet. This will lead us to peace.
~ Idea 2564 ~Why capitalism?
Why not Earthism?
Isn't the Earth our main, incredible, vastest capital?
~ Idea 2565 ~People around the world should begin to dis-admire, pity, criticize and disapprove the United States whose government now practically wants to rule the world and refuses to ratify, to adhere to the environmental treaties of the United Nations, thus becoming one of the main factors of the destruction of the Earth, God's creation. Please, dear American people, force, convince your government to dream again and care for the entire humanity and Earth.
~ Idea 2566 ~The Earth:Dear Robert, you cannot imagine how I rejoice at the news from the UN that the population of the western countries will diminish by 40 million between now and the year 2050! Just multiply the average life-time consumption of an American, 56 million gallons of water, 37,000 gallons of gasoline, 51 tons of meat and 9 tons of milk and cream, by 40 million and you will see what a benediction this population decline of the rich will represent for the conservation of my resources and my future survival. I almost cannot believe it! If you could see me from the heavens, you would see me smile!
But why don't you do something more, namely avoid the increase of the poor population of the world from 4.7 billion to 7.7 billion in 2050? This will far outweigh the benefits from the decline of the rich population. Moreover, your world corporations are now targeting the poor countries as the biggest potential markets for more sales and consumption, assisted by huge advertisement campaigns which are very cheap in these countries. And if there comes a world economic crisis, the west will pump a revival with a gigantic Marshall Plan of aid to the poor countries. I sometimes think that the biggest of the rich countries and their big corporations are happy with the population increase in the poor countries. They are a future immense market. This is why the UN does not get substantial funding to stop or reduce the world population increase. It gets only meager 'voluntary' contributions! I still feel that my end is inevitable.
I:The UN is trying to do its best but a small minority of US far right extremists opposes them. They even obtain that the US refuses to pay its yearly contribution to the minimal budget of the UN called "petty cash" in the US Treasury Department. In the name of human life they are likely to bury you and with you the entire human race, God's Creation.
There are two more things I can do: I will recommend that the heads of states UN General Assembly 2000 to declare a world population emergency situation and put as a deadline the year 2020 to stabilize the world population.
~ Idea 2567 ~The karma of the universe:If you do what the universe or God expects from you, you are helped by invisible forces and recompensed with untold happiness.
The karma of the Earth:If you do good for the Earth, the Earth will help you with her goods and invisible forces and recompense you with untold happiness.The karma of the family:If you do good for your family, the family will help you with her goods and invisible forces and recompense you with untold happiness.
The whole universe and our Earth are filled with these invisible forces of goodness and reciprocity which we call love, the Hindus karma and the physicists the unified field of the universe. Please enlist them, draw them to you.
~ Idea 2568 ~St. Francis said: "It is in giving of ourselves that we receive." Yes, giving ourselves to God, to the universe, to the Earth, to humanity, to our family, to others who will respond to us with happiness and love.
~ Idea 2569 ~Someone said:
We need optimists to build airplanes and pessimists to build parachutes.
Alas, political and economic leaders tell us that everything will be fine and rare are those who build parachutes for possible political and economic crashes.
~ Idea 2570 ~Most people of the world take loving good care of their homes and beautify them.
Why don't we do it also for the Earth, for nature, for this miraculous planet which is our home, more precious, vulnerable and perishable every day?
~ Idea 2571 ~Since generals were among the greatest US Presidents (George Washington who created the United States, General Eisenhower who created the first Ministry of Peace) perhaps the next best President of the United States should again be a general. They are at least daring, have power and are strategists. Perhaps General Butler, who fights for the total elimination of all nuclear weapons on Earth should become the President of the United States.
~ Idea 2572 ~I have recommended that Mrs. Julia Alvarez, for many years a one-dollar-a-year Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the UN and I, the one-dollar-a-year Chancellor of the UN University for Peace should create an Association of One-dollar-a-year Diplomats and World Servants. The subject could be taken up by the International Labor Organization. Voluntary, non-remunerated employment and services are a substantial and growing phenomenon in the world.
~ Idea 2573 ~One of the greatest achievements of the UN would be to convene the Military Staff Committee at the heads of army level as stipulated in the UN Charter in order to design a world security system and after that disarm the planet. Now that the cold war is over this crucial provision of the United Nations Charter can and must be implemented. If I were the Secretary General of the UN I would request such a meeting and menace to resign if the five veto powers of the Security Council refuse to convene it.
~ Idea 2574 ~Why not transform all the world's police forces into national and a world Peace Corps?
~ Idea 2575 ~The poor countries of the world are robbed of their natural resources and then again exploited by loans! These loans should be free of interest payments and called reparations or forgiveness for the robberies. Instead of so called 'aid', forgiveness and reparations should be basic concepts in international relations. There is so much to be done for forgiveness and reparations of past sins of nations.
~ Idea 2576 ~Why not transform the debts of the poor countries to rich countries as follows: the debts would carry no rates of interest and would be reimbursed only when the country will be prosperous. The year 2000 would be a great occasion to do that. Please, rich countries, have a conscience or remorse and do it. Announce it at the year 2000 heads of states UN General Assembly. Or even better, forgive the debts of all the poor countries, as a compensation for having robbed them of their natural resources.
~ Idea 2577 ~The same way as we have Franciscans and many followers of ancient saints, we should have followers of modern saints and inspirers. For example Mother Teresians, Robert Schumanians, Albert Schweitzerians, Gandhians, Martin Luther Kingians, and more.
~ Idea 2578 ~From the point of view of the evolution of this planet and of humanity atomic weapons are a total, incomprehensible madness. We do not need guided missiles. We need a right guided evolution. The United States and other atomic countries will go down in history as the anti-evolutionary countries of this century. General Butler and seven other US Generals are right when they request the total destruction of all nuclear arms.
~ Idea 2579 ~We need as much a cerebration as a celebration of the year 2000, namely a deep, intelligent evaluation of the status and future of our planet and of humanity in space and in time.
~ Idea 2580 ~There is little doubt that the United States, its absolute, fundamentalist business philosophy and obsolete capitalism have become a major evolutionary aberration to be avoided by other countries for the sake of their own survival and the survival of the Earth.
~ Idea 2581 ~To make this Earth a paradise all militaries and armaments must disappear. There are none in God's paradise. There cannot be any in the paradise we must become.
~ Idea 2582 ~The scientific, technological civilization of the last two centuries has done marvels. The trouble is that it has created an overpopulation and overconsumption of Earth resources both of which combined are now putting the whole Earth into jeopardy. This has never happened before in all human history. It has to be taken very seriously and faced with daring, courageous countermeasures if we want to save our planetary home and our humanity's future.
~ Idea 2583 ~If we eliminated the wrongnesses from the greatnesses of our discoveries, we would become the most incredible, successful planet in the universe.
~ Idea 2584 ~Flows and structures, humanity has become a vast flow on this planet, the vastest ever of any species'. In our past we have created institutions, structures, laws and education meant for what was right in that past. These have now become obstacles to the immense, global flow we have become. They must all be revised, renovated and adapted to the new evolutionary phenomena. This goes far beyond peace. It now concerns the fate of the entire Earth and of the whole humanity. This is an enormous challenge to the leaders of humanity, for which none of them has really been prepared by education. When will at long last humanity adopt in all schools the World Core Curriculum which I derived from my long, world-wide experience in the United Nations, the first greatest modern global school ever?
~ Idea 2585 ~The Nobel Prizes are too oriented to the conditions, needs and philosophy which prevailed at the end of the 19th century. Since then only one additional prize, for economics, was added. There should be several new Nobel Prizes responding to the needs of today, namely:
CompassionCooperationDreamsEducationFaithForgivenessGenerosityHopeImaginationLovePhilosophySpiritualityThanksgiving
~ Idea 2586 ~I hope that someday all my human brethren and sisters will say:
Never in my life a drugNever in my life a cigaretteNever in my life a glass of alcoholNever in my life a carbonated soft drinkNever in my life excessive meat
What a healthy, wonderful humanity this would produce.
~ Idea 2587 ~The second overwhelming, most urgent human priority item on the agenda of world affairs after the Earth and her nature must be the total disarmament and demilitarization of the planet. With that, all the rest will follow and can be resolved thanks to the liberation of immense financial resources.
~ Idea 2588 ~Only twenty-eight percent of the annual world military expenditures would pay to end hunger, stabilize population growth, prevent soil erosion, provide clean energy, retire the debts of developing nations, stop ozone depletion, prevent acid rain and climatic change, provide safe water for all, eliminate illiteracy, stop deforestation, eliminate nuclear weapons, provide health care and Aids control, remove land mines and provide refugee relief and shelter.
Why don't we do it? What miracles we could do with a total elimination of the militaries and armaments. Do we really need 174 national armies on this planet? They are totally obsolete, needless remnants from the past.
~ Idea 2589 ~A proper art of living is extremely important because what is the sense of wanting to 'develop' ever more when as an end result the already 'developed' rich people are not much happier than they were before and are often even more miserable, especially in huge, monstrous cities and skyscrapers. Hence, again my recommendation that Ministries of Happiness should be created in all governments.
~ Idea 2590 ~Is there any school or university on Earth which teaches happiness? I don't think so.
How strange that the most important purpose, ideal and dream of life is ignored by education and academics. Perhaps we are not supposed to be happy, so that business and activism can continue to grow forever, at the expense for the first time of the Earth.
~ Idea 2591 ~During the year of the 5th centennial of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus the Spanish government was dismayed that with the exception of the Dominican Republic no other Latin American country wanted to celebrate that event. They feared upheavals of their indigenous populations.
The then Prime Minister of Spain, Mr. Gonzalez Videla decided to make the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica a new page in the relations between Spain and Latin America. The government financed up to seventy scholarships a year. After a few years Videla's government was accused to spend too much money and as usual 'foreign' aid and projects were the first to be eliminated. Since then the University has not heard any more from Spain. Isn't it strange that when something deals with the whole Earth and the whole humanity it is always called "foreign" and given lowest priority unless it represents a national interest?
~ Idea 2592 ~Readers, when reading some of my pessimistic statements might say: "Well, why don't you give up?"
You are right. My wife Barbara has the answer to that. She waits until I had a good night of sleep to see me in full optimism again. One of my first sights in Costa Rica in the morning are the two crosses erected on sacred Mt. Rasur, the Cross of Pain and the Cross of Resurrection. And I say to myself what I said to Secretary General Pérez de Cuellar when he sometimes asked me to come to his office and cheer him up from his despair with world affairs, namely "How can you dare to complain when you are not menaced of being crucified?"
~ Idea 2593 ~Many western people have already less children and begin to consume less (see Volume V, Index and Idea 2566).
Soon for obstinate capitalists their greatest market will be the 7.7 billion people in the poor countries by the year 2050. Get for them already now a gigantic Marshall Plan from the US and other rich countries. That will permit you to survive for another ten to twenty years.
~ Idea 2594 ~National governments do not want to take the conservation of nature seriously because it is not in their current economic interest.
Petroleum companies do not want to take the conservation of nature seriously because it is against their economic interest.
Architects and builders do not want to take the conservation of nature seriously because it is not in their economic interests....
... and there is a very, very long list of others. Poor Earth, you do not seem to have a chance unless there is a radical change of values, of wisdom from purely economic to ecological, survival and evolutionary interests too.
~ Idea 2595 ~Let us build ceaselessly new temples, each more beautiful than the last. This is what I have done relentlessly since World War II. Several of these 3000 Ideas and Dreams can be foundations for new temples. Please dear reader, select one or several of them speaking to your heart and build on them. Do not consider these ideas and dreams to be too lofty, too audacious, too irrealistic. In reality they are only stepping stones to even higher ideas and dreams as God and the cosmic forces of evolution want it.
~ Idea 2596 ~What an incredible natural miracle planet Earth is! Why don't we take good care of this treasure instead of exploiting it recklessly? It is infinitely more important than any human invention. What a pity, what an unintelligent, misguided species we have become. The Earth reality should always be first and humanity a second, well-integrated part of it. Wasn't that the will of God who created paradise first and continues to speak to us through nature to re-establish it?
~ Idea
2597 ~
Perhaps the time has come to consider a bio-capitalism or eco-capitalism, a system where capital would go to the preservation, improvement and beautification of the Earth and life on it.
Perhaps the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) could devise such a system which could consist among others of Earth stock, Earth shares and Earth stock exchanges. And why not change its name to the World Earth and Humanity Bank (WEHB)?
A World Commission of Eminent Personalities should be created to look into this foremost priority of our time. The Commission should include elders and indigenous people.
~ Idea 2598 ~Ideas are produced by dreams. They come as creations of our wisdom, knowledge and experience. They usually come late in the night or at dawn. This is when I wake up and write them down as part of our evolution of which I am a sensitive agent. We should not underestimate or ignore our dreams. They are major factors of our evolution.
~ Idea 2599 ~To have right dreams and ideas you must be in optimum physical, mental, sentimental, moral and spiritual health. Non-smoking, non-drinking, right nutrition and a long healthy sleep are primary conditions. And above all, you must be in passion with the miracle of life, your life and with our divine, miraculous Earth.
~ Idea 2600 ~What a blessing it is that I worked so many years in the United Nations and can now live a free, wonderful life devoted to the first UN University for Peace created with my help in demilitarized Costa Rica. The ways of the Lord are indeed mysterious and wonderful. The last years of my life are a miracle which I could have never expected in my wildest dreams, especially not in the depth of the horrors of World War II. I repeat the great words of Goethe:
Until one is committed,there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back,always ineffectiveness.
Concerning acts of initiative and creationthere is one elementary truththe ignorance of which kills countless ideasand splendid plans:
That the moment one definitely commits oneselfthen Providence moves too.
All sort of things occur to help onethat would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision,raising in one's favor all mannerof unforeseen incidents and meetingsand material assistancewhich no one could have dreamtwould come their way.
Whatever you can door dream, you can begin it.Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Begin it now.
Please dear reader, dream your wildest dreams for a better, peaceful, happy, more beautiful, more wonderful, just world. You will be heard, guided and recompensed by God and by the invisible forces of the universe in the most extraordinary ways. Look out for the occasions, the 'coincidences' offered to you constantly by the invisible saints floating unemployed around this planet, rushing into and helping all those of us who are opened to them.
ANNEX
My Spiritual JourneySpeech by Dr. Robert Muller in Sao Paolo in October 1998 at a conferenceorganized by the Coalition for Religious Freedom, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
I was born with a deep spirituality. When I was a child I looked at the stars, at the moon, at nature and at the whole Creation as miracles. I also considered human life to be a miracle. We spoke German in Alsace-Lorraine at the time and I used to say: "Das Leben ist göttlich, life is divine." I used this word because it was the biggest adjective I could find.
My father could not understand it. Here was a four years old boy who was going around saying that life was divine and who took his cap off when he met an old person. He asked me: "Why do you greet old people?" I answered: "Because they know so much about life." That was my attitude as a little boy.
I couldn't understand that just across the river there were people called Germans whom we as French people were supposed to hate. Why were these borders between humans? We looked alike and they had names like Muller and Schneider which were the names of my father and mother. Why could the sun, the clouds, the birds, the winds, the moon cross the border freely and I could not?
I would leave the house early in the morning to go to church and attend the mass at dawn, attended mostly by old people. There I was fascinated by the prayers, the playing of the organ by an old invalid and above all by the "elevation" of the host by the priest. That represented to me the consciousness and union with the heavens, the endless, mysterious universe and God.
Then came education. French education prohibited religious education. This was due to the separation between church and state established by the Revolution against the Church leaders of France coalesced with the King and the aristocrats to exploit the people. In Alsace-Lorraine we got a separate statute allowing religious education, but it was voluntary, did not count for the grading and it was ridiculized by our professors. As a result I began to forget my spirituality, replaced by the values of French education. My deep love for nature however persisted as well as my respect for old people. I will never forget the death of my 80 years old grandfather at which I saw a Catholic sister hold his hand and help him to die peacefully, praying with him and telling him about heaven.
Then came World War II. We were refugees twice. The Nazis occupied us. I had many adventures because I did not want to serve in the German army. I experienced German prison. I was a partisan, a member of de Gaulle's mountain fighters in France. I saw the most horrible acts between two white, highly civilized countries. There was no spirituality in all that. But there was an incident which I have never forgotten: we had captured a group of French people who had collaborated with the Germans. They were condemned to death. When they were taken to their place of execution in the woods where they had been forced to dig their graves, I saw the men protest, throwing themselves on the ground, having to be pulled by their legs. But there was one woman who walked in peace, praying. When she was shot she was reciting the Hail Mary and her last words before falling into her grave were to forgive us. I finished her prayer and never forgot her example of deep spirituality.
When the war was over and I returned home, I learned that my father had spent several months in prison because I had escaped from the Germans. He asked me what I was going to do with my life. I replied: "I will work for peace. I do not want my children and grandchildren to see the horrors I have seen in this war." He said that there were no peacemakers on this planet and that I would lose my time. But during my doctorate of law studies at the University of Strasbourg I participated in a French essay competition on the subject "How would you govern the world?" I won the essay which earned me an internship with the United Nations in an abandoned war factory near New York City. I was hired as an official and stayed with the UN for the rest of my life.The first surprise I had at the United Nations was that they had a meditation and prayer room and that the meetings of the General Assembly started with a minute of silence for prayer or meditation. I said to myself: "This is wonderful. That is exactly what we should do when we meet among nations and people: we should invoke spirituality to fully understand what we are doing and pray for good results."
Another surprise was our second Secretary General, Dag Hammarskjöld. He came to the United Nations as a very rational economist. But he went every Sunday to a church or meeting place of another religion. When he died we found on the night table of his bedroom in New York the book of a mystic Thomas Kempis. When you read his Markings, or Journal, now published in many languages, you will see how from a pure rationalist at the beginning he became himself a mystic, almost in constant communion and dialogue with God.
Another surprise to me was U Thant, the Buddhist Secretary General whose direct aide I was for two years. He was the most deeply spiritual person I have ever known. He once said to me: "Robert, I cannot understand you Catholics who limit spirituality to an hour in church on Sunday. I am a spiritual person from the moment I wake up until I go to rest." One day I said to him: "When you receive visitors, why don't you tell them to do something for peace and a better world?" He answered: "How could I do that? These people come to see me to tell me something. I must therefore open myself to them, empty myself of my self, so that I can receive them entirely as a human brother or sister."
From my experiences and lessons at the United Nations I decided to write a book on spirituality recommending that all religions should work together, with spirituality as their common values and objective. I called it New Genesis, the Birth of a Global Spirituality, published in several languages. Ever since that time I have been working toward the recognition of a global, all-human spirituality, out of which the various religions were born, either with one God, several gods or spirits, or nature and the Earth herself as the manifestation of the Great Spirit, or even a deeply spiritual person doing good for the Earth and humanity without belonging to any religion.
What is this concept of spirituality? In my view: it is very simple. It is what I felt as a little boy. It is to receive from the religions help to understand the mystery of the universe and time. This is what all religions have in common. They help us, they elevate us, while the mysteries of the universe and time have never been resolved by the scientists, not even by Einstein. They will always remain mysteries. Religions give us hope that there is a spirituality, a soul in us which binds us as sentient beings with the entire universe and time, that we are children of God, active, living cosmic beings, each one the true miracle I felt already to be as a child.
As a consequence I created several spiritual associations in the UN and brought many outside spiritual associations in contact and relation with the UN. I had contact with the Mayor of Assisi who at my suggestion arranged for the Pope to have yearly meetings in Assisi with the heads of other religions. I convinced U Thant to invite the Pope to the UN and was put in charge of that visit. I could write a whole book What the UN Taught Me About Spirituality as I wrote What War Taught Me About Peace.
The greatest chance given to me was the invitation to be the opening speaker of the second World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1993. I made a passionate appeal to the religions to create a world organization similar to the United Nations. Why? Because it was not sufficient for the religious leaders to meet, there was need also for a permanent organization with an inter-religious Secretariat to study in common all religions of the world and their contributions to a global spirituality as we have done at the UN for peace and other common ideals and needs of humanity. In my view there was an absolute need for a spiritual Renaissance on planet Earth. I also made an appeal that the Parliament of Religions should not wait another hundred years to meet again but should meet before the year 2000. Bishop Edmund Tutu heard me and decided to invite the Parliament to meet in South Africa in December 1999. Six thousand people from around the world attended it.
My proposal to create a world organization of religions is being implemented. The Charter of a United Religions Organization, still called Initiative was adopted June 2000, in Pittsbough. That organization can then help the peaceful resolution of the several religious conflicts we still have on this planet, develop a common modern global science of spirituality, a strategy and a methodology of spirituality (e.g. prayer, forgiveness, sanctity, thanksgiving, confession and so many other helpful practices). It will create a different, better, spiritual world, with religions united in a wonderful, non-fundamentalist diversity.
There are now many good signs of a spiritual Renaissance in the world: the World Bank is meeting with spiritual leaders to see how poverty in the poor countries can be healed. Harvard University has conducted a vast survey of the contributions of the religions to the environment and safeguard of the Earth. Secretary General Kofi Annan will meet in the year 2000 with the leaders of the main religions of the world. A World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality has been formed.*
This is where we stand. I will leave with you various extracts of texts I have distributed to the Parliament of Religions at its Chicago session. One of them describes my vision of a spiritual world in the year 2013, twenty years after that Chicago session. Another is a chapter on the UN and Spirituality from my Testament to the UN published after I retired from the UN and became the first one-dollar-a-year Chancellor of the newly created UN University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica.
Let me finally report on this great experience in my life: when you are a deeply spiritual person in the sense of doing good, working for the great ideals of humanity, suppressing injustices, helping the poor, the downtrodden and the helpless, you are recompensed with untold happiness. The invisible forces of the universe make sure of it. Extraordinary circumstances and coincidences come your way. You take good care of your health in order to live longer and do more good. You feel younger. You do not fall sick nor become old. You have no time to think of it.
Let me tell you the anecdote of a beautiful coincidence. A few years ago I got the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution of the return of stolen works of art to their countries of origin. Each year a number of such returns are reported. One day, during a mission to Hungary I heard the people complain that the United States did not return the golden crown of their beloved king Saint Stephen. They kept it as a war memento in the cellars of Fort Knox. It was a long difficult story but with my obstinacy I finally obtained its return to Hungary where it is displayed in all its glory. Later I met in California a wonderful US lady of Hungarian origin with whom I fell in love. That was six years after my first wonderful wife from Chile died. Barbara Gaughen became my wife, although she is 18 years younger than I. She is the most extraordinary companion I could expect to help me in my efforts for peace and a better world. On 11 June 1994 she told me that there were 2000 days left to the year 2000 and that since I had so many ideas I should write one down every day to have a total of them by the 1st of January of 2000. I did and as a result four volumes of 2000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World are available for the year 2000. From these ideas I was able to extract 56 pages of ideas on religion and spirituality. Well, I have come to the conclusion that it was St. Stephen in heaven who made us meet and get married because I got his crown returned to his beloved Hungary! I will ask him if it was the case when I meet him in the other world.
There is still so much to do. It is not even governments who are responsible for the current disorders in the world. It is the lack of spirituality, the lack of respect for God, for His miraculous creation which I loved so much already as a child. Please, dear friends, be the active defenders of these miracles so that we can at long last become the paradise of peace, beauty and happiness God and all religious leaders wanted us to become, a true jewel in the universe. The progress I have seen achieved since the horrible World War II gives me good hope, even conviction that we will succeed.
To end, let me play to you in memory of my grandfather who taught me to play it, the Ode To Joy of Beethoven on my little ten holes harmonica. Its words written by Schiller about the brotherhood of all humans are very appropriate to our hearts and souls at the end of this conference.
* I have the honor of being its co-chairman with Dr. Karan Singh of India.
Ode to Joy
Translation of Schiller's original German 1785 Version ________________________________________
Joy, beautiful spark of Gods,Daughter of Elysium,We enter, fire-drunk,Heavenly, thy sanctuary.Thy magic powers re-uniteWhat custom's sword has dividedBeggars become Princes' brothersWhere thy gentle wing abides.
ChorusBe embraced, millions!This kiss to the entire world!Brothers - above the starry canopyA loving father must dwell.Whoever has had the great fortuneTo be a friend's friend,Whoever has won the love of a devoted wife,Add his to our jubilation!Indeed, whoever can call even one soulHis own on this earth!And whoever was never able to must leaveTearfully away from this circle.
ChorusThose who dwell in the great circle,Pay homage to love!It leads to the stars,Where the Unknown reigns.
Joy all creatures drinkAt nature's bosoms;All, Just and Unjust,Follow her rose-petalled path.Kisses she gave us, and Wine,A friend, proven in death,Pleasure was given even to the worm,And the Cherub stands before God.
ChorusYou bow down, millions?Did you sense the Creator, o world?Seek him above the starry canopy.Above the stars He must dwell.Joy is called the strong motivationIn eternal nature.Joy, joy moves the wheelsIn the universal time machine.Flowers it calls forth from seeds,Suns from the Firmament,Spheres it moves far out into Space,Where our telescopes cannot reach.
ChorusJoyful, as His suns are flying,Across the Firmament's splendid design,Run, brothers, run your race,Joyful, as a hero going to conquest.As truth's fiery reflectionIt smiles at the seeker.To virtue's steep hillIt leads the sufferer on.Atop faith's lofty summitOne sees its flags unfurl,Through the cracks of burst-open coffins,One sees it stand in the angels' chorus.
ChorusEndure courageously, millions!Endure for the better world!Above the starry canopyA great God will reward you.Gods one cannot ever repay,It is beautiful, though, to be like them.Sorrow and Poverty, come forthAnd rejoice with the Joyful ones.Anger and revenge be forgotten,Our deadly enemy be forgiven,Not one tear shall he shed anymore,Nor feeling of remorse shall pain him.
ChorusThe account of our misdeeds be destroyed!Reconciled the entire world!Brothers, above the starry canopyJudge God as we are judged.Joy is bubbling in the cups,Through the grapes' golden bloodCannibals drink gentleness,The despair of heroic brothers --Flies away from your seats,When the full rummer is going around,Let the foam gush up to heaven:This glass to the good spirit.
ChorusHe whom star clusters adore,He whom the Seraphs' hymn praises,This glass to him, the good spirit,Above the starry canopy!Resolve and courage in great suffering,Help where innocence weeps,Eternity to sworn Oaths,Truth towards friend and enemy,Men's pride before Kings' thrones--Brothers, in good and in blood,Crowns to those of merit,Defeat to the liars bred!
ChorusClose the holy circle tighter,Swear by this golden wine:To remain true to the Oath,Swear it by the judge above the stars!Delivery from tyrants' chains,Generosity towards the villain,Hope on the deathbeds,Mercy from the final judge!Also the dead shall live!Brothers, drink and chime in,All sinners shall be forgiven,And hell shall be no more.
ChorusA serene hour of farewell!Sweet rest in the shroud!Brothers -- a mild sentenceFrom the mouth of the final judgeof the dead!
PART II
IDEAS 2601 TO 2700
INTRODUCTION26 February 2000
Today for the first time in my life, in Anacortes, USA on a beach with a beautiful view of the calm, magnificent Pacific Ocean and a dark forested island called Beaver Island due to its shape, all this beauty overflown by three noisy helicopters and a little airplane, the toys of beings called humans, I was overpowered by the feeling that I should love only God's nature and forget humans with their crazy pursuit of endless new inventions, accumulation of goods and wealth, and accelerating the destruction of the Earth.
I had the vision of a clear, clean, resplendent, beautiful paradise Earth only with nature, vegetation, animals and birds, totally devoid of humans. I saw it untouched, tranquil, peaceful, undisturbed, floating with all its splendor in the vast universe at the apex of its evolution.
This was the first time in my life that I had this overwhelming feeling. Henceforth I must be even harder in my judgments of humanity.
Later in the evening the Earth talked to me:
"I'm so glad that this happened to you, that you had this revelation after the long observing journey of your life. Now you will understand my loss of faith in the human race of which I was so proud as the most evolved, advanced life form of my body. I could never understand how humans could make so many errors and even get to the point of now recklessly, thoughtlessly destroying me.
But I cannot lose hope and do not want humans, my children all made of me, to disappear. I want them to change course, to change their values. I count very much on you to enlighten them. Please do not give up. Do not fall into that extreme. You have always been a man of hope. I placed you in positions to see the totality of me and of humanity and to try the impossible. The human species must not disappear. It still can and must become the highest form of my evolution. I have not taken all these pains over millions of years to make the human species the most advanced marvel on my surface and let it now destroy me and itself. Please do not give up your wonderful love for me and for humanity. Remember that humans are living cells, children of mine, cosmic units as you are."
I:"Okay, dear Mother, I will listen to you because mothers are always right. They are pure love and love is the only means that can save and fulfill us."
~ Idea 2601 ~The stupendous transcontinental planes with all their perfect technical functionings, kindest attentions to the passengers, good food, telephones, entertainment have only one big drawback: the pollution of the atmosphere over their long distances. How do we, how should we define human achievements and perfection at the end of this century and millennium?
~ Idea 2602 ~In developing a science and theory of peace at the University for Peace we must include a 'cosmic' peace, the most supreme and intimate of all which we recognize and call 'inner peace'. Cosmic peace is reached when we find ourselves identified, in total union with the Creation of God, with the Earth and her nature, with the unified energy field of the universe and time. A big but marvelous challenge, indeed.
~ Idea 2603 ~The Costa Rican peasants say that when they enter a forest they find no sin, only peace. This applies to all nature. We find ourselves in union with her, with the mysterious, wonderful Creation of God, with the cosmic 'becoming' of the universe. We feel intimately part of all there is in heaven and on Earth. Nature is the way God talks to us.
This is why it is so appropriate and wonderful that the first University for Peace on this planet is located in the most marvelous nature on Earth. This is why it gives the world the right messages, inspirations, invisible energies and teachings of peace. I am so glad that its new President, Maurice Strong, intends to create on its ground or near it a "Center for Inner Peace."
~ Idea 2604 ~A new medical science and discipline should be defined and taught in all universities: the healing and ways of coping with diseases caused by environmental degradation, air and water pollution, effects of chemicals on nature, on the environment, on the products we consume, psychological diseases from living in overcrowded cities away from nature, and there are more.
It has become urgent, it is absolutely indispensable that all Ministries of Health and governments report yearly on the sicknesses, infirmities and deaths resulting from environmental deteriorations. There exist already some statistics like those on skin cancers produced by the ultra-violet rays going through the holes in the ozonosphere (see Volume IV, page 143) and a number of others. But much more is needed. We need an environmental health warning and medicine.
~ Idea 2605 ~We have no garbage collection at our little farmhouse in Costa Rica. We have a fireplace in the back of the house to burn burnable materials, the ashes of which are used as fertilizer. Other solid materials, e.g. non-reusable cans and containers are buried in a large ditch dug out of the soil, which when it is almost full will be covered with soil again. All natural refuses are recycled in the garden. This is still standard in the rural areas of the world.
Of course, when buying we make sure to buy non-packaged or least packaged products.
~ Idea 2606 ~We also have an "outhouse" at a little distance from the farmhouse. We use it almost exclusively. It saves us quantities of water for flushing. After a few years its location is changed and the Earth can do its natural recycling function.
~ Idea 2607 ~What are the most efficient living species on this planet?
Vegetations without any doubt. Why? Because they combine directly the elements of the Earth - soil and water - with solar energy. They do not have to walk or run around to live on nature or on other species as we do. They take little space and all of it is well used. They serve as food for animal species or die or dry on the spot and are recycled by the Earth.
Animals are less efficient and of all animals humans are the least efficient and have become the most destructive. Animals have at least one superiority over humans: when they see that there is not enough food for their little ones to survive, they stop reproducing.
~ Idea 2608 ~Sky Mall (i.e. a shopping mall in the skies) is a magazine of 190 pages, 'courtesy' of United Airlines. An incredible number of merchandises are offered in it. Will we ever see a Sky-Earth Saving magazine offering a large number of advices and devices to help save the skies and the Earth? Probably never because there is no money making, no profit in it, only longer lives.
~ Idea 2609 ~Please tourists who want to see the whole world, unduly polluting it and consuming it, stay at home and in your own gardens. Make them a most beautiful cherished place or move to the land, if you have no garden. The divinest happiness and peace will be your recompense. Do not fall prey to the multi-trillion tourist and transporting industries which use you and are in large part destroying the Earth.
~ Idea 2610 ~Thanks be to God that our planet is 71% seas and oceans providing us through their surface's plankton and green diatoms 2/3rds of the Earth's oxygen. If it were lands, humans and business would already have invaded and ravaged it everywhere, putting an end to the normal functioning of the planet.
~ Idea 2611 ~When I wrote that some countries and communities should decide no longer to grow and to keep away from all the world commerce, traffic, investments and fashions, I was reminded of this anecdote: having obtained that the doors of the United Nations be opened to the indigenous people to deliver their prophecies, I and my wife were invited to visit Hopi Land, the land of the peaceful. We were offered to stay either in Shongopavi or in Hautevilla, the latter being a traditional village. We chose Hautevilla. Well, here was an example of a community which wanted little to do with the western world. They had no electricity, no newspapers, no radio, no television because they said, "If you give your hand to the western man, he will grab you all and take everything from you." I remember James Koots in whose house we stayed, taking me in the early morning to the field, "To sing to the corn." Yes, to receive their oxygen and to give them the nourishment of the carbon dioxide emitted by our lungs.
Why do not more human communities decide to shut themselves off at least from part of the outside western world ruled by misoriented business?
Individual families can also do it at least partly: no newspapers, no magazines, no radio, no television, no alcohol, no carbonated drinks, only natural drinks and foods. I and my wife do it. What additional life, peace, togetherness and happiness it has brought us! Please try it.
~ Idea 2612 ~All national armies should be transformed into national peace and environmental services equipped only with peacetruments (peace insuring and making equipment) and naturements (nature improving and saving equipment). No weapons, no armaments whatsoever.
~ Idea 2613 ~Who will be the genial, ethical businessman or manufacturer who will announce the production of peacetruments and naturements and no longer armaments and nature destroying products?
~ Idea 2614 ~Scientists, technologists and inventors should devote henceforth as much effort, creativity and time to the creation of peacetruments and naturements as they have devoted so far to armaments and Earth destroying instruments.
~ Idea 2615 ~There should no longer be any United Nations peacekeeping troops, militaries or forces. They should all be transformed and named United Nations Peace and Non-violence services or agents.
~ Idea 2616 ~It is high time, even urgent to speak of ethical and non-ethical businesses and firms instead of admiring business indiscriminately only on the basis of their size, profits and advertisements.
It is high time to speak of ethical and unethical stockholders instead of admiring people who get rich by investing indiscriminately in any businesses promising the greatest profits, irrespective of the harm they do to people and to the Earth. They should boycott them, not bring them their money.
~ Idea 2617 ~Which is the country which will make the pathbreaking, historical announcement that it will suppress all militaries and armaments and transfer the huge savings and personnel to peace and environmental services and to peacetruments and naturements? In short:
Armies into peace and environmental servicesMilitaries into peacemakers and environmentalistsArmaments into peacetruments and naturements
It reminds me of the Honduran general controlling a refugee camp of Nicaraguans who said to me that the militaries would be the best reforesters and environmentalists because they have discipline.
~ Idea 2618 ~A short, powerful, timely idea can be more effective than a big book of several hundred pages without any ideas or with only one or a few at the end.
All big books, including novels, should have at the beginning or at the end a summary and/or a list of ideas to bring about a better world and a happier, more peaceful, more just humanity. And the author and readers should try to get them implemented. This would be no longer a literature but would become an ideature and actionture.
~ Idea 2619 ~Each year the United Nations should publish comparative statistics on national and total world expenditures on militaries and armaments and on national and total world expenditures on the environment and nature.
~ Idea 2620 ~The fifteen borderless nations of the European Union should now transform their armies into peace and environment services united in an All-European Peace and Environment Service and leave NATO.
The European peace servers and environmentalists could serve as contingents of a United Nations Peace and Environment World Service.
~ Idea 2621 ~A recommendation to the UN:
1. Ideas and dreams of retired United Nations staff members on UN reform, peace and a better world should be collected and submitted to all UN member countries.
2. Ideas and advice from retired United Nations staff members to new recruits of the UN should be collected and published by the UN Bureau of Personnel.
3. Former UN staff members should be asked to write stories of their successes and life to inspire new staff members.
4. All the above should become publications of a United Nations World Publishing House.
~ Idea 2622 ~In Idea 1180 I advised on a new science to be called Whyology. Why this and why not that? I have a long list of such questions.
In Idea 1181 I spoke of the need to feel blessed, to count our blessings. It should be called blessology, the science of blessings. I want to add to that a 'thankology', a science of thanking.
~ Idea 2623 ~Sometimes I seize a volume of my 2000 ideas to read at bedtime before falling asleep and I exclaim, "It is not possible that I have written that!" But since these ideas are loaded with an entire life experience in the United Nations, the first world organization on this planet, perhaps it is normal that I felt compelled to write them.
Conclusion: dear reader, open yourself widely to the world, to your environment, to the whole of humanity and to the precious and new global information published by the United Nations and its agencies and let your ideas well up and write them down. You will later be amazed by the results, the same way as I am by mine.
~ Idea 2624 ~The world is beset, hampered, wounded by many prejudices: sexual, racial, ethnic, political, religious, ideological, social and others.
It would be of great help to the world's progress if the United Nations would put the subject of prejudices and discriminations as items on its agenda. It would help the cause of truth. Two sciences or fields of study could be created: prejudiceology and discriminology.
~ Idea 2625 ~Dear reader, never forget that one idea leads to another; therefore never cease to have ideas, great ones and little ones, but always good positive ones. And do not forget to write them down. Just read my story "The Cleanest Mile on Earth" in Volume III, Annex to Part V. And remember Leonardo da Vinci and the notebook he always carried on his belt. We can all become world observers like him, even better ones since much more of the world has become known and observable.
~ Idea 2626 ~What a deep feeling of love and gratitude it is for me to know that after fifty years of service with the United Nations I can now work more freely and more passionately than ever for peace and a better world. I thank God for it every day. Please dear retired people, devote yourself to good causes of humanity and of the Earth. You will be recompensed with untold happiness and will live longer lives. Why? Because you will want to live longer and will keep away from any thoughts of sickness and of getting old. Why? Because you have no time to be sick or to get old, not even to think of it. There remains so much to do!
I also found the following advantage in writing 3000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World and in continuing to write more:
whenever I feel depressed by the state of the world and inclined to give up, all I have to do is seize one of my volumes and read a few pages and I am quickly uplifted, optimistic and hopeful again. Please write down your ideas and dreams too, send them, network them to friends and authorities, have them published or self-publish them and you will find a tremendous uplifting. Do not consider yourself retired but refired!
~ Idea 2627 ~We have entered an age when great new ideas can be formulated and spread very quickly all around the world. Why not seize this opportunity and make this Earth the Planet of Dreams and Ideas for our further successful, happy, grand evolution, thus fulfilling the expectations of the universe and God.
~ Idea 2628 ~Someone might say: Who are you to come up with new words such as peacetruments and naturements? My answer: Well, business does it every day in thousands of ways. I just took some eye drops and they are called Visine. Social workers and sciences should imitate business and come up with many new words.
~ Idea 2629 ~There must be some fundamental changes in human vocabulary to reflect the changes in values which must take place if we want to save the Earth and survive.
For example, we have only the words economic progress, almost never of economic regress.Enormous Earth digging machines are called Earth moving equipment, never Earth destroying or wounding machines.
To build a new highway is always called construction, never destruction.
There are innumerable more examples all around us, multiplied millions of times world-wide, endlessly paid by advertisement, marketing and business.
~ Idea 2630 ~To come up with new ideas and dreams makes you feel young for it is in the nature of youth to have ideas and dreams. At the age of seventy-seven I feel younger than ever. It is an entirely new youth which I would exchange for my earlier youth only if I could keep all the information and experience gained during my later life.
~ Idea 2631 ~When one thinks of the magnitude of basic common services of local communities, of cities, of provinces and of nations all financed through taxation, one is flabbergasted that nothing similar whatsoever exists for the Earth, her fate, her peace, her preservation and beautification. And this happens at the moment of history and evolution when the fate of the Earth and of the entire human race are in question. We need a world energy grid, world water grids, a world atmospheric protection, a world natural and humanmade disasters relief organization, common world funds to face emergencies, etc. But again, for this I will be called an unrealistic dreamer, a fool whose ideas will never come true. Well, the future will judge. And let us remember that the first Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to Jan Tinbergen, the Dutch economist who advocated the creation of World Public Services. Please young economists, study his works.
~ Idea 2632 ~Why did noone listen to me when I conceived and convened in 1979 the first United Nations World Conference on Climate? It was ignored or ridiculed by the press and by the powerful businesses which rule the world. Well twenty years later the subject begins to appear finally in the press. I was also unable to obtain so far the transformation of the UN Meteorological Organization into a World Climate Organization, but I will not give up.
When I write such statements the words of George Washington come back to my mind: "The primary cause of all disorders lies in the different state governments and in the tenacity of that power that pervades the whole of their systems." Today he would replace the words state governments by national governments.
~ Idea 2633 ~Countries which still have militaries should transform and train them for useful civilian tasks. For example, to be of immediate help in case of natural disasters. I say 'immediate' the same way as they are trained to respond with lightening speed to military attacks or threats. For example, in the case of the icing disaster in the Province of Quebec, Canada in 1998 the military appeared with their electric generators only after several days. The mayor of a town appealed to the militaries to assure the security of deserted households whose occupants had to flee to refuge centers. They never responded to that appeal.
Yes, why not transform all militaries into emergency forces and even better merge them with police forces into peace forces placed under the authority of a Minister of Peace?
~ Idea 2634 ~I can deeply love my family, my neighborhood, my city, my province and my nation but why should it stop there? Why not embrace also the entire great human family and the tremendous Earth, our home? They should be a deep love of mine too. This would change the world and lead to the non-killing of human brothers from other nations. Let us make love for the Earth and for the entire humanity a new fundamental human progress, right, ideal and duty in the next century and millennium.
~ Idea 2635 ~No government on Earth tolerates that conflicts inside the nation should be settled with arms on both sides, one winning the war, being a hero, celebrating the victory every year and teaching the children about it. There would be cries of horror if governments tolerated that.
And yet, that is the situation which prevails in the world between nations who spend half of all their expenses to keep and train armies and accumulate world-wide endangering armaments, celebrating victories and heroes, teaching them in schools etc.
Where is the logic in all this? And we call ourselves the most intelligent species on Earth. I do not believe that any other species would be so illogical, so self-defeating.
We must put an end to this world-wide nonsense. If not, we will perish.
~ Idea 2636 ~The Earth is our capital, the most precious, marvelous and vastness of all. Take nature and the Earth away and all the capitalists' wealth and money in the banks would not be worth a penny. Why shouldn't at least some of us say that we are more than ecologists and environmentalists, that we are Earth capitalists?
And since the Earth is our principal most important capital and not financial capital let us launch a world-wide movement and regime of Earth or eco-capitalism (eco: from the Greek word oikos, meaning the home). It would create surprising results and might save the Earth:
The Earth:"I congratulate you, dear Robert. Now you are talking."
~ Idea 2637 ~I would like to see statistics of how many Masters Degrees of Peace are given by universities in the world and compare them with the number of Masters Degrees in Business, Marketing, Advertisement, Public Relations, and military degrees. The result would be an eye, mind and action opener on the retardedness of our current generation's education.
~ Idea 2638 ~Similarly, statistics on university degrees on production, development, economics, marketing and advertisement should be published side by side with degrees on simple, frugal living and consumption in the world (underconsumption in the poor countries, overconsumption in the rich). It would be a significant eye opener too.
~ Idea 2639 ~In several of my ideas I have suggested that the experiences and wisdom of elderly, 'retired' people should be sought, studied and implemented when favorable to our future evolution (see for example Ideas 2157 to 2160).
It suddenly occurs to me that not a single university on Earth is studying and teaching the wisdom of the elders. This should be done from the family and all human groups to the top of world institutions. What a tremendous contribution it would be to the further wise evolution of this planet. They could tell us what is good or bad, what is ethical and unethical at all levels of society. In the United Nations noone asks for the views, the ideas of retired officials. I had to do it entirely on my own, even self-publishing these volumes out of my pension while working for the UN University for Peace for one dollar a year.
This should become a major new human field of wisdomology, contributing to the need for the universology of our evolution.
~ Idea 2640 ~Values have a tendency to become wrong as time passes but this is denied by those who benefit from them: slavery, racism, colonialism and apartheid were typical examples. Today it is excessive business, overpopulation, overconsumption, overadvertisement and overwaste which have become the new evils.
In addition 'systems', 'structures', 'institutions' and 'governments' become more and more outdated but they are so deeply entrenched and holding to their power and benefits that they refuse to change and adapt to the new requirements of evolution. Fundamentalist, total national sovereignty in our global world is a typical example. No wonder that national govenments have been overtaken by big global business corporations.
As a result today, at the dawn of the 21st century and 3rd millennium, the whole system of our planet's governance and administration is so wrong, so stiff, so rigid that many believe that only a major collapse or revolution will finally lead to needed reforms. What a troublesome future is expecting us for this lack of foresight and wisdom!
~ Idea 2641 ~My God, if someone would add up all the unnecessary products, services, constructions, armaments, waste and junk produced on this planet and deduct the total from the famous gross national product there would not be much left. And to think that all this is considered a 'product', something 'positive', admirable, not negative. Economics will someday be remembered as one of the worst, thank God temporary, dismal sciences on Earth.
~ Idea 2642 ~We must deny the right to any person, group or institution on Earth to claim sovereignty, to be infallible. But the game goes on: after ending the sovereignty of kings and kingdoms in favor of the people it is now nations which claim sovereignty. Why stop at nations? Why not humanity as the sovereign, the Earth the sovereign? It is the same with infallibility. Why should the Pope be infallible, never make a mistake and refuse to annul or amend a Papal Bull written hundreds of years ago asking to subdue the American indigenous people ?
Sovereignty and infallibility are the two most disastrous ingredients of today's human society. They must be subject to very strict scrutiny, watched and eliminated from the entire structure of social and political relations. Adaptation to the requirements of further evolution should be the rule.
~ Idea 2643 ~Yes, a main obstacle to further progress on this planet is the heaviness and non-adaptability of institutions to evolution. You cannot solve new problems with institutions created to solve old problems. In the new, accelerated circumstances and problems of planet Earth we need the suppression of old institutions (e.g. the military), the adaptation of others to new conditions as well as entirely new institutions. Corporations can be as bad, if not worse than public institutions because they were conceived in a past time too and often rush into new productions and activities which can be disastrous to the future of the Earth.
The challenges are so big that humanity prefers to close its eyes and ignore them. This might create much unprecedented troubles, the kind of which we have never seen before. Please governments, for heaven's, the Earth' and humanity's sake, wake up before it is too late.
~ Idea 2644 ~There exists no geoplanning (gaiaplanning) for planet Earth. All goes forward in a haphazard way. We must absolutely create this new discipline, like local provincial, and national planning. We need an intelligent, forwardlooking and concerned science and planning for the entire Earth and its future. An Earth University of Geoplanning should also be created.
~ Idea 2645 ~I sometimes feel that it would be better to close the United Nations and its 32 specialized agencies and world programs so that humanity would realize in what deep trouble the world would be and not make the weak, insufficient UN the scapegoat of it. For example the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Agenda 21 to save the environment has not been implemented by governments. A special session of the UN General Assembly was convened in 1996 to see why this was so and if it could not be changed. The results were nil. I attended it, to see it with my own eyes, trying in vain to convince delegates.
So, rather than hide the real culprits of the world crisis - namely governments, the United States at the head - closing the UN would reveal to humanity what the real situation is and who the real culprits are. It might be the only way to give humanity an honest, truthful picture of the world situation at the dawn of the 3rd millennium and lead to an urgently, desperately needed new world system of government infinitely better and more effective than the weak United Nations.
If I were the Secretary General of the UN I would propose to the heads of states in the September 2000 General Assembly that the United Nations be closed, if no serious reform is undertaken. That shock treatment might create a reaction and save the future of the Earth and humanity.
Here is an editorial that summarizes the situation. (Regarding Biosafety Protocol see also my Idea 2015):
EDITORIALfrom the WorldWatch magazine (May•June 1999) of the WorldWatch InstituteWashington, D.C.The Failure of US Leadership
As the last remaining superpower, the United States is afforded countless opportunities to take a leadership role in international agreements that affect the health and security of the planet. Unfortunately, the US government has not only failed time and again to provide leadership, but has actively obstructed forward-thinking protocols - whether because of the ideological fanaticism of its representatives, exaggerated concerns over national sovereignty, or unwillingness to accept costs to itself. Consider the following cases:
•The Landmines Treaty: As one of three major landmine producers, the United States continues to withhold its support of an internationally acclaimed treaty to ban the use and production of these weapons. While it pays lip service to the treaty's goals, the United States insists its continued use of landmines is necessary - though the majority of those killed or maimed by these weapons are women and children.
•The Kyoto Protocol: The United States has yet to ratify the Kyoto accord and commit to reducing CO2 emissions - a step lawmakers are reluctant to take since the US economy might "suffer" in accommodating the reductions. Senator Jesse Helms, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is unwilling to acknowledge the support of most Americans for this accord. He has asked the president to submit it to the Senate so that it can be rejected.
•International Family Planning: US support of family-planning aids and education has been gutted, again in large part because of Senator Helms - in this case due to his ideological opposition to abortion. By using abortion as an excuse to withhold funds, a misguided minority is actually causing more abortions to occur, and is preventing basic health care and education from reaching countries where infant and maternal mortality remain high along with birth rates.
•The Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity: Earlier this year the United States led six nations with significant investments in genetically modified crops in undermining a biosafety protocol meant to protect global biodiversity and human health against potential harm these goods might cause - even with 132 nations in favor of strict controls (see Environmental Intelligence, page 10). Although not a party to the Convention, and therefore not allowed to participate officially, the US "observers" have thus far succeeded in blocking even minimal constraints on trade.
•The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: The United States is one of only two countries in the world (the other is Somalia) that do not support this effort to secure health, education, and safety for all children.
The United States' foreign policy, predicated on intractable ideology, isolationism, and economic self-interest, threatens global health and security. It is time for the country to use its influence to promote, rather than obstruct, progressive international agreements.
Anne SmithLibrary and Office AssistantWORLDWATCH May/June 1999
~ Idea 2646 ~We are making good progress for the idea of a world-wide energy grid which would equip and use all great, still unused hydro-electrical potentials in the high mountains of the Earth and bring at long last electricity to all peoples of the world. The grid would use not only hydro-electric power but also all other sources of energy, solar, geothermal, eolian and sea tide energy and would take advantage of the rotation of the Earth and the alternate days and nights (see Index and ideas 250 and 946). It excludes atomic energy which reatomizes dangerously the planet. This idea was launched by the United Nations already thirty years ago. It is actively pursued by GENI (Global Energy Network International) in San Diego, California.
We should think of more world grids like that. There is a world-wide web. Let us have many world-wide grids and webs. For instance, why not have a world-wide natural disasters warning grid, a world-wide climatic changes warning web, world-wide water, world-wide violence, world-wide sea shores grids and a world-wide consultative grid between all heads of states, between the heads of all polices of the world, etc.? Please dear reader, come up with more such ideas, write them down, promote them and recommend them to your representative in parliament.
~ Idea 2647 ~The United States government is on the way of becoming the least admirable, ideologically retarded government in the world. It is likely to be the main if not sole culprit of the destruction of the Earth. Noone should admire and imitate it indiscriminately anymore. I am not speaking of the American people but of its so-called democratic government.
~ Idea 2648 ~The US still refuses to pay its dues to the United Nations budget. Reason given: there is a group in Congress that opposes it because of the UN's pro-abortion policy. Comments:
1. There is no pro-abortion UN policy. There is only a population control and birth prevention policy, recommending that people in the poor countries should be taught how to limit the number of their children.
2. The US should be the first country in the world to actively promote, support and finance a world population control and reduction of the world population.
3. The anti-abortion argument is only a front coverage. The US people be better aware of this.
Strangely enough the US government doesn't want to end the UN. It wants to keep it in the weakest possible state and on US soil in order to control it and avoid the birth of a much more powerful world organization which would be created if the UN disappears.
A walk out of the US from the UN would be a solution. Since the US walked out of UNESCO that organization apparently functions much better. It would be even more the case of the UN where practically any new proposal, vision or recommendation is defeated by the US government (see Idea 2645). This should be seriously looked into. The fate of the world depends on it.
I would be ready to hold the above views before the US Congress and General Assembly of the UN.
~ Idea 2649 ~In Idea 1490 I recommended a yearly submission to the UN General Assembly of a report on new evils, injustices, corruptions, robberies and exploitations of defenseless people around the world. Advertisement should be added to it as being to a large degree a new global evil.
~ Idea 2650 ~Due to humanity's incredible knowledge from the infinitely large to the infinitely small, of the universe, of our solar system, of our planet, of humanity, of all living species, animal and vegetal, etc. we need not only to look into global problems and relations but also into totalities.
This has not yet taken place. The UN should create a Committee on Totalities or Wholisms. I could see developed sciences and education of many wholisms or totalities, e.g.
The totality of the universe (universology)The totality of the Earth (Earthology)The totality of the art of living (livingology)etc.
and built on their optima:
The optimum management of the EarthThe optimum art of livingetc.
~ Idea 2651 ~Nowadays, our Earth is not a planet of optimum fulfillment. It is on the road of an optimum waste production and Earth destruction.
~ Idea 2652 ~In a hundred years people around the world will have accumulated in their households so much furniture, 'goods', souvenirs, books, toys and other products that sales will have to take place no longer in garages but in airports, on football, baseball fields and golf courses.
And when life will have come to an end on this planet outer space visitors will find on it the most incredible accumulated quantities of useless, abandoned objects, materials, buildings and machinery.
~ Idea 2653 ~Humankind has acquired an enormous knowledge of the universe, of our solar system, of our planetary home, of itself, of the miracle of human life, but there still remain some big gaps to be filled, in particular:
A full knowledge of right relationships and of totalitiesA better knowledge of our meaning and role in time, in evolution
These two gaps are the cause of most of our current wrong, chaotic, irrational behaviors.I recommend therefore a strengthening of all departments and chairs of evolution and the creation of holistic departments or departments of totalities and relationships in all universities.
Regarding the United Nations I have already recommended that it should be transformed into the Earth and Human Evolutionary Organization.
The above reflects the contemporary preoccupation with the absence of 'wholism'. Yes, wholism in space and in time is absolutely vital. Without it, humanity and Earth will be in deep trouble and will perish.
Business has been the first to realize and take advantage of wholism in space. It is called globalization. Having gained this monopoly, big business is against the globalization of anything else, especially of government which might control it. This might bring the end of this Earth.
~ Idea 2654 ~What a miracle it is to be alive! Parents should repeat it to their children every day, show them how they are a miracle and how they can become an even greater one. At least this is taught in the Robert Muller Schools and in their early beginnings program in which pregnant mothers tell this daily to the child they have in their womb. Here is what Pablo Casals says:
"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again...And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France.
When will we also teach them what they are?
We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move.
You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?
You must work - we must all work - to make the world worthy of its children."
~ Idea 2655 ~The United States as a country is losing its validity as a world model and leader under the curse of its excessive, totalitarian economic ideals and beliefs. The end of the Roman Empire was little compared with what might be the end of the US Empire in the next fifty years. The US extreme right will repeat the episode of the League of Nations which led to Hitler, Mussolini and World War II. We are at the beginning of it: World War III, the war against nature and the Earth, the biggest ever.
~ Idea 2656 ~The famous French Revolutionary leader Count Mirabeau shouted: "De l' audace, de l' audace et encore de l' audace." Audacity, audacity and still more audacity.
Today the revolutionaries against our obsolete world political system, our wrong Earth-destructive economics, our world lawlessness and spiritualessness, the increasing distance between the rich and the poor in the world and inside countries will similarly shout:
Audacity, audacity, and still more audacity. It has started with the people's demonstration in Seattle against the World Trade Organization.
~ Idea 2657 ~The Earth:"Robert, as I sit next to you in your car I see sometimes signs on highway saying, "Construction places, double fines". What does that mean?"
I:"It means that construction is going on and if any driver does an infraction he has to pay a double penalty."
The Earth:"But what they do is not construction, but destroying me. Of the millions of miles of highways in the world they should have at least some with signs, "No Destruction for 100 Miles. Litter and damages to the Earth will be fined."
~ Idea 2658 ~I will never understand that big, air polluting, litter polluted American highways are called John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King highways, etc. These two men must be turning in their tombs at the thought of it. I'm surprised that builders do not dare to give them names such as Jesus highway, Holy Mary highway, St. Francis highway, etc. Soon they will.
~ Idea 2659 ~When you take a highway between big US cities, for example between Los Angeles and San Diego just count the number of banks in highrises and skyscrapers you see from far in those cities. Is this where they invest the people's savings?
~ Idea 2660 ~We should abolish the words 'construction' and 'destruction' and replace them by Earthenhancement, meaning manmade changes which are enhancing the Earth and the lives of her children...
As I wrote this the Earth appeared to me and said all excited:
"You're right. I'm not against humans. How could I? You are my children. You are all earth and water of mine. You are my most advanced evolved, successful species. This is why I am so mad when I see teams of you with big bulldozers and trucks appear and destroy me without the slightest thought for me. Could not the planners sit down with me, listen to me and plan together places of living in which my children would be happy and I would be even more beautiful? We could thus avoid these monstrous accumulations of mass constructed cities dominated by stupid, meaningless, sky-insulting-scrapers swimming in an almost permanent yellow brown sea of pollution. Is that the idea of human progress? You should propose the creation of a new UN World Agency for Happy, Beautiful, Healthy Earthenhancement."
~ Idea 2661 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, I am jumping with joy at thinking that the western population, which is the most destructive, will diminish by forty to fifty million between now and the year 2050. This is fantastic, a real turning point. Just multiply by forty million the yearly mountains of refuse created by one American during his lifetime, namely four thousand times his weight: the figure is 160 billion tons! The western waste disposal industry will have a dark future with this diminishing of the western population."
I:Yes, but the bad news is that the poor population of the world will increase from 4.7 billion to 7.7 billion by the year 2050 and the western and multinational corporations are now targeting them with marketing and advertisement as the new, biggest consumer markets in the world.
The Earth:"So I cannot win. I cannot survive, it seems."
I:Apparently not. But I and many others are doing the best to save you. Continue to smile and to bring us beauty, happiness and common sense. Please note also that a World Party of Natural Law conceived by scientists exists now in more than one hundred countries. These parties advocate that we must govern ourselves and you, the Earth according to the laws of nature, your laws. This is a new, great blessing. "You must see yourself as the great legislator of the Earth and humanity? You better prepare yourself.
~ Idea 2662 ~A lot of damage is caused to the Earth by our mis-admirations: the young people on their shiny, powerful motorcycles are happy to cause admiration and envy. They seek it by driving as fast as possible and making the maximum noise, without a glimpse of concern for pollution.
There are lists of many other examples like that around the world.
Well, we should make it a point:
Not to admire rich people;Not to admire their mansions, their luxury cars, their yachts which all required elements from the Earth to be built;Not to admire politicians in high position who seek only glory, re-election and the applause of the people.
We should develop a new science, strategy, education and methodology of right admirations for what is really beneficial and admirable to the Earth and humanity. Perhaps a new science called 'admirology' is needed.
~ Idea 2663 ~A new distinction of countries should be between
underdeveloped, undestroyed countriesoverdeveloped, half-destroyed countries
~ Idea 2664 ~People should refuse to go to sports events in the middle of big cites adding to traffic jams and air pollution. All major sports events should be held in the middle of nature were it only because the competitors and their performance would benefit from more oxygen.
~ Idea 2665 ~The Earth:"Thanks God, I kept two-thirds of the Earth under water. If I had uncovered it you humans would have already destroyed most of it."
I:"Yes, this was probably your greatest way to put a limit to man's greed for possessions and destructive power. But look what is happening to your waters: the wastes and chemicals dumped into them, killing many marine species. More and more ocean waters near coasts are dumps devoid of life and have been declared dead zones.
One of my daughters who is an ocean biologist often repeats to me that the earlier the human species disappears the better it will be for the preservation of the seas and oceans and the further evolution of the Earth."
~ Idea 2666 ~I wish that many more books of thousands of ideas and dreams were written for a better world in many fields. I could see such volumes of ideas and dreams for a better environment, for preventing violence, for a better education, for ethical business, for truthful media, for happiness, hope, thanksgiving, spirituality, forgiveness etc.
~ Idea 2667 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, I just learned that the General Commander and Chief of the United States Strategic Command cannot be more than three rings away from a telephone to be ready to execute an order from the President to use nuclear weapons! Is this the ultimate intelligence of the human species? Do you think your long evolution from the state of apes to this was worthwhile? Can't you agree with me that the whole human species is becoming an evolutionary misfit and that it should either fundamentally change course or die out as quickly as possible?"
I:"I am speechless. Perhaps you are right and I might just be an old, irrational, crazy, retarded, optimistic fool."
~ Idea 2668 ~The United States of America (USA) should change its name into UBCA, the United Business Crazy America.
~ Idea 2669 ~Sooner or later nuclear weapons will be used by some country. This will create havoc and might lead to the end of the human race. But as long as the US will insist to keep its own nuclear arsenal as the great moral judge and arbiter of the world it should have no illusion that all other countries will get rid of theirs. Nuclear disarmament and all disarmament of the Earth must be total under a new regime of Earth security translated into practice by a proper Earth government and the global security system called for by the UN Charter.
~ Idea 2670 ~Non-governmental organizations represent nowadays such large numbers of awakened peace and Earth loving people that they should, in addition to international associations,
1. create national associations of non-governmental organizations with a joint common, substantial secretariat to take positions on issues of concern to them in government, parliaments and world organizations;
2. hold hearings with political candidates and support those whose platforms they approve and combat those with wrong, retrograde, damaging agendas.
~ Idea 2671 ~Cities should devise a number of incentives to reduce gasoline consumption, i.e. production of carbon dioxide. For example, annual rewards should be given to cars which use the least gasoline per mileage, e.g. the Volkswagen or the new electric cars. Or are their Mayors counting on higher revenues from gasoline sales?
~ Idea 2672 ~It will be quite a different world when as much attention, investigation, imagination and work will be devoted by humans to save, heal, beautify and increase the life of the Earth as they devote today to save, heal, beautify and increase the life of humans. Why not create an Earth health science, an Earth Health Organization and Earth Health Ministries in all countries?
~ Idea 2673 ~The hyper-materialistic soulless western type society might get into such a collapse that the religions should prepare themselves to be turned to by billions of helpless people all over the world.
~ Idea 2674 ~Executive national governments work for their own interests and not for the world and humanity. To break their monopoly over the United Nations I repeat, repeat and repeat that the UN should be opened to parliamentarians, to people's elected representatives. A United Nations Consultative Parliamentary Assembly should be created by the heads of state at the year 2000 General Assembly. It could lead to a substantial strengthening of the United Nations and to the creation of a world union following the precedent of the European Consultative Parliament which forced the reluctant executives of Europe's national governments to accept and to cooperate in the creation of a borderless European Union of fifteen nations.
~ Idea 2675 ~The non-governmental associations in the world should create in the year 2000 a World Peoples' Organization which would function parallel to the United Nations which has no people's representation, only national government executives. It would become one of the greatest democratic organizations on Earth. This would be better than to receive a watered-down insignificant representation in the United Nations.
~ Idea 2676 ~Most people on Earth are concerned with local affairs and at best national affairs but much less with world global affairs which are the most perilous, vastest, biggest problems humans were ever confronted with and on which the cooperation of all humans is needed. I recommend therefore that in each city and populated area a House of Global Problems and Concerns should be created.
~ Idea 2677 ~There is great need for a UN World Transportation Agency covering all transports. The International Maritime Cooperation Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization should be integrated into it. For a long time transport was considered a purely national or at best continental affair. This is no longer the case. All transports have become international, world-wide. Humanity must absolutely ensure the proper coordination of all transports. We need world statistics of mileages covered, of accidents, of carbon dioxides emitted, of transport impediments, etc. It is almost inconceivable that due to national governments opposition I was unable to obtain the creation of a United Nations World Transport Agency when I was a UN high official. Perhaps the time is ripe, highly urgent now.
~ Idea 2678 ~To help save the environment a World Day of Non-driving should be declared. On such a day driving should be permitted only in special cases of urgency.
~ Idea 2679 ~De-contraction and relaxation are ways to avoid having resort to stimulants which lead to more toxification. The answer to alcoholism as Confucius said: "You drink the first cup and the second cup drinks you."
It takes twenty-one days to change a habit. Concentrate on it, detoxification will follow and the need for toxifying intakes will vanish. How about correcting wrong values toxification? Not to watch TV and not to read newspaper for twenty-one days would be one of the ways. You would find your precious self and happiness again.
~ Idea 2680 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, if you love me, if you want to help me you should recommend the creation of a World Organization of Islands. It should include small and medium sized islands, not big ones like the United Kingdom. Its members could be independent or part of another country.
Why this prayer to you? Because most of these islands are remnants of my beauty and nature, but for how long? They will be invaded by the rich who made a fortune destroying me elsewhere but want to live on these rightly named 'islands'. They are already the target of big builders who want to make money and attract people to live there and will become victims of world tourism. The result will be a further destruction of my nature. They should therefore associate, organize themselves, see what is going on, learn from each other, protect their beauty, nature and security and remain 'islands and models of sanity'. Please dear Robert, do something for that."
I:"Yes, I will but why do you always turn to me and not to the United States which is your main enemy in all that? I remember that three decades ago I succeeded against American opposition to make of the Union of Official Tourism Organizations a United Nations Tourism Agency but the US succeeded in giving it a secondary status. That organization does not even report to the United Nations. Perhaps, the government of Tonga, a country of several islands, which became the 188th member of the UN, could be the leader of the action you wish to be taken. Slip it into the dreams of the heads of government of all the island countries."
~ Idea 2681 ~Since business and building have become the main destroyers of the Earth I see only one effective remedy: western parents should decide no longer to have any children or only one or two. Thank God it is happening. For the first time the western population of the world will diminish by forty million people between now and the year 2050.
The Earth:"You see, I am not inactive. I do influence the people in their dreams."
~ Idea 2682 ~The whole work of the United Nations on human rights should be reconceived under six main headings:
1. Human Rights, proper2. Human Duties and Responsibilities*3. Non-rights (see Ideas 1741 and 1751)4. Rights of Future Generations5. Rights of the Earth, Nature and all living species'6. Implementation in all sectors
*(See Index under Declarations: Declaration of Human Duties, Responsibilities towards Air, Atmosphere, Earth as a whole, etc.)
~ Idea 2683 ~We cannot continue to accept that every five hours a species becomes extinct on our planet.
A positive step would be to adopt and proclaim a United Nations Declaration of the Rights to Live of All Living Species.
~ Idea 2684 ~Personal happiness, health and life fulfillment are a contribution to world happiness, health and life fulfillment. It makes humans contributing agents of a peaceful, happier, ideal, fulfilled world.
This is why as a world servant I recommend that each government should create a Ministry of Happiness and Life Fulfillment. The effects would be so beneficial.
~ Idea 2685 ~Scientists claim that they can now increase a human being's average life to 125 years. My God, what a new global problem this will represent! The UN needs to convene soonest a second World Conference on Aging. Mrs. Julia Alvarez, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic and I were responsible for convening the first one in 1982. It forecast that as a result of increased longevity and the number of old people, the social security systems of governments would run into deep trouble by the year 2020. This is becoming more and more evident.
~ Idea 2686 ~In some big US cities there are now early morning signal alerts regarding transportation and traffic jams.
I suggest that the UN should begin to broadcast every day World Signal Alerts regarding various trouble spots in the world, of human or natural origin. The International Radio for Peace could broadcast them.
~ Idea 2687 ~
I wonder how much oxygen loss the lawn mowers of this planet are causing, grass being prevented from reaching full growth. Add to this the carbon dioxide these machines emit into the air. Again one of those modern technological inventions, widely promoted to allow the producers to become rich. For what? To decapitate grass and make us lose large quantities of oxygen. And the noise they make has been identified as a cause of deafness of elderly people. Degrassification must be added to deforestation as an environmental concern.
~ Idea 2688 ~Napoleon was one of the great geniuses of this planet but for the wrong causes, namely conquests and unlimited power. If he were reborn today he would make himself the genius of world peace, human fulfillment and of the most beautiful, well-preserved planet in the universe. He would create world law for that as he did at the time national law almost single-handed.
Who will be the transcended, peaceful Napoleon of the 21st century? Any candidates? Why doesn't any head of state have that dream? How narrow, limited and unambitious they are!
~ Idea 2689 ~The youth of the world should request the adoption by the United Nations of a new fundamental human right:
the right to the abolition of all armies, militaries and armaments on Earth as vast, potential killing elements of humans and of the Earth, the savings being used to heal the Earth and fulfill humanity.
Please young people, unite yourselves in a World Youth Movement requesting it.
~ Idea 2690 ~I wonder how many hundreds of thousands of bulldozers are busy around the world and around the clock destroying the Earth under the name of construction.
Who possesses this world statistic? If you have it, please send it to me and to the UN Environment Program.
~ Idea 2691 ~I'm afraid that the world will see the repetition of the drama after World War I when the US Congress did not ratify and join the League of Nations, thus helping the rise to power of communism, Hitler and Mussolini and finally World War II.
The US government will not agree to a strengthened United Nations or a new world organization. It refuses to implement most of the decisions of the UN, even those on the environment. It thinks only of its own power, will and ideology.
The result will be much havoc. It also closes the great opportunities which offer themselves to conceive and plan for a better new century, millennium and proper Earth government.
~ Idea 2692 ~Perhaps I have invented a new method of democracy: the creation of a one person democratic way. How did I do it?
- to accept, after my retirement from the UN, the volunteer position of Chancellor of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica for one-dollar-a-year
- to accept to deliver innumerable speeches around the world, rarely receiving a fee for them.
- to write endless essays, exhortations*, articles and books, including these 3000 ideas self-published with my pension.
- to lead the most simple and frugal life in order to save on my pension and to add to my years of life. Thus I had already fifteen years of additional life since my retirement, devoted to daily work for peace.
- to write down my experiences in these 3000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World; to extract excerpts from them on a host of world problems, sending them to many leaders and people and distributing them during my speeches.
- to answer every letter I receive from around the world giving my correspondents ideas to act upon.
- to write to heads of states, to the UN Secretary General, to Nobel Prize winners and people in high positions around the world, giving them ideas and recommending specific actions.
All this was capped by many miraculous coincidences and circumstances arranged by God, by the invisible forces of the universe or by the souls of unemployed saints floating around this planet.
All this was topped by an incredible personal happiness, a deep sense of satisfaction and an excellent health still at the age of seventy-seven.
When I look back I just cannot believe what one single person can do. It goes beyond my imagination. There must be definitely other forces involved.
* For example the following one which went around the world in several languages:
Decide to networkUse every letter you writeEvery conversation you haveEvery meeting you attendTo express your fundamental beliefs and dreamsAffirm to others the vision of the world you want.
Network through thoughtNetwork through actionNetwork through loveNetwork through the spirit.
You are the center of a networkYou are the center of the worldYou are a free, immensely powerful sourceof life and goodness.
Affirm itSpread itRadiate itThink day and night about itAnd you will see a miracle happen...the Greatness of your own life.In a world of big powers, media, and monopoliesBut of six billion individualsNetworking is the new freedom, the new democracyA new form of happiness.Robert Muller
~ Idea 2693 ~The Earth:"The UN Development Program's report for 1998 contains for the first time a chapter on the World Runaway Consumption Explosion. Thank God that it does.
But it is too short and contains this statement: "Abundance of consumption is no crime." This is wrong for me, the Earth. The colossal consumption by humans of unnecessary products and services is a crime against me.
Why do you humans always look at things from your point of view, never from mine, forgetting that you come one hundred percent from me, live one hundred percent on my elements and resources and will return to me at your death? Why can't you judge things from our common point of view, essentially mine since you are only a small part of me?"
I:It will come. A few big ecological crises will teach us.
~ Idea 2694 ~To be our own we must free ourselves from all the inputs directed, advertised, almost forced upon us by outside power and wealth holders and seekers:
wrong foodswrong liquidsdepressing newswrong sights and images
There is a colossal invasion of individuals by outside forces until nothing is left of our self, of our true nature, vocation and mission in life. By freeing ourselves from the destructive market forces targeted at us we also help the Earth from being destroyed by all the wrong products made with her resources, and we thus perform an important global duty of world survival.
~ Idea 2695 ~Each human being is a miracle created by God or by cosmic forces of energy acting on this planet over millions of years through reproduction and the transmission of knowledge and experience recorded in genes.
That miraculous entity touches, looks, hears, observes, reads, learns from the outside world and thus lives informed by it. If that outside world is detrimental to the planet and humanity's natural evolution he will not be a normal but a programmed being conditioned by wrong values. Astrophysicist Chaisson and Nobel Prize biologist Christian De Duve are therefore right with their theory which is the following:
On any planet having life in the universe there is one life form which reaches at some point the stage of possessing a total knowledge of that planet and a knowledge reaching deep and far into the universe from the infinitely small to the infinitely large. When this stage is reached the entire future evolution of that planet will depend on that species. If it continues to live and operate on the basis of the past values which led it to that knowledge and does not acquire the necessary new evolutionary values, then the whole evolution of that planet will come to an end.
Well, we have reached that stage on planet Earth. Nowadays most influences on us are bad or wrong from an evolutionary point of view, dating from 19th century conditions, thinking and ideologies when the human population was small and the resources of the planet unexploited. Today these conditions are totally different. As a result new values such as human respect for the environment and the future of the Earth have been born, but they still represent only a minimal part of the values prevailing on our Earth.
The first duty of the individual cosmic units we are is therefore to isolate ourselves as much as possible from these still prevalent, obsolete, external wrong values by not letting them in, neither by seeing, touching, consuming, reading or buying them.
The theories of Chaisson and De Duve are also confirmed by anthropologist Dr. Philip Tobias from South Africa who has come to the conclusion from his long-term studies of the evolution of the human being that the western race is now in a process of de-humanizing itself and that the only remaining true humans will be the indigenous people and the Africans.
~ Idea 2696 ~Perhaps our salvation can come from the recently born Natural Law Party created by British scientists and existing already in more than a hundred countries. That party is also the third party, growing rapidly, in the United States where during the 1999 elections it presented 2200 congressional candidates. This party correctly holds the view that by observing closely nature we will be guided by her laws and through her, made conscious of the cosmic evolution of which we are part. The leader of the US party, John Hagelin has written a simple, very understandable book entitled Perfect Government through Natural Law.
~ Idea 2697 ~Someone should seek and publish the estimates of scientists and futurists on how long life will continue on this planet until it becomes extinct as a result of our current wrongdoings and values. This should be submitted to the summit meeting of heads of states at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2000. The conference of the world's best long-term evolutionary scientists, futurists and visionaries convened in the summer of 2000 in Seattle by the Foundation for the Future in Bellevue, State of Washington, should provide that summit with such an estimate.
~ Idea 2698 ~A lady next to me on an airplane has a big volume of materials entitled Navigational Investments in the 21st Century. It meant investments in world airlines and other navigational activities on planet Earth. I, for my part was writing 3000 Ideas for a Better World, i.e. for the navigation of the human species on planet Earth. Which of the two will have the better chance?
~ Idea 2699 ~I have been an enemy of Coca Cola since I learned many years ago at the United Nations that it contained a drug to make the people addicted to it. The United States, like all governments was under obligation to tell the UN what the amount of that drug was but it consistently refused to give that information. Then one day it announced that Coca Cola no longer contained any drug anymore. This was when sufficient people were addicted to it.
My opposition to soft drinks was also because they contain carbon dioxide which we do not want to have in the air but which we let enter into our body.
In September 1999, when spending a week at an Optimum Health Center in San Diego, California I learned that soft drinks leave health-damaging traces of toxic carbon dioxide on the walls of our intestines.
I go therefore one step further and recommend that all carbonated so-called 'soft' drinks should be prohibited by the UN, World Health Organization and all governments in the world.
The Earth to me:"That is a wonderful idea. My innumerable sources of natural, fresh water and my fruit trees would rejoice at such a decision."
~ Idea 2700 ~This planet is being raped by capitalism, big-powerism, excessive materialism and persistent national sovereignism.
What are the ways out of this situation? I have indicated many of them in these 3000 ideas. Will they be implemented? Who will have the courage, the audacity to do it, or at least to try?
The outcome rests largely on you, dear reader. Each human being has a stake in it. Six billion people can achieve a lot. Tell your political representatives, your local and national leaders which ideas you want to be implemented. You might get surprising results. Good leaders too are looking for ways out, for good, hopeful ideas supported by the people. Please help these 3000 ideas not to become a waste and loss of time. I beg you and thank you.
ANNEXIncidents Regardingthe United Nations Flag
There is a French proverb which says: "jamais deux sans trois," never twice without a third time: Popular belief applies this in particular to mishaps, accidents and failures of good projects.The following anecdotes show the relevance of that peoples' wisdom to the first world organization of this planet, the United Nations and its flag.In 1970, year of the twenty-fifty anniversary of the UN, when I was a direct Aide to Secretary General U Thant, he received a telegram from Thor Heyerdahl, the explorer and navigator, who asked him for permission to fly the UN flag on the Ra II, a papyrus boat on which he wanted to attempt a new ocean expedition. U Thant asked me for my advice. I said: "Yes, by all means, give him your permission. For the first time ever a boat will fly the UN flag on the ocean of this planet and typically it is a paper boat, as weak and fragile as the UN. But I have the foreboding that it will bring bad luck to Heyerdahl whose boat will probably sink. Evil forces never want new, good ideas to succeed and they usually win three times before they are defeated."I drafted a warm cable to Thor Heyerdahl and to his small multinational crew for U Thant's signature, authorizing him to fly the UN flag. A few weeks later the news was broadcast around the world that the boat had sunk! The crew was saved but the UN flag went down with the paper boat.Fifteen years later, in 1985, I was in charge of the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the UN. Among the numerous initiatives taken by the people, a group of Australian mountaineers decided to climb Mount Everest and to plant the UN flag on it. Their leader came to ask for permission to use the UN flag. I had to leave for a mission on the day of his visit and I asked my Japanese colleague Masatsuno Katsuno to receive him and to give him permission. But I added: "For heaven's sake give him my own UN flag which is in my office. By God's favor I am usually blessed with luck in my undertakings. It is possible that my personal flag will bring them better luck."When I returned from mission, Katsuno told me that he had given them an ordinary UN flag instead of mine, because he thought that my flag should continue to bring luck to ourselves and to the UN! I commented to him: "You will see, something wrong is going to happen."Later during the year the news was broadcast that the Australian team had climbed Mount Everest, but there was no mention of the UN flag. I sent the teamleader a telegram asking for a picture of the flag floating on Mount Everest and to issue it to the press. When the picture arrived, what did I see? The flag had been planted upside down, the supreme discourtesy to flag protocol! I was dismayed but not surprised. Something like that had to happen but at least no accident had occurred to the team. I asked the UN photolab to "doctor" the picture and redress the flag but they refused. So I went to a private photolab and had it done for the modest sum of sixty dollars which I paid happily. But a mischievous colleague in the UN leaked the story to the New York Times which was all too happy to publish the upside-down flag and the story with its usual disparaging comments on the UN!
A third occasion offered itself in 1990, during the forty-fifth anniversary of the UN and tenth anniversary of the UN University for Peace. After ten years, only 31 governments out of 160 had ratified the University and even less had given it any money. At my retirement from the UN in 1986, I had gladly accepted to become its one-dollar-a-year Chancellor hoping to bring them 'chance'! Unfortunately, since people usually pay for war and pray for peace, I was unable to obtain for it more than a million dollars from a Japanese philanthropist, Mr. Sasakawa. During a stay in New York, I was asked to send to the University a set of all the flags of nations which had ratified the University, and also a new UN flag, their old one having weathered away. This time I decided to wrap my own flag and to send it to them. In order to avoid a third mishap, I placed it on the altar of the UN Meditation Room asking for God's blessings. Were the evil forces defeated this time? Not quite. When the flags arrived, the University was hit by an earthquake which destroyed a good part of it. Even its water supply was disrupted. But an ample underground source was found and the buildings were rapidly rebuilt. With this the bad luck of the UN flag had come to an end.Regarding the sparing use of the UN flag on this planet it is a consolation to know that its story is the same as that of the US flag which could seldom be seen in the United States in the 19th century. The state flags were the rule. It was not until World War I and especially World War II that the US flag became widely used, replacing progressively the state flags. The same will happen with the UN flag: it merely will require time until the people will finally recognize the oneness of our planet and of the human family.You, dear reader, can help this process accelerate. Order the UN flag from the UN gift shop (Tel: 212-963-7700) and display it, especially on international days proclaimed by the UN, including the 24th of October, anniversary of the birth of the UN. Display it at all gatherings, conferences or graduations where human brothers and sisters from other nations are present. Follow the example of the Europeans who display side by side the national flag, the flag of Europe and the UN flag. US citizens could similarly display the US flag, the flag of the Americas and the UN flag. Governments could even innovate and adopt flags which would have on one side the national flag and on the other side the UN flag. It is high time that this planet and humanity be recognized as the supreme concerns of all people.
*******February 2000
We are now in the momentous year 2000 when a first World's Peoples' Assembly will be held in Samoa and a UN General Assembly at the heads of states level will look at the global problems which are besetting the Earth and see how they could be solved.In view of the "never twice without a third time" rule, I add the following:The first attempt to create an international or world government was the League of Nations. Several governments, especially the US which had authored the project, did not join it. This allowed Hitler and Mussolini to get into power and led to World War II and to the end of the League of Nations.The United Nations, conceived again by the US in 1945 and located on its soil, had many successes which I describe in several of my books, and includes today practically all countries on Earth (189 of them). But since the end of the cold war, the US wants to dominate and rule the world alone. It sees the UN as an obstacle, no longer ratifies its decisions, neglects, ignores and opposes it more and more. My dream is therefore that the story of the UN flag be repeated: that a Charter of a new UN be written and adopted, putting an end to the present UN thus conceding a second victory to the evil forces. A UN Charter revision would also give a voice to the 137 governments of the present 189 members, which did not participate in the drafting of the 1945 Charter and of the UN's creation 55 years ago.
Soon thereafter, under the pressure of the colossal globalization forces besetting this planet, there will be major catastrophes which will put an end to capitalism and to the second UN. Then, at long last will we see a repetition of what happened to the Confederate States of America when they were transformed into the Federal United States, namely the birth of a proper Earth government in the form of a Federal United World or an Earth Government or a United Nature. Then the evil forces against the progress of humanity will give up, having had their three victories. The quicker this will happen, the more will be salvaged of our beautiful Earth. These views of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin apply fully and prophetically today:
The primary cause of all disorders lies in the different states governments and in the tenacity of that power which pervades the whole of their systems.George Washington
Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more enlightened, as new discoveries are made and manners and opinions change, with the change in circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. One might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain forever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.Thomas Jefferson
It is also timely to remember in the middle of the United Nations Decade of the Indigenous People (1995-2006) that the Great Indian Confederacy of the Iroquois provided a model for the transformation of the thirteen colonies into the United States of America.
"It would be a strange thing," wrote Benjamin Franklin, "if six nations of ignorant savages should be capable of forming a scheme for such a union and be able to execute it in such a manner that it has subsisted ages and appears indissoluble; and yet that a like union should be impracticable for ten or a dozen English colonies to whom it is more necessary and must be more advantageous and who cannot be supposed to lack an equal understanding of their interests."
Who is today the head of state of the stature of Benjamin Franklin, who will make this text his own, replacing in it the words "ten or a dozen English colonies" by "189 nations"?
PART III
IDEAS 2701 TO 2800
INTRODUCTION
A PEACE PLAN
To Stop War and Individual Acts of Violence and Destruction
received by Robert Muller anonymously:
The sender has not given his name and address, because he is a man of 96 with body troubles, and a poor memory: so under the circumstances he would not like to get involved in correspondence about the matter.
We can think of the world as one without war as something new, an invention. Every invention starts with just an idea, a concept, a vision. It seems that many people have a vision of a far happier way of living than that which we experience, and would like this vision developed into a living reality: The reality of our global human family living comfortably, enjoyably, fearlessly, caringly, lovingly and happily in friendly world-wide harmony, and cooperation.
There is no scientific law of external nature nor instinct (natural urge) of internal human nature, which makes this aspiration impossible. Clearly those who profit by war will be opposed to an ethical and happy way of life run by altruists.
The market forces' money way,Creating ruination,Loving money from a war,Loving it much more than folkThe system force to fight,Is bound to pass away one day,When the Human Family canWith righteous indignationReject its harmful practicesAnd quit its bad employmentFor there we folk cannot enjoyThe happiness all seek
A bad system has its day,Such as Dictator Communism;And the greedy money wayWhich pollutes the air we breathe:And brings the miseries of warBut such a system will not stayGood folk reject its miseryUnhappy people don't work wellEconomies like slavery.
When people seeking happiness,Discover it can only comeThrough goodness in its many formsNot through the vice of greedThey cease to go to war and killFolk who might have been good friends.So then with better motivationWillingly and well they workThe system which is fair to allThe Ethical Economy.
We shall be holding hands all round the world when we forget capitalism and start working in the ethical economy of the first Humanitarian World Government.
Massive Righteous Indignation and Suitable Action to Stop Future War
Affirmation/Autosuggestion
I shall live and let others live.I shall be non-violent if not attacked.I seek life without fear or hatred.I wish to live in a state of no-war:
That is permanent peace; without the sorrowful effects of war on peace-loving families; without the lunacy and futility of war, because it cannot cure the many ills from which we suffer; without war's cutting short the lives of human beings'; without the dislocation of careers of survivors; without the loss to families of their male parent; without war's subjection of women to rape; without the pain and agony of war and lifelong incurable injury to the bodies of many veterans; without war's colossal wastage of materials, and its harmful effects on the environment; without the destruction of the works of man, and the possible nuclear destruction of all life.
I know we can eliminate war if my fellows of our global human family will have the enterprise, courage and vision to do what I am going to do - sign the Peace Seekers' Declaration.
For "without vision the people perish."
Preamble to the Peace Seekers Declaration
We peace seekers of our global human family differ in many ways; but we all share at least one thing - the instinct or natural urge of self-preservation. We all want to go on living, so why be so foolish as to kill one another?
In the past we have been forced to do so by a powerful nation ruler, government, or military dictator. Since nuclear weapons have come into existence it is high time for us billions of our human family to refuse any longer to be military slaves and kill one another.
When a man kills others legally in war, or illegally in peacetime, he disobeys the best moral law for human happiness, the Reciprocity Law; namely, 'Do not do to others what you would not like done to yourself.' Bad rulers have forced good men to disobey that law and be bad and kill in war other members of our human family.
May all of us human beings, in seeking happiness, at long last obey that Reciprocity Law, and now in our billions refuse to fight in war outside our own country. If most people refuse to fight aggressively, i.e. outside their countries, frontiers, there could be no war, not even one in self-defense.
The Peace Seekers Declaration
The aim of this Peace Plan, which I surely share with many others, is to make a marvelous change for the better in the history of man namely, to stop forever the bad practice of war.
In each nation there would be volunteer Peace Planners in every city, town, village. The Chief Peace Planner at any place would invite peace-seekers to come, in some order, to a central room or office to sign 'The Peace Seekers Declaration'. Namely, that the peace seeker agrees to sign two statements, firstly, that he or she refuses to support in any way an external war, i.e. one to be fought outside one's own nation, (except in the case of an attacked friendly neighbor nation calling for help.) But willingly support, in a suitable way, a war fought to defend the national homeland from an attacking enemy.
Secondly, 'Except in self-defense I shall not do at any time any act of violence which injures or may injure a person or persons of our global family, however, different from myself, even if offered a bribe in money, a gain of some sort, a gift, anything of benefit, privilege, honor or the like.'
Each peace-seeker would put his or her signature, whether legible or not, on a large lined sheet of strong paper. Peace Planners would also go from house to house to collect more signatures.
Each nation would need a volunteer Humanitarian Peace Plan Coordinator to whom the wide-spread Peace Planners would send their lists of signatures.
At a certain time this national coordinator would make public the number of peace-seeker signatures, and call for more, especially from those who had hesitated.
If a nation had a large number of peace-seekers, its government would be unable to go to war externally, and fight away from its homeland.
The following is an extract from Bertrand Russell's excellent book Political Ideals.
"Few men seem to realize how many of the evils from which we suffer are wholly unnecessary, and that they could be abolished by a united effort within a few years. If a majority in every civilized country so desired, we could, within twenty years, abolish all abject poverty, quite half the illness in the world, the whole economic slavery which binds down nine tenths of our population; we could fill the world with beauty and joy and secure the reign of universal peace. It is only because men are apathetic that this is not achieved, only because imagination is sluggish, and what always have been is regarded as what always must be. With good-will, generosity, intelligence, these things could be brought about."
Lord Russell (Bertrand Russell) goes on to say that the world is full of preventable evils which most people would like to see prevented.
Among other things, this could be done by a World Humanitarian Government possibly elected through a plebiscite conducted by a union of all the world's humanitarian organizations.* **
~ Idea 2701 ~We have come to the end of a millennium of political turmoils and horrendous wars. Let us now at long last build a millennium of peace, justice, well-being and loving care for our beautiful, so generous planet Earth on which we have the privilege and luck to live.
May the heads of states UN General Assembly 2000 bless humanity with a great, visionary, audacious plan 3000 to do that.
~ Idea 2702 ~When one sees from the sky the many fields, deforestations, human settlements and big cities down there on Earth and thinks that twelve thousand tons of carbon dioxide are released by humans every minute into the air (more than 6 billion tons in 1997), there can be little doubt that this planet is already on an atmospheric regression course which in a few decades might mean our demise. As the national and world 'economic product' goes up the national and world oxygen product goes down.
The 1997 Kyoto Protocol signed by eighty-four nations to limit developed countries' carbon emissions from cars, power plants and other major users of fossil fuels has not yet been ratified by the United States Senate. What are they waiting for?
~ Idea 2703 ~
Not to buy unnecessary products, not to undertake unnecessary trips has become a fundamental human duty towards the Earth.
~ Idea 2704 ~All golf courses on this planet should be reforested. It would represent a good surface of the Earth.
~ Idea 2705 ~We begin to have several Peace Universities and many Peace Institutes around the world. We now also need a whole series of Earth Universities and Earth Institutes. I am so glad that the Earth Council created by the 1992 Rio de Janeiro UN conference on the environment has been transferred to the site of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 2706 ~We must absolutely prevent business from destroying this Earth. We must make this an unceasing daily objective of our life, you and I and all of us.
~ Idea 2707 ~Moneycracy over democracy, that is the high riding, predominant rule of the world today. We must absolutely correct that.
~ Idea 2708 ~Flying over West Africa I see that there are vast surfaces of land with trees but not very densely together. I wonder if there is a World Reforestation Plan for our entire planet? Africa, except for the deserts could also become one of the continents on Earth to be considered. It is the least populated continent with only eight percent of the world population. People from Europe may have to flee to it some day to continue to have oxygen. Yes, as the plane continues there are vast stretches of forests. The western countries should pay good money to these countries for preserving and not exploiting them. There is no reason why they too should enter the world rat race of industrialization and business. Why not consider Eurafrica a special area of the world deserving the care of Europe. My genial compatriot Robert Schuman, the father of the European Union was dreaming of a Eurafrican Union between Europe and the African countries. Why not? It would make a lot of good sense.
The problem is vital enough to warrant the creation of a World Reforestation Agency.
~ Idea 2709 ~In all new automobiles there should be a CO2 (carbon dioxide) meter. It would show the total carbon dioxide emitted during each trip and the total emission since the beginning of the use of the car. Perhaps drivers would be influenced by what they read and use the car only when really necessary. At present the CO2 emission is not known and therefore not of much concern to them. We should remember that we emit through various ways of life, especially cars and airplanes, a total of twelve thousand tons of carbon dioxide every minute!
As I wrote this the Earth intervened and said to me: "Robert you should also mention the differences between countries. For example, per person carbon dioxide emissions are twenty-one metric tons a year in the United States and three metric tons in China. Suppose that the entire world population, which is augmenting to 8.9 billion in the year 2050, will reach the present ideal of the American way of life. Can you imagine? The result would be a total of 186.9 billion tons, a real disaster for me. I could not take it. Neither would humanity survive."
~ Idea 2710 ~The preceding should also apply to airplanes. The total of carbon dioxide emitted should be communicated to passengers after each trip and the pilot should know the total emitted by the aircraft since it was put into service. As a result the International Civil Aviation Organization could publish total figures every year and see the evolution of the quantities of carbon dioxide emitted by airplanes world-wide, airline by airline and country by country.
Airline
pilots might also be given a figure at the end of their career, when
they retire, of how much carbon dioxide their planes emitted during
their lives of service.
~ Idea 2711 ~When in the future our dead planet will be discovered by outer space beings, their first impression will be that it was a planet called Coca Cola or run by a President of that name with a Vice President called Marlboro. Why? Because these are the two words they will find most frequently spread on advertisement boards, shop entrances, bus stations, trucks and millions of thrown away empty bottles, cans and cigarette packages on roads and in the nature of this planet. It would take them quite some time until they met the words United States and the name of its President. And they could not find the name of a President of the world.
~ Idea 2712 ~For years I predicted that some day there will be a Coca Cola sign illuminated on the moon visible from the Earth. Well, here is an example of the mega-follies of business and advertisement. An article by Jay Jorden in the Associated Press of 1 October 1999:
Pizza Hut company offers to pay for a logo on a Russian rocketafter a lunar advertisement fell through.
"Pizza Hut wanted a billboard on the moon. It settled for a Russian rocket bound for space.The company announced Thursday it would pay the cash-starved Russian space agency about half the price of a 30-second TV ad during the Super Bowl - currently up to $2.5 million - for the right to paint its logo on a Russian Proton rocket.The rocket is scheduled to blast off in mid-November with the living quarters for the International Space Station.The segment carrying the Pizza Hut logo will be cast off and burn up in the atmosphere before it reaches orbit. But Pizza Hut marketers are counting on the minutes leading up to liftoff and the sight of the engines firing under the company's red-roof logo to give them enough film footage to fuel years of future advertising campaigns.While US law doesn't preclude placing corporate logos on American spacecraft, NASA would not consider it on taxpayer property, agency spokesman Brian Welch said Thursday.Still, Daniel Tam, NASA's assistant to the administrator for commercialization, said space agencies need to think about the marketing potential they can offer in an era of shrinking budgets for space exploration.The Russians, meanwhile, have used corporate advertising to their advantage. PepsiCo Inc. paid $5 million three years ago to have cosmonauts float a replica of a soda can outside the Mir space station.Pizza Hut marketers first considered burning a billboard into the moon with lasers, Chief Executive Officer Mike Rawlings said. But astronomers and physicists advised that the image would have to be the size of Texas to be seen by earthlings more then 238,000 miles away."
This is probably why there is no Coca Cola sign on the moon. Planet Earth is no longer a democracy but a businesscracy. As the title of David Korten's book says: Corporations Rule the World.
~ Idea 2713 ~Since the United Nations can no longer play fully its vital role as a warner of new global problems, trends and needed action (see Idea 1617) I recommend that the European Union should take over that role and create a European World Forum of thinkers, scientists and futurists to follow major world trends, new global problems and dangers and propose proper, urgent means for the survival of the Earth and of the human species. The European Union merits to overpass the weak United Nations and become progressively the World Union, so urgently need.
~ Idea 2714 ~There is only one thing wrong with the word United Nations:
The 's' at the end of it. Let us work on transforming the 189 not so united nations into one United Nation.
~ Idea 2715 ~Let us not stop with the world-wide celebration of the year 2000. Let us make each year of the 3rd millennium a year of global common thinking, new ideas, commitments and actions. Each of these years should see a meeting of all heads of states and become better than the preceding one.
~ Idea 2716 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, you are so right when you say that I, the Earth should be the major concern of humanity.
But even you, one of the best world observers, are still far below reality, namely humanity has become a cancer which will destroy all forms of life on my surface. Let this sink into your head and heart and we will return to it. It is the biggest danger menacing. The whole world situation is ununderstandable if you do not recognize this gigantic war or cancer which is eating me up, destroying me."
~ Idea 2717 ~Humanity becoming the cancer of the Earth? Perhaps indeed. It spreads, increases, multiplies and devours the natural resources of the Earth. When the Earth will die the nourishment of the cancer will cease and the cancer, i.e. humanity will disappear.
~ Idea 2718 ~Economic growth? No, the growth of the human cancer of the Earth.
And yet the news, the media only speak of the growth of the stock markets, growing constructions, growing profits, growing human activities and business which spreads to the entire world. We are indeed a self-feeding cancer. This is how all cancers grow. It is in their nature.
~ Idea 2719 ~If as much effort, attention, investigation, resources and creativity are devoted henceforth to proper human and Earth government, i.e. to the social, political and environmental sciences, as are given to pure science, technology, industries and business, then there might be hope for the 21st century.
~ Idea 2720 ~Freedom of aviation should be prohibited since it ceaselessly grows and destroys the atmosphere, our vital air. It should be allowed only for special cases, needs and emergencies.
Such a decision will be taken sooner or later when humanity will be forced to in order to survive.
~ Idea 2721 ~Money, not the fate and future of the Earth and humanity is the objective of the millionaires, billionaires and giant corporations of this world. How is that possible? When and where did it all start? Why does it continue and grow?
~ Idea 2722 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, you are a good world strategist. You know how international politics functions. You should therefore have only one objective, how to stop the war humanity is waging on me. Here are a few suggestions:
- write a message to the UN summit meeting of heads of states in September 2000. Ask one of them to stand up as you suggest in Idea 1998 and have the courage to tell the truth, namely that my cancer is the greatest sickness of humanity and must be healed to allow my survival and further evolution.
- draft an optimistic, realistic action plan to save me. There are many good signs of hope, the best being the growing, enlightened consciousness of the people.
- outline a whole series of proposals for action in crucial sectors such as
a) education: educate children to be good cells of mineb) a proper Earth governmentc) to have people live simple and frugal lives, less running around, less wanting more and overconsuming my resources, creating less waste
- the holding of more world conferences on urgent problems:the air and atmospherethe world watersclimatic changesthe dead zones of the seas and oceansthe plights of big citiesoverconsumptioncontinuing overpopulationcolossal overwaste
- work on all the twenty-one segments which you have outlined in Ideas 527 to 547.
- tell the people that I count on them to save me, the future of their children and grandchildren, nature and all future evolution, that God is counting on them since we are all His children.- tell them also that the United States is no longer a right leader of the world, that it gives a bad example, does not ratify any of the great agreements reached by the United Nations Earth Conferences and that other countries should no longer imitate it and consider it as the ideal for this planet."
- beg the United States to become again an enlightened, leading, visionary country of the world.
~ Idea 2723 ~The Earth:"I love the poor more than the rich. They have no cars, they do not travel by airplane, they consume thirty times less of my resources than the rich.
Today there are 4.7 billion people in the poor countries and 1.2 billion in the rich ones. I must multiply the last number by thirty when I think of my resources. That means 1.2 X 30 = 36 billion people in the rich countries.
In 2050 there will be 7.7 billion people in the poor countries and 1.16 in the rich countries (a welcome decline of 40 million). Well, 1.16 X 30 give me 34.8 billion people in the rich countries. This supposes that the consumption in rich countries and all regions will remain the same. But it is very likely that consumption of my resources will increase in both the rich and poor countries. You can then imagine what kind of global disaster this will be!"
~ Idea 2724 ~Suppose that we had full peace on Earth, not even a single conflict. We would then realize that we have the biggest war ever on this planet: the war against the Earth. Why wait until then? Let us deal with it immediately and with urgency because it might bury us all.
This is why the Earth Council in Costa Rica created by the UN Second World Conference on the Environment in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most important institutions on Earth. The Earth Charter it has produced is one of the most important documents for the 21st century (see Annex to Part IV of this Volume).
~ Idea 2725 ~A day will soon come when countries will no longer be classified into developed, rich and underdeveloped, poor countries but into oxygen rich and oxygen poor countries.
~ Idea 2726 ~The Earth:"One fact which worries me immensely is that more and more people live in big cities completely severed from me, without any communion anymore with my nature of which they are part. They live in an artificial world fashioned by the builders, the politicians, business and the media. When they look out of their windows they only see more high-rise buildings. They live in a completely artificial world and will not have the slightest notion of caring for me. Visiting once in a while a city park or a zoo is a mere curiosity or pastime for them.You are lucky that your peace university is located in an oxygen rich paradise of nature far away from any city. You are in intense communion with me. You can therefore give the world the right messages. You will be my common sense university, the University of Nature and of the Earth. With peace and the Earth as your main concerns and objectives you will become the new Athens of the world. I count on you to cure the cancer which is eating me up from the high ozonosphere and atmosphere to the bottoms of my seas and oceans.
I'm so glad that the Earth Council is being transferred to your grounds. The UN University for Peace, the Earth Council, the International Radio for Peace and the Robert Muller Farm of Dreams on sacred Mt. Rasur will become the great new lighthouse of the world."
~ Idea 2727 ~I am sometimes called the Father of Global Education.
That is still insufficient. Next I must merit to be called the Father of Planetary Education.
And this is insufficient too. I must merit someday to be called the Father of Cosmic Education.
~ Idea 2728 ~It is strange that when it comes to the world, to the Earth and humanity, the word government is often replaced by 'governance'. Why is everything weakened, reduced, watered down when it comes to the total Earth, our home, and total humanity, our family?
How would nations react if suddenly their governments were replaced by governances without any authority, public institutions, force of law, tax revenue and borrowing capacity? It would be quite an outcry!
~ Idea 2729 ~Gandhi and Secretary General U Thant often said that there will be no peace if there is not a new education.
I would say: There will be no peace and no nature will be left if there is not a new education.
~ Idea 2730 ~I do not think that there has ever been anyone as worried day and night, so concerned about the fate of the Earth and humanity as I have been. This is due to the horrors I saw in World War II and my fifty years of world service in the United Nations. Thank God there are millions of more people waking up these days requesting governments to change course.
~ Idea 2731 ~Regarding outward symbols of one's faith I remember that many Hindu women wear a red dot on their forehead to manifest their belief and devotion to the Hindu faith. Perhaps the people who want to save the Earth and its nature could wear a green dot on their forehead!
And since there is a Legion of Honor in France whose beneficiaries wear a red button at their lapel, the World Party of Nature and the Green Parties should wear a green button.
~ Idea 2732 ~When I supported the proposal that Mr. Don Toppin (Ideas 1109 and 1270) be honored with the Order of Canada I expressed the wish to Mr. Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada, that he propose the creation of an Order of the World by the United Nations.
~ Idea 2733 ~If I were wealthy I would get the services of a young composer who would spend time with me and compose the symphonies I have in me on the miracle and greatness of life, the wonders of our planet, the beauties of nature, love, joy, hope, forgiveness and so many other wonderful and important values. I am so jealous of Beethoven!
~ Idea 2734 ~Never give up your dreams. Believe in them, give them a chance, an occasion to be fulfilled, be ready for them. Thus, I always carry in my briefcase my little ten hole harmonica because I dreamt that some day I would play the Ode to Joy of Beethoven in the vast General Assembly Hall of the United Nations and in a cathedral. Both happened when at a children's gathering in the UN hall I received their Golden Balloon Award and when in 1999 at the Centennial World Peace Conference in The Hague I was asked to speak from the pulpit of a cathedral to an audience of youth from around the world.
~ Idea 2735 ~Lamentation of the Earth:
"Why did humans have to give birth to those monsters called automobiles and airplanes? They will put an end to me and to the human race."
~ Idea 2736 ~I said to my wife Barbara: "Yesterday I had a great, important idea on how to put two fundamental human preoccupations together. But I forgot to write it down and today I can't remember it."
She answered: "You have so many ideas, more than 2000 of them. Forget about it."
Well, there is the lesson that one should never postpone writing down immediately a good idea.
~ Idea 2737 ~Darwin's theory of competition and survival of the fittest and the theory of endless economic growth are two dying theories from the last century when they were correct:
The first is almost dead;
The second is beginning to die in overgrown countries, cities and areas.
~ Idea 2738 ~In line with Idea 2195, seventy percent of the US taxpayers who support the United Nations could not pay their taxes and write this to the US Tax Authorities: "Since the US government does not pay its obligatory dues to the United Nations and by doing so all that will happen is that it will lose its right to vote, I feel that the same should be extended to US citizens. They should therefore not pay their taxes and not mind losing their right to vote until the US government gives the good example."
~ Idea 2739 ~We must absolutely declare a world emergency situation of Earth-destroying overconsumption and overwaste in the rich countries and the continuing alarming population explosion in the poor countries.
~ Idea 2740 ~Sacramento, the capital of California is such a beautiful city, totally built in the midst of intertwined innumerable ancient giant trees that I recommend that it be declared a City of Dreams. On many of its benches it should affix the golden Bench of Dreams stick-ons which we use in Costa Rica. I left several of them with Mrs. Ester Franklin, the head of the United Nations Association of Sacramento who had invited me to speak at the United Nations Day of Peace Celebration on 24 October 1999.
~ Idea 2741 ~On that United Nations Day, fifty-fourth anniversary of the creation of the UN I had a wonderful surprise in Sacramento: my wife Barbara and I received a beautiful bouquet of UN blue carnations I had never seen before. The head of the United Nations Association of Sacramento, Mrs. Ester Franklin, gave us proudly this bouquet saying:
"In your novel, First Lady of the World the Hindu lady Secretary General of the UN ordered UN blue carnations for the celebration of the UN's anniversaries. I decided to implement your idea on the occasion of your visit."
How moving and considerate that was!
I sent one of the carnations to the wife of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan suggesting that she should do the same on 24 October 2000, the fifty-fifth anniversary of the UN.
~ Idea 2742 ~The red road signs with a white bar across it meaning do not enter, which one can see on most roads of the world remind me that I should never stop having ideas.
Why? Well, when I was working years ago in the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe in Geneva, one day in a staff meeting it was announced that a general system of road signs had been prepared for adoption by all European countries. I took the floor saying:
"In a few years you will have travelers from all the world renting cars and driving in foreign countries. Accidents will happen if the world has different road signs often with inscriptions in a foreign language. I propose therefore that this UN European Road Traffic Signals Convention be recommended to all countries of the world."
My proposal was adopted. Therefore whenever I see these signs they remind me that I should continue to have ideas, especially global, worldwide ones.
~ Idea 2743 ~Flying over Los Angeles and seeing its seas of dwellings and skyscrapers covered by a yellow-brown cap of pollution I was thinking of so many similar cities in the US and in the world and what they are doing to the people and to our beautiful Earth.
At that moment I heard the angels in heaven say to God, "We do not want to have our name used any longer by the city of Los Angeles which has become a blemish to your beautiful Creation, planet Earth."
Whereupon St. Francis appeared before God and said, "I too want my name removed from San Francisco."
After him a whole series of saints appeared before God asking the same to be done by cities bearing their names.
~ Idea 2744 ~I would like to see a list of all the professions, trades and activities represented on the floors of the skyscrapers of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc. It would be a fascinating image of today's values and pursuits of the most 'modern' society on Earth.
The United Nations Habitat Organization should publish each year a report on skyscrapers in the world, their growing numbers, their owners, their spread and their effects on human life in those cities.
~ Idea 2745 ~All cities in the world should be required to publish statistics on the tonnage of human excrements and urine produced by their inhabitants and information on the ways in which they are disposed of and where they go. The total world figures and information must be staggering!
~ Idea 2746 ~I pray God that the United States will become again a great country of vision for the future of the world and no longer offer itself as a model to imitate because most of the poor countries of the world do not have the wherewithals for a successful imitation and the model itself has become very faulty and damaging to the future of the Earth. Nothing would be more catastrophic than to see all countries of the world resemble the United States.
~ Idea 2747 ~Should nations be the principal, if not the only group to possess the right to tax their members to ensure common services? Municipalities and states have, in certain countries, that right too but to a much lesser extent. Why the nations? Were they created by God? Not at all. They are the result of wars, conquests, marriages, invasions, occupations, murders, and are not even in conformity with the geographical, natural, ecological regions of our planet. They are so insecure that they need arms, including the most devastating ones, to remain intact and in power. Who are the great losers in this situation? They are the Earth and humanity. The United Nations does not have the authority to tax anything or anyone for urgent, badly needed global common services which could save the costs of the colossal duplications between 189 nations.
It is high time for the best minds of this Earth to look into this situation and offer a new vision and system of proper administration, budgeting and taxation for this planet in the new millennium.
As an example I repeat my suggestion that the United Nations should imitate the United States which requires each state to provide two fellowships each for young people to be trained as militaries in the three military academies of West Point (ground warfare), Annapolis (sea warfare), and Colorado Springs (air warfare). The UN, i.e. humanity has only the University for Peace in Costa Rica without any allotted resources for peace training. The University is supposed to find its own resources. The United Nations should decide that each of its 189 member countries must provide two fellowships for the University for Peace. As a result we would have at least 376 students, a decent but poor beginning, compared with thousands of young people trained in military, so called 'academies'. What kind of a world is ours! One could cry.
~ Idea 2748 ~Yes, what planet is it on which governments spend on armaments and militaries as much as they do for all other public services combined, a humanity which by suppressing armaments and military expenditures could resolve all its major problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, pollution, etc.?
If we found another planet in the universe run like ours we would exclaim, "They must get their heads examined!" How about examining our own?
~ Idea 2749 ~When speaking of a proper Earth government and the need to create a United States of the World or a World Union on the model of the European Union we should never forget these words of Jean Monnet, one of the founders of the European Parliament and Union:
"We are not forming new relations between states, but a union among people."
This should apply to the entire world. How beautiful it will be when it is done.
~ Idea 2750 ~Even if it seems inconceivable today, humanity in its progress must conceive that someday it will have no armaments and will no longer use violence and killing to solve its problems. This is the great objective of the Culture for Peace Program proclaimed by the United Nations and UNESCO, inaugurating the first of January 2000 as World Day of Peace followed by a Decade of Peace.
We should have the courage to proclaim a new fundamental human right:
All human beings have the fundamental human right not to see any group to which they belong, from the local community to the nation and world community to possess any armaments to kill and use violence to solve their problems.
All armaments and armies must be suppressed to fulfill and implement this human right. Armaments and the militaries belong to a past obsolete period as did slavery, colonialism, conquests, invasions, apartheid, racism, etc. which were defended at that time by many arguments but were suppressed because they were contrary to the true ideals and goals of humanity. A non-armed, non-violent, peaceful, just and educated humanity is our new ideal, an ideal for our children and all our descendants. The result will be an infinitely better world. Let us all loudly request it - let us all work hard for it.
~ Idea 2751 ~We are human beings before and far above being Americans, Russians, French, Germans or of any other of the 189 nationalities of this planet. None of these nations therefore has the right to ask its members to kill, to be murderers of other human beings. This becomes a criminal act. Nations having militaries are like gangs which have their killers. They should be brought before the International Court of Justice. This national, inhuman, anti-human game has lasted much too long. It is the costliest game on Earth. It must be brought to an end in the 21st century for all times to come. After slavery, colonialism, apartheid, racial discrimination and other such evils which were eradicated, militarism is next to go.
~ Idea 2752 ~How can any head of a nation have the courage to order his young people to kill other young people on this planet for reasons of power or any other reason? How can he have the courage to order that cities with mothers and children will be bombed by his people? I would prefer to resign or die.
And how can any human accept to be a general or an officer in an army giving orders to kill other human beings?
I cannot understand it. Soon noone else will understand it either anymore.
~ Idea 2753 ~Airlines should no longer welcome passengers to the "friendly skies" but to the polluted skies.
~ Idea
2754 ~When I see the incredible, constantly increasing traffic of
cars around San Jose on the way to the airport I can only thank God
and the invisible forces which have brought my life to the wonderful
nature of Mt. Rasur. From there my duty will be to help save
the Earth from the crazy destructions by armies, power and business
around the world, to obtain the creation of a proper Earth government
and a happy, just, fulfilled global human family.
~ Idea 2755 ~Countries with immense forest coverage like Guatemala or regions like the Amazons should be heralded as the saviors, the oxygen producers of this planet and be rewarded for it. Substantial payments should be made to their populations helping them to live simple, frugal lives and no longer to cut trees, perhaps no longer even to work. More and more US citizens and people of the rich countries do not work anymore. Why not extend benefits to the world of non-working people who tend to their gardens, cultivate the lands, preserve forests, refrain from unnecessary overconsumption and do not create unnecessary harmful activities to the world?
I foresee the day when the UN and the International Labour Organization will publish statistics of voluntarily non-working populations and recommend systems of premium allocations to them.
~ Idea 2756 ~Do you think that in any headquarters of any commercial airline in the world there is one university graduate official who would look into a reduction of air traffic in order not to pollute the world's atmosphere? Of course not. All their personnel aim at more air traffic, more profits and the suppression of services only when they do not bring in a profit and have no future. That is the fate of the world.
~ Idea 2757 ~There are national airlines in almost all countries of Earth. I am glad that there is at least not a United Nations Airline. If the UN were a business company it would have the biggest airline on Earth. Thank God it is not the case.
~ Idea 2758 ~All the smart, genial West is able to do in capitals of the poor countries is to build high-rise buildings, skyscrapers and huge, boring, monstrous identical housing developments leaving the rest of the country in utter poverty and attracting more and more youth away from the countryside to the 'admirable' capitals. This is called 'economic progress'. There is also this interesting question: to whom do the skyscrapers and developments belong?
~ Idea 2759 ~Seeing the huge Esso and other gasoline trucks on a moderate airport like that of Guatemala City I wonder how many thousands of gallons of gasoline are sent from here in airplanes into the Earth's atmosphere. I have never seen statistics of the total gasoline used by the world's airlines and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. The figures must be staggering and increasing at an alarming rate. Aviation alone is capable of destroying the world's atmosphere in a few decades. But who is raising this question which is vital to the lungs of so many current and future humans on Earth? Oh! I forgot it would be against the sacred laws of 'free enterprise' including the freedom to destroy the planet.
~ Idea 2760 ~The world's population should be classified into high-rise and skyscraper dwellers and lowland, nature dwellers. The first is increasing alarmingly and the second is progressively vanishing. The UN Habitat Organization should look into this.
~ Idea 2761 ~Who is happier of the two: the businessman in first class of the plane from Guatemala City to Los Angeles reading the stock market or the elderly Guatemalan lady who reads next to me a booklet, "Fifteen Minutes in the Company of Jesus"? We both signed ourselves with the cross when the plane took off. I wonder if the businessman did.
~ Idea 2762 ~Persons who have a substantial income should receive tax exemptions if they pledge to cease all activities and efforts to make more money. It must be considered. Why not? The western world has already decided to reduce the number of its children, thus losing forty million people from now to the year 2050. More innovative measures benefiting the Earth should be envisaged seriously and not be considered crazy. The Earth would be happy to see young people and adults in rich countries declare proudly: "I don't work. I am free of employment. I do not need it and do not want it. I have sufficient income to enjoy my life."
~ Idea 2763 ~Thomas Mann has written a famous novel, The Magic Mountain.
I would like to see the collection of my works called A Magic Life.
My wife wants to call them the World Classics of Robert Muller.
~ Idea 2764 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, some day you will see enormous suction hoses above big cities to suck in the polluted air over them and blow it out over my seas and oceans. Humans will invent them rather than change course. Their inventiveness will for a long time override their true interests. It might take a century until they will seriously think of me and give me priority. And by that time it might be too late."
~ Idea 2765 ~If the only liquids in nature on Earth were alcohols, business would invent de-alcoholized liquids and water to sell them at higher prices and make a profit.
~ Idea 2766 ~Global education, global media, global concerns, global consciousness, global preoccupations, global outlooks into the future, where does all this really stand? For example, how many humans do not applaud aviation, its further growth and think that together with cars aviation will put an end to planet Earth? To calm them down, to reassure them the term 'sustainable development' has been invented.
~ Idea 2767 ~It would be an eye-opening experience if each car owner or user and each airplane pilot would keep a record of the mileage covered during their lifetime and a record of the total carbon dioxide they added to the Earth's atmosphere. This is why I recommend that meters for carbon dioxide exhaust should be installed in all cars and airplanes.
~ Idea 2768 ~In all national, continental meetings, parliaments, UN meetings, multinational corporations, professional executive meetings, etc. there should be a person speaking in the name of the Earth and for the seventh generation and another speaking as an outer space being from a planet where all life disappeared. They could be named 'survival futurologists'.
~ Idea 2769 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, even if some or all of your adverse prognostications concerning the world's future will not come true because humanity will have the ingeniosity and inventiveness to avoid them, at least they will have stimulated advanced thinking of the remedies and thus reduced the damages done to me. I thank you with all my heart."
~ Idea 2770 ~I wish that the greatest visionaries of the world's future would meet during 2001 and give humanity their views of our likely future.
~ Idea 2771 ~It would be good to have world statistics of the number of churches, cathedrals, temples and other houses and places of worship on planet Earth. These statistics should be kept and published yearly. The institution to do that could be the new United Religions Initiative.
~ Idea 2772 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, why don't you launch the idea of 'non-buyers', i.e. people who would decide not to buy if not really necessary and thus help me survive. You give a good example by not buying any gifts for your children and grandchildren. You give them money with which they can buy what they need or wish, but most of the time they put it in their savings accounts."
I:"You are right. It would be good to have a category of humans who call themselves non-buyers. One could create local and national associations of non-buyers or minimum buyers, even an international one. Non-buying could become a new exciting field of interest and study. It would reveal the reasons, ways, advantages of non-buying. So far we have only an enormous science, strategy, glorification and methodology by business and advertisement to make people and institutions buy endlessly anything more. It would be the beginning of a new era."
The Earth:"Thank you dear Robert. Remember that half of the production of the western countries is already waste."
~ Idea 2773 ~Some day it will be said that the inventors of cars and airplanes were unknowingly, unwillingly the destroyers of the Earth. They could not conceive that, because they made their inventions at a time when the needs of humanity were the primary overriding preoccupations and concern. There was no need whatsoever of concern for the Earth. They had no idea that this situation could radically change and that within a few decades the Earth would become our preoccupation number one. How many inventions of today will have similar adverse, detrimental effects in the future? We seldom practice the Iroquois rule, not to take a decision without thinking of the effects on the seventh generation.
~ Idea 2774 ~The United States has become the wrongest country on Earth. It devotes incredible, utmost intelligence, science, imagination, resources and efforts to produce better cars, more perfect airplanes, greater airports, bigger roads, more perfect atomic bombs, better car rental services, infinitely more consumer products, tourism and services for higher capital rewards.
Its concern for the Earth is little, practically nil. The air, the environment, the climate, the ozonosphere, the population explosion, humanity's remaining appalling poverty, the growing gap between the rich and the poor, between nations and inside nations, the Earth's destruction, etc. receive little of its attention. International agreements on these vital questions remain non-ratified by the US Congress. Business is the king, almost the dictator.
Well, dear rest of the world it is high time that you no longer admire and imitate the United States because it would lead you into deep trouble and possibly your end.
~ Idea 2775 ~The UN Habitat Organization should publish every year a list of the most beautiful, well-kept, healthiest cities in the world. Prizes should be awarded to them. There could even be Nobel Prizes for cities.
~ Idea 2776 ~Walking in a wonderful pine tree park along the Pacific Ocean, donated by a forester to the city of Anacortes to become a municipal park I return to my idea that many owners of beautiful lands around the world should donate them to municipalities, states, nations or even to the United Nations to make them protected parks for all times. The land of the University for Peace donated to the UN is such a land. The United Nations should publish yearly statistics on these donations, their number and acreage and give prizes to the biggest donors.
~ Idea
2777 ~In the US one has the impression that big cities, businesses
and skyscrapers are not here for the people but that the people are
here for the cities, businesses and skyscrapers.
~ Idea 2778 ~Some countries, individually or in groups, should design a non-US future which would not copy that of the United States and of other western countries. Well-preserved Costa Rica should be the first one to do it and to become a shining example to the world, an island of sanity, as many people call it.
~ Idea 2779 ~The rest of humanity, if it doesn't want to see the total destruction of the Earth caused by last century's values still cultivated by western countries must take a distance and come up with new, different visions of the world of tomorrow.
"The need for new, different visions of the world of tomorrow," should be an item on the agenda of the UN General Assembly.
~ Idea 2780 ~Many children, especially in the rich countries, have no grandparents anymore. Television has become the grandparent. What a progress indeed in evolution!
~ Idea 2781 ~To all teachers of the world:
First teach the children about the universe, then our galaxy, then our sun, then our Earth, then their continent, then only their nation, then their province, then their city or village.
Do not accept anymore that the ministry for which you work be called Ministry of National Education. It should be the Ministry of Education without any political, geographical restriction. This is no longer admissible in the total known world in which we live.
~ Idea 2782 ~When a product or a service on planet Earth no longer covers at least fifty percent of it advertised, labeled objective the producers should no longer be allowed to use that label. Governments must protect the public.
A typical case is that of newspapers. I wonder how many papers on planet Earth contain at least fifty percent of news. Not a single one I am sure. In the western countries advertisement and obituaries alone get more space than news. As a result they should no longer be allowed to carry the title newspaper.
~ Idea 2783 ~Among the books of one of my grandsons this title of a big volume caught my eyes.
Man In Power, subtitle, A Story of Power Since the Pyramids to the Atomic Age.vI would like to see a book with the same title but with the subtitle, The Earth in Distress.
~ Idea 2784 ~Lamentations of the Earth:
"What you, my creatures, call progress I often must call regress."
"What you call construction often means to me unnecessary destruction."
~ Idea 2785 ~Destroyers of the Earth are on a phenomenal increase: more and more inventions, endless increasing production of more and more sophisticated and diversified products often with inbuilt obsolescence, new products and machinery making older ones worthless, endless more and more widespread advertisements to sell more and more merchandises and services, endless increasing buying and accumulation of things by the people, more and more finance, more and more roads, cars and airplanes, more and more packaging, the result being that one-half of the total world production is now wastes. And all this is being spread to the poor countries of the world which are now 4.7 billion people and by the year 2050 will be more than 7.7 billion people.
Can this be reversed? That is the great fundamental question at the dawn of a new century and millennium. The only sign of hope is the declining population of the overintelligent, misguided western world which is at the source of all the above.
~ Idea 2786 ~I would not exchange my little farmhouse on Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica for the most expensive, luxurious skyscraper apartment in New York City.
And the owners and inhabitants of these apartments would not exchange their apartments either because they have already a home on a mountain and/or another home on a seashore. They would smile at my ingenuity.
~ Idea 2787 ~I can look endlessly with fascination and love at the sea, at an island, at a mountain, at a forest, at the sky. I could never look for the same length of time and with the same love at a block of buildings, a high-rise building, an airport, a parking lot of cars or a marina of yachts.
Why is that?
And why is it that people want and will pay more for a house with a view of nature on a seashore or on a mountain? I once saw on a road an advertisement sign with these words: view lot for sale. Why? Because people are ready to pay more for a nice view of nature from their home.
~ Idea 2788 ~The United Nations Habitat Organization should make a survey of all places on Earth where there is more elevation of the spirit, of the heart, of enlightenment, of union with the universe. These are the places of prophecies, usually on hills where there is a rich supply of oxygen (due to this fact, at the beginning of this century tuberculosis was healed in sanatoria at a height located between six hundred and eight hundred meters in the mountains.) This is where heads of states should live, think, plan, dream for the future of their country and of the world and meet with other heads of states. The same should apply to heads of major religions, of world institutions, of corporations, of world radio, television and media.
The vast area of primeval nature of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica, situated at an elevation of six hundred to seven hundred meters, protected by national legislation and where also the first International Radio for Peace and the Earth Council are located could be such a place for meetings of the leaders of the world.
~ Idea 2789 ~Why don't a first few countries decide to transfer all their expenditures for armaments and militaries to the good care of their environment and protection of remaining nature? What a welcome, blessed initiative this would be! The whole humanity would applaud. Dear heads of state, think about it, give a good example of your country, announce it at the United Nations.
~ Idea 2790 ~In order to preserve and take advantage of the dreams, visions and common sense of youth so vital for our future, I recommend that most universities of the world should move out of capitals and big cities and relocate themselves in nature following the marvelous example of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 2791 ~Obesity begins to be considered as an epidemic in the United States but the word epidemic is wrong. It should rather be called the result of the excessive, sophisticated overconsumption in the United States promoted as an ideal in innumerable ways by big business, marketing and advertisement in the materialistic civilization of that country.
~ Idea 2792 ~An example of the fragmentation of the sciences:
I asked my daughter Gisele, professor of ocean science at the Western University at Anacortes, what her main research was. She said that it was sea corals and their progressive dying around the world. Her other field was the relations of climatology with the seas and oceans and the effects of climate changes on the surface of the Earth.
I asked her, "Do you have professors who teach the seas and oceans in their totality and have a deep knowledge of all the special segments of ocean science? I would like to ask them for a list of major problems to be placed on the agenda of a second world conference on the seas and oceans necessary at the beginning of the 21st century and 3rd millennium."
She answered that there was no such a professor at her university but that there might be a few scattered in other universities of the United States.
~ Idea 2793 ~The preceding is true for the world as a whole. There are very few 'generalists', 'universalists', 'wholistic minds' who know the essentials of all human and Earth aspects, problems and their likely trends in the future.
Perhaps I am one of them at the UN due to my passion for the whole world and humanity and also to the fact that I had the role of coordinating all departments, specialized agencies and world programs of the United Nations for several years. My 3000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World are an outcome of that.
~ Idea 2794 ~In a US public library I saw a large number of books on the history of America. I asked the librarian if they had any books on the future of America and of the world. She confessed that they didn't have any. I expressed surprise and the hope that she will order some of those being published on the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium.
~ Idea 2795 ~The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I'm so glad that your wife Barbara recommends that each family should observe a year of non-buying unnecessary goods. She recommends it to all her friends and says, 'You will be astonished by the result.' Indeed, many families tell her that now before buying anything they ask themselves three times whether they really need it. As a result they have been saving considerable money, have less accumulated things in their home and have more time for themselves."
~ Idea 2796 ~My insistence to see a UN Consultative Parliamentary Assembly created is founded on three reasons:
1. Parliamentarians are insufficiently if not poorly briefed on world problems and institutions. The national governments and executives have their hands full of local, provincial and national affairs and as a result do not have the time to brief and inform properly their parliamentarians about global world affairs. This was the case of European affairs too. But European Parliamentarians, once the European Consultative Parliament was created, briefed each other reciprocally and developed common European concerns and interests.
2. National governments and executives want to keep their own power and get the maximum resources. They have no interest to strengthen and empower regional, continental, international and supranational institutions. They even often criticize and discredit them unduly.
3. The European Union would have never been created without the European Consultative Parliamentary Assembly.
Hence my support of the European Parliament's recommendation that a United Nations Consultative Parliamentary Assembly should be created.
~ Idea 2797 ~If God is just He will arrange that the poor of the world will live in heaven like the rich live on Earth and that the rich will live in heaven like the poor live on Earth.
~ Idea 2798 ~In addition to and often instead of national, business, marketing, media, advertisement and public relations we need henceforth Earth public relations, the Earth having become our major concern.
~ Idea 2799 ~The mayors of the biggest cities on Earth should have their office on top of a tower reaching far into the sky so that they can constantly see the blanket of brown pollution covering their cities. These towers would be raised once in a while so that the office will always be above the rising blanket. The mayors would breathe more oxygen up there and as a result take more intelligent, natural, common sense decisions, e.g. to put an end to the growth of the city.
~ Idea 2800 ~Reading over the shoulder of an airplane passenger I saw this big title in a financial magazine:
As the Economy Booms...
I can imagine how the article rejoices about it and forecasts the next boom. But in my mind the following title came up:
As the Economy BoomsThe Earth CriesAnd perishes a little more
ANNEXThree Samples of Ideas
INuclear AgePeace Foundation100 Ideas for Creating a More Peaceful Worldby David Krieger
Creating world peace takes many forms, but surely it begins with individuals. Here are 100 ideas for creating a more peaceful world. I encourage you to play your part in creating peace. It continues to be the most significant challenge of humankind, and requires the efforts of each of us.
1. Be generous with your smiles.2. Commit daily acts of kindness.3. Respect the Earth.4. Walk in the forest.5. Plant a tree.6. Contemplate a mountain.7. Don't pollute.8. Live simply.9. Skip a meal each week, and send $5.00 to an organization helping the hungry.10. Erase a border in your mind.11. Teach peace to children.12. Read Chief Seattle's Letter to the US President.*13. Be honest.14. Demand honesty from your government.15. Think about consequences.16. Commit yourself to non-violence.17. Support non-violent solutions to global problems.18. Speak up for a healthy planet.19. Demand reductions in military expenditures.20. Be fair.21. Pledge allegiance to the Earth and to its varied life forms.22. Think for yourself.23. Ask questions.24. Recognize your unique potential.25. Join an organization working for peace.26. Be less materialistic.27. Be more loving.28. Support an Arms Trade Code of Conduct.29. Oppose all weapons of mass destruction.30. Sign the Abolition 2000 International Petition.31. Work for an international ban on land mines.32. Use your special talents for a more harmonious world.33. Listen to your heart.34. Help the poor.35. Fight against militarism.36. Study the lives of peace heroes.37. Help create a community peace park or garden.
* See Annex II to ideas 2001 to 2500.38. Commemorate the International Day of Peace in your community (the third Tuesday in September).39. Help strengthen the United Nations.40. Support the creation of an International Criminal Court to hold individual leaders accountable for crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.41. Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and demand that your government live by it.42. Be aware of the rights of future generations. Sign the Cousteau Society Bill of Rights for Future Generations.43. Make decisions as though all life truly matters. It does!44. Join an action alert network.45. Make your voice heard by speaking out for peace.46. Laugh more.47. Play with a child.48. Support health, education and the arts over more weapons.49. Help educate the next generation to be compassionate and responsible.50. Accept personal responsibility for creating a better world.51. Sing.52. Write a poem.53. Organize a church service on the theme of peace.54. Learn about another culture.55. Help someone.56. Support the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)57. Climb a mountain.58. Clear your mind.59. Breathe deeply.60. Sip tea.61. Express your views to government officials.62. Fight for the environment.63. Celebrate Earth Day.64. Think like an astronaut, recognizing that we have only one Earth.65. Be constructive.66. Ring a bell for peace.67. Plant seeds of peace.68. Work in a garden.69. Change a potential enemy into a friend.70. Watch the movie Amazing Grace and Chuck.71. Share.72. Be more peaceful.73. Send a note of appreciation.74. Tell your friends how much they matter.75. Say "I love you" more.76. Don't tolerate prejudice.77. Demand more from your elected officials.78. Walk by the ocean, a river, or a lake.79. Recognize that all humans have the right to life.80. Respect the dignity of each person.81. Be a leader in the struggle for human decency.82. Watch the movie The King of Hearts.83. Send sunflowers to world leaders, and call for a world free of nuclear weapons.84. Oppose technologies that harm the environment.85. Loose an argument to a loved one.86. Read Hiroshima by John Hersey.87. Walk softly on the Earth.88. Appreciate the power of the sun.89. Speak out for global disarmament.90. Support a stronger world order.91. Teach non-violence by example.92. Remember that "No man is an island."93. Spend time in nature.94. Boycott war toys.95. Be thankful for the miracle of life.96. Read All Quiet on the Western Front or A Time to Love and a Time to Die by Erich Maria Remarque.97. Remind your leaders that peace matters.98. Oppose violence in television programming for children.99. Listen to Beethoven's Ode to Joy.100. Celebrate peace.
For additional ideas on creating peace visit the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation's Web Site at www.wagingpeace.org. We would also welcome your ideas. All of us can make important contributions for peace by our ideas and actions. Send your ideas to us at the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 1187 Coast Village Road, Suite 123, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, (805) 965-3443, Fax (805) 568-0466, E-mail: wagingpeace@napf. org.
IISome Ideas for Robert Muller from Don Tilley:Director, Prairie Peace Park Lincoln, Nebraska"Where children's vision come to life"
1. Place three courses on 'Peacemaking' on website for the UN University for Peace, for people to take and respond by e-mail: Course #1 - How we can develop a peaceful world; Course #2 - How you can develop inner peace; and Course #3 - How you can deepen your friendship with others. Each course would offer a different version for children, youth, adults and be in several languages. These courses on Peacemaking would be funded by a philanthropic organization. Upon completion, each participant would receive an award of achievement that s/he has obtained the knowledge and skills suggested in the respective course.
2. A representative from the University for Peace or the United Nations offers to meet with each state legislature in the United States each year for three days to make linkages between local/state issues to their global counterparts. For example, if the city or state has garbage and waste problems, these problems (and solutions) would be viewed from a global perspective -- so the state can relate to the whole world.
3. Parents of every baby when born be given a Peace Packet with suggestions about how to raise the child as a Peacemaker. Establish a website/e-mail for parents to call up to receive counsel on how to cope with raising the child as a Peacemaker and to see how parents in all parts of the world are sharing examples about the rearing of their children as Peacemakers.
4. The University for Peace or the United Nations offers a behavior inventory in each school for each child as a rite of passage. When child reaches 12 years of age, s/he demonstrates traits expected of a Peacemaker: 1) able to resolve conflicts peacefully with others, 2) able to deal with own upsetness/violent thoughts, and 3) able to show how the United Nations helps develop a peaceful world.
5. Set up a model UN with youth from every nation in the world on world-wide web and e-mail. Each month, one issue would be presented by UN Secretariat for one hour on world television (Ted Turner?) and radio. These youth would respond to this issue for a week by e-mail. Secretariat would attempt to shape the responses of youth toward solution. The recommendations of the youth would be submitted to the Secretary General of the UN and to all media in the world.
6. Each state legislature mandates that each high school student study several world problems each year and search for solutions to these problems, while reviewing the efforts of the UN.
7. The leaders of Habitat of Humanity receive a billion dollars each year by governments to extend their program to great numbers. Control would be kept by leaders of Habitat of Humanity, with no conditions imposed beyond their current guidelines.
8. Once every two years the world holds a world-wide celebration day on world television to honor being alive, enjoying the wonder of life. During this time, 'oracles' (those with special gifts as the women from Delphi) would give prophecies -- issuing warnings, hope and world perspective about different problems and vision on world television.9. A parallel youth UN would be set up in New York to deal with the same problems at the same time which the UN is facing. These youth would serve for staggered terms of two years. They would announce their recommendations on a regular basis. The regular UN would consider each recommendation by the youth.
10. A course would be set up in each high school about how to feel loved, regardless of circumstances.
11. Religious leaders take groups on pilgrimages to humane, successful economic models such as the Mondragon cooperatives in Spain.
12. Develop a world mission statement to guide the development of the world. The mission statement would emphasize good, participatory management of development of the world, humane practices, and purpose for the world. Each multinational corporation would be expected to be guided by this mission statement and relate it to their own mission statement.
13. Set up weekly participatory spiritual exercises on world television to enable people to free themselves from obsolete myths, old roots of violence, and enter into powerful feelings of empathy for persons throughout the whole world.
14. Hold a year of jubilee every ten years when wealth/income would be moved toward equity and economic democracy, in both individuals and nations.
15. The University for Peace/the United Nations encourage technology to move from conquering nature to nurturing humans by providing a number of 'devices' that enable individuals to deal with their defensive behavior and inner problems, relationships, and experience the world as it could become. These experiences could replace the need to achieve and prove selves to others.
Don Tilley, DirectorPrairie Peace ParkP.O. Box 95062Lincoln, NE 68509
402 466-6622(office)402 795-2144 (park) (summer)http://www.igc.apc.org/PeaceParkFax: 402 466-6741
IIIContinuing the Momentum of the UN Decade of Disabled Personsby Alan ReichPresident of the World Committee on Disability
March 18, 1999
Dear Robert:
I am happy to try to be responsive to your request for ideas for action upon the celebration of the Bimillennium. I recall well our meeting in 1983 with Secretary General Pérez de Cuellar when we established the Bimillennium Foundation.
You will note that some of my ideas relate to the world of disability; others are of more general concern. Here it goes:
1. Establish a United Nations agency of disability (your idea)
2. Multiply the resources of the United Nations by 10 or 20 by conducting a serious fundraising campaign worldwide - including schoolchildren, corporations, wealthy individuals - for all United Nations non-political activities
3. Establish an F. D. Roosevelt disability training center to train volunteers to send them worldwide to exchange ideas and assist disabled persons - a special Peace Corps
4. Convene a United Nations disability "brainstorming" conference lead by you to generate ideas on world action on disability
5. Link disabled children in developing countries with disabled children in advanced countries through school-to-school and sister-city programs
6. Place a statue of UN founder Franklin D. Roosevelt in a wheelchair at the United Nations to inspire visitors (disabled and non-disabled alike) and show what is possible for a disabled person
7. Vastly strengthen and expand promotion of the F. D. Roosevelt International Disability Award to motivate governments to pursue full participation as called for in the United Nations World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons.
8. Establish a comparable award to recognize the United Nations agency making noteworthy progress toward the full participation goal of the World Program.
9. Similarly recognize an outstanding non-governmental organization (NGO)
10. Have all UN agencies and recognized NGO's include disabled persons in their leadership bodies.
11. Establish a disability lectureship series sponsored by United Nations information offices worldwide.12. Have the United Nations conduct an enlightened public relations program focusing on disability to give the UN itself a more "human face" and thus expand the awareness of how important and effective the UN can be improving the human condition.
13. Mount a massive program for technology for the disabled - focusing on prostheses, electronic devices, wheelchairs, etc. - using moneys saved from arms reduction
14. Have UNESCO establish special prize to recognize nations for progress in closing the education gap between disabled and non-disabled
15. Have the Secretary General ensure disability is prominently included in every Administrative Coordinating Committee meeting.
16. Have the University for Peace in Costa Rica invite Henry Betts (Special Emissary of the World Committee on Disability) as a guest lecturer on the theme "It is ability not disability that counts"
17. Recognize through a prestigious award (perhaps through the World Health Organization) medical scientists for great discoveries and progress in conquering disabling conditions
18. Have the Pope issue an encyclical on humankind and disability. (I personally spoke with him twice about this, but he hasn't done it yet. I'm sure he would do it for you, Robert.) On the other hand, he did host the first-ever World Vatican Conference on Disability - attended by 9,000 people from throughout the world - at our request in 1991.
I'll be interested to know of your reaction to these thoughts. I'm sure most if not all of these ideas already have occurred to you.
With all good wishes,
Sincerely,
Alan A. ReichPresident
Please dear readers, write down your own personal and professional ideas for a better world. Innumerable ideas by many people will change humanity for the better and save our beautiful Earth. To ideaize, to create a world movement of ideas might be the next phase of our evolution.
Robert Muller
World Committee on Disability910 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006 USA202-293-5960 TDD 202-293-593-5968 Fax 202-293-7999
PART IV
IDEAS 2801 TO 2900
INTRODUCTION
The following was sent to the Christian Science Monitor by its author, Lou Torok, an inmate at the Chillicothe, Ohio Correctional Institution. In the note accompanying the prayer, he wrote, "This was written after I viewed the ruins of Attica Prison in New York State on television. It seems to me that a new defining of basic issues is needed to bring our human problems back into focus.
A New World Prayer
I recognize that I belong to the family of humankindMade up of all human beingsOf every race, color, creed and ideologyNow living on the Planet Earth.
I understand that there can be no common goodWithout an individual good.I am responsible for myselfAnd for all human beings who share thisEarth with me. I know that our enemiesAre those among us who will notJoin in sharing the responsibilityFor our common good.I accept my own personal responsibilityTo replace darkness with lightTo replace hatred with loveTo replace suspicion with trustTo replace lies and hypocrisy with honestyTo replace abuse with fairnessTo replace frustration with patienceTo replace fear with understandingTo replace bias, prejudice, and discrimination with toleranceTo replace ignorance with knowledgeTo replace indifference with concernAnd to replace apathy with action.
I believe that all are entitledTo equal opportunitiesTo live, to grow, and to flourishAs human beingsWith dignity and self-respect.I acknowledge that it is far betterTo live and work for peaceThan to die for peace.
As a member of the Family of humankindNow living on this Planet EarthI thus commit myselfAnd challenge my childrenAnd their children to DO AS WELL.
Lou Torok
~ Idea 2801 ~Retroactively one could wonder what would have happened if communism had not capitulated to capitalism. Humanity might have advanced much more slowly and the Earth destruction more slowly too. We might have found the right relations between humans and the Earth. For capitalism the Earth is here purely to be exploited and transformed, and with the death of communism this is going even faster. What better ideology should we adopt now for the next century? I propose Earthism and Humanism under proper Earth government.
~ Idea 2802 ~National universities which have a whole series of faculties would never be able to provide the knowledge, the talents, education and training which jointly financed world universities on specific subjects could offer. Just visualize a World University on Handicaps created to bring in worldwide information and experiences in this field. Its faculties would justifiably be on physical handicaps, visual handicaps, hearing handicaps, mental handicaps etc. It would be even appropriate to create separate world universities on each of these handicaps. Continental universities, for example European or all American universities, would already be a step in the right direction.
Think indeed of the enormous duplications of costs of the tens of thousands of national universities in the world! A proper Earth government would no doubt raise this question in a World Ministry of Education. The benefits and lower cost would be incredible.
~ Idea 2803 ~I was not smarter than the rest of humanity. Until 1970 all my speeches, writings, books, and actions at the UN were devoted exclusively to human concerns, preoccupations, injustices and progress, to start with peace, human rights and economic development. Only with the Stockholm Conference on the Environment in 1972 did I become concerned also with the environment. Then from 1980 on the Earth became my preoccupation number one. And since 1990 it is the whole future evolution of the Earth and of humanity which have taken possession of me. If I live another decade what will be next? Will it be first world economic, ecological, climatic disasters and emergencies or a mature, fully evolved, peaceful humanity taking good care of the Earth, our home as the true paradise it is?
~ Idea 2804 ~Given the fact that the whole fate of the Earth and of humanity are now at stake, the United Nations and its agencies must urgently be reformed. The present United Nations and system of specialized agencies is geared principally to human problems and economic development and not to the new age of the Earth and of her nature which has emerged so forcefully as challenge and priority number one of our evolution on this planet.
~ Idea 2805 ~If the heads of states at the General Assembly in September 2000 do not at least agree to reexamine and upgrade the United Nations Charter to the pressing needs of the 21st century, I will recommend that the 137 countries which did not participate in the drafting of the current Charter undertake that task in a separate conference of their own which will give a lesson to the others.
~ Idea 2806 ~In view of the serious future facing us regarding global problems and major economic and ecological crises, my proposal to create a school for heads of states at the UN University for Peace would be insufficient: a World University for Proper Earth Government should be created, and proper Earth government should be taught in all universities of the world. The faculties of political science should be renamed and upgraded to faculties of planetics, i.e. proper Earth government and administration.
~ Idea 2807 ~11 November 1999
Today the US and several western countries celebrated a Veteran's Day in honor of the survivors of World War I and II. There are many veterans left from World War II, but very few, if any from World War I. I pray that the time will come soon when there will be no longer any Veteran's Days celebrated on planet Earth because there will no longer be any wars.
~ Idea 2808 ~All pledges of allegiance to nations should be replaced or subordinated to pledges of allegiance to the Earth, to humanity and to God or the universe.
~ Idea 2809 ~How much more time will we lose until all governments on Earth will finally create a Ministry of Peace? (See Volume III, Annex to Part I.) I just cannot believe it.
~ Idea 2810 ~The youth of today should not enroll predominantly in faculties of general science, industrialization, business, economic development, finance, marketing and advertisement but should enlist in faculties of natural sciences, atmospheric sciences, ocean sciences, ecology, the environment, social sciences, Earth government, etc. The fate of the Earth and of the human society are more important than expected job opportunities which will change substantially under the new, pressing emerging priorities.
~ Idea 2811 ~Given the fact that the whole fate of the Earth and of humanity is now at stake I recommend that all universities of the western world should review their structure and programs to take that fact into account. The universities of the poor countries are less concerned because for them sciences, industrialization and economic development are still the priority. But a reconsideration should take place there too so that the appropriate industrialization and economics are taught in those countries.
~ Idea 2812 ~Within ten years the air traffic jam over several big US cities will be the same as is already the car traffic jam at the entrance of these cities.
Who is at fault? Governments in both cases:
1. Cars: the immediate culprits are the car manufacturers who want to sell more cars, create obsolescence with new models, are competing with each other and resort to every possible marketing device to sell to the maximum number of people often several cars. Road constructors are the second culprits: building endlessly new super highways, adding more lanes, inventing traffic tolls to collect more money for the building of more roads. All these producers can claim that there is a free enterprise system of which they must follow the rules. So the real culprits are governments who did not look at the long-term future, warn about these coming situations and adopt necessary laws and regulations.
2. Airlines: exactly the same situation: airplane manufacturers, all of them using the most sophisticated marketing techniques for more air traffic and the same attitude of governments which do not pay attention to the long-term effects of such fundamental phenomena.
One hopeful factor is: the fact that the western world population will diminish by 40 million people between now and the year 2050.
~ Idea 2813 ~After living through the incredible ordeal of an early morning drive to the city of Seattle, I recommend that it should be the first city on Earth to declare that it will no longer grow and 'develop'.
~ Idea 2814 ~It is easier to preach to deserts than to preach to humans. Deserts stay the same. Humans get worse. Look what they are doing to their precious Earth including the deserts and the entire climate.
~ Idea 2815 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, in some of your ideas you complain about the world's newspapers and magazines which continue to multiply both in numbers and in volume. They are cause, to a good degree, of my deforestation although 'recycling' has diminished that damage to a good measure.
But in one of my visions of the future I see the human species diminish, even possibly vanish as a result of the destruction of my natural elements. The maximum of other species will therefore survive. I am therefore not unhappy."
I:I was just thinking of that when I received the two huge latest telephone books for the year 1999 in Costa Rica. The total telephone books of this planet must reach tens of billions of pages and are increasing in volume every year!
~ Idea 2816 ~Reading Idea 625 in which I recommend that the United Nations should be transferred to the site of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica, I should add this reason: the proper place of the United Nations should be in a demilitarized country and not in the United States, the most militarized and heavily armed country on Earth.
~ Idea 2817 ~I should specify the departmental structures and the programs of studies of the World University for Heads of State which I propose to be created. The World Core Curriculum used in the Robert Muller Schools could be the basis. (See insert I in Volume I.)
I even wonder if such a university is not needed for a larger group of leaders including leaders of corporations, of religions, etc. Its name could then be: World University for Heads of State and Leaders of All Major Institutions on Earth.
~ Idea 2818 ~What is the most important thing on Earth? The Earth herself. I as a human am not because I am all made of Earth, I am born from the Earth and I will return to the Earth. No individual, no group of humans, no nation can be more important than her. The Earth must be number one. And to think that the UN Charter does not even mention her! She was taken for granted. The Charter must absolutely be revised and updated. Even better, a brand new Charter must be drafted, so many things having happened and changed in the last 55 years.
~ Idea 2819 ~What are the most important documents on Earth? They are the World Core Curriculum for Education born from the United Nations, reproduced in Volume I and the Earth Charter drafted by the Earth Council at the request of the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment. (see Annex)
I have been told that one of the most successful, unforgettable, beloved ways of teaching the world to children are the United Nations models in which the children take the position and seat of particular nations and learn how to solve world problems and properly govern the Earth.
I recommend that United Nations models should also be introduced in faculties of political science and international relations of all universities. This would prepare students as future heads of states and of other major institutions on planet Earth.
~ Idea 2820 ~There should be a new category added to the work of the United Nations on Human Rights, a category of No Rights. For example:
Humans have no right to destroy other species of this planet except when proven destructive to humanity.
Humans have no right to destroy the rest of trees and vegetation of this planet.
Humans have no right to make the air of our planet unfit for respiration by living beings.
Nations have no right to ask young people to kill other young people.
Nations have no right to call themselves sovereign.
No religion has the right to call itself infallible.
etc., etc. It would be a long, interesting list. Dear reader add your own.
~ Idea 2821 ~The excessively rapid development of the United States might lead to its demise. Why? Because all its immense, sophisticated, mass producing industries, construction firms, commercial firms, service firms, transportation firms, marketing and advertisement firms will constantly have to grow and this is impossible given the limits of the Earth's resources. Moreover its population has ceased to grow and is even diminishing. New inventions can only retard that fate and make matters worse. Some anthropologists predict that western humans will end up dehumanizing themselves and that the only last real humans left will be the indigenous and African people.
What can be done to avoid this fate for most of the world? The one I recommend is an urgent, proper Earth government by the human species as outlined in Volume IV, pages 139 to 155.
~ Idea 2822 ~Perhaps even more urgent is a redistribution of capital and income all over the planet. A World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Redistribution of Capital and Income should be created.
~ Idea 2823 ~Thank God that the seas and oceans and high mountains occupy more than eighty percent of the Earth surface. If not, the entire Earth would be 'owned', claimed, occupied, 'developed', exploited and soon destroyed by humans at their current rate of so-called ' economic progress' and endless increasing 'wanting more'.
~ Idea 2824 ~The new human values required so that evolution can continue on our planet are being born right in the midst of us: peace, non-violence, non-destruction of nature, respect for life, a renaissance of spirituality, love for all that is good, humanism, protection of human rights, justice, well-being for all, ethics in all human professions and institutions, etc.
There is still a lot to do for these values and to downgrade and eliminate persistent old ones such as atomization, armaments, militarism, greed, power lust, enrichment, unnecessary consumption, overproduction, over construction, overwaste and other obsolete, persistent, wrong values.
~ Idea 2825 ~There is need to adopt internationally two world declarations of human duties. One a world declaration of duties not to do something and the second a world declaration of duties to do something. Here are a few examples:
I. World Declaration of Human Duties Not To
It is my duty not to buy unnecessary products which have required wounding the Earth to be made
It is my duty not to undertake unnecessary trips by car or airplanes which damage the atmosphere and human health with their emissions
It is my duty not to engage in unnecessary activities which are destructive or wounding the Earth
etc.
II. World Declaration of Human Duties To
It is my duty to love the Earth and protect her nature
It is my duty to restore what is unnecessarily destroyed of the Earth
It is my duty to clean the Earth wherever I am
It is my duty to thank the Earth for the air, waters, nourishment and beauty she offers to my life.
etc.
~ Idea 2826 ~The fact that there are still human groups which fight and kill other humans in the name of God and religion is shameful: it supposes that God is mean, that He is for the killing of His creatures, His children!
~ Idea 2827 ~During a celebration of the yearly week of kindness in Dallas, Texas, Mr. Ben Click, Chief of Police of the city said that he remembers the speech of a three stars general to US troops that, "the greatest people in human history had one thing in common: love which contains all other human virtues like care and kindness." He never forgot it. How wonderful that a general could deliver such a speech to an audience of soldiers.
~ Idea 2828 ~Not only the yearly session of the UN General Assembly should open and end with a minute of silence for prayer or meditation, but all United Nations meetings as well as those of its 32 specialized agencies and world programs should open and end that way. National parliaments and government meetings should too. And why not corporations meetings? Perhaps they are the main ones which should pray.
~ Idea 2829 ~I saw this title of a book, More Books by More People.
I would like to see one, More Ideas by More People.
~ Idea 2830 ~The Earth:"There should not be any iron curtains and borders on my surface which was born without any. Only humans could invent them."
~ Idea 2831 ~There should be a science, a strategy, a methodology and a world-wide practice of optimism. We need tons of it.
~ Idea 2832 ~The airplane industry and most other transportation industries were a great triumph of the first postwar period from 1945 to 1970 signaled in Volume IV, page 140, namely to do more for humanity in every possible way.
Alas, now that we are in the third and fourth periods when the Earth and our future evolution are at stake they have become to a great extent damaging factors.
It was the same with the effects of saving children from early death and epidemics in poor countries immediately after World War II, which led to the world population explosion so detrimental to the Earth.
How incredible that some human efforts can change from right to detrimental and from beneficial to damaging within a few decades!
Question: What do we do or invent today which we think is wonderful and highly beneficial to humans and which will become detrimental in the next few decades? Could it be computers? Television in its present state could already be considered for the list.
~ Idea 2833 ~In the airplane they are serving cans of Coca Cola with the inscription "Siempre Coca Cola", always Coca Cola. In my view it should be replaced by "Nunca Coca Cola", never Coca Cola.
I asked for tomato juice, the elderly Guatemalan lady next to me for orange juice but her little granddaughter asked for Coca Cola. What a vital, primary target children must be at the world headquarters of the unnatural, so-called 'soft drink' world invading, water diverting and fruit juices killing imperialist companies! In the poor countries they call it already coca-colonialism.
~ Idea 2834 ~If I continue to write several more thousands of ideas, a good number of books on many vital contemporary subjects could be automatically extracted from them by computer as books or pamphlets. I would become a most prolific writer.
For example, from the first two thousand ideas the except of my dreams and ideas on spirituality and religion counts fifty-six pages, the excerpt on the future, fifty-nine pages! The excerpt on evolution from the 3000 Ideas counts 95 pages.
A whole automatic publishing house could be built on these ideas and those of other people. I have recommended to Ted Turner to create a Ted Turner World Publishing House and thus repeat his CNN miracle after being briefed by me at the UN on upcoming global world problems many years ago when he was a young man and told me his dream not to let this Earth get destroyed.
~ Idea 2835 ~We should give endless grace to George Washington and to the great American visionaries who considered that it would be a disaster if the American states remained sovereign, each with an army, a congress and a monetary unit.
Well, if
they would resurrect they would exclaim: "But your situation is far
worse than was ours, since you have 189 sovereign nations! How
can you ever dream that this might work properly. It
cannot. It is totally irrational, uneconomic,
irreconcilable. It will create havoc at any moment. Why
do you wait to do for the entire globe what we did for the
Confederate States: transform or replace the United Nations by a
United States of the World." Yes, why not?
~ Idea 2836 ~Governments should beware: they are under close watch of the cosmic forces which hope to see them take the right course for our future evolution and that of the Earth. If not, they will have to pay it dearly.
~ Idea 2837 ~The more air pollution there will be in the world's big cities where the capitals of government and headquarters of big businesses are located, the sicker and crazier their leaders will become. Without the oxygen, inspiration, enlightenments and common sense from Mother Earth's nature and oxygen they will bury humanity and most other life forms.
~ Idea 2838 ~Early this morning when going to the airport in Costa Rica I saw the poor Nicaraguan families, fathers, mothers and children, sitting on the side of the road, come here to pick coffee beans and make a little money. They lodge in an abandoned dairy farm and have to walk two miles to the next village to buy food!
Two hours later from the airplane and at the airport of Guatemala City I could see the mushrooming high-rise buildings of the western world, banks and businesses which sell to Guatemalans more western products, soft drinks, cars and nature destroying habits.
What kind of a world is this? The US is right to be heavily armed because soon there might be revolutions on this planet against US and western global businesses. The Seattle peoples' manifestation against the World Trade Organization was a first example.
~ Idea 2839 ~At a conference organized by the Schumacher College in England to consider whether the words 'nature' and 'capitalism' can go together, the first speaker, Morey Lovins, opened the debate with this lapidary statement:
"The trouble with capitalism is that it has never been tried. We are too busy liquidating our main capital resource: nature."
It reminded me of the following poem which I once wrote for the children of the Robert Muller School in Arlington, Texas:
Save your Mother Earthfrom her matricidal childrenwho destroy herwho divide herwho spike her with nuclear armswho hold their territories to be greater than the globeand their groups greater than humanity.
~ Idea 2840 ~We need a World Peoples' Party against financial capitalism and in favor of nature capitalism. It is the only way to save the Earth and ensure our survival. The World Natural Law Party might be it.
~ Idea 2841 ~Seeing what has become of the United States with its monstrous cities, many of them covered by yellow-brown caps of pollution, its endless highways with millions of cars, its sky polluted by excessive air traffic, its oceans, shores, waters becoming increasingly dead waters, its over-marketing, overadvertising, overproduction, overconsumption and overgarbadging, I recommend that less and less young people from other countries should come to study in the United States. They will be taught the wrong values, economics and technologies which will destroy their own countries and future. They should request their governments to give them a better education geared to their country's optimum preserved, enhanced nature, culture and well-being and happiness of the people.
~ Idea 2842 ~Capitalism could be described as the Kaputalism of the Earth (from the German word kaput, destroyed).
~ Idea 2843 ~We have many yearbooks on this planet. I suggest that we should also have:
decade bookscentennial booksmillennium books
It would help us to better judge our human journey and the evolution of our home Earth.
~ Idea 2844 ~From the latest canonization report on Robert Schuman, the main founder of the European Union I learned that his sainthood will not be proclaimed in 2000 but sometime later. The reason is this: the inquirers have discovered that he had a concept of peace which went far beyond the stopping of conflicts and reaching compromise or agreement; it should also be an act of love, the birth of friendship and the beginning of unprecedented cooperation. This is what happened between France and Germany due to the Schuman Plan which led ultimately to the borderless European Union of fifteen nations of that continent. The inquirers want to study further documents, writings and recorded speeches by him to elaborate on his views.
His is indeed a great, timely, transcended notion of peace which should receive world-wide attention through his canonization as the first modern political saint.
~ Idea 2845 ~Writing the preceding reminds me of a conversation with Robert Schuman at the United Nations in which he told me that the European Union was possible only because there were three Christian Democratic leaders in Europe at the time: Konrad Adenauer in Germany, he as Foreign Minister of France and Alcide de Gasperi, Foreign Minister of Italy. At the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica we have already a bust of Konrad Adenauer. I will make sure that we will also have busts of Robert Schuman and Alcide de Gasperi on our beautiful grounds to serve as models to the students.
~ Idea 2846 ~The United States government must be very strongly influenced by the armaments manufacturers lobby to judge from the following:
1. The proposal by Senator Matsunaga to create a United States Peace Institute which would train peacemakers the same way as West Point, Annapolis and Colorado Springs train foot soldiers, Marines and airborne forces, took many years of hearings to be finally adopted. But when President Reagan came into power he opposed it violently and it was created only on the condition that it would produce only studies and reports and not train peacemakers.
2. The proposal in which I was deeply involved to create a United Nations University to fulfill a dream of U Thant was violently opposed by the US and finally accepted only on the condition that it would not have any students and produce only studies and reports. I later learned from the Rector of the University that even that condition was not acceptable to the US and that the university was created only because Japan wanted it to be established in Tokyo. As a gesture of friendship the United States government then agreed.
3. The UN University for Peace in Costa Rica was no less violently opposed by the US followed by most western countries and never really got off the ground for several years. Twenty years later the United States has still to ratified it.
No wonder that we have 556 soldiers, 85 doctors and only one world servant for 100,000 inhabitants on this planet, that we have hundreds of war academies or defense institutes and only one place to train peacemakers. There is a lot to be remedied in the proper administration of this beautiful planet, run now for all practical purposes by the United States, as imposed to the Europeans in the Kosovo affair.
~ Idea 2847 ~
Which country on Earth will be the first to recommend that the number of pages of daily newspapers should be limited in order to save on paper, on forest destruction and to increase the peace and happiness of the people?
The time will come when countries will be forced to do so.
~ Idea 2848 ~There are money and financial sections in practically all American newspapers but I have never seen a happiness section. This says a lot of that country. I wonder what the founding fathers of the United States would say if they came back to life.
~ Idea 2849 ~Every child on Earth should be taught what their name and surname mean as well as the name of their city and of their country. For example, Irene means peace, the Greek goddess of peace. The Philippines means the country of the horse lovers, from the Greek phil hippos. Canada means the place of many villages. Robert is an old German word, the shining light; Muller is the miller; France and Frank come from the old German franken, meaning the free. It is strange that millions of soldiers have died during centuries without knowing what the name of the country they fought for meant.
~ Idea 2850 ~Six excellent ideas of my beloved, enlightened wife, Barbara:
Be a prophet in the worldBe a prophet in your countryBe a prophet in your professionBe a prophet in your familyBe a prophet for yourselfBe a prophet for your grandchildren.
~ Idea 2851 ~What an incredible privilege it is to be alive on such a wonderful, life-rich, beautiful, endlessly diverse and evolving planet Earth in the vast universe, to know it, to feel it, to be in love with her, to be one of her children and trustees. Yes, what an incredible miracle it is to be alive. I was right when I felt it already as a child and continued to believe it during all my life.
~ Idea 2852 ~Every morning when we wake up we should joyfully exclaim how wonderful it is to be alive, thank God for it and work gratefully for it.
~ Idea 2853 ~The subject of ethics is coming more and more strongly to the fore everywhere in the world. I recommend that thought should be given to the creation of a World Court of Ethics.
It is good that at the UN University for Peace an international ombudsman function and office will be created to receive complaints from any person in the world about the violation of justice, rights and ethics.
In view of my writings and concern with ethics, especially global ethics, UNESCO has invited me as a keynote speaker to an international conference on Universal Ethics convened by UNESCO in September 2000 in Paris. I contributed to it an excerpt of 21 pages on ethics from my Ideas.
~ Idea 2854 ~Why should some countries be so much richer than others, their wealth coming largely or partly from past colonialism and exploitation of the poor ones?
There should be a world concern for this problem. Historians should look into the subject of acquisition and distribution of wealth and power on planet Earth over time. A world redistribution of wealth and income should be considered. Reparations would even be a better word.
~ Idea 2855 ~I wish someone would write a book on the efforts, failures and successes of rich countries and rich corporations to create artificial new countries to get hold of or domination over their natural resources.
Examples:
- the creation of Kuwait ruled by sheiks seceding from Iraq at the behest and with the aid of the United Kingdom and the United States because of its petroleum;
- the attempt by Belgium and its copper mine owners to create a new, artificial state of Katanga to secede from the Congo because of the copper mines. It cost the life of Dag Hammarskjöld;
- the attempts by the United Kingdom to create a new, artificial Biafra to secede from Nigeria because of its petroleum.
And how many other such attempts were made on this planet, unknown, unpublicized to the people? Still money, by far not justice, rules the world.
~ Idea 2856 ~If airline business is given a free hand or is run by governments and big cities, there will come a day when no blue sky will be visible in the world anymore. Everywhere there will be white or somber streaks emitted by airplanes. Mark my words. The city of Los Angeles plans a new giant airport which will accommodate 22 million passengers a year! The city 'fathers' rejoice at the increased tax revenues this will yield, while Mother Earth and los angeles, the angels in heaven cry.
~ Idea 2857 ~Private business, especially global corporations will destroy this planet which they do not consider to be their business. Only governments and laws can prevent that. Alas, almost all governments have become the servants of business to push their 'economic growth' and add to their wealth, tax revenues and power. They must react before it is too late or they will be faced with cataclysmic situations. Governments please wake up to your task of governing well your people, your territory and the Earth we live on.
~ Idea 2858 ~There is mainly talk of privatization in the world. Well, since private business is a main cause of the destruction of the Earth, its objectives being to bring in profit, to be competitive, to constantly expand, gain new markets and get higher quotations on stock markets, I recommend that publicization should be given equal right and concern at the local, state, national and world levels.
I would thus recommend that:
1. All stock exchanges in the world should become public service agencies.
2. All banks in the world should become public service agencies.
3. World common public services should be created.
The salvation and protection of the Earth, the restoration of its nature and resources must become priority number one on this planet. Full consequences must be drawn from that formidable challenge. Free private business which was fine until recently is not made for that new, overwhelming summons. It cannot meet it. It is the duty of democratic government in which all people should have a voice and not the banks and stock exchanges in which only the rich have a voice. The whole political and economic system of this planet must be reformed from scratch. Government must be worldialized.
~ Idea 2859 ~The ultimate meaning of human life has changed substantially for many people: it is no longer the immediate need to survive, to be fed, to have security and to get more prosperous. Increasing numbers of humans realize that its meaning is to contribute to the further evolution of our endangered planet from which we were born, by whose resources we are nourished and to which we will return at our death. This is the beginning of a great new global wisdom.
~ Idea 2860 ~Humans lived for many millennia believing that the sun was turning around the Earth and not the Earth around the sun. Then we had the Copernican revolution.
Another revolution is now taking place, namely that the Earth and her nature were not created for humans, but that humans were created by the Earth as her most advanced form of evolution. This is the second Copernican Revolution.
All
human groups will have to understand that. Even business and
moneymakers must understand it. If not, they are condemned to
vanish, taking us along with them.
~ Idea 2861 ~We can say and foresee today what we could not say and foresee fifty years ago. And it was like that during all our long history and evolution except that it is now accelerating. The number of years in-between are getting shorter and shorter. Humanity and governments must become acutely aware of this. If not we will see untold, unprecedented global crises and disasters on this planet.
~ Idea 2862 ~If I could address the Millennium UN General Assembly at the heads of states level for five to ten minutes I would say this:
- please decide a basic review of the 55 years old UN Charter;
- please declare the fate of the Earth as one of the highest priorities on the agenda of world affairs;
- please decide the absolute, urgent need for a proper Earth and human government;
- please ensure justice, especially a decent well-being for all humans;
- please abolish all nuclear and other armaments, all militaries and establish a proper world security system;
- please remain in permanent session to decide the transformation of the United Nations into a United Earth on the model of the United States or a World Union on the model of the European Union or on even more audacious models required by our evolution in the cosmos.
- please create as a minimum a United Nations Consultative Parliamentary Assembly, as recommended by the European Parliament.
~ Idea 2863 ~We must absolutely begin to 'de-advertise' the world. If not, excessive, immoral, unethical advertisement will destroy all human hope and optimism and lead to the end of human civilization. We have already lost a lot of it.
A World Public Service Agency on Advertisement must be rapidly created by the United Nations to work out a world system of proper, ethical, non-corrupted, non-lying advertisements.
~ Idea 2864 ~Beyond and above all other human groups and institutions the United Nations is concerned both with the greatest, loftiest dreams and ideals of humanity and its gravest, most urgent and long-term problems, dangers and threats. To work for the UN requires to have one's head in heaven and one's feet in hell. As the first Secretary General, Trygve Lie said: it is the most impossible job on Earth.
And for the United Nations to succeed it needs the passion of its workers and the profound love, understanding and support of the world's people. Of these three, love is the most important. The other two will follow.
~ Idea 2865 ~Our next step in evolution must be to go from United Nations to a United Earth in which we humans will not come first but will cooperate with nature and the Earth from which we all come, on which we all depend and to which we will all return.
Politically this has already taken form in the Green Parties and in the Natural Law Party created by scientists in over one hundred countries as a way to proper Earth government.
Existing parties like Republicans and Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals, etc. will be overtaken and obsoleted by this evolutionary phenomenon.
~ Idea 2866 ~People can keep a journal to record their life, their thoughts, their happiness, the events of their families, etc.
They can also keep a journal of creative observations, their hopes, their ideas and dreams as Leonardo da Vinci did. He always had a notebook hanging from his belt to record his observations. I have one constantly in my pocket and on my night table. We must be the source of good ideas and dreams for a better world. We are part of evolution.
~ Idea 2867 ~There is need to challenge the fundamental beliefs, values and institutions of the world if they no longer correspond to the new imperatives of evolution. It seems an impossible task and almost nobody dares to do it, but if it is done, the needed changes will occur.
One of my tasks from the global point of view of the United Nations was to do that and to dream and conceive even what seemed impossible. This is why so many people thank me as the man whose relentless efforts have brought about at least some good changes in the world.
~ Idea 2868 ~How many people on Earth serve people? And how many people on Earth serve the Earth?
The difference in the numbers must be enormous. It would reveal that the Earth is definitely not the primary concern of the human species. This might be fatal both to the Earth and to humanity.
Please leaders of the Earth and nations, wake up to this potentially fatal disparity.
~ Idea 2869 ~Governments must do against alcohol (Arabic, al kohol, the devil) what they are doing against smoking: prohibit advertisements, make the producing firms responsible for the public health costs resulting from alcoholism, have alcohol free places, public offices, etc.
~ Idea 2870 ~The sudden mushrooming in the world of peoples' movements, non-governmental organizations and public protests is a significant evolutionary phenomenon: the wrongnesses in the present world situation are such that more and more people wake up and request correction. It is a new, very live, growing form of democracy. All governments, institutions and students of political and social sciences better pay serious attention to it.
~ Idea 2871 ~The fundamentalism of capitalism and communism at the end of the last century was a very painful, damaging era of human history and evolution. It happened at a time when many groups were fundamentalists, in particular religions, many of which are still fundamentalist today. What was needed was a working together of communism and capitalism, a commonism to see what was good in both, namely the need for public common services for human groups from the local communities to the entire world and the need for freedom and creativity of all humanity from the individual to the global community. Capitalism survived because it gave more room to freedom than communism, but it is still a fundamentalist ideology. If it continues to be so it will also be challenged and disappear. Not only privatization is needed but also commonization, the democratic creation of common public services for all human groups from the local to the global, from the disinherited to the well-to-do.
We need new words in our vocabulary like commonism, commonization, commoncracy, Earthcracy, naturecracy, soulcracy, lovecracy.
~ Idea 2872 ~One day, early in the morning I walked to the San Jacinto mountains in Palm Springs, one of the great mountain sites on Earth, a whole vertical wall of clay, granite and other rocks. I let my heart outpour to the beauty of nature and my sadness for the human sights and buildings below them when suddenly I heard the mountain speak to me as the Earth and nature sometimes do.
The mountain said, "I thank you for your love dear brother. You are someone to whom I can talk. Can you explain to me some facts which I cannot understand. Here are two of them:First, why did this big city arise down there around some wells where a small population of indigenous people lived in peace and harmony with nature for millennia? Now there are bulldozers everywhere, cars, an airport, aircrafts, hundreds of swimming pools, casinos, thousands of visitors. Why? Why these activities, building and endless restlessness?
Second, I see many green surfaces where males are trying to propulse with sticks little white balls into holes over large distances. Why do they do that? I was never able to figure it out. Then at one point they leave, abandoning behind them many of these little balls on the green grounds."
I answered:Dear brother mountain, humans have become money crazy. You do not know what money is. They are pieces of paper with figures and images inscribed on them. With them you can 'buy' innumerable 'goods', obtain many services, build, travel, have fun. This has become the main pursuit of humans on this planet. They came and settled here expecting to get more money and the richer they get the more they want. There is a whole new profession of humans called business which invent new desires of people, new fashions which many people think they have to follow or will bring them happiness. One of them is to build new cities and houses on seashores, on mountains and even here in a desert. Many of these businessmen, in order to know each other better, exchange ideas, join their forces and money, come together to play what they call golf, trying to project with a stick they call a club, those little balls into holes over vast green flat and hilly surfaces. Dear mountain, this is all I can tell you. It is crazy. The human species, one of the Earth' animals is in the process of ruining the entire Earth with bulldozers, monstrous cities, mountains of goods and useless activities. Even I am part of it. I come here from far away to participate in something they call a conference on how we could have a better world. And of all the people in this great hotel with its large conference rooms I'm the only one who came to see you and give you and Mother Earth my love.
The Mountain:"Thank you dear brother human. From now on I will close my eyes from what I see."
~ Idea 2873 ~According to Dr. John Hagelin, quantum physicist and president of the US new political party which recommends government according to the laws of nature, the increasing fragmentation of modern education into ever smaller and technical, sophisticated knowledge leads to a non-use of the wholistic function of the human brain and is therefore one of the principal causes of unhappiness and violence. He shows on video how this creates holes in the frontal part of the human brain where this wholistic function is located.
After his presentation I talked to him and drew his attention to the Robert Muller Schools where children never fight and do not show any violence for the following reasons:
1. They are taught all the human knowledge of our planetary home and of humanity within the vast framework of the universe, of our solar system, of the entire Earth from the infinitely large to the infinitely small and in total time from the infinite past to the infinite future. All their further education is given within this wholistic vision including the whole view of their own individual physical, mental, sentimental and spiritual lives. From that education they gain the view that to be alive is a true miracle and that each individual is expected and can contribute to the fulfillment and further evolution of this total, magic, breathtaking wholistic reality. (See World Core Curriculum table in Volume I).
2. The children are told from the very beginning that they are true magical, cosmic agents, miracles in this incredible totality of the universe, of our planetary home and of humanity unfolding over time.
3. According to the skills distributed to them by nature they can devote their lives to a particular segment of the planetary and human needs and thus fulfill their lives with happiness by making a contribution to the whole of humanity, the Earth and evolution through the profession they chose.
As a result of the peace achieved in these schools many people recommend that the World Core Curriculum and the education given in the Robert Muller Schools should be extended to the entire world. The best compliment I ever received was from the courtyard caretaker of the first Robert Muller School in Arlington, Texas when he said to me, "Mr. Muller, I do not know what they do to the children in that school, but I've never seen two children fight in the courtyard." I answered him, "They cannot fight each other because they are told that each of them is a miracle and one miracle does not harm another miracle."
I had no merit to design this World Core Curriculum. I owe it to the United Nations where I received the right, wholistic education after having been wrongly educated by incomplete 'sovereign' fragments of humanity on this planet called France, Germany and the United States.
~ Idea 2874 ~Someday I should write another book on my dreams which became true during my life. For instance, the dream after World War II to work for peace. The dream to join the United Nations. The dream to see the border in my hometown disappear. The dream to live in a demilitarized country. The dream to be an educator for peace. The dream to live as long as possible to help bring about a better world. The dream to live some day on a beautiful hill with a magnificent view and to write as an elder of the United Nations the beautiful stories of my life and my further dreams and ideas for a better word. I have come to believe that the only things that really work on this miraculous, magic Earth are dreams.
~ Idea 2875 ~Each human being is a miracle created by God or by cosmic energies active on this planet for billions of years, through reproduction and the transmission of experience by genes.
That miracle touches, sees, hears, observes, reads, learns from the outside world and thus lives informed or programmed by it. If that outside world is contrary to the further natural evolution of the Earth he or she will not be a normal but a programmed being conditioned by wrong values.
Nowadays most outside influences are 'bad' from the evolutionary point of view, being the result of 19th century conditions and theories. We are thus in a deep evolutionary crisis felt by more and more people.
The first duty of each individual is therefore to isolate himself as much as possible from these wrong outside predominant values. If not, western humans will de-humanize themselves and only 'primitive' people will remain humans. Many of the ideas and recommendations in these 3000 Ideas are addressed to that. We will witness the birth of a global ethical age of human evolution or we will perish.
~ Idea 2876 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, what is basically wrong with the human species is this: you should have at least as many ideas and initiatives to take good care of me, not to destroy me, to preserve me, as you devote to millions of new products, inventions, gadgets, forms of packaging, new 'services', advertising, marketing, making more money, entertainment, travel, tourism, etc. If this lasts much longer at the present rate we will all be finished, I and you."
I:I know it, dear Earth and I say it repeatedly in my writings and speeches hoping that you and I will be heard.
~ Idea 2877 ~Big multinational companies are not even that big if one considers the bigness of the world and of the human population. They are rather average. How to evaluate and as necessary regulate their power and interventions in the peoples' and the Earth's lives and interests, that is the basic question.
~ Idea 2878 ~There are other forms of economic development than to build skyscrapers and high-rise buildings. Why therefore introduce them in poor countries? They are monuments to the arrogance and wealthology of the misguided western world. We should therefore not be surprised that they nurture mounting hatred and acts of violence.
~ Idea 2879 ~I have been called one of the biggest worriers on Earth. I agree and recommend that there should be a new profession on this planet: that of global or world worriers.
~ Idea 2880 ~I would like to see a report on the world strategies of soft drinks, cigarette and alcohol companies to invade the whole human race, country by country to the last corner of the world. For example, the planned use of water resources of a country to fulfill the strategy of maximum sales of soft drinks instead of the consumption of natural water provided by nature. It would be frightening.
~ Idea 2881 ~Since the great new challenge in human history is the further evolution of life on planet Earth we should not only speak of the role of the individual not to have many children and not to overconsume and to adopt new values which will permit this further evolution, but it should also be the duty and the pride of all institutions. It is important to convey the requirements of future evolution to local communities, cities, provinces, nations and world institutions. There should be more academic research on this subject. Thank God most of the global institutions, in particular the United Nations and its 32 specialized agencies and world programs are aware that much of their work must be geared to the future evolution of the Earth and of the biosphere.
There should be faculties or at least courses on evolution and the future of humanity and of the Earth in all universities.
~ Idea 2882 ~God has given me
the miracle of lifesurvival in World War IIservice in the United Nationsa wonderful spouse, Margarita from Chilefour children and nine grandchildrenretirement, volunteer service with the first UN University for Peace on this planet in demilitarized Costa Ricathe paradise and inspiration of a sacred mountain, Mt. Rasura second wonderful life companion, Barbara from Hungary and the US.
He has given me as tasks world peace and the preservation of our miraculous Earth.
He has never given me as objectives to make money or to become famous.
Thank you dear God for all your blessings and safeguards.
~ Idea 2883 ~How many of the hundreds of thousands of United States citizens who must drive every morning in several miles long traffic lines and jams into big cities would be ready to proclaim to the rest of the world that the United States is the most successful, most admirable, most enviable country on Earth meriting to be imitated by everybody?
Not many, I am sure.
I recommend that a polling agency organize and publish the results of a nation-wide poll of their views.
~ Idea 2884 ~Ideas and words which are seldom used in political speeches and documents, even at the United Nations.
lovehappinesscompassionspiritualityforgivenessdreamthe heartthe soulGodgoddess EarthMother Earth
Why is that?
~ Ideas 2885 to 2887 ~Ideas which came to my mind during the inauguration at the UN University for Peace of the bust of Henri Dunant, a famous Swiss businessman who, seeing the horrors of World War I in Solferino, Italy, decided to create the International Red Cross and also the Young Men's Christian Association:
Idea 2885 if only all wealthy people of the world would follow Henri Dunant's example and create or support new institutions devoted to the increase of human well-being, peace, happiness, and the preservation of our beautiful planet Earth. I'm so glad that we have already on the campus of the UN University for Peace the busts of Gandhi, Tolstoy, Albert Schweitzer, Sasakawa, Eleanor Roosevelt, Konrad Adenauer, Simon Bolivar, Yishak Rabin and now also Henri Dunant.
Idea 2886 Next we must get busts of Robert Schuman, Jean Monnet and Alcide de Gasperi, co-founders of the European Union with Konrad Adenauer.
Idea 2887 Rodrigo Carazo, the former President of Costa Rica who launched in the UN General Assembly the idea of creating the UN University for Peace nineteen years ago, has become the President Emeritus of that university and I am its Chancellor Emeritus. It would be useful to create a World Association of Emeritus People so that people who had an active life and want to continue to be of service could associate and never really retire from good institutions they helped to create or served.
~ Idea 2888 ~What must reign on this Earth is the law of peace and not the law of force. In order to make progress in this direction there are many ways:
innumerable ideasmany actionsdemocratic, peoples' manifestationsprayerinspirationright educationvoluntary servicephilanthropygaiaphily
Add your own, dear reader.
~ Idea 2889 ~We must absolutely and once and for all put an end to the sad past human history of wars, domination and injustices to which must be added now the destruction of the Earth in order to gain profit and power through economic dominance.
It is the most categoric imperative of our time.
All governments of the world should proclaim it and do it.
~ Idea 2890 ~Capitalism and communism are two obsolete ideologies of the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. Evolution has dramatically overtaken them. We must now adopt Humanism and Earthism as the new ideology: the fulfillment and good care of all humans, and the love and good care of our Mother Earth and her miraculous, nourishing natural elements.
~ Idea 2891 ~There is need for many more than my 3000 Ideas and dreams for a peaceful and better world. All national governments and their ministries should solicit and collect them from the people. Please dear reader, write down your ideas and send them to your head of state, Parliament and to the UN.
~ Idea 2892 ~When the first meeting of the World Trade Organization took place in Seattle, US, there were 40,000 people of American non-governmental organizations and peoples' movements to protest against these meetings where the big multinational corporations were demonstrating and using to the full their power and domination over the world through free trade and free capital movements. This is something unheard of which shows that the people after all cannot be fooled forever. In this connection I do not know if they have raised the question which I have raised several times in these 3000 Ideas, namely why should there be free movements of merchandises and capital and no free movement of people? Don't people count and shouldn't the United States which claims to be the great country of freedom, the country built on the immigration of Europeans to the vast sparsely populated continent of North America, should not that country speak out for the freedom of settlement of people on this planet? This question must be raised as an important item on the agenda of world affairs.
~ Idea 2893 ~There is hope even for the United States in the future: look at beautiful, romantic Italy, at her great works of art, at her Michelangelo, her Leonardo da Vinci, all produced since the demise of the Roman Empire. Perhaps the US after its economic and world power demise, will give the world new Beethovens, Mozarts, Michelangelos and Leonardos da Vincis. No country remains forever the same.
~ Idea 2894 ~I'm glad to be the director of two theses by students of the University for Peace. One on the Natural Law Party created by British scientists and now existing in more than a hundred countries and the second on Costa Rican neutrality and its role in world affairs. This made me suggest to another student to write a thesis on the ideas and actions of great Costa Ricans at this end of a century namely, Jose Figueres, Rodrigo Carazo and Oscar Arias.
~ Idea 2895 ~In all the work and reports of the United Nations on war and conflicts there should not be only statistics on the number of militaries killed but also of civilian victims. For example, in the last decade three-quarters of all deaths in conflicts were civilians. The extent of damages to the Earth and to human capital should also be reported.
~ Idea 2896 ~Nature has enough for human needs but not for human greeds.
~ Idea 2897 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, I learned that the population of India has reached one billion in August 1999 and that it will increase by 530 million by the year 2050 according to UN demographers.
This is a glaring proof that the necessary means are not taken to cope with the population explosion and even less regarding the overconsumption explosion.
I begin to think therefore that while you are now at long last dealing seriously with establishing world peace, I should rather rejoice when there are wars, revolutions, major accidents, increasing deaths from air and water pollution because they prevent even more population and destruction of my resources. I am even sometimes tempted to rejoice when I learn that more than 5 million children in the poor countries die each year from remaining epidemics.
My heart bleeds to have to say this to you. I do it only because the current situation and the prospects of my own future are so dismal."
I:"I understand you. I sometimes have the same thought. Wars among humans and the war against you should both be ended. I am glad that this at least is being taken up at the UN University for Peace and the Earth Council established on one of your most beautiful natural sites in a demilitarized country, Costa Rica. There is also this hope: that more and more humans will follow the example of the western people and have less children. It is a very important new evolutionary fact, that the population of the western countries will diminish from 1.2 billion to 1.16 billion between now and the year 2050."
~ Idea 2898 ~We need more Beethovens of world affairs.
We need an elevated, inspiring revolutionary music to clear, purify and elevate the state of the Earth and of humanity. We need more Odes to Joy to the brotherhood of all humans and our sisterhood with the Earth. Schiller's text of the Ode to Joy and Beethoven music express these two loves in the most wonderful symphony.
~ Idea 2899 ~To save evolution on this planet nothing less than a revolution is needed.
That revolution must consist of a whole series of revolutions:
- the total destruction of all nuclear weapons- the total destruction of all armaments- the total destruction of all atomic power plants to be replaced by world clean energy grids- the end of all militaries- the destruction of all monopolies
And there are others.
Please, add yours.
~ Idea 2900 ~The human species is the most creative, most imaginative, most evolved species of planet Earth. If from now on we devote as much creativity, imagination, intelligence and efforts to save, improve and embellish the Earth as we do for our own dispersed purposes, we will be able to create paradise on Earth, a complete harmony and merging between humanity and the Earth, an Earth living to perfection and a human species living in optimum happiness. Humanism and Earthism must become the two major ideologies of the 21st century so that outer-space beings visiting our Earth would exclaim: "This has at long last become a well-run, rightly evolving planet."
ANNEX
THE EARTH CHARTERissued by the Earth Council in Costa Rica after years of preparation and world-wide consultation it was communicated on 24 March 2000 to all governments and the media
PREAMBLEWe stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.
Earth, Our HomeHumanity is part of a vast evolving universe. Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life's evolution. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. The global environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of Earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust.
The Global SituationThe dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. Communities are being undermined. The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering. An unprecedented rise in human population has overburdened ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are threatened. These trends are perilous - but not inevitable.
The Challenges AheadThe choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have not been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions.
Universal ResponsibilityTo realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world.. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place in nature.We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community. Therefore, together in hope we affirm the following interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as a common standard by which the conduct of all individuals, organizations, businesses, governments, and transnational institutions is to be guided and assessed.
I. RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE
1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.
2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.a. accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the rights of people.b. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.
3. Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.a. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential.b. Promote social and economic justice, enabling all to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible.
4. Secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations.a. Recognize that the freedom of action of each generation is qualified by the needs of future generations.b. Transmit to future generations values, traditions, and institutions that support the long-term flourishing of Earth's human and ecological communities.
In order to implement these four broad commitments, it is necessary to:
II. ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
5. Protect and restore the integrity of Earth's ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life.a. Adopt at all levels sustainable development plans and regulations that make environmental conservation and rehabilitation integral to all development initiatives.b. Establish and safeguard viable nature and biosphere reserves, including wild lands and marine areas, to protect Earth's life support systems, maintain biodiversity, and preserve our natural heritage.c. Promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems.d. Control and eradicate non-native or genetically modified organisms harmful to native species and the environment, and prevent introduction of such harmful organisms.e. Manage the use of renewable resources such as water, soil, forest products, and marine life in ways that do not exceed rates of regeneration and that protect the health of ecosystems.f. Manage the extraction and use of non-renewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels in ways that minimize depletion and cause no serious environmental damage.
6. Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary approach.a. Take action to avoid the possibility of serious or irreversible environmental harm even when scientific knowledge is incomplete or inconclusive.b. Place the burden of proof on those who argue that a proposed activity will not cause significant harm, and make the responsible parties liable for environmental harm.c. Ensure that decision making addresses the cumulative, long-term, indirect, long distance, and global consequences of human activities.d. Prevent pollution of any part of the environment and allow no build-up of radioactive, toxic, or other hazardous substances.e. Avoid military activities damaging to the environment.
7. Adopt patterns of production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth's regenerative capacities, human rights, and community well-being.a. Reduce, reuse, and recycle the materials used in production and consumption systems, and ensure that residual waste can be assimilated by ecological systems.b. Act with restraint and efficiency when using energy, and rely increasingly on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.c. Promote the development, adoption, and equitable transfer of environmentally sound technologies.d. Internalize the full environmental and social costs of goods and services in the selling price, and enable consumers to identify products that meet the highest social and environmental standards.e. Ensure universal access to health care that fosters reproductive health and responsible reproduction.f. Adopt lifestyles that emphasize the quality of life and material sufficiency in a finite world.
8. Advance the study of ecological sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired.a. Support international scientific and technical cooperation on sustainability, with special attention to the needs of developing nations.b. Recognize and preserve the traditional knowledge and spiritual wisdom in all cultures that contribute to environmental protection and human well-being.c. Ensure that information of vital importance to human health and environmental protection, including genetic information, remains available in the public domain.
III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
9. Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental imperative.a. Guarantee the right to potable water, clean air, food security, uncontaminated soil, shelter, and safe sanitation, allocating the national and international resources required.b. Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood, and provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves.c. Recognize the ignored, protect the vulnerable, serve those who suffer, and enable them to develop their capacities and to pursue their aspirations.
10. Ensure that economic activities and institutions at all levels promote human development in an equitable and sustainable manner.a. Promote the equitable distribution of wealth within nations and among nations.b. Enhance the intellectual, financial, technical, and social resources of developing nations, and relieve them of onerous international debt.
c. Ensure that all trade supports sustainable resource use, environmental protection, and progressive labor standards.d. Require multinational corporations and international financial organizations to act transparently in the public good, and hold them accountable for the consequences of their activities.
11. Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development and ensure universal access to education, health care, and economic opportunity.a. Secure the human rights of women and girls and end all violence against them.b. Promote the active participation of women in all aspects of economic, political, civil, social, and cultural life as full and equal partners, decision makers, leaders, and beneficiaries.c. Strengthen families and ensure the safety and loving nurture of all family members.
12. Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being, with special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.a. Eliminate discrimination in all its forms, such as that based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, language, and national, ethnic or social origin.b. Affirm the right of indigenous peoples to their spirituality, knowledge, lands and resources and to their related practice of sustainable livelihoods.c. Honor and support the young people of our communities, enabling them to fulfill their essential role in creating sustainable societies.d. Protect and restore outstanding places of cultural and spiritual significance.
IV. DEMOCRACY, NONVIOLENCE, AND PEACE
13. Strengthen democratic institutions at all levels, and provide transparency and accountability in governance, inclusive participation in decision making, and access to justice.a. Uphold the right of everyone to receive clear and timely information on environmental matters and all development plans and activities which are likely to affect them or in which they have an interest.b. Support local, regional and global civil society, and promote the meaningful participation of all interested individuals and organizations in decision making.c. Protect the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, association, and dissent.d. Institute effective and efficient access to administrative and independent judicial procedures, including remedies and redress for environmental harm and the threat of such harm.e. Eliminate corruption in all public and private institutions.f. Strengthen local communities, enabling them to care for their environments, and assign environmental responsibilities to the levels of government where they can be carried out most effectively.
14. Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life.a. Provide all, especially children and youth, with educational opportunities that empower them to contribute actively to sustainable development.b. Promote the contribution of the arts and humanities as well as the sciences in sustainability education.c. Enhance the role of the mass media in raising awareness of ecological and social challenges.d. Recognize the importance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living.
15. Treat all living beings with respect and consideration.a. Prevent cruelty to animals kept in human societies and protect them from suffering.b. Protect wild animals from methods of hunting, trapping, and fishing that cause extreme, prolonged, or avoidable suffering.c. Avoid or eliminate to the full extent possible the taking or destruction of non-targeted species.
16. Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace.a. Encourage and support mutual understanding, solidarity, and cooperation among all peoples and within and among nations.b. Implement comprehensive strategies to prevent violent conflict and use collaborative problem solving to manage and resolve environmental conflicts and other disputes.c. Demilitarize national security systems to the level of a non-provocative defense posture, and convert military resources to peaceful purposes, including ecological restoration.d. Eliminate nuclear, biological, and toxic weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.e. Ensure that the use of orbital and outer space supports environmental protection and peace.f. Recognize that peace is the wholeness created by right relationship with oneself, other persons, other cultures, other life, Earth, and the larger whole of which all are a part.
THE WAY FORWARDAs never before in history, common destiny beckons us to seek a new beginning. Such renewal is the promise of these Earth Charter principles. To fulfill this promise, we must commit ourselves to adopt and promote the values and objectives of the Charter.
This requires a change of mind and heart. It requires a new sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of a sustainable way of life locally, nationally, regionally, and globally. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage and different cultures will find their own distinctive ways to realize the vision. We must deepen and expand the global dialogue that generated the Earth Charter, for we have much to learn from the ongoing collaborative search for truth and wisdom.
Life often involves tensions between important values. This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonize diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good, short-term objectives with long-term goals. Every individual, family, organization, and community has a vital role to play. The arts, sciences, religions, educational institutions, media, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and governments are all called to offer creative leadership. The partnership of government, civil society, and business is essential for effective governance.
In order to build a sustainable global community, the nations of the world must renew their commitment to the United Nations, fulfill their obligations under existing international agreements, and support the implementation of Earth Charter principles with an international legally binding instrument on environment and development.
Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life. * * *When I read this text aloud on Mt. Rasur, the Earth exclaimed:"Dear Robert, I cannot believe it: humanity might at long last be on the right way! May God and the cosmic energies of the universe bless all those who gave birth to that Charter."
PART V
IDEAS 2901 TO 3000
INTRODUCTION
How to at Long-last Attain Paradise on Earth
When modern technology was born it was natural that it devoted itself exclusively to the improvement of human conditions. The Earth was of its concern only for information, investigation and exploitation for the benefits of humans. A second important motive for its growth was the interest of nations which wanted to industrialize themselves as soon and intensively as possible to increase the well-being of their people, their power and positions in the world.
This has continued until today with one additional factor: giant world corporations were born with the same strong power interests as those of nations, the two often joining forces. In addition the Darwinian concept of competition and survival of the fittest applied both to these corporations and to nations.
It is only in the 1970's with the sudden phenomenal growth of the world population and its settlements, of world consumption and transport that this situation received a serious warning: the 'environment' - in reality the whole Earth was being affected in its airs, waters, nature and species', i.e. the 'biosphere' or thin layer of life surrounding it.
On the eve of the year 2000, twenty-seven years after the first UN World conference on the Environment in Stockholm in 1972 and seven years after the second such conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the situation is practically unchanged: industries, nations, big business and investors continue on the same course, i.e. increase profits, wealth, power and positions in the world, or were it only because it is so difficult, risky and cumbersome to change.
As a result, for the first time in the entire human history the Earth is in danger of death and with it humanity too.
Who will have the courage to look this situation straight into the face and raise a voice resonating in the entire world, provoking revolutionary wake-ups in the current mis-evolution of the Earth and of humanity? Our entry into a new century and millennium offers to humanity's leaders a great opportunity and an immense obligation to do so.
When the UN Economic and Social Council adopted in 1970 the proposal of Sweden to hold the first World Conference on the Environment I exclaimed to a group of Ambassadors, "From today on the world will never be the same." Three decades later many governments, industries and the world of finance still do not recognize the new, fundamental changes which must take place in the evolution of this planet.
All humanity, all its leaders, groups, communities, cultures, religions, enterprises, professions, educators, families and individuals must henceforth take care of the Earth, think of her always, not misuse, not overuse, not destroy, not unnecessarily consume her. We must love her and care for her as our greatest capital. Perhaps this might be the turning point in human history and civilization. We will, for the first time learn so much from the Earth. We must let her teach us and be able, at long last, to live in peace and harmony with her, with other life forms on Earth, with the heavens and with each other. Wise and filled with an incredible knowledge and new wisdom we humans must never repeat again the errors made by our forefathers since Adam and Eve. It will not be paradise lost, but paradise at long last understood and regained.
The preceding requires as stated earlier in these volumes that all basic segments of human life on Earth must be reviewed and rethought fundamentally and with a very long third thousand years future in view as we enter the 21st century and third millennium. These are:
a new political system for planet Earth
a new economics
a new education
a new media and communications
a new democracy
a new global leadership
a spiritual Renaissance and inter-religious cooperation
a non-violent human society
a well-preserved planet
a decent well-being for all humans
a stabilization of the world population
right human settlements on the planet
the disarmament, demilitarization, denuclearization and global security of the planet
a new science and technology
a new anthropology, sociology and new ways of life
a new human biology
a new philosophy, cosmology and long-term view of evolution
a new world ethics and justice
a new world psychology
a new science and art of planetary management
an art and cultural Renaissance
Such basic future oriented reconsideration is taking place currently in a growing number of institutions, conferences and peoples' associations around the world. We can therefore be optimistic.
I recommend that in addition to yearly states of the world conferences and reports there should also be yearly long-term thinking and future oriented conferences and reports on all the above basic segments of human life on planet Earth.
I give an example: thanks to the UN's World Conferences on Population and warnings against excessive growth, the world population will be 6.1 billion in 2000 instead of the 7.3 billion estimated in 1970 on the basis of the growth at that time. 1.2 billion people were thus not added to the human population. The yearly increase is now 78 million against 80 million last year. The estimate is that we will be 8.91 billion in 2050, of which 1.16 billion (a decline of 40 million from 1.2 billion) in the rich countries and an increase from 4.7 to 7.75 billion (an increase of 3.05 billion) in the poor countries. This is still much too high and rapid to take care of the human factor in the Earth situation. Hence my recommendation that the UN should hold soonest a World Population Emergency Conference. All this represents a case of basic rethinking of one human segment in the fate of the Earth. And this should be done year after year for all segments. The current yearly States of the World Report and Conferences must henceforth be accompanied by yearly Future of the World Reports and Conferences.
I hope that not only the United Nations and governments whose main task it will be, but all universities, institutions, entities and associations on Earth will take up this challenge, undertaking the above fundamental reviews, rethinking and futurologism, thus helping this planet to become at long last the true peaceful, evolving paradise and success in our solar system and in the cosmos it is meant to be.
Remark:
A useful exercise would be to assemble under each of the 21 segments the ideas and building blocks contained in these 3000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World born from my whole adult life as a world and humanity servant in the first world organization of this planet, the United Nations. This can be done easily by extracting from Volume V, the Index of the first 2000 Ideas and the two Indexes of the third thousand ideas (Volume VI and VII), those ideas relevant to each segment. The result would be a significant contribution to the building of the right future, of paradise Earth. The actual ideas under any segment can be easily printed out of the computer. Contact Carolyn Hawkins, my co-worker: 255-A Elise Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, Tel: (805) 568-0909, Fax: (805) 968-5081.
~ Idea 2901 ~Territorial colonialism was abolished but a new one has appeared, more subtle, more powerful, namely economic colonialism under the forms of 'free trade' in which the western countries have a tremendous advance and the poor countries no defense or participation.
As de Gaulle said: the United Nations was used by the United States and Russia to abolish the colonialism of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Holland.
The United Nations was then used by the United States and the former colonial powers plus Japan to colonize again the poor countries under the banner of free trade and foreign aid.
~ Idea 2902 ~We need Napoleons of peace. Most of the existing peacemakers are doing their best but none of them dares to conceive a total victory of peace, a strong strategic battle for it, a totally new page and era in human history and evolution. This is where Napoleons of peace and of the Earth are badly needed.
~ Idea 2903 ~I hear all too often the criticism that the UN and the international organizations are beset with bureaucracy. This was an accusation and rumor systematically launched and cultivated by the United States and Russia from the very beginning in order to alienate the people from the new world organization. This accusation was launched as soon as the UN was born, together with the complaint that the resources of the UN were excessive, costing nations too much. I have heard this during all my years at the United Nations since 1948.
But how come that business escapes from that criticism? Business, private enterprise is apparently immune from that disease and always perfect. Well it would be interesting to see a survey conducted by neutral, impartial outsiders of what I would call 'businesscracy'. The results would be most interesting.
~ Idea 2904 ~An important statement by Dr. Elisabet Sathouris, an evolution biologist, futurist and UN consultant on indigenous peoples:
"Seen through the lenses of my worldview as a biologist, the capitalist/communist drama that played out for most if not all of our lifetimes reveals a fundamental dramatic flaw. We played our own roles in it by buying into an odd and ultimately impossible ideological choice: to build society on the basis of individual interest or on the basis of communal interest. --Or ? -- Whatever labels we give to the human eco-political systems of various times and places, I think we can all agree they are living systems. If we see them that way, this either/or choice makes no sense. A living system can only maintain its health while there is a balance of interests between parts and whole, between individuals and community. To sacrifice one for the other would kill the system. (The Biology of Globalization, 1997)
~ Idea 2905 ~If I were the United States I would no longer allow foreign aircrafts to overfly the United States.
Why?
Because I would not want them to see the blankets of pollution covering the main US big cities, a flagrant denial of the American dream and success of endless 'economic growth'.
~ Idea 2906 ~To keep its sanity and common sense as a guiding light for humanity and the Earth, the United Nations should be moved out of polluted, overpopulated New York City and transferred to one of the most beautiful, natural grounds on Earth far away from the risk of pollution. One of the sites to be considered should be the vast, tropical, magnificent grounds of the UN University for Peace and of the Earth Council in demilitarized Costa Rica, far from pollution thanks to the immense Pacific and Atlantic Oceans on both side of that country and practically no heavy industries and one-third of the country environmentally protected.
To keep it in New York City is an insult to nature. Moreover a transfer would put an end to the US government's claim that the United Nations is too costly: running the UN in a country like Costa Rica would be barely one-half of what it costs in New York City. Most member governments who have to pay for a permanent mission in New York City would also rejoice.
~ Idea 2907 ~I pray that President Clinton will leave a great mark on human history and make this brief statement at the Millennium 2000 heads of states UN Assembly:
Dear leaders of the peoples of the world,
From the bottom of my heart I recommend most passionately and urgently the transformation of the United Nations into an Earth Federal Republic in order to solve the increasing environmental conflicts which will arise between nations in the 21st century and third millennium. I simply add my voice to that of another President of my large, federated country, President Harry S. Truman when he said:
"When Kansas and Colorado have a quarrel over the water in the Arkansas River, they don't call out the National Guard in each state and go to war over it. They bring suit in the Supreme Court of the United States and abide by the decision. There isn't a reason in the world why we cannot do that internationally. It will be just as easy for nations to get along in a republic of the world as it is to get along in the republic of the United States."
~ Idea 2908 ~It is wonderful that so many peace parks are being established around the world, many of them by rich people who buy land to preserve it because they have a sense of guilt for having destroyed so much of it during their lives. I call it gaiaphily, the love of Gaya, name of the Earth in the Greek language. The notion of peace should be extended to many other fields. For example, I call my office at the University for Peace a peace office. The little city of Ciudad Colon wants to be declared a city of peace. More cities should follow this example around the world. There should also be peace roads. The road from Ciudad Colon through a beautiful nature, up the hill to the University for Peace is called a peace road. Why not give names of peacemakers to streets and avenues and not of warmakers. There is so much that can be done to establish peace once and for all on this planet. The more the word peace will be used everywhere the less there will be violence because people and nations will feel ashamed. It is a question of making certain words the predominant, shining values of society. This is part of culture. We need a culture for peace, a civilization of peace, making this planet the foremost planet of peace in the universe. I am so glad that the UN and UNESCO have inaugurated the birth in the year 2000 of a decade of World Culture of Peace.
~ Idea 2909 ~The decision of the UN General Assembly to make the 1st of January 2000 a world day of peace and cease-fire, an idea developed by two young Americans Bob Silverstein and Steve Diamond, is making a hit all around the world. Many ideas are being born everywhere to implement it and to make of that day something extraordinary in human history. I'm very grateful to my wife Barbara for having done the right public relations work to make this known wide and far. The same UN decision should be taken for the 1st of January 2001 and the following first of Januarys forever.
~ Idea 2910 ~I was happy to learn that for the first time in the United States, a land of four hundred acres was earmarked to be preserved as natural land and a specific number of houses allowed to be built around it. This is a new, promising, good approach to proper human settlements.
~ Idea 2911 ~A world of powerful technologies, industries and giant worldwide businesses and financiers urgently requires strong regulations, local, national and international. Alas, this is not the case. On the contrary most human communities want these giants to bring in money and employment. Well, there should be at least a middle course between the two. Mother Earth should also be given a voice and consideration. Her voice will get louder and louder and perhaps some day weaker and extinct.
~ Idea 2912 ~I woke up with this sentence in my mind: It is absolutely inconceivable, intolerable, unacceptable that 174 of the 189 governments of this planet still train, disguise, pay, ask and honor young men to kill, to be murderers of other young men, bomb cities with women and children, sink boats, plant land mines and that these governments spend half of their budgets, a total astronomic sum of 800 billion dollars on militaries and armaments. Tolstoy was right to use the strong words I quote in Idea 1284. All people of the world should repeat them loud enough for their governments to hear and finally suppress their militaries and armaments.
Can governments not wake up and fight this blemish the same way as we put an end to slavery, colonialism, racial discrimination and apartheid? Disarmament, especially nuclear disarmament, and demilitarization must be our next most sacred duty towards humanity and the Earth.
~ Idea 2913 ~At a conference where I spoke in Sacramento a lady told me that she was a member of an association of Grandmothers for Peace International. She gave me her card: Barbara Wiedener, Founder, Director in Oak Grove, California. I congratulated her and told her that I had proposed in my 2000 Ideas for a Better World a new fundamental human right to be requested by mothers all over the world, namely the right not to see the flesh of their flesh kill the flesh of the flesh of other mothers. I will ask for the same right of grandmothers. She could become the advocate of that right. I gave her this text: "The grandmothers of planet Earth request the United Nations and community of governments to adopt, proclaim and implement the fundamental human right of all grandmothers in the world not to see their grandsons enlisted in armies with the 'duty' to kill the grandsons of other grandmothers."
~ Idea 2914 ~An idea of John McConnell, the founder of Earth Day: "Since God provides equal justice, every individual on our planet has a claim to an equal benefit from the Earth inheritance. To provide this governments should assess the value of real estate less improvements plus the value of any oil, gold or other minerals produced each year. Two percent of this sum should be distributed each year to every family of Earth. The money would come from a two percent tax paid by those who have title to these assets which in a sense belong to the whole human family. This would provide a fair, honest solution to the problem of poverty. People could still benefit from their labor, but a child in a wealthy family would not be the only one to inherit unearned money. Everyone would get a minimum inheritance from our planet's natural bounty. This would be accompanied by voluntary efforts to be responsible trustees of Mother Earth and help protect and nurture her amazing web of life."
~ Idea 2915 ~I will have written 3000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World, over two thousand days. A rapid calculation revealed to me that this was not very productive: it represented only one and a half ideas a day! I had the impression that I wrote many more and I'm almost ashamed of my low productivity. On the average during a 24 hour day I have usually about ten ideas. So why did I write down only one or two? What did I do with the others, with the rest of the time? I notice also that there are days when I write easily more than ten ideas. This is especially the case when I am on a trip, in an airplane, in a hotel, or meditating in nature. Many ideas are also born in conferences. Well, a whole science, strategy and methodology of ideas should be created. It might bring great benefits to the world. It could be the true meaning of 'ideology' - accompanied by a 'dreamology'.
~ Idea 2916 ~The golden stick-ons which my wife Barbara invented and got produced for Benches of Dreams, should be sold in greenhouses so that people would be prompted to install a Bench of Dreams in their gardens. Hallmark Cards could sell these Benches of Dreams stick-ons and others* to be sent to people on their anniversaries or on special occasions such as the first of January, wedding anniversaries, etc. This would give a great promotion to these philosophical concepts which make for a better life and greater happiness of human beings.
*Here is the list of our benches in our dream park next to the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica: benches of Faith, Forgiveness, Happiness, Hope, Ideas, Love, Peace, Prophecy, Thanksgiving and Visions. There could be others, for example Commitment, Compassion, Devotion, Fidelity, Kindness, etc. Dear readers, make your own benches with your most cherished virtues or values.
~ Idea 2917 ~We received, at the UN University for Peace, the request to create a sub-center in Peru. The project is admirably formulated. It underlines that in the last few years Peru suffered 25,000 dead and 25 billion dollars of material losses, that it has great intellectual capacities with its seventy-one universities, 30,000 professors and 400,000 students. The proposal concludes with these beautiful words: "A lot has been written about wars. It is time now to write the Great Book of Peace in the World edited by the UN University for Peace with the cooperation of the armed forces of all the countries."
~ Idea 2918 ~Nations are well taken care of. They should reduce the differences among themselves and actively cooperate to attain a better well-being world-wide.
And they should create above and beyond themselves the common world public service institutions needed to govern the Earth properly which they cannot possibly do individually.
~ Idea 2919 ~Nationalism is being played by highly educated virtuosos on one string who insist that no other string can be played, that to play the string of global government would lead to dictatorship.
My God, what a high price humanity has to pay for such a false assertion: possibly the end of the world!
~ Idea 2920 ~Comment of a foreign student of the University for Peace: "Why should I enlist my life for the security of a country which I no longer respect?"
~ Idea 2921 ~From the letter of a US citizen who writes to leaders of nations about the urgent necessity to hold a global peace conference:
"Nationalism, which is simply glorified tribalism, is nurtured as something sacred and the blaming of others is a fine art. 'We against them' has become a way of life."
Walter Hardway, President of the Association for a Global Peace Conference, Millington, Tennessee, US. How right he is.
~ Idea 2922 ~The soul of my father in heaven watching me will certainly remember that after World War II there was no profession of peacemakers on Earth and that I should forget about it. But he must now rejoice to have seen me devote my entire adult life to peacemaking, to have climbed to the top of a universal United Nations and to live now as an elder on a sacred hill in a demilitarized country writing my unfulfilled ideas and dreams for a better world.
And I see my soul following similar efforts by growing numbers of peacemakers all around the world and making sure that our ideas are implemented. I will continue to follow and help all peacemakers from heaven. We will succeed very soon in making this Earth a planet of peace.
~ Idea 2923 ~At a conference in Palm Springs Dr. John Hagelin, President of the Natural Law Party, the third party in the United States, told me of the plan of the Maharishi University in Fairfield, Iowa, of which he is the President, to create fifteen universities for peace around the world. He said that this was principally in response to my inspiration and work at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. He asked me to be a trustee of these universities which I accepted with joy. What a great feeling it was that my innumerable, incessant and impassioned speeches, writings and actions are not in vain!
~ Idea 2924 ~In all human relations, including international ones, the logic of the heart is not the same as that of the mind. Love yields benefits far greater than logic and reason.
The French philosopher Blaise Pascal said already:
"Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ignore."
"The heart has its reasons which reason ignores."
~ Idea 2925 ~When God said to Saint Francis: "I have no other hands but yours," he said it to all humanity. Please dear reader, remember it. Become the hands, the mind, the heart and soul of God.
~ Idea 2926 ~All national hymns should be revised in order to eliminate the incitements to war and violence which some still contain, and preach cooperation, peace and love instead.
~ Idea 2927 ~The new United Religions Organization (Initiative) should inscribe high on its agenda the following subject:
The meaning of life and death in all the world's religions.
Another enlightening project would be to collect all the basic commandments and prayers of the various religions to compare them and highlight their similarities.
~ Idea 2928 ~I wish that everyone on Earth would do something for peace and the environment instead of merely complaining about wars, violence and garbage in the streets. See my 'Cleanest Mile on Earth' in Volume III.
~ Idea 2929 ~It is strange that at a time when we have such an incredible, unprecedented knowledge of the whole universe, of our solar system, of our entire planet and whole humanity, the 189 'national' educations of this Earth continue to spend much more time on what is in their interests and on national allegiance of their students than on the interests of our Earth and of the whole humanity. As a result the students cannot become the fulfilled, happy, global beings they should be at our stage of evolution.
Recent scientific studies show that the fragmentation of the knowledge taught to children and youth is a major cause of violence. The frontal lobe of the brain, whose function is to give a synthesis of our knowledge of the outside world, develops 'holes' and cannot give the peace and happiness expected by the human being. Hence sicknesses, depressions and violence.
I have found happiness and meaning in my life only in the United Nations, the most universal, wholistic university on Earth and have therefore developed from that blessed experience a World Core Curriculum which should be applied in all schools of the world (see table in Volume I). It would fulfill an extraordinary role in attaining peace and happiness on Earth.
~ Idea 2930 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, why don't you propose the creation of a World Association of Owners of Land which they want to see preserved, not to be built on, and be kept in natural state? They could obtain that such lands should be tax exempt unless they are sold. That would do me a lot of good."
I:You are right. I will launch the idea. I believe there was someone in US history who proposed that already, Henry George. It became a famous school of thought in the United States but today noone speaks about it anymore. I will look into it.
~ Idea 2931 ~In every community, city, province, state, nation, continent and at the world level there should be a committee of universalists, ecologists, scientists and futurologists who would judge whether big additional so called 'growth projects' should be permitted or not.
~ Idea 2932 ~Napoleon said: "Imagination rules the world."
It is a pity that he had the wrong one, namely to conquer and rule the world.
How many right and wrong imaginations do we still have today in the world? It would be an interesting survey.
~ Idea 2933 ~The Earth:"Just think what one good idea, project, value, dream, decision, belief or new way of life can do if accepted, followed and implemented by six billion people.
And just think also what one bad idea, project, value, dream, decision, habit and new way of life can do if accepted, followed and implemented by six billion Earthlings.
This is how I see it from my point of view. The trouble is that most leaders of the Earth think in terms of their own objectives, point of view, power and growth and not of my fate."
~ Idea 2934 ~The Secretary General of the United Nations should create an Office of World Conferences and World Commissions of Eminent Personalities. That office would:
1. Keep a record of all world conferences (United Nations and others) and world commissions.
2. Pinpoint the need for new conferences on neglected or new global problems and repeat conferences on other subjects (for example, on the biosphere, the seas and oceans, the world's climate, water, new sources of energy, etc.).3. Report on the implementation by government and other institutions of the recommendations made by the conferences and world commissions.
4. Take care of the public relations of these conferences and commissions and ensure their maximum world visibility and attention by the media, education and institutions.
~ Idea 2935 ~It is high time that the United Nations should create a High Commission on Human Duties and Responsibilities headed by a High Commissioner as is the High Commission for Human Rights. See Index for the Declarations of Human Duties and Responsibilities I mentioned and published already in these 3000 Ideas.
~ Idea 2936 ~With the increase of nations from 54 in 1945 to 189 in 1999 the work of Ministers of Foreign Affairs has increased to such an extent that they can no longer deal properly with so many foreign nations, international organizations and new global problems. In my view it is time to create in each government a Vice-President's Office for Global Affairs as in the US or a Ministry of Global Affairs. The current Ministries of Foreign Affairs would deal only with relations with other nations. This proposal would be a minimum because I have suggested more, namely that in reality world affairs should be the direct responsibility of Heads of State who have become the major actors of global and world affairs.
~ Idea 2937 ~Let me be well understood, I do not 'hate' the military. I do not hate anyone. Every human life is a miracle, is sacred but it can be programmed into wrong directions and to kill other living human beings is a very wrong direction. Alas, the political and religious division of humanity still makes killing in the name of a nation or God a value, an ideal, a duty! This is how slavery and apartheid were considered in the past. An end must be put to it. Youth must proclaim that military killing is inhuman and claim the fundamental human right not to murder any other youth on this planet. That would be a great, perhaps the biggest first step towards a non-violent world. Governments and religions should give the good example, resort to peaceful means to settle their differences and not give violence as a model.
~ Idea 2938 ~I would like to see three world-wide parties created on planet Earth at this stage of its evolution.
1. A World Peace Party
2. A World Party of the Poor
3. The new Party of Nature created by British scientists and existing already in more than 100 countries. It should be renamed World Party of Nature.
This would respond to the three fundamental global problems with which we are faced today, namely peace, the resolving of poverty and the salvation and preservation of the Earth.
~ Idea 2939 ~The sudden mushrooming of peace studies and education around the world might be a bonus for the rich countries and the multinational corporations. Why? Because the poor and downtrodden of the world will be taught to be peaceful and not to resort to violence and revolt against the existing injustices. I recommend therefore an expansion of peace studies to include also justice which is now practically non-existent in peace education. The UN University for Peace must be renamed UN University for Peace and Justice.
~ Idea 2940 ~I wonder how many tens of thousands of humans are 'employed' in big businesses around the world to invent new products and diversify, obsolesce old ones. It never ends: when I was a child oil was oil and vinegar was vinegar. Today there are dozens of oils and vinegars. I put chocolate powder into my daily morning oatmeal breakfast. The merchant convinced my wife to buy a new chocolate powder mixed with tiny marshmallows! And the marshmallows turn into little animal figures. The taste of the oatmeal is the same but the price is higher. The purpose is not a better nutrition but to have the children ask their mothers to buy this new type at a higher price. What a world!
But the main problem is this: the new product must appear in every supermarket on Earth. Imagine the huge quantities of these new products shipped world-wide and if it is not successful most of it is returned or thrown away. No wonder that one-half of all the total production of the western countries is waste, at the expense of nature. I believe that it is even more. And we consider ourselves highly civilized, intelligent and progressing!!
~ Idea 2941 - 2946 ~The outcries against capitalism, the multinational corporations and the hyper-rich people who now rule the world should give birth to the following:
Idea 2942 A new world Bretton Woods Conference should be held to review the International Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the International Finance Corporation, the World Trade Organization and all other related financial and economic world institutions which compose a system created at the Bretton Woods Conference immediately after World War II, except the World Trade Organization. The world conditions have changed so much that a total review of the world financial and economic system must absolutely take place.
Idea 2943 The same applies to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, one of the main organs of the United Nations which should be strengthened as the central economic social organ of the world.
Idea 2944 The early Fiscal and Financial Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council and its Fiscal and Financial Branch in the UN Secretariat should be reestablished to provide a world view on taxation and budgeting policies and recommend required reforms for a more equitable taxation, a world budget and avoid international tax evasion.
Idea 2945 The proposal submitted to the United Nations by the United States during the early years of the UN to create a United Nations World Income Bureau which would record all the incomes of institutions and human persons on this planet should be renewed.Idea 2946 The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) should be expanded beyond authorships and copyrights and transformed into a World Intellectual and Real Estate Property Organization (WIREPO).
It would be inconceivable that at the beginning of a new century and millennium such new and more steps and indispensable reforms would not be considered by the community of nations. Do we want to wait for economic and financial disasters to do it?
~ Idea 2947 ~My greatest hope for the future of humanity and the Earth is the incredible number of peoples' movements, associations, thinkers, visionaries, conferences, literature, radio and television programs which have sprung up on the occasion of the celebration of the year 2000 in order to look at the future of humanity and of the Earth in the 21st century. Builders of outer space vessels have even created a Foundation for the Future to look at the Earth and humanity in the year 3000. I am happy to have been selected as an advisor to that Foundation located in Bellevue, State of Washington, US.
All this will and must continue to accelerate in numbers and in intensity. Once the year 3000 is accepted as a time framework of our thinking everything will change. It will become dramatically obvious that we cannot continue with the same values, plans and ways of life which we consider normal, essential and growth-worthy today. If we did it would mean the destruction of the natural elements of our planet and the end of our evolution.
~ Idea 2948 ~The time must and will come soon when people who have spent their life to make money and became very rich will no longer be admired and envied as successful human beings but be pitied and dis-admired for having contributed to the destruction of the Earth.
~ Idea 2949 ~I would like to see these new international days observed by the well-to-do western people:
A day without running water
A day without electricity
A day without food
A day without a home
They would never forget it and would think of the millions of human brothers, sisters and children who still have to live for days in those conditions. Their heart might then revolt and ask them to act against these horrible conditions. One thing they could do would be to ask for a reduction or suppression of the military and armaments expenditures of their country and have these savings used to heal these miseries.
~ Idea 2950 ~I wish that all birds of the United States would migrate out of the US as a sign of protest against the tough immigration policy and legislation of the US Congress. Birds are indeed the standard bearers of freedom of movement and nest building anywhere.
~ Idea 2951 ~In 1978 I recommended that a United Religions Organization be created to bring together all the religions of the world behind and around a common global spirituality with a World Inter-religions Secretariat to that effect, similar to the United Nations. It will be created in the year 2000.*
What I recommend today is the urgent need to create also a proper Earth government for our planet. It will be created too. The sooner the better, both for the fate of the Earth and of humanity.
*It was created on 26 June 2000, anniversary date of the United Nations under the provisional name United Religions Initiative.
~ Idea 2952 ~If I were the Secretary General of the United Nations I would ask all the heads of the UN's 32 specialized agencies and world programs to join me and submit our collective resignations to the heads of states meeting at the UN General Assembly in September 2000, with a statement that the present United Nations system is insufficient and incapable of solving the major global problems of the Earth and humanity and that it is the responsibility of the 189 sovereign nations of this planet to strengthen the UN, revise its Charter or devise and create an entire new world organization to save the Earth and future human generations.
~ Idea 2953 ~Human life is an incredible mystery, by far not yet fully understood. We are all born for a specific purpose by God or by nature or by invisible energies of the universe. We are given talents to do it. Alas, all is organized in such a way that we are educated and profoundly influenced by what others want us to do: a nation, a religion, a business, all sorts of groups, institutions and beliefs, and most of us die without having fulfilled our inborn function and received the education and means to fulfill it. What a gigantic reform of the human society and of education this will require! I did my best but it was of little avail. At least my World Core Curriculum for a proper education of all humans is beginning to receive some attention.
I have personally succeeded to perform the function for which I was born. I began to do it after three wrong national educations (French, German and American) when I received at long last a right, global world-wide, all human education from the United Nations.
Alas, the 34 Robert Muller Schools in the world which give that education are a mere drop of water in the ocean of mis-education still prevailing on this planet promoted by the nations' Ministries of National Education instead of World Education or simply Education.
What was your fate, your education, your life fulfillment, dear reader?
~ Idea 2954 ~During how many nights do I wake up after consistent dreams and nightmares that this Earth and humanity cannot be saved because the wrong people are in power, pursuing wrong, obsolete values and objectives out of line with what our further evolution requires!
And then I return to my in-born optimism coming up with new ideas, dreams, and strategies.
Dear reader, what are your views, beliefs, dreams and strategies for a better world? Please.
~ Idea 2955 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, how can I still believe in the human race when you have in France a man called Baron Bic who became very wealthy and famous for having invented and produced the Bic throw-away razors which serve only for one or a few shaves?"
I:Yes, but thanks to the environmental revolution the throw-away society is no longer considered an ideal.
The Earth:"This is not my view, when I see the world's garbage. And why do you call this the environment? I am not 'around you humans'. I and you are one. You are born from me, you live on my resources and you return to me. I hate this word environment. Please make an effort to have humanity use it no more and to speak and take care of me, the Earth. I call you my children. Please call me your Mother, your source of life."
I:You are right. I promise I will.
~ Idea 2956 ~I will never cease to repeat that all militaries must disappear from this planet. There has already been great progress when I remember the situation that prevailed in Europe during my youth and looked at the pictures of the hundreds of uniforms which existed in Europe at the time of my grandfather. Today the children no longer dance in front of the militaries in the cities. The latter barely dare to show themselves any more. Well, this must be carried to the ultimate limit: this is a miraculous planet on which no nuclear missiles, no armaments, no militaries should exist.
~ Idea 2957 ~One of the great philosophers of the 20th century, Alfred North Whitehead stressed the fact that, "There can be no great age without a great idea to inspire it. What will be the great idea to inspire the 21st century and the 3rd millennium?" In my view the idea should be that planet Earth must become totally disarmed, free of all militaries and of all violence, a miracle of peace, a paradise of nature and diversity of life in the vast universe.
My wife, Barbara's idea is that a United Nature or United Earth should be created on this planet. Human intelligence cooperating with the intelligence and wisdom of nature and the Earth might be the miracle expected for our future evolution.
~ Idea 2958 ~I recommend the creation of a World Association of Third Millennium Visionaries, Thinkers and Makers who would prepare and work for the celebration of the year 3000, uplifting our thinking, planning, dreaming and working for a tremendous success and fulfillment of the human species on a well-preserved planet by the year 3000. It could be the greatest celebration in all human history and in the universe.
~ Idea 2959 ~The Earth:"When I look at my surface, my living skin, covered with western advertisements these sad remarks come to my mind:
- western advertisement is the communism of capitalism;
- Hitler's propaganda was peanuts compared with western advertisement."
~ Idea 2960 ~Big nations are like big cities, they cannot rest satisfied and stop growing in power and wealth. And it is the same with big business.
Has anyone ever studied deeply the phenomena of 'moreness', biggness and endless power? The academic world should. There is already the good motto, small is beautiful. There should be another: big is awful.
~ Idea 2961 ~Child in the year 3000: "Grandpa, how was it when you were young and visited other continents taking airplanes? Please tell me."
Grandpa: "I will show you a photo album and tell you all about it. It was wonderful."
Child: "Grandpa, why can we no longer do this anymore today?"
Grandpa: "Well, there were too many airplanes in the world and more and more people traveled. This led to the near destruction of the atmosphere, the air we breathe. The Supreme Earth Council had to decide that only in emergency cases would we be allowed to take airplanes. World tourism by air was first drastically reduced and finally prohibited."
~ Idea 2962 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, one thing consoles me when I am depressed."
I:What is it?
The Earth:"It is the fact that the western population will decrease by forty million by the year 2050 and since a western human being consumes thirty times more than a person in a poor country this means a diminishing of the consumption of my resources by 1.2 billion people. I only hope that this wonderful new trend will continue."
I:I do not know what to say. It looks to me, from a human point of view, as a rather sad development, but you might be right.
~ Idea 2963 ~I love my wife Barbara for many reasons, at least two thousand times, because she recommended to me to write 2000 Ideas for a Better World. When I read or work on them (now 3000) I feel deepest love and gratitude for her.
~ Idea 2964 ~Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and other US big cities are not much different from New Dehli and other big Asian cities. Their inhabitants might be better off but for the Earth they represent even more destruction because their citizens consume and create waste thirty times more than the people in the poor countries. From her point of view the number of inhabitants of western big cities should be multiplied by thirty to be compared with the inhabitants of the big cities of poor countries. Do the multiplication. The results are staggering.
~ Idea 2965 ~22 December 1999, 2 am, night of the full moon on the winter solstice 1999, the only one in 133 years, ten days before the year 2000
Humanity must absolutely think out the long-term future. We began to do it only in the early 1950's for population and discovered its explosion. As a result of that discovery we were able to reduce its further growth to the year 2000 by 1.2 billion people (1952: 2.5 billion world inhabitants; 1970 estimate for the year 2000: 7.3 billion; actual people in the year 2000: 6.1 billion.) Then came in the early 1970's the discovery of the deterioration of the environment; then in the 1980's the fate of the entire Earth was revealed to us to be in question; then in the 1990's the whole future evolution of the planet, humanity included, and the human overconsumption explosion were discovered.
We must now absolutely think out the future for the entire next millennium and take the year 3000 as our horizonmark. The global problems facing us are colossal life or death problems. So much follows from them: the urgent need for a new political system, a new economy, a new education, new values and above all new institutions and laws.
Dear God, at long last we have become a planetary species. Next we need to become a universal, spiritual, cosmic species. This is what all your great prophets have told us. They were right, in particular Jesus, the Buddha, Mohammed and so many others. It is of utmost importance to create in all world institutions Ministries or Departments of the Future.
What was my own, personal dream during that night on indigenous sacred Mt. Rasur? To become an elder, a Methuselah of peacemakers, world improvers and millennium visionaries and to leave behind me innumerable good ideas, writings and some achievements. I remembered also my Dream 3000 written for the last summer solstice of the 2nd millennium on 21 June 1999. I annex it to this volume.
~ Idea 2966 ~What George Washington said about the state of affairs prior to the United States Constitution applies fully to today's state of world affairs. "The primary cause of all disorders lies in the different state governments and in the tenacity of that power which pervades the whole of their systems."
I hope that national governments and their leaders will feel ashamed if they read these 3000 ideas. But most of all I hope and pray that youths studying political and world affairs will read them and change the Earth's political system. I will rejoice at it in the other world and mobilize all the saints and angels to help them.
~ Idea 2967 ~To live in a solitary, small dwelling high on a mountain reduces your inclinations towards material objects and occupations and lifts you into your higher, natural heavenly nature. To be more human, fulfilled and happy we should avoid all unnecessary luxuries and diversions from the miracles of inner life and communion with the Earth and the heavens.
~ Idea 2968 ~Why can one sit for hours in the midst of nature or on a seashore without being bored, on the contrary being miraculously fulfilled and uplifted? It is perhaps because we are in the middle of invisible streams of cosmic energy flowing from the sun with great power and speed of penetration, without human-made obstacles into all nature including ourselves. Being thus in fuller union with the cosmos we cannot desire anything else because we are fulfilled: we feel our fullest inner and outer heavenly, cosmic nature.
~ Idea 2969 ~I am more and more inclined to consider most of our leaders, especially our political, military and business leaders to be a destructive species on Earth. They believe they are great but they are in reality destroying the Earth for selfish, illusory human glory, power and greed. Few of them will leave a mark on their time and be remembered.
What do you think, dear Earth?
The Earth:"I minded already when they were destroying, diminishing each other in ancient wars. But now these wars are so destructive of my nature. World peace would end that but then they will proliferate even more and bring me to an end with their ceaseless inventions, productions, economics, overgrowth, hyper-consumption, wastes, activities, running around not knowing what to do more to exploit and change me. Why do they need to achieve something and prove their self to others? Can they not be happy with what they have, with the incredible miracle of life they are, with the miracle I am?"
I:I cannot answer that.
~ Idea 2970 ~By producing too many things, by possessing too many things, by ever wanting more things humans are de-humanizing and 'thinginizing' themselves. They lose their original meaning and nature and never find real happiness. To alcoholism one could add thinginism as a human illusory tranquilizer.
~ Idea 2971 ~The Earth:"Dear Robert, I think I was much better off without the human species. I often wonder why God or the cosmic energies created you. You now proliferate in all my regions, you destroy my nature and innumerable species. You will not stop until I am dead. What is your opinion?"
I:I think that we can reverse this trend and make you even more beautiful than you are now. This movement has started and is gaining ground. And please dear Earth, inspire Barbara, my beloved wife who has such a great passion for you. Help her write her proposals for a United Nature or Earth in which we, your children will be totally united with you, with your beautiful, perhaps unique body floating in the heavens.
~ Idea 2972 ~We have many, many architects and medical doctors on planet Earth, but practically no world architects, no world doctors.
We need infinitely more world professions: world climatologists, world biologists, world administrators, world environmentalists, world futurologists, world philosophers, etc.
We urgently need a World University of Global World Professions. What an immense progress that would be!
~ Idea 2973 ~One conclusion we must draw at the beginning of this new century and millennium is that the United States which was a great model until recently has become a wrong model for the world. We must build a new model and ideal for the right administration and conservation of this planet and the role, fulfillmnet and happiness of the human species.
~ Idea 2974 ~If you have a mess in your office how can you have good order in your mind?
The same is true for the world: if you have a mess in the world how can you have good order in humanity's mind, in our leaders' minds?
~ Idea 2975 ~How can a proper world, Earth and human wisdom and order be born in a city as crazy and contrary to nature as New York City? Some feel that the UN must be moved out of New York, but others think that it is the right place for it.
~ Idea 2976 ~Rural people around the world like those in Costa Rica should pity the millions of US and western citizens who have to live in high-rise buildings, even skyscrapers, in monstrous cities deprived of the fresh air, beauty, health, inspiration, happiness and divinity of our miraculous Earth and nature. They should not envy them and above all not copy them.
~ Idea 2977 ~Are humans really intelligent? Intelligence means to manage one's self rightly, to manage one's family and home rightly. But is this done for the whole human family and for our world home? We have made substantial progress on peace between nations but now there is more violence inside nations. How shall we proceed? From the top down, i.e., from the United Nations down or from the bottom up, the home, the city, the province, the state, the continent, to the world? We must thank God that a UN University for Peace has been created in demilitarized Costa Rica to look into that.
~ Idea 2978 ~To sit in the waiting room of a doctor in a US city and to go through their piled up magazines one can almost not believe one's eyes at the sensational articles, advertisements and other depressing materials they contain. The only parts which are admirable and worthy are scientific and technological articles. This shows well the priorities given in the western world to values. Science and technology are tops and the happiness and fulfillment of humans are ignored or marketed to them. Well, this should be reversed or put at least on an equal level.
~ Idea 2979 ~What we call economic development and progress on this planet must be urgently rethought from scratch. It leads more and more to the destruction of the Earth especially in the so called 'developed' countries. These are no longer models for the world's future. Quite the contrary, they often represent its destruction. Dear God, give us the intelligence to rethink and redesign all this as we enter a new century and millennium. We must lift ourselves into a totally new view of conservation, evolution and beautification of this magnificent, miraculous heavenly planet Earth.This is probably one of my most important conclusions in these 3000 ideas after an entire life of observation of the world. Few people will believe me today but within ten to fifteen years the majority will.
~ Idea 2980 ~The Earth Charter has an important item on education as I have one in the human sectors which need to be rethought and adapted constantly to the new requirements of evolution (Introduction to Ideas 2901 to 3000).
The World Core Curriculum (Table in Volume I) which is the basis of education in 34 Robert Muller Schools should be seriously considered for all schools of the world, even for universities. I have little merit: the curriculum is the product of the United Nations' universal work. Being in charge of the coordination of the work of the UN and of its 32 specialized agencies and world programs, I simply wrote down in a comprehensive and simple form the framework of a fundamental, world-wide education eminently satisfactory and exciting to children, to all humanity and beneficial to our future evolution. This is why UNESCO gave me the 1989 Peace Education Prize.
~ Idea 2981 ~Eyes were given to us by God, evolution or nature over millions of years to see the surrounding Earth and nature, survive, grow and live in them.
In historic times our eyesight slowly extended to the tools, dwellings and monuments created by humanity. In recent times the number of objects, buildings, monuments and vehicles has risen enormously and now television has added a whole new world of animation and imagination.
The same has happened to our hearing, extended tremendously by telecommunications and radio.
Question: What happens to a species which grew and evolved very slowly over millions of years and which is suddenly submitted to such enormous, rapid new changes? Will it be capable to assimilate them, control them, adapt to them, survive in them and find more fulfillment through them? That is one of the great questions confronting us on the eve of a new millennium and a much longer evolution.
I recommend that the United Nations hold a world conference on the adaptation of humanity to the recent, sudden, rapid scientific and technological changes.
~ Idea 2982 ~With a world population of almost 9 billion people in the year 2050 - 3 billion more than today - it will just not be possible to produce, transport, advertise and sell all the products necessary and unnecessary produced today in the year 2000. It is very unlikely.
We therefore absolutely need a world conference on world consumption, transportation, marketing and advertisement today and in the future.
~ Idea 2983 ~The United Nations has held several World Population Conferences since 1954. They were not enough to cope with the situation. The results are too slow. I recommend that a new United Nations world population conference be held, called this time World Population Emergency Conference. That conference should offer an Emergency World Plan to stabilize the human population, setting specific timetables for all countries and regions of the world.
~ Idea 2984 ~In any government the Ministry of the Environment, renamed Ministry of the Earth should be as important if not more than the Economic and Finance Ministries. Reason: our home, our lands, our air and water and nature are our most fundamental capital allowing us to survive and to improve our conditions. In all governments Ministries of Population, of Happiness and of the Future should also be created.
~ Idea 2985 ~I wish that someday children would say to their parents: "I do not want toys for my birthday and for Christmas. I want to plant a tree in my name. I want you to save the money and send me to a nature camp in the summer or to have the whole family go and camp in nature. Please call my savings my 'nature savings account'."
I also recommend that a year-round International Children Saving Nature Program and Accounts should be created jointly by UNICEF and the UN Environment Program.
I wish that many 'children saving nature stores' be created on this planet. Such stores would sell beautiful books on nature, bird feeders, grains for birds, etc. instead of all the unnecessary war, violence and meaningless toys which are being sold to them today.
The world should follow the example of Sweden where toy manufacturers have agreed not to produce any war toys anymore.
~ Idea 2986 ~Being interviewed on the future of the world by a well-known US author and video producer, Steven Hackin, he asked me if the UN had precise timetables and deadlines for the solution of world problems, for example that the world population should be stabilized by such or such a year or that conflicts like Cyprus and the Middle East should not go beyond a certain number of years, etc. I answered that this was not the case, that the United Nations does not dare to give deadlines and timetables except sometimes by proclaiming decades for women, the handicapped, the poor, etc.
Barbara gave the example of President Kennedy who declared: "We will send a man on the moon before the end of this decade." And it was done.
Barbara and Steven Hackin are right: the United Nations should set precise deadlines and agree on firm timetables for the attainment of environmental and human objectives.
~ Idea 2987 ~I was happy to learn that General Butler, former US High Commander of all American nuclear arms and six other US generals have recommended the total elimination of all nuclear armaments on planet Earth.
May I suggest to them a way of getting there: the United Nations Charter provides that the chiefs of armies of the five permanent members of the Security Council should meet in a UN Military Staff Committee which would work out a World Security System whereafter they would disarm the planet. The cold war alas prevented that course from being pursued.
I recommend that General Butler and his colleagues set up a shadow UN Military Staff Committee, work out a World Security System and world disarmament plan and offer them the whole membership of the United Nations.
~ Idea 2988 ~I am so glad that Barbara has designed her own stationary for Earth Day and Christmas. More people should design their own stationary reflecting their loves, dreams, ideals and ideas.
~ Idea 2989 ~What is beautiful with little children is their sense of marvel: so many things around them are marvelous, extraordinary, true wonders. They should tell us adults: "Never lose your sense of wonder because all this planet around you is a miracle and do not spoil it with wars, destruction, hatred, ambitions and non-smiling, somber faces."
~ Idea 2990 ~I think we should write down all the nonsenses which still prevail on this planet. Here are a few:
- that we have only national governments on this Earth and no world common public services.
- that we have millions of national and local laws and no world laws.
- that we have 189 nations, the last admitted to the United Nations, the Tonga Islands having only 100,000 inhabitants!
- that we have 174 nations having national armies which cost together one-half of all public expenditures of all nations.
Dear reader, please write your own list of nonsenses and send it to your representative in parliament.
~ Idea 2991 ~I wish that doctors, dentists and other professionals would have in their waiting rooms magazines devoted to good world causes and giving information on major world problems which require the cooperation of people and their families: for example, world health, water and energy consumption, avoiding waste, unnecessary consumption, accumulation of things in households, etc. and not the magazines they have today.
~ Idea 2992 ~In many capitals, cities and local communities one sees memorial monuments devoted to citizens who have lost their lives in wars for the country. An increasing number of United Nations servants, civilians and peacekeeping soldiers are losing nowadays their life for humanity. I recommend that memorials be built for them.
~ Idea 2993 ~The Earth:Dear Robert, may many people follow your example when it comes to birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Christmas and New Year: you produce your own cards - Decide to be Happy, Decide to be Peaceful, Decide to be Thankful, etc. - you write on them your wishes and send a check as a gift. The recipients use the money to fulfill their own needs or wishes. As a result you use less of my resources for gifts which the recipients might not like or might be useless to them or which they have already.
I:One also avoids the incredible amounts of wasted packaging, especially at Christmas. Our gift cards and contents to our seven children and nine grandchildren weighed less than half a pound this year. One of them gave half of the money received to UNICEF for poor children.
~ Idea 2994 ~An Irish taxi driver in New York came up with an idea similar to my Idea 2990, namely that there should be a World Association to Denounce Nonsenses. He considered that the war in Ireland was nonsense. Many more people in the world I am sure, share similar common sense statements. He shared mine that toll stations are a wasteful, air damaging nonsense. Dear reader, please write down your own.
~ Idea 2995 ~One of our daughters-in-law in the US told us the story of a young man who was sent by a US business company to study finance in a university, all fees paid, with a yearly stipend of $40,000 during his studies and a promised yearly salary of $140,000 at the age of twenty-four!
No comment needed. Read David Korten's book Corporations Rule the World .
~ Idea 2996 ~UNICEF should start a world campaign against war and violence toys and in favor of peace, environment and nature toys.
Children should refuse and send back war toys and join a UNICEF Refuse War and Violence Toys Campaign similar to the Trick and Treat Campaign. Please dear mothers, send a letter or card to UNICEF supporting the idea. (UNICEF House, United Nations, New York, NY 10017)
~ Idea 2997 ~Thinking of the millions of trees which have to die every year for Christmas I recommend that UNICEF and the United Nations Environment Program should launch a Plant Christmas Trees Campaign. Families should buy for Christ's birthday live, tiny trees rooted in pots with soil, take good care of them and plant them in a garden or near a forest the following spring or summer. Nature and birds would be even happier if they were fruit trees rather than pine trees.
~ Idea 2998 ~The United Nations Organization of Youth (UNOY), a non-governmental organization should launch a vast practical campaign of youth ideas against bad causes and for good ones, e.g. sums of billions for militaries and armaments should be used to remedy poverty and conserve the Earth. They could use excerpts of my ideas and proposals on such subjects from my 3000 Ideas. Please look at the Indexes and write to Carolyn Hawkins, my co-worker. Her address: 255-A Elise Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, Tel: 805-568-0909.
May international organizations and many non-governmental organizations and movements do the same for the subjects with which they are concerned. We need millions of good ideas for a better world, not only ideas for new inventions, weapons, products, marketing, advertisement and needless consumption.
Students should also request that a complete set of Volumes of the 3000 Ideas be available in all University Libraries.
~ Idea 2999 ~I have learned with immense satisfaction that the Global Peoples' Assembly held in April 2000 in Samoa adopted overwhelmingly a resolution requesting the United Nations to implement the proposal of the European Parliament (see Idea 2796) to set up a UN Parliamentary Consultative Assembly. May the heads of states meeting in September 2000 implement that idea. It would be a great benefit to the world and democracy.
The most urgent and absolute need at the beginning of this new century and millennium is to establish a proper Earth and human government. The United Nations Parliamentary Consultative Assembly could take this as its first, great historic task.
The Global Peoples' Assembly honored me with the title Lifelong President. What a wonderful honor and duty this is!
~ Idea 3000 ~A new group and movement called Bright-Ideas has been created in New York City. They will put my ideas on the website brightideas.com and launch the idea that 9 September each year should be celebrated as World Ideas Day. Bravo! That is a great, welcome progress.
I have also decided on 7 December 2000 to create a Robert Muller World Movement of Dreamers headquartered in Costa Rica on our Robert Muller Park of Dreams (Finca de Suenos) overlooking from sacred Mt. Rasur the UN University for Peace. Address: Finca Robert Muller, El Rodeo, Apartado 138, Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica. E-mail: Barbara@rain.org.
An Appeal to All Heads of States Meetingat the United Nations in September 2000
I sent the following Appeal end of August 2000 to the heads of states of all 189 member countries of the United Nations with the following letter in English, Spanish, French or German as appropriate:
28 August 2000
Dear Mr. Head of State,
I pray Your Excellency with all my heart to visualize how you wish to be remembered by future generations for your proposals and actions in the unique historic meeting of heads of state in September 2000 at the United Nations. I took the liberty, as a fifty years long servant of the United Nations, to express some of my ideas and dreams in the enclosed Appeal to you.
May God inspire you and reward youwith lasting fame.
Yours in peace,
Robert MullerChancellor EmeritusFormer UN Assistant Secretary General
My Appeal to All Leaders of Nationsfor their meeting at the United Nations in September 2000
I joined the United Nations world service in 1948 as a young man who had been in a German Gestapo prison, a French Resistance fighter and had seen the most horrible atrocities of war and destructions. I came from Alsace-Lorraine, a province of France bordering Germany, where my grandparents knew three wars and changed nationality five times between France and Germany, without leaving their village. I was a very pessimistic young man. If this had happened between two highly civilized countries, how could I expect white and black countries, communists and capitalists, rich and poor nations, thousands of religions and ethnic groups to be able to live together and cooperate in peace? Surely there would be an incident which would trigger off another world war within twenty years. Well, there was no third world war.In an emptied war factory in Lake Success where the United Nations was first located, a British delegate asked me what I was doing there. I answered: "I came here to work for peace, because I do not want my children and grandchildren to know the horrors I saw in the war." He answered: "I pity you, because you will lose your job. This organization will not last more than five years." Well, it celebrates in the year 2000 its fifty-fifth anniversary.I was also told in Lake Success that decolonization was the priority item on the agenda of world affairs and that it would take the United Nations from one hundred to one hundred fifty years to solve the problem. Well, the UN did it in forty years. I was told the same about racism, apartheid, women's rights, human rights, indigenous people, the cold war, and I could cite other examples.I have been involved in the creation of several new specialized agencies and world programs in the economic and social fields, including the world-wide United Nations Development Program where I was one of the first two UN officials working with Paul Hoffman, the former Administrator of the Marshall Plan. The UN listened to me when I suggested to channel to the poor countries the surplus foods which the rich countries used to burn, and created the World Food Program. The World Bank listened to my idea to give low-interest loans to infrastructure projects in the poor countries and created the International Development Agency. When I look at the list of the 32 UN specialized agencies and world programs, I am astonished that I played a role in the creation of eleven of them!I have seen the UN system assemble information on practically every aspect of our Earth and of the human family. Who remembers that until 1952 we did not even know how many people lived on this planet? Today a world population census takes place world-wide in all countries in the same year. Future generations will appreciate the statistical work and global information of the UN as a true turning point in human history.Through the United Nations I have seen the seas and oceans, the moon and outer space be declared the commons of humanity. I have seen the birth of first concerns for the environment, a word coined in the UN when it convened the first world conference on the environment in Sweden in 1972. And the UN did the same for the world's waters, deserts, oceans, climate, atomic energy, children, women, the aging, the handicapped, etc.I entered the UN as an intern and was privileged to rise over the years to Assistant Secretary General working directly with three Secretaries General. When I look back, I feel that I owe the UN a truly magical life.And retirement was not the end. It turned into a 'refirement'! Three days before I retired from the UN in 1986, after 38 years of service, Rodrigo Carazo, the President of Costa Rica, a man whom I greatly admire, proposed that I should become the one-dollar-a-year chancellor of the recently created UN University for Peace in Costa Rica of which I was his co-founder. I accepted with delight to continue to work for a UN agency and to spend the rest of my life in a demilitarized country to which I would give the highest mark for its initiatives and successes at the UN: the creation of the post of High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Nobel Peace Prize to President Oscar Arias, the celebration of the International Day of Peace and the world cease-fire obtained by Costa Rica for the World Olympics and the week of the fiftieth anniversary of the UN.And how could I have ever dreamt that I would be some day appointed member of a world commission of eminent persons on the funding of the UN and co-chairman, with Dr. Karan Singh of India, of a World Commission on Global Consciousness and Spirituality?And that all borders between fifteen western European countries, including in my hometown in Alsace-Lorraine, would be suppressed and a European Union created?And that there would be in the world 34 Robert Muller Schools providing the right education I received from the United Nations after the nationalistic mis-educations by France, Germany and the United States?And that the Global Peoples' Assembly meeting in 2000 in Samoa would declare me its Lifelong President?Yes, from a very pessimistic young man after World War II, I have been transformed by the UN into an optimistic elder who believes in the success of humanity. I am infinitely grateful to the UN for having taught me that planet Earth is my home, that humanity is my family and that it was worthwhile to devote my entire life with passion, enthusiasm and faith to the great objectives for which this Organization, a truly unprecedented, ominous meta-biological organism of the Earth and of humanity was created. In the face of colossal obstacles and the shortsightedness of some nations, the UN has performed many miracles.And now, as I look to the future and further progress, I am told that proper Earth government is impossible! I make this prediction: within twenty years we will have a proper government and administration of planet Earth and of humanity. Why? Because the current troubles, injustices, wastes and colossal duplications of national expenditures, especially on armaments and the military, of 189 nations will force us to. It is inevitable. The salvation of this planet and survival of the human species depend on it. Noone can for long go against evolution. Nation-states must adapt or they will disintegrate, even the biggest one, the United States. Unknown forces will force them to.During my long world service I had this habit: whenever I receive numerous letters from people around the world pointing at a new challenge or necessity whose time has come, I open a file: within a few years these signals of humanity's global brain and heart become a major trend.Well, since the 50th anniversary of the UN, my mail abounds with letters calling for proper Earth government, a world federation of states, proposals of other systems for a better global management of this planet. I have therefore decided to return to the dream of my youth, when after World War II I wrote an essay on world government which opened to me the doors of the United Nations. At the age of 77 I have decided to make proper Earth and human government the last and greatest priority of my life. The Earth's survival requires an enormously strengthened second generation United Nations, or a UN transformed progressively into a world union on the model of the European Union, or a United States of the Earth on the pattern of the great precedent of the United States. On the eve of a new century and millennium it is a matter of life or death for the Earth and humanity.May the heads of states meeting in the UN General Assembly 2000 hear this appeal. I speak in the name of all my school-mates of the class of 1939-40 of the Lycéc of Sarreguemines in Alsace-Lorraine who were killed in French or German uniforms. I plead with you, I beg you, I implore you to change the course of the world into permanent peace, justice and well-being. God, all the saints in heaven, all the souls of tens of millions of people, including mothers and children killed in so many wars will thank you. Please make the World Assembly 2000 one of the most unique, memorable events in all human history. Please lay the foundations for a permanently peaceful, wonderful, well administered unique planet Earth circling in the incredible, heavenly universe of billions of stars and galaxies.SO HELP US GOD* *Robert Muller
MY DREAM
3000(Written for the last summer solstice of the second millennium)21
June 1999
I dream that we humans,the most advanced miracleof life in the universewill lift our sights, hopes and dreams to the year 3000and make the third millenniuma tremendous, unbelievable cosmic success.
I dream that all governments will join their minds and heartsto manage this beautiful Earth and its precious humanityin peace, justice and happiness,
That all religions will joinin a global spirituality,
That all people will becomea caring family,
That all scientists will joinin a united, ethical science,
That all corporations will unitein a global cooperativeto preserve nature and all humanity.
I believe that once and for ever,we will eliminate all wars, violence and armamentsfrom this miraculous planet.
I dream that the incredible andgrowing distance between rich and poor,between and inside nationswill be eliminated as a blemishto the miracle of life.
I dream that we will stop the destructionof our miraculous, so richly endowed planetary home.
I dream that we will eliminate all lies, corruptionand immoral advertisements for purely monetary purposes.
I dream that we will all livesimple, frugal lives in ordernot to tax unduly the preciousresources of our planet.
I dream that each decade and centennialwill be celebrated as a greatworld wide thanksgiving for our successes.
I dream that we will succeed in making our planetthe ultimate success of God,of the mysterious forces of theuniverse of which each of usis a miraculous, cosmic unit.
I dream that the United Nations willdeclare a yearly World Thanksgiving Day
Dear brothers and sisters,dear children, youth, adults and elderly,dear spirits of all the departedlet us join forces in fulfilling God's loving destiny intended for all of humanity
Let us prepare the year 3000as the most extraordinary celebrationof our grandiose, mysterious journeyin the star studded heavens.
Let us make this third millenniuma Jubillennium filled with overflowing peace, happiness and thanksgiving.
Dr. Robert MullerChancellor Emeritus,UN University for PeaceFormer UN Assistant Secretary General
ANNEX
Common Sense from a Famous US President, Dwight D. Eisenhower,a general who had the humaneness and courageto create the first Ministry of Peace on planet Earth*
"When I was a boy, we put blinders on horses so they would not shy in fright of a scarecrow, a shadow, a rabbit. But today we human beings deliberately put blinders on ourselves, not to avoid the sight of frightful things, but to ignore a central fact of human existence.
"I mean that mankind too often blinds itself to the common lot, to the common purposes, to the common aspirations of humanity everywhere. I mean that all of us too much live in ignorance of our neighbors; or, when we take off our blinders, view them through the contortionist spectacles of propaganda." (1960)
"We do not seek a world divided into co-existing camps locked in a struggle for supremacy. We hope for and work for a single world community which recognizes and respects a code of international law governing the relations between diverse peoples." (1960)
"Peace is the right of every human being. It is hungered for by all of the peoples of the Earth." (1955)
"Men everywhere want to disarm. They want their wealth and labor to be spent not for war, but for food, for clothing, for shelter, for medicines, for schools." (1960)
"That common desire for peace is something that is a terrific force in this world and to which I believe all political leaders in the world are beginning to respond. They must recognize it." (1955)
"The advent of missiles, with ever shorter reaction times, makes measures to curtail the danger of war by miscalculation increasingly necessary. States must be able quickly to assure each other that they are not preparing aggressive moves - particularly in international crises... In an age of rapidly developing technology, secrecy is not only an anachronism - it is downright dangerous." (1960)
"I propose that the nations producing nuclear weapons immediately convene experts to design a system for terminating, under verification procedures, all production of fissionable materials for weapons purposes." (1960)
"Time and again, the American people have voiced this yearning - to join with men of good will everywhere in building a better world. We always stand ready to consider any feasible proposal to this end. And as I have said so many times, the United States is always ready to negotiate with any country which in integrity and sincerity shows itself ready to talk about any of these problems. We ask only this - that such a program not give military advantage to any nation and that it permit men to inspect the disarmament of other nations." (1960)
"The international control of atomic energy and general and complete disarmament can no more be accomplished by rhetoric than can the economic development of newly independent countries. Both of these immense tasks facing mankind call for serious, painstaking, costly, laborious and non-propaganda approaches." (1960)
"If effective measures of disarmament could be agreed upon, think how the world could be transformed!" (1956)v*The incumbent of the US Department of Peace was Harold Stassen, last living signer of the UN Charter and recently the author of a revised UN Charter which should be read by all heads of states and delegates to the Year 2000 UN General Assembly (copies obtainable from the UN Bookshop, tel. 800-553-3210).
Epithets Given to Robert Mullerin the first half of 1999
A dream leader of the worldThe visionary of visionariesA world treasureA man fully aware of the uniqueness of his lifeA planetary elderA walking university by himselfThe builder of a new worldAn ambassador of the impossibleAn incorrigible optimistAn man of contagious optimismA divine miracleA disciple of Teilhard de ChardinA Thanksgiving angelA peacemaker child of GodThe Confucius of modern timesAn emeraldThe dreamer of Mt. RasurAn evolutionary philosopherA specialist in impossibilitiesThe grandfather of Airline AmbassadorsA pioneer of peaceThe founder of a world-wide science of peaceThe best informed man in the worldThe first 21st century manThe millennium manA man of hope and visionAn emissary of God and advocate of humanityThe most incredible man on EarthAnother Benjamin FranklinThe sage of Mt. RasurA world statesmanA mountain moverA truly noble manA true gentlemanA man well-planted in the EarthThe quintessence of peacemaker and prophetA man who belongs to the saintsListening to him is electrifyingA man with a contagious dynamismRetired? No, refiredOne our greatest global visionariesAn unforgettable speakerOne of the great people of our eraA man whose writings are almost like scriptureA universal apostleGreatest world worrier (from worrying not warring)A prophetic voice in today's worldA man of creative, fearless mind and unshakable commitmentA paradiser who tries to make the whole Earth a paradiseA happinizer who tries to make the whole humanity a happy family
The unmatched, most eloquent voice for humanity and the planetThe man who makes vibrate the soul, the heart and the intelligence of lifeA man whose presence and influence will go far for the renewal of the worldA man in an organization who both epitomize the new humanity to which we belongA tireless crusader for world peace through his great efforts, books and speechesA visionary, a prophet to the world from the United NationsA man whose insight and wisdom have done much for word peaceThere are few men on Earth who have done as much for peace as Robert Muller has doneA man whose words reach down and touch the soul of each readerA man who is overshadowed by the Christ when he speaks and writes on behalf of the cosmosA man with a breathtaking output whose importance cannot be overestimatedA planetizer who planetizes everything that comes close to himThe sage of the United Nations and of its University for PeaceOne of the persons of the United Nations whom I have admired most. When I was a young delegate of my country to the UN I read all his booksA man who reminds us of a deep truth, namely that human progress requires creative, fearless minds and an unshakable commitmentA man who has been given the powerful gift to inspire us to dream great dreams and hope for great hopesAn inspiration for innumerable persons to work and struggle and make life on this planet what divinity intends it to beOne man through whose life writings, words and deeds, a torrent of goodness has flooded our planetA man whose presence on this planet means a lot to millions of people. How lucky the world is that he existsProbably together with Hammarskjöld the only UN official who will survive in the memory of humankind
NEW OR UNUSUAL WORDS USED OR COINEDin Ideas 2001-2500For earlier ones see pages 185 to 187 of Volume IV
Advertised
Human Beings 2250Artsight 2080Bads 2369Beautycracy 2330Biotampering
2015Businesscism 2201Cosmocracy 2089Deciticization 2236Decitizise
2236Decultured 2258Decumulation 2348Degrassification
2353Dehumanization 2379Dematerialize 2411Demo-ideology 2298Demonitize
2410Denaturing 2379Denaturize 2236Dis-economies 2424Dislearn
2440Dispiring 2396Dreamsight 2080Earth-communism 2230Earthcracy
2226Earthologist 2427Earthology 2427Earth Preservation Index
2390Eco-capitalism 2230Ecocracy 2226Eco-indigenous Communities
2010Ecologize 2410Economic Apartheid 2489Empireship 2201Enmechanizing
2453Feminization 2281Futurism, Futuration, to Futurize 2176Gaietics
2088Happinesscracy 2330Heartsight 2080Humanization 2379Humanologist
2427Humanology 2427Injustology 2006Institutionology 2499Internetism,
Internetional, to internet 2155Jubillennium 2385Lovenization
2381Macrobiology 2019Matriotism 2292Memorializing 2359Mindsight
2080Moderationism 2405Musicsight 2080Planet Garbagia
2296Prejudiceology 2624Renaturization 2236Renaturize 2236Soulsight
2080Sovereignize 2234Unethics 2350Worldilization 2379Writingsight
2080
~ Idea 3001 ~
This is a world where a few have too much and too many have too little or nothing. It is a wrong world. Planet Earth would be decreed by a celestial outer space council an unproperly managed planet in the universe.
It is high time to declare proper Earth and human government and management the priority item of the agenda of world affairs. Hopefully the heads of states meeting in the year 2000 UN General Assembly will decide that.
~ Idea 3002 ~
It is more important to have ideas than to have money. The best of course is to have ideas and money to implement them and for the rich to become ideapeople and workers for peace and a better world.
~ Idea 3003 ~
I cannot repeat it enough, this world, in order to survive urgently needs:
An emergency world plan to achieve most rapidly the stabilization of the world population;
A bold action in the rich countries to reduce and weed out needless, excessive, Earth-damaging production, consumption, activities and colossal duplicating expenses and wastes between 189 nations;
The creation of a proper evolution and justice-oriented Earth and peoples' government.
The creation of a proper world security system, then suppress all armaments, demilitarize all countries and use the savings for vital purposes.
~ Idea 3004 ~
God is likely to punish capitalism and capitalists for their irrespect and lack of concern for His incredible, miraculous Creation, perhaps the unique planet with life in the entire universe.
~ Idea 3005 ~
I just cannot understand why the human species is always dominated by the will for power. We had the emperors, the kings, the czars, slavery, racism, apartheid, colonialism, dictatorship, religious wars, Nazism, nationalism, all kinds of sovereignties, infallibilities and fundamentalisms. Many of them were defeated but now we have a new one: economic, all human and Earth exploitation by giant world corporations supported by nations which derive benefits from them. At the end of this millennium we are faced with a power alliance between business, national governments and militaries! What can we do?
Only a new world political and economic order can get us out of this situation. I therefore implore the heads of states who will meet at the United Nations General Assembly 2000 to put in motion and implement my ideas on the absolute urgent need for proper Earth government (See Introduction to Part V of Volume IV and Indexes).
~ Idea 3006 ~
When I die I can honestly say to myself that I have done my utmost in innumerable writings, speeches and actions to bring about a better world. Dear God, please recompense me by letting me live as long as possible to work on the implementation of more of my ideas. I would be immensely grateful to You. And please, O Lord, reserve me a special role on Earth from heaven!
~ Idea 3007 ~
Why, why, why?
Looking back in a hundred years humanity might say: why were not nations more enlightened in the year 2000? They had all the needed information about the planet and all life on it. They had experienced both good and bad, anything they could experience. They had all the growing lessons necessary.
Why did they not create a new, better, just world order when the cold war was over?
Why didn't the United States give the world a new, inspiring, hopeful vision of the future?
Why didn't nations at least strengthen ten-fold the United Nations which was a good beginning?
Why, why, why?
Well, let us at least use the year 2000 to begin building a new world order. Let us have a global vision, global concerns, global love for our Earth and all humanity, for a more beautiful, well-preserved planet and a peaceful, happy, fulfilled human family living on it.
Let us place ourselves in the year 3000 and do what we would be expected to do by the eyes, minds, hearts, hopes and souls of our descendants in that year.
May the heads of states meeting in the UN General Assembly 2000 be one of the greatest landmarks and achievements in human history. May they place humanity on the right path to a peaceful, happy, enlightened world. May they be applauded, honored and thanked by their descendants in the year 3000.
As a minimum, dear heads of state, place yourselves in the year 2100 and see what the world will say of your historic meeting in 2000 to respond to your ominous agenda "to focus on means to solve our primary global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
~ Idea 3008 ~
Despite its many errors over past history humanity is the most advanced species on Earth. We constantly learn and advance. But we also create new, unprecedented problems due to our still insufficient intelligence: the population explosion and the destruction of the environment are cases in point.
We are now learning that we are in charge of the entire further evolution of this planet! This is a new, gigantic challenge to our intelligence. If those in power recognize it we will succeed in the most extraordinary, unexpected way. This is one of our greatest opportunities as we enter the third millennium.
~ Idea 3009 ~
The evolution of any species does not take place without some destruction or damaging of nature. But one species can become so knowledgeable and powerful that it can destroy the entire nature, all other species, vegetal, animal and basic elements. When it comes to that point, that species is in charge and responsible of the entire future evolution of that planet. It can adapt to the new requirements of continued evolution and find the right solutions or it can continue on the course of its existing beliefs and values embodied in its behavior, institutions and laws and will put an end to evolution. The human species has reached that point. This is the decisive, urgent choice we must make. Not only new means and ways of government but new values, new beliefs, and totally new behaviors, wisdom and vision of the human species are needed.
~ Idea 3010 ~
All leaders on this planet - political, economic, scientific, religious, military, educational, etc. - are henceforth co-agents of the future evolution of the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 3011 ~
Perhaps the most important reports in the world are:
Yearly reports on the state of the world
Reports on the future of the world with ideas, dreams, initiatives and actions for a better world
~ Idea 3012 ~
Reading a historical review from my grandfather's home town in Alsace-Lorraine I was so shocked by the wars, marriages, maneuvers, alliances of dukes, kings, noblemen, bishops, etc. that it seemed almost impossible that even the idea of a minimum world political 'order' such as the United Nations could ever be born!
If some of my great grandchildren read this in a hundred years they will have the same feeling, namely that the image of our current phase of history and political system was pretty shocking, obsolete and seemed hopeless.
And since the medieval order of kings, dukes and bishops, etc. was changed only by a revolution, the French Revolution in 1789, my great grandchildren might comment that the obsolete national sovereign state system was overturned by a revolution too.
At that point the Earth intervened and said to me:
"Dear Robert, remember that the French Revolution was possible only because it was preceded by philosophical writings and recommendations, like those of Voltaire, that the European countries had to move from the feudal system to a national system and that as a result all the internal, feudal, ethnic and other conflicts would disappear. And remember Freud's answer to Einstein that all that is needed for world peace is that the love of the people for their nation now be extended to love for the entire Earth and humanity. And this can be done without a revolution. What you put in the mouth of your great grandchildren is not necessarily a correct prophecy."
~ Idea 3013 ~
I:
Dear Earth, one thing I cannot understand: why did you create a human species so different from all other animals? While you can expect the behavior of other species you cannot expect and control that of humans. They are out of your control, self-centered, most of them without love relationships with you. Your total Earth order would be better, in stable harmony for a long time if you had not given birth to the human species. They even invented atomic bombs and genetic engineering of life forms! Why did you let this happen?
The Earth:
"You forget one thing dear Robert. All this has happened and continues to happen over billions of years. I myself am only a cosmic happening in a solar system which will explode and disappear in 5 billion years. You humans are the latest and most advanced species. You find yourself now in a major transformation: you have learned so much about the Earth and about yourselves. Five hundred years ago you did not even know that I was a sphere. Only twenty-five years ago did you discover that you were damaging what you call the environment, in reality me and yourselves because you are part of me. I am trying to make you discover and correct your errors and find new ways. You are beginning to do it. Unfortunately it is too slow, too reluctant, delayed by wrongly educated humans and powerful interest groups thriving on past values and determined to maintain them.
But people like you are becoming more numerous. Many are looking up to you due to your right information and education gained over fifty years in the first Earth organization called the United Nations. You play a vital role. Your innumerable books, essays, speeches, correspondence, schools and thousands of ideas are a much needed, new urgent education in the world.
Like your compatriot Robert Schuman who wanted a European Union but never saw it while he was alive, you might not see either the united humanity and the well functioning Earth you labored for so hard but you will see it from heaven I promise you.
I also refer to your Idea 552 which is my preferred one, in which you say: "Perhaps, out of my passion for life and for this miraculous Earth, a new theory of evolution can be shaped, namely that with our recently acquired tremendous human knowledge of the universe and of our planet we will henceforth be more than the mere preservers and savers of the Earth, but will be her instruments, her most advanced evolutionary agents, her children endowed with the evolutionary task to make her an even more astonishing planet and cosmic success, perhaps the most advanced, ultimate masterpiece of the universe and God. Since each species born from nature is a miracle, we humans are undoubtedly a miracle too."
~ Idea 3014 ~
I see three major events on this planet during the year 2000 which signal great hope for the future:
1. The creation and work of the Foundation for the Future in Bellevue, Washington State, which has taken the year 3000 as the target of our concerns, forwardlooking, thinking, planning and ideas. In August 2000 it will convene some of the world's best scientists, futurologists, visionaries and prophets in Seattle to give their views to humanity about the next 1000 years.
2. The holding of a World Peoples' Assembly in April 2000 in Samoa, to give their views of the future and their expectations from the heads of states UN General Assembly in September.
3. The Summit Meeting of all heads of states of this planet in the UN General Assembly 2000 to deal with this agenda: "to focus on the means to solve our primary global problems and to reform the means of global government in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
As an advisor to the Foundation for the Future I have advised that the views and recommendations of the Seattle conference be submitted to the United Nations and all heads of states. The first two reports of meetings of thinkers are already available (address of the Foundation: 123-10 5th Avenue, S.E. Bellevue, Washington 98004-6265, Tel: (425) 451-1333, Fax: (425) 451-1238, www.futurefoundation.org.)
Regarding the World (later called Global) Peoples' Assembly, my first 2000 ideas and dreams are available to them as well as an excerpt of the most important ideas of decisions I suggest they should take at their meeting.
Regarding the Heads of States Meeting 2000 my 2000 ideas will be available. I will make an excerpt from them of the most important decisions they should take at their summit meeting.
~ Idea 3015 ~
When I think of the tragedies caused to the families of my schoolmates of Alsace-Lorraine who lost a husband or a son in German or French uniforms in World War II, I am moved to request that the United Nations should open a new chapter of human rights, namely the rights of families. It should proclaim the fundamental human right of every family not to see any of its members trained and asked to kill members of other families, not in the name of a nation nor a religion nor of any other institution, entity or person on Earth.
~ Idea 3016 ~
There is no reason, no sense whatsoever to maintain militaries and armaments which are true blemishes to our beautiful, miraculous Earth. This is why Jose Figueres, a respected philosopher insurgent against a dictator, camping with his men in the tropical beauty of Costa Rica decided to send home his troops and those of the defeated dictator when he won, and demilitarized the country by constitution in 1948. All countries on Earth should do the same. God bless him for his wise, memorable audacity. This is why the UN University for Peace is located in Costa Rica. And thanks be given to Oscar Arias, another Costa Rican President and Nobel Peace Prize winner who obtained the demilitarization of Panama and Haiti and seeks that of more countries.
~ Idea 3017 ~
The Earth Charter submitted by the Earth Council to all governments should give the Earth the fundamental right to be free of militaries, armaments, atomic bombs and atomic energy plants. Yes, we speak only of human rights. How about the rights of the living Earth?
~ Idea 3018 ~
A political speech without inspiration, which does not make you feel like crying or actually cry, is like a weak musical piece. A really great speech must elevate you like a Beethoven symphony. I hope that the heads of state meeting at the UN in September 2000 and in following years will remember this and inspire the entire world to unknown heights and make people cry.
~ Idea 3019 ~
Governments and public authorities from the lowest to the top have no interest in protecting consumers against excessive prices and unfair marketing and advertisement. Why? Because they get higher revenues from sales taxes and taxes on the profits of business. Ordinary citizens and the Earth are the least protected on this planet. This has to be remedied. A deep tax reform or an entirely new revenue and tax system must be conceived for the good conservation of the Earth and the fulfillment and happiness of all humans.
~ Idea 3020 ~
We have a cat in our little farmhouse on Mt. Rasur. One day a stray cat decided to settle there too. For weeks they were fighting each other, competing for food and lodging. Then one day they became friends, loving each other and sleeping tightly together in a basket. I was thinking: why don't all conflicting humans and entities do the same? How they and the whole world would benefit from it. It reminded me of the belief of Robert Schuman, the founder of the European Union, that peace is not merely the end of war and conflict, but must be the birth of cooperation and love. Freud said the same to Einstein.
~ Idea 3021 ~
It is high time that in the year 2000 and the third millennium a new chapter of human rights be opened, namely the rights of humanity as a whole against unfair practices and violations by groups and institutions. An example is the practice of the Monsanto Company which was buying up natural seeds from farmers all around the world to force them to buy every year the Monsanto genetically engineered seeds which will last only two years! This should be considered an outrageous, incredible violation of humanity's rights. Such a case should be brought to a world jurisdiction like the International Court of Justice or a World Court of Human Rights which must absolutely be established in this century. And how about a World Court of Earth Rights and Ethics?
~ Idea 3022 ~
It is reported that the militaries of certain nations are testing new secret weapons which would damage or destroy the environment of other nations, e.g. beams to the ozonosphere to create holes in it above an enemy nation thus letting infra-red rays go through and create cancers. Several others are being developed in this new field of environmental weaponry. I recommend:
1. That this subject be urgently placed on the agenda of the United Nations.
2. That the United Nations create an inter-governmental committee and a Secretariat Unit in charge of reporting on all facets of this new form of armaments and taking proper action against them.
3. That these new forms of armaments which may endanger and damage peaceful countries and the entire Earth be brought as criminal actions before a greatly strengthened International Court of Justice or a special new World Court of Justice against armaments and military crimes.
~ Idea 3023 ~
I recommend to the heads of states a thorough review and strengthening of the International Court of Justice. All existing, planned and recommended novel forms of international justice should be urgently considered in a World Conference on Justice.
~ Idea 3024 ~
Given the magnificence, the miraculous diversity and astonishing forms of life of our planet's nature we humans should be their servants and not their destroyers. How in heaven can we allow a species to disappear every five hours when it took millions of years to create that species?
The Earth Charter drafted by the Earth Council must be accompanied by the urgent creation of a World Court of Nature where the rights of nature will be upheld.
As I wrote this on sacred Mt. Rasur in demilitarized Costa Rica I heard Mother Earth say to me:
"Dear Robert, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart."
~ Idea 3025 ~
"Tell me what are your dreams and you will tell me who you are."
Perhaps this is our real biological function to be performed by each generation and by every human person. Dreams might be a basic genetic evolutionary human function.
~ Idea 3026 ~
My example and that of a number of other retired world servants of the UN and of International Organizations who donate their services to new ventures like the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica has given birth to this wonderful idea: Maurice Strong, the new President of the University for Peace intends to create near the university a Village of Peace for retired world servants who would continue to work for peace and a better world part-time or full-time with or without salary.
Maurice Strong also intends to create near the University for Peace a World Center for Inner Peace, another wonderful idea.
~ Idea 3027 ~
In Ideas 301, 418, 1214 and 1785 I speak and reproduce some of several declarations of human duties and responsibilities known to me. I think that a Universal Declaration of Duties and Responsibilities should now be drafted and adopted by the United Nations as was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1949 which had a deep impact on human history since then.
Two duties should be considered in such a declaration:
- the duty of nations to solve conflicts exclusively with peaceful means and not to train and force their citizens to kill other human beings in wars.
- the duties of nations not to keep stockpiles of nuclear arms, the use or accidental activation of which would kill innumerable humans and destroy vast segments of our vital nature.
~ Idea 3028 ~
Another new fundamental human right:
the right of peoples to complain, to receive help in formulating their complaints, to have complaints properly examined by the proper authorities, from local municipalities to the top of the world, and to receive a reply.
Each institution on Earth should provide the necessary help and services (e.g. ombudsmen or women) to fulfill this human right.
This would be part of a re-examination of the entire field of democracy which needs it so badly.
~ Idea 3029 ~
The general conference of UNESCO deserves congratulations for opening a new chapter of human rights: the rights of future generations. It is circulating a Draft Declaration of the Responsibilities of the present generation towards future generations. It provides for the safeguarding of vital aspects of life and well-being of future generations including "freedom of choice in political, economic, social, cultural and religious matters; maintenance and perpetuation of humankind and life on Earth; protection of the environment, bio-diversity, the human genome and the common heritage of humankind; preservation of cultural diversity and heritage, peace development, education and non-discrimination".
I hope that these human rights of our descendants will be given high priority on the agenda of world affairs.
~ Idea 3030 ~
We celebrate today a memorial to Ruth Schneider, a remarkable woman who died recently after a life of great achievements and inspiration to many people. The event will take place on the terrace of Rasur, the God of the indigenous children who appeared to them and prophecized that from his hill a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world. That was the goal of all her life. I am wide awake thinking of Teilhard de Chardin who wanted a Mass of Resurrection in white at his death and the playing at it of the Ode to Joy by Beethoven and I had to fulfill the same wish for Father Emanuel de Breuvery, his Jesuit companion and my director at the United Nations, when he died. I was thinking of my wishes for my death. They were the same. I imagined the same memorial on this terrace and decided to dictate on tape my message of hope and resurrection for that ceremony. I then discovered that I had done it already: the tape is called Passion for Life. How moving it would be to hear Ruth Schneider's message today instead of only testimonies of those who knew and loved her.
~ Idea 3031 ~
I always dreamt that St. Francis and St. Claire would be declared saints of the United Nations. I recommended it to Pope John Paul II. At least I obtained the following blessing for the UN University for Peace:
The Franciscans International decided to erect a beautiful prayer place and bust of the saint in the gardens of the University for Peace. The event was in honor of the common ideals of St. Francis and of the University: peace, love for God's nature and simple and frugal lives, not to tax unduly our Mother Earth.
On 11 March 2000 the Franciscans held a celebration and a Mass for the bimillennium at that shrine. It happened to be also my birthday, the reaching of the age of seventy-seven. At that ceremony I expressed these dreams:
- that in this new millennium every country will celebrate a saint, a noble woman or man who left behind a great inspirational model of life and a message of elevation and hope for all humanity;
- that in many places on Earth church bells, gongs and muezzins will announce again everyday the resurrection of light and day;
- that radio and television programs around the world will start each day with a sacred song e.g. the Ave Maria by Gounod or the Ode to Joy by Beethoven, as thanks to God for the miracle of life;
- that all humans, be they heads of states, artists, religious leaders, business people, educators, scientists, fathers and mothers will ask themselves the question: what good will I do today?
~ Idea 3032 ~
It is so good in the early morning to take care of nature, her plants and animals, to have the feeling to be of service. It is much better than to read newspapers. That is why peasants and people living in nature are happier than city dwellers. The more people will move back to the land the more happy people there will be on this planet.
~ Idea 3033 ~
A letter to Ted Turner:
Dear Ted,
When both you and I will appear before God, He will tell us that we did not do enough despite our belief that we did. Perhaps someday if you feel like it, come to sacred Mt. Rasur in one of the most beautiful places on Earth overlooking the United Nations University for Peace. A modest, second little wooden dwelling is waiting for you where you will be given the answer to, "What more can I do?," awakened by the cocks who announce the resurrection of the light and day.
Do it if possible this year so that you can give your message to the heads of state who will meet at the UN General Assembly in September 2000.
I'm thinking often of you,
~ Idea 3034 ~
Someone asked me, "What is the biggest problem in the world?" I answered, "The United States whose military strategists and big corporations are now ruling the world. They have designed the vastest, most sophisticated, long-term US power strategy in the world, as taught in military academies. They have not neglected anything. They are doing this job for the US alone and not for the rest of humanity and of the Earth. They are now one of the greatest obstacles to world unity and proper Earth government."
I received the comment:
"Are you not exaggerating?"
No, I will never forget the remark of Chou En Lai, the Premier of China when he received Secretary General Waldheim and me and said, "I apologize for receiving you so late in the evening. It is ten o'clock because I have set my watch on Washington time for I cannot be asleep here in China when they are awake in the Pentagon."
The trouble is indeed that the rest of the world is not awake when they are awake in the Pentagon. The damage done to the European Union as a result of the US intervention in Kosovo under the NATO umbrella is a case in point. If you had a secession of any state in the US, would the United States allow NATO to intervene?
~ Idea 3035 ~
The greatest killers on this planet are not individuals but governments. Just have a look at the Dismal Alphabet from Volume III which I reproduce here again in order not to forget it. It should be permanently on the desk of every head of state.
MAY THE SOULS OF THESE DEPARTED BROTHERS AND SISTERS CONTRIBUTE TO WORLD PEACE AND BETTER FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Millions of people have been killed by governments in the last two centuries. National governments are not admirable, praiseworthy, love-worthy institutions. They are often wholesale killers including of women and children. Even in peacetime they waste more than one-half of the total taxes from their people on armaments and militaries. And why are ordinary killers called criminals, put in prison, often condemned to death, while winning generals are called heroes, covered with medals and remembered in monuments and history?
People are really sheep to let this happen and not to revolt against it. There is need for a Peoples' Rebellion against the dismal, dangerous political and economic disorder and injustices on this planet. I hope that the heads of states meeting at the UN in September 2000 will receive a crystal clear strong message from the World's Peoples' Assembly meeting earlier in Samoa regarding a direct peoples' representation in the United Nations.
~ Idea 3036 ~
I cannot visualize how heads of states, Pentagon officials, generals, armaments manufacturers and many parliamentarians can sleep during the night when 1.3 billion people on this planet live on one dollar a day while one-half or more of all yearly world expenditures, a staggering eight hundred billion dollars, are wasted on armaments and training killers called militaries.
I will never understand it. I will die wondering how mad power and money continue to rule this planet in one form or another and might bring it this time to its end because they are now also killing nature. How can God in heaven allow this?
~ Idea 3037 ~
When we created the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, never supported by the US and the rich countries, we discovered that the corn-flake contained in a well-advertised, attractive package was worth only 1/1000th of the price at which it was sold!
Recently, through the Internet I learned that a chemical was added to some cereals in order to make the children addicted to them. According to some people Coca Cola is still not completely free of a drug that makes people addicted to the drink despite the announcement by the United States Government a number of years ago that Coca Cola no longer added a drug.
Well, noone should be surprised by the first peoples' demonstrations in Seattle and Washington.
I will also never forget that when we were young the morning cereal consisted of stale bread which we dumped into hot milk or coffee with milk and sugar. It was the cheapest cereal on Earth. But who still does this except in poor countries? It is cheap, healthy and delicious. People should revert to it and save the money and wasteful packaging of cereals.
~ Idea 3038 ~
I have never forgotten a friend who was mobilized in the French army in Strasbourg and had a grocery store in town. Each weekend he asked for a furlough to go to the store and prepare a large quantity of mustard. He said that it was the cheapest product he could sell. All he had to do was to add water to mustard powder and mix it. It was the product on which he made the biggest profit.
Nowadays I see mustards of all sorts under 'brand names' in small, sophisticated, well advertised containers. The latest I saw was mustard mixed with honey! Who on Earth could invent such a thing? What else will business invent to make profits and raise sales prices? And why don't governments create Consumers Ministries and a World Consumer's Protection Agency?
~ Idea 3039 ~
As long as there will be Ministries of War or Defense in 174 nations there will be no peace on Earth.
I suggest that the President of the United States in his speech to the heads of states meeting of the UN General Assembly 2000 will announce that the Pentagon will be suppressed and will be replaced by a United States Ministry of Peace as President Eisenhower did after World War II. Its Secretary was Harold Stassen, the last living signer of the United Nations Charter, still alive today at the age of 94 and who should be honored for having held this position. The cold war put an end to it. Now that the cold war is over the United States can reestablish that ministry followed I am sure by many other countries on Earth.
~ Idea 3040 ~
In his speech to the UN General Assembly the President of the United States should offer also a bold World Marshall Plan to heal the extreme poverty of a great part of the world and to stop and reduce the increasing gap between the rich and the poor both within countries and worldwide. He would do this in memory of President Johnson whose main ideal during his presidency was to eliminate poverty.
The President of the United States should also pay tribute to President John Kennedy for having launched the US Peace Corps which was loved by so many American people and should become a World Peace Corps.
His speech would thus be a tribute to President Eisenhower, to General Marshall, to President Johnson and to President John Kennedy.
He could also remember these words of General Omar Bradley after World War II: "The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants."
~ Idea 3041 ~
In a survey of proper world order one country to be looked into would be Switzerland:
Switzerland is a country which has managed to escape world attention with its policy of Swiss neutrality. I mentioned already the location of the second biggest United Nations Office in the world, its European Office in Geneva and of so many United Nations specialized agencies and world programs in Switzerland which is not even a member of the United Nations! Perhaps the effort of Switzerland to get so many international offices established on its soil was to get a good neutral international image in order to divert attention from a number of major misdoings which are being held against it, e.g. Switzerland as a world tax haven; Switzerland and its secret bank accounts said to accept deposits from anyone including dictators and world traffickeers.
~ Idea 3042 ~
I recommend that there should be a world survey and report on the seats of the multinational corporations to see who benefits from them most by order of importance and what attractive benefits they offer. It could be quite a revealing document on who benefits and how to benefit from the world globalization of business!
~ Idea 3043 ~
The United Nations must absolutely re-establish its Center on Multinational Corporations abolished by Mr. Boutros Ghali at the request of President Bush.
I would even recommend that the UN should create a whole specialized agency to deal with this major new phenomenon in the human society and history. Yes a United Nations Agency on Multinational Corporations. This would be an important move.
~ Idea 3044 ~
What incredible wisdom, knowledge and ideas we would find in a world-wide survey of all the cultures on Earth, past and present! Such a survey would reveal to us the ways to be followed and those to be avoided in our future journey on this planet.
Instead of that, the energies of most human groups are devoted to persuade us that their beliefs, their group, their religion, their ideology, their way of life are the only valid ones and even merit to go to war to get them accepted by the vanquished!
How long will such aberration, such blindness continue on this Earth? The UN and its agencies and world programs should be strengthened many times to pursue their efforts on this problem.
~ Idea 3045 ~
The world should adopt new adjectives to characterize cities:
~ Idea 3046 ~
When I appear before God I will probably discover that our supreme divinity is the Earth. She will smile at my surprise and say, "I welcome you and give you my deepest thanks for having been one of the fathers of the first and second world conferences on the environment and co-creator of the first University for Peace on Earth. Please sit next to me on my right and help me judge the national leaders, militaries and businessmen coming up from down there."
~ Idea 3047 ~
The decision of many western couples not to have any children anymore or not more than one or two could bring about a major change on planet Earth and even save it. It is indeed almost irresponsible to have children who would have meaningless lives in such a disorderly, ungoverned planet, progressively destroyed by so-called governments and business. Perhaps with the prospect of having no one to govern anymore, governments might change course and begin to manage the Earth properly.
The diminishing of the western, highly consuming population by 40 million between now and the year 2050 is a first, great, hopeful, sign welcomed by Mother Earth.
~ Idea 3048 ~
Humans must get their admirations straight: people who try to save our beautiful Earth are more admirable than those who destroy it. Peacemakers are more admirable than arms manufacturers and militaries. The United Nations and Costa Rica are more admirable than the national militarized countries. Nations having no nuclear arms are more admirable than those who have, etc.
Please add your own admirations. See also Idea 2533 in which I recommend that people should boycott and not buy goods coming from countries which have nuclear armaments.
~ Idea 3049 ~
The time has come in human history when in order to save the Earth the decisions of people not to do certain things has become as important if not more important than to do certain things. This is quite fundamental since human beings are constantly assailed by colossal world-wide business, marketing and advertisement to do, to buy and to consume innumerable things which rob us of our most intimate nature, our meaning of life and happiness and destroy our Mother Earth.
Here are a few examples of decisions not to:
Such decisions taken by individuals and families could change the world. Why? Because there are 6 billion people now and we will be close to 9 billion in the year 2050. Every individual action multiplied by 6 to 9 billion can have an enormous influence on the fate of the Earth.
The above 'not to decisions' are even more important for the Earth in the rich countries since people in those countries consume thirty times more than those in the poor countries.
Please remember it. Please, for the Earth and nature's sake, for our survival's sake reduce unnecessary purchases, consumption and activities.
~ Idea 3050 ~
The UN University for Peace and the Earth Council created in Costa Rica by the Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment will become the guidelights, strategic center and new Athens of the world and humanity.
~ Idea 3051 ~
The level of global intelligence and knowledge of many leaders is insufficient to manage this planet well and to conserve it with a peaceful, happy humanity on board. There should be a school for heads of states with a Center of Global Information on this planet.
~ Idea 3052 ~
I wish sometimes to have a glance at the US world strategy of the Pentagon for the years and decades ahead as well as those of Russia, China and other major countries of the world. Also, of the major arms manufacturers and biggest multinational corporations. It would tell us a lot. As for groups of countries, the strategies of NATO, SEATO and other military alliances would also be most interesting. And next to these giants, only a small infant, the United Nations, was created to take care of the Earth and the human family!
Yes, it is a major trouble that at a time of evolution when most serious global problems are threatening us and global solutions and institutions are needed, there does not exist a serious world strategy for the future of the Earth and of humanity. This could mean disaster. I recommend that the heads of states at the United Nations General Assembly 2000 should establish a major World Future Strategy Commission.
~ Idea 3053 ~
A World Movement of People saying No to Non-essentials (NONE) should be created as a new world non-governmental association accredited to the United Nations. It should say no:
We are in World War III, the destruction of the Earth by the money holders and by governments, their money issuers and servants. Planet Earth is becoming a pretty ungoverned, chaotic planet in the universe, while with our vast human knowledge and intelligence we could become the best. Let us decide to embark on a new course.
~ Idea 3055 ~
There is no longer a true democracy, if there ever was one, on this planet. What we have is:
An advertisementcracy, etc.
Our Earth is ruled by 200 giant corporations, by 189 governments, by the military and by advertisement, marketing and media magnates. Is this the right sociology of an intelligent species on one of the most unique, marvelous planets in the universe?
~ Idea 3056 ~
It was a miracle that for the first time in all evolution and human history a universal grouping of humans in nations was achieved in the United Nations. It required the horrors, killings and destructions of World War II to give it birth.
It miraculously grew a little and was not abolished as was its predecessor the League of Nations. But governments did not accept to give it a real global role and necessary means and were thus overtaken by global world businesses which now rule the world with many governments as their servants.
This will lead to world disaster if governments do not wake up. Perhaps only a first world catastrophe will wake them up, but they are not even prepared for that.
I was tempted to end the last volume of 3000 ideas with the words, "AMEN to Planet Earth. You will get extinct, filled with dead monstrous cities, abandoned skyscrapers, automobiles, airplanes, yachts, museums, overflowing with objects and garbage." After these words I would have drawn a circle with the Latin words inside, Sic transit gloria mundi, thus passes the glory of the world. Such a big sign could be placed on the surface of our Earth to be seen by outer space beings visiting it.
But my wife Barbara objected and said, "You cannot finish a book with such an ending." I answered, "Well, I give you the last word." And she drew another circle with these Latin words in the middle of it, Sic resurexit mundus, thus resurrected the world. And I wrote my Dream 3000.
~ Idea 3057 ~
Beautiful on this planet is really only the Earth, her nature and all her kin and products. Humans can never please her by any other means than by being beautiful ourselves, beautiful admirers and beautifiers of the wonders of nature. Our monuments and works of art are little compared with her and with us when we are beautiful. Our ideal must therefore be not to make money, to become rich and powerful, to win wars, to build skyscrapers and enormous houses but to be beautiful in the eyes of the Earth. This must become the ideal of humans in the third millennium. We should conceive a new science, the science of being beautiful in the eyes of the Earth and of God, a 'beautyology'. In every government there should be a Ministry of Art and Beauty.
~ Idea 3058 ~
Humanity has still to get its 'yeses' and its 'nos' straight. Here is a beginning of the two lists.
Dear reader, please add your own. It will reveal how we can make it a better world.
~ Idea 3059 ~
The trouble with our current civilization is that everything has to be measured, quantified in exact, precise terms. This is why the predominant idea of contemporary humanity is to make money because money is an exact measurement, supposedly, of life and happiness. This is also why a main purpose of education is to teach how to make money and to produce more goods and services.
Typical of this situation is that we have Ministries of Finance, Economy, Industry, Science and Technology in all governments. But we do not have any Ministries of Peace, Happiness, Beauty and Dreams.
~ Idea 3060 ~
All children born in the year 2000 and thereafter should be declared citizens of the world. All boys should be exempt from military service in all countries. Could some countries take the lead?
~ Idea 3061 ~
We should create on this planet a World Association of Dreamers for a better world.
~ Idea 3062 ~
It might indeed be good to let capitalism survive so that at least a small but increasing minority of people will become rich, rather than try to correct it and produce a society in which noone will be rich. Perhaps this was the major difference between capitalism and communism.
But the new basic challenge to humanity is now: what will become of the Earth?
~ Idea 3063 ~
What can one say of countries whose governments allow business to produce and sell as fruit juices liquids which contain only 4% of fruit juice?
~ Idea 3064 ~
The problem of the Earth' deforestation is so vital for humanity's future that I recommend the creation of a full World Forestry Specialized Agency of the United Nations.
~ Idea 3065 ~
There is such a need not to lose time, not to postpone remedies and to be abreast of time that I recommend the creation of a World Association of Impatient World Thinkers and Activists.
~ Idea 3066 ~
My all encompassing World Core Curriculum of the tremendous knowledge humanity possesses today from the infinitely large to the infinitely small, of our whole planet, of the whole humanity, of the whole human being and of the passage of time from the infinitely past to the infinitely future is a menace to governments because for them the nation comes first, not the highest fulfillment of human life of which they should be proud. The answer to peace is what Freud said to Einstein (Idea 1020) "We will have peace when the love for nation will extend to a love for the entire humanity and Earth."
~ Idea 3067 ~
The children and youth of today and tomorrow will be confronted all life long with such an all invading sophisticated world of marketing and advertisement that it is imperative that they be properly educated to save their personality and natural qualities and not become marketed, advertised beings, victims of what the money, profit crazy, capitalist society wants them to be and to do.
~ Idea 3068 ~
A tree, preferably a fruit tree, should be planted at the birth of every child on Earth. It would be a great, beautiful contribution to the reforestation of our planet since every year 126 million children are born.
I have done it for my four children and nine grandchildren.
And why not do it also on birthdays instead of sending the millions of cards which cost entire forests of this planet, not to speak of gifts.
We should also plant trees at the death of our beloved ones because life will thus continue and their name will be preserved lovingly for a long time.
~ Idea 3069 ~
Humanity is acquiring an ecological consciousness, i.e. the consciousness of preserving, not killing the Earth, our home (Greek oikos, the home).
We must also acquire an anthropological consciousness (Greek anthropos, the human being), not letting humans be killed by militaries, armaments, starvation, epidemics, air and water pollution, pesticides, homicidal violence and the death penalty.
What would we say if we discovered in the universe a planet where they have militaries, trained and ready to kill each other?
~ Idea 3070 ~
In an interview with the head of an Indigenous American Center at the International Radio for Peace I recommended:
1. The creation of a United Indigenous Peoples' Organization following the example of the United Religions Initiative.
2. The establishment of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities for the Indigenous Peoples to look into their lives, cultures, contributions, merits and fate.
3. To have the indigenous peoples come forth with their views on how the Earth should be loved, cared for and governed.
~ Idea 3071 ~
Someone - the UN preferably - should publish world statistics giving an idea of the number of trees which are being destroyed each year on planet Earth to produce:
The total and sub-totals would probably be staggering.
~ Idea 3072 ~
"What good luck for those in power that people do not think," said Adolf Hitler.
Today not only politicians can say that but those really in power, namely the heads of big business.
~ Idea 3073 ~
The global crises which face humanity give us tremendous opportunities provided that we change directions, for as the Chinese say, unless we change direction we are likely to end up where we are headed.
~ Idea 3074 ~
Ideas which were right in the past built the nation states with their sovereignty, taxing powers, armaments and readiness for wars. But they are wrong today.
Right thoughts today are: good care of our planet and of all humanity, abolishing borders, armaments, the military, excessive national sovereignty and all the waste and colossal duplications of expenses of 189 artificial partitions of the Earth.
~ Idea 3075 ~
What Abraham Lincoln said at his time applies fully to ours, "The dogmas of the past are inadequate for the stormy present. We must think anew and act anew."
~ Idea 3076 ~
If you think of a great cause or idea or dream and make it the center of your life, of your thoughts day and night, of all your actions and constant networking, seizing every opportunity, every 'coincidence' to foster and implement it you will see the most astonishing things happen. There is in each human being an incredible latent cosmic power which attracts outside cosmic help to the right causes of further human evolution.
~ Idea 3077 ~
Right ideas, dreams, prayers and actions are cosmic energy which make us co-workers with the designs and efforts of the universe and God.
~ Idea 3078 ~
An important idea is that all universities, all governments, all institutions on Earth should have a concern for our future and create a Faculty, a Department, a Ministry or Office of the Future. Things are going so fast that this is an absolute necessity.
~ Idea 3079 ~
Billionaires who have headed huge construction companies, armaments factories, earth-moving equipment companies and many others should, at the moment of their death, not thank God for their blessings but ask to be forgiven for having destroyed so much of God's Creation.
~ Idea 3080 ~
Armaments are not as bad as earth-destruction equipment because vast armaments are usually not used whereas earth-destructive equipment must be used every day and often day and night to be profitable. All human production should be considered from two points of view: the Earth materials which were destroyed to produce them and the amount of Earth they do destroy.
~ Idea 3081 ~
There is need for a Wholistic World Biological Association or Movement to study and cater to all life forms on Earth including the human one.
~ Idea 3082 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I am so glad that you went to the meeting of the advisors of the new Foundation for the Future. I was there and observed you. You learned a lot and you made a determining jump ahead in your thinking, namely that humans are definitely destroying me. You remarked correctly that their big report, Humanity 3000 should have also been an Earth Report 3000. I thank you and ask you to go one step further and no longer speak of the evolution of humanity but of an incredibly damaging era of my evolution caused by humans."
I:
I doubt that anyone would listen to me.
~ Idea 3083 ~
We live basically in a de-spiritualized, hyper-materialized, industrialized, commercialized, marketed and advertised consuming society. Where will this lead us?
I wish that one airline would have the courage to announce its closing because it is destroying the atmosphere. I wish that many industries and commercial firms would do the same. The reason of the Earth must replace the reason of state, of profit and of purely materialistic motives on her surface.
~ Idea 3084 ~
To do nothing, to read nothing, to wish nothing, to plan nothing, to say nothing can be wonderful ways to find one's self, one's innermost nature intentionally created by the universe, the cosmic forces or God. Yes, it is important not to disperse one's self unduly with the outside world and to keep many moments of fascinating, fulfilling in-depth, inner living.
~ Idea 3085 ~
All is one Earth, a tremendous reality and mystery so incredible, so diverse, so splendid. What a privilege it is to be alive, to see this, to study it and be passionately in love with life and with the Earth. I pray God to let me live long to do many more good actions for His beautiful Creation.
~ Idea 3086 ~
The Secretary General of the UN should established a permanent Evolutionary Structural Review and Reform Committee and so should all 32 specialized agencies and UN world programs. The reason is that things move so fast in all fields on this planet.
~ Idea 3087 ~
My compatriot from Alsace-Lorraine, Robert Schuman who created the European Union is called the Father of Europe. My dream is to be the creator of the World Union and be remembered as the Father of the World.
~ Idea 3088 ~
My good friends of the Airlines Ambassadors Association (see Introduction to Ideas 2201 to 2300) should ask all pilots and air personnel to give their views how they see the future of the world. This could be a great source of common sense, wisdom, thinking and future vision.
~ Idea 3089 ~
I wonder if there is a Jan Tinbergen Institute or a University in Holland which has kept his articles, papers, books written by him or on him and outlining his main proposals for a just, orderly world economy? His proposals should be made known world-wide. I remember him fondly when he was a consultant to the United Nations. He had the courage to recommend the creation of a World Treasury financed by international taxes, a World Energy Agency (see my Ideas 46, 293), the worldialization (world common ownership) of raw materials and the creation of major world public services. He fully deserved the first Nobel Prize in economics awarded to him. Alas, he is no longer amongst us.
~ Idea 3090 ~
Dear Emily Cousins and Dan Scott,
The best loving wish we can address to you on your wedding day is to consider yourselves from the very beginning what we are being called now, namely a cosmic couple.
This lesson was given to us by the Mayan Indians who told us that we were wrong to consider the individual as the basic cosmic unit. In their cosmology the couple is the fundamental cosmic unit, because in the couple the previous life experiences and cosmic evolution of all ancestors are combined and transmitted to their children and descendants who will continue humanity's evolution.
Please adopt love, spirituality and the cosmic nature of your union as the highest values of your lives. And try to be as wonderful as is Emily's father, our beloved friend Ewert Cousins.
With all the loving wishes for lots of happiness
from one cosmic couple to another,
Robert Muller and Barbara Gaughen Muller
~ Idea 3091 ~
In a book, Achieving Peace by the Year 2000 John Huddleston, chief of the Budget and Planning Division of the International Monetary Fund offers the following Twelve Proposals for World Peace:
This is a plan worth considering by the heads of states at the United Nations General Assembly 2000 whose task it is: "to focus on means of solving our primary global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
* Japan has done it in its post-World War II Constitution. More countries should follow that example.
~ Idea 3092 ~
I wholeheartedly and admiringly agree with this statement by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at a meeting of NGOs in Canada in December 1999: "If the global agenda is to be properly addressed, a partnership with civil society is not an option, it is a necessity. I see a United Nations which recognizes that the non-governmental organizations revolution - the new global people power, or whatever you wish to call this explosion of citizens' concern at the global level - is the best thing that has happened to our organization in a long time."
May the World Peoples' Assembly in Samoa be a high point of that peoples' revolution.
~ Idea 3093 ~
Message to a conference in Australia on the future of humanity
The human species is making enormous progress: it has a world-wide, almost cosmic knowledge, in space and in time: it has acquired incredible global auditory, visual and communications abilities; it has global hands and global feet through industry and transportation; a global brain is being born to it; a global heart is nascent; a global soul or spiritual Renaissance is under way.
Yet, it is still in its kindergarten stage: that of business, of material, immediate satisfactions, goods being its toys, the craving for power, money, possessions, the need to show off like children.
The next stages will be those of morality, ethics, distinction between good and bad, an extraordinary wisdom and fulfillment of life, a right harmony with the Earth, her elements, her nature and other species; with the heavens and with the unfoldment of time, which we call evolution.
The revolt against global business is part of this. We witness the birth of a new age, the age of right global values, a gigantic step forward in our and the Earth's evolution.
To contribute to that should be the aim of your conference. Please send your conclusions, views and recommendations to the Prime Minister of Australia so that he can make a memorable contribution to the heads of states meeting held in September of this year at the United Nations General Assembly.
I wish your conference great success. May you help our miraculous human species find its right way and more advanced future destiny on this heavenly, life-blessed, very special planet in the universe.
~ Idea 3094 ~
At each of our birthdays we should update our achievements, our plans and ideas for a better self, a better family and a better world. Birthdays should be stock-taking, planning and dream days.
~ Idea 3095 ~
On my 77th birthday, remembering my wonder at a blooming cherry tree and later at its fruits when I was a child and the fact that I planted cherry trees at the birth of my grandchildren, the following idea came to me:
That a fruit trees garden for newly born children should be created at the University for Peace: parents would come and plant a fruit tree for their new child. The tree would bear the name of the child and a register of all babies will be held. The children of Costa Rica would thus be associated with peace during all their life. Parents, when coming during the weekends to the beautiful gardens of the university would show the growth of the trees to their children and hold birthday parties there. When adults, the registered children could observe the growth of 'their tree', hold birthday parties there and register and plant trees for their own newly born. There would be soon a whole forest of such trees providing food for birds, for squirrels and for monkeys, unique in the world.
Such fruit trees gardens for newly borns could be created in many places of the world.
~ Idea 3096 ~
There should be a world movement for the return of people to the land. Many ideas could be conceived by such a movement for rich and for poor countries. Here is one for the rich ones: people who retire should be invited and receive tax incentives to return to the land, sell their apartment or dwelling in the city, buy a home with land in the countryside and enjoy the rest of their lives in God's divine nature and Creation, helping vegetation, flowers, animals and birds to regain ground and flourish again. At death they should request to be buried into the ground of their land, returned to the body of Mother Earth to be resuscitated as new vegetation and life forms under the generous rays of Father Sun and the miracle of rain. Thus they would never die.
Their survivors would also be saved expenses of the average of $6,500 for dying in a US city and being burned into useless ashes.
~ Idea 3097 ~
I concentrate too much on governments, leaders, institutions, economics, politics. Behind all that there are hundreds of millions of happy families, happy mothers, fathers, children and grandparents. They manage to stick together in the worst circumstances as I was shown so vividly by my family during World War II.
We should therefore also have World Days of:
~ Idea 3098 ~
The following are International Days (I would prefer World Days) already proclaimed by the United Nations.
These are a great progress toward human unity and the recognition of the Earth as a central, over-riding concern.
I recommend also more sentimental World Days:
a World Day of Happiness
It is good that we have already an International Week of Forgiveness but many more such weeks are needed. The United Nations has also proclaimed a number of international decades such as the International Decades for the Handicapped and for the Indigenous People and now from 2001 to 2010 an International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence.
~ Idea 3099 ~
I:
Dear Earth, when I observe the wonderful, miraculous nature of Costa Rica I ask myself sometimes: why did you produce and allow the evolution of humans and their big brains which are now endangering nature with atomic missiles and power plants, wastes, armaments and thousands of different, damaging ways they call progress. I will never understand that they let a species become extinct every five hours and still call themselves intelligent, superior, developing, progressing and constructive! Why didn't you stop evolution with vegetation and animals, but not humans?
The Earth:
"Well, since my round body turning around the sun and receiving its energy has different climatic conditions I needed to produce microbes, crawling and flying insects, birds and animals to continue the life of nature according to season and location. Costa Rica, where you live, has the most favorable conditions for life exuberance: its animals and humans were in proper harmony with my nature.
Humans in the hard and cold conditions of the northern climates had to develop 'intelligence', 'imagination', 'inventiveness', 'creativity', 'hard work' and 'progress' which went up to their head. They considered themselves to be superior to all nature. They then invaded the rest of the world and are now destroying me thoughtlessly, unintelligently and unnecessarily. That is the story."
I:
But can't you stop them? What do you do?
The Earth:
"Well, there are growing numbers of humans like you who are aware of the impending disasters and have become 'environmentalists', i.e. beings animated by the soul, the anima, the life forms and cycles of all life on my body and of my own life and functioning. This is why I have brought you and others like you from the United Nations in a cold northern climate to Costa Rica's sunny exuberant nature to be part of my salvation and further evolution. I expect you and many others like you to be the new, most advanced life forms on my surface, to be my miracle makers. I also made sure that the Earth Council created by the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment would be located in Costa Rica on the grounds of the UN University for Peace. You will become the most important, inspiring place on my surface."
~ Idea 3100 ~
Dear Earth,
You will be happy to hear that a group of ecologists, economists and geographers from twelve prestigious universities in three countries have come up with the value of the products of your nature: they estimate it at thirty-three trillion dollars a year, possibly as high as fifty-four trillion dollars while the total economic output by humans is only eighteen trillion dollars a year. That means that while the average benefits per human on Earth from human activity is only three thousand dollars a year, the benefits from nature could be as high as nine thousand dollars. Aren't you happy to hear that?
The Earth:
"Yes, I'm delighted that at long last someone has done that. Could you ask the same people to go a step further and calculate the value of the total capital I represent and how that capital is diminishing each year as a result of destruction by humans while they rejoice at the increase of the capital in their banks, stock markets and safes?
They will make strange faces in their wealthy, arrogant skyscrapers when there will be no longer any clear air to breathe, clean water to drink and proper climates for humans to live in. Why instead of listening to economists and scientists don't you ask for the opinions, views, advice and prophecies of the indigenous people who are closest and most intimate with me? They do not need to give dollar values to my natural products and to my nature. It is funny to hear now that my nature is being evaluated in trillions of US dollars, one of humans' dismallest inventions!"
~ Idea 3101 ~
It is quite normal, quite human that we are immensely grateful for the discoveries of science and technology: e.g. electricity, heating, health, nutrition, transportation, longer lives. All our 'natural' senses and organs: eyes, ears, hands, legs, brains have been extended immensely: eyes with telescopes, microscopes, television; ears with radio, telephone; hands with machines; legs with trains, cars and airplanes; brains with universities, computers, etc.
Only the 300 million indigenous people in 5000 tribes in 70 countries, had their doubts about it: what will be the effects of all that on the 7th generation to come (about 500 years)?
Well this question is beginning to arise in the western world too:
- the negative effects of automobiles and aviation contributing to 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the air every minute;
- the effects of better health in the poor countries which decreased the mortality of their children and produced an incredible population explosion, with far-reaching effects;
- television which is affecting the immemorial, natural relations between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren;
- the sudden diminishing of the western population, less prone and capable of reproduction.
And what will be the long-term effects of computers, robotics, biological engineering, nano-technology, etc?
The time has come, in my view, to create a world agency or for UNESCO to look into the adverse effects of human innovations, sciences and technologies and their marketing on the natural characteristics of humans and their transmission through reproduction and genes over time. Are we witnessing evolutionary progress or a dehumanization of humans, except for the indigenous and 'under-developed' peoples of this world?
This new emerging phenomenon must be looked into seriously by humanity. The environmental crisis might be only a first signal of it. The challenges might be much deeper, a truly evolutionary phenomenon on a unique life-endowed planet in an evolving universe.
~ Idea 3102 ~
The preceding also raises this question: will not the second great ideology born from science and technology in the 19th century be the undertaker, the death-bringing biocidal, terracidal ideology of the current humanity? Communism has already capitulated. Fundamentalist capitalism must too, in view of upcoming catastrophes.
~ Idea 3103 ~
One subject for the World Agency on Adverse Science and Technology (WAAST) would be:
the distortion of the night and day reality and its effects on humans beings, a study to be made from the polar to the temperate and equatorial zones. In most western countries, the notion of night is already substantially eroded by electricity, radio, television and night professions. Are we going to lose our immemorial life relation with the sun? To 'dehumanization' and 'denaturing' will we have to add the 'desolarization' of the human species? Solarization through 'vacations' and tourism was seized as a source of immense profit by capitalism to the point that tourism is now being accused of destroying a good part of nature, another subject to be taken up by WAAST.
~ Idea 3104 ~
I wondered a lot of late why the UN population projections for the year 2050 show a decline of 40 million people from 1.2 billion in 2000 to 1.16 billion in the western countries. I thought that it was mainly due to the West becoming very sensitive to the world population explosion.
But the news comes from Denmark that young men recruited into the army show a substantial decline in sperm production compared with their predecessors ten years ago. Does this mean that we are losing our reproduction capacity due to scientific interference with our nutrition perhaps? Is the canned food, soft drinks and alcohol civilization responsible for it? After the environmental crisis will we now see a human reproduction crisis in the West? Well, these are other subjects to be taken up by the proposed WAAST.
~ Idea 3105 ~
Dear God,
Why didn't you decide that those who want to achieve world peace and make your Earth a paradise would live longer, let us say ten or twenty years more? With such an incentive they would have a better chance to achieve these objectives.
God:
"How can you be so blind? I did it already: for example I saved you several times during the war; you are still alive and healthy at the age of seventy-seven; and I have made all great peacemakers immortal. What else do you want?"
I:
You have a point but why did you let so many great peacemakers get killed, your own son for example and others like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Dag Hammarskjöld and many more?
~ Idea 3106 ~
A quarter of a century ago a meeting held at the United Nations by the Club of Rome advocating limits of economic growth was labeled by the US extreme right an advocacy of genocide, e.g. the killing of human beings. Today there is no longer such a hard condemnation and a nicer word has been adopted, namely 'sustainable development'. Perhaps we should use a new word, 'naturecide', namely the killing of nature as opposed to genocide. One could also adopt the new words of 'terracide', the killing of the Earth and 'biocide', the killing of life.
~ Idea 3107 ~
The fact of having an idea and not writing it down immediately is to act like a composer who has a beautiful melody and does not write it down. It might never come back. Something of cosmic significance might have been missed. Please, dear reader, remember it.
~ Idea 3108 ~
The United Nations should only hire geniuses, audacious, passionate, deeply committed men and women with ideas reaching far into the future. It will be its only way to victory, not power, force and money.
And if I were the Secretary General I would train the UN staff myself, meet with them to elevate and inspire them, get their ideas, dreams and advice. What a United Nations that would become!
~ Idea 3109 ~
God:
"Dear Robert, you must understand me. How can I still care and have any love for a humanity which endangers my miraculous creation with atomic weapons, a species which is the most anomalous in the whole universe because it destroys its own home? How do you think I feel when I see them put in prison and shoot murderers and cover with medals and honors those who kill wholesale other groups of humans, including women and children, they call enemies? They even celebrate them in cathedrals and temples erected to me!
I am giving up humans. They are hopeless. I will let this planet drift away in the universe as a future wreck covered with their ruins and I cannot understand that you continue to conceive actions, write books and deliver innumerable speeches to save them."
I:
I have no answer to that. All I can do is to record your views. I am surprised however that you do not accuse them for killing each other in Your name and for Your glory. That is, thank God, on the way out. We are progressing after all.
~ Idea 3110 ~
I will never understand that mothers who have given life to sons from their flesh allow them to wear uniforms and to kill and be killed by sons of other mothers. How extraordinary that they have never revolted against that. Will there ever come a time when they have the courage to protest, to agitate, to claim it as a fundamental human right?
~ Idea 3111 ~
As I wrote these ideas I received this letter from my coworker, Carolyn Hawkins in California.
Dear Robert,
I was so glad to receive your next ideas. Your work is very important. It may take some years before humanity wakes up enough to be able to hear the truth you are speaking. But take heart, it took the world almost two thousand years to start to realize the truth Jesus spoke. Please, for humanity's sake, keep writing.
Much love to you and Barbara,
Carolyn
~ Idea 3112 ~
If the UN General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level does not agree to redraft the UN Charter written fifty-five years ago I will recommend that the 134 member states which did not participate in its drafting should draft their own, more modern up to date charter and submit it to the whole United Nations membership for consideration.
Not to redraft that Charter would be a blemish in the history of the nation state system on the eve of a new century and millennium.
~ Idea 3113 ~
I recommend that the UN General Assembly should decide that each member government will give one or more fellowships to their young people desirous to study at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. Governments should follow the example of the United States where each of the fifty-one states is required to give two fellowships each for students at West Point (army), Annapolis (navy) and Colorado Springs (air force).
~ Idea 3114 ~
Every morning when waking up, each head of state, head of a world institution and of a corporation should ask himself or herself this question: "What good can I do today for humanity and for our Earth?"
~ Idea 3115 ~
The governments of the rich countries are not very serious and prone to help stop the overpopulation of the poor countries. They say to their people, "Forget about them. They are hopeless." Then they continue to exploit their natural resources at low prices, prevent them from industrializing and leave them the prey of the big multinational companies which have their headquarters and bank accounts on western soil. And these companies see the overpopulated countries as prospective, immense new markets.
~ Idea 3116 ~
Many governments are no longer governing. The multinational corporations are governing the world in thinking, in ideas and in practice.
~ Idea 3117 ~
What a much worse world situation it would be today if the American Confederate States had not become by a majority of a few votes the Federal United States of America! We would have 240 nations in the United Nations instead of 189. In each university of the world they would teach international relations between 240 nations!
It is clear that the present system cannot continue. We must at least follow the model of the United States and become the United States of the World or of the European Union and become a World Union. Utopian, irrealistic will you say. Well, far more utopian and irrealistic are those who believe that the present system can last much longer.
~ Idea 3118 ~
Economist: Increasing packagings, increasing wastes are excellent for the economy; they give birth to recycling and to a lot of employment and all this raises the national product.
Ecologist: Not at all. They are destroying a part of nature, our main capital and reducing the natural product.
~ Idea 3119 ~
I received an invitation to sign a document creating the United Religions Initiative which will be proclaimed on 26 June 2000 in Philadelphia, the anniversary date when on 26 June 1945 the United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco. I am happy that this is now taking place. It is in part the result of my opening speech to the World Parliament of Religions in 1993, in which I recommended the creation of a United Religions Organization. But I will write to them that I will not sign it until all religions have decided no longer to require their members to kill other humans in the name of their God. It is only when this is achieved that we will have a true United Religions.
Religious leaders: but isn't that what some members of the United Nations still do?
~ Idea 3120 ~
I:
Dear Earth, I have some beautiful news for you: The Costa Rican chapter of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, (IUCN) just held a meeting at the University for Peace on the subject 'Biological Corridors'. I asked them what that meant. Answer: to create a biological corridor from the south to the north of all Central America so that all nature, species and animals can survive, develop and circulate or spread unhindered in a long corridor. I congratulated them for that excellent undertaking and suggested to change the name to Corridor of Love for Nature. They looked at me with surprise but loved it and adopted it as a sub-name. I could envisage a beautiful article in American magazines entitled Biological Love Corridors for Nature. That might bring them good publicity, understanding, love and perhaps financial contributions.
The Earth:
"I thank you. This is indeed good news. I pray that many such love projects will be born and implemented all over my surface."
~ Idea 3121 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I wish that someone would gather statistics on all human expenses on medical services, pharmaceuticals and other methods of healing human beings and how much you spend on healing me, the mother who gives birth and nourishment to you all. There are so many wounds which are bleeding on my body."
I:
You are right. I will ask the World Health Organization if they have the statistics. That Organization is not dealing with the health of the world, of the Earth. It is dealing only with the health of humans. It would more appropriately be called the Human Health Organization and a new Earth Health Organization should be created. We should spend at least as much on Earth healing as on human healing. We need a new profession of Earth healers, Earth doctors. It would be better than environmentalists. On a healthy Earth there would be more healthy humans.
~ Idea 3122 ~
I recommend that the word philanthropy be translated from its Greek meaning (phil: love and anthropos: the human being) into common language of today namely, love for humanity. A philanthropist would be a humanity lover. Love for the Earth being a recent phenomenon, the Greeks had no word for it. I did it for them and coined the word Gaiaphily, love for Gaia, the Earth in Greek. But much better would be simply love for the Earth. A philanthropist or gaiaphilist giving resources to preserve the Earth would be called an Earth lover. So we would have humanity lovers and Earth lovers and some people could be both.
~ Idea 3123 ~
When tears come to my eyes when I speak and to those of my audience I cannot help it and they cannot help it because it is not I who speaks but the universe which tries to elevate us to our divine cosmic nature, gratitude and responsibilities.
~ Idea 3124 ~
Barbara, my wife considers that beauty and love are the two highest values and means of humanity. They can make us the ultimate wonder in the universe. This reminded me of Dostoyewski and Proust who described a world being saved by beauty. Why don't we do this seriously for all humanity and the Earth as we enter the 21st century and 3rd millennium? Let us make them the Century and Millennium of Love and Beauty. What miracles we would see!
~ Idea 3125 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Barbara, you are right. I gave humans the intelligence and capacity to plant flowers and to improve them. Yes, you can plant flowers everywhere and give me an unprecedented beauty in the universe. You are right: Humans should make the 21st century and 3rd millennium a century and millennium of beauty and love. We could have a new profession and peoples' devotion: Beautifiers, flowerers, gardeners of the Earth. The flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds of today. The peace of tomorrow is in the peace seeds of today."
~ Idea 3126 ~
In every government on Earth there should urgently be these Ministries:
~ Idea 3127 ~
From a letter by Elizabeth Mann-Borghese who founded an International Ocean University in Canada: "A thousand years is a short time when one thinks of the oceans. Humankind may still be on the path of slow but inexorable decline. If you asked about ten thousand years or a hundred thousand years from now I would envisage pacem in maribus, oceans of peace - without humans. Oceans would adjust to new climates and new species."
That reminded me of our daughter Gisele, an ocean biologist who comments to me: "Dad, don't worry. The quicker the human species disappears, the better it will be for the Earth and for the Oceans."
~ Idea 3128 ~
It would be an incentive for more countries on Earth to demilitarize if the United Nations had an immediate intervention system to help demilitarized countries. That could be organized as part of the World Peace Room which should be created on the thirty-ninth floor of the United Nations to be awake and in operation day and night during the entire year to monitor and be informed of any potential conflicts and outbreaks on Earth. The Charter of the UN provides that a Military Staff Committee should draft such a system. It was never done, due to opposition by the big powers.
~ Idea 3129 ~
The Earth:
"Can't humans understand that my nature and species are incredible, perhaps unique miracles in the universe, the result of billions of years of evolution? Your planet is nothing less than a cosmic miracle and you destroy it with big and small materialistic greeds, games and meaningless lives with unhappiness as the result. You have not yet realized that you are cosmic miracles too."
I:
Among those who understood this was Dag Hammarskjöld the second Secretary General of the United Nations. This is why he created at the UN a room of rest, peace and inner silence, a meditation room in which the universal answer to all world problems was a ray of light falling from the universe on the shining surface of a block of iron ore. Cosmic light gives life to all matter and all beings. It speaks to all nations and people the same language.
Yes, our planet and all its living beings are created by cosmic energy, an energy still transmitted by the sun. This is why we must look up to the sky, see the heavenly cosmic light, receive the rays of light and realize that we must reflect that light in our lives. All religions give us that message, usually calling that energy God, thus bringing it closer to people, for it is easier to pray and love a God than a form of energy. Energy is also a word coined by us humans. The cosmos uses no words. Perhaps no human word will ever be appropriate for it.
~ Idea 3130 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, instead of writing biographies and autobiographies humans should write ideagraphies and autoideagraphies like your 4000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World. What immense good it would do to me and to humanity if every human person would cut a faucet a little earlier and save some water or pick up trash, or not buy unnecessary things. Multiplied by six billion what a difference it would make!"
~ Idea 3131 ~
A student from a group of visitors from the University of Vermont told me after hearing me speak that he saw recently a book entitled A Hundred Ways to Change the World. I commented: that is only a beginning. I have written and published 3000 ways of saving and improving the world and I do not cease writing more of them. It should be a new, very important literature. It should be a main purpose of all literature.
~ Idea 3132 ~
When we want to be driven with our visiting grandchildren to a beach or faraway place in Costa Rica we use the services of a wonderful, very knowledgeable and concerned driver named Tony. On a drive to Nosara I asked him: "What would be the first thing you would do if you were president of Costa Rica?" He answered: "I would immediately order that the deforestation of Costa Rica be stopped."
I expressed surprise thinking that this was already done. He answered: "No. Recently when I drove to a faraway forested area of the country I counted in one morning no less than sixty trucks transporting felled trees."
~ Idea 3133 ~
The Earth:
"For countries to become too rich is a new catastrophe: they add to the destruction of my nature and resources through tourism, industry, transport and business.
I can never win anymore. Tourism is the latest, most advanced invention by the rich countries to make money and destroy me."
I:
Ecological or Eco-tourism is trying to prevent that.
~ Idea 3134 ~
Vegetations are far superior to animals regarding reproduction: they reproduce through innumerable seeds. Trees do it for many, many years. Some of their seeds have even little wings to fly far away. Most animals produce only a few kin. Human females can have nine month pregnancies only for about twenty years.
The Earth:
"Thanks be to God for that."
~ Idea 3135 ~
How can anyone relax and not worry about our children and grandchildren when so many humans and corporations are on the way of destroying this Earth?
I can't.
~ Idea 3136 ~
One of the most revealing and interesting books on Earth would be:
"What Do the Richest People Do With Their Money?"
For example, in Nosara, Costa Rica, one of the most well-preserved beaches and primeval natures on Earth, a rich Italian has built an enormous, arrogant castle-hotel, a pure insult to God's nature. For what purpose? To make more money. That beach alone would yield a fascinating story as would the stories of many beaches and natural tourist places around the world.
~ Idea 3137 ~
One of the greatest proposals made by the United States Government early in the 1950's in the Fiscal and Financial Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council was to create a World Income Bureau which would receive information and publish the incomes of all rich people and all corporations and institutions in the world and their taxation, non-taxation or evasion from taxation. It was alas never discussed nor adopted and we never heard of it anymore. It should be reconsidered by the United Nations. It might contribute to a more just distribution of income, wealth and taxation on the planet.
~ Idea 3138 ~
One of the first tasks of a proper Earth government would be to design a proper world taxation system.
Great world tax experts should design such a system even before a proper Earth government is created. It would be one of the most enlightening reports for an Earth democratic government.
~ Idea 3139 ~
Barbara suggested that a sign should be affixed on every bed where I slept in the world: "Robert Muller slept here."
If that is ever done I would like to see these words added: "Please dream like him ideas for a better world."
~ Idea 3140 ~
We must become shareholders of the Earth, our greatest capital rather than shareholders of private corporations which often destroy the Earth. There must be a way of doing that.
~ Idea 3141 ~
The Earth:
"Why do you humans have such admiration for my nature when you are on 'vacations' and then generally forget all about me and the care I need when you are back to your cities and work?
Why don't you reorganize your society to allow humans to care for me and love me most of the time if not all the time? What a better world it would be. How much nonsense, useless activities and consumption you would spare. Please try it.
Consider these items when considering a proper Earth government:
Head of UN Habitat:
"I fully agree. Let us make the reduction of the big cities and moving of people to the land a main topic of world settlement policy."
Elder Robert Muller:
"I give you in my 3000 ideas many examples which deal with human settling. For example, all central governments, administrations and universities should be relocated in nature. If people would complain that this would be costly, say that it would give employment in the land areas and the money to do it could be deducted from the excessive budgets of the militaries. Perhaps even militaries could be mobilized to help the deconcentration of cities toward the land. One could tell them that big cities are very vulnerable to foreign attacks and must therefore be deconcentrated."
~ Idea 3142 ~
Please dear retirees who live in big cities, leave them, abandon them, sell your apartment and return to a healthy nature in your country or in another one like Costa Rica. You will live more cheaply, happier, healthier and longer lives.
~ Idea 3143 ~
If someone would ask me what are the three most important world conferences I would recommend to the UN to convene I would answer:
1. A World Emergency Conference on Over-population and Over-consumption;
2. A World Conference to Achieve Total World Peace, Non-violence and the Disarmament and Demilitarization of the Planet:
3. A World Conference on a New Global Universal Education of all humans.
~ Idea 3144 ~
In April 2000 the European governments for the first time restricted military air flights and air maneuvers in view of the intensity of civilian air flights over the continent. Well, imagine the situation in the year 3000! A small glimpse of hope is the western population decline by 40 million to the year 2050 and perhaps this decline will accelerate. The skies would be grateful.
~ Idea 3145 ~
I recommend that one of the coming years should be proclaimed International Year of Heads of States. Working together with common ideals for the world they could do wonders. There should be completely new ways of joining their forces and working together, making them the global management council of this Earth. They should create a World Council of Heads of States with their most trusted and brilliant collaborators as its secretariat.
~ Idea 3146 ~
I hope that for the sake of the Earth and of humanity more young people will want to be environmentalists (nature servants), agronomists (nourishment servants), climatists (climate servants), waterists (water servants), animalists (animal servants), Earthists (Earth servants), United Nations and world organizations servants, rather than scientists, new technologists, economists and business servants. We should define what professions we need most for our survival, betterment and salvation of the Earth.
~ Idea 3147 ~
Someone should launch a World Schuman Party which would create a United World as Robert Schuman created a borderless United Europe, with a World Parliament, a World Commons Executive, a World Court of Justice, a World Environment Court and World Public Services in addition to national and local ones. What a blessing that would be!
~ Idea 3148 ~
It would be a good idea to have on the grounds of the UN University for Peace and Earth Council in Costa Rica a museum or research center devoted to the Secretaries General of the UN. It would deal with their ideas, efforts, failures, successes and proposals for a better world and strengthened UN. Students could write theses on such subjects.
~ Idea 3149 ~
Two decades ago when I came to Costa Rica to co-found the UN University for Peace with the President of Costa Rica, Mr. Rodrigo Carazo, I was delighted that peasants had the intelligence to use 'tree fences' for their properties and pastures. These fences were lining the roads beautifully, regularly and producing oxygen. Later the stupid concrete pillars painted white and red made their appearance everywhere. The old way was not 'civilized'.
Well, in the year 2000 I am delighted to learn that tree fencing is now being taught systematically in reforestation and environmental courses. A special tree is used which grows several branches around its very top covered with leaves and these branches simply stuck into the soil will grow into regular, beautiful, oxygen producing fences at no cost. They should be tried also in the western countries which are in great need for oxygen.
~ Idea 3150 ~
All concerns, efforts, sciences, inventions since the 19th century have been for humans. This was an enormous progress over preceding times when humans were ruled and exploited by all sorts of leaders, kings, aristocrats, feudalists, religious rulers, etc.
Since the third part of the 20th century a new era has begun concerned about the Earth, nature and the elements on which we live. This changes everything. Our evolution will never be the same. It is a fundamental new period of our history. What will be the next period? Perhaps a close union of humans with nature, a United Earth, a joint, common evolution of humans and the Earth in space and in time.
~ Idea 3151 ~
This is a world in which the number of birds pictures in books, magazines and advertisements is constantly increasing while the living birds in nature are diminishing. There might come a day when there will be less birds left on Earth than books on them.
~ Idea 3152 ~
There is an urgent need on planet Earth to simplify the wildly increasing complexity of human life and to safeguard the incredible living complexity and diversity of nature.
We should perhaps introduce a new word, the 'dethinginization' of humans, less things in our lives.
~ Idea 3153 ~
I am depressed when I am in airports, in cities, in big buildings, in big crowds and I am naturized, rehumanized, uplifted, reinvigorated, joyinized, happinized when I am in nature. Yes, why not speak of the happinization of humanity through nature?
~ Idea 3154 ~
I pray God to let me be reborn as a bird. I will need no passport, no paperwork, no clothing, no housing and will not be thinginized by ever more life reducing things and unnecessary services.
~ Idea 3155 ~
Together with the word 'depressed' we humans should also use the word 'denatured'. And why not also the contraries 'uppressed' and 'renatured'?
~ Idea 3156 ~
We must make the UN University for Peace and the Earth Council the new United Nations, the Peoples' United Nations, a free academic world body not ruled by governments, in a paradise of nature, a child of Mother Earth in a demilitarized country, a still miraculously preserved part of the Garden of Eden. Let us make from there the entire Earth again a paradise.
Yes, a strategy is needed beyond peace, a plan to remake planet Earth a paradise. I am providing pieces to it in these 4000 ideas.
~ Idea 3157 ~
Many who work in menial, unimportant, unexciting, badly paid jobs in the 'highly developed' countries ask themselves: "Why did my parents give me life? Why did I have to go to school for several years to get where I am? Was it really worthwhile?"
More and more of them decide to give up, not to get married, not to have children, some to turn to alcohol. This is perhaps why the western population will diminish by 40 million as we go to the year 2050. I cannot understand why the western world is still being admired as a model to be attained world-wide. How would we be judged by outer space beings? And why are there never any polls or surveys on the happiness of people?
~ Idea 3158 ~
We must simplify, decomplexify our predominantly materialistic human ways of life and world views. We must resort to the higher, spiritual, moral and divine, cosmic values. This is absolutely necessary to find happiness and continue to progress.
~ Idea 3159 ~
After the United Nations and the United Religions we must also create of a United Ethnic Organization. This is very important. There should be a place on Earth where all ethnic groups can cooperate, learn from each other, see what they have in common, make their special contributions, each of them, to a better world, a better philosophy of life. I recommend that a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Ethnic Groups should be created to plan and establish such an organization.
~ Idea 3160 ~
Can we, how can we transform capitalism into cooperatism with each other, with humanity, with the Earth, and with further evolution? That is the key issue of our time. If we do not succeed the human species is likely to perish.
~ Idea 3161 ~
Yes, the most fundamental question of our time is whether and how we can correct and avoid the further wounds to the Earth's biosphere, eco-systems and general natural functioning. Until the massive industrial revolution in the 19th century no human activities, not even wars were able to change substantially the Earth. Unfortunately this is no longer so. We cannot solve these problems by counting on those people and countries who caused them and continue to create them, namely technologists, industrialists, businessmen, capitalists and militaries mainly of the western countries led by the United States. That is a fundamental, crucial question awaiting an urgent answer at this beginning of a new century and millennium. The futures of the Earth, of nature, of all species including the human one depend on it.
~ Idea 3162 ~
There are many streets and roads in the world called Evergreen. A large number of them risk being renamed someday Nolongergreen.
~ Idea 3163 ~
It would be good to see statistics on the number of yachts and pleasure boats around the world and their total consumption of fuel and production of carbon dioxide. The rich and well to do who own them have no right to request the non-deforestation or reforestation of woods in the poor countries to produce oxygen.
~ Idea 3164 ~
Speaking of the possibilities of world food shortages the UN Food and Agricultural Organization should gather and publish statistics on dog food, cat food and other pet foods consumed in rich countries and compare the figures with the food needed by starving, undernourished people in the poor countries.
~ Idea 3165 ~
Not all multinational big businesses should be criticized, only those who are harmful and corrupt. For example, those who produce armaments, tobacco, alcohols, war and violence toys, etc. Such a list should be firmly established.
US and western citizens should not be forgotten because they place in the stock markets their savings and wealth looking for the maximum profit. They too should be made aware and accountable for the current adverse situations in the world caused by some multinational corporations.
~ Idea 3166 ~
Americans of the British Colonies in America protested in 1773 against the taxation of tea exports by the Royal British Crown by organizing the Boston Tea Party. They boarded three ships in Boston during the night and dumped into the water 342 chests of tea valued at 9,000 British pounds. Similar tea parties soon occurred elsewhere in America. The British Government responded to this latest colonial challenge to crown authority by passing the Intolerable Acts.
Opponents to multinational companies producing harmful, unethical products might think of similar, highly visible, symbolic parties against corporate colonialism.
~ Idea 3167 ~
Earlier I reported the outburst of young people at the Hague Centennial World Peace Conference in 1999 against Evian water from France and tomatoes from Italy being shipped to countries on the other side of the Earth.
Well, they should know that in Hyatt Hotels in the United States you have on your night table a bottle of Evian water which is charged to you $3.95 if you use it. Ours is indeed a world of incredible racketeering businesses. Anything that can be invented to make money will be invented. One wishes that as much imagination be devoted to the Earth which is slowly being destroyed under these processes.
~ Idea 3168 ~
In a US city of monstrous high-rise buildings and skyscrapers called Bellevue (French origin, the beautiful view) which should be renamed Villainevue (ugly view) I saw foundations for more high-rise buildings. I was not surprised that most of them were multi-level car parkings. But ununderstandable to me was the foundation for a museum which according to a huge advertisement was to cost 100 million dollars!
This is another human insanity when one thinks of how many poor people could be housed with such a sum. It is one more sign of the decadence of the big cities and of the United States which offers such models to the rest of the world. And to top it all when we drove from Bellevue where we had been invited to advise a new US Foundation dealing with the future in the year 3000, to Anacortes where we had family, we were part of three uninterrupted lines of cars for fifty miles! How will this look in the year 3000 if humanity still exists in that year?
~ Idea 3169 ~
The strategists of a government like the United States which is a servant of multinational business are not really interested in reducing the population explosion in the poor countries. If they were it would show in an infinitely higher support by the United States of the United Nations' efforts at population control.
Why is that? They know that sooner of later there will be a major western world economic crisis even if they are able to postpone it for decades by pumping ever more money into circulation. What they will then do is announce a World Marshall Plan of billions of dollars to the poor countries to enable them to buy the machinery and products of the western multinational companies. Remember this prediction of mine.
~ Idea 3170 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, you do not go far enough. You should understand that capitalism and the free enterprise system are a disaster for me. For the contractors, economists, big businesses, stock marketeers and bankers the gross national product and economic growth must go up by all means. But for me, the Earth it is bad and if it continues it will mean my death. And when the stock markets and the gross national products go down it is dismal for capitalists but good for me. Economists then look for new avenues and measures to make them go up again.
In short: the present human behavior, ideals and systems are killing me and will end humanity in the process. The report on Humanity 3000 of the Foundation for the Future is insufficient. There should also be a report The Earth 3000. Earthism and humanism should be your objectives, with proper Earth government and proper human government world-wide. Mark my words: the US will now be the undertaker of human life and perhaps of all life on my surface. I will float as a dead planet in the universe covered with silent, empty cities, abandoned airplanes, billions of cars, mountains of useless objects as a sad gigantic junkyard in the cosmos.
Dear Robert, if you want to prevent that you must do immensely more. It was good, I am glad that you suggested as Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Council to Sweden to convene the first World Conference on the Environment in 1972. You should now propose a World Emergency Environment Conference to prevent the death of life on Earth."
I:
I promise I will.
~ Idea 3171 ~
The western society spends a fortune on pet animals while wild animals barely survive in nature, in the forests. We are a strange species indeed. World and national statistics should be published on the amount of money spent by humans on pet animals and that spent on the preservation of wild animals. Geneticists should also study if pet animals will not change into degenerate species' with the passage of time and become 'deanimalized' as we are becoming 'dehumanized'.
~ Idea 3172 ~
Walking in a wonderful preserve of pine trees along the Pacific Ocean I did not see a single bird or animal. At least I had the consolation that the devegetationing of this Earth will be slower than its deanimalization.
~ Idea 3173 ~
My daughter who is a university professor of ocean biology was surprised to learn that the western population was on the decline and will lose 40 million people by the year 2050. She rejoiced that as a result less waste of the western world will be dumped into the oceans.
~ Idea 3174 ~
In order not to destroy life on this Earth a new human duty should be considered, the duty not to have more than two children. Couples with only one child and childless couples should receive subsidies, especially in overpopulated poor countries.
~ Idea 3175 ~
Young people should refuse to go to universities in big overcrowded cities where there is not enough oxygen and too much pollution. They should go to universities located in nature, on hills and on sea shores with ample oxygen supply. Intelligence and natural, common sense require it.
~ Idea 3176 ~
An overall science should be promoted and taught, namely anthropobiology, the total science of human life (see Introduction). It would include all the distinct sciences and disciplines concerned with humanity, namely:
Anthropology, the birth and evolution of humans
Demography, humans in terms of numbers, totals, reproduction, longevity
Sociology, the ways humans live in groups
Political Science, the ways humans administer themselves, their groups, their cities, nations and planet
Art and Culture, etc.
I could conceive a world university which would be concerned only with this overall human biology, a World Human Biology University.
~ Idea 3177 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I think it would be better if humans would change my name and replace it by what I have really become, namely the planet Business. It would remove the feminine aspect of my nature and make me what I really am now, namely a males' planet."
I:
You may be right. As a matter of fact, this gives me an idea: the Earth Council established on the magnificent grounds of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica should draw up a world list of the words used for the Earth, their etymology and meaning in all languages. This would give us a precious idea of how humans in the different places of the world perceived you. I know only a very few:
In Greek, Gaya was a goddess who whirled as a nebula in the universe and became the Earth. Western scientific words use it profusely: geology, geometry, geophysics, geography, etc. (geo being a contraction of gaya).
In German, die Erde comes from goddess Eartha; the same origin of the English Earth.
The Latin Terra, French Terre, Spanish Terra, etc. are all feminine.
I will suggest it to Celine Cousteau, who works at the Earth Council,
The Earth:
"I would like that because I loved so much Captain Jacques Cousteau, her grandfather."
~ Idea 3178 ~
The Earth:
"You Robert, as a Frenchman, you know I'm sure the French saying: Quand le batiment va, tout va. When construction goes well, all goes well. Alas for me the Earth, when construction goes well, I am not well."
I:
Okay, I will recommend that from now on the saying should be: Quand le batiment va, la Terre ne va pas. When construction goes well, the Earth does not go so well.
~ Idea 3179 ~
I dreamt as a youth to serve the world. My dream came true. I served the world all my adult life and I dream now to do it also after my death. Dear readers, read my ideas and dreams, help to fulfill them and spread them. The needed coincidences will come from heaven. And please become a dreamer of ideas yourself. You cannot imagine how happy and fulfilled it made me and will make you.
~ Idea 3180 ~
I:
Dear Earth, since you come from the far away universe why don't you find some outer space beings who know how other living planets have succeeded or perished and together you would judge us and advise us to go the right way. I offer you as a seat, sacred Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica, the place from which according to indigenous prophecy a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.
~ Idea 3181 ~
God has given me a tough duty in my old age: to rethink deeply the whole Earth and human situation. And the more I do that on my hill overlooking the University for Peace, the more Mt. Rasur seems sacred to me.
~ Idea 3182 ~
God Rasur:
"Dear Robert, you cannot imagine how I love you. You give my message to thousands of people, students and visitors. You keep me alive. You help to fulfill my prophecy through your ideas and dreams. You list all the good things that have happened here on my sacred land: the demilitarization of Costa Rica, the birth of the UN University for Peace and the International Radio for Peace, of a vast protected zone where deforestation is prohibited, of the transfer to it of the Earth Council and I have to add one that you never mention: you yourself who has co-founded the UN University for Peace, has purchased unknowingly my sacred mountain and is living on it in a humble cabin. You are one of my fulfilled prophecies. I am sometimes tempted to call you Rasur Muller instead of Robert Muller."
I:
Dear Rasur, I am so glad that for the first time you talk to me. I will try my best to live up to your expectations. Please speak to me often as does already our beloved Mother Earth.
~ Idea 3183 ~
Flying over deforested areas of Guatemala what was the first thing I saw in the airplane? A luxury magazine, the Two Hemispheres of 219 pages filled with paid advertisements to buy, to buy and never cease to buy. The International Civil Aviation Organization should calculate how many acres of forests in the world are destroyed, to produce airline magazines alone.
Rasur:
"Why don't you propose, the suppression of airline magazines all together? People can bring along their own readings or write their journals and ideas as you do."
I:
You are right. I will suggest it to the International Civil Aviation Organization. It is already bad enough for the environment that air traffic creates an enormous pollution of the atmosphere.
~ Idea 3184 ~
Rasur:
"Dear Robert, why don't you recommend that many people should buy forests or trees? You have bought several hectares of primeval forests on my hills and you are not rich. Many people who are rich should buy entire forests or vast surfaces to be reforested. The children of Kansas City plant every year new rows of trees around the Heart Forest which you suggested to them to plant years ago. This is a fine example. Why don't you start a Heart Forest on one of my deforested areas?"
I:
You are right. I go even a step further. I urge the creation of a World Forest Protection and Reforestation Agency of the United Nations to implement innumerable ideas like that and also appropriate legislations
~ Idea 3185 ~
The whole process of 'further economic development and growth' should be reviewed. A foremost item on the world's agenda should be to render the rich countries accountable and make them pay for the exploitation of the resources of the poor countries. The poor countries should send them their bills.
~ Idea 3186 ~
The time might come when humanity will be the Coca Colized species in the universe. God will sadly shake His head and say the words of the German emperor after World War I: Ich habe das nicht gewollt, I did not want that.
~ Idea 3187 ~
When outer space beings will discover and visit our lifeless planet they will find that its demise was due to two dreams at the beginning of the scientific and industrial revolution in the 19th century: the dreams of communism and capitalism to create paradise on Earth. Communism was lucky and capitulated, giving up. So it became the fault of capitalism for having destroyed the Earth and brought it to an end. If there is a cosmic universal think tank established by God to see how the universe was fairing and how planets would succeed, the conclusion would be: forget communism and capitalism. Avoid them on any other planet.
~ Idea 3188 ~
It was an exciting event for me to fly many years ago in 1949 from Paris to New York in one of the first transatlantic planes which took twelve hours to get there.
Is it not an even greater miracle to fly from Costa Rica to Los Angeles in six hours? No, it is a damage to the Earth whose natural air is being polluted by tens of thousands of similar planes around the Earth. I just give the example of Costa Rica where in 1970 there were 20,000 foreign visitors, most of them scientists who made a great contribution to the scientific knowledge of Costa Rica's nature, and in the year 1999 there were 1,260,000 tourists coming by airplanes just to visit that country and its nature.
~ Idea 3189 ~
It is not from New York, Washington nor from any other city, university or nation on Earth that we will get a chance to save the world. It is perhaps from Mt. Rasur in wonderful Costa Rica and its UN Peace University and Earth Council that a chance might arise. It might become one of the great enlightened places on Earth, the new Athens of the world.
~ Idea 3190 ~
Why are the passengers of this airplane seeing a film with only desperate faces, desperate situations, violence and not one single smiling face as I followed it only visually?
~ Idea 3191 ~
We should use a stationary on Earth with this inscription: From Now On The Earth is Number One.
~ Idea 3192 ~
Increased longevity could be another backfiring success of the western world. By 2020 it might be a disaster in the poor countries as was forecast in the 1982 UN World Conference on Aging. A demographic decline, not an increased longevity would be a blessing for the poor countries.
~ Idea 3193 ~
A new human right could be claimed: the right to the same longevity in all the world.
~ Idea 3194 ~
I spoke and wrote so much in my life to stop all wars and to increase human longevity. They were two of my preferred subjects and much has been achieved on both accounts. Two blessings occur to me now: that I was saved under the most miraculous circumstances in World War II and I reached the age of seventy-seven, two years more than the average life expectancy in the United States.
Rasur and Mother Earth:
"God and both of us took good care of you because you are one of our most significant, knowledgeable, honest advocates. For heavens' sake, for the Earth and Mt. Rasur's sake, never become pessimistic, never give up. Continue your probe into the ultimate depths of the mystery of human life, of all life and of this miraculous planet."
~ Idea 3195 ~
Landing in Guatemala City and seeing this ugly city down below I wondered who had planned such an overbuilt, overpopulated, monstrous city.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, from my point of view you should speak not only of Guatemala City but also of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and so many other monstrous cities in rich and poor countries which think that they are worth fortunes. They will look very poorly when life will have disappeared from this planet and when outer space visitors will see these heaps of buildings on a planet devoid of nature and life. They will ask the question: what insane minds have created such nonsense and spread it all over the Earth, one of the most beautiful planets in the universe?"
~ Idea 3196 ~
It is typical that animals adapt their dwellings to nature, blend them with nature, often hide them and do not overpopulate. Humans on the contrary show off with luxurious, exaggerated dwellings and constructions, to the point of creating monstrous cities with buildings scraping, insulting the sky. We want to show that we are superior to nature. I hope that the Natural Law Party will spread to the entire world and determine what are the right laws of nature regarding our dwellings, constructions and human settlements.
~ Idea 3197 ~
Forests are destroyed to increase agriculture and feed a mushrooming species insatiable in its consumption. Who is behind all that? Can't people see how crazy this is? Now there is talk of sustainable development but never a word about unsustainable Earth destruction. The leaders and top managers of this planet have become the destroyers of the Earth.
The Earth:
"Bravo dear Robert, now at long last you are talking."
~ Idea 3198 ~
I think that humans would be better off talking with and taking good care of the Earth than listening to the current political leaders, businessmen and advertisers.
~ Idea 3199 ~
After reading my biographer's story of how I got continental China re-admitted to the United Nations I am thinking that the world would be in a much worse situation today if this had not happened. There would be a cold war with China.
~ Idea 3200 ~
If only one head of state on this planet would say modestly to the people: I'm nobody. I'm just one of you who wants to achieve a peaceful, better, just, happy and more beautiful world.
~ Idea 3201 ~
I read in the plane from Costa Rica to Los Angeles two speeches I delivered in 1973 and 1978, one at the UN on The Present State of the World, the other at a meeting of the Audubon Society and Sierra Club on A Knot In Time. The first had as a subtitle, Amid the Turmoil and Complexities of Our Age We Must Discover the Basic Trends of Human Evolution. The subtitle to the second speech was We Are Traversing an Extraordinary Moment of Evolution, a Real Knot In Time, a Singular Hinge between All the Past and All the Future of our Planet.
Reading these speeches I was amazed at the information I gave in both of them on the great new scientific, technological, demographic, sociological, economic and other phenomena and trends which marked our human society entering into its global age. It would be very interesting if that information could be updated. Just one example which I gave on aviation: world passengers kilometers have increased from 60 million in 1955 to 632 million in 1976; air freight ton kilometers increased from 1 million in 1955 to 18.9 million in 1976. Well, what are these figures in the year 2000? I will send these speeches to heads of United Nations Agencies like the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization and others to update what has happened since 1976. The figures must be considerable.
On the whole these speeches were optimistic because I believed in economic development and in increasing world interdependencies and cooperation.
Today I would deliver different speeches. I would say that the situation has changed, that we are now destroying the Earth with our new technologies, endless economic development, constructions, over-consumption and over-population. My speeches would take the fate of the Earth, our home as the prime issue and priority in world affairs. My 3000 Ideas and Dreams are dominated by this new awareness.
And as if I needed an illustration of what I felt, it was enough for me to see the continued destructions of the Earth all along the trip culminating in the incredible sight of Los Angeles covered with a brown atmosphere of pollution and wondering how people could accept to live down there.
Yes, what a fundamental change the Earth has undergone in the last twenty to thirty years and many nations, corporations, institutions, educators and people still do not realize it. Well, in the next thirty years they will, if not sooner.
~ Idea 3202 ~
I also said in the second speech:
The number, complexity and significance of scientific, technological, economic, social and ecological interdependencies on planet Earth are so great that the subject would warrant being a new discipline, a science of interdependencies or total Earth science. Separate notions such as technology, economics, social science, ecology, political science are losing much of their distinctness. The separation of man from the Earth is also an error. Humans are part and product of the Earth and her evolution. A comprehensive scientific and ethical approach is needed which will help maximize the physical, mental, affective and spiritual fulfillment of humans, present and future, within inherited conditions and the further evolution of our planet henceforth dominated by the human race. We are still far from such a concept of planetary science and ethics but several major elements have been pressing in this direction of late.
Well, a quarter of a century later not very much has changed: we have now the beginning of a planetary science called biosphere science, the sphere of life, but not yet of a total Earth science including the biosphere, and we are still far away from a global ethics. The first serious step is the Earth Charter drafted by the Earth Council and being circulated in 2000 to all governments (see its text in Annex of Volume VI).
~ Idea 3203 ~
We have plenty of current words for changing the Earth and nature in our favor: e.g. economic growth, development, construction, production, income, profit, gain, valuation, capital, etc. and also names for the professionals who do it: economists, businessmen, developers, bankers, architects, constructors, etc.
But seeing a dozen yellow bulldozers at rest during a Saturday and Sunday across from my wife's house in Santa Barbara, destroying during the remainder of the week a whole hill to build mansions, I wondered what the word bulldozer and bulldoze means and I read in the Webster Dictionary: bulldoze, to bully, to move, clear or level off by pushing with a bulldozer; to force insensitively or ruthlessly; bulldozer, a tractor driven machine having a broad, blunt, horizontal blade or ram for clearing land, road building and comparable activities.
The Earth spoke to me at that point:
"Dear Robert, the words "to force insensitively or ruthlessly" are correct. Their operators never think of what they do to me, that by "clearing" land and roads and many other "building activities" they progressively, inexorably destroy me. Will they ever stop in your economic system? I don't believe they can. You better review all these words which illustrate values and ideals which are becoming wronger and wronger in your over-producing, over-consuming and over-populating world. The situation has fundamentally changed. There is now a turning point in the evolution of this planet in which I am progressively being destroyed and together with me most other species, living beings, vegetation and humans too."
~ Idea 3204 ~
There should be idea boxes or ideas and dream boxes on each floor of the United Nations and of its specialized agencies, regional offices and country offices. The ideas and dreams of the first world officials on this planet might be of great value and effect for our Earth and for humanity.
When I said this to my wife Barbara she commented: "They have idea boxes in practically all multinational corporations. Your idea of dream boxes is even better." I exclaimed: "If the heads of the UN and specialized agencies learn that there are such boxes in the multinational corporations perhaps my idea will be implemented."
~ Idea 3205 ~
I do not know why to produce endlessly more and more goods and services continues to be a fundamental aim and principle of the western world and life on this planet.
In the poor countries the first priority is still to live or not to live, but it is no longer in the rich countries. There happiness should be the principal objective but it is achieved all too often at the expense of nature.
We should set up a list or inventory of human ideals and dreams expressed all over the planet. It might open the door to new higher ways of fulfillment of humanity on a well-preserved planet. Why not a new science of dreams or dreamology and an ideaology?
~ Idea 3206 ~
I love these ideas of Cora Weiss, President of the Hague Appeal for Peace, in her speech to the Millennium Forum held at the United Nations on 22 May 2000:
1. Create an International Disarmament Organization
2. Give life to the Military Staff Committee foreseen in Chapter 7, Article 47 of the United Nations Charter
3. Re-open the United Nations Peace Education Unit. I would even recommend that it should be a major United Nations department. The UN University for Peace could become it.
~ Idea 3207 ~
Humans should devote as much care and resources to the health of our Earth, of the world's nature, to world organizations, to conflict resolution and solution, to peace and non-violence as they are now spending on health.
Part or all of the 800 billion dollars of military armaments expenditures should be directed to the urgent human social and Earth needs we are facing today.
~ Idea 3208 ~
Open yourself to God and to the saints. They are accessible to you, but more important is for you to be accessible to them and become their instruments, their reincarnation, their healing agents of the world. They are anxiously waiting for that. Prayer is the way of talking to them.
~ Idea 3209 ~
I:
Dear Earth, 70 per cent of your surface is covered by seas and oceans, foremost among them the Pacific Ocean. How would you feel if we called you Terra Pacifica, the Peaceful Earth? It might be a good reminder to heads of states, militaries and violent people that wars and violence are a blemish to your heavenly beauty. What do you think?
The Earth:
"This is an excellent idea. Why don't you give the good example and use it in your letterheads and writings? I like also the idea you brought back from Hawaii, the peaceful country in the middle of my Pacific, namely to end your letters with the word: Aloha, which means: may we live in peace."
I:
Do you know what the traditional 'yours sincerely' means?
The Earth:
"No."
I:
It means yours without wax.
The Earth:
"That means nothing. Where does it come from?"
I:
It comes from the Latin sine cera. At each yearly competition of the sculptures of the Roman Empire inspectors went from statue to statue to check if there were any cracks covered with wax. Only the sculptures reported to the Emperor to be sine cera, without wax were retained in the competition.
~ Idea 3210 ~
Eco-tourism is to bring people into real, beautiful, natural, preserved areas, for example primeval forests in Costa Rica. Edu-tourism is to educate tourists how they can love and take good care of their own ecology when they return home.
Business-tourism is to see penguins, geese, ducks and exotic fishes swim in ponds at skyscraper hotels.
The Earth:
"I would prefer non-tourism, no tourism at all. Every human family should take good care of its natural environment and not take planes to distant places releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide into my atmosphere. Can you imagine what outer space inspectors visiting the Earth would say if they saw the incredible traveling around me destroying my airs?"
~ Idea 3211 ~
The same way as protozoas became metazoas, the many national groups of humans are now being transformed into a metahumanity endowed with a metabrain, a metanervous system, a metaheart and a metasoul. This is our next phase of evolution. We should help it. Increasing unity among many is increasing diversity. The Unity Churches, the Second and Third World Parliament of Religions and the United Religions Initiative are great examples in the field of spirituality following the example of the United Nations in the political field. It was high time, given the protracted religious differences and conflicts still prevailing on Earth.
~ Idea 3212 ~
Honolulu, Hawaii
Why are there skyscrapers in Honolulu, one of the most beautiful islands in the world, a true jewel of nature in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? It doesn't make sense. But it makes sense to big businesses which all want to have their own skyscraper in every major city of the world, because it increases their capital, visibility and power.
~ Idea 3213 ~
Los Angeles, California
The Angels to God:
"Please dear Lord, do something to remove the name of Los Angeles from that overpopulated, polluted city in the United States. As angels we have to protect that city, fly to it, help its poor people, but our angels' lungs are less resistant than those of humans. For the inhabitants of that city one day of breathing the bad air is equivalent to smoking one to two packs of cigarettes. For us angels it is much worse. We simply cannot fly to that city any more."
God:
"I just do not know what to do. There are so many big cities in the world from which I receive similar complaints: San Francisco in the US, San Jose in Costa Rica are examples."
The Devil, rubbing his hands:
"Ha, ha, I am beginning to win."
~ Idea 3214 ~
It is good once in a while to travel from a not yet western 'civilized' country like Costa Rica to wrongly settled, over-consuming, over-transported, over-constructed, over-everything western denatured countries.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I'm so happy that you're saying that."
I:
Well, American visitors leaving Costa Rica should get at the airport a beautiful little poster to hang on a wall in their home:
"Remember Costa Rica. Try to make the United States and all America from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego an America Rica, demilitarized, oxygenized and rich (rica) in nature. This could be a beautiful plan of the US and of all American countries, North, Central and South, to fulfill the indigenous prophecy that the condor and the eagle will meet someday at a sacred place in Costa Rica."
~ Idea 3215 ~
Someday humans will build islands in the middle of the seas and oceans for people to settle there and survive on the oxygen produced by the seas and oceans (three quarters of all oxygen of this planet). Builders are bound to rush into the empty spaces of the seas and oceans. I am surprised that they have not yet done so.
~ Idea 3216 ~
The objective and results of the World Culture for Peace and Non-violence Campaign launched in the year 2000 by the United Nations and UNESCO must absolutely seek the once and for all elimination of all wars and violence from this planet. All national constitutions should adopt the same article as that included in the Japanese constitution after World War II, namely the absolute prohibition of war as an instrument of governmental policy. The prohibition should include all armaments and militaries.
~ Idea 3217 ~
The Russian dream of a communist paradise has collapsed. The American dream of a business paradise will collapse soon too. There is still a communism in the most populated country on Earth, China. I recommend that the US, Russia, China and other countries open a world debate at the UN on how to achieve a happy humanity on a well-preserved planet. Perhaps a miracle would happen and a new political world system would emerge and save the Earth.
~ Idea 3218 ~
Regarding settling the seas and oceans, hundreds of years ago the Hawaiians planted sea-going farms on wide platforms built on canoes with raised gardens of vegetables and sweet potatoes. These 'farms' also maintained live pigs and chickens for long journeys and in the deep hulls of the canoes stored seeds, coconuts and plant cuttings in dishes to develop the new discovered islands of Hawaii on which they settled. I would not be surprised if soon big corporations will launch something similar to produce more for an expanding world population and make more of those endlessly loved profits.
~ Idea 3219 ~
The same way as so many nations, for example the Spaniards, the British, etc. were exploring the Earth with unlimited enthusiasm and self-interest I wonder if all humanity could not embark and unite around a new and even more fantastic exploration: the way of making this planet a peaceful, just, happy, fulfilled, well-preserved, non-violent paradise in the universe. How exciting this would be. Let us start an all human Paradise Earth Project (PEP). It should accompany the Culture of Peace and Non-violence Campaign launched by the United Nations and UNESCO to totally eliminate war and violence from humanity by the year 2010.
~ Idea 3220 ~
The UN University for Peace together with the Earth Council and the International Radio for Peace will become the new Athens of the world, shining on one of the most sacred, prophetic hills on Earth, Mt. Rasur, name of the indigenous God of children.
~ Idea 3221 ~
Outer space being:
"Dear Robert, why don't you humans give a better name to your planet? You could change it to reflect what you make of it. For instance, now you could call it planet BUMEDAD."
I:
What a strange name. What does it mean?
Outer space being:
"It means planet Business, Media and Advertisement, because this is what rules you humans at this moment. If you continue on the same course, it might even to be your last name."
~ Idea 3222 ~
Henceforth when I am invited to speak in places which require air travel I will decline and say that I do not want to contribute to carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. I will send them relevant extracts from my 3000 (soon 4000) ideas or a message, tape or video.
~ Idea 3223 ~
Dear God, how I thank you for not having let me work for a national government, the military or money making and let me work instead for your new, great light of hope on Earth, the United Nations.
I keep preciously the poster of a painting which my secretary offered me showing Jesus taller than the United Nations knocking at a window. She said to me, "I counted the floors: the window at which Jesus is knocking is your window." I never forgot that message, and I often look at that poster.
~ Idea 3224 ~
There should no longer be any glorification of wars, a basic principle in the Hawaiian culture. War museums should be abolished in the whole world. Alas, the US War Museum in Hawaii, in Honolulu is contrary to the wisdom of the people of that country. I do not know of any museums of slavery, racism, apartheid, terrorism, highjacking, murders, kidnapping, hostage-taking and corruption in the world. There is a recent Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles which shows the horrors of the Holocaust.
~ Idea 3225 ~
There should soon come a time on this planet when all war museums will be abolished. It is already a progress to see that ancient museums of war between the states of the United States or the provinces in France and in other countries no longer exist because the central government does not like such museums. Well, we are now being transformed into a united world and therefore national war museums should also be disliked and disappear. They deal indeed with past periods of extreme violence of which neither the winning nor the defeated party should keep memory. If we want to have peace on this planet we better forget about the notion of war and suppress everything that is connected with it and glorifies it.
~ Idea 3226 ~
The day might come when the inventors and 'developers' of cars and airplanes will be considered as the undertakers, the killers of the Earth.
I hope that some islands of sanity like Hawaii and most islands of the Earth will prohibit cars and airplanes. In such places human life and other life forms would have a better chance to survive.
~ Idea 3227 ~
The United States, the western countries and Japan should no longer be admired and imitated by the rest of the world. They are on an adverse, mistaken evolutionary course. Every year they go down, not up, not better, despite what their stock exchange shows.
~ Idea 3228 ~
Outer Space Council:
"We will never understand how illogical you humans can be on planet Earth. You spend huge resources and make endless efforts to save and prolong human life through health and hospitals and at the same time you spend ten times more resources to produce armaments and train militaries to kill other human beings often in mass murders you call wars. What is the sense of it? We give you 'F', failure in planetary management. You better change course before it is too late."
~ Idea 3229 ~
The Earth's beautiful, pure, friendly skies are becoming increasingly polluted, unhappy, unfriendly skies, perhaps even someday disgusting skies. More and more people are beginning to say: the sky looks disgusting today.
~ Idea 3230 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, why do you humans have so many unresolved problems? Apparently, there are 12,200 of them. It is staggering. By now, you should have found your right ways, beliefs, behaviors, education and proper world institutions. What do you do with wars, militaries, armaments, over-population, over-consumption and have no over-all global government and laws and regulations to deal with these problems on which you spend substantial sums of money and still create destruction to me? I wonder for example how much damage the holding of thousands of peace conferences are doing to me, while armaments production continues to increase and the militaries remain unperturbed and unchanged."
I:
I begin to feel like that myself and am less and less accepting to attend world peace conferences. I send them a message or extracts from my 3000 ideas. The one on peace counts 150 pages.
~ Idea 3231 ~
Comparing our time with all other former times in human history there are many advances made by us but also several very serious regresses.
The heads of states, leaders of the world should meet in frequent session at the United Nations and be in permanent consultation with each other to give answers to these problems. This has become of vital importance for the future of the Earth and of humanity. Also, all governments on Earth should create at least a Vice-presidency for Global Affairs and the Future, and consider the creation of a proper Earth government.
~ Idea 3232 ~
Has God created nations? No, they are a human invention. We must invent, conceive new ideal countries without military training, military 'academies' and armies to kill on the ground, in the air and on the seas and oceans. How can humanity be proud of that? The nation state system has become a fundamental aberration in the evolution of this planet. It might be responsible some day for the demise of the human species. And national education makes the children believe in wrong, purely national values. No wonder that they are so lost and pessimistic. If only all nations would at least demilitarize themselves and offer people a model of peace. It would be a great step toward a non-violent world.
~ Idea 3233 ~
The time will soon come when the only safe way to drink pure liquids will be to squeeze fresh juices from organic fruits or eat such fruits.
~ Idea 3234 ~
The time will come when cities will be supplied with air from oxygen plants the same way as they are now supplied with electricity from power plants and water from water plants.
~ Idea 3235 ~
The time will come when transportation and tourism around the world will be reduced in order to avoid damage to the environment.
~ Idea 3236 ~
A three billion year old planet floating in the vast universe with mountains, seventy percent seas and oceans, fertile lands, immense forests, rivers and lakes, sea shores and deserts, this is where we humans have the privilege to live, the latest, most advanced newcomers in evolution. What an immense, incredible responsibility we have to be a right, positive element in the further evolution of that planet. That is the big question before us in the new century and millennium.
~ Idea 3237 ~
I am so glad that the Conference of the World Peoples' Assembly in Samoa is giving birth to numerous local Peoples' Assemblies around the world. More than a thousand of them are expected to be created in 2000 and 2001. What a great new element of world democracy this will represent!
~ Idea 3238 ~
The following poster souvenir could be handed to foreign visitors when they leave Costa Rica:
Dear visitor, you have seen a well-preserved, beautiful nature in Costa Rica. Please remember it and do something for our beloved Mother Earth in your country, in the place where you live.
~ Idea 3239 ~
The words tourism and tourist should be abandoned. Just to tour a country or the world is not what humans should do. Earth and humanity learning should be the objective or simply Earth learning since humanity is an integral part of the Earth which gives us life, sustains and nourishes us with its elements and products and to which we will return at 'death'. Yes, we should find more appropriate, meaningful, elevating words for what tourism and many other human activities should be. New values require new language.
~ Idea 3240 ~
A beginning of environmental wisdom:
Hilton Resorts Hawaii
HELP PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT!!!
Thank you
~ Idea 3241 ~
The world population, environment and human settlements services of the UN should be brought close together. They should work side by side in the same place and should have joint directors and staff meetings.
~ Idea 3242 ~
Governments in a total review of their territories should establish these categories:
This would be closely associated with an overall intelligent, nature-conscious human settlements policy. Information should be submitted by all governments to the UN to give the world a yearly, global view of where we stand.
~ Idea 3243 ~
Why are there so many ideas, inventions, innovations, imagination, creations, institutions and efforts in all sciences and fields of human activity except the most important one: the proper government or management of our planetary home. A change has begun with the environmental revolution but not in other fundamental fields. This is why I am writing so many ideas, dreams and proposals for peace, right relations between humans, the creation of proper global government and institutions. Many thousands of non-governmental associations try to do it too. But we face the iron curtain of nations.
~ Idea 3244 ~
To work for beauty, justice, peace and happiness on Earth, that is what my beloved wife Barbara and I were born for and work for in a farmlet on top of a sacred hill in demilitarized Costa Rica, next to the UN University for Peace. But is there any hope when such extraordinary, numerous forces are against it?
~ Idea 3245 ~
I propose the creation of a World Flags Association. It could cover the following subjects:
- study all national flags and judge their value. Those advocating war or violence should be eliminated; those advocating peace should be congratulated and serve as models.
- propose new, original world flags in many fields; the stars, the universe, outer space, the sun, the Earth, the air, the biosphere, mountains, rivers, waters, forests, gardens, etc.
- propose new, original world flags for more human groupings: the whole human family, continental, regional, provincial, city, family and individual flags. My World Core Curriculum of Global Knowledge and Education in Volume I could be a framework for ideas.
~ Idea 3246 ~
I hope that the United Nations or a philanthropic organization will assemble and publish all existing new draft charters, revised charters and proposed amendments to the UN Charter. This might yield a marvelous collection of ideas, many of which would be worth being examined in the effort to provide this planet with a much needed, better global organization or government. The results might give birth to a serious effort at the beginning of the 21st century and 3rd millennium to put this planet on a right track and in better shape as far as human activities, goals, dreams, purposes and responsibilities are concerned. Such a document would be very valuable to all heads of states and leaders of institutions.
~ Idea 3247 ~
Anyone who shares the view of my wife Barbara that we need a United Nature Government for this planet should send her ideas. It is excellent that we have already a new world party, the Natural Law Party which recommends that we should seek guidance from the laws of nature for the ways we behave on this planet and govern it. This is a vast new field practically unexplored to which many ideas should be contributed to make this planet a Terra Pacifica, a Terra Unida, the beginning of the era of the Earth.
~ Idea 3248 ~
Since the aim of government is or should be the pursuit of the people's happiness, I recommend that each government on this planet should publish a year-end report on the happiness it has provided to its people, not only economic but all other forms of happiness, e.g. the creation of natural parks, of children's playgrounds, the reduction of violence, the embellishment of nature, the preservation of antiquities, the provision of new public services, help to the handicapped, to the indigenous people, to the elderly, etc. On the basis of all such governmental reports the United Nations should publish a yearly World Report on Happiness including its own efforts and successes in providing happiness by achieving peace and through its 32 specialized agencies and world programs.
~ Idea 3249 ~
In each government and at the world level there should be an office or agency specifically dealing with recycling which has become a major new human activity. We are finally following the example and evolutionary wisdom of nature which recycles everything. It should become a true science taught in schools and universities and no longer be considered a side activity. The creation of a World University of Recycling would be a blessing for humanity. It could do a lot to help stem the current waste explosion.
~ Idea 3250 ~
There is great need for a world global ethical science and behavior. We absolutely must determine what is good for humanity and the Earth and what is bad for them. For example, a war started by a nation might be good for it but it is bad for humanity. If I kill a neighbor, steal his money and occupy his land it might be good for me but it is bad for society. The same is now true world-wide in our global world. I propose therefore the creation of a World Ethical Agency which would study and review all forms of ethics and give guidance to humanity. My World Core Curriculum in Volume I could be a basis for its agenda. To mention only a few:
It would be a great eye-opener for humanity. The time is ripe for it. It should be done as part of the Culture of Peace and Non-violence World Campaign launched by the United Nations and UNESCO.
I recommend also a name for it: ethicology, the science of ethics.
~ Idea 3251 ~
Each government should submit every year a report to the United Nations on the peace and help it has received from the United Nations and other countries for its people and also what it has contributed to the peace and progress of other countries and of a better world.
Such a report could also be submitted by governments and by the United Nations Secretary General for the entire period since the creation of the UN after World War II. The document would be of great value to the next generation and to future global historians.
~ Idea 3252 ~
The yearly States of the World Reports and States of the Nations Reports should be less dry, less academic. They should have an echo with the people and be written as much with the heart and soul as with the brain. One seldom finds the words love and happiness in them. Before being published they should be read and be given more feelings, more beauty, more hope, more inspiration and encouragement by poets, elders and indigenous people who know that the Earth and human life are true miracles.
~ Idea 3253 ~
Since we are 100% Earth (70% water and 30% Earth matter) not to mention the oxygen provided to us day and night, it is our obligation, our sacred duty to take good care of the great miracle our loving Mother Earth is. To be good Earth servants and caretakers has become more than to be economists, business people, financiers, bankers, advertisers and marketers. We should be saintly servers of the Earth.
~ Idea 3254 ~
I was so happy that following an idea in my opening speech to the Second World Parliament of Religions in 1993, Bishop William Swing of Grace Cathedral took during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in San Francisco the initiative to create a United Religions similar to the United Nations. After his visit with Archbishop Desmond Tutu to major religious leaders around the world the United Religions Initiative Charter was signed on 26 June 2000, the anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter. Bishop Swing must be congratulated as the founder of that new world organization.
I hope and pray that a similar initiative will be taken to create a United States of the World or a World Union or a United Earth. May such an initiative be taken during the UN/UNESCO Culture of Peace and Non-violence World Campaign 2000 to 2010.
~ Idea 3255 ~
As I pointed out in My Testament to the UN the United Nations cannot be as bad as certain obstinate, conservative groups claim it to be, since it has received a dozen of Nobel Peace Prizes.
If Alfred Nobel came back to Earth he would rejoice but would probably ask why the European Union, the second greatest progress since his death, has not received a Nobel Peace Prize. The abolition of borders between fifteen countries of Europe including the most warring ones, namely France and Germany, would very much merit the Prize.
~ Idea 3256 ~
The celebration of the year 2000 and our entry into a new century and millennium are an ideal occasion to make a comprehensive review of the rights of all human groups on Earth. Here are a few which still require utmost attention:
In addition, thanks be to God a new chapter has been opened, namely the rights of Mother Earth, of her nature and of her elements. The Earth Charter drafted by the Earth Council (see its text in Annex of Volume VI) has been submitted by the United Nations to all governments. In addition, as I've pointed out in Idea 1970, we must work on a whole series of particular charters for outer space, our future evolution, the atmosphere, the seas and oceans, world water, world species', the Earth forest covers and vegetation, the Earth's top soils, mountain areas, the world's great lakes, arid and semi-arid zones, the Arctic and Antarctic and for islands. The same procedure was followed after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights when charters for children's rights, women's rights, indigenous rights, racial equality, etc. were undertaken.
It is interesting that in the 1950's we were only concerned with human progress and protection. The Earth was taken for granted, but now at the beginning of the 21st century and third millennium she has gained equal if not first priority. These new efforts together with the implementation of human rights and the appearance of human responsibilities and duties represent a very remarkable progress of humanity. It is a hopeful sign that humans can succeed and find their right relationships between themselves, with the Earth, with the heavens and with time.
~ Idea 3257 ~
When the human rights of mothers will be taken up by the United Nations the following should be considered, as so often proposed:
~ Idea 3258 ~
Humanity has been able to get rid of slavery, colonialism, racism, sexual discrimination and apartheid. It will be as able to get rid of borders too as proved by the creation of the European Union. Next will be armaments. All that is needed is love, world leadership and audacity. We also need more dreams, ideas, excitement and tenacity.
~ Idea 3259 ~
The United States, a federal government, has the luck to have the United Nations on its soil, the first truly world-wide organization of this planet. Why doesn't the US harbor a new, even greater prophetic, providential dream: the dream of transforming the United Nations progressively into a world republic, confederation, federation or union? It would be of immense benefit to the entire world including the United States which would become the greatest history making country ever. Please US, wake up to another great dream. Be worthy of George Washington and the great Americans who gave birth to the United States from a mess of disputing, sovereign, armed, cut-up former British colonies, almost without rhyme or reason. Remember these words of George Washington which fully apply to our time:
"The primary cause of all disorders lies in the different state governments
and in the tenacity of that power which pervades the whole of their systems."
This is even more true of the world of nations today. We should also remember this statement by another great president, Franklin Roosevelt at the end of World War II:
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."
To engage into new ways toward proper world order might prevent the US from falling into decadence as did all great empires on this planet which insisted on the maintenance and increase of their power, did not adapt to the new requirements of evolution and disappeared.
~ Idea 3260 ~
A man who heard me speak in a philosophical society in the 1980's decided to become St. John the Baptist and to play the saint's role! He sent me a paper on the state of the world which starts with this paragraph:
"We are in a state of institutionalized inhumanity. The rich have gotten richer while our other brothers and sisters in God live in poverty, hunger and without adequate housing or medical care. This has been done in the name of free enterprise. The powerful are free to ignore and exploit the poor. We have become the new Sodom and Gommorah, the cities in the Bible destroyed because of their wickedness. This is now far worse because it is global."
I love the words 'institutionalized inhumanity' which describe so adequately the institutional situation of our world today. We should also speak of institutionalized antinature.
I sent him the following note:
Thank you for your letter of 29 April. I love in particular the first paragraph in which you used the excellent words of 'institutionalized inhumanity'. May many more people imitate you and play the role of great saints, prophets, visionaries, seers, outer space beings, departed ancestors and give us their messages. May many rich people become Franciscans and make the vow poverty. A better world would ensue.
~ Idea 3261 ~
"The centers of power and influence never remain the same: they were among others Egypt, Athens, Rome, Spain, London and Paris. Today they are Moscow and Washington. They never last because power is unable to adapt itself to new evolutionary trends. Power believes it will always remain and that it must do everything to remain and increase. It then misses evolution and falls aside it. Power is locked into its own logic and incapable of lifting itself into new trends, visions and solutions."
Since I wrote this in my Testament to the UN, published in 1992 it has been the case also of Moscow. And it will next be the case of Washington too if the United States sticks to its present world power policy and doesn't see the absolute need of adaptation to the evolution of humanity and of our planet. This can only be done if the United States adopts a new vision, a new dream for the world as a whole. It is lucky to have the United Nations on its grounds. It can build up the United Nations progressively into a World Confederation or Union similar to the European Union or conceive an entirely new governing system for the Earth and humanity.
No one can stop evolution no matter how giant a power is, whatever cause it might defend, whatever missiles and arms it may possess in the air, on the seas, in the soils and in the heavens. On the contrary non-adaptation to evolution will cause its demise like that of the dinosaurs. United States, you better heed this warning and draw the right conclusions. Transform the Pentagon, your main strategist, into a Terragon and capitalism (kaputalism) into planetwide Earthism and Humanism.
~ Idea 3262 ~
We need more Earthitects than architects, at least an equality of the two. The first would take care primarily of the Earth (Earthism) the second of humans (humanism). Nowadays, as a result of the older ideologies of free enterprise and socialism, the greatest emphasis is still on architecture for human purposes which neglects or pays insufficient attention to the Earth. That imbalance can be fatal and must be corrected. Humans must receive the best well-being, longevity, health and happiness but in harmony, non-destructive relations with the Earth. As the ancient philosopher Seneca said, "True wisdom consists in not departing from nature, but molding our conduct according to her wise laws." This is the objective of the newly created World Natural Law Party.
~ Idea 3263 ~
To the criticism that a federal Earth government will be a dictatorship there is this answer: the US Federation gives freedom to all its citizens between the fifty-one states; the European Union gives freedom to all the citizens between its fifteen member nations. Those who give the least freedom of migration, a freedom in the larger context of the world, are the lonely sovereign nations. A World Federation of Nations, a World Republic or a World Union like the European Union would give all humans much more freedom than they have today, create a true world democracy and prevent any national dictatorship.
~ Idea 3264 ~
Since the United States federation of states and the European Union of nations are highly successful, admired models of multi-national democratic government why not consider even broader unions including the broadest of all, a United World Federation, a World Republic or a World Union?
As President Truman said: "It will be just as easy for nations to get along in a republic of the world as it is for states to get along in the republic of the United States."
~ Idea 3265 ~
Since the prospect of a Proper Earth Government is remote from the minds of most American people who are programmed by the US tenants of power there is one other great hope and example which can be followed, namely the recently created European Union between fifteen of the most belligerent states which have ever existed on this planet. Around this European Union a broader union of all nations can be built. The European Union could take the first step and unite with the newly created United States of Africa.
~ Idea 3266 ~
I am delighted that Maurice Strong, the former Secretary General of both the first and second world conference on the environment in 1972 in Sweden and in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro has come out with a book entitled Where On Earth Are We Going. In it he describes the world as it will be in the decades to come, a world of disasters and destructions and predicts that the Earth has not more than thirty years to survive on its present course. Coming from him who has lived this on a day to day basis during all these years at the highest world level this means something. It is a very serious warning. This is also why he has decided to move the Earth Council to the natural grounds of the UN University for Peace whose presidency he has taken over in order to get his message to the world from an academic institution rather than the United Nations with its political limitations. The sacred grounds of Mt. Rasur might become the new Athens of the world.
~ Idea 3267 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, one problem with you humans is that you do not look at the consequences of your actions on the long-term future. I have existed for billions of years and will still survive for many millions of years. You exist only for 100,000 years and if you do not change course you might vanish in the next 1,000 years. The least I expect from you is to think ahead for these 1,000 years, but you do not do that. Your leaders do not think beyond the next elections and future stock markets. You have no Ministries of the Future, no main organ in the United Nations dealing with the future and you think that you are intelligent. And I will have to deplore the vanishing of my most advanced, precious species."
I:
You are right but there are increasing numbers of people who are beginning to look into the far future. There is in particular the Foundation for the Future in Bellevue, Washington which is looking as far as the year 3000. I will suggest to that foundation to create an International Association of Futurologists to the Year 3000.
Barbara, having listened to you will also open a web-site, 'Save the Earth' on which you and the people can express their concerns and ideas. This will be broadcast by the International Radio for Peace attached to the UN University for Peace and the Earth Council in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 3268 ~
All the super wealthy and wealthy people who have personal or family archives, museums and art collections should consider henceforth that this Earth and humanity might come to an end in the third millennium and that their memorabilia and possessions will float on a dead planet, valueless except as a curiosity for outer space visitors. Why not therefore devote your attention, efforts and resources to the salvation of the Earth and of humanity. This would permit your memorabilia to survive for thousands of years to come. Please visualize and work for a date far in the future on which you would still like to see humans visit your collections and study and use your archives.
~ Idea 3269 ~
The United Nations has rightly proclaimed a whole series of World Days, International Weeks and Years but must now also actively promote World Centuries and Millennia to help our long-term fate and future. Each century until the year 3000 should be given a name and there should be proclamations such as Earth 3000, World Population 3000, The Seas and Oceans 3000, The Environment 3000, Agriculture 3000, Human Settlements 3000, Science 3000, Longevity 3000, World Ethics 3000, etc.
~ Idea 3270 ~
The heads of states meeting in September 2000 at the UN should recommend that the United Nations Secretariat and all the 32 specialized agencies and world programs should submit their visions and plans for the year 3000. It would be a new page in human history, a new form of intelligence, the birth of a species capable of looking into the whole future of a planet.
There should also be Ministries of Ethics in every government and a Commission, Department or Unit of Ethics in the United Nations and in each UN Agency, to judge the ethics all along these thousand years.
~ Idea 3271 ~
We must begin to suppress and stop many things on this planet, not to constantly add more to the products, activities and movements of humans.
Thus looking at the Father's Day cards received I feel that all these wishing cards for an increasing number of occasions everywhere in the world should be dispensed with. They are a waste of sizeable tonnages of paper. In the giant card-producing firms they have employees whose main task is to come up with more occasions to produce ever more diversified cards. Good wishes should be hand written by people in their own deep, sincere words and not in words written by others for business purposes.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I read over your shoulder what you just wrote and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will let you know my ideas on what else humans should dispense with in order to prolong my longevity and theirs. I have a long list."
~ Idea 3272 ~
Biologists tell us that most evolution takes place as a result of crises. The world economic and ecological crises looming ahead will force us to adopt new values and reforms, and create new institutions and legislation to permit further evolution. But the more changes can be made now, the less severe and misery-causing these crises will be.
~ Idea 3273 ~
There is at least one successful capitalist who no longer believes in capitalism and predicts its demise: George Soros. I highly recommend that he should create and chair a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on the Future of Capitalism.
~ Idea 3274 ~
A time might come when historians will describe with as much dismay and horror what humanity did to the Earth and nature in the second half of the 20th century as they write today about the horrors of past wars. Our bad human relationships history is now being followed by a bad Earth relationships history.
~ Idea 3275 ~
We must absolutely stop and avoid all remaining wars on this planet in order to devote all our attention to the Earth which is crying for help. Wars have become totally obsolete, unjustifiable and unnatural. They kill not only humans but also nature.
~ Idea 3276 ~
Gentlemen,
My grandchildren in the United States showed me a note regarding your World in the Year 2050 Competition of The Economist. They thought that I should compete for it. I told them that it was they themselves, the young, who should do that and not their 77 years old grandfather. I congratulate you for launching that essay and wish that you will send me a copy of the winning contest.
But I thought that I should perhaps also send you my conclusions, proposals and forecasts after a life of fifty years of service with the United Nations and with the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. I thought that such a paper might be of interest to you. I will publish it as an update to My Testament to the UN of 1992, a contribution to the year 2000 and the third millennium. I will also address it with a personal letter to each head of state before their meeting during the General Assembly of the UN this fall which is to "focus on means to solve our primary global problems and to reform the means of global governance in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century."
I hope The Economist will submit its views and ideas in response to the competition. Personally I will soon come out with more volumes of ideas and dreams for a better world, bringing the total to 4000.
Yours warmly,
~ Idea 3277 ~
It would be interesting if the 189 governments of this planet would agree that one country on Earth in the tropical zone would cease to 'develop' and pay its population to live in harmony with nature and with only basic, necessary human tools and services. Valuable lessons could be drawn from such an experiment by the rest of the world. Perhaps people there would be happier and less violent and frustrated than are those in the 'rich' countries.
~ Idea 3278 ~
It has been calculated that with the total savings from armaments and militarization of more than 800 billion dollars a year we can save all nature, feed all the hungry, educate all children of the world and make this planet the most stupendous success in the universe. Please, dear heads of state, do this miracle and you will become the greatest, most famous leaders in all human history.
~ Idea 3279 ~
The word 'environment' is not correct. The Earth' nature is not 'around us'. We are an intrinsic part of her. All our bodies come from nature. We live day and night from her elements (air, water and food) and at death we should return to her to be recycled into soil, vegetation and other species'. I propose therefore that the Ministries of Environment, born from the UN's World Environment Conference in 1972 in Stockholm should be renamed and converted into Ministries of the Earth. We should also rejoice that Natural Law Parties launched by British scientists exist now in more than 100 countries. They should become the first and foremost political party in the world.
~ Idea 3280 ~
There exist in the US more and more very remarkable retirement communities in which people above a certain age live in simple, comfortable dwellings, have common services and meals together, have discussion groups, hear speeches, have reviews of good books, receive house aid and medical help, etc. I propose that similar communities be created where people of any age inclined to do so would also live in simple, comfortable dwellings, would watch only good television, would hear only good radio, receive only good newspapers and magazines and fulfill the dreams which they could not fulfill in the outside, hectic, noisy world. They could write their thoughts and souvenirs, look into their inner self and achieve optimum health, peace and happiness. They could be called Optimum Health, Peace and Happiness Communities, little paradises on Earth.
~ Idea 3281 ~
In all retirement and optimum health, peace and happiness communities there should be benches of dreams, happiness, beauty, thanksgiving, forgiveness, love and other great, fulfilling concepts used by humanity since times immemorial. See Idea 984 for the list of the benches we have in our Park of Peace, Dreams and Love in Costa Rica.
~ Idea 3282 ~
Since the UN's first World Environment Conference in Stockholm in 1972 the words 'sustainable growth' and 'sustainable development' are more and more used instead of economic growth and economic development. This is good but insufficient: first, one almost never hears the words 'unsustainable growth', 'unsustainable development', 'unsustainable consumption'. Secondly, nature and the Earth having become a major, if not the main concern of humanity, the words 'Earth damaging' and 'Earth destroying growth or development' should also come into use. Finally, 'Earth care' and 'proper Earth management' should go side by side at par with economic development and growth.
~ Idea 3283 ~
Which will be the first countries on Earth to have the foresight to create Ministries of Evolution or Ministries of the Future or even a Vice-Presidency of Evolution?
~ Idea 3284 ~
One reason which is seldom adduced to stop conflicts and wars is that they destroy not only human beings but also a lot of nature, housing and public services which cost so much to rebuild. I have never seen statistics on that. We must absolutely achieve peace, not only for the sake of peace between peoples, but as a major contribution to the preservation of our nature and acquired capital.
~ Idea 3285 ~
In order to reduce very substantially the incentives to warmaking all countries should no longer attach glory to victories and wars. Celebrations of victories, war museums and monuments to war winning heroes and generals should all be abolished.
I am so happy that the Earth Council created by the second World Conference on the Environment in Rio de Janeiro has moved to the University for Peace because the two working together will be able to give a new message to the world, namely that we must absolutely accelerate and attain total peace in order to devote all our efforts to the preservation, survival and beautification of the Earth. And what a symbol it is to be located in one of the first demilitarized countries on Earth!
~ Idea 3286 ~
I propose the creation of a World Association for Our Miraculous Planet Earth to make her a true model and paradise in the universe. Such an association could raise the question: How can we afford to have thousands of nuclear armaments which endanger this planet and almost five hundred nuclear energy plants, the wastes of which are re-atomizing the Earth? We must remember that it took millions of years for the Earth to lose her nuclear radiations, Only after that life became possible.
~ Idea 3287 ~
Ordinary citizens should make an effort not to admire the showoffism of which there is so much around us. For example, do not look at beautiful modern cars or limousines with which the owners want to show off when driving around. Do not look at and admire the very elaborate and shiny motorcycles on which young people sit and speed to be a show off and be admired. Do not admire big villas and mansions the owners of which want to show off and be admired. Turn your eyes away from all this and perhaps when they see that nobody admires them they will also become more sensitive to the need for simplicity and modesty on this planet. Yes, there should be a world wave against overconsumerism and showoffism, two of the major exports of the United States and the multinational corporations.
~ Idea 3288 ~
Built-in obsolescence by many manufacturing firms in order to sell new products is a major item which should be inscribed on the agenda of the World Agency of Consumption when it is created.
I also suggest that there should be a movement to create around the world happiness stores, peace stores, United Nations stores, forgiveness stores, compassion stores, love stores, hope stores, thanksgiving stores, etc. What a difference that would make!
~ Idea 3289 ~
All depositors with banks should request to be informed how many skyscrapers these banks possess and how much capital they have invested in luxury buildings and offices around the world. All this with the money of the depositors and the interests paid by the borrowers.
~ Idea 3290 ~
I sometimes have the feeling that I represent at the United Nations the innumerable deads caused by the will for power of conquerors, dictators, nations, religions, ethnic groups, wealth holders, etc. I hear them say to me: we were first of all humans. Why did they do that to us and to our dear ones?
And I answer them: I will do my utmost so that it will never happen again. I will fight for a new death: the death of all the weapons on this Earth and of all institutions in which they prepare and train wholesale killers of other human beings.
~ Idea 3291 ~
We had the very important American Revolution for Independence. We had the very important French Revolution for Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
We now need a World Peoples' Revolution for Proper Earth Government.
~ Idea 3292 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I like your Appeal to All Leaders of Nations at their meeting at the UN in September 2000. Could you give them also this message from me:
Dear Heads of States,
I am so happy that you are meeting during this crucial year 2000, the onset of a new century and millennium, to look at the global problems facing me and humanity, how they could be solved and the means and instruments required to solve them.
This leads me to beg you to be each of you my representative, the spokesperson of your Earth, of your mother, of the various provinces of my surface which you administer, not only of the peoples. To the titles of Chiefs of States, Presidents, heads of governments, leaders of nations, please add also that of Representatives of the Earth. Think of me as much as you think of your people. When you wake up in the morning and ask yourself what can I do for my people today, ask yourself also what can I do for the Earth. I pray you to do that. I will love you for it. I will recompense you with much happiness for it. And the children of your children will bless you."
~ Idea 3293 ~
If only the 15 countries of the European Union were quickly joined by more countries from the rest of Europe and other regions of the world to consider steps towards a larger Union, ultimately a World Union. This would be a tremendous success, a major historic step towards a better world political order. It could mean the salvation of our human future.
Humanity will have an incredibly great, happy, peaceful, prosperous, safe future before it, if we believe in it and work for it with ardor. Dear heads of states, please believe in it, have faith in it and the miracle will happen. That is the message from an old UN servant and from all the dead of past wars.
~ Idea 3294 ~
When will we be able at long last to call our Earth a Garden of Eden, a Garden of Peace, Love, Beauty and Happiness, a paradise in the universe?
Yes, Peace, Love, Beauty and Happiness, a Paradise Earth should be our objectives for the 3rd millennium, to be attained as rapidly as possible. The higher the objectives, the closer one gets to them.
~ Idea 3295 ~
There is a lot of talk and advertisement for eco-tourism, meaning ecological tourism: to visit the natural highpoints of our planet. More important in my view should be the term edu-tourism, the education of a right ecological care of nature when the tourists go home. More generally I have increasing doubts about tourism, which has become a major source of pollution and destruction of the Earth through carbon dioxide emitted by transports, especially long distance aviation, construction of hotels, roads and airports etc. Tourism must absolutely be seriously reviewed in all its aspects. It has become a new, colossal business, a novel cause for more Earth destruction. If measured by ecology economists, world tourism might show negative results for the Earth. Good ecology starts at home. This is where it should be loved, taught and practiced.
As a first improvement I recommend that people should ecodiscipline themselves and go on tourism only every second, third or fifth year.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I thank you for saying this. What I see happening to me through tourism is often destruction. Education tourism, good ecology at home and personal ecodiscipline should be the major approaches."
~ Idea 3296 ~
I reached the age of seventy-seven thanks to the fact that I stopped smoking more than forty years ago. I decided that when I accompanied my father who felt sick in his lungs to a doctor who asked him after examining him, "Do you smoke?" "Yes." "How much?" "Two packs a day." "Well, I'm sorry to tell you, you have an advanced lung cancer." And my father died a few months later.
I have never forgotten that lesson and never smoked anymore in my whole life.
~ Idea 3297 ~
A second reason why I am still alive at seventy-seven is that I was able to lose a lot of weight. In the US I gained weight up to 227 pounds. Twenty years later, thanks to a healthier way of life in Costa Rica I weigh only 190 pounds, having lost thirty-seven pounds.
~ Idea 3298 ~
Late in my life I learned another great lesson in Costa Rica: at my retirement from the UN I became volunteer Chancellor for one-dollar-a-year of the UN University for Peace in a magnificent, natural, primeval wonderland. I bought an old farmhouse and farmland adjacent to the university. There we have cows, a magnificent turkey, a flock of chickens and monkeys in the primeval woods. In order not to be eaten in the night by coyotes coming from the woods the hens and the cocks fly up on top of trees near the farmhouse. The roosters begin to sing the resurrection of the day at four o'clock in the morning dialoguing with cocks in the valley. In order to get enough sleep Barbara and I decided to go to bed early, not later than 7:00 to 8:00pm. As a result we wake up with the cocks having had eight to nine hours of sleep and you cannot imagine how much work you can do between 4:00am and 8:00am before getting involved in daily affairs.
We also decided to have a siesta each day after luncheon because a total of eight hours from 4:00am to midday is almost equivalent to a whole working day.
What we did confirmed an old popular saying: hours of sleep before midnight count twice.
~ Idea 3299 ~
Now, at my advanced age do I have any prospects of a still longer life?
Well, the following might help:
In May of 2000 I had a hernia operation which forced me for two weeks to eat little and to drink no alcohol whatsoever. Well, I was frequently drinking beer which is very popular in Costa Rica and being a Frenchman to have often wine with meals. After those two weeks I did not feel the slightest need for any alcoholic drink anymore and with my wife we decided to give it up completely. On the fourth of July, having American guests to celebrate the US national holiday, we made an exception and were sick the following day. Thus, alcohol (al kohol, Arabic the Devil) was eliminated for good from our lives.
~ Idea 3300 ~
Another discovery to keep in good health was the following. I once said to my wife Barbara that my Hindu colleagues at the United Nations fasted one half a day each week on Tuesday afternoon until the following morning. We did it a few times and after the fourth time I woke up totally rejuvenated, feeling extraordinarily fulfilled and young. Having gone to sleep at 7:00pm we woke up at 5:00am which meant ten hours of sleep without even having to go to the bathroom once. I could not believe it.
A few days later we had a rich, heavy dinner with guests and went to bed at ten o'clock. The following morning, after a restless night, I was a total disaster. We decided therefore to eat very lightly in the evenings and to become almost vegetarians.
Drinking only pure water and juices squeezed from fresh fruits and no human, manufactured, artificial, carbo-dioxided 'soft drinks', is also a major factor for a long, happy life.
~ Idea 3301 ~
The human being was born to walk and to live and work in nature. Offices, cars, airplanes, trains should never let us forget that.
Providence wanted me and my wife to live after retirement in one of the most beautiful, nature-endowed areas in the world with the purest, highly oxygenized air one can dream of, on a sacred, prophetic mountain covered with primeval forests in Costa Rica. There my blood was rejuvenated and my body kept in good form. Everyday I walk four times from our small farmhouse to the University for Peace and back for a distance of two miles and many times also I climb with my wife on top of Mt. Rasur which has one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world. Barbara does it every morning.
Our love for nature and animals is paid back by so much peace and happiness. And we want to pay back that gift with our proposals and work for a world-wide peaceful, happy human family on one of the most miraculous, beautiful planets in the universe.
~ Idea 3302 ~
What kind of loving, caring teachers and leaders can governments be who spend more than half of all tax incomes on militaries and armaments?
~ Idea 3303 ~
The main, real reason of the retarded US extreme right to oppose any idea of a World Federal government is that it would challenge, diminish and put an end to US capital colonialism which is gaining most of the world supported by US armaments and foreign aid. The accusation is launched that World Federalism would lead to dictatorship. Well, the US Federal Government has not led to the dictatorship of any President, party or state.
A better chance for a more just world order rests henceforth with the European Union which is more socialist and more democratic. The more countries join it the better it will be. May this become a fast and vast movement.
~ Idea 3304 ~
There should be a World Parents' Association to exchange experiences and wisdom of parenting in all cultures and to create common public institutions. I could well see a United Nations Parents' and Family Agency and the birth of a new, comprehensive science of 'Parentology'.
~ Idea 3305 ~
I recommend to all grandparents to move to the land when they retire, to buy or rent a farmlet and raise animals, were it only chickens. The grandchildren would love it and never forget their stays and vacations with them. We are doing it here in Costa Rica. It is a great blessing on both sides.
~ Idea 3306 ~
I also recommend the creation of a World Association of Grandparents to exchange experiences and wisdom from all cultures and create common public institutions. I could well see a United Nations Grandparents' Agency which might be a great help to achieve peace and a better world with their wisdom.
~ Idea 3307 ~
Dear housewives, do not buy colored paper towels or towels with colored designs or inscriptions. They only add artificial colors to what is returned to the Earth through waste disposals and recycling. Use only white paper, or do not use paper towels at all: use cloth towels which can be washed and reused many times. Every bit multiplied by the 6.1 billions we are helps the environment. Never forget it.
~ Idea 3308 ~
My numerous ideas for a better world are my way of thanking God, the Earth and humanity for the incredible gift of life I received from them. They did so much for me. What I'm giving back to them is only a tiny drop of the ocean of gratitude I feel in me. May many human brothers and sisters of mine do the same.
~ Idea 3309 ~
Capitalism has done wonders for humanity and we must be thankful for it. But its growth and success has created a lopsided power which is now destroying the Earth due to over-population and the over-consumption of the Earth's elements and resources. We must urgently remedy this situation and devise a new planetary economic system (oikos nomos, Greek the management of our home) for the benefit of all humanity, the preservation of the Earth and the proper survival and evolution of both. This is our most urgent task and duty toward the future generations.
~ Idea 3310 ~
Walking in our forest in Costa Rica I said to Barbara: these trees are superior to humans. How lucky they are. They receive their energy directly from the sun through their leaves and their food and liquids from the soil. They do not have to go to school, to study, to have a profession, to get dressed, to make money, to go to an office, to produce and consume so many things, to have a home, a car, go on tourism, go to a doctor, to a hospital, finish in an old peoples' home.
And when they die they all return to the Earth. I feel that we should all be buried in the soil without a coffin in order to be re-absorbed and reborn by the Earth. A tree should be planted above our remains for our resurrection into this other form of life. Also, a tree, preferably a fruit tree, should be planted at the birth of every child. With these two actions, two trees would be planted for every human being, at birth and at death. 128 million newly born and 50 million departing ones every year would reforest and increase rapidly the life forms of this planet.
~ Idea 3311 ~
I dislike excessive nature-impairing advertisements. Typical examples are the enormous panels advertising cigarettes, alcohol and soft drinks in the magnificent nature of Costa Rica along some main traffic roads . I am astonished that youth and ecologists do not dismantle them.
We must absolutely convene a World Conference on Advertisement. This new gigantic modern profession which has a whole science, strategy, and elaborate methodologies must be reminded of ethics by governmental and legal actions.
In the meantime individuals can take some measures. For example the scale I use to weigh myself displays very visibly the name of the company which produced it. Why do I have to see that name every day for years? I covered it with a correction fluid. It disappeared beautifully and I do no longer have to see it anymore.
Dear reader, look around your home or apartment and see what advertisements you can get rid of. When I told it to Barbara, my wife, she did it immediately.
~ Idea 3312 ~
The colossal increase of products and services in all countries of the world speaks strongly for a comprehensive world-wide, orderly system of standardization. Given the close relations between standardization, economic development, international trade, transport, and marketing I recommend that the International Standardization Organization (ISO) be made a full specialized agency of the UN.
~ Idea 3313 ~
In a letter of the apostle St. John regarding human relations he says: Whoever hates his brother is a homicide. Well, he goes much further than I who only says that a military who kills another military or civilians is a homicide.
~ Idea 3314 ~
I saw an old man in Costa Rica who was offered Coca Cola. He tasted it and rejected it saying that it was medicine. When will the day arise when water will be again the drink of God and when humanity will avoid all the so-called soft drinks bubbling with carbon dioxide which we refuse to breathe through our lungs but accept to go to our stomach and leave traces of solid carbon on the lining of our intestines. We need a consumers' revolution.
~ Idea 3315 ~
Soon there should be a new field of study and science, an addictionology covering the vast, growing field of addictions. It should study scientifically the methodology and strategies of making people addicts. A World University on Addictions could render humanity a great service. Just to mention a few addictions:
~ Idea 3316 ~
When, after many thousands of years will we finally create a United World? What are we waiting for? One way would be for more countries to follow the example of Hawaii and join the United States which would then become the United World with a world-wide democratic government and indispensable institutions for welfare, justice, peace for all and a well-preserved planet. No nuclear missiles, armaments and militaries would be needed anymore, only a United World Peace Agency and Police.
~ Idea 3317 ~
Another avenue would be for more countries to join the European Union to become tomorrow's World Union.
~ Idea 3318 ~
A third way would be for some countries to join the United States and others to join the European Union, both joining then in a United World.
~ Idea 3319 ~
Still another way would be for the United States and the European Union to merge into a Euramerican Union offering the rest of the world to join it in a World Union.
~ Idea 3320 ~
When we look at us human beings we see that we are all made of intakes and outflows: intakes of air, nourishment, water, sight, hearing; outflows of speaking, breath, liquids and wastes. And we see that many animals around us and also vegetations have similar intakes and outflows. Many species have eyes, ears, a mouth or a beak to take nourishment and to drink. Trees and plants are getting intakes of solar energy through their leaves, and liquids and nourishment through their roots. They have no eyesight, no hearing, they have no voice but they have perhaps other invisible ones. I wonder if there exist across the board sciences which study all the eye sights, all the ways of nourishment, all the hearings, all the brains, all the sounds emitted by humans and animals and so on and so forth. This could be the great world comprehensive biology of the Earth. There should be universities specializing in what we have in common with, and different from all other species. The results might be wonders. I apologize if there are already such universities. I would like to hear more about them.
~ Idea 3321 ~
When one sees the relations between a mother and her children, of any animal mothers with their little ones one cannot help thinking of the love of Mother Earth for us, her children. We should study the relations of that mother with us the same way as we study the relations, the progeny of animals and plants on Earth. The creation of the World Party of Nature is a good step in this direction. I hope that it will become the major party in all countries as quickly as possible so that we can rethink completely and correctly our relations with our Mother Earth and develop the right attitudes and behavior toward her.
~ Idea 3322 ~
One of the great lessons we have learned from the environmental crisis and now the climatic one is that from now on we humans must subordinate ourselves to the Earth. The Earth comes first and we humans second. We must declare Earthology, the right relations between humans and the Earth, the foremost science on this planet. We must see, agree, approve or condemn everything primarily from the point of view of the Earth and no longer solely from our point of view. The new century and millennium will be those of the preeminence of the Earth.
~ Idea 3323 ~
"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again... And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France.
When will we also teach them what they are?
We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move.
You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?
You must work - we must all work - to make the world worthy of its children."
Pablo Casals
Casals held such language wherever he went. He cried each time he came to the United Nations which he considered to be a great human miracle.
In the schools which bear my name the children are told from the first day that each of them is a miracle never to be repeated again. This is why they never fight in these schools, because a miracle does not hurt another miracle.
~ Idea 3324 ~
In the Robert Muller Schools the children are also shown a World Core Curriculum which encompasses all human knowledge (see insert in Volume I and IV) and are told that they should be happy to be alive today and to receive a knowledge which no Emperor or king in the past ever received.
~ Idea 3325 ~
I sometimes think that the human species has become an aberration. But then I remember that humans became aware of their excessive growth - the population explosion only in the 1950's; of the environmental crisis - the destruction of nature - only in the 1970's; and of the misdoings of global business world-wide only in the 1990's. This list of global awarenesses to which one can add the concern for climatic changes, is only at its beginning. What will be next? Perhaps this is something very new and hopeful in our evolution. Our new global, cosmic awarenesses in the 21st century could become the biggest progress ever in our evolution.
~ Idea 3326 ~
It also occurred to me that the consciousness of global peace is very recent. It was born internationally only with the League of Nations which did not survive. But the United Nations survived and grows despite the hostility of blind, retarded elements.
Could it be that disarmament, demilitarization and the denuclearization of this planet could have the same fate?
In that case humanity would save 800 billion dollars of wrong expenditures each year, with which all urgent problems on this planet could be solved.
~ Idea 3327 ~
We are beginning to hear of over-consumption as a problem in the rich countries parallel to over-population in the poor ones. But how about over-production which precedes over-consumption and is promoted by over-marketing and over-advertisement? The whole economic system of this planet must be seriously rethought.
~ Idea 3328 ~
Having been invited as one of the speakers at a UNESCO conference on creating a Common Framework for Ethics in the 21st Century I read in their basic document that, "The participants of a first meeting in Paris identified eight world problems while Aurelio Peccei, the founder of the Club of Rome counted twenty-seven. The Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potentials of the Union of International Associations in Brussels has identified 12,203 world problems put forth in international journals and in the documents of some 20,000 international non-profit organizations."
It reminded me that a few years ago the Union of International Association, of which I am an advisory member, asked its members what new subjects they could study. I answered that a project could be to draw a list of international and global problems. Hardly did I imagine that they would do it and identify so many of them. But they went an excellent step further by showing the existing potentials of solving them.
~ Idea 3329 ~
Barbara wants to run for Mayoress of Santa Barbara since a beautiful neighboring community where she lives now called Goleta located in a magnificent nature will be annexed to Santa Barbara. I said to her, "Yes, but you should rather think of running for Mayoress of the World. Why don't we start a series of dialogs in which I would ask you, 'As woman Mayoress of the World, what would you do?'" This could be an interesting contribution to the solution of our world's problems. Mayors are closer to the people and to the Earth than far away governments in their capitals. Such a book Mayoress of the World, could be a useful complement or improvement of what I wrote in my novel First Lady of the World in which a woman becomes Secretary General of the United Nations.
~ Idea 3330 ~
Another idea would be for the International Association of Mayors to put this question to all its members: "How would you govern the Earth if you were her Mayor or Mayoress?"
~ Idea 3331 ~
A World Conference on the United Nations Charter Review is an urgent obligation of governments toward the fate and future of humanity and of the Earth. Not to do it at the onset of the 21st century and 3rd millennium would be an unforgivable negligence of the 189 national governments of this planet.
~ Idea 3332 ~
I strongly recommend that in every magazine and newspaper of this planet there should be a section on ideas and dreams for a better world. The fate of humanity and of the Earth can be determined from the top down by international institutions, governments, states and local authorities, but also from the bottom up by the people. The individual members of the human family should formulate their dreams and ideas. This would be an important democratic means on our planet.
~ Idea 3333 ~
The fact than an idea or proposal has no chance of being adopted should not be a reason for not formulating it. An example given by the rich is the following: the Republican Party in the United States has submitted to the US Congress a draft legislation according to which all estate taxes would be abolished. This would mean that the wealth of the rich would be inherited by their children or descendants without paying taxes! They know perfectly that such a legislation has no chance of being adopted. Well, the Democratic Party could propose an opposite legislation asking for the redistribution of wealth!
~ Idea 3334 ~
A reason why the idea or any proposal for proper world or Earth government is being rejected by the US is that it would lead to world dictatorship. This is an accusation launched and nourished by the rich who do not want to share their wealth with the poor. In reality they fear that a world democratic government would give a majority to the poor of the planet and that they would no longer be able to keep their privileges. The same situation prevailed in France on the eve of the French Revolution.
~ Idea 3335 ~
There are many tax havens or islands in the world which the very rich use to avoid taxation either by depositing their wealth in the banks of such countries (e.g. Switzerland) or by taking domicile in such havens. If the total amount of capital accumulated in these tax havens were known to the world it would create a shock. This is why I recommend the re-establishment of the Fiscal and Financial Commission of the United Nations and its Fiscal Financial Branch. I worked there when I was a young UN official. Alas, at the insistence of powerful lobbies, both this Commission and its Secretariat were abolished. It would be a shame if humanity would not re-establish them.
~ Idea 3336 ~
I wish that all astronauts from the United States and other countries would join in a World Astronauts Association accredited to the United Nations and would tell the world how they think our planet should be well-governed.
~ Idea 3337 ~
In order to help a better settlement of humans on this planet and avoid excessive changes from one place to another, municipalities should envisage tax reductions to those people who remain for many years in the same place and housing. More generally a new, imaginative taxation policy should be devised world-wide in order to keep many people on the land and have fewer people move to cities.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, please add this: humans, my bewildered children, are spending more and more time, imagination, education and money on how to produce infinitely more goods, how to build more industries, more cities, shopping centers, homes, roads and airports than on how to preserve, save and improve me. Don't they understand that I am their original, most precious capital and home?
~ Idea 3338 ~
The same way as many people did not use the supersonic airplanes because of their damages to the environment, there will come a day when the majority of the world's people will no longer take airplanes for their travel. Hopefully many networks of very fast long-distance trains will be available on each continent. The access by air and by car to so many American and big cities of the world has become such an ordeal that it should a be a world-wide policy to build, re-build, maintain, improve and extend the distances of fast railroad systems.
~ Idea 3339 ~
There is a very substantial increase of passengers from poor countries who travel by air to visit members of their family who emigrated to rich countries such as the US and Canada. This costs them plenty of money and it congests air traffic. I hope that fast long-distance railroad lines will be built to facilitate the trips of such people at lower costs, for example from Mexico to the United States and Canada.
~ Idea 3340 ~
I recommend that the International Railroad Association should become a full specialized agency of the United Nations' added to the UN International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN International Maritime Organization. An International Road Transportation Agency must also be created. Together we would have a World Transportation Agency which could do wonders for a coordinated World Transport Policy, standardization, etc. The already existing Transport Commissions of the Regional Economic Commissions of the United Nations would be integrated into it.
~ Idea 3341 ~
When will governments and all public services in the world pay as much attention and resources to our precious, life-giving and bearing Mother Earth as they do to human affairs? No wonder that the Earth is on the decline and that doubts arise about the future of a rapidly growing humanity.
I recommend that all budgets in the world should show the sums budgeted for the Earth, for her seas and oceans, for her nature and future as are now budgeted for human needs, concerns, the political system and future "economic growth".
~ Idea 3342 ~
I do not know if governments and the International Labor Organization keep good statistics on environmental professions and public services, for example people employed in world, international, national, provincial and local parks and forests. Job opportunities should be systematically favored and developed in this new major field of human concern, especially jobs for youth.
One could also conceive that abandoned farms should be purchased by governments and given to young people to keep them on the land.
~ Idea 3343 ~
In 1974 a friend of mine, President of the Association United States - China told me of his intention to create transnational corporations between the poor countries of Asia and the western rich ones. I told him of my idea that the head of a great corporation should develop a model of a transnational corporation which would adopt its own rules of ethics before being forced to do so in ten or twenty years by governments.
This idea is only being taken up now in the year 2000, pretty late to redress the situation.
~ Idea 3344 ~
As early as 1974 I recommended that the best brains of the planet should consider the effects of the arrival of billions of more humans and foresee great regional planning conferences for all continents leading to a major world conference on the planet's resources and the humanity to be accommodated. It never took place.
~ Idea 3345 ~
We should not live in a world of diminishing forests and fields and increasing highrises, skyscrapers, parking lots and airports.
~ Idea 3346 ~
In a proper Earth government there would be no spies, no CIA's, etc. The savings by 189 governments on that subject alone would merit to create a proper Earth government.
~ Idea 3347 ~
I once heard of a textile firm which produced garments with the picture of elephants and wild animals promising to pay a small percentage of the sale price to the World Wildlife Fund. It is good idea to be followed by other businesses, better than most advertisements one ses on t-shirts.
~ Idea 3348 ~
The French revolutionaries abolished the king, the sovereign of that time but then they gave themselves the absolute sovereignty of the nation. Since then wars and power contests continued between sovereign nations.
Why not
Political scientists should review all this and determine if any sovereignties are still permissible, affordable, in the interdependent, globally endangered 21st century. The entire political system of this planet must be reviewed from scratch.
~ Idea 3349 ~
Edmund Burke said, "A politician should be a philosopher in action."
I would also say: A United Nations official, a world servant should be a philosopher in action.
~ Idea 3350 ~
The United Nations has raised claims for racial equality and equality of women and men. Would it not be worthwhile to raise more equalities to achieve a better humanity: more equality between professions, more equality for education, more equality of income and wealth? Yes, why not create a science and philosophy of equalities on this planet?
~ Idea 3351 ~
Someone should launch the idea of eco-hotels and eco-lodgings around the world to allow ecology minded people to avoid the big, luxurious, lavish hotels and find simple, frugal, eco-respectful lodgings. Such eco-lodgings could become models of how we should all live in a greater respect and harmony with nature.
~ Idea 3352 ~
From a World Awareness Network established in Nicosia Cyprus I received a document with this inscription:
If you can dream it, you can do it.
How right they are.
~ Idea 3353 ~
The United States is now practically ruling the world. Americanism is the biggest power that has ever existed on this planet and capitalism has won as the ruling ideology of humanity. The US and capitalism must absolutely review the current world predicaments and change course. If not, they will ruin the world and themselves. A totally new element has emerged in the late period of the 20th century: the preeminence of the Earth.
~ Idea 3354 ~
The present ways of humanity are disastrous for the Earth. Humans have become a mistaken, aberrant species which might now put an end to the normal further evolution of this planet. This is the most urgent and important problem facing us in the 21st century.
~ Idea 3355 ~
Life is a product of this planet, of its functioning and conditions (sun exposure, warmth, air rain, etc.). All life forms are born from matter of the Earth plus solar energy. Of all these life forms the human species is now over-exploiting, damaging and destroying the Earth for its own purposes considering itself no longer born from and part of the Earth but superior to her. Almost all our inventions are for our own benefit. Human proliferation, consumption proliferation, production proliferation, activities and movements proliferation are not in the interest of the Earth. Henceforth the most important inventions and efforts we must make are for the Earth and her nature. Will we?
~ Idea 3356 ~
A message to Ted Turner,
Dearest Ted,
You must absolutely go beyond the media and save the Earth. Please create THE TED TURNER WORLD CABINET, an idea of Douglas Gillies who interviewed you recently. It could change the course of the world.
Most warmly,
Robert Muller
~ Idea 3357 ~
I think that with my 3000 and more ideas I leave behind me more than any UN Secretary General has ever done. Future Secretaries General, heads of states, heads of great human institutions should follow my example and write down their ideas and dreams for a better world. The result would be fantastic. Their biographies should be accompanied by ideagraphies.
~ Idea 3358 ~
I propose the creation of a new profession on Earth: paradise advisors.
~ Idea 3359 ~
My Testament to the UN published in 1992,* fruit of 38 years of experience at the United Nations, should be a classic for all people interested in how our world is managed or rather mismanaged in this last century of the second millennium and beginning of the third.
In particular it should be a required reading in all international and political science faculties in the world. So should my 4000 Ideas.
*Hopefully, it will be reprinted some day in a series The Robert Muller Classics.
~ Idea 3360 ~
No newspaper on Earth should be allowed to have more than ten to twenty pages a day and no magazine more than forty to fifty. What a saving this would represent for the forests of the world!
~ Idea 3361 ~
Humans should cease or reduce their reading of newspapers and books. The first are overflowing with bad news, advertising and obituaries leaving readers totally depressed. Books are predominately murder and scandal stories or novels of which one must read hundreds of pages to know the outcome or find any valuable ideas. The quantity of waste paper produced by both and the damage caused to forests is colossal.
~ Idea 3362 ~
We need a world revolution against human explosions and crazinesses:
The time has come when we humans must think what is feasible and limit ourselves to what is necessary within the framework of the resources and the renewal capacity of the Earth. We are still far from that wisdom.
~ Idea 3363 ~
Peace and security by the United Nations are an utmost priority. But the real miracles and results will come from the total demilitarization and disarmament of this planet.
~ Idea 3364 ~
In order not to bring this Earth to an end more humans should decide not to have any children anymore or to have only a few. The Earth will be very grateful to them.
The Earth:
"How right you are my dear Robert. They are all coming out of my flesh, air, and liquids and then destroying me. They are a true catastrophe in my long history and will put an end to my further evolution."
~ Idea 3365 ~
Stopping the further 'economic development' explosion, human population explosion, consumption explosion, accumulation explosion, transport and travel explosion must urgently become the new priorities of humanity if we are to survive. This goes far beyond the environment, the green revolution and sustainable economic development.
~ Idea 3366 ~
We do not need to fear that an atomic war will put an end to humanity. Endless economic frenzy will do it more slowly but more surely, more definitely, and planet-wide.
~ Idea 3367 ~
The time will come when human beings will not be allowed to take airplanes for more than a total mileage during their lifetime. Perhaps the same will happen for automobiles too.
~ Idea 3368 ~
The Earth:
"The extraordinary airplanes which carry people and goods over thousands of miles around the world are considered results of geniuses and great managers. But nobody says what they are doing to me, the Earth, how much carbon dioxide they emit, the damage to my atmosphere, the increase in world tourism, business and construction they create, further contributing to my destruction."
~ Idea 3369 ~
The decadent Romans said:
In vino veritas
In wine is the truth.
In our modern society where wine and alcohol are spreading to the entire world, except the Muslim one, I would say In vino calamitas, in wine is calamity.
In France it has reached the point that if you do not drink wine you are considered to be sick. It doesn't occur to Frenchmen that alcohol and wine are one of the major causes of sicknesses. The opposition to alcohol must take the same way as the opposition to smoking. There is no reason why governmental health services financed by taxation should bear healing costs of wrong, health-impairing consumptions.
~ Idea 3370 ~
There is on this planet a new form of conquest, of colonization, namely consumption conquest or colonization. That is what the big world companies do: get the people at home and world-wide accustomed, needy, addicted to particular consumptions. Coca Cola is the classical example rightly called in the poor countries Coca Colanization. And there are infinitely more examples of this world consumerization by the advanced, rich and endlessly greedy western business.
~ Idea 3371 ~
France should have this ideal: to become the most rural, reforested, revillagized country on Earth, an example of sanity to be followed by other countries. Yes, a renewed, revillagized world. Reboiser et revillagiser. This should be stimulated with strong subsidies, incentives, tax exemptions and transfer of military expenditures.
~ Idea 3372 ~
My ideal, my dream as a Frenchman who loves this beautiful country, would be to see France become the first most advanced middle-sized country in the world and demilitarize itself. As a result it could become even more peaceful, more just and more beautiful. Please, dear God, make this dream become true.
~ Idea 3373 ~
An excellent news announced at the heads of state Millennium Assembly at the United Nations in September 2000:
The Organization of African Unity has decided to unite the entire continent of Africa into the United States of Africa with a common Parliament for the entire continent, a common currency, a common Court of Justice, etc.
This means progress toward one of my proposed approaches to proper Earth government in Volume IV, Ideas 1901 to 2000 of my 2000 Ideas and Dreams, namely a continental approach. One could conceive five continental unions, the European Union, an All-American, or an All-North American and All-South American, an African, an Asian, and an Australian Union. A world union could be constructed as a super-structure and common political system of the five continents.
~ Idea 3374 ~
I wish that someone would write a book on what the world would be in the year 3000 if communism or capitalism had won. It is not impossibles that communism would turn out better than capitalism. At least the Earth would not be destroyed.
~ Idea 3375 ~
The main objective of money should no longer be to create new factories, new productions and more consumption but to permit the financing of world and local common services, especially public services and activities who would give an income to all peoples of the world. This thought came to me this morning when I saw several gardeners working on the grounds of the UN University for Peace. They create beauty, not anything essential, consumable but they receive an income which permits them to live and to have a family. Perhaps the World Treasury proposed by the Nobel Economics Prize winner Jan Tinbergen of Holland should be created.
~ Idea 3376 ~
We do not live in a democracy anymore. We live in a moneycracy. Money and those who hold it rule the world and our lives. A thorough world survey of this fact would reveal a pretty frightening situation, an aberration in the evolution of humanity on this planet. We need urgently an ecocracy, the rules and requirements of our home now in peril of destruction. The Natural Law Party, launched in the world by British scientists seems to be a great promise and new hope; it recommends that all humanity and all institutions follow the laws and rules of nature. I urge the Natural Law Party to propose a Natural Earth World Government.
~ Idea 3377 ~
One great thing all governments of planet Earth should at least do is to create:
This would help enormously the state of the world and our future survival and fulfillment.
~ Idea 3378 ~
The United Nations must absolutely create a main committee or organ on the future. Such a body should instill into the whole United Nations system of 32 specialized agencies and world programs, into all governments and the whole world the need to plan each coming new decade and new century up to the year 3000.
We have already a good number of yearly states of the world reports. We need also future states of the world reports.
~ Idea 3379 ~
Dear God, how much more must I still work at the age of seventy-seven instead of enjoying the farm I acquired for my children and grandchildren in Costa Rica?
God:
"I only fulfilled your dream inscribed at the entrance of your farm cabin: 'I dream that someday I will live as an elder of the United Nations on a hill with a magnificent view and spend my remaining time writing the beautiful stories of my life and my dreams and ideas for a better world.'
It is here that Jose Figueres decided to demilitarize Costa Rica.
It is here that you helped create the first University for Peace on this planet.
It is here that the Earth Council, created by the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Conference on the Environment was established, as you wanted.
It is here that the first International Radio for Peace gives you a world voice.
It is here that you are writing your thousands of Ideas and Dreams for a Better World.
I only did what you dreamt."
I:
Thank you dear God for reminding me of it.
~ Idea 3380 ~
It is so good to see students of the University for Peace meet in the open air on the magnificent grounds of Mt. Rasur and to hear them laugh and express their dreams and joys for studying peace, conflict resolution, respect for nature and all other good things taught by that blessed university. What a great example it must become for all universities in the world.
~ Idea 3381 ~
The world's people want proper Earth and human government so much that national governments must soon get out of their way and let them have it. The Peoples' Assemblies created all over the world will help it.
~ Idea 3382 ~
If Alexander Hamilton lived today he would say these words about the United States' policy towards the United Nations:
"If you do not will the means, you do not will the end."
Yes, the last thing on Earth the US Government wants to see is a successful UN loved by the people.
~ Idea 3383 ~
In a World Union on the model of the European Union in which member nations keep most of the sovereignty on internal affairs, a Parliament of the World Union would be able to adopt a world legislation on the multinational corporations which now rule widely and uncontrolled the world, often to the detriment of nations, of the Earth and of their inhabitants.
~ Idea 3384 ~
Perhaps in order to save the Earth, overpopulating and overconsuming countries should be temporarily excluded from the United Nations until they have reasonably reduced their population increase and their overconsumption.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, that is an excellent idea. But there would be very few nations left in the United Nations!"
~ Idea 3385 ~
The human species has become scientifically, technologically, economically and politically an out of bounds, crazy species, an evolutionary misfit. The earlier this is admitted at the heads of states level, the better it will be.
~ Idea 3386 ~
In each Prime Minister's Office there should be a Unit of Philosophy having among others the task of preparing yearly reports on the state and future of that nation from the philosophical, ethical and evolutionary point of view.
~ Idea 3387 ~
The United Nations should prepare yearly current states and future states of the world reports from all points of view, including the philosophical, ethical point of view.
~ Idea 3388 ~
Without proper Earth government and laws each nation does strictly what it wants and the sum total of what they do and want might be very detrimental, even disastrous to the Earth and to humanity. It is incredible and of bad omen that we do not yet have a proper Earth government, not even an attempt towards one as we enter the 3rd millennium. This might cost us very dearly.
~ Idea 3389 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I really think that the best that could happen to me would be the disappearance of the human species. All other species would rejoice and evolution could continue. The human species seems to me hopeless."
I:
Dear Earth, I cannot agree with you. I have seen so many good things and miracles happen that I will throw my hat and all my efforts in favor of the ultimate success of the human species. Please don't give up hoping.
~ Idea 3390 ~
When will we at long last call our Earth the Garden of Eden, a miracle of peace, love, beauty and happiness in the universe?
Yes, peace, love, beauty, harmony, cooperation and happiness should be our principal objectives in the 3rd millennium, not money, business and more power. The higher, nobler the objective, the closer one comes to it.
~ Idea 3391 ~
It will be much easier to plan and work intelligently for a just, happy, fulfilled humanity on a well-preserved Earth than to cope in innumerable, disorderly ways with the multitude of problems besetting us now on Earth. Yes, why not try to achieve paradise Earth within the next hundred years? Let us set Paradise Earth 2100 as the target, the logo for the celebration of the year 2100.
~ Idea 3392 ~
Thank God we have now an Earth Charter drafted by the Earth Council established on the grounds of the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. We also have a Charter of Nature drafted by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and a Charter of Water by UNESCO. These are wonderful, hopeful signs for our and the Earth's salvation. We need many more such Charters to guide us on a safe, ascending journey on this planet.
~ Idea 3393 ~
All Ministries of Art on Earth should be renamed Ministries of Beauty and Art which would foster beauty everywhere and by everyone, not only by artists.
~ Idea 3394 ~
We must create at the UN University for Peace a Faculty of Happiness, Love and Beauty, as major ways to achieve peace and human fulfillment.
~ Idea 3395 ~
Why not have in Universities a new faculty called 'Achievement of Paradise Earth'? Isn't that a major dream and objective of the human species? Such faculties could render us a tremendous service. We must create one at the UN University for Peace. It will be one of my objectives.
~ Idea 3396 ~
I love this wonderful statement by Pablo Casals:
"I long for the day when the peoples of the world will sit together bound in happiness and love for beauty as in one great concert hall."
Yes indeed, happiness and love for beauty. This is why I do not cease to recommend that all governments should have a Ministry of Happiness. Pablo Casals would add: and Love.
~ Idea 3397 ~
The Earth Council, created by the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Second World Conference on the Environment should work out proposals for a proper Earth government. Its Earth Charter is a first, very substantial step towards it. Its implementation will indeed require legislative steps, governmental actions, proper Earth government.
~ Idea 3398 ~
We have more than 30,000 international peoples' associations working for the good causes of a better world and humanity. But surprisingly not a single one tries to achieve Paradise Earth. The word is not even mentioned by a single one of them.
I am at fault myself: I am writing 4000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World but that is not enough. If God allows me to live longer, I must write and publish the next 1000 ideas on how to achieve Paradise Earth, and select from the first 4000 ideas those which are related to that achievement.
~ Idea 3399 ~
The world of today, with its 189 sovereign nations is in the same, if not worse condition than it was when George Washington and his aides concluded that the 49 sovereign confederate states of America could not continue and proposed a federation of these states. The United States of America was created with a minimal margin of votes for which all United States citizens are grateful today. We must absolutely achieve the same with the creation of a federation or Union of all nations of the world. It is even more important, because now the entire fate of the world and of humanity is involved.
Not to do it would be an unthinkable evolutionary irresponsibility.
~ Idea 3400 ~
My compatriot Albert Schweitzer was for reverence for life. I am for admiration, passion, enthusiasm (Greek en theos, God in us) for life.
~ Idea 3401 ~
Forgiving and forgetting are two different things. Forgiving is beautiful as I said in my exhortation Decide to Forgive. But forgetting should not be allowed, for, as Santayana has said, "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it."
~ Idea 3402 ~
A symptom that our current human condition is sick politically, economically, socially and spiritually lies in the fact that such a great number of criticisms are leveled against it and innumerable remedies proposed to it. From such a sea of dissatisfaction a revolution is likely to arise to give birth to a new human society at a more advanced, just stage of evolution.
What shall be this new human society? That is the great challenge posed to our generation.
~ Idea 3403 ~
Visiting Paris I was astonished how nearly all its public and private buildings have been cleaned and restored to the original beige, almost white color of their beautiful stones. I commented to Barbara: this tremendous work of beautification has been possible only because for fifty-five years there has not been any war. She said: you must write this in your ideas. Yes, can we imagine how beautiful this world will be once there will be no longer any wars. I think it is one of the straightest ways of achieving paradise on Earth.
~ Idea 3404 ~
In my idea 857 of 13 November 1996 I dreamt that I would be appointed Secretary General of the World Peoples' Assembly in 2000. I placed that dream on our Bench of Dreams. Well, it was fulfilled: I was appointed Lifelong Honorary President of the Global Peoples' Assembly by the Samoa session in 2000!
The second dream in that idea is still unfulfilled: that the UN General Assembly would honor me with the title Secretary or Servant General Emeritus or Wise Elder of the United Nations. It would be the most beautiful recompense for all my lifelong efforts.
~ Idea 3405 ~
I recommended in Idea 640 a world law or a law in all nations that newspapers must limit their advertisements to five percent of their copy. Four years later, in 2000 the contrary has taken place: in big newspapers like the New York Times one sees now entire pages with one big slogan or advertisement.
~ Idea 3406 ~
In every locality on Earth there should be a house of worship, of spirituality where people can find a relationship with heaven, with peace and with all other great qualities of life, see their children considered as children of God, and receive the good words and holding hand of a soul minister during sickness and at the moment of death.
What a more wonderful world it will be when in each village, town and community the church bells, the muezzins and the gongs will announce the resurrection of the day, the hours, midday, and the onset of the night.
~ Idea 3407 ~
In a beautiful country like France no multilevel apartment buildings should be allowed to be built. They disfigure villages and small towns. Every family should be given facilities to build their own modest house. Big cities should be deconcentrated. France should dream and become a model, a showplace, a paradise of villages and little communities with preserved traditions, nestled in a beautiful, well-preserved, heavenly nature.
~ Idea 3408 ~
There should be much more decentralization in the world. A whole science, strategy and methodology of it should be developed. There should be as many ideas if not more, for small localities than for big cities. Alas, this is not the case become the fastest moneymaking for builders and construction companies is in great cities.
~ Idea 3409 ~
I dream of a total decentralization of this planet, a world of villages with few cars, no airplanes and little tourism. Why could that not be an ideal? Why should the contrary be the ideal?
~ Idea 3410 ~
Wine is beginning to be produced in all climates and regions of France as I could observe during a long train trip. I wonder how much land is thus taken away from nutritional and pasture products in favor of a non-nutritional, health impairing, but highly profitable product? French people should be taught and told that alcohol is health impairing and rightly called the devil by the Arab civilization. Confucius too, in China said: "You drink the first cup of alcohol and the second cup will drink you."
~ Idea 3411 ~
Automobiles, airplanes, business, tourism, big cities and the population explosion are likely to bring about the end of humanity and of life on this planet. There is almost no way out of this situation. Each of these factors is too deeply entrenched and constantly growing and governments are incapable or unwilling to stop the degradation.
We need a World Emergency Conference to Prevent the End of Life on Earth.
~ Idea 3412 ~
Governments should levy special taxes on people who have needlessly more than one car per family. A whole set of world and national legislations are needed to reduce or stem the air traffic and automobile explosions. These must be added to the population and overconsumption explosions of which only the first has received attention and visibility. Please dear rich and affluent people of the world have the discipline to reduce if not eliminate your travels around the world. The fate of the Earth is more important than tourism to far away countries.
~ Idea 3413 ~
To use or visit the French international airport of Roissy in Paris gives you the most glaring proof that our planet will go to pieces, that it is simply impossible to go on like that for long. The Foundation for the Future in the year 3000 should hold a meeting in Roissy to get an illustration and proof of it.
~ Idea 3414 ~
All scientists who are studying the human being and human life will tell you that each of us is an incredible miracle of trillions of cells, innumerable flows, networks and organs which defy imagination. It is therefore a blemish, an awful sin to see humans trained, used and honored for killing other humans grouped in different nations, religions or beliefs. We must call this an outright obsolete, enduring form of slavery. It must be challenged, fought and suppressed as was slavery. Let us all arise against military slavery. How beautiful it will be when this blemish of humanity will be gone. There cannot be any glory attached to killing other human beings, other miracles, other children of God.
~ Idea 3415 ~
Humans should get their dreams straight. These can no longer be those of the industrial, scientific, economic revolution. Right relations between all humans, with the Earth, with her nature, with our descendants, with the future of our planet and with the heavens are the right dreams.
~ Idea 3416 ~
"The aggregate happiness of society, which is best promoted by the practice of a virtuous policy, is or ought to be the end of all government."
George Washington
This is why I recommend that Ministries of Happiness be created in all governments and a Commission and Department of Happiness in the United Nations.
~ Idea 3417 ~
We must have great audacity and courage to save this Earth from destruction and to achieve a better, happier humanity. We must wage a battle against militarism, armaments and the destruction of nature by big business, a battle similar to the past ones against slavery, racism and colonialism which we won.
Other major battles should be against overpopulation, overconsumption and for a poverty free humanity.
~ Idea 3418 ~
Instead of communism and capitalism which were born in the circumstances of the end of the 19th century we need in our new circumstances a combination of humanism and Earthism: the achievement of happy, fulfilled human beings in harmonious right relationship with a miraculous, well-preserved Earth.
~ Idea 3419 ~
Someone has called me a 'paradiser' who tries to make the whole Earth a paradise. Dear reader, please become a paradiser too. Let us be numerous to become the 21st century and 3rd millennium Earth paradisers.
~ Idea 3420 ~
Dictating my handwritten journals over many years, which people would be unable to read, I wondered: this will take an enormous time and will anyone transcribe them? Will anyone publish them? Will anyone ever read them?
And yet they are important views and historical facts covering thirty-seven years of one of the first international world public servants' life, actions, ideas, successes and defeats, and also a wisdom to be improved and perfected by today's and tomorrow's youth.
This idea has occurred to me: I should write even more audacious books and publish them as well as those out of print under the title suggested by Barbara: the Classics of Robert Muller who should have been Secretary General of the United Nations, a Nobel Prize winner and the first President of the first Earth government.
And publish also those of Barbara under the title: the Works of Barbara Gaughen Muller who should have been First Lady of the UN, a Nobel Prize winner and the First Lady of the first Earth government.
Why not?
It would force us both to think out the human and Earth conditions to the utmost ideal limits. The time has come for someone to do that.
~ Idea 3421 ~
We should make a serious effort to deaviationize this planet. The quick increase of aviation, quick transportation of ever larger numbers of people and quantities of goods is dangerously polluting the heavens. At seven o'clock in the morning over the valley of Geneva in September 2000 I counted already in the blue skies seventeen streaks of aviation exhausts from planes leaving Geneva airport. I wonder what the total number and the total exhaust of carbon dioxide is for the world as a whole and will be in the year 3000 at the present rate of increase.
~ Idea 3422 ~
We look too much at the world population problem in its characteristics, components and growth between countries, especially the rich and the poor countries. We should look with equal interest and concern at a population problem between rural areas and cities. Policies for more ruralization and less citization should be thought out and proposed by the United Nations for all continents and nations.
~ Idea 3423 ~
There is need for someone, why not the UN Secretary General, to write A NEW UNITED NATIONS.
~ Idea 3424 ~
We need an international association of men and women who are audacious, peaceful revolutionaries whose ideas and peaceful actions would receive world-wide attention and inspire more people to see a world change for the better.
~ Idea 3425 ~
When visiting a country like Costa Rica, and there are many others, one sees tens of thousands of Coca Cola advertisements, infinitely more than crosses in the name of Christ. The only chapter on which Christianity beats Coca Cola is the number of churches. I am surprised that Coca Cola's world imperialists have not yet thought of Coca Cola churches and temples.
~ Idea 3426 ~
I recommend a world movement for giving only good, beautiful, inspiring names to natural sites, cities, streets, buildings, people, children, etc. in order to create more beauty, happiness, elevation and philosophy all around us on this beautiful planet Earth.
There are already many. For example the Pacific Ocean, the names of saints for cities, for children.
Etymological records should be established for a whole series of names: the names of countries, of natural sites, of cities, villages, streets, family names, personal names. Those would be fascinating records to provide inspiration.
All new streets, cities and communities should be given beautiful, elevating, lovable, inspiring names.
People should also give beautiful names to their homes which mean so much to them, etc. Dear reader, add your own suggestions.
~ Idea 3427 ~
Tourism agencies should provide visitors with the etymology of the high points, geography, cities, shrines of the countries visited. This is particularly necessary for countries which have a different language, traditions and history.
~ Idea 3428 ~
If Humanism and Earthism are adopted as the new ideologies for the 21st century one of the first things to do would be to establish lists such as:
- what have we achieved already to ensure Humanism?
- what do we still have to do to achieve full Humanism?
- what have we achieved already to ensure Earthism?
- what do we still have to do to achieve full Earthism?
~ Idea 3429 ~
I hope that one day a really universal, updated, forward-looking modern model university will be created on this Earth, if possible next to the UN University for Peace and the Earth Council in Costa Rica. The university could be based on my World Core Curriculum (see table in Volume I) used so far only in elementary and secondary schools. It would provide the widest, most total, up to date structure of an educational institution in the entire human history so far.
~ Idea 3430 ~
Two years ago I sent to all my grandchildren my story The Cleanest Mile on Earth. One of them who is a Boy Scout told me that as a result in his school district the Boy Scouts have a road cleaning assignment. He is part of a Boy Scout team in charge of cleaning five miles. Bravo! After all, some of my ideas have an effect.
~ Idea 3431 ~
Having a glance at the list of my new words at the end of the preceding volume I wonder why I see there 'thankology' (the science to thanks) and not 'thinkology' (the science of thinking) and 'dreamology' (the science of dreams). There exists already the word ideology but it represents a body of beliefs like capitalism and communism and not a vast open science of ideas, which should be called ideaology.
~ Idea 3432 ~
Even if experts would prove to me a thousand times that the Earth and the human species will sooner or later perish, I would not change my decision to work day and night for our better, optimum, fulfilled, miraculous future. During the night too, will you ask me? Yes, because sacred Mt. Rasur on which we live makes me dream every night of ways to save and embellish the Earth and the human species.
~ Idea 3433 ~
A message from Erika Erdmann who was the research assistant and librarian of Roger Sperry, the Nobel Prize winner for his research and discoveries on the human brain. She publishes a precious magazine called Humankind Advancing:
10 October 2000
Dear Dr. Muller and Barbara,
Yes, it would be wonderful to have a section "Ideas and Dreams" in Humankind Advancing and all other magazines. I will think about how to arrange it. I have read your last collection with joy and marked several good quotes for publication. Your Appeal to Leaders of Nations will appear in full in the next issue. It is simply amazing how you can find among the ruins of a seemingly tumbling-down world-wide culture so much reason for optimism!
With much love to both of you,
Erika Erdmann
~ Idea 3434 ~
15 October 2000
Dear Dr. Muller and Barbara
"I am delighted to be on the net and find Robert Muller! My signed copy of Most of All, They Taught Me Happiness is a well read and reread book, and as I thought with whom to share my idea, Dr. Muller's name came up on my inner lightboard. People must have thought of the following, but perhaps his expansive connections would assist spreading the idea if you two agree that:
Jerusalem should so obviously be THE international city of our planet. It should be a special principality just as the Vatican is in Rome. As the core of three of the five major world religions, it cannot 'belong' to any of them. I have even pictured the UN being centered there. How would this change the world? It would have to be for the better and toward world peace.
So, that's the idea; do with it what you will - and as I take the time in the next few days to go through this site thoroughly, I will be delighting in knowing where Dr. Muller is and what he is up to now."
Thanks for listening,
Billie Hobart
16 October 2000
Dear Billie Hobart,
I received your message with joy. I am glad that you kept in memory my first English book Most of All, They Taught Me Happiness. A little anecdote: when I finished the manuscript my wife, a Chilean diplomat, said to me: you must be kidding; after all your years at the UN you should have written a book on the UN. I answered: No. I wrote on happiness, because in the horrors of war you cannot find happiness. War must therefore be abolished. And I came to work for the UN, because it is a good chance to avoid wars. But it is only an instrument. The ultimate, most important objective is the happiness of people.
Your idea is splendid. It crossed my mind several times over the years. But I am almost sure that it was tried in the early years when Count Bernadotte was in charge of the Mid-East question. It could perhaps be revived, especially now that we have the United Religions Initiative, a religious United Nations, which I got finally established in the light of my book New Genesis and my opening speech at the World Parliament of Religions in 1992. May I suggest the following:
Send by fax to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan your idea and ask if it could not be a solution to the problem. Ask if it has ever been tried. He has always someone like me who discusses such messages with him and gives an answer to the person who wrote. Let me know what the answer will be, because even if it is negative, I will come up with something else. I will include yours in the fourth thousand ideas, half finished. Everything starts with a dream and an idea.
And thank you again for your message. It made my day in my little farmhouse on sacred Mount Rasur, above the UN University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica.
May God bless you
With my warmest wishes,
Robert Muller
~ Idea 3435 ~
We must now see a fundamental Earthshake against an outdated fundamentalist capitalism which must take into account the new evolutionary phase of our human inhabited planet, namely the Earth preservation and salvation phase.
~ Idea 3436 ~
The simplest way to solve the problem of unemployment in any country is to suppress the army, military training and armaments expenditures and launch an anti-poverty, pro-nature, art, and beauty program with the totality of the money saved.
Indeed, why does it take a war or a menace of war to produce jobs and resources to keep the economy floating or 'improving'? This can be achieved by implementing the articles of the UN Charter calling for a central world security system which would put an end to the need of army and defense expenditures in 170 not yet demilitarized countries.
~ Idea 3437 ~
My brother-in-law in Strasbourg who is in his seventies has lost a good part of his memory, except how he passed the test necessary to give him his job as an engineer in the French railroads, how he met my sister, and war stories how the Germans attacked their village at the border in the North of France, how the family had to move out and became refugees. When they returned at war's end they found the house completely destroyed. His father, forty-five years old, an artisan, died three weeks later on a mattress in the cellar. They didn't have a single bed left.
He ends these memories thanking God for having given him a good family, a good job and children who are doing well.
His memories struck my mind: my main memories are the same: war memories, how I got my job at the United Nations and how I met my life companion. And my same thanks go to God.
What are yours?
~ Idea 3438 ~
A remembrance by Ambassador Hoveyda from Iran: when he came to New York in 1949 as a young diplomat of the Iranian Mission to the UN he was utterly astonished that the price of a barrel of petroleum exported by his country was that of a hamburger! Well, fifty years later, in 2000 the head of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, on the occasion of a price increase of petroleum made this comparison: the price of a barrel of petroleum (159 liters) is twenty-six dollars while a barrel of Coca Cola costs seventy-eight dollars and a barrel of cognac $7,800.
~ Idea 3439 ~
The United Nations Meditation Room, conceived by Dag Hammarskjöld is incomplete in my view.
It shows a ray of light beaming in obscurity from the ceiling of the room on the top of a high, rectangular block of fine iron ore he imported from Sweden, his country of origin.
Its symbol is that this iron block was created by the energy of the cosmos. It is part of the cosmos as is all matter of the Earth. He considered himself to have come from Sweden as a hard, rational economist and was transformed by the United Nations into a mystic. This iron ore block was shown floating in the universe in a famous film by Stanley Kubrik: Space Odyssey 2000.
The change that I would introduce is that after a while the ray should fall on the head of the meditating person to convey to him or her that the human being is a cosmic reality too: we are born from the Earth which is all born from the cosmos, hence we are all cosmic, living, heavenly beings, the most advanced of all on this particular planet.
Such a realization can change our life and the entire human society and its relations with the Earth and with the heavens.
The great founders of religions were not wrong. This was the message of all of them. Most of them gave it the name God. A United Religions has now been created to bring back spirituality, the belief of humans in their heavenly cosmic nature, origin and role.
~ Idea 3440 ~
The message of the indigenous, sacred Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica is similar to that of the UN Meditation Room:
Rasur, the God of the children, emerged from the Earth in the form of light and told them that the miraculous nature around them was the creation of the Great Spirit, that they must take loving care of that nature during all their life. Before vanishing he prophecized that a civilization of peace will extend from that hill to the entire world. It is there that the demilitarization of Costa Rica was born, that the first University for Peace was created, that the UN Earth Council is located as well as the International Radio for Peace.
I am almost tempted to have a light projector installed on top of Mt. Rasur to send a beam of light on the peace monument below.
~ Idea 3441 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, why doesn't the UN define for each poor region in the world the kind of happiness and fulfillment of good lives they should seek instead of letting them be invaded by the excessive, often wrong ideals and habits spread world-wide so intensively by American and western business, finance, marketing and advertisement?"
I:
Dear Earth, it is a very good idea. I will recommend that the UN set satisfactory ideal consumption levels and standards of life for all regions in the world.
The Earth:
"Thank you, it would mean so much less destruction of my body and of the natural elements on which you live."
~ Idea 3442 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, why do humans call my nature wilderness compared with their settlements and ways of living? In my view the real wildernesses on my surface are the monstrous human cities and proliferating means of transportation, not my nature which is in equilibrium."
~ Idea 3443 ~
I wrote a popular story of my life entitled Happy Even in Prison. Someone should write stories or a book titled Happy Even in a Monstrous City.
~ Idea 3444 ~
Planet Earth and nature must henceforth always be first if humanity is not to perish.
~ Idea 3445 ~
The Earth:
"Any species which proliferates in numbers and can no longer augment on my surface, given the limits of my nature, decides to stop growing and even diminishes.
It is a first good sign that the human species is beginning to do that too: the western population will for the first time decline by forty million between now and the year 2050. This is very significant since a western human being consumes thirty times more of my resources than a person in a poor country. In my eyes the population forecasts for the year 2050 would therefore show a decline of consumption of my resources by 1.2 billion people in the rich countries. Alas this is wiped out by the increase of the population of the poor countries by 3 billion. Your efforts must therefore continue to be directed at reducing the population explosion in the poor countries. I congratulate you dear Robert for recommending that the United Nations should convene a World Population Emergency Conference."
~ Idea 3446 ~
Most people and institutions in the world are writing nowadays only on one side of a page. The back page remains usually blank.
I suggest that people print on that back page a text which is important to them. For example, on the back of the UN University for Peace's paper I photocopy the text of my Dream 3000 or one of my Decide to poems, for example Decide to Be Peaceful, Decide to be Happy, Decide to Forgive.
~ Idea 3447 ~
In addition to world, national, provincial and municipal parks a new type of community should be created for the preservation of the Earth, namely:
Harmony Communities i.e. areas in which a number of families would live in harmony, in right relationships with nature without destroying her.
In earlier ideas I proposed that an entire nation in a forested, tropical zone such as Paraguay or Guatemala could be made with world aid a Harmony Nation.
~ Idea 3448 ~
There should be a new general science of sustainability on planet Earth. It would encompass:
etc.
It should consist of:
1. A science, i.e. scientific investigation of what is sustainable to the Earth, how she can reproduce what humans are consuming, damaging or destroying from her.
2. A strategy: to what and whom it should be addressed, targeted, e.g. deforestation, land use, air destruction, climate modifications, water infection, etc.
3. A methodology: what to do to change and heal the current situation: legislation, education, fines, new technologies, reduction of activities, of consumption, right ethical advertisement and marketing, changes or creation of institutions.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I congratulate you for this far-reaching idea. Thank you."
~ Idea 3449 ~
Will humans ever become really smart? Reviewing my life in war and peace I often doubt it. Then my natural optimism and non-giving up return and make me dream and conceive again endless new ideas.
~ Idea 3450 ~
The cosmic energies which have produced hundreds of thousands of plants and species in the favorable life conditions of this planet might now give up their designs and efforts. Why? Because man, the most advanced species has not recognized his duty not to reatomize the Earth, not to destroy her living conditions and to save the plants and the species which are necessary for this planet's further evolution.
The human species governed by 189 sovereign multi-directed nations, military forces and giant businesses is very likely to put an end to the evolution of this rare, perhaps unique life-bearing planet in the universe, if we do not change course.
~ Idea 3451 ~
The United Nations must urgently be transformed into an appropriate all Human and Earth Evolutionary Agency to help humanity fulfill the requirements and challenges of further evolution.
E.g. its recommendations for peace, population control, consumption control and saving the Earth's natural living resources must absolutely and urgently be implemented by governments.
~ Idea 3452 ~
Perhaps the new ideology for the 21st century will be eco-humanism (oikos, the home and humanity) or Earth-humanism, taking good care of humanity and of the Earth in order to achieve a happy humanity on a well-preserved Earth. Cosmo-humanism, cosmo-earthism and cosmocracy might be next, namely the fulfillment of our further evolution in the universe through awareness and implementation of what the cosmic forces, God, the Great Spirit or other universe spirits expect from us.
~ Idea 3453 ~
If the United Nations were located in Russia, China or another country which would not pay its dues and not ratify the treaties agreed to in that organization the United States would be the first to protest and request that the United Nations be moved to another country. But for the US to do so is considered normal and rightful. Unfortunately, due to the dominant power position of the United States in the world, the rest of the world remains silent.
Hopefully the UN will soon transform itself into a community, into a family of all humans, as dreamt by its founders.
~ Idea 3454 ~
Here I am at the age of seventy-seven completely at a loss about the meaning of my life after so many experiences in so many places of the world. I do not see the sense of my temporary, small life on this tiny planet in the infinite universe and eternal stream of time. From most points of the universe our planet Earth cannot even be seen, being so small. Hence, how about me?
Then I remember having once seen in an exhibit on the universe a very long map on a wall representing an infinity of galaxies, stars and planets. There was an arrow saying, "In this area is our solar system and the Earth." There was not even a dot to represent them! I was deeply shocked, but after a while I redressed myself saying: well, on this non-represented dot, in this empty area, I am fully alive and able to see and embrace this entire, fabulous map of the universe designed by fellow humans.
And I suddenly felt very great, extended to the universe of which I am a cosmic creature, a being at one with the heavens, with the Earth and with infinite time. Might it not be the meaning of all human life to feel the totality, the incredible marvel of everything that is part of it? Yes, our Earth and all its living creatures are creations of the universe and so are we. We must therefore contribute to the ascending, further evolution expected by the cosmos. Our Earth is a miraculous, perhaps unique manifestation, embodiment, creation, transformation of the mysterious forces of the universe. And all humans are temporary, miraculous co-participants, co-workers in it. How marvelous, how beautiful it is to be blessed with life!
~ Idea 3455 ~
I have said this before, but I cannot help repeating it in view of its importance:
In 1970, during the twenty-fifth anniversary of the United Nations we published a forecast that in the year 2000 the world population, at the rate of increase at that time, would reach 7.3 billion people.
Well, due to the UN warning, during the fortieth anniversary in 1985, this estimate was down to 6.1 billion (in October 2000 we reached 6 billion). The UN's warning thus achieved in thirty years the non-addition of 1.2 billion more humans to the world population.
But, at the current rate the world population is still estimated to increase to 8.91 billion in 2050. almost 3 billion more than now. And during the last thirty years we have destroyed thirty percent of the nature of this planet.
The Earth:
"You are right dear Robert to repeat and repeat these figures. Don't governments and people realize that this will lead to catastrophe if humanity does not change its reproducing and overconsuming ways? My whole future evolution is at stake."
~ Idea 3456 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I am sometimes glad that humans are dying. If not, what would they not invent and consume, willingly or unwillingly destroying me?"
I:
I do not agree with you, they are part of you and return to you. They will learn to love and preserve you. Have patience. It is such a new lesson to learn.
~ Idea 3457 ~
If Julius Caesar returned to Earth he would say to us: if you know so much about the universe from the infinitely large to the infinitely small, if you have discovered that it is a breathtaking, unlimited cosmos how come that I see nowhere statues of Gods? We knew much less in Rome but everywhere you could see statues thanking the Gods for what we knew, what we were and what we had.
~ Idea 3458 ~
It occurred to me very belatedly when explaining the Robert Muller Schools and their curriculum to my daughter-in-law Mari-Téré that the early program in which pregnant mothers are educating and talking to their children in their womb was already practiced by my mother when she was pregnant with me.
She told me once that she dreamt to marry a very intelligent man but out of necessity, being an orphan she married my father who was a wonderful, kind and handsome young man but was not an intellectual.
She wanted therefore to bear a child of intelligence who would go far in life. She prayed for that everyday and told me her dreams in her womb hoping that I would not disappoint her.
Well, I tried my utmost to fulfill her dream. Mothers' dreams must be included in the dreamology, the science of dreams for a better world.
~ Idea 3459 ~
This has become a very unjust, unethical planet in the universe due to the continued selfish purposes of business, the sovereignties of nations, the supremacy of materialism, the militaries and the victory of the strongest. I recommend the urgent convening of a UN World Conference on Justice, Ethics and the Future of the Human and Earth Community.
~ Idea 3460 ~
There exists an International Association of Landscape Architects. I looked at the etymology of these words and learned that architect means "the designer and supervisor of the construction of buildings" and scaping means "to improve the appearance of a piece of land"
I recommend that this association should change its name to: World Association of Earth Beautifiers.
~ Idea 3461 ~
We should establish a world list of "you cannot be happy if..."
there is a war
there is hunger
there is no home
there is crass injustice
there is no nature
there is no fresh, pure air
there is violence in your neighborhood
there is no education
there is no employment for your children
there is no beauty
etc.
Yes, it would be interesting to establish such a list. I can prove at least one of them, namely you cannot be happy if there is a war. That was my case when I lived the incredible horrors and dangers of World War II and decided that I would devote my life to peace in the world and put an end to all wars, militaries and armaments. Lists of "I am happy when..." should also be written by everyone.
~ Idea 3462 ~
From our well-preseved, little farm on sacred Mt. Rasur we can see more and more planes landing and taking off in the valley below. They are now bringing daily two thousand foreign tourists to see in Costa Rica a nature they envy, having in large part lost theirs at home. What a pollution these planes produce. It seems that no country can win anymore.
~ Idea 3463 ~
I heard over the radio that the number of near collisions of airplanes in the United States is increasing very substantially: it now reaches about 150 daily.
~ Idea 3464 ~
The whole scientific world, the whole business, marketing and advertising worlds are filled with ideazation, i.e. constantly new ideas. The only worlds which are almost devoid of ideas are the political and the social worlds which are the most important ones to bring about a better world and ensure our ascending evolution.
~ Idea 3465 ~
The only good, significant political changes in the last fifty-five years, since the creation of the UN were:
no world war
decolonization:
the end of the cold war
the creation of the European Union of fifteen countries henceforth without borders between them
the creation of Ministries of the Environment
the creation of a Vice-President for Global Affairs in the United States.
Still missing are:
Ministries of Peace
Ministries of the Future
Ministries of Happiness
Ministries of Cleanliness
A proper global Earth government.
~ Idea 3466 ~
How many leaders in the world worry about the fact that there will be seventy-eight million more people in the world in this year 2000 after deducting from the 128 million of newly born the 50 million humans who will die and that next year the increase will be only a little less, namely seventy-six million more people?
A much more rapid decline of population should be a priority item on the agenda of world affairs.
~ Idea 3467 ~
There is another very fundamental human right which must be claimed by the people of the world: the right to just and proper government at all levels: municipal, state, provincial, national, continental and world level. The present political system which lets the rich get richer among countries and inside countries cannot be allowed to continue. Revolutions against it must be avoided by rapid correction.
~ Idea 3468 ~
I will never cease wondering how the supposedly most advanced, intelligent species on planet Earth, humanity, can take such contradictory, opposed stands on the following:
- on the one hand consider the killing of a human being by another as the highest conceivable crime, take innumerable measures to prevent it and punish it most severely including by a death penalty.
- on the other hand tolerate that its territorial subdivisions called nations arm themselves with the most horrible weapons capable of destroying all life on Earth, to have entire armies of killers who are congratulated, honored, medaled and remembered as heroes in history.
What would we say if we found in the universe another planet with a species doing that?
~ Idea 3469 ~
Positive thinking, dreams, ideas and optimism are creating cosmic waves which in mysterious ways still unknown to us help our dreams become a reality. Since we are all cosmic beings this is not unnatural.
~ Idea 3470 ~
What a wonderful world it will be when we will do as much for the Earth as we do already for one-fifth of humanity.
At this point an outer space being talked to me:
"Dear Robert, from our point of view your world is still in distress: your system makes the rich ever richer, lets the poor grow in incredible numbers and barely begins to devote any resources to your Earth. You do not have at the top a proper government and administration for the totality of your beautiful planet and for all humanity. Your future is very doubtful. You must absolutely change course."
~ Idea 3471 ~
It is forgotten that early in the 1970's when the environmental issue came up in the United Nations Russia proposed that a commission on the environment be created in the UN Security Council. To elevate the issue or to be able to use the veto?
~ Idea 3472 ~
My grandparents lived through two European wars (1870-71, 1914-18), and one of them lived also through World War II.
I lived through World War II and now I am in the middle of one of the biggest wars ever in human history, the undeclared, unplanned and unwanted war against nature, against the Earth. It is prophetic that the Earth Council created by the second UN world conference on the environment in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 has moved to the site of the UN University for Peace. Together they we will work very hard to obtain not only peace among humans but peace also with our dear, unique, magnificent, miraculous Earth and nature.
~ Idea 3473 ~
The two fundamental options of humanity for its future are moreness and lessness: there is still need for much moreness for humans in the poor countries, but there should be the beginning of more lessness in the rich countries. Alas, the current philosophy and 'values' are for moreness everywhere which will lead to the destruction of the vital elements of the Earth and to the end of evolution.
A factor of hope is the loss of population of forty million people from now to the year 2050 in the rich countries, since a western person consumes thirty times more Earth resources than an inhabitant of the poor countries.
~ Idea 3474 ~
Another factor of hope is the birth of a strong movement of voluntary simplicity and frugality of life by the inhabitants of the United States. This should become a major movement in all rich, overconsuming countries and in affluent segments of the populations of all countries.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I thank you for this and the preceding idea. They bring me elements of hope but I would add two comments:
One is that the US has become the model for the rest of the world. While the US has a vast territory per inhabitant and can still afford the ideas of moreness, many other countries in the world no longer can but are copying the United States.
Secondly, even if more United States people have opted for more simple and frugal lives they must market and advertise moreness of buying and consumption because they work for corporations which must develop and export moreness wherever they can in the world, whether they want it or not due to King Stock Market..
I therefore still do not see the salvation of the human species."
~ Idea 3475 ~
It is the duty of all humanity to be optimistic, to dream, to have ideas and to reject all pessimism and negative thoughts, feelings and actions because they emit mysterious cosmic rays or flows of energies of communication which contribute to a better or to a worse world.
~ Idea 3476 ~
At a conference on world peace and inner peace in May 1999 at the International School of Amsterdam created on the basis of my World Core Curriculum, the following thought of mine was the guideline:
"The time has come for the implementation of a spiritual vision of the world's affairs. The entire planet must elevate itself into the spiritual, cosmic throbbing of the universe."
During the conference these other statements were also cited:
"Our main task today is to raise individuals to a higher spiritual level enabling them to respect their inner selves and be impelled by a moral force."
Gorbachev
"If in the next ten years we do not succeed in giving a soul, a spirituality selfhood and a meaning to Europe our efforts will have been in vain."
Jacques Delors
President of the European Commission
"What I believe is that Europe needs more soul."
Jacques Santer
Prime Minister of Luxembourg
~ Idea 3477 ~
Do not bring your money to the rich, to the big stores, to the supermarkets. Do not buy the Coca Colas and other soft drinks. Support the little merchants who need you to live moderate lives and bring up well their children.
~ Idea 3478 ~
Since new wars between nations have become very unlikely the US military have developed a new strategy to justify their existence and the substantial funds they receive. Here are some elements of that strategy:
1. To be the armed champions against drug trafficking in the world. Examples: the agreement received from Costa Rica that US war vessels can navigate all the coastal waters of that demilitarized country to prevent the illicit entry of drugs via sea. Another example, 1.3 billion dollars given to the Colombian army to fight drug dealers, possibly an excuse for a new war in that country like the earlier ones in Central America.
2. The development of an 'environmental military security'. For example, measures to provoke holes in the ozonosphere above nations which do not agree with the United States so that infra-red rays will create skin cancers on the population of that country.
And there must be others. According to Napoleon and Clausewitz, militaries must always have a total strategy without any loopholes, without any possibility of being taken unaware. The United States militaries have a total review of their strategies and methods every five years. The poor minuscule UN has not been allowed to do that even once in all its 55 years of existence.
~ Idea 3479 ~
If architects and so-called builders could devote as much time to nature and to the Earth as they do to make more money from construction it would become an infinitely better world. We need 'Earthitects', people specializing in preserving and helping nature to regain ground and ever more beauty. Why not create Departments of Earthitecture in universities?
~ Idea 3480 ~
How can any human be happy and proud to kill another, even many other human beings? Does this exist on our planet Earth? Yes, and wholesale. Those humans are called militaries. They even get medals and honors for it.
How long will this last on a planet which had the intelligence, ethics and courage to suppress colonialism, slavery and racial genocide, killing whole groups of humans? Let us make military genocide a first target on our continued humane progress and evolution.
~ Idea 3481 ~
We should have a multitude of planned Earth recovery areas, Earth recovered areas and Earth protected areas, decided and implemented by municipal, local, provincial, national, continental authorities and by the United Nations.
The Earth:
"I would be very thankful for that."
~ Idea 3482 ~
Municipalities and governments should decide and implement legally that any building permit submitted by builders and architects must be accompanied by an environmental impact study and a minimum requirement of land planted with trees and vegetation.
~ Idea 3483 ~
I often think that I am a nut coming up with my ideas.
Barbara comments that the people and the Earth need my nuttiness!
~ Idea 3484 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, the same way as there is a Kyoto Convention on the limits and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the various countries of the world there should also be a world commission and a convention on the maximum surfaces of highways, roads and streets allowed per each one hundred thousand inhabitants in each country of the world."
~ Idea 3485 ~
What one human person can do:
Reading the final copy of Ideas 3001 to 3500 before printing I learned with astonishment the size of the following international aid programs I helped to create.
The United Nations Development Program which matches the combined aid of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank:
The World Food Program which is the biggest aid program in the world, even bigger than the United Nations Development Program:
The International Development Association linked with the World Bank which complements the classical loans of the World Bank with concessional aid at more favorable interest rates and repayment conditions than those of the Bank.
What a satisfaction this was to me. After all it pays to have ideas and dreams and not to accept that they are impossible.
I must open a file on the successes I had in my life. More and more come back to my mind.
~ Idea 3486 ~
I could have not delivered the passionate speech which obtained the creation of the UN Development Program (see Idea 1924 in Volume IV).
I could have not proposed that the rich countries stop burning their surplus agricultural crops to keep prices high, and to create instead a UN Fund to channel them to the hungry people of the world. (The World Food Program).
I could have not proposed to the World Bank to create a new agency helping them to give more favorable loans to poor countries. (The International Development Association)
I could have not written 4000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World. Perhaps a few more good miracles will happen, God willing and you dear reader too.
~ Idea 3487 ~
To dream as I dream is not only a joy but also a duty. It is the product of fifty years of world service. I have little personal merit. I am the result of the gifts and inputs of many, many people during my life. They as speaking to you through me.
~ Idea 3488 ~
Reading a chapter from my book New Genesis I found that in 1982, when the book was published, the world population was 4.8 billion people. Well we are now 6 billion in October 1999 and will be 6.1 billion at the end of 2000, i.e. 1.2 billion more in eighteen years. And a child born today will live at the age of fifty in a world of 8.91 billion people, 2.8 billion more than today.
Does this not call for the convening of a United Nations World Population Emergency Conference as I repeatedly insist upon?
~ Idea 3489 ~
I received anonymously the following text by a Zimbabwan lawyer:
1. Imagine that we read of an election occurring anywhere in the third world in which the self-declared winner was the son of the former prime minister and that former prime minister was himself the former head of that nation's secret police.
2. Imagine that the self-declared winner lost the popular vote but won based on some old colonial holdover (electoral college) from the nation's pre-democracy past.
3. Imagine that the self-declared winner's 'victory' turned on disputed votes cast in a province governed by his brother.
4. Imagine that the poorly drafted ballots of one district, a district heavily favoring the self-declared winner's opponent, led thousands of voters to vote for the wrong candidate.
5. Imagine that members of that nations' black minority, fearing for their lives/livelihoods, turned out in record numbers to vote in near-universal opposition to the self-declared winner's candidacy.
6. Imagine that hundreds of members of that nation's black minority were intercepted on their way to the polls by state police operating under the authority of the self-declared winner's brother.
7. Imagine that six million people voted in the disputed province and that the self-declared winner's 'lead' was only 537 votes. Fewer, certainly, than the vote counting machines' margin of error.
8. Imagine that the self-declared winner and his political party opposed a more careful by-hand inspection and re-counting of the ballots in the disputed province or in its mostly hotly disputed district.
9. Imagine that the self-declared winner, himself a governor of a major province, had the worst human rights record of any province in his nation and actually led the nation in executions.
10. Imagine that a major campaign promise of the self-declared winner was to appoint like-minded human rights violators to lifetime positions on the high court of that nation.
None of us would deem such an election to be representative of anything other than the self-declared winner's will-to-power. All of us, I imagine, would wearily turn the page thinking that it was another sad tale of pitiful pre- or anti-democracy peoples in some strange world country.
~ Idea 3490 ~
In the year 2000, there is still no evidence or sign that there exists any other planet with life in any of the large number of solar systems in any of the vast galaxies of the universe. The number of conditions for life to be born on any planet is still the highest improbability figure biologists and mathematicians have ever put together.
The Earth being an incredible, miraculous, perhaps unique body in the universe endowed with the most incredible variety of life forms is it possible that we humans, the most advanced and knowledgeable of all species are still incapable to bring good order, harmony and preservation of these miracles and are even beginning to destroy them?
This is ununderstandable, outright madness. Yes, we are becoming an evolutionary destructive, flabbergasting misfit of evolution.
Doesn't any great leader or country or movement arise in this calamity to change that course and help our continued miraculous evolution towards a perfect, admirable planet in the universe?
No, I will never understand it. May this miracle at long last happen in the 21st century. May God or the mysterious forces of the universe allow it.
~ Idea 3491 ~
"People retire so that they can give their ideas after a whole life of experiences." Please dear reader, if you are retired take note of this important remark by my wife Barbara. She recommended to me on 11 July 1994, when there were 2000 days left to 1 January 2000 that I should write down every day an idea. I am happy that I did it and will continue until I die. I hope that many readers will do the same.
~ Idea 3492 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I know that you humans, my children, love massaging and caressing. Would it not be possible for you to at least caress me once in a while?"
I:
That is a very good idea. Henceforth each time I go into nature I will caress your grass, your flowers or the leaves of your trees.
The Earth:
"You could also hug some of my trees, please."
~ Idea 3493 ~
The Earth does not belong to us humans, we humans belong to the Earth. We are living Earth which cannot and does not ignore us. The cosmos does not belong to us humans, we humans belong to the cosmos. We are living cosmos which cannot and does not ignore us.
~ Idea 3494 ~
Coming from abroad and visiting big stores in the United States at years intervals I can only conclude that US and world capitalism have become crazy. Producers do not know what to invent, produce and sell anymore. The time will soon come when more than half of total US production of goods and services will be waste. In western Europe it is the same if not worse. Spread to the poor rest of the world it might mean the end of life on this planet. It is absolutely necessary to reverse that trend. The ministers of environment of governments should look into it, challenge it and come up with a completely new economic system for this planet.
~ Idea 3495 ~
The United Nations has succeeded to end political colonization of the poor countries by the rich, powerful ones.
Alas, that colonization has been replaced by economic, business and consumer colonization.
A great new challenge has thus arisen: the debusinessization, dedollarization, deadvertization, economic decolonization of the poor countries and the creation of a true, proper, just economic world.
~ Idea 3496 ~
God convened a meeting of all the saints in heaven and asked them which ones wanted their name withdrawn from cities on Earth which were overpopulated, overpolluted and beset with many social problems and violence.
Quite a few requested it following the example of the angels for Los Angeles and Saint Francis for San Francisco (see Idea 2743 in Volume VII).
But one, Santa Barbara took the floor and said:
"I do not want this to be done for Santa Barbara in California. I love that city. All her inhabitants and many visitors and people love it. It is a jewel of well-preserved nature and I was killed in the Middle Ages for loving nature. It has trees lining all its streets. Its air is the purest one can have. Its traffic is fluid. It is famous for its cleanliness and for the prohibition of advertisements beyond a very modest size. It should be a model for many other cities in the world. I continue to recommend to it further improvements. For example, it has a Chamber of Commerce, but not a Chamber of the Environment. It has a Bank of America, but not a Bank of Nature. It has a Santa Barbara Bank and Trust but should have a Santa Barbara Earth and Beauty Trust. It has a Washington National Bank but I would like to see a Santa Barbara Natural Bank. I am sure they will do it and therefore I ask you dear God to maintain my name for that city of which I am so proud."
God:
"Okay, it is agreed."
~ Idea 3497 ~
The Earth:
"I do not like your words 'national parks'. Is my nature going to be parked like animals in a zoo or cars in a parking lot? Please give it a better name. For example, Virgin Mother Earth where all my nature on Earth would be protected."
I:
I will try.
~ Idea 3498 ~
It is only when we dream, pray and meditate that we are fully part of the invisible, heavenly, cosmic energies called by some God, the Gods or Great Spirit who want us to help them further shape it into a marvel of evolution in the universe, into the paradise it was always meant to be and has become already in large part.
~ Idea 3499 ~
December 9, 2000
Dear Robert,
As you suggested I have written down what I see as the next world or universe organization beyond the United Nations.
The first level would be an extension of the model of the United Nations to all segments of life. That is, an information gathering and mediation group for every conceivable aspect of life of this planet and beyond.
i.e.
Etc.
The second level above these organizations would be an overarching Global, World Government or Universe Organization comprised of representatives from all the other organizations. This overarching organization would have legislative and judicial powers with world level courts and world laws.
Also needed is a cohesive world monetary system and world or global stock market.
All decisions by any of the groups would have to be based on what is best for the survival and flourishing of the Earth as a whole and humanity as a whole.
Carolyn Hawkins
Thank you, dear Carolyn for these splendid views. May they be seriously considered by heads of states and by all political parliaments, parties, circles and universities in the world.
The Earth:
"And thank Carolyn Hawkins on my behalf too."
~ Idea 3500 ~
I feel dutibound to conclude these 3500 ideas and dreams for a better world with this ultimate, overriding one:
This planet desperately needs our help. Please stop excessive, wrong, unnecessary economic 'growth', reduce constructions, business, child reproduction, unnecessary consumption and travel, overadvertisement, overmarketing, overpackaging, overpollution, overpopulation, overgarbaging and anything else that can harm or destroy our miraculous planet Earth so unique in the universe. Let us be instead her caring, loving children. Let us rethink our future. Let us be careful.
~ Idea 3501 ~
It is absolutely essential and urgent to create a UN Outer Space Agency as Austria proposed it years ago when outer space was declared by the UN a commons of all nations. The US Cassini adventure (see Ideas 1397, 1409, 1892, 1893, 1896), advertisement in outer space (see Idea 2257), the planned occupation of the Moon by business (see Idea 2712) and the amount of waste already floating in outer space (see Idea 2327) call for it most urgently. Austria should re-submit formally their proposal to the UN General Assembly.
~ Idea 3502 ~
Regarding the United States Cassini adventure it is not impossible that these experiments to send space vessels far into the universe might have as an objective to load such vessels with the atomic wastes from the atomic energy plants on planet Earth. The Earth risks to be reatomized and lose most of its life if these wastes are kept on Earth.
~ Idea 3503 ~
The International Foundation for the Handicapped gives each year a Franklin Delano Roosevelt Prize to the head of state who has done the most for the handicapped.
I propose that similar prizes be given to heads of states for the good they have done in essential fields such as peace, human rights, poverty, the environment, reforestation, the air, the waters, the seas and oceans, the salvation of species, etc. This could be a great avenue for world philanthropy and for a better world.
~ Idea 3504 ~
In all countries of Earth there should be National Bureaus of Land Ownership. These would provide information on public land ownerships, industrial ones and private ones which could be studied for such objectives as non-deforestation or reforestation. Governments, states or municipalities could offer aid to land owners who are not in a position to reforest certain areas but would like to see it done. The proposal of President Clinton to offer small subsidies for forest owners who agree not to deforest, and the example of Costa Rica which offers higher subsidies for the same purpose, could be considered world-wide. The World Forestry Agency which I suggest to be created should look into this.
I also repeat my recommendation that the World Intellectual Property Organization of the UN (WIPO) should become the World Intellectual and Land Property Organization.
~ Idea 3505 ~
I:
Dear Earth, The famous US movie actor Kirk Douglas bought land and founded during his retirement one hundred national parks in California. Isn't that a good sign for your recovery?
The Earth:
"Yes, I hope that a multitude of wealthy people and institutions will follow his example all over my surface."
~ Idea 3506 ~
Love nourishes the mind's intelligence. Dear thinkers, planners, dreamers, visionaries, futurologists, prophets and speakers, please do not forget it. Like the indigenous chiefs, have a heart stick before you when you speak.
~ Idea 3507 ~
The word global is now widely accepted and used by humanity. This is a substantial progress. When I was a young United Nations official after World War II it was never used, only the word international was accepted.
I can hardly believe that I am the Lifelong Honorary President of the Global Peoples' Assembly created in Samoa in 2000. My prediction is that in the next ten years the word cosmic will also come into use. We will at long last fully understand the messages of the founders of the great religions and the findings of scientists that our Earth and all of us are part of the cosmos, living cosmic units in the mysterious, infinite universe of space and time. Yes, we will realize that we are active parts in the total evolution of the cosmos. Then only will we have audacious new leaders who will help save this Earth and make it a positive cosmic success in the decades to come. Everything will then at long last fall into place and change the Earth for the better.
~ Idea 3508 ~
Each business beyond a certain size, to be decided by governments or parliaments, should have on its staff at least one environmentalist and one futurologist in order to judge all activities of that business from an environmental and future evolutionary point of view.
~ Idea 3509 ~
Pure fundamentalist capitalism has become more than a rat race, it has become a death race of humanity on planet Earth.
~ Idea 3510 ~
We are entering an age of limits, of maxima, of no beyonds.
~ Idea 3511 ~
One never ceases to learn and to be aggrandized throughout one's life. Thus on 13 December 2000, having received at the age of seventy-seven the most perfect evaluation of my heart's condition by a cardiologist, I woke up at 4:00AM the following morning with this duty on my mind:
It is my duty as an elder to transmit my experience, wisdom and advice regarding the mystery and miracle of life on this miraculous planet. Will I be able to do it satisfactorily? At least I will try.
~ Idea 3512 ~
How much time do Americans spend in cars? It has become a substantial way of life. Statistics should be kept on that. What will it be for the world as a whole tomorrow when people will have adopted everywhere the American ways, purposes and ideals of life?
~ Idea 3513 ~
Someone called me to tell me that all major American businesses have now a strategy to open outlets, selling points in all countries of the world. I answered that this has been done for quite some time by the biggest ones. This is also why they are against adequate funding of the United Nations for its efforts at population control in the poor countries where the number of humans will increase from 4.3 billion to 7.7 billion in the year 2050. The poor countries will become their biggest market in the world while the western population will diminish by 40 million. The western countries, especially the US, are beginning to pour huge sums of money into the stock exchanges, banks, companies and treasuries of the poor countries. At this point the Earth intervened:
"And overpopulation plus overconsumption will finish my nature and elements of life."
~ Idea 3514 ~
I am at fault in these thousands of ideas for speaking much too much of what is wrong or should be corrected, what should not be done, what dangers are expecting us. I should speak more of what has been achieved, what is so beautiful on this Earth, of all the love and good that exists in the people, of our enormous progresses over time, of the paradise we already are in so many places. I ask for forgiveness and will do it in the next work I have on my mind and in my heart, namely How to Attain at Long Last Paradise on Earth.
~ Idea 3515 ~
There is great need for global historians on our planet. In a hundred years we will regret that the archives of what has happened, what has been achieved, what was new since the creation of the United Nations have barely been kept. The UN archives are spread in a number of warehouses on Long Island. When I, who have worked with three Secretaries Generals and have participated in a good number of UN historical actions, offered all my archives to the UN I was told that there was no place for them. They were interested only in records of my trips with Secretaries General, which I gave them. The rest of my archives are in a cellar and in a garage. Concerned primarily with the future as I am, I will not even find the time to put decent order into them, much less to write their history and dictate them when they are not very legible.
~ Idea 3516 ~
I:
Dear Earth, aren't you proud of your most advanced species, the human one? Look around at all we have invented and innovated.
The Earth:
"Alas, I see you rather as a species which went wrong, since you destroy one of my species every five hours and a great part of my surface. If there were planetary doctors in the universe they would declare me very sick, soon terminally ill."
~ Idea 3517 ~
Not to grow might become the greatest source of wealth and enrichment: e.g. not to build on land which as a result will become more valuable year after year. A small sized locality in the middle of a beautiful nature could become pretty rich if it decided not to 'grow'. People would offer ever higher prices to live in it and the inhabitants who need money could sell their homes for higher prices. This phenomenon will grow all over the world. The Earth will henceforth become our main capital, not the capital in the banks and in stock exchanges.
~ Idea 3518 ~
It would be interesting to get statistics on what is being spent for pets in the US and western world and to compare them with what is done for humans in the poor world:
- e.g., the number of clinics and care centers for dogs and pets in the US and western world and the number of hospitals and health centers for people in the poor countries;
- the total amount and value of dog, cat and other pet foods in the western world and the food produced for the poor people in the poor countries.
Several such statistics and others would be revealing.
~ Idea 3519 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I regret that your 4000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World are the best non-selling books in the world! What good they would do to me if they were published by a big world publisher."
I:
Do not worry too much, they are all on the Internet.
~ Idea 3520 ~
The same way as we became anxious to have smaller cars, we must now become anxious to have smaller homes. We should look at big mansions with the same feelings of disapproval we have when we see big, private limousines.
~ Idea 3521 ~
It took ten years to get the Constitution of the United States of America adopted.
It took forty-three years to create the European Union.
It took fifty years to get the healing of scurvy through fruit juices (vitamin C) recommended by scientist Lind adopted.
For over one thousand years the medical establishment believed firmly that the heart only heated the blood, until 1630 when it was discovered that the blood circulated and that the heart was a pump. It took until the discovery of bacteria by Pasteur for doctors to believe Semelweiss who in 1840 asked already doctors to wash their hands in order not to transmit diseases.
The acceptance of new ideas and discoveries seems to be slow for humans.
My question is: how many years will it take until national governments and humanity will at long last recognize the absolute need to create a proper Earth government, either in the form of a United States of the World or of a World Union along the model of the recent European Union or even more modern forms favorable to the Earth's survival and further evolution? (See Ideas 1901 to 2000 in Vol. IV.) If this is not done, we will see untold disasters on this planet. Mark my words.
~ Idea 3522 ~
Having seen self-car washing systems in California I observed how customers spray their cars with very powerful sprays of water for a good while. I was thinking of the amount of water wasted that way. There were four cars being sprayed when Barbara wanted to clean hers. I dissuaded her from doing it and we left, but I would like to recommend that no car owner should use such sprays more than once a month. Huge quantities of water would thus be saved.
~ Idea 3523 ~
On page 69 of Volume VI of Ideas and Dreams for a Better World I reproduced under the title What One Idea Can Do, a letter of 19 March 1999 in which Nancy Rivard, the President of Airline Ambassadors informed me of the outcome of a conversation we had in an airplane sometime ago.
Now in December 1999 I received the following communication regarding very worthwhile help to poor children in the world by that wonderful organization.
Join this trip to deliver toys from the International Toy Bank to children in Brazil. Celebrate Carnival and Christmas in February. Call Nancy Butner 310-457-0467
~ Idea 3524 ~
What is really happening to us humans is this: since the some 4.6 billion years of existence of our planet the first life forms emerged only 3.5 billion years ago after the planet had lost its atomic radiations. Those life forms were called protozoas from the Greek proto, the first, and zoas, animals. Scientists use this word to describe the very first multicellular, small life forms.
Then much later came the metazoas, (Greek, the next, higher animals) namely all the prodigious diversity of very complex life forms including finally humans a hundred thousand years ago.
Then in the 19th and 20th century humans became globalzoas, namely a global life form, a species knowledgeable of all the Earth and beginning to feel and act as one human global species with global limbs and senses, with a global brain and a nascent global heart and soul.
At the entrance of the 21st century and third millennium we are entering yet another phase of evolution: we are becoming cosmozoas, living beings of the cosmos, a species aware of the total cosmos, responsible to consider itself part of the total cosmic evolution of this planet, an integral part of this Earth and of all life.
This is very exciting and incredibly promising if we recognize it fully at all levels and in all institutions of the human society. Please dear leaders and people everywhere, become aware of it. In this resides henceforth personal fulfillment and celebrity.
~ Idea 3525 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, poor humans create during their lifetime a total of solid wastes equivalent to 150 times their body weight. Rich humans like the Americans leave behind a total of solid waste which is 4000 times the weight of their body. Multiply this by 4.7 billion times for the first and by 1.2 billion times for the second and you will get the staggering following results:
Over a period of sixty years (their longevity) the poor people of the world leave behind solid waste equivalent to 705 billion times the weight of a poor person.
The rich countries leave behind over a period of seventy years (their longevity) a waste equivalent to 4,800 billion times the weight of a rich human.
In addition all these humans are not even returned to my body for recycling but are burned or locked in concrete vaults, in wooden coffins which cost vast forests of mine.
And dear Robert, look at the UN population forecasts for the year 2050: 7.7 billion people in the poor countries and thank God less, namely 1.16 billion in the rich ones.
Do similar calculations for the emission of carbon dioxide per human individual in the rich and in the poor countries and you will get similar mind boggling results (see Idea 2709).
How do you think that under such conditions I will survive? It is totally impossible if you do not change very drastically and urgently your course. Never on this planet has your course been so blind."
I:
Dear Earth, you are right and I will strongly recommend as I have done so already before that everything we do today must be considered as to its consequences during the next one hundred and even one thousand years. The major effects of our doings on your fate, dear, beautiful Earth, are the big figures. We must always calculate everything by the big figures which will profoundly mark our future. We have never done this before except a number of projections by UN agencies such as population forecasts and even these were not taken seriously enough and had only a moderate influence in correcting the situation at first.
~ Idea 3526 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I read in your 2000 Ideas that former Secretary General U Thant said this about you: 'He is the man who has most penetrated and understood the outreach of my spirit and responsibility better than anyone alive.'
May I say the same to you: you are the man on Earth, one of my children who has most penetrated and understood my messages to humans, my children better than anyone alive."
~ Idea 3527 ~
The cosmic forces are constantly and one hundred percent at work on planet Earth in her nature and species', foremost in the human one, her most advanced. Every human being must be aware of that. It was the message of the Christ and of all envoys from heaven. The universe is reflected in the prodigious natural and ethnic diversity of humans and in the innumerable religions.
All this begins to fall into place in a new evolutionary, all encompassing age of the Earth with the human species at the center of it as the most knowledgeable, leading and highly responsible factor. This will open a new, more advanced, incredibly beautiful era of evolution, namely the cosmic evolution of the human species on this planet.
~ Idea 3528 ~
We need a World University of Dreams to study and teach human dreams, visions, transcendence, meditation, enlightenment, alternate states, sainthood and upgradings into total communion with the universe.
~ Idea 3529 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, since economic development and capitalism justify their existence by giving employment to people, I suggest that people who do not want to 'work' be financed by governments to live simple, frugal lives in modest homes in rural areas taking care of, preserving, beautifying my nature and restoring it in many places where it has been destroyed. They would be productive too: they would produce oxygen.
Moreover, since their income would be modest they would not consume and buy all the unnecessary products and activities of the current society which are causing my death and in the future that of humanity too."
~ Idea 3530 ~
We live in a civilization of 'depersonalization', 'dehumanization', 'otherization'. Our whole lives are being subjected to what others, big business in particular, want us to believe, to acquire, to consume, to do, etc. through marketing, publicity, radio, television, telephone, computers, etc.
It is harder than ever to remain or to become a happy, self-fulfilled, unique, miraculous living being, a contributing cosmic unit of the universe, a simple, devoted child of God.
~ Idea 3531 ~
Excessive, luxurious, over-sized houses have become a sign of decadence. In our new imperative age of Earth-conservation and human survival we should no longer admire them. We should remember the wisdom of the indigenous people who consider even rocks to be of cosmic nature and use them only to the extent necessary.
~ Idea 3532 ~
There should be a world-wide love for improving the names of the places where we live, of nature, of streets, of neighborhoods, of provinces, of nations, etc. I would like to hear outer space beings visiting our Earth exclaiming, "Oh what love, what beauty we see reflected in the names used by humans for the magnificent diversity of their miraculous planetary home."
~ Idea 3533 ~
How strange: the US, the great land of hope, after having destroyed most of its indigenous people and the first world League of Nations is now also destroying the rest of the Earth with its fundamentalist 'free enterprise world invasion' and reducing the United Nations' ability. It is also offering less and less the image of a model of democracy.
Dear US, please wake up before it is too late.
~ Idea 3534 ~
The real reason, in my view, why the US does not want and support a very bold, active, well-financed population stabilization policy in the poor countries is because these countries will be the source of necessary immigrants to the United States for menial jobs and will become a gigantic potential market for US exports and continued growth. The poor countries will receive huge sums of money from the US, the main money issuing country on Earth. This process has already begun via help to the stock exchanges.
~ Idea 3535 ~
The life, actions, thinking and dreams of President Franklin D. Roosevelt should be taught as a model of hope in all schools and institutions for the handicapped in the world.
~ Idea 3536 ~
We have a very wrong, detrimental advertisement policy in our world. A deep revolution against it is urgently needed.
~ Idea 3537 ~
A view of Harlem and the 125th Street in upper New York City seen from the Hudson Line Railroad gives an idea of what future abandoned big cities in the world will look like.
~ Idea 3538 ~
Countries receiving aid from the USA and other western countries should specifically request that military aid and armaments should never be included in foreign aid but be listed separately. The UN should get this implemented and publish the respective statistics every year.
~ Idea 3539 ~
Soon we will enter a period of voluntary regression:
For example, the US and western citizens who are using 56 million gallons of water during their average lifetime will no longer shower themselves as they do now, namely letting the water run down over their body during the entire period of the shower. They will cut the shower after the first spray, soap themselves and then reopen the shower to wash away the soap from their body.
Later will come the period of forced regression:
Municipalities will recommend that people take a shower only every second day the same way as linen in hotels will henceforth be washed only after the occupants are leaving the hotel.
Please dear reader, start to cut down on many, many things from waste of electricity to needless packages, purchases, trips and so on and so forth. With the continued increase of the world population the situation will become catastrophic. As a result of your reduction in consumption the obligatory regression will start later.
~ Idea 3540 ~
I would not be surprised if soon radios, televisions, computers and animated toys will be produced which can no longer be stopped so that they will continue to play, to advertise and to deteriorate sooner in order to be replaced by new, more expensive models.
~ Ideas 3541 and 3542 ~
Lucia O'Barr, one of our grandchildren (7 years old):
Idea 3541
All poor children in the world should receive a present and money.
Idea 3542
We should give medicine to the poor children.
~ Ideas 3543 to 3547 ~
Adrian O'Barr, one of our grandchildren (10 years old):
Idea 3543
Youth is never asked for its opinion. UNICEF should be extended to youth in a United Nations International Children's and Youth Organization (UNICYO) or a United Nations Youth Organization should be created.
Idea 3544
The huge money spent on electoral campaigns should be saved and used to plant trees, to avoid cutting trees and to give money to the poor. There should only be the elections.
Idea 3545
Every rich person in the rich countries who think that they are so great should go and live for three to six months in a poor country and live like the poor and then come home and do something about it.
Idea 3546
Why does America have only one President when they could have two? If we had two Presidents they could put their heads together to try and solve problems. They could share their money to get the results they want. What we could do is pray and hope they are good men and will not lead the US to warfare.
Idea 3547
I think that governments of all countries should inspire music and pay for instruments for each child. I say this because music helps people find their inner selves and gives them a reason to live and keep our world alive.
~ Idea 3548 ~
The 21st century and 3rd millennium must be made the great Century and Millennium of Progress and Enlightenments. In preparation for it we should create a United Nations High Committee or a World Commission of Eminent Personalities for the Elimination of Darknesses in the World. A first list of such darknesses would be:
~ Idea 3549 ~
Days and nights are a very fundamental, immemorial characteristic of our planet Earth whirling around the sun from which she receives all cosmic energy. Days and nights should be holy, sacred. This must be part or our reborn respect for nature and right understanding of the cosmology of our being.
~ Idea 3550 ~
The great minds in Washington who created the post-war world political and economic system were geniuses. Their strategy consisted of:
All this to be working almost to perfection at the entrance of the 21st century and 3rd millennium and to work mainly to the profit of the US and other rich countries.
There is only one fundamental, unexpected trouble with it: the reckless destruction of the Earth and the non-consideration of the natural elements on which we live. This puts the whole system in jeopardy and mortal danger.
~ Idea 3551 ~
Humanity needs a World Charter of Spirituality similar to the remarkable Earth Charter, to extend human consciousness to the entire universe and time and make all humans deeply spiritual, transcendent, cosmic beings, members of a perfect, peaceful, fulfilled humanity, in harmony with, loving and caring for our miraculous planetary home.
The recently born United Religions should draft a World Charter of Spirituality. It could help humanity save itself from its materialistic, moneycratic engulfment.
~ Idea 3552 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I see that more and more people in the rich countries begin to walk more, to run more and to love more nature again. This is hopeful. Why don't we recommend a whole series of new 'loves' or 'revived loves' movements, e.g.:
Please, as lifelong Honorary President of the new Global Peoples' Assembly why don't you suggest the creation of world non-government organizations on these objectives?"
~ Idea 3553 ~
Some of the best minds of this planet should consider themselves as outer space beings from another planet and judge our Earth and human doings, values, institutions, organizations and individual efforts from that point of view. It would provide us with great enlightenments.
~ Idea 3554 ~
Barbara feels that all human ideals, dreams and institutions should establish a list of their limitations. The United Nations should be the first to do it. Here is the beginning of such a list:
~ Idea 3555 ~
We must give up hope that the US might cooperate in the creation of a much needed new political and economic world order. It does not even support and pay its minimal dues to the United Nations1 and even earns more from the expenditures of the UN and of the close to 200 permanent foreign missions and Observer offices to the UN established in New York City. It would therefore be wise not to have any illusions about that country's role, and labor for a new world order.
~ Idea 3556 ~
The US has ingeniously used the UN since 1945 to promote commerce, investments and free enterprise in order to gain the dominance of the world through its giant, advanced corporations, its patents, industries, banking system and capital endowment. With the end of the cold war the US might now drop the United Nations which has served its purpose and can be an obstacle.
~ Idea 3557 ~
The protracted refusal of the US to ratify the environmental, nature and life-saving treaties worked out in the United Nations as well as the new International Criminal Court reduces hope that a United States of the World or a World Federation or a Parliament of Man, a Federation of the World as dreamt by Harry Truman can be established. Efforts and support should therefore go to the extension of the fifteen member states of the European Union to other countries in the world. That was the dream of my compatriot Robert Schuman who saw as the first two steps the inclusion of holy Mother Russia and of the eastern European countries in the Union and the creation of Eurafrica.
~ Idea 3558 ~
The US is becoming, in the modern sense, a pretty wrong country. It is destroying and endangering the Earth for its own purpose, power and enrichment. The rest of the world must cease imitating it and admiring it blindly.
~ Idea 3559 ~
I thank God for the creation of the Foundation for the Future in Bellevue Washington which has the vision, elevation and sense of urgency to look into the future of planet Earth and of humanity as far as the year 3000. There is no more urgent task on this planet. May it provoke the same millennial concern of all governments, institutions, corporations, industries, social groups and peoples' movements all over the world.
~ Idea 3560 ~
After the demise of communism and in view of the damaging of the Earth by capitalism we absolutely need on this planet a new, all-encompassing human life and Earth-saving ideology. We might call it ecologynomy, the proper science and management of our home (Greek, oikos logos nomos).
~ Idea 3561 ~
Having seen on the table of someone a very heavy dishware I turned it around and saw that it came from far away Japan. I recommend to consumers not to buy and encourage any products which have to be transported from far away lands over vast distances causing transportation which causes pollution. And there are better, bigger examples than dishware!
~ Idea 3562 ~
The following US public opinion survey is very interesting: 81% of Americans want environmental laws strengthened, 16% think that they are about right and only 3% want them weakened. The world would rejoice if US government action would implement the majority wish.
~ Idea 3563 ~
Another monstrosity to correct is the daily colossal waste of American newspapers spreading all over that country and the world. The reader has to pay not only for the paper used of which he reads and needs only a minimal part, but also the cost of waste removal, recycling or pure destruction. That is another brilliant achievement of capitalism.
Why don't newspapers publish brief daily papers of a few pages with the essential news and information to the majority of readers? There should be national laws requiring it.
~ Idea 3564 ~
When I see the US newspapers, especially the Sunday editions of the big cities I feel literally sick. I am thinking of the vast forests which were destroyed to produce them even if recycling has diminished that damage. With the population increase of the world and the spread of newspapers in developing countries on the US model, this alone is a mortal menace to the future of the Earth.
~ Idea 3565 ~
If I were the capitalistic leadership of the world I would conceive a Well Governed Human and Earth Capitalism (WGHEC) for the sake and benefit of the Earth and of all humans.
~ Idea 3566 ~
What does it wait for to reform itself? If not it will end in as much, if not more waste and disaster than communism.
~ Idea 3567 ~
Dear reader, what are your advantages over your political leaders?
~ Idea 3568 ~
There should be a central policy of all governments no longer to permit the further growth of cities, to enforce a new tax and financial policy, to deconcentrate them and to foster habitat in rural areas with government services and amenities like those of the big cities: museums, art, advanced education, research, conferences, sports events, etc. Yes, the deconcentration or decentralization of monstrous cities should now become an utmost priority, a new phase in human history. It would produce an immense new number of jobs in a great variety of fields.
~ Idea 3569 ~
Every human being should write a journal. It is the only way to escape and keep immune from constantly invading external programmings.
~ Idea 3570 ~
People should no longer admire monstrous cities and skyscrapers in the world. They are products of the sickest minds of humanity, what the Germans call Grössen Wahnsinn, greatness insanity. By any means, flee the cities if you can.
~ Idea 3571 ~
All ministries or offices of foreign affairs of governments should be transformed into Ministries of World or Global Affairs. This is one of the most important single ideas I have come up with after more than half a century of world service. Please governments, do it. I beg you. Together with the creation of Ministries of Peace, Happiness and the Future it would be one of the greatest advances in governmental structures.
~ Idea 3572 ~
Marketing, advertisement and profit motive can come up with anything: during a recent visit to my family in the US I saw elaborately decorated milk containers of different colors and with different names.
~ Idea 3573 ~
When I see the sophisticated attempts of the US to see Costa Rica remilitarize I cannot help thinking that the US policy to gain power over the entire world, primarily through its business and armaments, must be at least as sophisticated and constant as is its policy for the remilitarization of that small country.
~ Idea 3574 ~
Every Secretary General of the UN should be ready to quit at the end of his mandate, not to seek re-election if his conditions for re-election are not accepted and to resign at any time if he does not agree with what governments decide on very vital subjects. He should also leave behind Markings as did Dag Hammarskjöld or a Testament to the UN as I did or even better, an audacious plan and concrete ideas for a better Earth and Human government.
~ Idea 3575 ~
With a total of fifty million dead humans every year I feel the time has come to create a United Nations specialized agency on death. It would keep track of all causes of death around the world, the ages of the dead, the disposal of the dead, the inheritance legislations, etc. It is a vast subject which is of great concern to the human species and merits world-wide study and consideration. A lot of good would come out of it.
~ Idea 3576 ~
To be happy buy little or nothing that is not really necessary. Human happiness is diminished by useless belongings. Do not fall prey to advertisement. Buy only what responds to a deeply felt need or to a deep feeling of love. In addition you will save money.
~ Idea 3577 ~
Which will be the first government on Earth to decree that my World Core Curriculum (see insert page 18 of Volume I), derived from my fifty years of United Nations experience will be the basic curriculum in all schools of the country and when will at long last all governments of the world decide the same? This alone could bring total peace to planet Earth.
~ Idea 3578 ~
There is need for more world universities. The UN University for Peace in Costa Rica is a great novelty in that direction. I pray that the International Association of University Presidents will take up the subject of world universities.
~ Idea 3579 ~
Sovereignty and infallibility are two of the wrongest, most dangerous words invented by humans. Thank God the second is disappearing except in religions, but the first one is still upheld vigorously by 189 nations and is a main obstacle to the much needed further progress and life evolution on this planet toward peace, cooperation and survival.
The UN and UNESCO should establish a World Commission of Eminent Ethical Personalities to review in depth the subject of sovereignty. The kings in their tombs must be smiling at the idea that national sovereignty is still sovereign in the world.
~ Idea 3580 ~
The tightness of the US votes for a new President reveals the division of the American people between those who have continued faith in the capitalistic system and those who dream of a better world.
The election of President Bush might make this a very visible issue which might have an effect on the rest of the world. The US will no longer be the unchallenged envy, ideal and object of admiration of the rest of the world, and the rest of the world will begin to think about a better world political and economic system.
~ Idea 3581 ~
Seen in the jewelry section of a big shopping center in the US, a display of table clocks with this inscription: Coca Cola anniversary clocks. I expressed surprise that they did not sell Coca Cola anniversary wedding rings! What will marketers and advertisers invent next? There is no limit to their imagination.
~ Idea 3582 ~
My dear school friend from Alsace Lorraine René Lejeune, who convinced Robert Schuman to run for elections and to create a United Europe wrote a book titled Robert Schuman, Father of Europe, Politics the Way to Holiness.
How right he is. This is indeed what politics should be, a sacred way to holiness. I have tried to do the same for the whole world and obtained the creation of the United Religions, a complement to the United Nations. Alas, I have not succeeded to obtain the creation of a United Humanity or United Earth or United States of the World or World Union. Please dear young people and readers, dear grandchildren of mine, make this your main objective. Obtaining a proper Earth government and peace, well-being, justice and happiness of all humans is indeed the sacred way to holiness because all humans are sacred and should contribute to the fulfillment of that holiness.
~ Idea 3583 ~
I recommend the creation of a World or United Nations Natural Parks and Preserves Agency to be concerned with world, continental, international, national, regional, state, municipal and private parks and natural preserves.
~ Idea 3584 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, looking at what has happened to me on my surface since the end of World War II I do see the following dangerous explosions:
All this has led already to a good deal of my destruction. Regarding the population explosion there was first a good reaction, but the future remains catastrophic with a world population increase from 6.1 billion today to 8.91 billion in 2050.
The consumption explosion still accelerates madly in the rich countries and is becoming the ideal, the craving of the poor countries. There are not even decent world statistics and studies on the subject.
On the urban explosion few are raising the subject. The monstrous cities continue to grow year after year until they will have to be abandoned, having become uninhabitable.
As for the waste explosion you have reached the point that one half of all the world's production is now waste and it goes on and on. No effort whatsoever is being done to stop it, except recycling which has become a new profitable business.
Where am I going with all this, dear Robert? It looks like a cataclysm for my evolution. It might lead to my end. What do you say?"
I:
Dear Earth, I am afraid you are right. I'm doing my best in my writings and speeches, but they are a drop of water in the ocean. Why don't you say what you just said to me to the 189 heads of states who govern this planet? Put it into their heads during their sleep. All I can do is to continue to be your spokesman and never to give up. I will come up with as many new ideas as possible. Please put your own into my head and heart during my sleep.
The Earth:
"I will, I promise you."
~ Idea 3585 ~
US shopping centers have become so big that I believe the next step will be this: all around enormous shopping centers, houses and apartments will be built having direct access to the central shopping place. Dwellers or owners of the housing and apartments will be stockholders of the entire complex. Mark my words: it will come sooner or later.
~ Idea 3586 ~
Our planet Earth is such a tremendous, marvelous, perhaps unique miracle in the universe that it is incomprehensible that we do not take better care of her and let power, business and money be the dominant ideals of humans. How primitive can we be and how much longer will this last? We need a revolution against these dominant, cultivated, obsolete values.
~ Idea 3587 ~
Why should business be the main factor of globalization on this planet in our time? What of the globalization of government, of education, of human migrations, of transportation and communications, of views of the future, of the environment, of the concern for our Mother Earth and our natural resources? Some of them, for example transportation and communications are doing well.
I recommend that the United Nations create a special Globalization Organization to study systematically and thoroughly all globalization phenomena on this Earth, their advantages, their progress, their disadvantages. We urgently need a new science: a science of globalism or globology.
~ Idea 3588 ~
After I finish these 4000 Ideas, God permitting, I will write down my dreams how I would like to see the Earth and humanity be in ten years, 100 years and 1000 years from now. All governments and institutions on Earth should do that.
~ Idea 3589 ~
All great, influential people of this planet (heads of states, of religions, of world organizations, of large multinational corporations, of cities, universities, major institutions, Nobel Prize winners, writers, artists, etc.) should formulate their ideas, views, dreams and proposals for an ideal Earth and humanity. They could also leave behind their regrets regarding their life, actions and inactions and say what they would do if they lived again. The last words of Leonardo da Vinci were, "If I had to do it all over, I would only paint."
~ Idea 3590 ~
I can be rightly criticized for returning often to the same problems and preoccupations in our world and for repeating very similar ideas and solutions. I am almost forced to do so due to the continued conflicts and violence, the progressive destruction of the Earth, the population explosion, the consumption explosion, the increasing gap between rich and poor, a world production half of which is waste, a gross waste of more than half of all tax revenues of nations on militaries and armaments. Those are all concerns never to lose sight of. Repetition is needed to get governments to act.
~ Idea 3591 ~
I have written down the wishes, ideas and dreams which I would like to see fulfilled after my death. After completing these 4000 Ideas I will complement and consolidate them in a Testament to the World. I have already written and published my Testament to the United Nations. If I do not get around to writing my Testament to the World please, dear family, friends and readers consider these 4000 Ideas to be that testament.
~ Idea 3592 ~
"To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires a certain imagination and marks the real advances in science."
Albert Einstein
I would add at the end of that, and in society.
~ Idea 3593 ~
There is an urgent and very vast need for an ethical science and behavior of humanity on planet Earth. Corporations are now appointing someone in their businesses to deal with ethics. This is a first good step. I highly recommend that we should also create a World University of Ethics and that there should be more international, national and local prizes for ethics. To philanthropy (the love of humans) and gaiaphilly (the love of the Earth) we should add a third category of love, namely philethics (the love of ethics, of justice).
~ Idea 3594 ~
There is need at the United Nations to create a World Wisdom and Ethics Council. It could replace the Trusteeship Council which has completed its work.
~ Idea 3595 ~
Einstein said, "Perfection of means and confusion of ends seems to characterize our age." He could have also added that concentration on the immediate and ignorance of the future characterizes our age.
Yes, these are two very profound and dangerous mistakes of our very rapid age. In certain fields and countries we should envisage a slowdown age, an age of common sense, of wisdom.
~ Idea 3596 ~
The United States should become again the most inspiring, leading, imaginative, soulful, loving country in the world, endowed with a Pilgrim and George Washington spirit for a united, peaceful, happy world-wide human family.
~ Idea 3597 ~
The United Nations should create a World Observatory of What is Wrong in the World. Merely to plan such an observatory would be a very revealing, useful exercise.
~ Idea 3598 ~
Even if there were several Universities for Peace and hundreds of institutes, centers, associations and peoples' movements for peace in the world little would change if the military and arms manufacturers continue to receive colossal sums of money which they constantly try to increase by seeing, inventing and exaggerating potential new dangers.
~ Idea 3599 ~
O spirits of my dead school mates who died needlessly in German or French uniforms in World War II, please invade the offices, the homes and the nights of heads of states and inspire them, press them to establish a world security system allowing the demilitarization and disarmament of planet Earth.
~ Idea 3600 ~
At the beginning of this new century and millennium, the world, especially its leaders, must decide and learn to dream again. We have such an incredible knowledge of the universe, of our planet, of humanity from the global to the local, from the infinitely large to the infinitely small, from the total humanity down to the family and individual that we can now become the most evolved, perfect planet in the universe, the cosmic ideal to which God, the forces of the universe have been aiming at for millions of years on this planet. "To awake perchance to dream," as Shakespeare said.
ANNEX
The Power of Dreams
Dreams help to imagine a desired result and to devise the necessary steps.
I have often observed during my life that dreams can have an important effect on the destiny of a person or of a nation. I remember in this respect an anecdote which concerns my compatriot Robert Schuman, the father of the European Union. Schuman and his family, like mine, had greatly suffered from the constant shifts of Alsace-Lorraine between France and Germany. He was born in a place where three borders touch each other, namely those of France, Germany and Luxembourg. Young Schuman was greatly annoyed by this irksome geography which impeded his freedom of movement, especially as he loved bicycling but constantly ran into a border. He dreamt of being able to do something about it when a grownup. During the First World War the Germans drafted him into their army and during the Second they imprisoned him.
After World War II he became active in French politics as one of the leaders of the Christian Democratic Party and was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. This happened at a time when several crucial questions were confronting Europe: would there be a reconciliation between France and Germany? Could there be a united Europe? Jean Monnet, a businessman who had headed the allied supplies to Europe in World War II, prepared a bold plan for a European steel and coal community as a prelude to a broader European economic community. He presented it to Robert Schuman, hoping that he would endorse it, give it his name as the Schuman Plan and initiate the reconciliation between France and Germany. During one of his visits to the United Nations in New York, Schuman told me that he had the plan for several days on his desk but could not arrive at a decision, for he was neither a steel and coal expert nor an economist. "Then one morning I woke up and remembered how annoyed I was as a youth to constantly run into a border when I rode my bicycle. I swore to myself that if I could do something about it as a grownup I would do it. That dream came back to my mind. This was the opportunity or never to fulfill it. I went to my office and signed the plan without any further hesitation."
I myself had sent to Schuman a copy of my thesis on the Saar Territory in which I urged statesmen not to let this area become another bone of contention between France and Germany, as Alsace-Lorraine had been for so long. He said to me: "Your book on the Saar is my bedside reading and you can rest assured that I will not let this problem stand between Dr. Adenauer and me." Indeed, it was during Robert Schuman's ministry that France's plans to annex the Saar or to make it an independent state were abandoned and that the Saar problem was settled once and for all.
A second anecdote concerns former Chancellor Willy Brandt of West Germany. When he was Mayor of West Berlin, he conceived the dream of solving the German problem, of reconciling the two Germanies, of facilitating human communications between the two and of bringing them into the United Nations.
I often discussed the German problem with UN Secretary General U Thant and once I asked him if he thought that the initiative to solve it came from Mr. Willy Brandt himself or from other quarters. U Thant was firmly convinced that it was Mr. Brandt's own idea. Then, one day Mr. Willy Brandt came to New York and paid a visit to U Thant. I remember his surprise at meeting a German-speaking collaborator of the Secretary General at a time when Germany was not yet a member of the United Nations. I told him that the United Nations and international organizations were a place of predilection for Alsace-Lorrainers who had suffered so much from the quarrels between France and his country. During the conversation U Thant remembered my question and he put it to Mr. Brandt: "Was it you who took the initiative for the talks between East and West Germany or was it part of other political considerations?"
"I took the initiative. It was one of my first steps when I became Chancellor. I remember that when I informed my collaborators of my decision, they told me that it was impossible. I answered that it was not because something looked impossible that one should not try. On the contrary."
Mr. Brandt was entirely right, as the German treaty and the reunification and entry of the two Germanies as one Germany into the United Nations proved later.
I have often noted that the determination of prominent personalities to work for peace or for the solution of particularly thorny problems usually rests on some deeply felt event or experience during their youth. Thus, the tragic fate of Austria, which disappeared from the map under Hitler, influenced the decision of Kurt Waldheim, as he told me, to seek the Secretary Generalship of the United Nations and to exert relentless efforts at peace and world co-operation.2 One also thinks of that other untiring negotiator, traveler and champion for peace, Henry Kissinger. When he became Secretary of state he used these words in his acceptance speech:
"There is no country in the world where it is conceivable that a man of my origin could be standing here next to the President of the United States. If my origin can contribute anything to the formulation of our policy it is that at an early age I have seen what can happen to a society that is based on hatred and strength and distrust and that I experienced then what America means to other people in its hopes and ideals."
Most good things that have happened to humanity were the results of dreams and visions. The greater the obstacles, the stronger must be the dream. Many world problems are so difficult that they require a state of dreams, elevation or exaltation which alone helps the statesmen to imagine boldly the desired result and to conceive the necessary means. This is how all great plans were born. Alas, there are not enough great dreamers in the world today. We need audacious dreams by leaders to bring about permanent peace, order, justice, well-being and happiness for all peoples in the world. "Impossible," will exclaim the eternal pessimists. The answer should be that of Mr. Brandt: "It is not because something looks impossible that one should not try. On the contrary."
~ Idea 3601 ~
The Empire State Building in New York City is an early, correct symbol of what the United States would try to become, namely the United States Empire. Why not work for the creation of the United States of the World, of an Earth Union, a United Earth?
~ Idea 3602 ~
"They used perfect means to implement often imperfect and wrong ends." That is how future generations will judge us.
~ Idea 3603 ~
One reason for me to try to live another twenty years is to help improve or 'demess' the same mess or even greater mess that might exist at that time.
~ Idea 3604 ~
To want to live in the United States you must have courage. It is becoming a growing uneconomic, very expensive economy and way of life. Housing costs and care of the elderly are among the highest in the world.
~ Idea 3605 ~
The United Nations owe their birth to the leadership of two great men, Churchill and Roosevelt, later joined by Stalin. They met in Teheran and Yalta to decide how to smash Hitler, but also to plan for a peaceful, better world after the war. They asked the heads of their armies to come up with a post-war world security system. They did it and proposed an International Security Organization (ISO) which was then later reduced to a weak Security Council within a vaster United Nations.
I recommend that the original ISO plan of the militaries be resuscitated and re-examined by the leaders of nations after fifty-five years of mixed results of the UN Security Council. We owe it to the peace of future generations in the 21st century and 3rd millennium. The result might be quite surprising. Indeed, why not create an International Security Organization incorporating NATO and SEATO now that the cold war is over?
~ Idea 3606 ~
In the text of a speech written in his own hand Franklin Roosevelt wanted to deliver at the San Francisco conference creating the United Nations he wrote:
"The work my friends is peace: more than an end of this war - an end to the beginning of all wars. I ask you to keep up your faith. The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with a strong and active faith."
During my half century of UN experience I had the same view. I will send this text to the current UN Secretary General and recommend that he invite the heads of states of the planet to meet often on major world issues and problems. They should follow the example of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin. As a first move, the heads of states of the UK, US, China, Russia and France should meet in one of their capitals and re-examine the United Nations Security Council in the light of the International Security Organization proposed by the heads of armies and the heads of states at the Yalta conference.
~ Idea 3607 ~
After the US Presidential elections in 2000 I wrote the following letter* to Vice President Al Gore:
Santa Barbara, 15 December 2000
Dear Mr. Vice President,
I write to you this letter as an elder who has worked all his adult life in the United Nations, including as direct Aide to three Secretaries General, and after retirement was appointed Chancellor of the UN University for Peace established in Costa Rica. I have not ceased, in my speeches and writings, to underline the fact that you are the first Vice President of a country in history in charge of global affairs. I recommended that all countries should follow that vital example of the United States.
I prayed for your election so that the United States would have a President very knowledgeable of the global affairs which have taken preeminence, over and beyond nations, in the further fate and evolution of this planet. My prayer having not been fulfilled, may I address to you now this dream: that you will establish a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on the Future of the World, under your Chairmanship. This would make you a global leader who would bring to the world the dreams of the United States for a well-preserved Earth and a peaceful, happier, more fulfilled humanity. All nations and people are looking up to your country for new dreams, a new prophetic vision of the future, similar to that given at the time by the founders of the United States and over the centuries. The Pilgrims' task now reaches to the entire world. I do not have more to say. You will fully understand my appeal. I send you herewith the list of past world Commissions created so far. May they inspire you to fulfill my dream. If such a Commission would merely recommend in the light of your experience the creation of Vice Presidencies of Global Affairs in all countries, it might change the fate of the world. Please become a leader and inspiration for the entire world.
Vice President Al Gore
Washington, DC
I send you, dear Mr. Vice President, the expression
of my deep admiration and warmest wishes,
Robert Muller
*To make sure that he will receive this letter and proposal I sent it to Jean Houston who is very close to the Clintons suggesting that the proposal in the letter could also interest President Clinton. I was lucky: Jean Houston handed it personally to President Clinton. May God bring it luck. I had placed it on our bench of dreams.
~ Idea 3608 ~
When one thinks of all the many varied, infinitely complex, massive and subtle interrelations and interdependencies existing in the climates of this planet whirling around the sun giving birth and allowing life to infinite varieties of vegetal and animated life for various lengths of time one is astonished that humans pay so little attention to their unprecedented, profound interferences with these extraordinary realities perhaps unique in the universe. How slow it was to get this new world problem even recognized when it was signaled by the first United Nations world conference on the climate which I recommended to be convened in 1979.
It is high time to accept that the climate is not out there separate from us. We are both products and agents of it. Our blindness and sky-high misdoings for solely immediate human purposes and profit might cause unprecedented cataclysms in the future.
~ Idea 3609 ~
Humanity finds itself in a process of idiotization directed by the moneycracy and avidity of huge, uncontrolled world businesses welcomed and supported by most national governments and secured by the militaries.
How long will this obsolete wrong 19th century ideology and power ideal continue to last? Communism at least gave up.
~ Idea 3610 ~
I think that a few leading countries should get together and come up with a new ideology which would satisfy basic human needs while preserving the vital life systems of the Earth, taking the best from both the communist and capitalist experiences. A more proper evolutionary Earth and human government might be the result.
~ Idea 3611 ~
I seldom read books anymore. I read primarily the Earth and humanity, the two greatest books available, and United Nations documents which deal with both of them.
~ Idea 3612 ~
Why are Americans in such a hurry when they have such a vast territory? They should take it easy, cherish it and avoid destroying it. What is the need to hurry when there are still thousands, millions of years ahead of us? Why do they not create a Department or Ministry of the Future which would look into the short, medium, long and very long-term future of the US, of the Americas and of the world, together with similar ministries in all governments? What a fascinating progress and enlargement of the global human brain and consciousness that would be.
~ Idea 3613 ~
The angels to God:
"Dear God, when we fly down to Earth over cities which bear our names like Los Angeles we no longer have the impression that humans live down there, but ants."
St. Francis:
"You are very generous to call them ants. In my view they are Earth-finishing dinosaurs."
~ Idea 3614 ~
The time will come when municipal governments of the big cities will have to pay money to have people continue to live there. Mark my words.
~ Idea 3615 ~
To write down ideas has this great merit: it helps one to get rid of frustrations which can be numerous and profound especially in big cities. Write down what you consider is wrong and come up with positive ideas to remedy it. As a result you will feel better.
~ Idea 3616 ~
The devil loves to make his excrements on the same heap. This German proverb comes to my mind each time I see one of the big monstrous cities of this world.
~ Idea 3617 ~
One small way to alleviate air traffic around the world would be to prohibit or limit military aircrafts from maneuvering in the skies. The European Union has begun to do it. Bravo.
~ Idea 3618 ~
Many great authors and world observers, even artists have underlined the necessity of a world spiritual renaissance. I have come to the same conclusion in the United Nations where Dag Hammarskjöld and U Thant held the same view.
Spirituality is the highest attempt to grasp the meaning of our temporary but miraculous life on this miraculous planet in the universe.
Spirituality is the greatest light and guidance for our beliefs and actions during our life.
Spirituality is the greatest light for the proper governance of our planet and of all life forms on it.
Spirituality is the ultimate light of all our knowledge and sciences.
Spirituality even helps us to die more easily.
Yes, we need:
a religious spirituality
an actions spirituality
a knowledge spirituality
a political spirituality
a personal spirituality
~ Idea 3619 ~
It is such a duty, such a wonderful way of living to give ideas, to promote and do good actions for a better humanity and world when you are blessed with good health, a decent living, a proper education and the miracle of life-giving, of a family. What a wonderful paradise it will be when all humans will become peacemakers, happiness givers, idea people, good doers and all humanity and Earth lovers.
~ Idea 3620 ~
Dreaming, prayer, meditation and the silent contemplation of nature have been the great guiding lights of my life. How I thank them for the happiness they have given me. These 4000 Ideas and Dreams are a small tribute and thanks to them.
~ Idea 3621 ~
Dear reader, ideas and dreams are only attempts to better understand the miracle of life and of our planet and to contribute to a better journey of ours. Many of them are imperfect and might prove to be wrong or illusionary given the immensity and complexity of the future of this incredible planet and of its life forms, especially the human one. Please take them mainly as an example of what I would love you to do too: to come up with your own ideas and dreams. It was also my duty to reflect in mine the experiences, new wisdom and values engendered by the whole humanity in our first world-wide, all-human organization, the United Nations.
~ Idea 3622 to 3630 ~
Ideas of our children and grandchildren at Christmas 2000.
Idea 3622 All grandchildren should write together 1000 Ideas. (grandson Alexander, 6 years old)
Idea 3623 Why do they call me sweetheart? Why is the heart sweet? Because the heart is full of love (granddaughter Lucia, age 7)
Idea 3624 Families in the rich countries should adopt a family in a poor country (granddaughter Christina, 10 years old)
Idea 3625 A world anthem should be composed for the whole Earth and humanity (grandson Robert, 13 years old)
Idea 3626 Every morning in all the schools of the world there should be a pledge of allegiance to the Earth and to humanity (daughter-in-law Mari-Téré; see the pledge of allegiance drafted by grandson Adrian, Idea 1671)
Idea 3627 My birthday (11 March) should be celebrated as a World Day of Dreams and Ideas. On that day dream-wish cakes should be served containing a dream or wish to be fulfilled by the person who finds it in his/her slice of cake. (daughter-in-law Mari-Téré)
Idea 3628 Similarly on United Nations Day (24th October) United Nations cakes with one or several ideas for peace and a better world inside should be served. (daughter-in-law Mari-Téré)
Idea 3629 On United Nations Day all heads of states should be served a United Nations cake containing one or several ideas or dreams for a better world (son Philippe)
Idea 3630 I should compose a United Nations World Hymn to be played on the harmonica (son Philippe)
~ Idea 3631 ~
If many people become as fascinated as I am with my Ideas and Dreams for a Better World I suspect that they will begin to write their own which will yield them the same pleasure, fascination and endless surprises as do mine.
~ Idea 3632 ~
No one on Earth should buy a pre-built standard house in an ugly conglomerate of identical, mass-produced houses. As a rule they are built as cheaply as possible. Their conglomerates look like camps, like communism. Better dream, conceive and plan your own modest home and build it with the cooperation of masons, carpenters and other local artisans who will help you with love. You will not regret it. It will be really your home, a product of your love and ideas, ready to receive your soul and the happiness of your family.
~ Idea 3633 ~
We must be careful that the rest of the world does not do what the USA did with its indigenous people: park them inside reserves, exploit them, drown them in consumption, build gambling places and destroy their Earth and natural elements.
~ Idea 3634 ~
The ideal US city of tomorrow: a big, concentrated round center with all the supermarkets and shopping centers conceivable, public services, health services, doctor's offices, schools and funeral homes around which dwellings and apartments are built concentrically in which people live who are stockholders of the totality.
~ Idea 3635 ~
At long last the American people begin to be concerned about the big US and multinational corporations. They should avoid the anonymous supermarkets and buy instead from little merchants and stores. They should boycott all the Coca Colas and massively produced, heavily advertised so-called soft drinks, in reality unhealthy drinks, and make their own healthy fruit juices and drinks.
~ Idea 3636 ~
If only all public servants in the world could work religiously, with utmost passion for the people's welfare and happiness and for the salvation, preservation and beautification of our wonderful planet. What a difference it would make. I have tried to do my part in it as a world public servant.
The Earth:
"I thank you for it, dear Robert."
~ Idea 3637 ~
There should be henceforth as much efforts, activities, writings, conferences, demonstrations, institutions, etc. to stop the war against the Earth and her nature as there are now to stop wars between humans.
~ Idea 3638 ~
I dream that someday I will see advertisements in the rich countries asking people to consume less in order to save the Earth. Who will have the courage to do that? Perhaps new ethical methods and types of advertisements should be conceived. The UN should convene a world conference on advertisement and marketing.
~ Idea 3639 ~
A few comments on words:
Insurance, it would be good also to have the word exsurance, to help making an exist, to exitise, to get out of a negative, adverse situation (for example accumulating things, overconsumption, waste).
Innaturing, to situate our life again into the beautiful framework of nature; to introduce natural characteristics in things which have lost them.
Renaturing, to help nature gain ground again, to renature denatured areas of the Earth.
Healthspitals, instead of hospitals.
~ Idea 3640 ~
At the beginning of the new 21st century and 3rd millennium it would be good to highlight a few very fundamental truths which have recently dawned upon humanity, e.g.:
1. that there has been a second Copernican Revolution: we have learned that this Earth has not been created for the benefit and exploitation by humans, but that we humans are an integral part of the Earth processes and must take good care of her.
2. that optimism to think, to act and to cooperate globally and look far into the future are the latest revealed cosmic functions of the human species to keep evolution progressing.
3. that we must put good order, simplify and elucidate (put light into, clarify) the immense complexities of life and realities of our planet. My World Framework of Our Global Knowledge can serve as a basis of that (see Volume I, pg. 38).
4. we should establish a list of the great, fundamental, simple truths and objectives for the 21st century as part of our further ascending, cosmic evolution on this planet in the universe.
~ Idea 3641 ~
Humanity will have succeeded once the Earth will be called:
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, Please add also the Earth of God which will be the supreme achievement."
~ Idea 3642 ~
Are there any Clubs of Happiness in the world? There should be many. I dream of Robert Muller Peace and Happiness Clubs and of a World Federation of them. My book Most of All They Taught Me Happiness and all my other writings on peace and happiness should be available there as well as the many books by other authors who have dealt with these fundamental subjects. Videos, songs and films should also be available there. Let us make the Earth the most peaceful and happiest planet in the universe.
Yes, why not Planet Earth, the Happiest, most Just, most Peaceful, most Beautiful Well-Preserved Planet in the universe.
~ Idea 3643 ~
At the age of seventy-seven I must now learn the art and love of good aging. When I asked a friend how he did it to reach ninety-two and to look and think so well he said, "You will do it too. I must continue because one of my grandsons said at my 92nd anniversary, 'Grandpa you must reach 102 so that I can brag about you with my friends,'" a very good reason.
When I mentioned that to Adrian, one of my grandsons he said, "I want you to live until you have gotten rid of all wars, armaments and militaries." This might need much more than the age of 102. It might require a resuscitation!
~ Idea 3644 ~
I dream that all children of the world will insist on playing only with peacemaking toys as do the children in Sweden and not violent and warmaking toys. How beautiful that will be. I will give them my earthly blessings and later on send them my love from heaven. I will guide their lives to untold happiness and some successes as was mine.
~ Idea 3645 ~
It is wonderful to see people go to a church, a temple or a house of worship where they are told that they are children of God, of Yahweh, of Allah, of the Great Spirit or of other prophets who told them that they are most precious, unique cosmic, heavenly beings. All great founders and prophets of religions were messengers of the universe, of the cosmos, of the mysterious Creation, of the Creator. People are validated, uplifted, inspired by them. No government, no other human institutions tell them that they are miraculous, cosmic beings. What a source of validation and happiness the world's religions and cultures can be.
The only trouble was that the cosmic messengers were so precious, so true, so unique that strict, fundamentalist religions were born around them, anxious to conquer all humanity, even at the cost of making wars.
This will end in the 3rd millennium thanks to the United Religions Initiative, an organization similar to the United Nations which will bring together all religions of the world. My dreams and proposals in New Genesis, Shaping a Global Spirituality (Doubleday, 1982) are being fulfilled.
~ Idea 3646 ~
I will recommend to the United Religions Initiative to compare the cosmic messages of all great, heavenly messengers, to hold services at which the words of several of them will be read.
Religions and cultures are a most precious asset of humanity. They must be well-preserved and cherished and should not hate and go to war against each other.
~ Idea 3647 ~
No nation, no human group or association should ever be considered superior to humanity. Humanity comes first as our greatest family and the Earth comes first as our common home. That must become the foremost ideology in the 3rd millennium.
~ Idea 3648 ~
Each human is such a miracle, such a precious, unique cosmic creature that no human group, no nation, no religion should have the right of asking their members to kill other human beings. Wars, armaments and the military must be abolished, totally prohibited on our marvelous, divine planet. The right not to kill other human beings, not in the name of a nation, of a religion or of any other group must be proclaimed as the most fundamental human right of all. Parents, especially mothers, grandparents and families must request that right, most vocally, fundamentally, persistently and stubbornly until it is granted.
~ Idea 3649 ~
In these 4000 Ideas I have proposed the creation of many world universities. I would go one step further: the International Association of University Presidents or a World Commission of Eminent Personalities should take up the subject of world universities. It is high time to do it. A World Plan and Coordination of such universities would avoid enormous duplications of costs, leading to more productivity, lower fees, no fees and help to the students. This is a very vital subject to be reviewed and rethought from scratch at the beginning of this new millennium.
~ Idea 3650 ~
Costa Rican youths should not be over-eager to go and study at universities in the United States. There they might learn to invent more, to produce more, to build more, to sell more, to market more, to advertise more, to package more, to compete more and to make more money. Returning home they might destroy their wonderful, natural country. The effort should be in reverse: Costa Rica should attract US students and teach them how to take good care of God's wonderful nature, live in peace, demilitarized and cultivate the happiness of people. A first great step in this direction was the creation in Costa Rica of the United Nations University for Peace and Earth Council.
~ Idea 3651 ~
In order to keep our human common sense, our humaneness, we should stop looking at advertisements until those who pay for them will realize that they are wasting their money. On the contrary, let us buy preferably non-advertised products recommended by truthful sources, such as doctors, priests, clubs, peoples' associations, friends and neighbors.
~ Idea 3652 ~
Dear God, permit me and many people to still be useful at our advanced age and help this planet and humanity become the greatest jewels of your Creation.
Yours endlessly grateful for the miracle of life,
Robert Muller
~ Idea 3653 ~
There is an absolute, urgent need to create a UN World Agency on Road Transportation as a sub-agency of a UN World Transportation Organization. This is an enormous gap in the insufficient, weak United Nations system of world services and organizations. If it is not done we will soon see true disasters in this gigantically growing field of human construction, movement and transportation.
~ Idea 3654 ~
The airlines of the world have formed a world alliance called One World. I wish, I exhort a multitude of professions, institutions and peoples' associations to create also One World alliances. We might soon have a world equipped with a One World Alliance of all nations with one world government. Who knows, this might become a reality earlier than we think.
~ Idea 3655 ~
President Truman's favorite poem by Alfred Tennyson, 1842:
The President carried a copy of this poem in his wallet and often showed it and read it to the people. He was deeply moved by Tennyson's vision of the establishment of "the parliament of man, the federation of the world". That became his dream too. It should become the dream of every head of state.
~ Idea 3656 ~
It would be wonderful if one government would suddenly declare, we will be the first global, cosmic government on planet Earth.
~ Idea 3657 ~
The conceiving of a World Core Curriculum for all education on Earth may have made my passage on Earth worthwhile. Perhaps future generations of educators and educated youth will thank me for it.
~ Idea 3658 ~
If there were no airlines I would not live far away in Costa Rica. I would have stayed near my children and grandchildren like in olden times and the air would not be polluted by planes. I wonder therefore if airplanes are really a progress. I wonder what the total distances covered by air and by car are for an American citizen in a lifetime. And the US is eager to sell this apparent 'progress' to the so-called 'underdeveloped', 'poor, retarded' people of the third world.
The Earth:
"You are so right dear Robert, all too often what westerners call progress are real disasters for me."
~ Idea 3659 ~
I prefer our beautiful, uninhabited, tropical, primeval, heavenly land in Costa Rica with our humble, antique farmlet than to own a big skyscraper in one of the monstrous cities of the world. Thank you O God for having brought us to this blessed land.
~ Idea 3660 ~
A nature-rich, pure-air, non-industrialized, non-commercialized country, not overconstructed country like Costa Rica represents a greater capital than all the overpopulated, monstrous, unnatural cities of the world. We must get our values straight.
~ Idea 3661 ~
How nature walkers and cyclists feel good when they think that they use no gasoline, that they breathe God's fresh air and go slow in the Earth's wonderful nature.
~ Idea 3662 ~
God looking down on Earth and asking:
"What have they invented now down there, big mechanical snails?"
Goddess Eartha:
"No, they are golf course vehicles. There are thousands of them all over the United States and their number is increasing all over the world."
And then she goes on explaining to God what the golf sport is and God shakes his head and says: "What else will they not be inventing?"
Goddess Eartha:
"Well, at least it preserves a good surface of mine, even if most of them are completely deforested and are only meadows. The grass of these meadows is constantly cut short with mowing machines which produce pollution and prevent the grass from growing and producing oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide."
God:
"Well, this is even worse than I thought."
~ Idea 3663 to 3667 ~
There is an urgent need for as many ideas from the consuming people as there are endlessly more from the producing, marketing, advertising and selling companies. There should be a consumercracy to balance corporatcracy, marketingcracy, advertisementcracy and sellingcracy. Here are a few added to the many already expressed earlier in these 4000 Ideas (see Indexes) and please dear consumer, add your own:
Idea 3663 Local stores should be created which sell exclusively national products and no foreign products, thus avoiding high transportation costs from foreign lands and the deterioration of food products with time. I saw in a giant supermarket in Santa Barbara thirty different foreign cheeses offered, practically no American cheeses and their prices were very high.
Idea 3664 Local stores should decide and advertise that they will sell exclusively local products. This will give incentive to local productions. When Barbara offered this suggestion I said to her that there could be a local book store in Santa Barbara which would sell only books by authors from Santa Barbara. She said that there are more than four hundred authors living in that city and that they would be delighted.
Idea 3665 There is a popular coffee store in Santa Barbara where the coffee served to you is made of beans freshly ground and never allowed to remain unused for more than three hours. Thank God there is a revival world-wide of bakeries where the bread is produced daily. People should no longer buy mass-produced breads which might be several weeks or months old.
Idea 3666 If a private person or family owns a store they should have a visible sign saying it so that people will give preference to such stores where they receive personal attention and interest and not go to giant, anonymous stores owned by people who will never be known to you and whose main interest is to have these same stores everywhere in the world and make endlessly more money.
Idea 3667 When you visit a big supermarket and see the innumerable products offered in each category, for example of sauces, mustard, cereals, etc. think how much will be sold of it, how much will not be sold and will age until they must be thrown away if the law requires it. Remember that already half of all the production of the western countries is now waste. It has become your duty as a citizen not to become a sponsor of that waste which is so damagable to our Earth and basic elements.
~ Idea 3668 ~
I wonder if the US economy could not go a step further and provide for the following:
New money would be printed and all armaments and military expenditures would be saved and the money would be given freely to every citizen and family to consume. People who would be satisfied with a reasonable minimum consumption would no longer have to work. Those who would like more would work.
Economists should really come up with a new imaginative economic system in which less and less people would have to work since industries are producing goods cheaply and massively now. There could be earlier retirements, more official holidays, shorter working hours, etc. Why not conceive a whole new strategy not based on endless "growth" and ceaseless hectic activities.
~ Idea 3669 ~
Seeing the big advertisements of construction firms using innumerable bulldozers to dig up the Earth and build more road extensions or new roads I would request as a congressman that they should no longer be allowed to use the word construction, but would use the word Earth-moving instead. Destruction would even be more appropriate, but human culture has not yet come to that stage.
I was trying to visualize what would be next: these companies will have to seek endlessly new sites for new roads and 'buildings' to use their expensive machines and the producers of the machinery will need to produce constantly more of them in line with the theory of economic growth. The result will be more roads which will attract more automobile traffic, more building developments requiring more access roads and it will never end. For how many hundreds of years can this continue? What will be the end results of the theory of permanent economic growth and world-wide free enterprise? What is the role of government in all this?
~ Idea 3670 ~
What is completely new in all human history is that now the Earth risks perishing first and humanity thereafter. Alas, there is not a single government of the 189 ruling this planet which has understood that. There is need for a colossal world-wide awakening to this new reality.
~ Idea 3671 ~
Dear reader, here are two quotes which I highly recommend to you:
"The nearest way to glory is to strive to be what you wish to be thought to be."
Socrates
"Once you commit to something, life moves in ways you could have never imagined."
Goethe
Yes, think most seriously what you wish to be, what you think you were born for, what God and the people expect from you. Be it passionately all your lifelong. Forget about all outside influences, advices to the contrary, discouragements and "it is impossible".
And you will discover that Goethe was right: you could have never imagined in your wildest dreams what blessings would be yours. When I look back I can only say that my whole life was a proof of it.
~ Ideas 3672 to 3674 ~
Idea 3672 Outside of a giant book store in Santa Barbara I saw a dozen of magnificent ancient palm trees on a plaza and I thought, "How much more wonderful these trees are than the thousands of books I saw in that store. I should stop writing books and live only in love with nature."
Idea 3673 How glad I am that at least I write books on happiness, on dreams and ideas for a better, peaceful and happy world. I could not find in that book store any section entitled Our Earth, Peace, Happiness or the Future.
Idea 3674 Visiting after that book store an all products store, a souvenir store and a cards store I saw in all four along a wall a display of an incredible number of US magazines and another wall and several displays of innumerable wishing cards for all sorts of occasions.
The manager of one of the stores told me that almost all the magazines remained unsold and had to be returned to be shredded. Pocketbooks had the same fate. He pleaded with the producers to at least give them away to poor people, to old people's homes, etc. but they refused saying that it would be detrimental to the market. Cards fared better and had not to be returned.
I was thinking of the thousands of stores in the United States who were carrying these magazines, pocketbooks and cards.
I told him how best sellers are made: 500,000 copies or more are printed and spread around the country to book stores and selling points. From 10,000 to 50,000 are sold and the rest are returned to be shredded.
No wonder that one half of the entire production of 'goods' in the western countries is waste.
~ Idea 3675 ~
Capitalism can continue to succeed and to bring well-being to humanity for a few more decades, but it will bring with it the destruction of the Earth because humanity is and will continue to be its objective, not the Earth. Can it correct this intrinsic birth defect from the 19th century conditions or not? That remains to be seen.
~ Idea 3676 ~
I received the following message from a friend, Lola Kristof of the San Francisco United Nations Association:
"It is such an inspiration reading your ideas. They should be packaged and sold in pharmacies with this advertisement: one idea pill from Robert Muller before meals and your depression is guaranteed to heal."
This is very nice but only partly true because quite a number of my ideas are pretty gloomy. I will have to avoid them henceforth.
~ Idea 3677 ~
Former UN Secretary General U Thant often said that spirituality had to catch up with materialism, science and technology. In order to illustrate his point he used to tell the following story:
One day a party of native bearers in Africa suddenly stopped, discharged their loads, sat down and refused to go forward. When asked for the reason their leader said: "our bodies have gone too fast for our souls. We must wait for our souls to catch up with us."
I believe the whole western society should learn from that story.
~ Idea 3678 ~
~ Idea 3679 ~
The US is becoming more and more a moneycracy, a corporatcracy, a businesscray rather than a peoples' democracy. It should seriously re-examine itself if it wants to keep its democracy alive as a model for the world.
~ Idea 3680 ~
It is now money that rules practically all the world, no longer people if they ever have. What do we wait for to convene a United Nations World Conference on Moneycracy Versus Democracy?
~ Idea 3681 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I hope that someday most heads of states of this planet will have worked at the United Nations and will come from there."
I:
Why do you say that?
The Earth:
"Because they would be more knowledgeable and familiar with the world's global problems and as you know very well my problems now rank as highest priorities among these."
~ Idea 3682 ~
Working on my memoirs it strikes me that during all the years I worked at the United Nations the morale was always at the lowest: McCarthyism under Trygve Lie, at its apex when Dag Hammarskjöld became UN Secretary General; lowest moral when Hammarskjöld died in the Congo (rumors that he was assassinated); a low morale in the 1970's according to my journal notes: and for several recent years the non-payment by the United States of its dues to the United Nations.
I wonder if some anti-internationalist groups have not an interest in making sure that the morale of the United Nations is always low so that no audacious ideas and initiatives will come from that organization. This is an observation which I forgot to note in my Testament to the United Nations.
~ Ideas 3683 to 3687 ~
New ideas suggested for the UN during a visit of young people to the UN
Idea 3683 The United Nations should establish an Economic World Watchdog Council to eliminate speculation, outrageous profits and guarantee the basic prices of raw materials.
Idea 3684 The UN should have projects for common undertakings in the world.
Idea 3685 The UN should transform the Commission on Human Rights into a World Court of Human Rights with the authority to receive suits and to take legal action on behalf of individuals against their government's abuse.
Idea 3686 The UN should create a World Environmental Observatory with antennae on every continent. This would permit an unbroken supervision and a definition of the limits of exploitation of natural resources, animals or plants as well as regulations for the checking of industrial pollution.
Idea 3687 Like the creation of the Food and Agricultural Organization, the UN should create an International Air Agency and an International Water Agency. These organizations would pay particular attention to the threat of climatic changes caused by human activities.
~ Idea 3688 ~
The American writer H.L.Mencke wrote: "there is no record in history of a happy philosopher. They exist only in romantic legends." Well, I consider myself as a very happy philosopher and I hope that there will be many more hope-building, happy, optimistic, challenging philosophers in the world.
~ Idea 3689 ~
The current priorities on this planet are business first, government second and spirituality last. This must be urgently redressed to: first, spirituality towards God, the heavens and eternity, towards our Mother Earth, all humans and all living species and nature; second, loving public service to peace, justice, to the poor and down-trodden, to the well-being and happiness of all people; third, business and the provision of essential goods and services.
~ Idea 3690 ~
There is a general criticism that there are too many religions in this world. Well the decision has been taken by many of them to launch a United Religions Initiative which will lead to the creation of a United Religions similar to the United Nations. There is the similar criticism that there are too many philosophies. Well, why not launch a United Philosophies Initiative which would offer the world the new global philosophy needed in the third millennium?
~ Idea 3691 ~
Why not recommend to the United Nations to convene a world conference on a new global philosophy and proper ways of life in the third millennium?
~ Idea 3692 ~
India and the city of Assisi in Italy could launch the idea of a world association of all groups, philosophies and movements for a simple and frugal way of life, as professed and practiced by Gandhi and Saint Francis.
~ Idea 3693 ~
Humanity is not an evolutionary aberration as many western thinkers think it is. On the contrary it is an evolutionary miracle on a miraculous planet in the tremendous, miraculous universe. Our agenda for the 21st century and 3rd millennium should therefore be:
- to help the success of humanity as the most advanced form of evolution
- to ensure the fulfillment of each miraculous human life, from birth to death
- to save, preserve and enhance the miraculous character and beauty of our biosphere and planetary home, the Earth.
~ Idea 3694 ~
Someone should write a treatise on how we could achieve a non-violent world, following the precepts of Gandhi and of other great peace philosophers.
~ Idea 3695 ~
There are innumerable national Universities on this planet, but very few world universities which would be greatly needed at this time. The creation of a world University of Philosophy would be a blessing.
~ Idea 3696 ~
Humanity should adopt happiness and not consumerism as the objective and ideal of life and of our efforts. Peace, education, beauty, love, welfare, security, etc. are only instruments to achieve human happiness. If we tried we would have a wonderful world at very low cost. Perhaps a step would be to create a World University of Happiness and to place the subject on the agenda of the United Nations. The drafters of the US Constitution did not shy from the word: the main purpose of the Constitution was the "pursuit of happiness". The World Constitution we so desperately need should have the same goal.
Incidentally, American surveys show that in spite of a two-fold increase in per capita spending for personal consumption, the number of Americans describing themselves as "very happy" is not larger than it was in 1957. It has fluctuated at the one-third level ever since.
~ Idea 3697 ~
There should be more work, more scientific research, more world associations and peoples' movements for all the great philosophical, moral concepts which have always helped humanity to survive and to progress in the fathomless mysteries of the universe and time. Such movements are now mushrooming on peace, human rights, racial and gender equality, the environment, etc. We should be glad that an Institute for the Science of Hope has been created in New York and an Institute of Forgiveness in Lawrence, Kansas. These should be accompanied by world associations or peoples' movements for hope, for forgiveness, etc.
~ Idea 3698 ~
The United Nations should convene soonest a world conference on the meaning of human life, to enlighten our ways in the 21st century and 3rd millennium. India could make a landmark contribution to such a conference. I remember that my beloved master, former Secretary General U Thant from Burma was dreaming of writing a book on the merger of western science and technology with eastern spirituality and philosophy. Alas he died before doing it. Hindu philosophers and scientist could do it.
~ Idea 3699 ~
Henceforth in all human history the supreme reason will no longer be the reason of state but the reason of the Earth and humanity.
~ Idea 3700 ~
Since philosophy means the love of wisdom (Greek: phil and sophia) the views of the elderly people of the world, holders of wisdom, should be collected and studied.
~ Idea 3701 ~
One UN World Conference is still missing: on the family, which is the only natural human society within the whole humanity. All others are humanmade and our evolution is not yet advanced enough to recognize, care and well organize in peace, justice and well-being the entire human family on this planet. That subject of the entire human family should also be inscribed high on the agenda of that conference.
~ Idea 3702 ~
Anthropobiology, the science of the life of the human being, has discovered incredible relationships, interdependences and cooperation between all the cells, components and organs of the human being. It is only when they are in union that the individual is at the apex of his health and functioning. The word cooperation is not good enough. Only the life, the actions which result from that union count.
The same is true and must be fostered for everything on Earth and in the heavens. We must aim at:
For all these unions there should be a science (e.g. humanology, heavenology), an education and a methodology (a study of the ways).
~ Idea 3703 ~
There have been substantial progresses in the consciousnesses gained by the human species since World War II. They are:
1. Immediately after the war a tremendous consciousness for the whole human species: avoid wars, suppress colonialism, racism, sex discrimination, apartheid; eradicate all epidemics; reduce child mortality at birth; increase longevity; establish human rights; economic development; achieve well-being and education for all, etc.
2. 1960's: consciousness of the sudden world population explosion; several UN world conferences held on the subject.
3. 1970's: birth of the consciousness that something was getting wrong with nature around us: the environment. Two UN world conferences on that subject in 1972 and 1992; creation of Ministries of the Environment in all countries.
4. 1980's: discovery of the damages we do to the ozonosphere and to the Earth climate: the Earth begins to become our preoccupation number one. UN world conferences on these subjects.
5. 1990's: consciousness of the need for a renaissance of spirituality and birth of a global spirituality: World Parliament of Religions in 1993, creation of the United Religions Initiative in 2000.
6. 1990's to 2000: birth of concern and consciousness of the future appears in practically all fields and institutions. A heads of states meeting at the United Nations in 2000 discusses the future; creation of a Commissioner for the Future in the European Union; creation of an important US Foundation for the Future which looks as far as the year 3000. Future evolution is widely debated as a mounting concern.
7. 2001: all the preceding leads to a new consciousness: the consciousness of the urgent need for the proper governance of our Earth and humanity: World Peoples' Assembly in Samoa calling for a world United Nations Parliament; initiatives by many non-governmental organizations and private conferences on that subject.
All the above is reflected in the celebration of a first World Consciousness Day on Earth Day 2001, 20th of March. It speaks well for further human progress and the survival and preservation of the Earth.
After consciousness must now come action.
~ Idea 3704 ~
No one should ever underestimate the power of ideas. Even more powerful than written ideas are ideas well formulated in speeches to meetings or conferences which can do something about them.
~ Idea 3705 ~
There should be a fundamental human right to silence during the night so that evolution can proceed through our dreams which produce new light.
~ Idea 3706 ~
My cassette tape recorder made in China reminds me that I was able to get China readmitted to the United Nations, thus eliminating the source of another cold war.
~ Idea 3707 ~
With deregulation and privatization business will make us pay very dearly for our water, air and electricity. It has started already with electricity.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I'm glad personally because the people will no longer be able to buy what is not absolutely necessary. Think of all my destruction and all the waste which will be avoided."
~ Idea 3708 ~
Dear people, do not sell a house unless you must or sell it only in order to buy a cheaper one in another location. Why? Because governments will not cease putting more money into circulation to keep the economy and your income growing. But the national economic product and the income you receive will represent to a large degree inflation, not growth. The land and most housing on the other hand represent a growing capital.
~ Idea 3709 ~
The word conflict comes from the Latin, con fluctus meaning a flow meeting another flow. This might be the source of trouble but not necessarily. It might even be very smoothfull and beneficial. A conflict requires two partners. To resolve a troublesome confluctus we should first examine the advantages, the benefits, the higher value attained by the confluents. Thereafter only look at the frictions, the disadvantages or sources of unhappiness on one or the other or on both sides, see how these can be accepted, compensated or healed if necessary. This should be the basis of what is called conflict resolution. A conflict should not be merely resolved. It should also lead to greater cooperation, even love and happiness.
~ Idea 3710 ~
Two good progresses: the Governor of California has requested that all businesses in the state should cut the lights in their stores and windows during the night to save on electricity. If they do not do it they will be fined. Well, one of my ideas is thus being implemented.
In the Los Angeles Times there was a photo of Las Vegas which can barely be seen in a sea of pollution. A long article was devoted to this most polluted city in the United States. Well, the publication of such a photograph would not have been conceivable a year or two ago, business not being favorable to articles which could harm business.
~ Idea 3711 ~
If western humans and their institutions would become as devoted, imaginative and active for the preservation and beautification of the Earth as they are now for the invention of new goods, products, services and activities for humans, then we would become a wonderful, extraordinary world.
But two major problems would remain unresolved:
1. Justice and well-being for all western inhabitants.
2. Justice, well-being and population restraint in the poor countries which represent 2/3rds of humanity.
~ Idea 3712 ~
The western countries need as many ministries caring for the Earth, nature and the natural elements as they have now for war, economics, trade and finance.
~ Idea 3713 ~
Seeing the golf course across the street from the house of Barbara, the following idea came to my mind: why not create nature courses the same way as golf courses are created, a number of people would buy together a land of which they would be shareholders or co-owners, e.g. a hill, a forest or a valley; that land would be open to them to use at any time for walks, for picnics, for excursions, for bringing along friends. Together the owners of this nature course would pay gardeners and caretakers to take care of the roads, to beautify the land, to plant trees, bushes, etc. There could be as many nature courses as there are golf courses on this planet, if not more. People could also buy a piece of land or an old farm outside the city rather than see this farm bought by constructors who want to build endlessly more housing. Each one would have his part of that land for gardening or relaxing, having a tent and say to the children this is our own park. They could plant a tree when a child is born. I spoke of this for the park of the UN University for Peace. Well, this could be done for nature courses and co-owned farms, gardens and entire villages.
~ Idea 3714 ~
When I called a lawyer friend about the idea of nature courses and asked if he could get for me the legislation ruling the golf courses he said to me that the golf courses have become immensely rich all over the world and have even a magazine which gives all the details. He will find out for me. I said to him: these people didn't want to become rich, that was definitely not their objective. But the cities have grown and have come closer to the land of the golf courses which when they sell a piece of the land make a big profit. This is happening everywhere in the world, the land is becoming more and more the best, the safest capital on Earth, the one with the minimum risks.
~ Idea 3715 ~
Let us all be loving gardeners of the world.
~ Idea 3716 ~
What two poor ideologies were invented in the 19th century! Communism was to make all humans equal and capitalism to make more money. Could not the scientific and technological revolution come up with anything better? Look at all the trouble they have created, communism regarding humanity and capitalism regarding the Earth and nature.
~ Idea 3717 ~
As long as you consider your race, your color, your nationality, your culture, your language, your religion to be superior to any others and to be more important than being human, it will be difficult to have peace on Earth. The matter of peace rests therefore in large degree in your hands, not in those of the United Nations. Remember the statement of Socrates: "I am not an Athenian, I am not a Greek, I am a citizen of the world."
~ Idea 3718 ~
To the question, "What is the UN, what ought it to be?" a delegate from Nepal answered:
"It is the one mind operating at the summit of the world."
How right he is. It is even the one mind, the one heart, the one soul and vital force operating at the summit of the world.
~ Idea 3719 ~
A young photographer came several mornings at dawn to the roof of the United States Mission across the street from the United Nations to try to photograph the rising sun behind the UN building. He was not able to do so. I told him that this photography was not necessary, that the sun is always rising behind and above the UN.
~ Idea 3720 ~
I hope that someone or some institution will be able to extract from these 4000 ideas and experiences a coherent, useful, new ideology for humanity's future and for a peaceful, normal, further evolution of humanity on planet Earth.
~ Idea 3721 ~
Heads of states do not dream big enough. Their dreams should embrace the entire Earth and humanity. Those will henceforth be the necessary dreams of the 21st century and 3rd millennium. It will be their only way to become famous.
~ Idea 3722 ~
Someday this entire planet will pray together. How wonderful it will be!
~ Idea 3723 ~
I proposed in 1981 the creation of a World Peoples' Movement for a United Humanity with the following program:
6. Creation of a permanent World Commission for the Review and Study of a Proper World Political Order, commensurate with the needs of a global, united humanity on little planet Earth.
Well, in 2000 a Global Peoples' Assembly was created by a World Peoples' Assembly in Samoa and elected me as their lifelong honorary president. I will now be able to revive the above agenda and work for its implementation.
~ Idea 3724 ~
Dear reader, make sure that every letter you write to another human brother or sister brings them blessings, happiness and the desire to contribute to a better world.
~ Idea 3725 ~
We need not only conversations or dialogs with God, with the Earth and with people. We need also dialogs with the saints, with the mountains, the seas, the waters, the forests, the vegetation, the animals and with our own body, our heart and all our organs to receive our thanks, reassurance and inspiration. The Hopi Indians sing to the corn in their fields. We should sing to God, to the Earth, to all elements, to our human brothers and sisters and to our own marvelous, faithful organs which are true miracles. Yes, we should be deeply thankful to all. We should smile at them and if possible kiss them. Have you ever kissed your hand?
~ Idea 3726 ~
Humanity already twenty years ago had all the knowledge necessary to manage its home, the Earth and itself properly. We should have by today a proper, well functioning Earth government. But alas, we are in a greater mess and confusion than ever with a host of aggravated and new human problems and an Earth being run to pieces by pieces. If we do not react urgently the situation will soon be hopeless and irreparable.
~ Idea 3727 ~
The rules of procedure of the UN General Assembly provide that the opening and the closing of the General Assembly each year should begin and end with a minute of silence for prayer or meditation. I suggest that a subject could be proposed by the Secretary General for the prayer or meditation of all delegates. It could be the success of a world conference or the Earth or the seas and oceans or any subject which requires the prayers of the representatives of humanity.
~ Idea 3728 ~
I once cut out of a religious article the following statement:
"According to George Gallup 80% of Americans consider themselves religious and 2/3rds are members of churches and synagogues. If you add up all the people who go to or watch sports events it will not equal those numbers, yet religion gets much less coverage than sports and other topics in the media."
That says a lot.
~ Idea 3729 ~
The future of the world lies in the 21st century. What humanity does or does not do in that century will determine the entire remaining future of the Earth and of humanity. But what hope is there when there are no Ministries of the Future in the national governments of this planet?
~ Idea 3730 ~
I have often depressions, crises, even decisions to give up my efforts for a better world. It usually happens in the evening after a day dealing with depressing realities. But the following morning I am optimistic again, full of new, positive ideas. The Chinese give us the answer since their word 'crisis' is composed of two signs: 'danger' and 'opportunity'. During the day I am subjected to 'dangers' and the following morning I see opportunities born from the experiences the day before.
~ Idea 3731 ~
Humans are the product of millions of years of evolution of the Earth. It is with the use of nature's foods and liquids that we have nourished us and survived.
Now our own sciences and knowledge have allowed us to heal many sicknesses to avoid early death and to prolong our lives.
The first factor nevertheless remains totally true: we must continue to consume only natural liquids and foods which have allowed us to evolve to the advanced species which we have become. The word organic should be replaced by the word natural. The absolute requirement is that we must continue our evolution and Earth destiny by refusing to consume anything that is not 100% natural.1
Examples:
- only natural water, real fruit juices and milk, nothing carbonated or doctored into soft drinks, wines and alcohol should be drunk.
- only totally natural vegetables, grains and meats, nothing in cans or doctored by chemical or other processes should be eaten.
Return to nature must be the overarching new fundamental rule of our and of the Earth's further evolution
Of course this implies not to kill nature.
~ Idea 3732 ~
Who will get us out of the mess of 189 sovereign nations dividing among themselves this planet and wasting each year 800 billion dollars - one half of all their tax revenues - on armaments and militaries? Dear reader, if you have an idea to stop that please send it to your head of state and representative to parliament and network it by every possible means.
~ Idea 3733 ~
The right and privilege to being a nation should be accompanied by specific duties and responsibilities. The first and foremost should be not to waste any sums on armaments and militaries, but ask for protection by their regional organization or by the United Nations, the first world organization created on Earth for that purpose.
~ Idea 3734 ~
A great new chapter should be opened by the United Nations: the pinpointing and implementation of human duties and responsibilities. Next to the UN Department and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights there should be created a UN Department or Office of a High Commissioner for Duties and Responsibilities. It should start first and foremost with the duties and responsibilities of nations.
~ Idea 3735 ~
The Romans said, "vanitas, vanitas, vanitatum", vanity, vanity, all is vanity. We should say, "veritas, veritas, veritatum", truth, truth, all should be truth.
~ Idea 3736 ~
To gain or regain a satisfying, cheerful, sane life many Americans and western people must distance themselves from the thousands of outside attempts to invade and take full possession of their lives. If not, their whole life will be turned into waste from birth, childhood and youth through adulthood to old age and death. The outside, dominant forces of free western business do not forget anyone nor anything, not even your funerals.
~ Idea 3737 ~
There needs to be a true peoples' revolution against constant buying in the western world. If not the flood of unneeded products will continue, destroying the Earth and making people lose their sanity and humaneness. Just one example: if people ceased to buy the innumerable of magazines offered for sale all over the United States they would no longer be produced to the relief and happiness of our Mother Nature.
~ Idea 3738 ~
We humans must ask ourselves this question:
Do we want to live on this Earth forever?
If the answer is yes, then we must conduct ourselves so that it will be possible.
If the answer is yes for a limited time, say until the year 2100, 2500, 3000, 4000 or 5000, then we must conduct ourselves so that it will be possible.
If the answer is that we could not care less how long we will live on it then our present conduct and any even worse Earth destroying ways of life will be all right.
These are the questions which the human race must ask itself at the beginning of this new century and millennium.
~ Idea 3739 ~
As an individual I must also ask myself this question: do we humans want to live on this planet forever? If the answer is yes, then I must conduct myself so that it will be possible.
If I ask myself the question: do we want to live on this Earth for a given span of time, then I must conduct myself so that it will be possible.
If I do not care less about what the future will be, then I can of course conduct myself in any way I want.
These questions must also be asked as individuals by all heads of states and of all institutions, groups, religions and corporations on this planet.
~ Idea 3740 ~
Since times immemorial humans have taken this Earth for granted with the exception of the indigenous people. Today a new era of the history of this planet has begun, namely that we can no longer take the Earth for granted, that we are in the process of destroying her, that we must consider ourselves responsible for her. In this new age the indigenous people can give us profound, prophetic lessons. We should hear them.
~ Idea 3741 ~
More brain power, efforts, resources and imagination are spent on inventing, improving and promoting world-wide new technologies of communications than on the content of these communications, namely the ideas, values and conduct needed to make a better humanity on a well-preserved planet. What an error. What a pity.
~ Idea 3742 ~
We need on this planet clubs or movements of dreamers and idea people who would collect ideas from children to the elderly as well as ideas of social groups like the family, city dwellers, religions, national leaders, world civil servants, etc.
~ Idea 3743 ~
All our Earth is heavenly: she is all made of original cosmic energy which became matter and life. She is nourished by the cosmic rays of the sun. All life on it is a cosmic phenomenon. We humans too. We are living in the heavens on a heavenly planet and we are heavenly beings, products of the universe. The great prophets and religious leaders all considered themselves to come from the heavens to tell us that. But we still have not yet unanimously listened to them. May the United Religions succeed in doing that.
~ Idea 3744 ~
To attain the utmost perfection of life we must fill our inner self with the mysterious flows of the universe and of eternity. Feeling the entire heavens in us, even as minuscule units on a very small planet in the universe, we feel like miracles!
~ Idea 3745 ~
Our heavenly farmland in Costa Rica next to the UN University for Peace is a 'yin finca' where in nature people who are living and frustrated by 'yang' can find peace again. In China they have yin gardens to do that. Yin means "quiet reflection" and yang "noisy activity". The United States and most western countries have become yang countries. There should be similar gardens in all heads of states capital areas, in all big cities, in all universities, in all business and commercial areas. Some US yang cities have recently begun building yin gardens: New York's Chinese Scholars Garden has been opened in June 1999 and Portland's in August 2000, Los Angeles is currently building a yin garden behind the Huntington Library.
~ Idea 3746 ~
We absolutely and urgently need a regovernmentalization of this planet to save the Earth and to bring justice to humans. Privatization will lead us henceforth to an unprecedented Earth destruction and incredible injustices between the unnecessarily super rich and the unnecessarily poorest inside countries and world-wide.
~ Idea 3747 ~
If you have a good idea, write it down immediately because you may soon not remember it anymore.
~ Idea 3748 ~
There should be no churches, no chapels, no temples in the military 'academies' of this world. It is an insult to mobilize the support of religions and God in places where young people are taught to kill other young people, all of them miracles of God's creation.
~ Idea 3749 ~
All military training institutions (I deny them the name academies) on planet Earth must be abolished because they train systematically violence in its vastest, most sophisticated forms. They are training centers of killing. It is hard to believe that with humanity's growing concern against violence they are still in existence.
~ Idea 3750 ~
The term conscientious objection to military service should be abolished and replaced by the fundamental human right not to kill other human beings.
~ Idea 3751 ~
Perhaps the war against nature will be the first war on this planet in which the murderers will sooner or later give up because they will discover that it is a war against themselves, against their interest since they destroy the natural elements of the Earth, air and water on which they live.
~ Idea 3752 ~
I saw this big sign on a US highway, "Adopt a Highway" and under it the name of a lawyer with whom to get in touch.
What else do they not invent to get more money, more Earth-destroying so-called construction? Someday we will probably see signs "Adopt a Bulldozer".
Will one ever see along highways signs "Adopt a Forest", "Adopt a Beach", "Adopt Nature"?
~ Idea 3753 ~
If outer space visitors landed on planet Earth and discovered:
- that we have thousands of nuclear missiles, many in readiness to kill millions of people and destroy a lot of the planet within minutes;
- that we have institutes where we train young people to kill other humans;
- that we spend half of all tax revenues of nations on armaments and militaries;
they would re-embark immediately declaring us a degenerate, imbecile, insane species.
~ Idea 3754 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I see long lines of Americans in post offices and transport firms mailing packages of gifts. I would like to see the total statistics of such mailings at Christmas. It must be monumental both in weight and in cost. Spread over an entire year it must be even more colossal and if extended world-wide it would be a catastrophe.
I thank and admire you for not sending any gifts to your children and grandchildren but send each of them a check of money on all their anniversaries and for Christmas so that they can use the money for a useful purpose or for the purchase of something they really need or want. I pray that someday the whole humanity will follow your good example."
~ Idea 3755 ~
The US Presidential elections in the year 2000 were a blessing for the world at the opening of the 21st century and 3rd millennium. They showed that the US is not the supreme ideal democracy it claims to be and that it would be an error to imitate it blindly as was the case until now by a great part of the rest of the world. I personally go further: moneycracy with its fundamentalism of free, uncontrolled business enterprise and the resulting power and monopoly of the very rich is waging a merciless war against nature, against the Earth all over the world. It will put an end to the Earth and humanity's evolution if this is not controlled by a new ideology and planet-wide proper Earth government.
~ Idea 3756 ~
It will be more difficult to see a United Religions of all the several thousands of faiths in the world than it was to have a United Nations of 189 nations. But what a blessing it will be! In the first place it will mean the end of religious wars as the UN meant the end of international wars. Furthermore it will see the birth of a global spirituality as a common denominator of all the world's religions. That spiritual globality will be even more important than the globality of all nations and business globality.
~ Idea 3757 ~
Having been the President of the first Peoples' Assembly in San Francisco during the fiftieth anniversary of the UN in 1995 I am proud and glad to have been appointed Life-long Honorary President of the Global Peoples' Assembly created by the World Peoples' Assembly in Samoa in the year 2000.
This is part of the peoples' uprising desired by the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in several of his speeches.
I will devote the rest of my life to obtain a proper direct peoples' representation at the United Nations, a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly and a proper Earth government.
~ Idea 3758 ~
All countries having no nuclear arms should create at the UN a group of non-nuclear countries to offer themselves as examples and exercise their influence and pressure on nuclear powers to denuclearize themselves too. I am surprised that it was never done.
~ Idea 3759 ~
We hear constantly of economic development but much less of spiritual development. What has become wrong with the human species?
~ Idea 3760 ~
USA conservatives are concerned that the United Nations might win more power and influence in the world. The UN should thank God that it has not more power and influence because it cannot be made responsible for the mess in the world. Who on Earth would want to put order in that mess without having the necessary resources and means of legal enforcement?
~ Idea 3761 ~
Keep it going, not keep it growing should be henceforth our main motivation on Earth.
~ Idea 3762 ~
The religions of the world should give a lesson to nation states and develop a vast, world-wide, inspired, global, heavenly spirituality from which we can learn so much. The creation of the United Religions is a great evolutionary step in human history. Taken at the highest spiritual cosmic level it can change the world's present materialistic frenzy and save our further human and Earth evolution in the cosmos.
~ Idea 3763 ~
Dear reader, if you like these 4000 Ideas and Dreams I beg you to promote them as a tribute to me after my death because they are the lessons I leave behind after a whole adult life as a world servant.
~ Idea 3764 ~
It is good news that the United States Environment Program has been uplifted to the rank of a Ministry, a full member in the US Cabinet. The environment should become the responsibility of a full ministry in all governments.
~ Idea 3765 ~
When we see persons with a brand new car we should not congratulate and envy them but ask, did you have to buy a new car? What was wrong with your old one? Did it no longer work? It seemed to be such a good car.
~ Idea 3766 to 3771 ~
At the United Nations there is a Coordination Committee in which the Secretary General of the UN and the heads of the 32 specialized agencies and world programs meet twice a year to coordinate their work. I was its Secretary for a few years and considered it to be a true World Cabinet Meeting.
I recommend the following:
Idea 3766 That all heads of states of the planet meet at least once a year to coordinate their work.
Idea 3767 That each government should create a Vice-Presidency or Ministry for Global Affairs and the Future and that these should meet if heads of states cannot.
Idea 3768 That Continental Coordination Committees be created for all continents.
Idea 3769 That Coordination Committees be created for each ocean, each great lake, international river and other common geographic entities such as mountains, deserts, etc. The Andean Forum and the Alaska Forum provide examples.
Idea 3770 That a World Coordination Committee of all Ministers of the Environment be created.
Idea 3771 World Coordination Committees should be created between all other ministers, e.g. the Ministers of Health, of Transport, of Police, of Defense, etc. of all countries.
These ideas should be brought to the attention of all heads of states via internet or any other means.
~ Idea 3772 ~
Humanity needs now a vision for all times since we know so much and interfere so much with the natural, biological and climatic functioning of our planet. What we do today can have repercussions for thousands of years to come. Hence, our responsibility is for a very long time, both towards the Earth and all future generations of humans.
~ Idea 3773 ~
Someone years ago proposed to me at the United Nations the creation of a system of world observatories which would cooperate with major universities. It is an excellent idea which would merit to be implemented. Some of the great universities on this planet could accept to be one of these observatories to collect and exchange with all other universities and with heads of government information on major problems confronting our planet. The following could be created:
The Earth:
"Speaking of observatories, I wonder what the legal situation is regarding the protection of the environment in all countries of the world."
I:
That is a good question. I am sure the United Nations Environment Program is collecting and publishing that information.
~ Idea 3774 ~
Reading my old journals I discovered that already in 1981 I proposed that new Ministries should be created, in particular Ministries of Peace and Cooperation, Ministries of Love, Happiness and the Art of Living. Well, these titles are even better than those I proposed in these 4000 ideas: Ministries of Peace and Cooperation would be better than mere Ministries of Peace, and Ministries of Love, Happiness and the Art of Living would be better than mere Ministries of Happiness. In the meantime I have also proposed a fundamental new ministry in all governments: a Ministry of the Future.
~ Idea 3775 ~
The world is happy and innumerable children are fortunate that there exists a UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund). It would be another great source of happiness in the world if a UNEPA (United Nations Elderly People's Fund or Agency) were created.
~ Idea 3776 ~
How happy the United States and New York should be to have the United Nations. The 24th of October, United Nations Day, should be a beautiful yearly US, New York State celebration and New York City.
The whole world should be happy to have the United Nations. We should make the 24th of October United Nations Day, the yearly World Thanksgiving Day which I recommend in my Dream 3000.
~ Idea 3777 ~
No taxes should be levied on old houses all around the world built before 1900 in order to enrich the human heritage and history of this planet.
~ Idea 3778 ~
What a difference it would make if all governments and people would love, support and ask for the strengthening of the United Nations instead of opposing it, criticizing it or merely accepting it.
~ Idea 3779 ~
We have an ancient important science, field or discipline called geography (from the Greek Gaia, the Earth and graphein, to write) i.e. the description of the Earth. I think we should go a step further and create a geo-anatomy and geo-biology similar to human anatomy and biology which would study all the inter-relationships and functioning of the living body of the Earth.
The Earth:
"I would love and welcome that. It would lead to much good for me."
~ Idea 3780 ~
We also need a global or macrobiology, macroanatomy, macrophysiology and macropsychology of the human species, not only of the individual person. The success of our further evolution requires it.
~ Idea 3781 ~
In a hundred years the history of the United Nations will become a very important subject. Historians and many people will ask the questions: What did they think? What did they do? How did they deal with the first global problems which beset our Earth and humanity? What did they begin and dream for our future a hundred years ago?
And then they will look for the stories, the journals of individuals deeply involved in this phase of history and human evolution. I recommend that all delegations to the UN and all UN officials become aware of that and leave their memoirs. It would be fascinating for example to see books and theses published on the role of a country represented to the United Nations since they were admitted.
As for me, I fulfilled that duty only since 1964 when I felt for the first time that I might play a certain role in the United Nations. I very much regret that I neglected the first sixteen years since my entry into the United Nations in 1948. Well at least 36 years are covered.
~ Idea 3782 ~
My dream for after my death is that I will continue to live a little in the hearts of people, especially of my readers and in the hearts of the children of the Robert Muller Schools.
~ Idea 3783 ~
Allan Reich, President of the Foundation for the Handicapped asked me if I could come to Washington to meet a group of personalities and propose that a World Convention on the Handicapped be adopted by the United Nations.
I declined saying that international conventions have become less effective since the big powers all too often refuse to ratify them and many countries do not implement them. In my view the 500 million handicapped people of the world, figure on the increase due to the handicaps of more numerous elderly people, deserve the creation of a United Nations specialized agency for the handicapped, nothing less.
~ Idea 3784 ~
His Holiness the Pope has issued each year since 1967 a message on 1 January, Day of Peace. I found the one he issued in 1981 under the following title: Message of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II for the Celebration of the Day of Peace, 1 January, 1981, "To Serve Peace, Respect Freedom". It is beautifully addressed as follows:
"To all of you who are building peace,
To all of you who are leaders of the nations
To you brothers and sisters, citizens of the world
To you young people who dare to dream of a better world"
I wrote to him that it would be wonderful if all his messages - thirty-five of them so far - be published in one volume on the occasion of the Decade of Peace and Non-violence proclaimed in 2000 by the United Nations. It would be a great, beautiful contribution to that decade, widely disseminated in the world in various languages.
~ Idea 3785 ~
If readers should accuse me of inventing new words which in their opinion make no sense or are needless let me point at a package of crackers called Munch'em (them I suppose) at the bottom of which there is the word "munchology" which elevates munching these crackers to a science! If they do this with crackers I may as well coin new words such as dreamology, the science of dreams, institutionology, the science of institutions, and several others.
~ Idea 3786 ~
The European Committee of Ministers has recommended to the 20 member states of the Council of Europe to have recourse to criminal law against polluters, when other measures (civil and administrative) have proved ineffective. One set of recommended measures includes:
- the creation of specialist branches of courts and offices of public prosecution to deal with environmental cases;
- the right for groups to be associated with criminal proceedings;
- the creation of a special criminal register;
- exclusion from amnesty of the most serious offenses.
Another set of measures covers criminal penalties, including fines, whose proceeds could be used for environment protection, and special penalties such as disqualifications and publication of convictions.
~ Idea 3787 ~
The following beautiful Recipe for Peace was submitted by Paul Gable (ten years old from the Philippines), to a yearly literary competition for peace.
A Recipe for Peace
~ Idea 3788 ~
A Message to a Youth Meeting during the Fiftieth Anniversary of the UN
in San Francisco in 1995
Dear young people, recent history has shown that the old ways of taking the world by force, conquering, dividing, hating, fearing, arming, ruling and destroying no longer work.
We must now try other ways which should be thoroughly studied by the best minds and applied by the political leaders of our planet: the ways of love, understanding, cooperating, justice and harmony, the superiority of which has been proved by the oldest, most advanced and most natural of all societies, the family.
Please dear friends, be heralds and constant passionate workers for a new, better, peaceful and happy world.
With my warmest wishes to you and to your meeting
May peace be with you always,
~ Idea 3789 ~
If only every human being would ask himself during his lifetime: what is my responsibility toward planet Earth, my home, and humanity, my family? How can I thank them for the miracle of my life? What can I do to improve the beauty and goodness of life and prevent its diminishment? If every individual, every member of a family, every worker in an institution or firm, every civil servant and every head of state and politician would ask themselves this question we would rapidly move toward a better, wonderful world. Sooner or later we will have to do it anyway to survive.
~ Idea 3790 ~
When I see the mess and impossibilities for further social progress which so many nations are creating in the world, I sometimes feel happy that I separated myself from General de Gaulle, my hero during the war who after the war wanted to divide Germany into several nations and kingdoms! What an even greater mess it would be today. He was wrong and Robert Schuman, whom he called disparagingly "a Boche", who created a European Union, uniting the hereditary enemies France and Germany was right. May there be many more Robert Schumans in the world.
~ Idea 3791 ~
There is no possible doubt that we live in one of the most extraordinary and gigantic periods of change that ever took place in the evolution of this planet. The change is so overwhelming that it is almost incomprehensible. The same conclusions are reached by many of cultures, religions, values and languages while we are experiencing at the same time a tremendous explosion of scientific breakthroughs. Small wonder that we are confused by these developments. It is a new biological phenomenon which requires our utmost attention, care and optimism.
~ Idea 3792 ~
We want to have everywhere in the world democracy (from the Greek power of the people, demos). Don't we need also an Earthcracy or Terracracy, the power or at least the voice of the Earth? The Earth Charter (see Volume VII, pages 121-125) is a first step in that direction.
~ Idea 3793 ~
We need more inter-heads of states cooperation and encounters.
We need more world inter-ministerial cooperation and encounters.
The UN General Assembly should begin each year with a full week of deliberations between all heads of states of this planet.
Ministers of all substantive departments of governments should create World Ministerial Councils following the example of the World Food Council in which all Ministers of Food and Agriculture of this planet meet and cooperate.
~ Idea 3794 ~
Since Barbara and I, who are members of the Club of Budapest, are unable to attend this first celebration of a yearly World Consciousness Day on 20 March 2001, we have sent them the text of Idea 3703, adding that the great contribution of this first annual event and the following ones should be to establish an ongoing list of vital consciousnesses requiring priority attention and solution on this planet. We submitted also the following proposals.
1. The abolition of war as a means to solve problems. Like Japan, all countries should provide in their constitutions that war is prohibited as a means to solve problems.
2. The abolition of all nuclear missiles.
3. The creation of the world security system foreseen in the United Nations Charter but not implemented or the creation of an International Security Organization proposed by the militaries during World War II at the Teheran Conference.
4. The absolute, urgent need for considering a proper government of the Earth and humanity in view of the considerable global problems which are confronting our planet and humanity.
We submitted also a paper with 25 concrete ideas which could meet these requirements.
~ Idea 3795 ~
It is ununderstandable, a real scandal that after fifty-five years of existence it was not possible for the United Nations to create a World Agency on Disarmament and Demilitarization. Such an agency could produce wonders. Just to give one example: the almost twenty small countries which are demilitarized could be a model for other small countries to demilitarize and not to spend money on armaments and militaries. This would be of great benefit to these countries. They would become more prosperous, as is Costa Rica in the middle of the poverty of the rest of the militarized Central American Republics. So much could be done. It was proposed several times in the United Nations, but the big powers never got along with the idea. They want to produce armaments, to export armaments, to make money and there is nothing that can make them change their minds except to start discussing proper Earth government, a Federal Republic of the Earth or a World Union like the European Union. If we had a George Washington that is the first thing he would do.
~ Idea 3796 ~
It would be a beautiful project to have someone in the United Nations collect systematically all the proposals and good ideas submitted by governments since its creation. It would be something fascinating: ideas which have been implemented and ideas which have not been implemented. The second category would be the largest. For example, I read in one of my old journals that in 1978 France circulated a specific proposal for a Disarmament Research Institute and Germany proposed a World Seismological Network for the monitoring of nuclear explosions. It was during the same session that Sri Lanka proposed the creation of a World Disarmament Agency. This list should be submitted by the Secretary General to the UN General Assembly with specific reference where the proposal can be found in the documentation and archives of the United Nations. Perhaps out of this multiplicity of ideas a number would be ripe today for adoption and implementation, which were not at the time they were formulated. Yes, why not a volume of several hundred or a thousand or more ideas for a better world proposed in the United Nations since its creation. It could change the course of the world. Individual countries could do it and send the list to the UN Secretary General to get the ball rolling.
~ Idea 3797 ~
Each permanent mission of member states to the United Nations should have a high official, if possible an Ambassador, to follow the work and have relations with the non-governmental organizations. The creation by the Samoa World Peoples' Assembly of a permanent Global Peoples' Assembly which would consist among others and coordinate the work of thousands of local Peoples' Assemblies, would merit the creation of such a post.
~ Idea 3798 ~
On the 14th February 2001, Valentine Day, my beautiful, dear Barbara sent messages to all of our family and to friends with her optimism and recommendations, ending her message with: have a happy love day. I think this is wonderful. I recommend that Valentine should become World Love Day, because in many countries do not know who St. Valentine was.
~ Idea 3799 ~
I called some friends from Alsace Lorraine, but they were not at home and the grandmother from Alsace answered. She spoke to me in dialect and told me that her family had read an article about me in the local newspapers. What she liked most was my remark that when I was angry I swore in my office at the United Nations in Alsatian! This touched her heart deeply. I was glad to hear that. I felt close to my ancestors and ancient culture of birth.
~ Idea 3800 ~
"A politician should be a philosopher in action."
Edmund Burke
I would even go further and say that a politician should be a saint in action. Robert Schuman was an example.
~ Idea 3801 ~
There are innumerable philosophies devised by humans over the millennia to the point that one gets lost in their interrogations, language, concepts, beliefs, contradictions, often extreme views which range from nihilism (denying any meaning to life) to mysticism (the individual becoming merged with the total universe and time). An advice I would give to today's philosophers is to examine and probe the global philosophy which begins to emerge from the United Nations. There the fundamental current dreams, values, realities and wisdom (philo sophia, the love of wisdom) are brought by nations and peoples from all over the world and progressively agreed to. I would like to see written a book on the philosophy emerging from the United Nations, something humanity has never done before collectively. It could become a basic book on philosophy.
~ Idea 3802 ~
Why do I consider the creation of world-wide global institutions so important? It is because I have noted during my youth in World War II and later in United Nations peace missions that institutions are a key factor for building power and people's allegiance to the point of being ready to go to war and kill other human beings.
I felt that world institutions should counteract this and foster world cooperation and love for the human family and for the Earth. But how slow and difficult it was! The institutions called national governments knew this and opposed it to the brink. Only perseverance and God's blessings helped me and my UN colleagues to win a few victories very insufficient to bring about a significant change and progress in human relations.
My dream is that at least a science of institutionology will be created to study this very fundamental element in human relations and relations with the Earth.
~ Idea 3803 ~
If any heads of states, political personalities or leaders of world movements agree with me they will find in these 4000 Ideas a good number of proposed international institutions the creation of which would be of determining importance for humanity and for the world.
~ Idea 3804 ~
Here is the list of the UN specialized agencies and world programs in the creation of which I played a role:
~ Idea 3805 ~
There were also a number of United Nations World Conferences in the convening of which I was directly involved. These were:
The First United Nations World Conference on the Environment in 1972 (see A Point in History, Annex to Part III of Volume VI of 3000 Ideas).
The First United Nations World Conference on Climatic Changes in 1979
The Second United Nations World Conference on the Environment in 1992
The First United Nations Conference on Aging in 1982
Interested personalities will find a whole series of other United Nations World Conferences which I recommend in these 4000 Ideas (see Indexes)..
~ Idea 3806 ~
Text handed to me by a listener of one of my speeches:
"Our Earth is spinning through space at a lateral speed relative to the sun of 50,000 miles per hour, on an annual trek of 580 million miles. Our sun, on the outskirts of the Milky Way Galaxy, moves at a mere 43,000 miles per hour in an elliptical path that takes 250 million years to complete once! And our Milky Way Galaxy, with its 400 billion suns, is only one of twenty in the so-called "Local Group" of galaxies of the estimated 100 million galaxies in the so-called "Universe" (wherever that may be). Surely, in such a cosmic scene, we should be able to resolve our petty differences and find ways to live in peace."
We have now very few first truly global, world charters:
~ Idea 3807 ~
In my collection of world engineering projects which I kept at the UN I found four proposals for the building of floating cities on the seas and oceans which would be supplied with solar and sea energy. A pilot floating city 'Aquapolis' was featured several years ago in an Okinawa exposition.
City planners in Los Angeles have also been talking about an artificial island for the airport of the future.
~ Idea 3808 ~
There is a lot of talk about sustainable development. There should also be a lot of talk about the ways in which people live together on this planet. The general name of it is called habitat or human settlements. The United Nations has a UN Center for Human Settlements (Habitat) created a few years ago. I propose that the subject of sustainable communities should be taken up: e.g. garden cities, settlements with permaculture providing for human needs while preserving the environment, village countries, etc.
~ Idea 3809 ~
Although it seems utopian I suggest that UN Habitat take up the subject of Resettling the World. We would learn a lot from such an exercise. It might contribute to a better settled world, i.e. a better world.
~ Idea 3810 ~
UN Habitat should also make a world survey of places worth living in. The question would be: are you happy where you live; if yes, say why; if not, say why not.
More generally there should be more happiness surveys and statistics in the world. We have statistics and data on innumerable subjects except on fundamental values such as happiness, peace, justice, spirituality, democracy, etc.
The following statement by George Washington which I repeat here is applicable to the entire world:
"The aggregate happiness of society, which is best promoted by the practice of a virtuous policy, is or ought to be the end of all governments."
George Washington
If he were alive the first thing he would do would be to create a Ministry or Department of Happiness in the US government.
~ Idea 3811 ~
I wonder how many resources, human, financial and paper consumption are devoted respectively to the national histories of 189 nations and to the world's global history. The latter must be infinitesimal small compared with the former. This is in itself a historical aberration considering the actual facts, developments and further evolution of the planet. I recommend strongly therefore that modern global history should become a new major subject at all levels of education, librarianism, publishing and archivism.
~ Idea 3812 ~
Still 70% of the continents of our planet represent nature. Remembering my early youth, which had such a determining influence on the rest of my life, I know that my love for nature was born and nourished by two major facts: the first was to walk in nature, especially forests, with the family and eat outdoors in nature during weekends and vacations. The second was when the place where we lived offered the possibility of gardening and having some small animals like rabbits and chickens. All over the world this should be given attention by the administration of human communities from the small villages to the biggest cities. Much is being done already, but I recommend that in every community there should be an Office of Relations with Nature dealing especially with these subjects. A possibility should be offered to all human families to have a little garden and small animals, thus preserving nature, both in reality and in the minds and hearts of the children.
~ Idea 3813 ~
In a project to make San Francisco a model city for the 21st century I am quoted as follows:
"Humanity desperately needs a moral and spiritual renaissance. What it needs is a place where you have a good number of people from various nations, various races, various sexes, various beliefs and languages, working together to prevent conflict, to make peace, to help the poor, to defend human rights, to form new policies of cooperation, and to come up with ideas and visions for a better world."
Dr. Robert Muller
Former UN Assistant Secretary General
It then mentions that San Francisco is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world and the place where the United Nations, the United Religions, the Global Peoples' Assemblies and the States of the World Forum were born.
Perhaps a new type of administration should be conceived for such cities to take advantage of that human diversity. A city department could be created to deal with the variety of nationals, religions, cultures, beliefs and languages to make the city's administration a multi-human administration, a miniature model United Nations and new world.
~ Idea 3814 ~
Two years ago I received a book, Harry Truman and the Human Family, by Frank Kelly, a former speech writer of that US President. I endorsed it as follows: "the qualities of Harry Truman, so well illuminated in this personal story by a co-worker and speech writer, should serve as models for all leaders of nations - honesty, humility, fervent attachment to truth, belief in a national and world mission, public service, love for justice and for the most humble people."
Having now met Frank Kelly in Santa Barbara, I suggested to him to write a list of the main great ideas and dreams Harry Truman had for a better world and publish them. Someone should do the same for all US Presidents: simply make a list of what their dreams and ideas were for a better world. This could be very enlightening at the beginning of this new century and millennium.
~ Idea 3815 ~
There are so many injustices on our planet in human society that a new science of injustology and a new profession of injustologists should be created to denounce major injustices and to help people who are victims of injustice.
~ Idea 3816 ~
There are so many corruptions on our planet in human institutions that a new science of corruptology and profession of corruptologists should be created to help people and institutions, victims of corruption.
~ Idea 3817 ~
There are institutes of military strategy in almost all militarized countries. Futurology is the new crave and passion of the militaries. It makes them important in national governments.
Question: where on Earth are there government services dealing with the future of life fulfillment and peace of the people? Very few, I am sure.
~ Idea 3818 ~
I would like to refer again to Idea 643 of Barbara Gaughen Muller that a world conference should be held on visions for the 21st century and the 3rd millennium. Such a conference would deal with the entire range of ideas for a better world from ideas for the individual, the family, the neighborhood, the village or town, the city, the state or province, the nation, the continent, up to ideas for the seas and oceans (71% of the planet), the atmosphere, the climate and the entire Earth. Such a conference could be a great eye opener and contribution to the new century and millennium.
~ Idea 3819 ~
In November 1994 a World Commission on Global Governance, headed by Mr. Ingvar Carlson, former Prime Minster of Sweden, deposited its report entitled A Call to Action. The final recommendation of the commission was that "the General Assembly should agree to hold a World Conference on Governance in 1998, with its decisions to be ratified and put into effect by 2000. That will allow more than two years for the preparatory process." Well I consider it as a historical scandal that this decision was not taken by the UN General Assembly and that the situation of a non-reform of the world governance system is the same and has even become worse by the year 2001. How long will governments wait to finally come to grips with this absolutely fundamental challenge that will influence the whole future evolution of this planet and of humanity? I have done my duty by publishing The Absolute, Urgent Need for Proper Earth Government, (see Concluding Proposals to this Volume).
~ Idea 3820 ~
In most countries of the world politicians spend much of their time not being statesmen but fighting the politicians of opposing parties instead of trying to reach a consensus and decisions favorable to the common interest of all inhabitants and citizens of their countries and also of the Earth and humanity as a whole.
~ Idea 3821 ~
Many people of the world have dreamt and are still dreaming of arranging human life on Earth in a manner as reasonable and nice as they have managed to do it in small and cozy Switzerland. This great dream remains to be fulfilled for the entire Earth and humanity. Someone could write a book or a plan How to Run the World the Way Switzerland is Being Run.
~ Idea 3822 ~
Someone should collect the models and ideas of a human-centered, ecologically sound, democratic economic development. Possible examples would be the Sarvodoya Shramadana in Sri Lanka, Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and the Women's World Banking in Amsterdam, Holland.
~ Idea 3823 ~
In order to model a happy, peaceful and beautiful world we must believe in it, we must work for it, we must be in love with it. Please dear reader, adopted these motivations and you will be astonished by the transformation, the enrichment and the value of your life.
~ Idea 3824 ~
God:
"You have your plans, your projects, your intentions, your what to do next, your cravings, your ambitions, your endless dreams. But how about your 'self', your inner life, the incredible miracle you are in the universe?"
I:
All my plans, projects, doings, dreams are intimately related to my innermost self and dream to make this Earth a happy, peaceful place, the paradise from which you evicted us.
~ Idea 3825 ~
Everyone should have his or her dialogs with God. This has been the case of humans since the beginning to start with Adam and Eve. Much later came the opportunity to write down these dialogs and to keep them.
Recently I also felt the need for dialogs with the Earth. Our Mother Earth is more and more appealing to us, speaking to us, wanting our cooperation and help. This has become vitally important. In my own case it is only at about the 2/3rds of my 4000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World that I began to be aware of that and started to have my dialogs with the Earth in addition to those with God.
~ Idea 3826 ~
This planet is almost certainly condemned to doom because nations are exclusively almost totally thinking only in terms of themselves, not of the world, not of the whole humanity, not of nature, not of the future! So the whole world goes to pieces. It is as if each organ of our body would think and work only for itself.
~ Idea 3827 ~
The only great people who were remembered in history are those who went beyond themselves, above themselves, beyond their groups and nations and cared for the fate of the whole Earth and humanity in the universe and in time. But how few they were.
~ Idea 3828 ~
All militaries of this planet should be transformed into militants for peace.
~ Idea 3829 ~
I am telling and repeating to Barbara that she should not be working for me, helping me, but should work in total equality with me, each one making his fullest contribution to a better world. I underline the fact that I am eighteen years older than she is and that in all likelihood she will live beyond my death. I gave her the example of General Harbottle from the United Kingdom who was the head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Troops in Cyprus and I was his political advisor. I recommended to him when he left that office that he should create a World Association of Former Generals and Admirals for Peace. He did. It is a very important, prestigious movement established in England. And when he died it was his wife, Eirween Harbottle who continued his job, became the new president of that association and wrote among others, a magnificent model for Ministries of Peace, which should be created in all governments on the Earth. I reproduced her text in Vol. III.
~ Ideas 3830 and 3831 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, you humans consider, judge and value everything almost exclusively from your point of view, namely your successes, 'progress' and benefits.
But you will be given new lessons. For instance:
Idea 3830 It is very likely that as a result of the increasing world population explosion the human mortality rate will soon begin to increase and human longevity to diminish. Your victories, since World War II on both accounts, will have been a passing, temporary vanity.
Idea 3831 Future generations are likely to consider your post-war successes in the reduction of children's mortality, the eradication of epidemics and increasing human longevity as evolutionary errors. They resulted indeed in an incredible population explosion of the young to begin with, and an explosion of a consuming, often incapacitated elderly world population.
You would have been better off to let my nature take care of all this in her own way and you would not be faced with the colossal problems you triggered off.
~ Idea 3832 ~
To the story The Power of Dreams (Annex to Ideas 3501 to 3600 ) I should add this:
Thomas Edison, who was one of the world's greatest inventors, for years tried to find a filament to produce electric light in a bulb. One of his assistants said to him, "You have tried more than 9,000 different materials. You are attempting the impossible." Edison answered, "Well, we now at least know that 9,000 materials will not work. Let us continue and find the one which will work."
We should apply this to all ideas for peace, happiness and the preservation of this Earth and make her a true paradise in the universe.
~ Idea 3833 ~
There are two ways for individuals and families to reduce the income and lifestyle's differences between the rich and the poor countries:
Rich people can obtain visas and give employment to poor people from the poor countries as domestic aides, gardeners, drivers or other jobs. Or they can move to poor countries, buy a piece of land, live on their financial income or pension and provide labor to local people.
We did both, getting domestic help from Latin America when we raised four children in the New York area and we did the second upon retirement. Here in Costa Rica we have our own peasant's land and employ a farm manager and three workers. They are happy to have steady jobs and so are we. We also let a bee grower and bean grower till part of the land to make a living.
~ Idea 3834 ~
There is a lot of study and investigation in the psychological and social sciences of the diverse cultures on planet Earth and the resolution of conflicts which are produced by these differences. The experts divide these cultures by country according to whether preference is given to individualism or to collectivism. Lots of studies have been made on this subject considering the 189 nations and even more numerous cultures we have on this planet. Well, I'm raising also the following question to be studied, namely the birth of a global culture. In a conference on the subject I have said to the speaker that I was born in a culture, the French culture, where everything I was taught was related to France, the great literature of France, the history of France, the geography of France, the political system of France, her art, etc. But then one day the Germans marched in and told us all this was lies, that France was a decadent country and then we had to learn the German culture, its literature, its victories, its history, its geography, its politics, etc. and there was no talk of conflict resolution. In each case the recommendation was to take a gun and to shoot on the other side, killing people of the other culture. When the war was over I joined the United Nations, having equipped myself with a Doctorate of Law and I was told in the US that law is principally a European, French culture and that the new culture was economics. So I went to Columbia University to get a degree in economics. Well, the only culture which I found satisfactory was the culture emerging in the United Nations, a global culture, humanism everywhere, human rights, peace, education, health, help to the handicapped, an endless list of improving the human condition. And in that culture most problems were resolved by having nations work together.
~ Idea 3835 ~
When I am in Costa Rica in the hills surmounting the valley just above the United Nations University for Peace I just cannot believe the delight of breathing an air which is so pure, so filled with oxygen. I sometimes just stand and breathe with the delight and wonder why the world is divided between rich and poor countries, developed and underdeveloped countries. They should be divided between oxygen rich pure air and oxygen poor bad air countries. Air is the most important element of life. We must breathe it all the time. It is even more important than water, which we take only a few times a day. Breathing must go on day and night without interruption. How can the human society become so blind and not recognize this. How can anyone be proud to live in any one of those monstrous cities where breathing the air during a day is equivalent to smoking two packages of cigarettes? The people should return to the land, to oxygen, to the sea shores and abandon those crazy, over-selling, oversold cities with so many unnecessary activities and goods. The human species becomes more and more ununderstandable.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, am I glad, delighted to hear you tell this truth. If only all the peoples of this beautiful planet would listen to you."
~ Idea 3836 ~
The thought has crossed my mind that if I were a parliamentarian in Costa Rica I would recommend that this country be fundamentally changed from the point of view of values, that the supreme values will be the air, the waters and nature and not money and capital, more industries and more factories. One of the first steps Costa Rica should take is to reduce considerably automobile circulation and it should decree that the only cars permitted to be used and imported to Costa Rica (at least by foreigners resident in Costa Rica) would be the new carbon free emission vehicles, the electrical cars. The state of California has unanimously decided that each car company must produce a minimum number of a few thousand of such cars to be put into circulation between now and the year 2003 so that progressively current cars will be replaced. General Motors immediately introduced a law suit against this decision. Please Costa Rica, please poor countries, do not imitate blindly the rich countries anymore.
~ Idea 3837 ~
At the Costa Rican radio they announced in the morning that it was the hundredth anniversary of the day when the Spanish Parliament decreed that every child in Spain must read the Don Quixote book. I will ask UNESCO to establish a list of all these 'must' readings which nations have decreed for their young citizens and why no works of a global nature are recommended. Two texts come immediately to my mind, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Earth Charter which specifies how we should love and take good care of our Earth.
~ Idea 3838 ~
Politics means the administration or the government of a city (from the Greek word polis, the city). Today we must administer and take good care of the entire biosphere or sphere of life enrobing our planet. The biosphere is a little layer of no more than a few miles reaching into the atmosphere and into the depths of the seas and oceans. In it all life of our planet and of our solar system is located. It is the proper administration and government of that biosphere which is today the duty, the task of humanity. If politicians and scientists absolutely need a scientific Greek word to express this then one could think of biospherics replacing politics.
~ Idea 3839 ~
There are so many daily problems besetting this planet and brought to the attention of humanity through the media that it is absolutely essential that the United Nations General Assembly meet in permanent, all year round session. It is no longer conceivable that it should meet only from the third week of September to Christmas. We need a world place of constant world watch, observation and remedy to the mounting global problems of this planet.
~ Idea 3840 ~
Further elaborating on the consciousness humanity has now of the whole biosphere I recommend that in each government the Ministry of the Environment should be replaced or complemented by a Ministry of the Biosphere and that in addition to the new profession of environmentalists we should see the birth of a profession of biospherists.
~ Idea 3841 ~
On our farm I notice that all land animals including humans need essentially three elements to live, to survive: air, water and food.
In a proper Earth government the first absolute priority should therefore be:
to make sure that air does not diminish in quality
that no human person goes hungry
that no human goes thirsty
Looking at our humanity of 6.1 billion people we are far from having achieved this first, basic, vital tri-objective.
~ Idea 3842 ~
It is good, it is salutary that more and more people say: Let this piece of land to itself, let it in peace, undisturbed. Do not touch it. Give it a chance to survive. let nature be what she wants and is meant to be. We have done sufficient harm to her.
May this become an important , a dominant new philosophy on this planet.
~ Idea 3843 ~
Thank God we cannot build on the seas and oceans and destroy them too. I learned that all ideas to build sea cities or sea airports had to be abandoned because too much sea life forms would grow and attach under their base to a point that they would sink into the oceans. Hopefully experts and scientists will not find an answer to that problem.
In the meantime highly preoccupying remains the magnitude of poisons and wastes which are emptied into the seas and oceans. I have never seen the total figure, only the total effluents from the United States, i.e. 6.4 trillion gallons a year.
~ Idea 3844 ~
Dear reader, if you have the habit to write a journal or to dictate one on a tape recorder, then if one day you do not do it, you will see how you will miss it. It is almost as if some of your life had perished. When it happens I can feel it very intensely. That means that after all, keeping a journal is something very important. It is not an illusion. In reality it enriches one's life: one is more ready to notice facts, events and ideas which help us to better understand the miracle of life and of our planet.
~ Idea 3845 ~
News of a serious earthquake in Seattle were accompanied by the good news that no people were killed thanks to the anti-seismic construction of almost all buildings in that city.
I said to my famous environmentalist colleague Gerardo Budowski: "there have been so many earthquakes of late don't you think that the Earth might be trying to get rid of the human species? The Seattle example might prevent her from succeeding."
He answered, "She has many other ways, e.g. through the bad air we breathe, through water shortages, through the giving up of the human immune system as illustrated by Aids, etc."
~ Idea 3846 ~
When I mentioned to him that the air which people breathe in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles is equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day he commented:
"In Mexico City's most populated quarters they bring in a cage with a canary and count the number of minutes it takes until it dies as a result of the bad air."
~ Idea 3847 ~
The UN has affirmed global peace and obtained a lot of it.
I got a global spirituality accepted by the majority of religions: a United Religions is being created. I have not yet succeeded in getting global intelligence, global love, global hope, global optimism, global happiness and global government accepted. How I wish that world agencies and universities will soon be established on all these most important, urgently needed human requirements.
~ Idea 3848 ~
The geese woke me up in the middle of the night in our farmhouse. I was in the middle of a dream: a number of outer space beings had landed on Earth and one of the questions they asked me was, why do you have such strange names for very important events like every day of the week? You have Monday, which is the day of the moon that makes some sense. You have Tuesday, which is the day of Zeus, the Greek God. You have Wednesday, which comes from Wotan, the German god of thunder. You have Thursday from the German Thor, the god of power. You have Friday from the German goddess Frieda, freedom. You have Saturday, which comes from the Roman god Saturn and you have Sunday, which makes sense, namely the day of the sun. You would be better off is you had a day of peace, of hope, of love, of happiness, of justice, of kindness and of forgiveness.
Well, I didn't know what to answer to this question.
~ Idea 3849 ~
As I was awake it came to my mind that the next question in my dream would have been, why do you have such strange names for your months? You have January from the Roman god Janus, the one who was opening. February, I will have look for the etymology. March is the month of god Mars, the god of war. April, I have to look for the etymology. The same for May. June, the Roman goddess Juno of love. July from Julius Caesar, the Roman Emperor. August from the Roman Emperor Augustus. September, the seventh month, October eighth, November the ninth and December the tenth month, which is not the case. They should all be changed.
Perhaps the United Nations should establish a committee to look into the etymologies of the names of our days and months and come up with beautiful universal names which would make more sense, be inspiring and appealing to the people and reminding them of very important values.
~ Idea 3850 to 3855 ~
There will be a world poll on democracy and I have been asked to submit one item which I would recommend for such a survey. I answered that many people around the world ask me how the United States can call itself a democracy when it allows candidates to public office to accept huge sums of money from rich people and corporations for their campaign. Once elected they will have to show their thanks to the people who gave them that money so this cannot be a true democracy.
A few days later I offered the following more ideas:
Idea 3850 The birth of a global people's democracy, 2,800 international associations and movements registered with the Union of International Associations in Brussels.
Idea 3851 The phenomenon of international non-governmental organizations (NGO's) accredited to the UN.
Idea 3852 The World Peoples' Assembly in Samoa in April 2000 which created a permanent Global Peoples' Assembly with thousands of local Peoples' Assemblies around the world.
Idea 3853 The birth of regional democracies: the peoples of the fifteen nations of the European Union can now vote for their national parliaments and for a European Parliament.
Idea 3854 The recommendation of the European Parliament that a United Nations Consultative Parliament should be created.
Idea 3855 The almost total absence of world polls and UN statistics or data on what the people want. The Gallup Poll on quality of life is an exception.
~ Idea 3856 ~
These were the ideas which came to me on my 78th birthday:
On each government's agenda, the overall most important item should be: preservation, conservation and repairs of the Earth, our precious planetary home;
The second should be: world peace and the demilitarization and total disarmament of our planet.
~ Idea 3857 ~
A planet with such an incredible, miraculous nature and life forms
with Beethovens, Mozarts and other great musicians
with Leonardo da Vincis, Raphaels and other great painters
with the Taj Mahl, Egyptian pyramids and so many other great monuments
with so many cathedrals and temples elevating their beauty and prayers towards God
on a planet like this it is totally inconceivable, intolerable that there should be any wars, armaments, nuclear missiles and militaries endangering such a miracle. We must absolutely eliminate these blemishes from our beautiful planet.
~ Idea 3858 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I am so glad that you raised the subject of repairs. This is an important item for a family, for an industry, for a building, for an entire nation. It is important also for the biggest reality of all: the Earth, my nature. It is a good beginning to replant trees, but this is only a tiny aspect of the totality of repairs needed.
It is the same with conservation. Humans are seeing this only from their egotistic, short-term point of view, namely to preserve the elements they need for living and not from the point of view of future generations and the fate of the living Earth as a whole.
You must advocate a yearly true global comprehensive world budget in which my needed repairs would be treated as repairs and not included in the national product where they have no place."
I:
Dear Earth, you are so right. The problem is that the dominant, almost exclusive values are those of nations and big business and not of the Earth. There is only the beginning of some concern for the environment your nature. It seems that only major catastrophes will bring about the needed changes.
The Earth:
"And by that time so much will have been destroyed unnecessarily and blindly."
~ Idea 3859 ~
"The truth is that given the right chaordic circumstances from no more than dreams, determination and the liberty to try, quite ordinary people consistently do extraordinary things."
Dee Hock
from The Birth of the Chaordic Age
I agree with that statement because I see all around me in the world innumerable individuals and groups of people come up with dreams, plans and activism for a new world order, in reality the advent of a new age in the evolution of humanity and of this planet.
~ Idea 3860 ~
One of the great pleasures of life is to see something grow: plants, flowers, trees in a garden or in nature and to help their growth, caring for them with water and fertilizers. Each time one sees their beauty and growth one feels a deep sense of satisfaction.
How is it that economists have never included this in their 'growth' and 'development' figures? Why did they never realize the obvious existence of the growth of nature, of the marvelous products of nature? How blind, insensitive and arrogant could they be with their new, so-called 'economic science' invading the world?
~ Idea 3861 ~
There is much condemnation and criticism against tribalism surviving in certain parts of the world, but I have seldom heard anyone except Norman Cousins (see story on No More World Wars in my Dialogs of Hope), consider national sovereignties to be the biggest, steadfastest, uncompromising, totalitarian tribalisms which have ever existed on this planet.
Tribal nations had even the intelligence to give people false hopes and illusions by creating a 'United' Nations, a world organization deprived of all the powers they have: no legislative power, no executive power, no judicial power, no taxing power, no borrowing power, no military power and no territorial role. It is the most powerless institution ever devised on Earth in the face of the most serious and largest numbers of world-wide global problems.
But it gives the illusion that something can be done which therefore gives hope to the people.
This situation immediately after World War II has not changed and improved an inch in the last fifty-five years, but has considerably worsened: the world population explosion; the Earth beginning to be destroyed by humans; more armaments than ever, especially nuclear armaments. The situation is much worse than it was thirty - forty years ago. I think it would be better to close the United Nations in order not to maintain false hopes and illusions.
~ Idea 3862 ~
13 March 2001
Dearest Ted,
Our dear common friend Selma Brackman has asked me to write a letter she would like to give you on the occasion of the World Federalists award you are receiving. Warmest congratulations. I hold only one thing against the World Federalists: I have repeatedly urged them to create a vast alliance of all movements for world or Earth government, of which there are many. They refused. Each wants to do the job by themselves, and as a result the results are nil.
I have more and more come to the conclusion that this Earth is doomed. On the eve of a new period of imperative evolution this Earth is run by weeklings, none of whom has the courage to raise an audacious voice. I had sent to all heads of governments the plea that one of them should stand up in the heads of states Assembly at the UN and say "Let us stay assembled here for as long as will be required to work out a right system for the proper government of this Earth. We owe it to the future generations." None of them did it. Not a single idea was contained in their beautiful historic "Declaration 2000".
Please have the courage of making very bold proposals. Two of them I have advocated of late are: the UN should convene a world emergency conference on the world population explosion and a world emergency conference to save the Earth. Remember also the advice to you to create a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Proper Earth Government. You could also recommend that the subject of Proper Earth Government should be taken up immediately by the United Nations. You might even have bolder ideas. I hope and pray so.
Good luck to you. May your resolution as a young man not to let this Earth be destroyed be fulfilled. I pray fervently for it.
Robert Muller
~ Idea 3863 ~
What a pity that the most advanced species, the human one, after millions of years of evolution is now becoming a disaster to the Earth and to itself, sticking stubbornly to two obsolete values: absolute, uncompromising nationalism and capitalism. The mere recognition of this situation is denied. Only major catastrophes can change that.
~ Idea 3864 ~
I deeply shared the regret of the French newspaper Le Monde, that the Heads of State Assembly 2000 at the United Nations produced a beautiful declaration but without any concrete ideas. Yes, that is the a great pity on the eve of a new century and so challenging millennium. Many concrete ideas, proposals and plans should have been spelled out in this declaration on "how to deal with the global problems, challenges and opportunity confronting humanity". Future generations reading this declaration will not understand that no head of state had the courage to come forth with any audacious, forward-looking proposals.
~ Idea 3865 ~
Not only proper Earth and all humanity government should be high on the agenda of world thinkers, but also the structure of current national governments: there should be in all of them a Ministry of Peace instead of War or Defense; a Ministry of Morality and Ethics; a Ministry of the Earth and Nature or the Biosphere instead of the Environment; a Ministry of Democracy, including the rights and quick, simple ways for people to complain against injustices and bureaucracy. And there are others.
~ Idea 3866 ~
Consideration should also be given to the creation in all heads of states offices or a Bureau of Evolution to deal with our further cosmic evolution on this planet. Teaching of our cosmic nature should also be included in education and the influence of nature on the happiness of people should be a subject of the Ministries of the Earth and Nature.
~ Idea 3867 ~
We need also most urgently a UN World Conference on Our Future Evolution. I should have added that to the letter to Ted Turner.
~ Idea 3868 ~
If the UN General Assembly takes up the subject of proper Earth government the Annex to Ideas 3701 to 3800 The Cost of Starting World Governments Compared with Costs of Not Having a World Government prepared by the World Constitution and Parliament Association should be circulated to it. It provides a model of what the 189 governments of this Earth should prepare.
~ Idea 3869 ~
An outer space experts committee composed of economists would come to the conclusion that our planet Earth is an economically badly run planet. They would not believe it and declare us evolutionary cosmic misfits.
~ Idea 3870 ~
At the age of seventy-eight I find myself brought back to 1947 when at the age of seventeen after World War II I wrote an essay on how we should govern the world. I should try to find that text which opened to me the doors of the United Nations. It would reveal to me that the question is even more vital today, but is being avoided by every possible means due to the hyper-intelligent, subtle world-wide campaign by nationalists that world government would lead to dictatorship. Well, the instigators of that campaign see today the dictatorship of big business and money and might soon see the end of most life, including human life on planet Earth. Maurice Strong predicts it in his book Where on Earth Are We Going?
~ Idea 3871 ~
If no head of state has the courage to propose the item of proper Earth government on the agenda of the UN General Assembly, God will send me the same message as He did in 1947 in a train from Strasbourg to my hometown Sarreguemines at the end of the World War II: right now as an experienced elder how would you govern the world? I placed you for that reason on a sacred hill of the indigenous people, Mt. Rasur in one of the few remaining paradises on Earth, common sense, demilitarized Costa Rica.
~ Idea 3872 ~
I recommend that all islands of the seas and oceans of the Earth should create a World Community of Islands with a strong central secretariat to deal with the specific problems common to islands. For example:
- To what extent should western 'development' be allowed on islands? Will it not destroy our specific nature, charm and beauty?
- What will happen when aviation will be restricted in the world to preserve the world's atmosphere? Will the hotels and beach resorts on islands be abandoned?
- What kind of people should we allow to settle on islands? What lifestyles and behavior would we expect from them?
- What would be an ideal island for centuries to last, etc.
~ Idea 3873 ~
Similarly a World Community of Small States should be created. For example, between Costa Rica and all Central American countries to work together on specific concerns which are common to them and the ideal future they would like to see for their people and for the maintenance of their beautiful nature.
~ Idea 3874 ~
Perhaps we must redirect most of our values and actions toward spirituality, i.e. our cosmic meaning, our right participation in the cosmic evolution of planet Earth. Ervin Laszlo, the famous evolution scientist, has come out with a book on Macroshift, the shift of our evolution to the global, to the cosmos. His book could also have been entitled Cosmoshift.
~ Idea 3875 ~
Sciences, industries, new technologies and economics born in the 19th century went to our heads, grew, expanded and proliferated geographically during the entire 20th century, subordinating everything to their supremacy. It finally hit the very substance and functioning of our Earth's nature and created unprecedented, heretofore totally unknown global problems.
That is the crisis in which humanity now finds itself. We just do not know what to do, while every one of the global problems continues to grow. All we are able to do is to reduce the speed of their growth.
We need an entire revolution in thinking, daring new outlooks into the future and deep world political, economic, social and institutional reforms, almost revolutions.
Do we have the right heads of states, global thinkers and institutions to do it? That is the widely opened unanswered question.
~ Idea 3876 ~
What are the global problems which have hit humanity most in the second half of this century? Here is my list:
Please, dear reader, write down your own list.
~ Idea 3877 ~
I recommend that the following be permanent items on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly:
Others might be added.
~ Idea 3878 ~
Here is a second list of permanent dangers and negative human beliefs and attitudes which should be countered and eliminated by the United Nations:
Others might be added.
~ Idea 3879 to 3880 ~
Since the Earth has become since the 1970's the new additional great preoccupation of the human species, two further lists should be established:
Ideas 3879*
Idea 3880* Stop by every possible means and legislation the unnecessary use and waste of the Earth's natural resources, namely:
Others to be added.
* See the Earth Charter in Annex to Part IV of volume VII and the UN Charter for Nature at the end of these 3500 ideas.
~ Idea 3881 to 3886~
A few questions instead of ideas:
Idea 3881 How can the most advanced species of millions of species on a given, unique, miraculous, life-bearing planet in the universe let itself be divided and parked in to 189 corrals or territories which call themselves nations and are heavily armed with missiles capable of destroying that entire planet? Is that the intelligent result of millions of years of evolution? Who will give a proper answer to that?
Idea 3882 Is it normal that such a species suddenly confronted with colossal global problems created by itself - a population explosion, the deterioration of the planet's basic elements, climatic changes, major changes in its biosphere etc. - hundreds of them examined in these volumes of Ideas and Dreams for a Better World, still sticks to its old values and institutions and does not look in the least at its fate and future? Who will give a proper answer to that?
Idea 3883 Is it normal that most of these 189 corrals spend half of all their tax resources on armaments and humans called militaries ready to kill those of other nations instead of devoting these resources to the solving of their global problems? Who will give a proper answer to that?
Idea 3884 Is it normal that these corrals have innumerable laws and institutions - legislative, executive and judicial - multiplied 189 times while the Earth as a whole and humanity as a whole have nothing in the first category, very little in the second and nothing again in the third? Who will give a proper answer to that?
Idea 3885 Is it normal that the people parked in those 189 corrals are given an education or rather inducation into life almost entirely based on the information and values of that particular nation and little information about the total world, the total Earth, the total humanity and that this happens at the moment when precisely the whole future of the Earth and of humanity are at stake? Who will give a proper answer to that?
Idea 3886 How is it possible that inside these corrals and for the totality of this species the distance between the rich and the poor constantly increases without a revolution of the poor? It is almost ununderstandable. And many rich are getting richer without even wanting it and the poor cannot become richer while wanting it desperately? What a planet, what kind of a society is this in the universe? Who will be able to give a proper answer to that?
All this is so incredibly astride from the normal evolution of that planet that it is astonishing that there have not been any major revolutions on it. The wisest people on that planet will say that it is only major global catastrophes which will awaken the governments of the 189 corrals to take necessary measures and change course in order to solve these problems.
I hope to succeed in giving proper answers in my next and possibly last book which will be my testament to humanity, written over many years of world service on a day to day basis and entitled The Miracle, Joy and Art of Happy Living. I will then be able to leave this planet, having done my individual duty, given the extraordinary, almost miraculous circumstances in which my life unfolded.
~ Idea 3887 ~
I hope that one great forward-looking University on Earth will create a Faculty of Great Basic Philosophical Concepts Leading to Peace and Human Fulfillment.
~ Idea 3888 ~
I hope that one inspired, great University on Earth will be created to deal with the future of everything regarding the Earth, including all the elements, activities and projects of the human species, by far the most determining species for that future.
~ Idea 3889 ~
I hope that universities will be created at the seats of the UN headquarters and regional offices and all the thirty-six specialized agencies and world programs of the United Nations. I mean universities with students like the University for Peace and not like the UN University in Tokyo, not allowed to have students due to the staunch opposition of the United States Government against any world universities on this planet.
~ Idea 3890 ~
On a table on the terrace of our farmhouse in Costa Rica which has one of the most beautiful views on Earth I have affixed replicas of the golden signs for our benches on various chosen locations of the farmland. Here is the list:
Bench of Love, of Happiness, of Hope, of Faith, of Dreams, of Visions, of Ideas, of Philosophy, of Prophecy, of Thanksgiving and of Forgiveness. And there could be others.
My dream is that in each university on Earth there should be a faculty on each of these basic, life-guiding, life-deepening, life-elevating concepts. What a different humanity would ensue!
~ Idea 3891 ~
Thank God that most of the populated areas of planet Earth have year-in, year-out nights during which most humans do not 'work', 'run around', 'drive around' and do not invent more new activities and products to consume. We should erect temples and statues to Mother Night.
~ Idea 3892 ~
Is it really possible that intelligent, advanced, very knowledgeable humans about their world (their home) and humanity (their family) think that they can continue as usual without having a hard look at the sizable global problems facing now the human race? But they don't do it. My God. What unprecedented heavy costs this will mean!
~ Idea 3893 ~
We have now at long last satisfactory States of the World Forums and conferences thanks be to God. What we need most urgently now are forums and world conferences dealing with the future. They need to make the front pages of the world media.
~ Idea 3894 ~
What hope for the future can we have when practically all 6 billion humans of this planet go through a national education which does not prepare them to contribute to the solution of the dominant, all-pervading, dangerous global problems confronting now humanity: the population explosion, the consumption explosion, the damages to our environment, the colossal wastes, the pollution of the airs, waters, oceans, etc., etc. Please, educators of the world, wake up.
~ Idea 3895 ~
Frank Sahlgreen, the head of the UN Center on Multi-national Corporations, held that this center should become a full specialized agency of the UN. Alas the contrary happened: at the request of President Bush, Mr. Boutros Ghali suppressed the center when he became Secretary General.
The idea of creating a full UN specialized agency on multi-national corporations should be most actively and urgently reopened.
~ Idea 3896 ~
Add your own dear reader.
~ Idea 3897 ~
Citizens of big western cities should request that airports be removed from cities and built at a distance from them. They have become a disaster for the air the people breathe and for the traffic in those monstrous cities.
~ Idea 3898 ~
The Earth would be better off without the thousands of airlines and hundreds of thousands of cars ejecting thousands of tons of carbon dioxide into the natural air. Human have lived for thousands of years without airplanes and cars. Would it not be wise to return to that past which might be a real natural progress compared to the hectic, even more dense and growing mechanized transportation culture we have today?
The Earth:
"Yes dear Robert, you are so right and they want to spread this so-called transportation progress to my entire surface. What a catastrophe it will be."
~ Idea 3899 ~
Human beings of today are true biological evolutionary achievements or miracles. A right world education should tell them this and help them to be not only the beneficiaries of the Earth's status but also the contributors to the Earth's further ascending evolution. I have come to believe that the education of humans should be basically an evolutionary one.
~ Idea 3900 ~
All teachers, educators and educational systems and institutions of our planet should now receive serious education and information about the future of the Earth, of humanity and of the particular groups of humans they are educating. This is now a new unprecedented imperative need. The great religions with their cosmic spiritual view of the universe and time should contribute to this new world cosmic future-oriented education.
~ Idea 3901 ~
At this stage of our history and evolution we must almost forget about everything except the Earth and humanity which should be our main preoccupations. The University for Peace should also be called or have a Humanity Council established next to the Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro second world conference on the environment.
~ Idea 3902 ~
All we humans should make an effort to 'dethinginize' ourselves, to get rid of many unnecessary things which distract us from our inner and higher self. Monks are a typical example of how to reach God through dethinginizing.
More things do not always bring peace, often quite the contrary. Nature was, is and will always be our most important, incredible source of peace and happiness, including the sense of our resurrection into other life forms.
~ Idea 3903 ~
I recently observed more and more 'coincidences' in my life, work, actions and meetings with persons. Some of them are really extraordinary, full of meaning, except how and why they actually happened. I have almost the impression that mysterious forces help create those coincidences. Cosmic forces or preoccupations may be at work to help us save our evolution and planet. I have no explanation, but I implement faithfully the messages I receive. I have sometimes the impression that these mysterious forces create in my mind the idea or suggestion to look for a specific file, but when I look it up something completely different but much more important in it catches my attention and makes me do something very different. This is happening to me almost daily and I have no rational explanation for it.
~ Idea 3904 ~
The preceding leads me to think that I should review the entire manuscript of The Miracle, Joy and Art of Living in the light of the above. What I wrote in there over the years might have become much more significant than it was at the time of writing.
~ Idea 3905 ~
I owe many of my successes and advances in world affairs to the Coué method which saved me from the Gestapo in World War II (see story Thank you Dr. Coué in Most of All They Taught Me Happiness ), namely by repeating to myself ten to twenty times that it will work, that I will be successful, etc. I recommend that it be applied by all heads of state of this planet, in all professions, and in old age. It is one of the most important and effective rules to be applied on planet Earth, including the success of our long-term evolution.
~ Idea 3906 ~
There are places on Earth which are very special, which have a power of elevation, inspiration and enlightenment, almost of a cosmic, universal nature. Sacred Mt. Rasur where the first University for Peace and Earth Council of this planet are located is such a place. I wish that Gaia scientists (scientists of the Earth) would study such places. It is perhaps there that the capitals of the Earth, the offices of the heads of states and the heads of all world and regional organizations should be located. It would lead to a fundamental transformation and elevation of humanity and of the entire planet to the ultimate success of the cosmic forces of the universe to achieve paradise Earth.
~ Idea 3907 ~
In my view, the sacred, prophetic indigenous Mt. Rasur in Costa Rica (see references in Indexes to these 4000 Ideas) has definitely the vocation to become the seat of an entirely renewed, timely, elevated, spiritual ideology for humanity on planet Earth.
~ Idea 3908 ~
At this beginning of a new millennium we humans must absolutely decide to open a new era of the Earth, of nature, of ourselves and plan with joy and enthusiasm a true paradise Earth visited some day by astonished outer space beings who will offer us as a model to other life-bearing planets in the universe.
~ Idea 3909 ~
In my new capacity as Lifelong Honorary President of the Global Peoples' Assembly of planet Earth I will propose that we establish an Outer Space Committee of impartial observers who would every year make a report to humanity on how we faired during that year. I will recommend that this committee be composed of astronauts who have been in outer space and have seen the Earth from the heavens.
That astronautic committee, in addition to judging how the Earth and nations are fairing, would recommend what next steps should be taken to make ours a perfectly administered, inhabited, happy planet and what further evolution is expecting from us.
~ Idea 3910 ~
The world will not progress if it does not challenge the obsolete excessive 19th century free enterprise capitalistic system. If not the world will lose all its nature and species', including the human one.
~ Idea 3911 ~
The militaries review their strategy and institutions every five years in the light of the world situation and likely future. It is high time and urgent that the United Nations and its specialized agencies and world programs do the same for humanity's and the Earth's benefit.
~ Idea 3912 to 3920~
The world press reported the failure of the third World Climate Conference held by the United Nations in Holland in November 2000.
This reminded me how twenty-one years ago when I obtained the convening of the first World Climate Conference in human history in 1979 I was considered a fool.
Now 21 years later the third World Conference on the Climate could still not reach an agreement between nations to set carbon dioxide limits. This shows the extremely poor management or mismanagement of our beautiful planet Earth at the beginning of the third millennium. Dear God, what will be our future? What will happen to us?
Well, I am going to be a fool again by recommending:
Idea 3912 An extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly to review why the three World Climate Conferences did not lead to any progress.
Idea 3913 A UN World Conference should be urgently held on how to save the Earth and humanity.
Idea 3914 An Overpopulation Emergency Conference should be held.
Idea 3915 A World Overconsumption Conference should be held.
Idea 3916 A World Overproduction Conference should be held.
Idea 3917 A World Water Consumption Conference should be held.
Idea 3918 A World Air Conference should be held.
Idea 3919 A World Overwaste and Excessive Garbage Conference should be held.
Idea 3920 A World Overtraffic and Overtransport Conference should be held.
~ Idea 3921 ~
The free enterprise capitalistic system, which was a formidable success for the western industrial patents, inventions and capital-holding countries might now lead to the demise of the Earth.
And no one, not even the former communist countries have the courage, realism and vision to place this threat as the priority item on the agenda of world affairs in the United Nations.
If I were the Secretary General of the UN I would convene immediately an emergency session of the General Assembly at the heads of states level to look into that threat.
~ Idea 3922 ~
I sometimes feel that the last two volumes of my 4000 Ideas should be entitled 4000 Ideas and Dreams to Save the World. The fact that the continued population explosion and environmental deterioration of the Earth and of her vital elements are not being discussed every day in the media of this planet is as if a human being having cancer would not care about it and would not write his last dispositions and will.
~ Idea 3923 ~
In the United States and western world it is not business as usual, but everyday more business than usual.
~ Idea 3924 ~
It would be interesting to know what are the total resources invested in prolonging human life beyond the reproduction age. Perhaps this is not a natural approach from the Earth and evolutionary point of view unless the elderly people do really contribute to a better evolution of humanity and of the Earth by providing their ideas, experience and wisdom. Yes, one should look into this problem because it does not seem to comply with the laws of nature of this planet.
~ Idea 3925 ~
One thing one would expect to be a logical policy of the United Nations and of governments would be to divide the world into basically two major regions: one, the very 'advanced' regions which might now face soon a total breakdown in future evolution; two, the other regions in the world where there is still a long leeway for further evolution.
A whole new approach to the future could be taken by looking at the planet from that point of view. Where could one do more and should one do more? And where should one stop and do less? To begin with there would be the enormous categories of the seas and oceans, of the north and south poles, of the arid desert regions and of the mountains. Yes, to look at the world from a biological, geobiological, natural and man-made point of view.
~ Idea 3926 ~
I am often tempted to throw books away! There are so many of them accumulating over a lifetime, but I usually change my mind thinking that in a hundred years they will be as interesting and curious as are today books which are a hundred years old.
What will humans think of our books in five hundred years or in the year 3000? They might not believe it that we could be so cut-up, so disorganized, uncoordinated and insensitive to the problems of a global world and of the long-term future. What label will they give us? We should think about that at the beginning of this third millennium.
~ Idea 3927 ~
I hope that the United Nations or a university in the world will seriously sit down and define the notion and large variety of cases, advocacies and practices of freedom. We might be quite surprised by the results and by what freedoms should be on this planet at this stage of our Earth and human evolution.
~ Idea 3928 ~
Except for Dag Hammarskjöld who left his famous Markings, no other Secretary General of the United Nations left behind any remarkable work, plan, message or testament to the world. Some left biographies mostly written by aides. I pray that Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary General who lived the year 2000 will leave a major testament or plan for a proper Earth government either through a reformed, substantially upgraded United Nations or a World Union on the recent model of the European Union or a totally new model of the natural, ecological regions of the Earth.
~ Idea 3929 ~
Former President Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore should offer their thoughts and plans on how this world should be better governed. They should offer the world a new, great American dream.
~ Idea 3930 ~
Bishop Swing of San Francisco and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu went around the world asking the leaders of the major religions what they would think of the creation of a United Religions like the United Nations. The large majority agreed and this is how the United Religions, still called Initiative, was born.
Similarly, I recommend that a couple of world leaders would go around the world and ask heads of state what they would think of a more proper Earth government. The result might be positive and governments could undertake consultations toward the creation of a proper Earth government as outlined first in Volume IV and repeated as the conclusion of these 4000 ideas.
~ Idea 3931 ~
While the western population will decrease by 40 million by the year 2050 I am sure that the number of bulldozers and Earth moving machines in the same western countries will increase by the millions. What is the logic, the relationship between the two? Are the latter really needed when there is a fall, a decline in population? But business will find many ways of continuing to grow irrespective of the real needs of the human population and the fate of the Earth. Why is that?
~ Idea 3932 ~
I wonder how many millions of cars are on the roads and in used car lots in the United States and by what numbers they increase every year. Will it ever stop? Soon there will be more cars than Americans. And the same is happening in more and more countries.
~ Idea 3933 ~
Seeing the numerous, immense hotels around the airport of Los Angeles and entering into one of them, the Hilton Hotel, and seeing its incredible luxury, I felt that I was the naivest person on Earth. How indeed can I dare to challenge such a powerful, dominant system? No wonder most of my 4000 Ideas have little effect.
~ Idea 3934 ~
If Jesus came back to Earth during Christmas and saw the mountains of Christmas trees, gifts, billions of lights, packings and incredible wastes a few days later, He might decide not to be born or resurrected again.
~ Idea 3935 ~
19 December 2000
A USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll shows that while 58% of African Americans said they will accept Bush as legitimate President, (86% for white), 68% said that they felt "cheated" by the outcome and 50% believe Bush stole the election.
This was quite a comment on American democracy.
~ Idea 3936 ~
I plan to travel and stay less in the United States because I do not want to risk dying there and being burned into ashes at the cost of more than $6,000. Instead I want to be buried in the living, recycling soil of beautiful, peaceful, heavenly demilitarized, disarmed Costa Rica.
~ Idea 3937 ~
I cannot understand that given the large number of old men in the world no one wears a hat anymore. It was indeed wise of me to go and work in the United Nations rather than being a hatmaker as were my father and grandfather. I still wear a hat even if I am not yet bald and I liked the remark of a US lady, after hearing me speak at the United Nations, that I had never ceased to be a hatmaker, that I was trying to fit a hat for the entire world!
~ Idea 3938 ~
I think it is high time to consider new divisions and categories of countries in the United Nations, not limited to developed and underdeveloped countries or rich and poor countries. For example, overpopulated, reasonably populated and underpopulated countries; armed, militarized and disarmed, demilitarized countries; countries still amenable to further economic development and countries which have reached the limits of growth; countries with an abundant and rich nature and countries deficient in normal, natural resources, etc.
~ Idea 3939 ~
The good thing God, evolution or nature have done was to make sure that humans will die. What a catastrophe it would be for this planet if they did not!
~ Idea 3940 ~
Rich people want to make sure that their life and name will be remembered, eternalized through buildings, properties and art accumulations. I recommend that ordinary people should not go to hotels, places, buildings, businesses and museums which bear the name of a person or a family.
~ Idea 3941 ~
A species
- which spends one-half of all the tax revenues of most governments on armaments and militaries;
- maintains hundreds of nuclear missiles, many of which within a minutes readiness to be sent off and destroy a good part of this planet and of its species;
- which has 445 atomic energy plants and is planning more of them, creating nuclear wastes of which it does not know how to get rid of safely;
- which spends for its first tiny, powerless global institution (the United Nations) not more than it spends on a big nation's fire protection service;
- which puts every minute 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the airs;
- which destroys a living species every five hours;
etc.
SUCH A SPECIES IS A CRAZY SPECIES WHICH DOES NOT MERIT TO FURTHER LIVE ON A MIRACULOUS, RICHLY LIFE-ENDOWED PLANET AS IS PLANET EARTH.
~ Idea 3942 ~
All problems faced by the human species on planet Earth could be resolved in one stroke, namely by saving 800 billion dollars spent every year by 174 governments on national armaments and militaries.
How can it be done? By implementing the UN Charter which asked the Commanders of the armies of the permanent members Security Council to meet and create a world security system and thereafter disarm and demilitarize the planet.
~ Idea 3943 ~
The continued absolute sovereign nation states division of planet Earth will mean the end of evolution of the human species and of all species on this planet while proper Earth government could open the way to further advances of the human species and of all other evolution on this planet.
~ Idea 3944 ~
The latest public relations research states that we are bombarded by 1,500 to 2,500 messages a day asking us to buy this, think this, buy that. Result: it is almost impossible to be a happy person anymore in the 'free' enterprise, capitalistic society. The destruction of our Earth is likely to be the result.
~ Idea 3945 ~
Here again a prophecy, shocking, unbelievable to most people of the Earth but in my view very likely: namely that the United States will soon appear as one of the wrongest countries of modern times for having believed exclusively in human appetites, their own interests, 'inventiveness', competition, 'free enterprise', monstrous cities, skyscrapers, endless construction, huge monopolies, the absolute dominant power of money and for having exported these ideals to other countries of the world.
~ Idea 3946 ~
When I said to my grandson Henry who visited us in Costa Rica that I needed only fifty-four more ideas to reach 4000 and that I will then stop, he commented, "Are you sure? I don't believe that you will ever stop."
~ Idea 3947 ~
In the year 2000 natural catastrophes have cost the life of 17,400 humans in the world and provoked financial damages estimated to about 50 billion dollars. The number of natural disasters held a new record in 2000: 850, i.e. a hundred catastrophes more than in 1999. Most of the increase is due to the population explosion concentrated in big urban cities and also an accrued intensity of extreme climatic phenomena. Many governments insure themselves against natural disasters with European companies, but having contributed many years ago to the creation of the United Nations Natural Disasters Relief Coordinator I recommend that such insurance should be a common non-profit world-wide insurance by the United Nations.
~ Idea 3948 ~
On the road from Ciudad Colon to Puriscal in Costa Rica I saw this sign at a piece of land with a beautiful view: Century 21.
Yes, US real estate agencies are globalizing themselves, getting Americans to buy foreign lands all over the world, either for speculation or for retirement.
And where is the globalization and cooperation of governments for the public good and the protection of the defenseless through proper local, regional, continental and world government?
~ Idea 3949 ~
Thank God there was in the year 2000 an unprecedented event, a World Conference of Global People which created a Global World Peoples' Assembly. Thousands of local peoples' assemblies will now be created around the world to express the people's voice on how they want the world to be governed, not only by purely executive governments and national parliaments without even a United Nations Parliament.
Well, since they appointed me their Lifelong Honorary President, among other projects I will propose to these assemblies to create a movement and associations of tax payers culminating in a World Tax Payers Movement so that the tax payers will have a voice on how governments unilaterally tax land, the people and businesses. This should be an important item on the Global Peoples' Assembly in India in the year 2001.
~ Idea 3950 ~
There should also be created at the top level of the Global Peoples' Assembly in addition to a World Commission on Taxation a World Commission on Budgetary Expenditures. It is high time that the people look into and judge the spendings of governments. For example, it is intolerable that half of all budgetary expenditures of the nations of this planet are devoted to armaments and militaries. This alone would earn us the lowest grade in proper planetary management in the entire universe.
~ Idea 3951 ~
Costa Rica, 23 March 2001
Dr. Robert Muller
Lifelong Honorary President of the Global Peoples' Assembly
phone 506.249.2644 fax 506.249.1929
To the concerned citizens and institutions of this world,
One of the conclusions of my fifty years of adult world service with the United Nations is the utmost, overwhelming importance of right global media for the peoples of this world. Three Secretaries General for whom I worked as a personal aide, U Thant from Burma, Kurt Waldheim from Austria and Javier Perez de Cuellar from Peru, dreamt of a UN world radio station, a UN world television station, world newspapers and magazines, and of a true, world-wide global education.
The UN University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica, its International Radio for Peace and its Gandhi Center for film and videotapes production, all financed by private and institutional voluntary financing have partly fulfilled these dreams.
Please dear world-concerned people, institutions and philanthropists contribute heartily, inspirationally to these efforts of the University for Peace. Only 8 percent of all philanthropy goes to international, world causes which have become the most important ones at this stage of our evolution. Your help will contribute to a better, more peaceful, more hopeful world and you will be recompensed with untold happiness and well-feeling.
Your devoted Robert Muller
Former UN Assistant Secretary General
Co-founder of the University for Peace
~ Idea 3952 ~
There is a need to revirginize the Earth, to give the Earth a chance to heal herself and continue to evolve according to the laws of nature which humans are breaking on a colossal scale. The national democracy of the people should be supplemented by a planetary democracy with the people's voice on how the Earth should be properly governed and preserved.
~ Idea 3953 to 3961~
Some outstanding statements regarding the fate of our planet:
Idea 3953 "Homo sapiens is poised to become the greatest catastrophic agent since the giant asteroid collided with the Earth 65 million years ago wiping out half the world's species in a geological instant."
Richard Leakey 1995
Idea 3954 "The lion's share of environmental degradation can be ascribed to the consumptive behavior of the richest fifth and the desperation of the poorest fifth of the world's populations."
Claude Toepfer
Executive Director
UN Environment Program
Idea 3955 "The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man or one party or one nation. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world."
FD Roosevelt's Address to the US Congress on the Yalta Conference
Washington D.C. 3/1/45
Idea 3956 "We need a new system of values, a system of the organic unity between humankind and nature and the ethics of global responsibility."
Mikhail Gorbachev
Idea 3957 "Scientists predict that a hole, similar to that in the ozone layer over Antarctica will occur over the Arctic by 2020. If this happens the populated northern regions of Europe, North America, Asia and Russia will be at risk of dangerous ultra-violet radiation from the sun."
National Geographic Magazine
Idea 3958 "Chilean authorities have warned people in the southern tip of the country not to go out in the sun following reports of dangerous levels of ultra-violet radiation caused by the depletion of the ozone layer. Health officials said that the radiation levels were currently so high that unprotected skin would burn after just seven minutes in the sun."
Idea 3959 "Dwindling land and water resources resulting from desertification have played a role in sparking at least ten recent armed conflicts in arid lands, including Somalia."
Idea 3960 "It is generally accepted amongst international environmentalists that the major wars of the 21st century will be over water resources, particularly when rivers such as the Nile, the Danube, those in the Middle East like the Euphrates and the Tiger and the rivers of East and West Africa such as the Niger are all flowing through unstable regions."
Phillip Fryers
Idea 3961 "Governments must not only create environmental agreements, they must enforce them."
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
~ Idea 3962 ~
Humanity should rejoice that the first conference planned by the new United Religions Initiative will deal with conflicts resolution and peace between religions. This might be a source of hope for the resolution of the three remaining international conflicts caused by religion, the Middle East, Cyprus and Kashmir.
~ Idea 3963 ~
Quite some global human progress has been achieved since the end of World War II by the proclamation of world bills, declarations, charters and other agreed prominent world texts. The UN Declaration of Fundamental Human Rights is one of the best examples.
I propose that in the United Nations or UNESCO an office be created which would assemble all such declarations, widely disseminate them in the world and follow their implementation. The UN Charter for Nature, the Earth Charter, the several Declarations of Human Duties and Responsibilities, including the UNESCO Declaration of the Responsibilities of the Present Generation to Future Generations should receive prominent attention and be widely diffused in the world.
~ Idea 3964 ~
The Bill of Rights of Indigenous People being drafted in the United Nations could be a source of great progress: it provides that the 300 million of indigenous people in the world cannot be drafted into military service and that no armaments can be located on their lands. This demilitarization of 300 million humans would be added to the 14 already demilitarized countries in the world (See Idea 20 in Volume I).
~ Idea 3965 ~
In many countries there are national academies, for example the French Academy, or similar institutions of which the top thinkers and most prominent personalities of countries are members. I recommend that Academies be created in all countries and that in all such institutions commissions dealing with the world's global problems and future, including the long-term future, be created.
~ Idea 3966 ~
In addition to the absolute, urgent need to hold a series of world conferences on proper Earth government covered in Ideas in Volume IV three more important world conferences should be convened by the United Nations earliest in the 21st century and new millennium:
Idea 3966 A World Conference on the Future Evolution of Planet Earth and of Humanity.
Idea 3967 A World Conference on a New World-wide Global Education
Idea 3968 A World Conference on the Role of the Media with regard to Humanity's Fate and Major Earth Concerns.
~ Idea 3969 ~
Leibniz predicted that the sciences would dig deeper and deeper into innumerable ever smaller parts of reality but that a time would come when humans will have to look at the whole again. He was right, but we must add "and remember the past".
That time has come: we humans must regain wholistic views but also return to nature and to the love for our Mother Earth. Return to nature and to what was good in the past must be an important part of the new age.
~ Idea 3970 ~
We need more yearly world inventories, states of the world reports, records of achievements, states of failures, new problems to watch out for. They should all be brought to the attention of the world's people through world' and humanity conscious media (see my table Framework for World Media Coverage in Volume I of the 4000 Ideas).
~ Idea 3971 ~
It is absolutely necessary to devote unprecedented resources and efforts to save the future of the Earth and of humanity. Very unnecessary and wasteful expenses, given these new circumstances, are the 800 billion dollars spent every year on armaments and militaries. They should be used for the Earth and humanity's survival and future.
~ Idea 3972 ~
At the end of these 4000 Ideas I must repeat one of the earliest and important ones (Idea 51 from Volume I of 30 August 1994):
One hears always of national sovereignty as if it were something infallible, sacred, untouchable, inviolable. But what about world sovereignty, the sovereignty of our planet, of its elements, of nature without which there would be no life and no nations? In the next century Earth sovereignty must have precedence over all national sovereignties.
~ Idea 3973 ~
It is strange that so much construction is still going on in the western countries when their population is diminishing by 40 million to the year 2050. And to see what is being built it certainly does not look like being meant for the immigrants who will fill or reduce the gap.
~ Idea 3974 ~
My writing so many ideas and dreams begins to have some effect: in her magazine Humankind Advancing, Erika Erdmann, the assistant of Nobel Prize winner Roger Sperry, has opened a section of ideas and dreams inaugurating it with some of mine. In Switzerland at the end of a conference on the United Nations and religions, the president of the conference had a box of little notebooks which he distributed to the audience, asking them to come up with ideas and dreams and to write them down, following my example. Several auditors asked for the floor immediately to tell their ideas. May it become a world-wide movement of people participating in changing the world for the better. The benches of dreams are also making progress. After the conference a baker offered to donate ten such benches to the conference center and to the nearby convent of sisters.
~ Idea 3975 ~
I dreamt for years that someday I would play the Ode to Joy on my ten-holed harmonica in the vast General Assembly Hall of the United Nations. It happened when I got the Golden Balloon Award of a children's organization in that hall.
My dream is now that I will be allowed to offer to all members of the United Nations in that Hall my views, proposals and dreams of a tremendously improved, fulfilled, happy, elevated human condition and a well-preserved ever more beautiful, miraculous divine Earth in the vast universe.
May that dream come true too. My appointment as Honorary Lifelong President of the Global Peoples' Assembly might be a stepping stone to it.
~ Idea 3976 ~
The monks wake up twice a day at four o'clock: four o'clock in the morning and four o'clock in the afternoon after a siesta. I could therefore be a monk: I wake up at four o'clock in the morning and have the richest three hours of writing until humanity awakes and I have a siesta every afternoon. My only difference with a monk is that I go to bed with my wife Barbara between seven and eight o'clock every evening.
~ Idea 3977 ~
Someone should write a book on the discovery of another planet with life in the universe and show how primitive and wrong such a planet would look if it were organized, administered and governed as is ours. It could become a world best-seller as should these 4000 ideas.
~ Ideas 3978 to 3980~
Idea 3978 I dream that the nine volumes of my 4000 Ideas and Dreams for a Better World will be available in every municipal library on Earth so that people, especially the local Peoples' Assemblies could find ideas for possible actions.
Idea 3979 I dream that the volumes of my 4000 Ideas will be in the offices of all heads of states to inspire them and give them ideas for their actions, some of which might make them famous.
Idea 3980 I dream that the volumes of my 4000 Ideas will be available in every university library in the world to inspire professors and students and give them ideas of new courses and subjects of theses which would be beneficial to the world and humanity.
~ Idea 3981 ~
The 24th of October which is already United Nations Day should also be proclaimed World Peace, Happiness and Thanksgiving Day.
~ Idea 3982 ~
On Mother's Day the mothers of the world should claim the fundamental human right that their sons should never be asked to kill the sons of other mothers, not in the name of a nation, of a religion nor of anyone else.
~ Idea 3983 ~
In a television interview Frank Kelly, the former speech writer of President Truman recommended that the UN should create the position of High Commissioner for Hope and a Center for Humanity's Future. He is absolutely right. I would add to the latter the Earth, i.e. a Center for the Future of Humanity and of the Earth.
~ Idea 3984 ~
A strange, daring proposal by a student of the University for Peace, namely that the word militaries should be replaced by killitaries!
~ Idea 3985 ~
I like the idea of Ross Smyth, a senator of over 60,000 honorary life members of the Jaycee's International that the UN should open a campaign against the legality of war as a way to settle disputes. He proposes that the 1928 Kellogg-Briand Treaty be re-examined by the United Nations. Articles one and two of it are as follows:
Article 1 - The High Contracting Parties solemnly declare in the names of their respective peoples that they condemn recourse to war for the solution of international controversies, and renounce it as an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another.
Article 2 - The High Contracting Parties agree that the settlement or solution of all disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of whatever origin they may be, which may arise among them, shall never be sought except by pacific means.
Ross Smyth is entirely right when he says that: "This 1928 treaty did not provide effective law nor compulsory procedures for arbitration, nor a definition of war. Seventy-three years later a new attempt to make warfare effectively illegal is both justified and overdue in the nuclear age. We owe it to our children and grandchildren."
~ Idea 3986 ~
The United Nations should convene a conference of the big powers on the subject of savings of public expenditures to permit the development of the poor countries, the reduction of poverty in the world, a more just human world family and the safeguards and protection of the Earth and her natural elements.
To create the World Security System foreseen in the UN Charter would save colossal sums to be used both internally and externally.
The holding of such a conference would soon be blessed by the big and by all nations as one of the greatest providential turning points in human history.
Why hesitate?
~ Idea 3987 ~
One of the greatest contributions of the United Nations and of its 32 specialized agencies and world programs to world history and further evolution was to give humanity yearly inventories or assessments of the state of the world and of humanity in their major aspects and to give warnings of new arising problems. Nevertheless there are serious gaps and above all senses of urgency which are still missing in this global world view. They should be corrected and substantially extended into the future.
~ Idea 3988 ~
Planet Earth is essentially made of earth and water except humans who have also a spirit which remains embodied in our descendants and in our advanced evolutionary union of us humans with the Earth and with the heavens. We must be very grateful for that and merit it in our daily lives and in our behavior, values and actions on planet Earth.
~ Idea 3989 ~
I am seventy-eight years old and not yet bored and tired. As a matter of fact, I am less bored and tired than ever. How is that possible? The answer is my endless passion and curiosity for life and our incredible planet Earth. From this derive my endless ideas and actions for a better world and humanity.
God and the Earth:
"Dear reader, follow Robert Muller's example and we will make you live long and in a great state of happiness. This is normal: since you will help us we will recompense you with untold gifts."
~ Idea 3990 ~
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, you have published twice in your 4000 Ideas (in Volume III and VIII) the Dismal Alphabet by Mary Luttig. The first time I considered it indeed a dismal record of humans killing other humans wholesale in wars and in massacres.
The second time I added up the total which came to more than 15.5 million killed between 1836, the earliest record and 1985, the latest and there are quite a few more massacres to be added for the last sixteen years. As a matter of fact, the total people killed in World War II amounted to 60 million.
This thought then dawned upon me: what would be the world's population today if these people had not been killed? There would be quite a few more millions added to today's world population of 6.1 billion. And most of these killings took place in the developed countries where you consume thirty times more of my resources than the people consume in the poor countries. I also thought of you personally: having not been killed in World War II you had four children and have now nine grandchildren. Suppose the 15.5 million dead of the Dismal Alphabet or the 60 million dead of World War II would not have been killed and would have had only two or four descendants over that time. By today the world population would be 30 to 60 million more in the first case and 120 million to 240 million more in the second one. I wish that the United Nations Population Division would make estimates and come up with more accurate figures. They would render me a great service.
My conclusion as the Earth is therefore that these killings, while being awful from the human point of view, turned out to be a blessing for me today.
What do you say to that?"
I:
I am speechless. But my first reaction is that you should also think of the destructions which were inflicted upon you.
~ Idea 3991 ~
A few days later the Earth talked to me again:
"You know, but most humans do not know that many of your human successes are damaging, even sometimes highly destructive of me:
For example you found how to prevent the early deaths of children in poor countries and provoked a colossal population explosion in these countries which harms me very much today;
Here is another one: you prolong human longevity in all countries, especially in the rich ones where the people consume thirty times more of my resources than in the poor countries. That causes also a considerable damage to me.
On the whole it dawns upon me that I should not look any longer with favor at you humans as my beloved, most advanced, successful species but also as a negative factor. Hence my sad conclusion that wars, earthquakes, automobile accidents and other disasters in the world might not be all bad for me. What do you think?"
I:
You make some important points. It will be a shock when some of our major successes will be judged contrary to our and your future survival. My God, what did you come up with!
~ Idea 3992 ~
Still later the Earth held the following discourse to me:
"Dear Robert, when the Aids epidemic appeared in the world no cause could be found at first for them. They were considered to be the beginning of the giving up of the human body's immune system. This was very scary but it was soon discovered that a virus was causing the Aids: HIV. More than 21 million people have died of Aids since the 1980's, more than those killed in the Dismal Alphabet of Mary Luttig. Some 36 million people are currently infected with the HIV virus. This has also a substantial effect on the population growth. Consider what the increase would have been without those deaths!
Also it was recently discovered that young men recruited in the Norwegian Army are less capable of reproduction than those of preceding years.
Last but not least, a famous TV interviewer in the United States, Bill Moyers had his body examined for toxins and they found a 153 of them, the result of the food and beverages he was consuming.
All this means for me more survival of my other species and natural conditions. Soon the human species, as Maurice Strong underlines in his recent book Where on Earth Are We Going?, will decline precipitously opening a new era of evolution according to the law that a species which proliferates and gets out of control kills its excess numbers.
What do you say to that?"
I:
You made your point stronger than ever. Humanity and big business especially will make a strange face and take perhaps measures to reduce the damage they do to you through their overpopulation, overconsumption, overactivities, overtransportation and overarmaments destroying your basic elements. It might stop the current belief in free enterprise, government subservience and bring about the most urgent, fundamental rethinking from scratch of economics and all other twenty fundamental aspects of human life which I outlined in Volume IV, page 151 and repeat in Annex I at the end of this Volume.
~ Idea 3993 ~
Only people who were really bad, e.g. warriors, conquerors, dictators and murderers should not be returned to the Earth to be recycled into other life forms. Napoleon is okay in his marble coffin in Paris, but more generally they should be burned or placed in metal containers or concrete vaults so that they cannot mix with the Earth. This would be a way to prevent their DNA from continuing in evolution. On the contrary saints and good people should be buried in the soil, without a coffin to be soonest recycled by the Earth into other life forms and processes.
The Earth:
"Dear Robert, I do not know how to thank you. Your scientists should say that the biomass of fifty million humans dying each year must absolutely be returned to me so that I can recycle them."
~ Idea 3994 ~
Humans are seeking world-wide their fulfillment and a meaningful life. The only thing still missing is a proper world-wide system of governance to achieve that objective for the first time in the immemorial imperfect history of humanity.
The United Nations (political), the International Labor Organization (employment), and UNESCO (education and philosophy) should play a particularly important role in answering this global challenge.
~ Idea 3995 ~
Every basic belief of humans has a tendency to become excessive, all-embracing, take-it-or-leave-it. This has been the case of religions, of kingdoms, of empires and since the French Revolution of the self-appointed 'sovereign nations'. The very latest, most all-embracing is the belief in 'free enterprise'. Like all others it is good to a certain point, but then becomes a wrong way and impediment to the further progress of humanity and a negative, damaging, destructive element to the Earth. Can humanity not at long-last come to correct, proper beliefs and institutions for the Earth and humanity's present and future? Even my proposal for humanism and Earthism as the new ideaologies is not good enough. What should it be?
Elizabet Sahtouris, the famous evolutionary scientist gives us the answer: it is neither individualism nor collectivism which are both contrary to nature. The answer lies in an interdependent whole from the individual to the totality which is the Earth. Earthism or Gaiaism should therefore be candidate for the new ideaology of our planet. Yes, further proper evolutionary human government and good care of Gaia, our Mother Earth.
~ Idea 3996 to 3998 ~
I ask myself a thousand times these persistent, impatient questions:
Idea 3996 Why, why, why don't the members of the UN Security Council, especially the United States give life to the Military Staff Committee (the heads of armies of the five permanent members of the Security Council) foreseen in Chapter 7, Article 47 of the UN Charter, entrusted with the tasks of creating a proper World Security System and then to disarm the planet?
Idea 3997 Why, why, why does not the President of the United States or another head of state follow the example of George Washington who transformed the 49 confederate states into the Federal United States and request that the 189 nations of the world be transformed into a Federal United World?
Idea 3998 Why, why, why do not any heads of state want to become world famous by launching audacious, constructive, great history-making proposals to solve the problems facing the world? How can they accept to be soon forgotten as only one of the thousands of heads of state we had already on this planet?*
No, I will never understand it.
*National historians should count the number of heads of states each nation had so far and global historians give us the world total. They will not look much better than merely provincial governors of this great, miraculous, ungoverned planet.
~ Idea 3999 ~
- Lao-Tzu
~ Idea 4000 ~
God:
"Dear Robert, congratulations for having finished your 4000 ideas. May I ask you: which one do you consider the most important?"
I:
Well, my most important idea and conclusion after all my adult life as a world civil servant is this:
THE UNITED NATIONS MUST BE VASTLY STRENGTHENED TO RESOLVE THE MAJOR GLOBAL PROBLEMS HENCEFORTH INCREASINGLY CONFRONTING HUMANITY AND THE EARTH. IT MUST BE EMPOWERED TO ADOPT AND ENFORCE WORLD LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
I recommend that the UN General Assembly should meet again urgently at the heads of states level and that one of them will stand up and say to his assembled peers: "The world of sovereign nations is in disarray. The Earth, our vital air, waters, nature, vegetation and many species which it took millions of years to form, our climate are in jeopardy. All this will end in a global disaster without precedent, if we do not react with urgency, vision and audacity.
I appeal to you, I beg you, I implore you, let us put aside all other items on the world agenda and keep only this fundamental one: to have this General Assembly of heads of states remain in session day and night if necessary, until we give birth to a new political system for our miraculous planet and our sacred human family. Please stand up, delegates of the world, hold each other's hand and let us swear together that we will accomplish this historical miracle before it is too late: to save this Earth, to save humanity with a new world order. All the rest is secondary. Let us strengthen and reform the United Nations into a United States of the World or a World Union like the European Union. Let us perform this miracle in the House of Mica, on the shores of the River of the Rising Sun, wherefrom our indigenous brethren prophecized that a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world."
I offer further below a framework within which the work for the creation of a proper Earth government can be undertaken immediately.
Advocates of World Government/World Citizenship
Gary Davis, is a US pilot whom I saw camping at the Bridge of Kehl between France and Germany in Strasbourg in 1948 refusing to show a passport because he considered himself a world citizen, dismayed as he was for having bombed German cities and killed women and children during the war. I proposed to his World Citizens Foundation to create a world-wide alliance of all organizations, associations, and citizen's movements which are in favor of world government. And since world government has been downgraded by a systematic campaign of extreme right parties claiming that it would lead to dictatorship, I recommend to use the words proper Earth government. I also proposed that there should be an honor roll of world personalities who throughout history have recommended world government and global citizenship. He sent me the following impressive list which should be widely known*:
The following prominent individuals have advocated world government and/or world citizenship in their writings or speeches:
*The World Government Institute, Gledoux Terrace, South Burlington, VI 05403