~ Idea 1001 ~ 7 April 1997
During 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 1997
All 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 1997
I 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 1997
Whenever 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 1997
We 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 unnecessary
wastes, 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 1997
I 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 1997
Every 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 1997
It 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 1997
Needed urgently in addition to an Earth Charter, is a World Charter on Sustainable Consumption.

~ Idea 1010 ~ 16 April 1997
The 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 1997
In 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 1997
Since 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 also
17 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 1997
It 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 1997
Refrain 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 1997
It 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
A 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 1997
The 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 dream
that on 1 January 2000
The whole world will stand still
In prayer, awe and gratitude
For our beautiful, heavenly Earth
And for the miracle of human life.
I dream
That young and old, rich and poor,
Black and white,
People from North and South,
From East and West,
From all beliefs and cultures
Will join their hands, minds and hearts
in an unprecedented, universal
Bimillennium Celebration of Life.
I dream
That during the year 2000
Innumerable celebrations and events
Will take place all over the globe
To gauge the long road covered by humanity
To study our mistakes
And to plan the feats
Still to be accomplished
For the full flowering of the human race
In peace, justice and happiness.
I dream
That the few remaining years
To the Bimillennium
Be devoted by all humans, nations and institutions
To unparalleled thinking, action,
Inspiration, elevations,
Determination and love
To solve our remaining problems
And to achieve
A peaceful, united human family on Earth.
I dream
That the year 2000
Will be declared World Year of Thanksgiving
by the United Nations.*
I dream
That the third millennium
Will be declared
And made
Humanity'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 1997
If 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 1997
One 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 1997
I 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 1997
Today 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 1997
An 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 1997
In 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 1997
All 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 1997
On 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 1997
Non-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 1997
Human 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 1997
Hitler, 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 1997
I 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 1997
From 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 1997
For 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 ENVIRONMENT
What 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?
HAPPINESS
What 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 HEALTH
What 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?
SPIRITUALITY
Did 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 1997
I 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 1997
Today, 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 1997
In 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 1997
At 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 1997
The 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 1997
Elaborating 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 1997
The 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 1997
At 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 1997
We 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 1997
Let 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 1997
Barbara 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 1997
I 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 1997
Today, 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 1997
A 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 1997
The 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 1997
If 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 1997
Often 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 1997
I 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 1997
If 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 1997
Instead 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 1997
I 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 1997
The 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 1997
The 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 1997
I 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 1997
We 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 1997
I 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 1997
Someone 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 1997
Patriotism 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 1997
When 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 1997
It 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 1997
Democracy, 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 1997
The 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 1997
Providing 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 1997
In 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 1997
What 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 1997
The 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 1997
Benjamin 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 1997
Yesterday 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 urgently
A PROPER EARTH GOVERNMENT
This 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 1997
We need not only daily weather reports, we now need also daily Earth reports.
Barbara Gaughen

~ Idea 1077 ~ 22 June 1997
We 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 1997
An 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 1997
When 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 1997
I 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 1997
Barbara 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 1997
There 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 1997
There 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 1997
I 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 1997
Message to the Club of Budapest
During 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 form
of a profoundly transformed, strongly upgraded, powerendowed, well financed, second generation United Nations
of a federal Earth Government
or 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 1997
Through 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 1997
I 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 1997
Message 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 1997
I 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 1997
Even 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 1997
There 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 1997
Whenever 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 1997
The 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 1997
The 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 1997
I 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 1997
The Romans had the lapidary statement:
Carthago delendum est
Carthage must be deleted (destroyed)
I have this lapidary statement:
NATO delendum est
NATO 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 1997
The modern world should adopt St. Francis's ideals formulated on the sacred hill of Assisi:
to love God the Creator
to love peace
to love the Earth
to love simple, frugal lives

~ Idea 1098 ~ 13 July 1997
The 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 1997
I 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 1997
My 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 1997
Some 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 1997
Today 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 1997
Two 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 1997
I 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 1997
Robert 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 1997
Dear 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 1997
Napoleon created a Polytechnic School in Paris. We must create today Polyethnic, Polynational and Polyreligious schools.

~ Idea 1108 ~ 23 July 1997
We 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 1997
An 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 1997
Elisabet 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 1997
As 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 1997
We 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 1997
Someone 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 1997
This 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 1997
To 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 1997
The 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 1997
The 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 1997
The 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 1997
People 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 1997
The 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 1997
It 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 1997
In 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 1997
World 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 1997
In 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 1997
We 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 1997
Among 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 1997
I 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 1997
The 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 1997
Proposal 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 1997
The 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 1997
Here 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 1997
In 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 1997
As 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 1997
One 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 1997
It 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 1997
People 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 1997
We 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 1997
Under 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
Why 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
In his communication, Dr. Schmidt underlined these seven social sins signaled by Mahatma Gandhi:
1. Politics without principles
2. Commerce without morality
3. Wealth without work
4. Education without character
5. Science without humanity
6. Pleasure without conscience
7. Worship without sacrifice
We better work on all of them.

~ Idea 1145 ~ 29 August 1997
Today 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 1997
Driving 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 1997
I 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 1997
If 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 1997
To 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 1997
At 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 1997
Taking 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 1997
At 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 1997
The 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 1997
I 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 1997
As 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 1997
If 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 1997
I 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 1997
If 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 1997
When 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 1997
I 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 1997
We 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 1997
A 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 1997
To 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 1997
We 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 1997
After 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 1997
Only proper Earth government can save this planet.

~ Idea 1167 ~ 20 September 1997
At 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 Government
in order to save planet Earth from destruction."

~ Idea 1168 ~ 21 September 1997
No 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 1997
A 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 1997
The 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 be
created 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 1997
We 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 1997
I 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 1997
The 21st century should be proclaimed Century of Demilitarization and Disarmament by the United Nations.

~ Idea 1174 ~ 27 September 1997
It 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 1997
Today, 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 to
2 October 1997
When 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 1176
29 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 1177
30 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 1178
1 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 1179
2 October 1997 The work you have to do is to take the knowledge which is
yours 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 1997
We 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 1997
On 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 1997
I 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 1997
If 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 1997
Heads 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 1997
I 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 1997
In 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 1997
A 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 UN
creation of a world federation of states
creation of a World Union on the model of the European Union
creation of an Earth Government

~ Idea 1188 ~ 11 October 1997
I 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 1997
Barbara 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 1997
In 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 1997
The 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 1997
I 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 1997
Napoleon 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 1997
On 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
Reading 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 1997
eve of United Nations Day
Hopi 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 1997
It 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 1997
I 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 1997
Today 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 1997
Among 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
Since 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 1997
Since 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 1997
When 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 luxury
meditation
absence of trauma
absence of desires
absence of rat-race
absence of disturbances
I am anxious to see the result. She is also thinking of ordering T-shirts for gifts, with these words:
Life is a miracle
The Earth is a paradise

~ Idea 1210 ~ 2 November 1997
If 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 1997
There 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 1997
I 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 1997
The 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 1997
Idea 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 1997
Seeing 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 1997
The 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 1997
A 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 Committee
19 Drammensveien N-0255
OSLO #2 Norway Yours warmly,

Robert Muller
Chancellor of the University for Peace
former UN Assistant Secretary General

~ Idea 1219 ~ 11 November 1997
In 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 1997
Today, 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 Hall
Well, 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 1997
What 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 1997
When 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 1997
Regarding 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 1997
I 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 1997
If 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 1997
If 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 1997
The 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 1997
It 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 1997
In 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 1997
If 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
The 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
Since 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 1997
I 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 WORLD
From 23 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Fall 1997
In 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 1997
I 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 1997
It 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:
wastology
and
garbology
These should be worked on and taught in Universities and schools in the world.

~ Idea 1242 ~ 4 December 1997
As 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 1997
The 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 1997
The 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 1997
The 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 1997
As 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 1997
A 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 1997
In 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 1997
A major world television program should be created entitled:
Goodbye 20th century and second millennium
Good morning 21st century and third millennium

~ Idea 1250 ~ 12 December 1997
All 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 1997
It 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 1997
I 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 order
The birth of a new political world order
The birth of a new spiritual world order
The birth of a new world educational order
The birth of a new scientific and technological world order
The birth of a new world transportation order
The birth of a new world energy order
The birth of a new world peace and security order
The birth of a new world order of the media
Please add your own ideas of needed new world orders.

~ Idea 1253 ~ 15 December 1997
I 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 1997
I 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 1997
We need a World Association of World Savers.

~ Idea 1256 ~ 18 December 1997
I 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 1997
The 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 1997
Our 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 1997
It 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 1997
When 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 1997
One 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 1997
I 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 1997
On 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 1997
I 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 1997
There 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 1997
Idea 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 1997
There 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 1997
On 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 1998
What better way to start the new year with more ideas for the year 2000 than to reproduce this beautiful text:
ODE TO THE YEAR 2000
Lyrics by Don Toppin, Music by Don Toppin & Rudy Van Horne, 1995*
I dream that sometime very near
The Year Two Thousand will now appear.
I dream that somehow humankind
Will share hearts, hands and mind.
Give us the eyes to see
This fresh humanity!
Give us the ears to hear
The sounds of hope!
Give us the faith to hail
Vast serendipity!
Give us the soul to brave
A better world!
I dream that we shall celebrate
The Year Two Thousand and contemplate
The Great Millennium we'll shape
With 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 Dreams
From 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 NETWORK
The 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 1998
At 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 1998
Sent 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 1998
At 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 1998
We 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 1998
In 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 1998
The 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 1998
As 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 1998
I 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 1998
These 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 1998
I 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 1998
People 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 1998
If 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 1998
Dear 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 1998
In 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 1998
The 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 1998
There 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 1998
It 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 1998
On 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 1998
I 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 1998
In 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 1998
On 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
From 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 1998
Dear 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 1998
If 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 1998
All 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 1998
Perhaps 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 1998
On 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 Peace
30 January 1998
WORLD SEASON FOR NON-VIOLENCE
30 January to 4 April 1998
in memory of
Mahatma Gandhi
and
Martin Luther King
Create Global Awareness of the
Need to Forgive
Jesus 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 Forgive
For resentment is negative
Resentment is poisonous
Resentment diminishes
and devours the self.
Be the first to forgive,
to smile and to take
the first step,
And you will see happiness bloom
On the face of your human brother
or sister,
Be always the first
Do not wait for others
to forgive
For by forgiving
You become the master of fate
The fashioner of life
The doer of miracles.
To forgive is the highest,
most beautiful form
of love.
In return you will receive
untold peace
and happiness.
Robert Muller
Two 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 1998
We 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 1998
The 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 1998
The 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 1998
The 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 1998
Humanity, 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 1998
The 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 1998
If 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 1998
While 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 1998
The 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 doctors
1 world servant
What a poor image of our 20th century!

~ Idea 1311 ~ 11 February 1998
The 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 1998
I 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 1998
If 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 1998
A 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
There 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 1998
Increasing 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 1998
Many 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 1998
In 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 1998
Why 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 1998
I 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 1998
To 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 NATURE
THOREAU
How 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 1998
I 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 1998
By 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 1998
Indigenous 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 1998
Several 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 1998
For 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 1998
The 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 1998
Similarly, 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 1998
From 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 1998
We 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 1998
In 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 1998
When 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 1998
From 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 1998
On 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 1998
If 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 1998
There 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 1998
I 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 1998
Humanity 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 1998
Ecology (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 1998
People 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 1998
Erika 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 1998
I 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 1998
Each 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 1998
To 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 money
the destruction of the entire Earth
This 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 1998
Great 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 1998
Let 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 1998
Humans 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 1998
After 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 love
Idea 1354 a world movement of cooperation
Idea 1355 a world movement for justice
Idea 1356 a world movement for well-being of all
Idea 1357 a world movement of hope
Idea 1358 a world movement of spirituality
Idea 1359 a world movement for simple, frugal life
Idea 1360 a world movement of repentance and forgiveness
Idea 1361 a world movement for true democracy
and there are many other good ones whose time has come.

~ Idea 1362 ~ 3 April 1998
Such 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 1998
As 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 1998
I 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 1998
An 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 1998
Philanthropists 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 1998
During 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 1998
Every 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 1998
I 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 1998
Idea 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
In 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 1998
National 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 1998
A 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 1998
There 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
It 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 1998
Like 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
Four 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 1998
The 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 1998
At 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 1998
Someone 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 1998
We 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 1998
The 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 1998
A 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 1998
I 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 1998
After 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 1998
Sitting 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 1998
How 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 wars
eliminate all injustices
eliminate all violence
eliminate all poverty
eliminate all unnecessary destruction of nature
etc. etc.
to create joy and happiness for all humans
to love and be excited by all living other species
to increase everywhere the beauty of our planet
to make it a true paradise for our descendants
those 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 1998
I 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 1998
Projects 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 1998
I 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 1998
Idea 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 1998
Dear 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 1998
Many 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 1998
Sitting 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
Perhaps 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 1998
I 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 1998
There 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 financing
Then 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 1998
Despite 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
Last 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 1998
I 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 1998
In 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 1998
Noting 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 1998
French 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 1998
What 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 1998
On 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 1998
I 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 1998
The 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 1998
Perhaps 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 1998
One 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 1998
After 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
One 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 1998
I 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 1998
In 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 1998
I 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 1998
There 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 1998
I 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 1998
When 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 1998
We 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 1998
To 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 1998
No 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 1998
After 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 You
as a Thanksgiving Angel
since when things are rough
the 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 1998
I 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 1998
I 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 1998
University 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 1998
In 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 1998
Barbara 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 1998
Mothers 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 1998
Observing 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 1998
It 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 1998
I 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 1998
Before 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 1998
At 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 1998
Since 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 1998
Isn'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 1998
Most 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 1998
Disarmament 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 1998
I 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 living
At least the second dream came true.

~ Idea 1454 ~ 4 July 1998
Heads 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 1998
I 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 Muller
to the Ecovillages and Sustainable Development Conference
in Findhorn, in October 1995
In 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 1998
If 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 1998
An 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 1998
If I were a chief of government I would appoint several Ombudsmen or women as part of my immediate staff:
an Ombudsperson for consumer complaints
an Ombudsperson for human rights complaints
an Ombudsperson for excessive bureaucracy complaints
and there could be others. It would reinforce democracy.

~ Idea 1470 ~ 20 July 1998
We 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 1998
We 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 1998
There 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 1998
Costa 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 1998
We 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 1998
There 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 1998
Will 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 1998
My 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 1998
In 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 1998
Given 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 1998
The 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 1998
Tourism 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 1998
I 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 1998
Another 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 1998
I 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 1998
The 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 1998
Humanity has won some great victories during its history:
it has won against
slavery
racism
apartheid
discrimination of women
discrimination of indigenous people
Out 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 forms
militarism
armaments
extreme poverty
Earth destruction
corruption
excessive materialism and overconsumption
religious fundamentalism
extreme national sovereignty
lack of ethics
I 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 1998
In addition to the World Commissions I recommend in idea 571 I would like to see also established a World Commission on Exploitation:
exploitation of people
exploitation of other countries
exploitation of nature

~ Idea 1488 ~ 7 August 1998
If 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 1998
I 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 1998
Since 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 1998
The 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 1998
The 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 1998
I 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 1998
People 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 1998
There is need for strong world associations or movements for the promotion of a moral world consciousness and order.

~ Idea 1496 ~ 15 August 1998
We 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 1998
While 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 1998
If 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 1998
After 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 1998
In 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.