It has been an exciting month here at the office, compiling all the amazing and innovative articles for the next issue along with stunning works of art that really make them sing. The theme is Human Security. We have learned a lot about it while exploring the topic for the Journal and also preparing for a talk I presented at aPathways to Peaceful Living Conference on the 17th. There is so much to say about Human Security that we are barely covering the surface of the changes that are currently underway. The question is: are we really providing better security or are we inflaming more conflict through the militarization of security? Especially in the US, the world’s dominant military power, it becomes essential to ask: what role can citizens play in not merely healing conflict, but preventing it? Is the UN effective in taking responsibility for International Peace and Security? What I am learning about the way peace and security is handled worldwide is quite shocking to me as a psychologist. You will learn more about this in the next issue ofKosmos. We will be continuing our research, however, far beyond this issue of Kosmos as Human Security is an issue for Global Citizens as well as national citizens. You will learn how some global citizens are taking human security into their own hands and the increasing potential for much more global citizen involvement in peace and security.
We are committed global citizens at Kosmos and many of our readers are as well. My own view is that one of the major solutions to our global crises is to expand our identity towards global citizenship with responsibility and caring for all human beings and all life as a natural way of being. We are planning a more formalized program on global citizens at Kosmos to be announced in a few months. Visitors to our website come from 128 countries and the numbers are growing. We are working with the Great Transitions Initiativetowards a Global Citizens Movement to be launched in Brazil at Rio-20 with our worldwide partner organizations. We are partnering on a new global citizens initiative with Ron Israel to be announced soon. And we are closely connected with Mark Gerzon, who is making documentaries and designing experiential methods of moving one’s identity towards the global. We are designing a special section of our website for global citizens. Watch for our invitation to participate.
To secure peace, in addition to de-escalation of military solutions to conflict, we need to transform an economic system that favors the rich and powerful to one that shares resources and power more equitably. As global citizens we are championing the Commons Movement as fundamental. As corporations and governmental regulations favoring corporations continue to create more wealth for fewer citizens, we are rising to reclaim our commons. On a global level, world resources are being enclosed through land grabs, as well as governmental policies claiming rights to the sea and the air we breathe. Kosmos has been publishing articles about how citizens can reclaim their power and resources for over three years. Now we are publishing the first series of articles ever written on “Toward A Common Theory of Value,” which we believe will become a classic. We are fortunate to be working closely with James B. Quilligan. We will publish 10 articles by James over 5 years that will lay the foundation of the new commons paradigm.
In our Fall|Winter issue of Kosmos we present a rousing speech by James O’Dea originally presented at the World Peace Festival in Berlin. We are interested in the continuing work of those involved in the Festival because it brought together people from all fields of endeavor who are considered to be the stakeholders of peace. In particular, it brought the business community into the circle of peace advocates. Although we believe in meditating about peace, we also believe it must be combined with real life changes in our institutions, worldviews and behaviors. An interesting report was presented at the Festival by Steve Killelea that we wish to share with you titled “Peace Means Economic Advantage.” (Click here for PDF). It is a fascinating series of illustrations and charts of the key drivers of peace and conflict both internationally and by states in the US.
I presented some of my ideas about global citizenship and human security at the Center for Peace through Culture’s Pathways to Peaceful Living Conference at Hancock Shaker Village in Hancock, MA. We had a lively and informative discussion with the participants about who is responsible for International Peace, and what we, as global citizens, can do in the face of a world with increasing risks and dangers. One participant noted that many felt despair about what they were reading in the media and felt helpless to do anything about it. This inspired us at Kosmos to make more specific suggestions as to how you can participate in issues that effect your lives and your children’s lives so intimately. Please see our Facebook page for an overview of our session, and some of the interesting ideas that came out of it.
We are looking forward to our trip in October to the Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California, and our trip to New York City for the Contact Conference, led by Douglas Rushkoff. It is always a pleasure to be in the company of Otto Scharmer. We signed up for his global workshop immediately and will be there on October 25th. All of these conferences are wonderful opportunities to connect with other organizations and individuals who are committed to global citizenship. If you will be at any of these conferences, please let us know, so that we can connect with you as well.
It has become increasingly clear that we can only do it together. If you consider yourself a global citizen, we invite you become a member of Kosmos as we develop further a Global Citizens Movement for the benefit and dignity of all life.
Gratitude and thanks for all you are doing to make a better world,
Nancy