Big Events for Equal Dignity (BEventsED)

HumanDHS is primarily grounded in academic work. We are independent of any religious or political agenda. However, we wish to bring academic work into "real life." Our research focuses on topics such as dignity (with humiliation as its violation), or, more precisely, on respect for equal dignity for all human beings in the world. This is not only our research topic, but also our core value, in line with Article 1 of the Human Rights Declaration that states that every human being is born with equal dignity (that ought not be humiliated). We agree with Professor Shibley Telhami, who advocates the building of bridges from academia as follows, "I have always believed that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential for public policy. It is possible to affect public policy without being an advocate; to be passionate about peace without losing analytical rigor; to be moved by what is just while conceding that no one has a monopoly on justice." We would like to add that we believe that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential not only for public policy, but for raising awareness in general.

Peace Star

9/11/2001 has become a code for a water-shed. It was a big event that moved the world not least due to its unexpected audacity and creativity. And it was a terrible event. Let us now ask: Is it possible to create events that have as much impact as this tragedy, only that they inspire hope, instead of making us sad? (The Global Responsibility Festival "Hamburger Ideenkette" that Lindner initiated and organized in 1993 began with the generation of big ideas designed to galvanize people in novel ways.)

When world peace is being discussed, many agree, that an outer enemy would unite humankind. Indeed, as we see, already the gaze from afar has a similar effect. Pictures of the Blue Planet from the astronaut's perspective have been chosen to open news programmes around the world, not least because they are thought to stimulate interest in global news. And global warming almost functions as an "outer enemy" these days, as does the fear of terrorism.

The Peace Star idea represents a further development of these reflections. People affiliated with Richard Branson, NASA, ESA, Galileo, and all others - in short everybody involved in putting new objects into space - are called upon to contact us and develop this idea so that we can implement it together! The aim is to galvanize world opinion...

Peace is boring, nothing happens. Let us make something happen! This Peace Star (or Harmony Star for Sustainability, both Ecologically and Socially, or whatever other creative name will might find), would therefore have to do something. Perhaps the engineers could make it send out light flashes to attract attention at night? And it has to disseminate programs, both radio and tv, that transport the message of social and ecological sustainability.

Let us disseminate:
• Earth Report
• IRIN Film & TV
• Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth
• Omar Amanat's work
• Bono Concerts
• etc.

The cost of putting a Peace Star into orbit could be defended by the fact that we need a major paradigm shift in the world, a fast and comprehensive shift. Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth was a great help. And such a new Star could help to reach this goal even more! New thinking is urgently needed, old thinking has to be replaced with new knowledge. And a Peace Star could disseminate this message in a forceful manner!

The world’s military expenditure in 2006 reached a new high of $1204 billion (the annual cost of meeting the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 would amount to around 10% of these funds). Today, the cost of putting a satellite into orbit is between $12,000 and $15,000 per kg, with research underway to decrease this cost. In all cases, putting up a Peace Star would represent a fraction of military spending. Why not invest part of military spending in a truly grand and innovative peace initiative? Why not ask the military sector to turn toward peace, at least make a step, by help create a Peace Star?

Discussing the Peace Star idea! Omar Amanat, Evelin and Sabrina, December 3, 2007. Please click on the picture to see it larger.

International Human Dignity Day

Zahid Shahab Ahmed (in a personal message, 11th January) suggests to have a similar event at the same time all around the world. He suggests that this could be done by creating connections with like-minded people and organizations in countries all over the world. He proposes that we can have an international human dignity day and can have walks/seminars/workshops in all parts of the world.

Links

'$100 laptop' to Sell to Public
By Jonathan Fildes
Science and technology reporter, BBC News
Computer enthusiasts in the developed world will soon be able to get their hands on the so-called "$100 laptop".
The organisation behind the project has launched the "give one, get one" scheme that will allow US residents to purchase two laptops for $399 (£198).
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/6994957.stm and on http://www.xogiving.org/.

Garry Davis: World Citizenship, World Passport, World Presidency, World Service Authority, World Government of World Citizens, World Government House
Garry Davis (Bar Harbor, Maine, July 27, 1921) is a peace activist who created the first "World Passport." A former World War II bomber pilot and Broadway actor, he renounced his American citizenship in Paris in 1948 to become a "citizen of the world." Davis founded the World Service Authority, which now issues the passports - along with birth and other certificates - to applicants. Davis first used his "world passport" on a trip to India in 1956, and has been variably admitted into or jailed by countries around the world after using his world passport. Up to 150 countries have purportedly accepted the world passport at one time or another. In France, his support committee was co-founded by writers Albert Camus and André Gide and the Abbé Pierre (quoted from wikipedia).

World Children's Festival in Washington in June 2007
The world largest celebration of children's creativity and imagination will take place in June at the most prestigious public venue in the world - The National Mall in Washington, DC.

Star of Hope Points the Way
To peaceful progress on Planet Earth
by John McConnell, 91 Year Old Founder of Earth Day
... In October 1957 I obtained global attention for an editorial in my weekly North Carolina "Toe Valley View" newspaper. It urged that we launch a Satellite that would have a bright flashing light that would appear every night and be seen globally as a bright Star of Hope for all humanity...