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THE UN: RESOLVING THE CRISIS OF VISION

It has been said that mankind has the “habit of crisis” and indeed the annals of history illustrate this long-established pattern within the consciousness of humanity. The story of humanity’s evolution proceeds according to a ‘principle of conflict’ that provides constant points of crisis from which new visions are born and through which subsequent growth arises. This process can be seen working in individuals, organisations, religions and nations; its hallmark is indelibly stamped in the chequered history of the United Nations, and it is as active today as it has ever been.

Crisis means ‘to separate, to decide or judge’, and is related to ‘critic’ meaning ‘able to discern’; hence spiritual crises are major tests of discrimination, which lead either to extended vision, or to greater separation and isolation. This is the power and the transformative potential inherent in our habit of crisis. The crisis of the world conflict that gave birth to the United Nations made possible the tremendous vision of its Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As discussed below in the article From Pragmatic to Visionary, concessions had to be made to the world powers at the time of the UN’s inauguration, but nevertheless this expansive vision of a worldwide brotherhood of nations provided the goal towards which humanity has been reaching ever since. That we have faltered on the way is not surprising given the grandeur and idealism of the original vision, but the perceived failure to live up to its principles has resulted in the current reform initiatives.

The publication of Kofi Annan’s document In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All makes proposals for a constructive way forward, and a major test of discrimination now lies before all member states. The choice before nations is now more clearly between the path of self-sacrifice for the greater good of the whole, and the path of selfish, national interests that inevitably leads to separation, hostility and further conflict. Already we see frenetic lobbying to secure permanent membership on the Security Council, as well as a host of alternative reform proposals from various sources. All this, along with the cynical remarks and projection of blame onto the UN body itself for its perceived failures, has the potential to eclipse the more expansive vision contained in the Secretary-General’s document.

It is true that the sprawling bureaucracy of the UN has created internal problems, including administrative failure, corruption and scandal, and the travesty of criminal and repressive regimes sharing the seat of judgement on the Human Rights Commission. These and other problems obviously need addressing, and responsibility needs to be assumed by all member states for the collective loss of vision that has allowed these contaminating influences to flourish. There is also a need for greater understanding that the UN exists as a way for nations to come together to serve and empower the whole – for mutual benefit rather than to serve only nationalistic aspirations.

While the initial vision of the UN was never going to be implemented overnight, through cycles of conflict, crisis and renewed vision, this world body has made, and is making, detectable progress towards the envisioned comity of nations. The UN has played a substantial role in the tackling of extreme hunger, poverty and disease, and environmental degradation, and in the promotion of peace and education and rights for all. However, the time is now ripe for a further unfolding of the original vision as focused so lucidly by the Secretary-General’s report. Among the proposals, a new determination to implement the Millennium Development Goals is vitally needed, and this will test many nations who are as yet failing to implement the proposals agreed at the Millennium Summit in 2000.

Fortunately, the influence of civil society is now growing rapidly, and public opinion is exerting the pressure of visionary goodwill on the governments of the world. This brings a clarifying light to bear on the issues at stake, highlighting and differentiating the spiritual principles from the narrower outlook of strictly nationalistic agendas. The charitable goodwill that is being expressed the world over is a consequence of a simultaneous mass search for spiritual meaning in the current state of world affairs. There is a shift from seeing spirituality as a means of individual salvation and enlightenment, towards recognising that spirituality involves the cultivation of the spirit of goodwill and right relations with one another and the environment. One result of this is that many people are now turning to meditation as an act of service.

It is with this in mind that World Goodwill launched its Cycle of Conferences initiative, to use the power of inner vision to clarify the atmosphere in which world councils and conferences are taking place. The current focus is on UN Reform, and the energy of the will-to-good is visualised pouring into the various councils/meetings that are now taking place in preparation for the General Assembly debate in September. This work is designed to empower the underlying spiritual principles at stake, and to help make the current crisis within the UN that turning point where a new path to wholeness can be taken. Through this work, we can all contribute to fulfilling one of the articles in the Preamble of the UN Charter: “to promote social progress and better understanding of life in larger freedom.” (More information on the Cycles of Conferences is available at: www1.lucistrust.org/cycle/cyc1.shtml)

Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand, for nobody is truly free while fellow human beings are enslaved through lacking the basic necessities of life. It is therefore imperative that while UN reforms are considered and debated by the nations of the world in a spirit of pragmatism and compromise, the founding vision of the United Nations continues to be held before the eyes of humanity. In this way, the current crisis of vision becomes a point of examination as to strength, purpose, purity and motive that draws upon the resources of the heart and releases the light of wisdom within the field of knowledge. Through this process the world is thereby enriched.

GOODWILL IS…the key to enlightened international cooperation.