o those who have worked to clean up the environment,
who recycle everything they can, who look for consumer products that are
non-toxic, and who in countless ways act on their awareness of the importance
and fragility of our natural environment, "Ecology, the ultimate democracy"
is not a revolutionary idea. To the kitchen recycler and the leader of environmental
movement alike, this sensibility is second- or perhaps first-nature.
But to hear it expressed by a global leader at a historic
world forum convened to create guidelines for humanity's conscious evolution
as we move into the 21st century is something else again.The event was the State of the World Forum (Toward a
New Civilization), organized by the Gorbachev Institute/USA and held in
San Francisco from September 27 through October 1. It was a working forum
to which 500 participants came from all over the world, people who occupy
places of influence in their respective disciplines or geopolitical arenas.
Their task: to discuss the future of humanity in seven basic areas of human
concern: The New Architecture of Global Security, The Global Crisis of Spirit
and the Search for Meaning, Economies in the 21st Century, The Emerging
Civic Society, The Future of Science, The Environment, and Leadership in
the 21st Century. Over three days, participants discussed the many facets
of each of the subject areas in roundtables closed to the press. A simultaneous
meeting of youth gathered to discuss the same issues through their affiliation
with the Association of Foreign Students. On the final day, Gorbachev reunited
with two other architects of the thaw of the Cold War, Margaret Thatcher
and George Bush, in a CNN-televised discussion led by Bernard Shaw. It was
a meeting that fulfilled Gorbachev's vision of cross-cultural, interdisciplinary,
cross-generational communication which he deems as necessary if we are to
create a better future.
Mr. ul Haq concluded his remarks with a quote from his
predecessor in the U.N., Barbara Ward, who, he said, found real hope in
the idea that "our only choice, whatever our dogma, is to protect the
earth. This is our common progress or our common ruin. There is nothing
in between."While "the environment" was one distinctly
separate discussion theme of the Forum, a sensitivity to environmental issues
was woven throughout the sessions. Central in the Economic round-table,
for instance, led by futurist and economist, Hazel Henderson, was the idea
that the impacts on our natural environment cannot be separated from the
indices of economic activity, that if we don't include environmental costs
in indices of growth, we are kidding ourselves. Additionally, we need to
begin including "natural" capital along with "produced assets,"
"human capital," and "social capital" in any index of
a nation's wealth.Sam Keen, author and visionary, led the discussions
on "The Global Crisis of Spirit and the Search for Meaning." In
his summary, he alluded to our natural environment and how we must put our
human activities into perspective by ending the "tyranny of the urban
imagination." "63% of the world's population is still rural and
indigenous and in daily contact with growing things," he said. Rather
than any concrete suggestions as to the treatment of the environment, he
instead suggested we consider the point of view that "the earth is
the Lord's and the fullness thereof" as religion teaches us, and from
that vision will follow the ethic. The Native American contingent of Indigenous Peoples,
led by Chief Oren Lyons, chose the perfect moment to introduce their main
message. The "cocktail party" setting was truly mind altering
to begin with: two giant video screens had been set up at one end of the
room as a demonstration of new multi media techniques. A computer linked
a live video camera and a digitized imaging system for superimposed images
that continually moved and changed on the screens. Two small altars containing
fetishes and found objects were located between the screens, with burning
candles adding to the palpable vortex created there.Music was played by a group of three or four musicians
on instruments looking more like pieces of iron art than anything musical
I've ever seen, with a distinctly harmonious, even celestial, result. As
the group in business suits mingled and mixed and plied themselves with
champagne, Oren Lyons and others stepped forward to address them. A hush
fell as a statement was read, a sincere plea to be firm with major corporations
to do business in ways that do not harm the environment, to save our environment
for our children and our children's children.Moved by her own commitment to the environment and her
thirty-five years of communion with chimpanzees, Jane Goodall stepped forward
from the crowd and added a few words of her own, urging the crowd to heed
the message just delivered. And, without pausing, as easily as she had spoken
the words, she emitted a "whoo-whoo-whoo" cry directly from the
nation of chimps, startling sounds that surely galvanized the Natives' plea
at the cellular level of all those present: to honor the earth and all the
nations thereof.But it was the Secretary General of Earth Summit '92,
Maurice Strong, who, speaking as part of a panel on Democracy, earnestly
communicated the fundamental idea that in the way we treat the environment,
which ultimately affects someone else, we express our ideals. He was eloquent in his presentation. "Nature has
given us an effective democratic system. In nature we have ecological systems
through which our actions are transmitted to other people.... These complex
cause and effect relationships are really systems through which we demonstrate
our commitment to democracy. When we benefit from actions which cause harm
on others, we are demonstrating our stand on human rights.... Those who
don't have the right or the opportunity to participate in the decisions
that affect them are clearly not yet fully enfranchised. This I submit is
a natural democratic system that we cannot avoid.... In most countries people
can exercise their right not to vote, but nobody can escape nature's ballot
box."Further, he admitted that "none of us at governmental
levels have translated the high principles of Rio. It will only happen to
the degree the principles become an integral part of the culture and the
value system." And to assist that process, he announced the formation
of the Earth Charter, one of Gorbachev's primary goals, a Magna Carta mandated
by a broad constituency to "carry Rio forward". It would outline
principles of conduct to guide the behavior of individuals, companies, and
nations, recognizing that it is behavior that impacts. The Charter will
be developed to be ready to present at the 5th Annual Earth Summit in Rio
in 1997, to be adopted by the year 2000. "We shouldn't wait until political
democracy paves the way. We must act now."The State of the World Forum will meet again October
2 through 6, 1996, in San Francisco. Until then, "think globally, act
locally" still says it. The results of this Forum? In the words of Arne Jernelov,
Secretary General of the Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of
Research in Stock-holm, "I started out naively believing that natural
science and technology would lead to the solution of the problems... but
it is not sufficient.... Mostly I will try to integrate for myself the mental
[aspects], the lifestyle, the beliefs, the religious aspects." If the human and spiritual considerations can find their
way into the hearts and minds of those who make decisions on how we use
our natural resources, that's a beginning. And it's about time.The Gorbachev Institute/USA can be contacted at The
Presidio, P.O. Box 29434, San Francisco, CA 94129, tel. 415.771.4567, fax
415.771.4443. 
Peter Meisen, Director of Global Energy Network Internationa, San Diego, meets Mikhail Gorbachev at State of the World Forum. Seven San Diegans attended.
Anita Coolidge is a journalist, video producer, and spiritual counselor
in San Diego. She can be reached at Earth Vision Productions, 619.232.4822.
