~ Idea 1501 ~ 20 August 1998
If I should die in a country away from Costa Rica and possessing militaries and armaments, I request that my remains be transferred to demilitarized Costa Rica and interred on Mount Rasur from which the indigenous God of children, Rasur, prophecized that a civilization of peace will extend to the entire world.

~ Idea 1502 ~ 21 August 1998
Parliamentarians, the elected representatives of the people, must absolutely be brought closer if not right in the middle of the world agencies. The fate of the Earth and of humanity cannot be left one hundred percent in the hands of national executives. This cannot continue. Given the importance of global problems, parliamentarians must be well informed and actively contribute to the work of these agencies. Rather than wait for the creation of a United Nations Consultative Parliament, the Inter-Parliamentary Union could be made immediately the Parliamentary Assembly of the United Nations and its family of 32 specialized agencies and world programs. Let us aim at that for adoption and entry into force during the year 2000.

~ Idea 1503 ~ 22 August 1998
I highly recommend that all world religions submit to the United Nations for the year 2000 their concrete proposals and ideas for a better world in the next century and millennium. This could be a remarkable, most useful, enlightening documentation.
Please religions, do not fail to do it, I beg you.

~ Idea 1504 ~ 23 August 1998
Humanity has been able to progress and surmount the most incredible obstacles in evolution: the horrendous climates in cold and in hot areas, early death, wild animals, epidemics, wars after wars, conquerors, empires, colonialism, slavery, racial hatred, etc.
Our conscious will for survival and progress, our learning have constantly increased, but we have also encountered new obstacles and problems to resolve in recent years.
Today there is one major difference with all our past. The French historian Michelet said in the 19th century that despite Hannibal, the Romans and Napoleon crossing the Alps, the Mont Blanc had not changed a bit. Well, today this is no longer true: there is a tunnel crossing the Mont Blanc, its slopes have suffered damage as a result of climatic changes and the Winter Olympics. For the first time in human history, humans are changing substantially the Earth, its ozonosphere, atmosphere, its waters, its biosphere, its soils, its vegetal cover, its climate, its ocean currents, and are responsible for the extinction every five hours of a species which it took millions of years to form.
This situation requires an entirely new thinking, new values, new objectives, new preventions new behaviors, new healings and new institutions. It also requires for the first time a sense of urgency. I urge the creation of a World Ecological Emergency Committee. The Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro Conference could become it.

~ Idea 1505 ~ 24 August 1998
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December this year, we absolutely must begin to speak of fundamental human rights to a clean air, to pure water, to unpolluted cities, to a non-violent society, to a disarmed, denuclearized and demilitarized planet, to a well preserved Earth, to a rational use and conservation of nature and its resources. It is not too early, it is most urgent to proclaim these rights.
Beyond human rights, duties and responsibilities, I recommend that the UN should open up an entirely new chapter of work and international conferences on imperatives of the 21st century and millennium. If I were Secretary General I would create a new UN Department of Earth Imperatives and Urgencies.

~ Idea 1506 ~ 25 August 1998
The non-saving of the astronomic sums spent by 170 of 185 nations on militaries and armaments must be considered one of the main evolutionary aberrations in human history. These sums must urgently be transferred to the salvation of the Earth and the continuance of our evolution.
All national security systems must be replaced by a world security system the plans of which have existed since World War II but were not implemented because of the cold war. That obstacle is now removed. It must become the priority one item on the UN's agenda.

~ Idea 1507 ~ 26 August 1998
Readers might exclaim when reading these 2000 ideas: "Why so many of them? Are they really necessary? I am getting tired of them."
Well, just think for a moment of the tens of thousands of ideas which are being produced around the clock and the world every day by government officials to promote their government, to levy more taxes, to start new projects, to spread their national influence in the world; and how many are produced by businessmen, builders, architects, engineers, marketing experts, advertisers, etc. to promote their professions and businesses. This is what national schools, business schools and Universities teach and prepare their students for. Think of the thousands of humans flocking every morning into the skyscrapers of big cities to do only that!
And who asks and prepares people to come up with ideas for a better world and a happier, more fulfilled humanity? Almost noone. My 2000 ideas are a mere drop of water into what must become a world wave of proposals.
Please, dear reader, begin to write down your ideas for peace, cooperation, a better world, a happier humanity, and to prevent the destruction of our beautiful home, planet Earth. Apply these goals to your profession and you will see wonders happen, as I did with my innumerable, incessant ideas during my forty years in the United Nations and now as Chancellor of the first World Peace University in demilitarized Costa Rica.

~ Idea 1508 ~ 27 August 1998
Darwin's theory of competition for survival of the fittest was right in the past. Today it must be changed to cooperation for the survival of the Earth and humanity and for the continuation of evolution.

~ Idea 1509 ~ 28 August 1998
In Idea 20 I proposed that the demilitarized countries should create a world association and a group of demilitarized countries at the United Nations. I would like to amend that proposal and change its name to: world association and group of demilitarized, demilitarizing and countries interested in demilitarization. The latter would learn from the former, be encouraged to go ahead, and would see the benefits of demilitarization and also how certain obstacles and adverse situations can be overcome and satisfactorily resolved.

~ Idea 1510 ~ 29 August 1998
We must deeply rethink our world's and humanity's future. It would be good to remember the fathers of the US Constitution who believed that the function of good government was "to effect the greatest happiness of the greatest number of citizens and to effect harmony between the public and private interests." Today they would add harmony with the Earth and a world-wide dimension to the attaining of happiness.
I recommend that the thinkers and leaders of this world return to that down-to-Earth, common sense but correct philosophy of the founders of the United States. It has always been my philosophy too and earned me the nickname of "philosopher of the United Nations" which I must continue to merit.

~ Idea 1511 ~ 30 August 1998
Sometimes when I do something with my hands, I say: "It is not going to work, it will fall, it will break." And indeed it does. I then exclaim: "Well, I knew it, I was right."
But in the back of my mind lingers the thought: "If I had held it better and been more careful and optimistic, it would not have fallen and broken." And I conclude that it was to a large extent my own fault.
Well, the same applies to social relations and to humanity. We all too often say: "It will not work." When writing these 2000 ideas I changed my attitude and said: "It will work. I and other people will make it work." As a result I never give up and the spirits of the universe visit me in the night and show me the ways.
As Immanuel Kant said:
"It will be proved, I know not when or where, that the human soul stands even in this life in indissoluble connection with all immaterial natures in the spirit world, that it reciprocally acts upon these and receives impressions and help from them."

~ Idea 1512 ~ 31 August 1998
Speaking of demilitarized countries, here is a typical example of what they could do in conformity with their philosophy and status in the world: when earlier this year, there was a menace of an all-out attack by United States military forces against Iraq, the US sent to Costa Rica their permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Elliot Richardson to convince the Costa Rican government to support their position at the UN. Costa Rica, mindful of their demilitarized status, refused to go along and answered that they wanted the Secretary General to be the mediator and go to Iraq. This position prevailed and won the approval of the UN member-states, and as an American neighbor said to me: "We thank the United Nations for having prevented us from bombing again women and children." I told him that his thanks should go to Costa Rica.

~ Idea 1513 ~ 1 September 1998
The new President of Costa Rica, has announced that he will seek the demilitarization of all of Central America and make it the first demilitarized zone on this planet. The University for Peace established by the UN in Costa Rica will show how many children can be educated with the funds released by demilitarization in other Central American countries. He will seek the establishment of a demilitarization fund for the region, to which the rich countries would be welcome to contribute.

~ Idea 1514 ~ 2 September 1998
Since I will have completed my 2000 ideas and dreams well before the first of January 2000, I have decided to continue writing ideas when they are finished. The title will be "My Third Thousand Dreams and Ideas for a Better World."

~ Idea 1515 ~ 3 September 1998
The countries going fastest will be the first to be confronted with the abyss. Wisest will be those taking it easy. The time will come when people from the first countries will emigrate to the second.

~ Idea 1516 ~ 4 September 1998
To assist the rebirth of spirituality in the world, I propose that World Associations of Spiritual Leaders be created in all walks of life: scientists, business people, builders, educators, the media, diplomats, heads of corporations, heads of states, etc. Not a single profession or walk of life should be omitted. It would be a great help to a better, well-preserved Earth and happier humanity.

~ Idea 1517 ~ 5 September 1998
Please, dear women of the world, remember the old saying: "Behind each great man there is a great woman." I would rather say: "Behind each happy, fulfilled man there is a great woman." It has been my case. My life could have never been what it was without Margarita, my first life companion, alas deceased in 1993, and now Barbara, another heaven sent companion. With Barbara we recommend a thorough study of the couple as a major cosmic phenomenon as the ancient Mayans believed. The role of the wife is capital, evolutionary in that relation.

~ Idea 1518 ~ 6 September 1998
Humanity has many recognitions of valuable merits and contributions to a better world: for example the Man of the Year award, the Nobel and other prestigious prizes. This is good for human progress and should be fostered, well studied and even become a field applicable to all segments of human life, a science of rewards or meritology, a new major human discipline. It could be taught in Universities.
On the other hand there should also be a science or discipline of dishonors, disapprovals, demerits and condemnations. These could be proclaimed both for individuals and for institutions. Philanthropists could finance centers around the world which would make proposals for honors and dishonors.

~ Idea 1519 ~ 7 September 1998
We badly need a science, a strategy and methodology of love, because love is the highest concentration and right direction of cosmic, evolutionary energies.

~ Idea 1520 ~ 8 September 1998
As part of a much needed World Spiritual Renaissance I recommend that governments at all levels should not hesitate to help religions financially, for example for the maintenance of religious buildings and sacred sites. I would recommend that a part of the reduction in military expenditures should go to spiritual expenditures. God and the saints in heaven would rejoice.

~ Idea 1521 ~ 9 September 1998
Dear reader, if you know any person or institution which might be interested in one or several of these 2000 ideas, please do me a favor and to humanity, bring it to their attention.

~ Idea 1522 ~ 10 September 1998
To go to luxury hotels should definitely be included in the list of unnecessary Earth-destructive western types of overconsumption. Environmentalists and Earth-concerned people should never go to luxury hotels.

~ Idea 1523 ~ 11 September 1998
Reading again Idea 820 in which I speak of friendship between the families of heads of states, especially their children, I recommend the creation of a World Association of children of heads of states. These children would formulate their dreams and ideas for a better world and submit them to their fathers or mothers in office.

~ Idea 1524 ~ 12 September 1998
Similarly a World Association of spouses of current and former heads of states should be created to formulate their views, ideas, dreams and proposals for a better world and submit them to the same. I am glad that the wives of all Latin American heads of states will meet in Costa Rica at the University for Peace during the Millennium Celebration in January 2000.

~ Idea 1525 ~ 13 September 1998
I suggest that the Union of International Associations which published an encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential at my suggestion, should also publish for the year 2000 an encyclopedia of ideas for a better world collected from its 28,000 international member associations.
(The index to my 2000 ideas could be made available to them to guide their work. Excerpts and lists of ideas could be sent to world conferences, to world agencies, to heads of states, to the media and institutions dealing with specific subjects.)

~ Idea 1526 ~ 14 September 1998
(All international and world associations, not only those accredited with the Union of International Associations, should formulate their dreams and ideas for a better world, publish and distribute them widely for the preparation and celebration of the year 2000, especially the Millennium Peoples' Assembly.)

~ Idea 1527 ~ 15 September 1998
Seeing the magnificent sculpture on forgiveness at the Casa de Maria Conference Center in Santa Barbara, I dream that more sculptures should be planned and inaugurated in the year 2000 on all the great philosophical concepts which have helped humanity to progress on its mysterious journey in the universe, concepts such as love, faith, hope, peace, friendship, compassion, prayer, meditation, gratitude and others. I could see a major sculpture inaugurated in 2000 on Peace in San Francisco, the city where the United Nations was born and a major sculpture on Love in Kansas City which considers itself to be the heart of America and possesses already a Heart Forest near the airport, etc. What beautiful, elevating, encouraging contributions such sculptures would be to the celebration of our entry into a new century and millennium!
I was glad that we were visited by a famous sculptress, Edwina Sanders, the granddaughter of Winston Churchill who offered us to build a magnificent monument to the Bimillennium on the wonderful, sacred, world grounds of the UN University for Peace in demilitarized Costa Rica.

~ Idea 1528 ~ 16 September 1998
If we could only have at least as many social, esthetic and loving ideas as we have business, marketing and advertising ideas on this planet!

~ Idea 1529 ~ 17 September 1998
We must absolutely add overconstruction and overurbanization to the destructive trends of our present society against the Earth, namely overpopulation, overconsumption, overtransportation, overactivity, etc.
Yes, how many new buildings, hotels and houses are being constructed often at sizes which are not necessary, require huge energy consumption, water consumption, maintenance, and lead progressively to the destruction of the Earth? For example the annual rate of new housing in the US alone was 1,613,000 in 1998. In 100 years this would mean 161,300,000 and by the year 3000 1 billion 613 million new houses. Can the Earth bear this?
More generally how many new activities and products are invented every day by the western society making people confused and doubtful about the real, deepest, spiritual meaning of life?

~ Idea 1530 ~ 18 September 1998
I am glad that three good things are happening regarding democracy:
1. the holding of a first international conference on direct democracy in the Czech Republic in August of this year;
2. the establishment by UNESCO of a Panel of personalities on democracy, headed by former UN Secretary General Boutros B. Ghali;
3. the holding of a Peoples' Assembly 2000, accompanying the UN General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level.

~ Idea 1531 ~ 19 September 1998
The purposes of the International Conference on Direct Democracy in the Czech Republic are well taken:
- to reach a consensus on the general principles of direct citizen participation in decision-making processes on which future political systems are likely to be based.
- to present and discuss reports on procedures of Direct Democracy (citizen initiatives, referenda, citizen control and politicians' accountability, direct personal elections, electronic voting) which are already practiced in certain regions of the world.

~ Idea 1532 ~ 20 September 1998
Two major conditions for the achievement of a new, proper world democracy are:
- an objective education of humans. National education programs them into the nation's interests and not humanity's and the world's interests. Like everything else democracy has to be global if we want to take good care of our human brethren and sisters in other parts of the world and of the well-being and preservation of our Earth. The World Core Curriculum which I derived from the wonderful global education I received from the United Nations should be considered as a correct basis for education in all schools of the world conducive to proper democracy. (see table in first volume of 500 ideas)
- an objective information of all humans by governments at all levels, from local to global, by the media, advertisement and business. This is an absolutely fundamental condition to proper democracy and world survival. (see table on Media in first volume)
The above conditions are so serious that I recommend the holding of a world conference on democracy by the United Nations or the establishment of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Democracy.

~ Idea 1533 ~ 21 September 1998
A Jewish American friend who expressed to me his happiness that the United Nations was able to prevent the bombing of children and mothers in Iraq by military intervention of the US said to me: "Thirty years ago, when I said that the United Nations was not treating Israel fairly, you said to me: 'the conflict in your region involves several parties and politics plays a role in this. But remember that thanks to the United Nations Israel was created, is guaranteed unobstructed international postal services and telecommunications, and other international freedoms guaranteed by the UN.' I never forgot your comment."

~ Idea 1534 ~ 22 September 1998
During the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, the UN should place on its agenda the creation of a World Court of Human Rights. There exists now a great international precedent: the European Court of Human Rights which protects the rights of all citizens of the 16 countries of the European Union. A similar court is needed for all countries of the world if human rights are to become universal in their application and enforcement.
If the UN does not take that decision, the European Union should establish an informal international study group of countries willing to work on the draft of such a World Court.

~ Idea 1535 ~ 23 September 1998
During the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a Draft Declaration of Human Responsibilities will be taken up, written by 24 former heads of states under the leadership of former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of Germany. Among these duties should figure prominently the responsibility of each nation to teach peace, tolerance and non-violence.

~ Idea 1536 ~ 24 September 1998
I recommend the creation of a World Commission of Eminent Personalities on Human Unity and Diversity. Such a Commission would study, propose and promote a large variety of means, policies, instruments and legislations to foster humanity's progress towards unity while preserving its rich, valuable diversity.

~ Idea 1537 ~ 25 September 1998
Armed aggression is an international crime, the biggest of all. To kill another human being as a soldier is a crime. To train soldiers to kill other humans is a crime.

~ Idea 1538 ~ 26 September 1998
The creation of the European Union is the greatest political achievement and breakthrough of the second half of the 20th century, a real blessing on the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium. It must absolutely be used as a model for a World Union.
What I suggest the European Union should do for the creation of a World Court of Human Rights should be extended to a whole series of other issues relating to proper Earth government. For example the European Parliament should open a permanent consultation between any interested governments of the planet on the ways of creating a World Parliament, first of a consultative nature, later with certain legislative powers as is now the case of the European Parliament. This would help world democracy and have the peoples' representatives share in the shaping and governing of the Earth, not leaving it to the exclusive prerogative and authority of national executives.

~ Idea 1539 ~ 27 September 1998
When an individual becomes conscious that he is sick he turns immediately to the ways of healing himself, either through personal measures, or through remedies or to seeing a doctor.
Now that humanity has become fully conscious of its sicknesses, it must also turn to measures of self-healing, to remedies and to the first world doctors, namely the United Nations, its 32 specialized agencies and the thousands of global healers and healing institutions that have sprung up everywhere in the world. A new profession of world healers should be recognized and trained.

~ Idea 1540 ~ 28 September 1998
Humanity writes its biography in three manuscripts
the book of its deeds,
the book of its words
and the book of its art,
Not one of these can be understood unless we read the two others,
but of the three the most truthful is the last
(For, as Plato said, beauty is the splendor of truth.) added by Robert Muller
John Ruskin

~ Idea 1541 ~ 29 September 1998
In the 21st century United Nations the UN Regional Economic Commissions should be transformed and conceived as the Continental Commissions of the United Nations dealing not only with economic questions, but political issues and all other vital segments of the human condition listed in ideas 527 to 547. They should be headed by Continental Deputies Secretaries General.

~ Idea 1542 ~ 30 September 1998
Mrs. Gabriella Christopher Roncoroni, the founder of the Robert Muller School in Buenos Aires, holds the view that education would deserve an entire separate world agency devoted to it, and not to mix it with science and art, as is the case in UNESCO. Perhaps indeed UNESCO should be subdivided into a UNESCO I for education, a UNESCO II for science, and a UNESCO III for art and culture.

~ Idea 1543 ~ 1 October 1998
I would be thrilled if all countries having a Ministry of National Education would drop the adjective national and call it Ministry of Education, so that it can include also the vitally crucial global education needed to save the Earth and give it peace.

~ Idea 1544 ~ 2 October 1998
Every city in the world should have a Mayor of Happiness, the happiest person in town to be elected to keep the happiness of that town.
Barbara Gaughen Muller
This is an excellent idea which complements my idea that each government should have a Ministry of Happiness, since the pursuit of happiness should be the aim of government as stated so rightly in the US Constitution. As for the United Nations, it should have a Department of Philosophy, Ethics and Happiness.

~ Idea 1545 ~ 3 October 1998
I strongly recommend the creation of a World Association of Dreamers on the eve of a new century and millennium. The world badly needs audacious dreamers to be healed and saved from obsolete thinking and outdated institutions. The association should deal specifically with seemingly "impossible dreams".

~ Idea 1546 ~ 4 October 1998
I am infinitely grateful to Barbara, my wife, not only for having suggested to me to write these 2000 ideas but for another splendid idea: to have an index prepared and to excerpt from the computer entire sets of ideas on any conceivable world subject, for example on education, on children, on youth, on demilitarization, on democracy, on human rights, on the natural law party, on ethics, etc. I can send these excerpts to heads of states, UN delegations, institutions, people actively engaged in these fields, conferences, the media, universities, schools, etc. As a result, quite a number of these ideas, blessed by God's help, have a chance of being implemented. The two ideas of Barbara show what one person can do on this planet. Please, dear reader, come up with ideas. Thought creates energy. Ideas are cosmic energy which makes us co-workers with the designs of the universe and God. The same is true of dreams, visions, prayers, ideals, hopes and all other great philosophical and spiritual concepts which have helped humanity to survive and progress in the infinite universe and eternal stream of time.

~ Idea 1547 ~ 5 October 1998
One great advantage of demilitarization is that a demilitarized country acquires a special, higher level of morality and becomes a natural, inspiring, peace-advocating country in the world. This is what has made one of the earliest demilitarized countries, Costa Rica, a peace model in the world and one of the best members of the United Nations. It was recompensed for it by being selected as the seat of the first University for Peace on the planet and of the Earth Council created by the Rio de Janeiro conference on the environment. President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica also received the Nobel Peace Prize for his successful peacemaking in Central America, followed now by his efforts to demilitarize more countries. Dear leaders of nations, follow the example of Costa Rica if you want to be remembered by humanity's new global history and be recompensed with major world prizes.

~ Idea 1548 ~ 6 October 1998
It was wonderful to attend today in Costa Rica a yearly event organized by a Unity Church to honor 45 men and women, leaders of local charitable and volunteer service organizations, media, musicians and artists, with "peace constructors awards". It was a remarkable opportunity for these people to meet, celebrate, inspire and network with each other for good human and Earth causes. Speakers were heard on peace efforts in the world, demilitarization of Central America, non-violence inside nations and in families.
I recommend that similar encounters of peace, charitable and volunteer organizations be held in every city or local community in the world. Such meetings should be attended, sponsored and supported by the local representative of the United Nations if there exists one.
In the 21st century, local representatives or offices of the United Nations should exist in every city of the world.

~ Idea 1549 ~ 7 October 1998
I dream that in the year 2000, proclaimed by the United Nations International Year of Thanksgiving, the US Thanksgiving Foundation in Dallas, Texas, will donate to the United Nations a primeval tropical forest in peaceful Costa Rica to become the United Nations World Thanksgiving Park.

~ Idea 1550 ~ 8 October 1998
The Nazis invented gas chambers to take the lives of Jews. Today industrialists and capitalists are making of our whole atmosphere a gas chamber which might finish the human species and others. National governments do not stop them, because they have become the servants of industrialists and capitalists.
How long will people accept this to continue? There is an urgent need for a peoples' revolution against the present economic system if they want to save themselves and their descendants.

~ Idea 1551 ~ 9 October 1998
I have been called a Leonardo da Vinci who observes every aspect of the Earth and of human life. Alas, I am a very imperfect one. I would need to know infinitely more on all life forms living on this planet, their interrelations and their changes. I hope that someday a World University of Total Earth Science and a World University of all Life Forms will be created next to the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.

~ Idea 1552 ~ 10 October 1998
A few decades ago there was a very brilliant President of Costa Rica, Daniel Uruez, who wanted to obtain more agricultural products for the country and avoid the depopulation of the rural areas in favor of the capital San Jose where there was insufficient employment. He came up with this idea: he promised each peasant a free gift of a number of bags of beans, corn or rice to sow in the fields. If they had a good crop they were asked to give in turn free bags of those seeds to other poor peasants. As a result a real agricultural revolution took place which made Costa Rica self-sufficient in these products.

~ Idea 1553 ~ 11 October 1998
Since the Millennium Peoples' Assembly in the year 2000 will have the same objectives as the United Nations General Assembly 2000 I hope that it will come up with very concrete proposals for an upgraded second generation United Nations or for a novel, proper world democratic Earth government.
It is becoming more and more urgent for governments to use the UN General Assembly of Heads of State in the year 2000 to create a proper system of Earth government.

~ Idea 1554 ~ 12 October 1998
Some day, the servants of an infinitely stronger United Nations or of a true Earth Government or World Union will read with astonishment and disbelief the journals of UN officials of today like me. They will ask: how could they achieve so much faced as they were by the most incredible opposition and obstacles of political retardedness?
Well, dear UN officials and all peacemakers of today, please keep a journal. Historians will look for them in a hundred years. As someone said to me: in a hundred years people will exclaim: why didn't we listen to Robert Muller when he spoke up a century ago?

~ Idea 1555 ~ 13 October 1998
I am happy that military service is no longer compulsory in Italy and that thousands of young people are taking advantage of this new legislation.
The United Nations should publish a yearly report, statistics and legislation concerning military service, alternative service and freedom from military service in member countries. Italy should propose this subject as a new item on this subject on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly.

~ Idea 1556 ~ 14 October 1998
I recommend that the Millennium Peoples' Assembly to accompany the UN General Assembly 2000 should create a permanent World Peoples' and International Associations Agency. The agency could be located in the prestigious Peace Palace built in the Hague at the beginning of this century for that purpose by Andrew Carnegie. The 1999 Centennial Peoples' Peace Conference in the Hague could also take that decision.

~ Idea 1557 ~ 15 October 1998
Speaking of identities we should accept happily that we have a poli-identity
Our specific individual identity
A family identity
A local identity
A provincial identity
A national identity
A continental identity
A world identity
A cosmic identity
An eternal identity
The future Earth and human government of this planet should take all these diverse identities into account.

~ Idea 1558 ~ 16 October 1998
We are fast moving toward a global, planetary consciousness. We must next move to cosmic, evolutionary consciousness. This will be an incredible new phase of life fulfillment on this planet in the universe.

~ Idea 1559 ~ 17 October 1998
I recommend that UNESCO and/or the United Nations convene a world conference on love and happiness, love being the key to peace, justice and good world government (see the Einstein and Freud exchange of views in idea 1020) and happiness is the result. We should never forget that the ultimate, highest objective of government should be the pursuit of happiness as was so well understood by the drafters of the United States Constitution.

~ Idea 1560 ~ 18 October 1998
I wonder how much waste is included in the so called gross national product. In reality it is included twice, once in the production of goods and services wasted then again as waste "services" such as waste collection, transportation, disposal or recycling. Economics really requires a very thorough revamping.

~ Idea 1561 ~ 19 October 1998
Some cities, communities, states and neighborhoods should have a sign at their entrance, "Developers go home."

~ Idea 1562 ~ 20 October 1998
More and more communities in the world should decide that they will stop to develop having reached the state of proper harmony with nature. The concept of non-growth and harmonious stability with nature should become normal in more and more places.

~ Idea 1563 ~ 21 October 1998
Governments should begin to offer tax incentives to deconcentrate some of their monstrous cities, to have people leave them and live in smaller communities including rural areas which have been abandoned during this century. A return of people to nature would be a great blessing for humanity, for our future and for the Earth.

~ Idea 1564 ~ 22 October 1998
As part of the people's trend to consume less in the rich countries in order to save the Earth I recommend that they should no longer buy magazines which contain advertisements.
One reason is that magazines are highly paid for advertisement and will therefore not publish articles critical of products or of business malpractices.
The price paid by the reader for the magazine should cover the costs of its production plus a profit to the publisher. To get revenue from business and advertisement is immoral and should be illegal. The whole matter of advertisement which has become a major new, all pervading phenomenon in modern society should be subject to very close government scrutiny. It is closely linked with the question of democracy and truth.

~ Idea 1565 ~ 23 October 1998
I recommend that well to do retired people should buy a farm in their own country or in a poor country and let the farmer or a hired young man till the land, share its products and receive a salary that will help him raise a family thus avoiding that he abandons the land to seek employment in a city.
We have done it in Costa Rica to the happiness and satisfaction of all concerned. I could not have done better in my life.

~ Idea 1566 ~ 24 October 1998
United Nations Day
Today on this UN Day I give my special thanks to God for the creation of the United Nations after World War II during which I saw so many horrors and lost all my school friends of the year 1939, in Alsace-Lorraine, killed in German or French uniforms. I also thank my friends of Thanksgiving Center in Dallas for having fulfilled my dream to see the Year 2000 declared International Year of Thanksgiving by the United Nations, and to start that celebration with a World Assembly "Spirit of a Thousand Years" from 12 to 16 March 1999 at the Center for World Thanksgiving.

~ Idea 1567 ~ 25 October 1998
Books and publications with concrete proposals and ideas for a better world and humanity should become the new literature of the 21st century. There are all too many books in the world with endless pages and very few concrete ideas. A book of ideas will be read by heads of states and people of action. The others will not. I'm reminded of the comment once made to me by Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuellar, "I like your books Robert because I can open them at any page and I find an idea which stimulates my mind into thinking. I cannot stand any more books where I have to read hundreds of pages to find out what the outcome is. There is only one other author who is able to do to me what you do, namely Charles Proust whose works I can open at any page and he sets my mind and feelings on the sense of beauty."

~ Idea 1568~ 26 October 1998
After the great, global historic page of human rights opened fifty years ago in the United Nations with the adoption of the fundamental Declaration of Universal Human Rights on 10 December 1948, another great, new historical period has been opened with the drafting of an Earth Charter and the Rights of Nature, accompanied by a Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities. Henceforth, humankind will never be the same. The question of our life, survival and harmony with the Earth, its elements and nature is now fully raise. Questions such as the following are now ominous:
Is it normal that we let a species die every five hours on this planet when it took evolution millions of years to form that species?
What is the human race doing to safeguard further evolution of life on this planet, save its elements, its vegetation and all other species living on it including the human species itself?
The last surviving drafter and signer of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Ambassador Feyroudin Hoveyda wrote to me recently that the declaration was considered at the time to be a mere piece of paper to be thrown into a wastepaper basket. And yet no head of state, no government today wants to be accused for violation of human rights. The same will happen with the new texts on the rights of nature and of the Earth.

~ Idea 1569 to 1572 ~ 27 - 30 October 1998
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights I recommend the following:
Idea 1569 a review of all human rights texts adopted by the United Nations since its creation in the light of the current state of the world and our long-term evolution.
Idea 1570 a list of the gaps still to be filled for human groups not yet covered by human rights declarations, namely the family, mothers, the poor, the homeless, the handicapped, the newborns, youth, the elderly and the dying.
Idea 1571 an examination of a new expanding group of rights to be considered for the Earth, the commons, nature, vital elements and the survival of species.
Idea 1572 to open an extremely important new, historic evolutionary chapter namely, the chapter of responsibilities of all individuals, human groups and human institutions.

~ Idea 1573 ~ 31 October 1998
When visiting Rome and its antique and art treasures the thought crossed my mind that the preservation, presentation and development of the world's art and antiquities would benefit enormously from a proper Earth government. Military expenditures should be eliminated in favor of art and antiquities expenditures.

~ Idea 1574 ~ 1 November 1998
The phenomenon of globalization has such diverse, challenging and controversial aspects varying from group of countries to other groups, from country to country, from profession to profession, etc. that it should be placed on the agenda of the UN General Assembly for full debate and consideration. It is of immense importance for the social and political future of humanity.

~ Idea 1575 ~ 2 November 1998
Since the Earth and nature have become a major preoccupation of humanity, it is imperative to reconsider notions such as liberty which was correct in an earlier period but no longer is. For example, the concept of free enterprise and full business freedom can now lead to substantial destructions of the Earth, of its natural resources and elements on which we live. This should become a major subject for debate in the United Nations. What was a justified moral concept yesterday may be today unethical and immoral. Many other philosophical concepts must similarly be reviewed.

~ Idea 1576 ~ 3 November 1998
The problem of overproduction and overconsumption in the western countries is at least as preoccupying if not more than the problem of overpopulation in the poor countries. Why? Because western consumption habits are being ferociously marketed and advertised also in the poor countries by giant western corporations. If the consumption levels of the poor countries should ever reach those of the rich countries their total number of 4.7 billion people today, from the point of view of the Earth would have to be multiplied by thirty meaning 141 billion people on this planet! Multiply their future numbers of 6 to 7 billion by thirty and you will have a staggering figure! Multiply also their number by the average waste produced by an American during his lifetime (4,000 times his weight) and you will see that the world would be confronted with an unimaginable disaster.

~ Idea 1577 ~ 4 November 1998
We have accepted the concept of sustainable development. We must now also adopt the concept of sustainable consumption. This is very urgent.

~ Idea 1578 ~ 5 November 1998
When I look at stores in the western countries and see the incredible variety of goods produced and displayed by a multiplicity of firms I'm sure that they cannot all be sold and will be returned or thrown away.
This might be a phenomenon of such colossal magnitude unknown to the public that things must be very basically wrong with the so called western "economic" system. All this is at the expense of the Earth's resources and nature. If it continues unchecked it might mean sooner or later an economic catastrophe.

~ Idea 1579 ~ 6 November 1998
The United Nations must absolutely publish as many statistics on consumption as are now published on population and production. For example the total value of cosmetics consumed on this planet is equivalent to the total world expenditures on education. There is something wrong with that. Also, the teaching of international affairs in universities costs more than the total budgets of the UN and of its 32 specialized agencies. This is not normal either. Consumption, waste and uneconomics must become major new subjects of information, study and correction on this planet.

~ Idea 1580 ~ 7 November 1998
I think the time has come to replace the term ecology (oikos logos, the science of our home) by Earthology (the science of the Earth) of which we are an integral living part. To distinguish ourselves, to separate ourselves from the Earth is a grave error which can cost us our future evolution and possibly lead to our extinction.

~ Idea 1581 ~ 8 November 1998
Having spoken at the Casa de Maria in Santa Barbara at the foot of the famous monument on forgiveness I was asked by the sculptress, Francis Jansen how I became interested in the concept of forgiveness.
I stretched my mind to remember it and discovered something that was far back but deep in my memory: in the French underground during World War II one day we had to take twelve French citizens who had collaborated with the Nazis to the woods to be executed. Only one of them, a woman, took it calmly. She did not resist or throw herself on the ground as others did. She walked erect praying, her eyes directed to the heavens. On the way I heard her murmur, "I forgive them." She prayed the Hail Mary when the shots were fired. The shots cut her prayer in half and she fell into the grave dug by them the day before. Her words remained with me when I joined the United Nations. I decided to network forgiveness with my poem Decide to Forgive. The last words of Jesus and Gandhi were of forgiveness.

~ Idea 1582 ~ 9 November 1998
I would like to see the United Nations and all its 32 specialized agencies and world programs publish information on existing, planned and possible world projects. For example, regional and world engineering projects, international water pipelines, common world hydro-electrical projects in the Andes and the Himalayas, regional electrical grids and a world global energy grid (GENI) to take advantage of the night and day time difference on this planet, etc.
Insufficient attention has been given to world cooperative projects which could improve the overall efficiency of the world economy tremendously. Thinking stops at the nation. Attention is given almost exclusively to national projects when the whole outlook of humanity and the fate of this planet have become overwhelmingly global. I cannot understand it.

~ Idea 1583 ~ 10 November 1998
There is an absolute urgent need to convene a world conference on consumption, to create Ministries of Consumption in all countries and a United Nations specialized agency on consumption. It has become as important as the world population problem.

~ Idea 1584 ~ 11 November 1998
If I were the Secretary General of the UN I would ask my legal affairs department and other colleagues to collect all proposals made over the years to reform and strengthen the United Nations as well as all proposals for a new, better world organization and draft constitutions for a true democratic world order and government.
I would submit that documentation to the General Assembly 2000 with my personal views and recommendations regarding a proper, urgent government and administrative system for the Earth and humanity as we enter the 21st century and the new millennium. I would place national governments squarely in front of their grave responsibilities toward the future fate, evolution and survival of the Earth and of humanity.

~ Idea 1585 ~ 12 November 1998
Earlier this year I was asked to give advice to a 35 year old new prime minister, the youngest prime minister ever in the history of his country. This was my advice:
never accept to deliver a speech which does not contain a concrete idea.
address yourself every morning to the entire population in a Good Morning television program.
remain in very close touch with the people by having televised fireside chats with them on Saturday or Sunday evenings.
create a Vice-presidency for Global Affairs and the Future following the example of the United States which has created a Vice-presidency for Global Affairs.
consider the United Nations to be your own affairs and not belong to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latter should deal only with bilateral relations with other countries but the United Nations should be your direct responsibility.
keep an open telephone line with all other heads of states, day and night.
write down every idea that comes to you in any field possible. Come up with 2000 ideas and try to implement them.
keep a Journal of your philosophical thoughts, similar to Dag Hammerskjöld's Markings.
follow the example of President Kennedy and decide to open yourself every thousandth letter sent to you in order to remain in touch with the people.
in your public appearances, Good Morning show and fireside chats encourage the people to send you concrete ideas and complaints about injustices or things which should be corrected. Give every month a prize to the best idea or suggestion sent to you.
I learned that the young man had become the prime minister because during three years he traveled all over the country speaking directly with the people and acquainting himself with their problems, dreams and ideas.

~ Idea 1586 ~ 13 November 1998
Examples of the byproducts of these 2000 ideas: I gave to the UN official in charge of youth matters an excerpt of ideas for youth from the first 1000 ideas to use and distribute to the first international conference of youth ministers in Portugal this year. I sent to Mrs. Mary Robinson, the former Prime Minister of Ireland, now the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights an excerpt with my ideas of new human rights which should be considered and proclaimed on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December. Even if only a few of these ideas are considered and implemented it will mean some progress.

~ Idea 1587 ~ 14 November 1998
Ideas should have a main place in governmental affairs from local communities to the top of the world. All public leaders in the world should solicit and collect ideas from their officials and from the public. This could become a new progressive people's democracy and "ideology" for the 21st century. If industry, science and business do it with an incredible intensity, there should be all the more reason for public service to do it too for the social benefit of all peoples. Let us open the 21st century with an era of social and public visions, inventions, dreams and ideas.

~ Idea 1588 ~ 15 November 1998
I am anxiously waiting for the time when I will have finished all 2000 ideas to see them indexed and submitted to the forthcoming Millennium Peoples' Assembly 2000 which will accompany the General Assembly 2000 of heads of states. Who knows, perhaps they will have an unexpected, welcome, even exciting impact on the year 2000 celebrations and on our entry into a new century and millennium.
This is so promising that I have decided to finish the 2000 ideas by 31 December of this year. This will enable me to devote the entire year 1999 to their dissemination and implementation.

~ Idea 1589 ~ 16 November 1998
I have been invited to speak at a major conference on the famous French anthropologist and philosopher Teilhard de Chardin in France. The subject proposed to me is Hope for Peace, a subject close to the heart of that man. I am expected to lift the spirits and hopes of the audience and participants with an optimistic visionary opening speech of the conference. I wrote back that I would be happy to do so and that perhaps the subject could be extended to Hope for Peace and for an Better World. This would allow me to offer a design for a peaceful, happy, fulfilled human family on our miraculous, well-endowed, beautiful planet Earth.

~ Idea 1590 ~ 17 November 1998
The subtle, invisible flows of cosmic energy in and among all humans and between the entire Earth, nature, matter, all species including humans are of incredible importance and power. If you open yourself to them you will be magnified and merged with the universe and eternity. You will feel ecstatic. And why should it not be so if this entire planet, all its species and life form only one living entity, one living cosmic body of which we are all parts. And that the same way as all parts of our body are linked, cooperate and vitalize each other so does the entire planet, its vegetation, all its living species including the human species and perhaps the entire cosmos.

~ Idea 1591 ~ 18 November 1998
We must never cease to see possibilities in all impossibilities, probabilities in all improbabilities, the visible in all the invisible, the openings in all that seems closed. As we try we will be astonished by the result.

~ Idea 1592 ~ 19 November 1998
There are optical fibers, there are mental fibers, there a sentimental fibers, moral fibers and spiritual fibers in the whole human being. Use them all to the fullest and you will feel aggrandized to an incredible degree. People around you will consider you a genius or a saint.

~ Idea 1593 ~ 20 November 1998
Tansnational is better than international. Global is better than transnational. Cosmic is better than global.
Someday soon everything on this planet will be at long last understood in its cosmic, evolutionary nature. Then an entirely new page of human civilization, a non-destructive, exalted, fulfilled and glorious one will arise.

~ Idea 1594 ~ 21 November 1998
We speak of the Earth as our planetary home.
We could also speak of it as our planetary garden, the garden of Eden.
We could even better speak of it as the miraculous temple of God.

~ Idea 1595 ~ 22 November 1998
We must make of this Earth a new Athens, a unique, miraculous paradise in the vast, mysterious universe.

~ Idea 1596 ~ 23 November 1998
The year 1999 will be the 50th anniversary of the demilitarization of Costa Rica. The President of the country should call for a world conference on demilitarization or at least hold a conference in Costa Rica of all demilitarized countries to show the way to the rest of the world for the 21st century. (see Idea 1390)

~ Idea 1597 ~ 24 November 1998
I whole-heartedly support the idea suggested in the European Union that the United Nations General Assembly should establish a new community of the twenty to twenty-five regional communities in formation around the world. It would be a substantial progress toward the creation of a world community or world union.

~ Idea 1598 ~ 25 November 1998
Since industries and business have provided immense benefits to humans but often at the detriment of the Earth which was taken for granted and unlimited, I recommend that industrialists, businessmen and corporations who have become immensely rich engage into a vast world movement of philanthropy (love for humanity) and gaiaphily (love for Gaia, our Earth) to redress the inequities in the human society and to insure the good preservation and restoration of the Earth.

~ Idea 1599 ~ 26 November 1998
I learned that a recent groundbreaking "Living Planet Report": from the World Wide Fund for Nature and other groups, documents that human beings have destroyed more than 30 percent of the natural world since 1970, and this destruction is accelerating.
This would mean that with an average yearly population increase of 50 million people and a continued worldwide increase of production, construction, consumption, air, sea and soil traffic, the whole nature of this PLANET MIGHT BE IN JEOPARDY IN SIXTY YEARS FROM NOW. This is obviously not acceptable and would lead to economic and ecological disaster. We must therefore declare a world emergency to prevent it by all means.
I would recommend to the Secretary General of the UN to establish a World Committee on Environmental Emergencies.

~ Idea 1600 ~ 27 November 1998
Evolution biologists tell us that most evolution proceeds as a result of crises. The world economic and ecological crises looming ahead will therefore force humans to adopt new values and institutions to permit further evolution. But the more changes we can initiate now, the less severe and less miseries-creating these crises will be. I pray God that some of the changes I recommend in these 2000 ideas on the basis of my fifty years of world experience will be seriously considered and put into effect.

~ Idea 1601 ~ 28 November 1998
I beg UNESCO to convene before the year 2000 or during the year 2000 a conference on cosmologies, ancient and modern scientific ones. They have much in common and will be able to offer humanity on the eve of the 21st century and 3rd millennium a common, united cosmology the same way as religions are in the process of defining the spirituality they all have in common. A United Cosmologies Initiative should be taken similar to the United Religions Initiative, to create a United Cosmologies Organization.

~ Idea 1602 ~ 28 November 1998
What a day it will be when all national militaries and armaments will disappear from this planet thanks to the adoption by all nations of a world and regional security system!
What a delight it will be to reallocate the savings from three quarters of a trillion dollars of military expenditures to major causes of poverty, environment, climatic protection, literacy and the general embellishment of our planet!
May we soon see the day break and the sun shine upon an Earth when this will happen. Let us devote all our efforts towards it.

~ Idea 1603 ~ 29 November 1998
I recommend that universities should create entirely new Departments of Earth Health in which students become Earth doctors who will deal with the health of the Earth, with sicknesses created by humans and develop a planetary medicine. They would absorb and expand the faculties of the environment created in the second part of this century.

~ Idea 1604 ~ 30 November 1998
In idea 843 I speak of the need to have Earth designers or Earthscape experts the same as we have interior designers and landscape experts. The new profession would have the Earth, our beautiful and lovable home, as their objective. I hope that universities will create entirely new Departments of Earth design and Earthscape.

~ Idea 1605 ~ 1 December 1998
One of the outcomes of the Millennium Peoples' Assembly parallel to the United Nations General Assembly 2000 at the heads of states level should be either the creation of a permanent Peoples' Assembly in the United Nations or the transformation of the Union of International Associations in Brussels into a World Peoples' Agency.

~ Idea 1606 ~ 2 December 1998
All airlines on Earth which have already taken the decision not to allow smoking in airplanes should also take the decision not to serve and allow alcoholic drinks on flights. The reason is that in case of an accident people having taken alcohol would not be in full possession of their faculties, might have less chance to save their lives and might be a hindrance to other passengers.

~ Idea 1607 ~ 3 December 1998
In any reform of the United Nations or creation of a proper Earth government a major institutional error in the current UN system must be corrected: the existence of an International Atomic Energy Agency while there is no world energy agency which would deal with all forms of energy including the atomic one. The reason for creating the IAEA was to make sure that atomic energy plants would be built with the maximum security. But the world deserves to have the entire energy situation constantly reviewed by a world energy agency.

~ Idea 1608 ~ 4 December 1998
I wish that someone would establish a comprehensive list of all the great people who have recommended world or Earth government. I have cited several of them in these 2000 ideas. A systematic search would be very important since it would show humanity how the greatest humans have thought about this and it might make current heads of state aware of their smallness and lack of vision by not taking initiatives for proper Earth government.

~ Idea 1609 ~ 5 December 1998
A lady taxi driver who took me to a New York airport blessed me for my recommendation that all tolls on planet Earth should be abolished because they are responsible for a large degree of pollution since millions of cars are stopped and have to be put again into motion at a cost of a lot of gasoline and pollution She said, "If you obtain this you would become the patron saint of the taxi drivers because you cannot imagine how we hate those tolls. I just do not see any reason why I should stop at them four to six times a day and sometimes more."
Well, taxi drivers of the world, associate in an international association of taxi drivers and address petitions to all heads of states, Ministers of Transport and national parliaments to obtain the suppression of all tolls. And if you get no results, go on strike.

~ Idea 1610 ~ 6 December 1998
If the UN General Assembly 2000 does not decide to hold a world conference to redraft a charter written more than fifty-five years ago I recommend that the 134 members which did not participate in the drafting of the charter in 1944 sit down and write a new one more appropriate for the pressing needs of today's and of tomorrow's world government.

~ Idea 1611 ~ 7 December 1998
I remember the excitement provoked by the initiative of the government of Malta in the 1960's to prevent a fierce battle for the mineral exploitation of the seas and the oceans and hold a Law of the Seas Conference to make these seventy percent of the planet a world commons under a common world law. Well, it took many years until the Law of the Sea Treaty was drafted and ratified on 11 March 1988 by the required number of governments. The treaty had been considerably watered down to meet the objections of the United States but at the last moment the US decided not to ratify.
I recommend that in view of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Maritime Organization, a world conference be held to review the entire situation of the fate and management of the seas and oceans, including a reform and upgrading of that organization's role.

~ Idea 1612 ~ 8 December 1998
The fate of the Law of the Sea Treaty and of the proposed International Criminal Court shows that it will not be possible to create a world order with the participation of the Untied States in such efforts. The treaty of Outer Space, making it also a commons of all humanity, has been violated by the United States by the launching of the Cassini space capsule containing seventy pounds of plutonium which upon reentry into the Earth to accelerate its speed might cost the lives of millions of people in case of an accident. The treaty of the Moon might be next to be violated by the United States, the President of the United States being under strong pressure to renege it and to let business establish itself on the Moon. On top of all this the United States doesn't even pay its contribution to the United Nations!

~ Idea 1613 ~ 9 December 1998
When I received an invitation to be a member of an international advisory board of a new Foundation for the Future which intends to look to the year 3000 I was very excited. I wrote to them: "From today on the world will no longer be the same." I said the same words when in 1970 the UN adopted the resolution to convene the first world environment conference in Stockholm in 1972. I wanted to quote this here to be on record and have the future generations judge whether I was right or wrong.

~ Idea 1614 ~ 10 December 1998
The objective of the Foundation for the Future is to hold in 2000 a major conference of the best scientists, visionaries and futurologists of this planet to give the world an idea of where we will be and could be in the year 3000 if proper action is taken. The first advisory board meeting I attended was extremely interesting and well taken. It will convene four times a year until the conference takes place. Their preparatory work is a magnificent example of how humanity can proceed in the light of the enormous complexity of our knowledge, diversity of views, opinions and images of what the world and humanity should be. It was one of the most fascinating meetings I have ever attended.

~ Idea 1615 ~ 11 December 1998
One revelation of the work in which I participated was that the mere target of what the world could be in a thousand years forces one to think in the most global, holistic, daring, imaginative way possible. One can no longer be lost in details or in a particular profession, nation, ideology, philosophy or religion. It has mind-boggling, radical effects on one's outlook.

~ Idea 1616 ~ 12 December 1998
Among the many detailed proposals I just cite one namely to conduct a world-wide poll of images of the future in 3000. This could be the first world poll of the psychology of the human species. Does it have confidence in the future, in the present structure of the world, in what is being done internationally, globally by the United Nations, or is it convinced that there is no hope? What a survey this will be! I had proposed it to the Gallup Organization a few years ago. The President of Gallup agreed but the idea was not implemented. A world democracy implies numerous world polls on many issues. The Millennium's Peoples Assembly will be such a world-wide public opinion survey.

~ Idea 1617 ~ 13 December 1998
The United States, in its efforts to reduce the United Nations to the minimum role in the world, has obtained from the General Assembly that the UN would hold no longer any world conferences. This means that the UN no longer has the major drum it had to warn nations and humanity of deep social injustices and of things that might go wrong globally such as the population explosion, the environment, the depletion of the ozonosphere, world water shortages, climatic changes, etc. This reduces the United Nations to impotence. It might be as well to transform and expand the much better European Union into tomorrow's World Union.

~ Idea 1618 to 1619 ~ 14 to 15 December 1998
In 1970 US Congressman Gallager from New Jersey requested the creation of a group of US Parliamentarians and American citizens to evaluate the United Nations after twenty-five years of existence and the role which the United Nations should play in the future. I recommend that this idea should be repeated for the year 2000:
1618 each government member of the United Nations should establish a group of parliamentarians and citizens to evaluate the United Nations after fifty-five years, the role of that government in them and their expectations for the future
1619 the Secretary General should undertake a similar reflection and submit a report to the General Assembly in the year 2000.

~ Idea 1620 ~ 16 December 1998
The main commissions of the General Assembly have remained the same since 1945 and the Trusteeship Committee has accomplished its task. History and humanity would merit that these commissions be reviewed and that proposals should be made to create new ones. I have made several proposals to that effect in these 2000 ideas like replacing the Trusteeship Council by a Council of the Future, creating main commissions on the environment and on the climate etc. (see index)

~ Idea 1621 ~ 17 December 1998
After the one billion dollars donation by Ted Turner to the United Nations and the adequate machinery established to that effect both on his side and by the United Nations regarding the use of the funds, I recommend again that the subject of world philanthropy should be inscribed on the agenda of the United Nations. It is a social element of such importance that the United Nations should publish a yearly report on the magnitude of world philanthropy, its structure, its destination and its effectiveness to respond to the major needs of humanity and of the Earth.

~ Idea 1622 ~ 18 December 1998
On the occasion of the year 2000, after fifty-five years of United Nations existence I recommend that the overall structure of the entire United Nations system be reviewed and re-evaluated. There are several major ideas to that effect in these 2000 ideas. For example, that the United Nations should have a major agency on energy, that the work on population should be done by a full specialized agency and that given the fact that overconsumption, needless, wasteful consumption and the protection of consumers have reached vast proportions, it is indispensable to create a UN specialized agency on Consumption.

~ Idea 1623 ~ 19 December 1998
We have two major explosions on this planet:
- the explosion of the number of humans, especially in the poor countries;
- the explosion of produced goods, activities, consumption, accumulation and movements of humans, especially in the rich countries.
Together these two explosions mean a substantial destruction of nature and of the normal functioning of the Earth. They are likely to lead to the end of evolution on this planet, including of human life. The first explosion is well understood. The second is negated by predominant economic and business forces. The population explosion continues, but at a slower rate each year. The goods, activities and movements explosion continues to increase world-wide at an accelerating rate. A new education, a new media, a new political system, a new economic system, a new philosophy of values, etc. (see the 21 segments in idea 527 to 547) are too slow to be agreed to. Although thousands of meetings are taking place around the world to look into this matter, they will not have the necessary impact in time.
I therefore recommend the urgent creation of a UN World Emergency Committee on the subject: How to Save Planet Earth. Are humans putting an end to evolution?

~ Idea 1624 ~ 20 December 1998
We call everything sold human "goods" and "services". Well, more and more of these "goods" have become "evils" or "disgoods" for the Earth and nature, and more and more "services" have become "harms" or "disservices" to them. There is an absolute, urgent need to change our language and to redefine what is good and bad in the new colossal, global conditions of our planetary evolution.

~ Idea 1625 ~ 21 December 1998
Global consciousness is not enough. Once one knows that one is sick, one must seek healing. We urgently need global healing, a planetary medicine, world healers and world surgeons.

~ Idea 1626 ~ 22 December 1998
Of the population explosion and the products explosion, the second is worse than the first. I have said before ( idea 505) that in the eyes of the Earth, the rich population of 1.2 billion today in reality represents thirty times more, since the rich consume 30 times more than the poor. Well, suppose the 10 billion people we will be in the future have the "ideal" consumption levels of the rich today, advocated, idealized, marketed and advertised world-wide by big business, in the eyes of the Earth this would represent 300 billion humans consuming her skin and flesh!

~ Idea 1627 ~ 23 December 1998
It is high time no longer to admire the rich peoples, their villas, their luxury cars, their yachts, their airplanes, their lavish Earth-destroying lives. In the new circumstances of today and tomorrow the people with simple, frugal lives and the least possessions are the truest, most loving and caring children of the Earth.

~ Idea 1628 ~ 24 December 1998
Yes, but all this will lead to unemployment, will you say. The answers are easy to find. For example get the unemployed or artificially employed militaries and armaments manufacturers for which the people have to pay taxes of 3/4 of a trillion dollars a year, to be re-employed in planting trees and saving nature. Let us devise an entirely new employment policy for the people on this planet, including the saving and good care of the Earth.

~ Idea 1629 ~ 25 December 1998
On this Christmas Day I learned of the experience of a young American who had graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in the United States and intended to join the United Nations but decided to join instead the New York police. After a couple of years he went to visit several American universities and convinced 135 graduates to join him in the police corps of New York City. He said to them, "If you like to work for a good cause and know of the sufferings of the people, you do not have to go to the poor countries. You will find them right here in the streets of big US cities.
Well, this is why I proposed to transform all polices of the world into peace and well-being agents.

~ Idea 1630 ~ 26 December 1998
Everywhere in the United Nations system economic development is the first and foremost subject. Would it not be good also to deal with the subject of compassion, taking care of the miseries of the people in the world by all kinds of means: by religions, by charities, by non-governmental organizations, by philanthropists and so on and not have everything rest on economic development and foreign aid whose name should be changed into foreign love or compassion or a similar word, excluding from it all military "aid" (see Annex to ideas 1501 to 1600 "Is It a Compassionate Society? a text which should be on the desk of every UN servant).

~ Idea 1631 ~ 27 December 1998
One of the most prominent, admirable former United Nations officials, Mr. Jean d'Arcy from France, told me when he left the United Nations about his impressions and proposals for reforms of the world organization. He said that the most fundamental problem of the United Nations was governments and the fact that they are represented at the United Nations by officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The Charter of the United Nations starts with the words "We the Peoples" and not "We the Governments". It was a folly to believe that the fate of the world could rest in the hands of governments who have no interest in constructing a different world order. He gave the example of Aldous Huxley who was a wonderful man when he was a member of the executive board of UNESCO but when he was appointed Ambassador of the United Kingdom to UNESCO that was the end of it.

~ Idea 1632 ~ 28 December 1998
Stanley Kubrik the producer of the film 2001 once said that in fifty year the world will wake up and become aware that the United Nations and its institutions have been, are and will be the Earth government.

~ Idea 1633 ~ 29 December 1998
The word politics should be abolished and be replaced by something much deeper: I like planetics, the management of our planet. But it is even deeper than that. What is happening on our Earth is a whole series of fundamental biological, evolutionary changes. We need to consider the biology and evolution of the Earth in its entirety. This should be the only concern of government. The collective preoccupations of humanity should be for the state of the planet, and the conditions and future of all life on it. The word politics must be abandoned. Politicians should become Earth biologists and all Faculties of Political Science Faculties of Earth Biology and Evolution.

~ Idea 1634 ~ 30 December 1998
Human history proves that there are always very great barriers, obstacles to a peaceful, just and harmonious world. In the past it was feudality, then the kingdoms and the empires. Today it is nationalism and tomorrow it will be the big, multinational companies. It is a mistake to hope that these barriers will disappear by themselves. All human history proves that they have to be dismantled in order to be replaced by something else. We have reached that point of modern history when both nationalisms and big, multinational corporations must be dismantled and replaced by something else. It has to come from an outside force, a people's revolution or a revolution of the scientists, thinkers, visionaries, prophets, globalists, futurologists and synthesizers of this planet.

~ Idea 1635 ~ 31 December 1998
I replace here an idea by a joke to finish this year on a cheerful note. Apparently the father of Nehru, who was the president of India's Congress Party which led to India's independence, liked to smoke English cigarettes. One day someone reproached it to him and said that this was contrary to the law which he got adopted prohibiting all imports of English merchandise to India. Nehru's father answered, "Yes, but you have not read the law carefully because there is a paragraph that says, 'and if you find British products in India, burn them'".

~ NOTE ~
The remaining ideas to the year 2000 will appear without a date.

~ Idea 1636 ~
I wonder if humanity would not be entitled to obtain through the United Nations a world survey and assessment of all the sites of nuclear missiles, atomic bombs, other nuclear hardware and nuclear plants located in places likely to suffer from earthquakes. Humanity is entitled to know these risks.
Here is the anecdote of a lady who, when she learned that a nuclear plant was to be built in the neighborhood of Santa Barbara started a public campaign against it since Santa Barbara is prone to have earthquakes. The official answer was that she cannot prove this. So she asked all the indigenous people from the region to assemble at the place where the nuclear plant was to be built and to pray for an earthquake. They did so for two days after which a small earthquake took place and the atomic plant was not built.

~ Idea 1637 ~