A preview of the unpublished book A CIVILIZATION WITHOUT A VISION WILL PERISH: AN INDEPENDENT SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH by David Willis
LESSONS LEARNED BY THE AUTHOR (Part 17)
A statement in the Technological Museum of Thessaloniki
I have been haunted by a statement in the Technological Museum of Thessaloniki quoted from the report by the United Nations Economic and Social Council 5th meeting of the Africa Committee on Sustainable Development held in Addis Ababa 22-25 October 2007: “If land degradation continues at the current pace, it is projected that more than a half of cultivated area in Africa could be unusable by the year 2050 and the region may be able to feed just 25% of its population by 2025.” “In the two northern regions of Ghana severely hit by soil degradation, it is estimated that malnutrition among children increased from 50% in 1986 to 70% in 1990.” Land degradation has continued since that report was issued as each year when there is a strong wind from the south Greece is covered with sand blown up from Africa.
I have a dream #1
I have a dream that Ghana initially, and then every country in Africa, should have a Bahá’í-inspired agricultural-industrial school along the lines of the American Farm School in Thessaloniki in which students would be taught all the skills to ensure that land degradation ceases and all the skills required for agricultural sustainability and self-sufficiency in good, nutritious food. The industrial curriculum would incorporate all the skills required to make a community of the 21st century self-sustaining, including energy independence from fossil fuel sources.
I have a dream #2
President Roosevelt’s four essential freedoms We have been given guidance by President Roosevelt in his four essential freedoms on which the New World must be founded: the first is freedom of speech and expression – everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship his Creator in his own way, everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want of the basic essentials of life. The fourth is freedom from care – meaning a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against a neighbor or another country, anywhere in the world. But that is not enough. I also dream that the continent of Africa will be united under one moral code, that the chasm between the rich and the poor will be closed, that religious strife will cease, that prejudice will be eliminated, and that spiritual values will play an equal role in society to material/technological values.
I have a dream #3
I have a dream that the continent of Africa embraces the Buddha’s ideology of making it obligatory for every able-bodied person to plant and see to the establishment of one tree a year, five years running and extending this to include the reclamation of the Sahara Desert as described by Richard St. Barbe Baker in his book My Life My Trees.
Then I will have made a contribution to leaving the world a better place
If I live long enough to see these three dreams on the way to fulfillment, I can take my leave feeling that I have made a contribution to leaving the world a better place.
Nelson Mandela
The continent of Africa has been given a fabulous start by South Africa’s example through Nelson Mandela’s outstanding leadership in practicing what Jesus taught, most notably by forgiving his enemies and building the new country using their education, talents, expertise and experience. What better up-to-date example could we ask for that there is great wisdom in the foundational beliefs of all religions wherever and whenever they happen to have arisen. Religion works and is highly relevant to our world today.