Untitled Document

We affirm that never before have people been so inextricably united a common destiny as they are today. But what is this common destiny? Humanity is threatened with total destruction by a nuclear war and with a growing danger of economic collapse brought on by the armament race. For millions, the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, health, freedom, human rights and education are not being met. And these needs are increasingly aggravated by the continuing population explosion. Still another threat comes from our abuse of the environment. Moreover, it is impossible to resolve these problems within the present framework of political structures. On the other hand, there is scientific and technological progress, with possibilities never dreamt of before, for liberating people from poverty, hunger rights and obligations, and for the preservation of our beautiful world is presently developing. To a great extent than ever before, the value for creating a meaningful life for all people, together with the means to take it a reality, exist today.

A main cause of poverty in much of the world is the arms race. The spiraling purchase of weapons produces instability and inflation in the national budgets of nations both rich and poor. What should be used for the welfare of humankind is used, instead, for its potential destruction; that is, for military purposes and for war. The heavy investment in armaments must be discontinued if positive action is to be taken in respect to poverty, hunger and other human needs.
We have reached a critical time and stage in the development of our civilization. Our very survival now requires that war be abolished and replaced by a system of world law based upon principles of justice and morality. Participation in our support of the armament race of therefore incompatible with a global human conscience.

Physical maintenance of life is not enough. Society has the responsibility to met certain needs basic to the quality of life. It is essential that every person be guaranteed freedom, human rights and meaningful work.

It is frightening that militarism, the internal use of military resources and concepts for the political ands of a government, is on the rise in the world today. In many countries, the army and police force have been developed for use against the citizens of that country instead of for their protection; i.e., guarantee what they call ‘’social order’’, ‘’social peace’’, or ‘’law and order’’. In some countries where people live under dictatorships, they are denied the most fundamental human rights which inalienably characterize the dignity of human beings. For demanding freedom and other basic human rights, they are often persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, tortured and killed.

Another basic human need is meaningful work. Many workless have been deprived of participation in decision making, of interesting work, of dignity and pride of achievement by the conditions where they work. Power structures convert people into obedient and dull tools. These conditions kill creativity.

Humankind has only one earth. Millions of people and their progeny risk collective annihilation because of the volition of and the massive interference with ecosystems and the biosphere. Environmental deterioration damages the quality of life everywhere because it affects both developing and developed states. The systematic plunder of resources of a finite earth, especially of non-returnable, is sheer insanity. Greed and over consumption deprive both present and future generations of basic resources.

The present world power structure underlies the threat of war, poverty, the infraction of human rights, and the feeling of ecological balance. The world has become increasing interdependent – scientifically, culturally and economically. Humanity’s problems are international. Yet, the world is still operating under the archaic system of independent sovereign states. This weapons balance of payments and scarce resources.

The state of tension has opened the door to the development of global power structures and vested interests in militarism, which maintain the status quo for economic and political reason. The military-bureaucratic-industrial complex gains both profit and power by perpetuating the arms race, by keeping people poor and underdeveloped, and by exploiting natural resources. This power structure exercises economic, political, military, social and cultural over the raw materials, labor and capital that is needs to continue growing. It brings pressure on scientists and workers to accept employment in war-related industries. To protect its supply of cheap labor, the international power structure resists the development of self-reliance and the just distribution of goods. To maintain and protect itself, it makes use of military intervention. As a result, the power structure becomes rich, powerful and overdeveloped, while the rest of the world becomes poor, powerless and underdeveloped.

We believe that this power must be changed fundamentally if we are to develop a more equitable world. We want a world where no part is enriching itself at the expensive of another.

It was only after the Second World War that large numbers of people began to realize our interdependence and common destiny, out of which there gradually arose circles a feeling of common responsibility.

This rising concern can also be seen in the emergence of many transnational and international groups, in addition to the UN, addressing themselves to the problems of humanity. A significant world order movement is developing which gives us a solid basis for hope. Advocates of a world governed by effective world law were largely dismissed in the past as impractical dreams – and understandably so. For the global infrastructure that would have given credibility to their advocacy was not yet sufficiently in place. Now, for the first time in history, much of the global infrastructure required for a viable world-wide community based on justice, respect for life and true human development has emerged. There now exist global technological and economic interdependencies that have the capability of harnessing and rampant economic, monetary and armament forces which individual governments cannot control.

We believe it is possible for humanity to unite on fundamental principles of human values and universal morality in order to develop a more equitable world, which according to every human being certain basic rights.

We believe that humane social innovations can be designed and implemented by people who have freed themselves of political antagonism and personal, national and corporate selfishness, and have become compassionate, just and respectful toward our planetary environment.

We believe that, by forming a common front of concerned world citizens, we can effective develop truly human patterns of life, which will not exploit people or nature.

We believe that world problems must be approached from a humanistic point of view.

Humanism is a commitment to the survival of the human species on earth. Our common destiny demands that we address ourselves to the problems of all humanity. We realize that unless we find a way to fulfill the basic needs of all human beings, it is probable that we will destroy both the planet earth and the human species.

Humanism is a commitment to work for the realization of every individual’s inalienable right to food, shelter, clothing, health care, the basic education necessary to realize his or her full human potential, creative work, freedom, responsibilities and rights.

Humanism is a commitment to social justice. The first concern of society and of the state should be the welfare of each human being, both as an individual and as a social being at the family, economic, political, cultural and moral level. It is to protect and promote his or her rights and freedom that political institutions have been created. An essential aspect of human liberty of the individual to his or her social, political and religious freedom.

Humanism is a commitment to social action to adjust social deeds, rules and conduct to meet the needs of all people. A humanism has a right, a responsibility and an obligation to be concerned and to approve or disapprove policies and actions of his or her own state and of other states. This freedom to speak out and criticize constructively is basic in the creed of universal humanism, and applies to all men and women everywhere.

Humanism is a commitment to envision and to endeavor to create a new humane world. The time of advocating the rights of any one country, one race, one religion, one culture – at the expense of another – is past. We must rise to defense of one humanity and therefore accept and respect the many countries, races, religions and cultures in which humanity lives. We envision both a more integrated and equitable organization of the whole of humanity and careful preservation of historical and cultural identities and environments. We recognize the importance of maintaining these integrates-both to the people within these groups and to the world. The world has a tendency to become homogenized and to lose the richness of different points of view and the resulting creative interaction. We therefore respect and support people’s love for their indigenous quality of life; and encourage autonomy, independence and a free spirit for these historical entities.

The United Nations Charter, drawn up three decades ago in very different circumstances, no longer reflects some of the present realities of the world situation. At the time, the authors were not able to go beyond a conception of world government by equal, sovereign nations. However, the great tasks facing the world today cannot be solved on the basis of national sovereignty, whereby each nation is primarily concerned with its own gain. We now need an international solidarity structure that is based on the fundamental principle of human solidarity whose primary goal is to meet the basis needs of all humanity.

We therefore call on all representatives to the United Nations to cultivate an attitude of greater universality.

We urge a reconsideration of the provisions set forth in the Charter and revision of the Charter, where necessary, to bring it up to date with respect to present conditions.

We support the accreditation and acceptance of more representatives from private international societies, in addition to government representatives.

Today’s world demands the development of a world security system of global agencies with the authority and capability to protect nations not only from military threats, but also from monetary and economic insecurity. The state of tension and compassion caused by this insecurity is a major cause of the arms race.

The world security system must come from an updated United Nations empowered to act for the needs of humanity.

Any effective reform in the structure of the world must be accompanied by changes in the thinking of people. The social, cultural, religious and political milieus are still dominated by limited ideologies no longer adequate for today’s world. People must be educated to an identity with and responsibility for all humanity.

If civilization is to avoid a setback from it may not recover and mankind is to survive, the rapid achievement of general and complete disarmament is imperative. This is, therefore, a primary goal of our united front of humanists.

We call upon all nations to make disarmament a priority in their budges, actions and philosophies.

Modern weapons make it imperative to transform humanity’s of a world without war into reality. It is possible to organize the world community on principles of freedom, mutual respect and justice under law.

We call on all governments, organizations and people everywhere to take action in order to survive, achieve and make it possible for all people to fulfill themselves as human beings.