We have a three tier implementation strategy... 1) Global Cooperation, 2) Integrated Sustainable Design, and 3) Social, Ethical and Responsible Investment: "The United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030 acknowledges, for the first time, the key role of culture, creativity and cultural diversity to solving sustainable development challenges, to advance economic growth and foster social inclusion. (2015)" Dr Irina Bokova, then Director-General of UNESCO All international agreements and mandates from the UN Sustainable Development Goals to COP 21 recognise the need for cross-sector global cooperation to combat the global climate change emergency and, more recently, the Covid-19 virus. Our collaboration, began with Professor Liz Greenwell's film for the new millennium, "No Chance to Paint the Canvas" (1999-2001) which involved participation from individuals in provincial New Zealand through to municipalities, small businesses, large companies, governments across the world. The late Lee Kuan Yew, who transformed Singapore from a Third World country into a First World country within a generation, assessed "No Chance to Paint the Canvas" as offering a "glimpse of the cooperation that can bring about a better world and society." Starting with a premise of GOOD WILL without which any real change is impossible, Professor Greenwell wrote in 1994: "Can we all of us together, water the fields of humanity, and bring about a harvest so great, that it will take the world to pick the fruit, a harvest that is civil society? I think we can?" That quote has become a clarion call for organisations, and our affiliates, like Mahdah Urf; Energime University; WE, the World; the Institute of International Peace Leaders and the Global Harmony Association, to name a few, together comprising leading scientists, educators, Nobel Laureates, UN Messengers of Peace, Royalty, former Cabinet Ministers etc. Taking the principle that "Water is Life, Music is Community" we have an entertainment model in place to raise awareness of Integrated Sustainable Design (ISD) technologies in energy, water treatment and supply, food production, waste management, education and affordable housing. We have signed one MoU and are in the process of signing another, in the implementation of these technologies in places of extreme and urgent need - such as a region with 91% poverty as assessed by the UNDP. The third tier after global cooperation and ISD, is the process of Social, Ethical and Responsible Investment to ensure ongoing financing of these projects. We have good relationships with international financiers for this process. For example, one of our affiliates is partnered with Swiss financiers and is offering 300 million to 5 billion in funding for infrastructure projects that are government-backed and feasible.
The political will existing to realise our proposal is the realisation that the concentration of power and resources into fewer and fewer hands will not necessarily end with " the boys with the most toys win" nor "survival of the fittest", but with catastrophes and outbreaks of misfortune that will be no respecter of anyone in presumed positions of wealth and privilege. Human beings, and other species, have an inherent propensity towards reciprocity of help, altruism, and interdependence. There appears to have been the propagation of a mentality, a culture, that argues that we are basically selfish and should fend for ourselves. People of my generation have been brought up with an idea of "getting to the top" or "making it" that did not even consider other elements of the planet or society. Now, with displaced persons clamouring to leave war zones and find new homes in Europe, the same virus spreading across the world, the rising of sea temperatures in the coldest continent, Antarctica...we can see in front of us the need to collaborate across sectors, across communities, across the world. That cross-sector cooperation was already called for in "No Chance to Paint the Canvas" by Professor Greenwell at the turn of the new millennium. The political will to realise our proposal thus exists by the nature of this forum and international agreements such as the UN Global Compact, the UN SDGs and COP 21.
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This proposal would support existing calls for all to have access to public sanitation and the required 30 seconds needed for hand-washing to counter the effects of Covid-19. In that case, the issue of water supply and treatment, from water desalination through to the digging of bore holes for potable water would be the priority. In the case of making the necessary medications and means of treatment available for as many as possible, the process involves the building of medical facilities, provision of equipment and health education, the building of hospitals needs to be encouraged in tandem with peace-making, as we have seen in South Sudan, the world's newest country. The process of anti-microbial resistance involves many factors ranging from the study of diseases transmissible from insects/animals to humans, from the effects of waste mismanagement on humans, from the effects of poisoning and pollution of rivers and oceans on humans, and from the effects of poor public sanitation supply and poor hygiene education on humans. In essence, this proposal is about matching those with knowledge, expertise and resources with those in the most extreme and urgent need and, after that, cities and communities worldwide.
With the onset of the Fourth Industrial Resolution and the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we need to have both innovations in place that enable people and families to develop with these technologies. One of our technologies is AgriPOD/SolaRoof high-density food production whereby a unit that is smaller than a garden greenhouse, with a very low carbon footprint, can provide food for 20-households. We have a world expert on spring and water catchment protection, which involves planting of vegetation to keep water potable. Smaller waste management mechanisms as opposed to expensive waste-to-energy plants. The application of ISO 26 000 corporate responsibility standards to technologies which may create privacy issues/identification challenges. Basically ensuring that nobody is left behind with the closure of some industries, and ready to meet the skills challenges of the new technologies. We will pay attention also to "Some Brief Reflections on Digital Technologies and Economic Development" -Jeffrey D. Sachs: The greatest challenge will be to finance and implement this broad-based and interconnected investment agenda. Development institutions such as the IMF, multilateral development banks, UN development agencies, and key private-sector leaders should undertake concerted efforts to transfer digital skills and technologies as rapidly as possible to the low-income nations to enable them to build the digital-based industries, skills, and jobs of the future.
This proposal will highlight the empowerment of women by aligning the notion of Mother Earth with the needs and strengths of women - the mother nature of women- and the connection between the exploitation of our Mother Earth and the exploitation of women. By hearing the combined voices of Professor Liz Greenwell, Onika Best, Jennie Yeung and Jenny Carrington four women from diverse points of the world, we will be introduced into the realms of finance, education, entertainment and sustainable technologies - with more examples of female initiatives to alleviate poverty and inequality. New Zealand has a unique role to play amongst small island states as one of the first countries to pass legislation, in 2019, to become "carbon neutral" by 2050. Bermuda and New Zealand share a mutual interest in the America's Cup sailing legacies of AC35 (2017) and AC36 (2021) while Barbados and New Zealand share a mutual interest in the "blue economy". Together, we can use our combined influence to "water the fields of humanity" with enduring virtues that were espoused by Saint Francis now espoused by Pope Francis, who has followed the example of St Francis with Laudato Si - love of nature and love of our neighbours. We have adopted the Just Stop Campaign by Onika Best in Barbados as part of our humanitarian strategy to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable are respected by global powers. As the daughter of the late iconic Barbadian maestro, Vernon Best, we feel that Onika is in the ideal position to represent our planned work throughout Caricom. Her campaign has already been embraced by COSCAP and the National Cultural Foundation in Barbados and we have now ourselves officially to the Prime Minister of Barbados, The Honourable Mia Mottley QC MP E.G.H.
This proposal reflects a global network comprising people in regular contact with public officials at high-level and people who live off the land, with no electricity. We are dealing with financiers willing to fund government-backed projects and we are dealing with regional governments in areas where communities lack the basic essentials of life. The overview perspective of our combined experiences is globally rare, if not unique. As a result, we are in an ideal position to transfer ideas/solutions, resources and policy developments to those who may not be aware of how they can be assisted and by whom. In New Zealand, a Suicide Prevention Office was established in late 2019 to address critical mental health challenges, such as youth suicide. An international group represented in 56 countries has expressed its support to the New Zealand Government through our group: Their CEO'S words were conveyed to the Prime Minister of New Zealand: "The unprecedented position that we are in that is only dawning on authorities around the world is that it is not just music that relieves so much of societies social woes but all forms of creativity. Music, Art and dance are the three most important forms of universal communication.The facilitation of introductory workshops for educators and volunteers with strategic planning for the future would alleviate so many problems. We are not recognising the real problem which is our systematic disconnect from each other. "
The strength of our three-tier approach (global cooperation, ISD, and Social, Ethical and Responsible Investment) is that peace-making and the advocacy of non-violence are at the heart of our strategy. The founder of our affiliate, WE, the World, was involved in peace talks in Rwanda, a now flourishing country which was once afflicted by one of the worst genocides in history. We are connected also with the Secular Franciscan Order, a laity personally established by St Francis nearly 800 years ago, whose core message is to build a fraternal world based on peace and justice together with people of goodwill. That has led us into an introduction to the first Christian-initiated interfaith group in formal partnership with an Islamic government. Upon closer inspection of our group, we found peaceful cooperation between senior Catholic clerics ( a bishop), Muslims throughout the world (with particular involvement from an Imam), people with an in-depth knowledge of the effects of 400 years of slavery and colonisation, evangelical Christians and Rastafarians. Traditionally, all of these elements may have had very little involvement or interaction with each other, or may have even held antagonistic views toward some who could be seen as the oppressor. Yet right from the beginning, we have developed a wonderful, natural cohesion and have worked constructively to make practical efforts to improve the management and operation of procedures to enhance humanity and the environment. In addition, we are in active relationships with staff and ambassadors of UNESCO and various UN agencies. To conclude, shared activities, whether in our "trees of peace and reconciliation" through to Energime University's Sustainable Planet gaming platform, and our music showcases, all systematically help to reduce conflict and political violence in creative, constructive and enjoyable ways.
WE ENERGIME GLOBAL COOPERATION DAY MAHDAH URF AND WE ARE MOTHER EARTH WAME ( Pronounced Wah-Mey) We, the World https://we.net/ Energime University https://energimeuniversity.org/ Global Cooperation Day founded by Professor Liz Greenwell https://peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=912 https://www.globalcooperationliz.com/ https://forestnation.com/global-cooperation-day/ https://forestnation.com/blog/tree-planting-day-video/ Inaugural Global Cooperation Day Statement by Professor Liz Greenwell https://forestnation.com/blog/statement-liz-greenwell-initiator-global-cooperation-day-4th-october-2013/ Mahdah Urf -Watering the Fields of Humanity: Just Stop Music Showcase... In this showcase we can see the example of our friend/supporter Coumba Gawlo, a UN Ambassador and leading African singer, received by the Vice President of the National Assembly of Côte D'Ivoire, under the mandate of then President of the National Assembly (PAN) Guillaume Soro. https://spark.adobe.com/page/TtB1RdaBQnAvz/ Sultan Qaboos Declaration Project on United Human Values announced. https://timesofoman.com/article/2233238/Oman/Government/Sultan-Qaboos-Declaration-Project-on-United-Human-Values-announced Farmer Tantoh Our Cameroonian friend Dieudonne Tantoh Nforba (Farmer Tantoh) is a world expert in spring catchment protection and agro-forestry and a great friend/supporter of Global Cooperation Day, founded by my (Adam Greenwell) mother, Professor Liz Greenwell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmer_Tantoh We introduced Farmer Tantoh to Andrew Pothecary, (CEO ForestNation, our inaugural global tree-planting partner). Andrew then kindly appointed Farmer Tantoh to Ambassador of ForestNation and introduced Farmer Tantoh to fellow ForestNation Ambassador, Julian Lennon. As a result of that introduction, 22,000 people have access to potable, clean water in Cameroon. There are other possibilities. From Julian Lennon's website -https://whitefeatherfoundation.com/news/a-lovely-message-from-farmer-tantoh/ Ocean Risk Summit, Ocean Protection Education Campaign in Bermuda, Frontline Waste. https://www.oceanrisksummit.com/ https://axaxl.com/reinsurance/news/axa-xl-and-grocers-launch-ocean-protection-education-campaign-in-bermuda http://www.frontlinewaste.com/ SolaRoof Technology http://www.podnet.is/about-the-technology Julian Lennon - Letter from Lisbon (Received 4 March 2020). https://www.theexplorersjournal.org/articles/letter-from-lisbon?mc_cid=e384e7acdb&mc_eid=b13fcae39a McDonald's joins Emirates Team New Zealand as Official Family Partner (We have connection to the parties concerned at McDonald's New Zealand) https://www.sail-world.com/news/226547/Americas-Cup-Would-You-Like-Foils-With-That ON THE 83RD BIRTHDAY OF POPE FRANCIS, BERMUDA: CATHOLIC AND ISLAMIC LEADERS ARRANGE HISTORIC WORLD PEACE SIGNING CEREMONY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE December 17, 2019 (Hamilton, Bermuda). Media Coverage Below, Press Release Attached "Bishop Wes Spiewak and Imam Emir Saleem Talbot joined Governor John Rankin for the Bermuda signing of the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” with the document inviting “all persons who have faith in God and faith in human fraternity to unite and work together.” http://bernews.com/2019/12/video-signing-of-document-on-human-fraternity/ BBC Bermuda News Coverage of Human Fraternity Ceremony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1-vyuj2MMM Global Harmony Association https://peacefromharmony.org/?cat=home Introduction to Inaugural Global Cooperation Day Statement Liz Greenwell, (30 September, 2013). Hello to everyone around the world. I am delighted to have this opportunity to introduce myself and my work to the world. My thanks to all those people who have made it possible. Thank you to Andrew Pothecary, of Forest Nation for your wonderful support; to Martha Samasoni for narrating my material for Global Cooperation Day, and to my son Adam for his continuous support and promotion of myself and my work. There could be no better day to introduce a work of this nature, purpose and scope, than on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the 4th of October. St. Francis has been a feature at times throughout the course of my life and work, and I will cover that in my script for Watering the Fields of Humanity. But I will say that one of these occasions was when I was making my film No Chance to Paint the Canvas in 1999, to coincide with the new Millennium, I had a profound reason for wanting the sound of bells. No other bells would do, except the sound of the bells of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, in Umbria, Italy. Upon hearing my request, a friar went down to the tomb of St. Francis, spent an extended time in prayer, then recorded the bells during a Special Advent Mass. My work for humanity and the world was sparked by, and has its origins in, my experience of early childhood poverty. The harsh reality of being a very small child, a little girl, experiencing homelessness, hunger and the biting cold of an icy winter in Kilkenny, Ireland. Amidst the extreme cold, icy concrete and howling gales, I had a recurring dream of a sparkling blue/green ball. Each night, when the magnificent sparkling blue/green ball appeared, I would open the door to a child's-eye view of a perfect world. As a child, I did not realize it, but as an adult, I knew that that sparkling blue/green ball was the world; and I was seeing it in a unique way. - LIZ GREENWELL 30 SEPTEMBER 2013 For Global Cooperation Day. Support for Global Cooperation Day: Gregory Abbott https://gregoryabbott.bandcamp.com/track/supporting-global-cooperation-day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQeLl46q4rc&feature=youtu.be Gregory Abbott performed the #1 Billboard hit Shake You Down http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc8wmLul3uw Rena Owen's supportive message for Global Cooperation Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlpeyvEpup8&feature=youtu.be Rena Owen is a distinguished New Zealand film, television and theater actress, and was invited to appear in the Star Wars prequels following George Lucas' viewing of her performance as the iconic Beth Heke in Once Were Warriors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBcnT-XDFnw Our group are also strong supporters of the implementation of UNDRIP. Julian Lennon's Official Facebook Page has shared Global Cooperation Day. https://www.facebook.com/julianlennonofficial/posts/10151854131116117 EXCERPTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF PROFESSOR LIZ GREENWELL I coined the phrase ‘civil society on a global scale’, because I feel that it best describes my work. I would briefly describe civil society on a global scale, as highly developed societies and cultures around the world where all people enjoy the benefits of a high standard of living, health, and quality of life. And that those societies on a global scale be safe, compassionate, kind, caring, polite, courteous, and respectful. Along with other strong and attractive virtues like trust, honesty, tolerance, and understanding. I believe that humanity and the environment are linked and as such, civil society is enhanced if the environment is developed to a point where it provides a healthy, therapeutic and pleasing place in which the world’s people, other life forms, and plant life co-exist. Then, I feel, we have the perfect balance.” ''I have written much on this subject, but the fact is we have two major assets, humanity and the world, our environment. It is our job and our responsibility to get the best for, and from, both."
Bermuda Ceremony for Human Fraternity- Press Release, Event and Origins. (1).pdf
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