A Global Ethic

We face an increasing amount of calls for ‘Global Citizenship’. Of course, said can’t exist without some level of framework, and though the United Nations at present - utilising complicit national parliamentarians - does everything it can to undermine sovereignty (though claiming to ‘strengthen’ said), a legal framework alone is will simply not cut the mustard.

No, what’s needed is a Global Ethic.

Let’s kick off with this United Nations Chronicle article from 2018¹ which couldn’t be more explicit if it tried - ‘Global Citizenship: A New and Vital Force‘.

‘Throughout this period of over seventy years, the United Nations has played a key role in enabling the concept to mature and adapt to the reality of globalization in its various aspects. It is now understood as a type of citizenship that transcends what is purely national, is unrelated to a specific identity and/or territory, and embraces a constantly evolving global ethic.‘

It’s fairly telling, really. Sovereignty is clearly not the primary concern in our globalised world, no, what’s required is the development of a new ‘type of citizenship’, which ‘embraces a constantly evolving global ethic’.

And that’s of interest, not only as it closely resembles the continuous calls at present for ‘life-long learning’ - and there are plenty² of³ examples⁴ to⁵ pick⁶ from⁷ - but also because of said ‘constantly evolving global ethic’

The article continues -

‘Global citizenship exists at various levels, in numerous contexts and at different times, with no single identifiable institutional framework. In the new world order, it seeks to expand its scope and democratize a decision-making process that can radically affect basic aspects of our societies, especially in people’s lives, particularly those of minorities and the disadvantaged. Global citizens act without limits or geographical distinctions and they do so outside the traditional spheres of power. Their goal is to defend human dignity and to promote social accountability and international solidarity, in which tolerance, inclusion and recognition of diversity occupy pride of place in word and deed, reflecting the multiplicity of actors involved in the actions of global citizenship.‘

Global citizenship, the new world order, international solidarity, tolerance, diversity… I mean, what’s not to like?

The first stop on our search for said Global Ethic is 1993⁸. Helpfully, there’s a Wiki article on just that, from which we learn that -

‘"Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration" is a 1993 document by members of the Parliament of the World's Religions that details ethical commitments shared by many of the world's religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions.‘

Right, so all the religions are involved, and -

‘On May 20, 2007, the founder of the Global Ethic Foundation, Hans Küng, received the Culture Award of German Freemasons by hands of the German Grand Master Jens Oberheide who presented him as a "free and brave thinker" and a man who spoke "straight from our Masonic hearts"‘

Oh great, the freemasons are involved!