DECLARATION OF WORLD CITIZENSHIP

     We, the undersigned, declare ourselves CITIZENS OF THE WORLD first and foremost above any other national, political, or religious affiliation. We ally ourselves with the entire community of man and woman, the earth, and the well-being and interests of the whole over and above any smaller groups and their interests. We ally ourselves with the ecological health, harmony, and well-being of all species equally. We consider the interests of the whole sovereign over any lesser interests expressed by members of the human community. We are, first and foremost, CITIZENS OF THE WORLD.

     There is only one community: the global community. We are no longer separate entities divided by nation, creed, class, color, gender, age, identity, etc. Smaller communities provide fraternity, conviviality, subsistence, education, infrastructure, etc. necessary for the organization of day to day human life within those structures, but where they interfere with the interests of the whole, they must be reassessed. The global community is the only community to which ultimate accountability, allegiance, and responsibility is due. No longer may rogue economic interests exploit the natural resources of our planet. Nor may they exploit the natural resource of human labor unjustly in any corner of the globe. All are members of the global community and due equal rights unequivocally.

     In the twentieth century, the travesties of genocide and war forced the world to organize politically on a global scale for the first time. The United Nations was the fruit of this impetus, the first attempt. Today, humans still consider themselves citizens of smaller national, political, and religious communities, devoted to the interests of those groups over and above those of the whole. The sovereignty of these lesser interests usurps the global interests of harmony and peace, leading to war, exploitation, and injustice. Until we consider ourselves as citizens of the world fully, until we embody this truth, smaller interests will continue to sabotage the loftier goals of global harmony and peace. As individuals, we have the self-determined autonomy to declare NOW our allegiance to this global body of which we are already a part. We thus allay the tedious injustice of waiting around to see if a global governing body will come into being capable of realizing what is already in our hearts. We declare now that:

     From this moment on, above all other affiliations on this planet, we consider ourselves to be CITIZENS OF THE WORLD.