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We, human beings, are nearing a crossroads in our history. As we have
become increasingly interdependent, we hold great hopes for the future
and at the same time fears of great crises. We are faced with horrendous
problems of environment of the Earth as they “threaten the life of our
posterity. EBR>
When we approach these problems, we notice that they are so overwhelming
that we tend to wince in face of them. How do we overcome the feeling of
helplessness? The important point of departure is to strengthen our love
for the “children who inherit the Earth of future. It is in the conviction
that “the truth to one man is the truth to all men Ethat we should reform
and revolutionize our consciousness into that of forward-looking courage.
In marching forward into our future, we should bear in mind that, while
we should respect a diversity of cultures in the world, we are members
of the family of mankind and of the global community. We are convinced
that in that belief we will succeed in developing truly human culture based
on strong sense of responsibility for mankind and shared loving care for
each other.
TIME TO ACT
After the donation by the Japanese Government of the “Peace Bell Eto the
United Nations Headquarters—an act commemorating the admission of Japan
into the U.N.—a local community and we have pooled our modest efforts until
today to follow suit by donating a Porcelain Globe named “Inochi no Aoi
Hoshi E(Blue Star of Life) to the European Headquarters of the United Nations
to mark the 50th anniversary of the Founding of the United Nations Organization.
This is the expression of our prayer for eternal peace of the world and
conservation of environment.
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To bring this a step further, we put into practice our plan to enshrine
into the Globe small pebbles assembled from all over the world by young
people on whose shoulders rests the future of the world and who share our
conviction. Why have we done this? It is because we like to inscribe our
message for “an ever-lasting life Eon the stone imitating the act of our
most ancient of ancestors who etched messages for posterity on stones.
Small pebbles, we believe, will convey the feelings and aspirations entertained
by all races and peoples—it is quite understandable that man’s ancestors
noticed something imperishable and sacred in stones and have bequeathed
many shrines and monuments. The stone of the Wiseman and stone of the philosopher
are embodiments of unshakable conviction and wisdom of people who valued
stones representing firmness of virtues, stability and immobility.
Therefore, we consider it as appropriate that, since stone in Japanese
is ishiEphonetically the same as “will Ein JapaneseEE the stones should
be the symbols of lasting consciousness of the world to awaken and to keep
awake man’s will for peace and culture.
Having collected pebbles and enshrined them in the Porcelain Globe, we
wish to bring our actions to the nationwide height. For one thing, we propose
to encourage volunteer activities of youth on the level of junior and senior
high school grappling with the problems of the Earth. We are expectant
of the contribution to the world of tomorrow by the young people whose
unfettered and original thinking will bring about diverse results. What
is important is to fertilize, enrich and put into practice new ideas. What
comes out of it should be cited for reference and if it grows from a wider
framework of youth activities into a dynamic pattern of movement, it will
be the object of global citation.
We set store by a philosopher’s words that we should judge whether a person’s
action is right or not by the extent to which it serves the Earth and Mankind.
It is our ardent hope that, even if it may be a small bit of action, if
it becomes the first step of growing will (ishi), it certainly will escalate
into a Foundation Stone synergizing volonte of all living things. We are
filled with the feelings that the time is ripe for positive thinking and
action. We humbly appeal hereby to each and every opinion leader in Japan
and the world and sincerely hope that everybody will join us in our efforts
to launch a multiple action program detailed in the attached prospectus.
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We, as “Citizens of the World, Eare earnestly hoping for the world of
human cohabitation and request all thinking people to join us and support
our plan of action.
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