Rudolf Schneider, Secretary-General of the Institute for Planetary Synthesis, Geneva, Switzerland, was born on 11 April 1932 in Karlsbad, in the Czech Republic. He is a co-founder of the Institute for Planetary Synthesis. He has been described as a global synthesis consultant because of his ability to reveal underlying principles and laws.

He is on the Board of Directors of the World Citizens’ Assembly, New York, of the Campaign for a More Democratic United Nations (London, New York), International Association “Interaction” (Geneva) and of the Foundation “Unity of All Life” in Lugano, Switzerland. He is also a member of the Steering Group of the World Service Intergroup, of the International Board of Advisors of the Institute for Global Education, Oregon, USA; a honorary member of the Academy for the Protection of Life of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow); and former member of the Service Council of the Global People's Assembly. Since January 2003, he is one of the co-chairs of the Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concern, an official NGO Committee of the Conference of NGOs in consultative relationship with the UN (CONGO).

He has been traveling all over the world and has groups of like-minded persons in 60 countries. He has been constantly sharing life experience and being a living example of putting new principles to life.

Rudolph's Message

Dear friends and companions!

Today many people of goodwill are troubled because of the present world situation. The confrontation between various religious fundamentalisms, the accumulation of weapons of mass destruction and so-called conventional weapons which are just as destructive, the manipulation of the masses through propaganda, the business with fear and insecurity, the use of terrorism to justify increasing control of the world’s population, these are all problems that stimulate us to reflect more deeply.

The human spirit and heart are generally good, but their emotions and thoughts are often manipulated instead of educated, enlightened and uplifted. However, everybody knows deep inside that he or she has the right to live a life in dignity and that great social changes are necessary to ensure a good quality of life to every world citizen. More and more people in all parts of the world are awakening to this need and demanding this change.

Poverty on the one hand and overconsumption on the other hand are exhausting the world’s resources and destroying our natural environment. This man-made unbalance is also a type of war against the world’s people. Mahatma Gandhi said once « there is enough of everything for everybody’s need, but not for everybody’s greed ». This present process is causing many people to awaken to the need of finding new solutions based on the practice of basic values which have been known to humanity since its beginnings and have always helped it to survive through many catastrophes. The ethical approach, based on right human relations, on fair sharing of resources and land, on win-win solutions, faces the shortsighted, selfish profit-making approach at all levels of decision-making.

Let us examine some of these values and virtues, which, if practiced in daily life, help us to lead a healthy life in harmony with ourselves, our environment, our family, our friends, our community, our nation and the entire world community. These values can help us dispel the world glamours and illusions that hide the light. The daily, courageous practice of these values is the true educational process that can lead us towards enlightenment. These are the values that should be taught to our youth, not only through words, but through our living example:

• Love of truth, essential for a just, inclusive and progressive society;

• Sense of justice, recognition of the rights and needs of all;

• Spirit of cooperation based on active goodwill and the principle of right human relationships;

• Sense of personal responsibility for group, community and national affairs;

• Serving the common good through the sacrifice of selfishness. Only what is good for all is good for each one.

These are spiritual values, inspiring the conscience and the consciousness of those who serve to create a better way of life.

We can therefore say that the fate of men and nations is determined by the values, which govern their decisions. The human and world crisis of today is basically spiritual, testing the character and intention of all men and women. This provides opportunity to re-appraise the values we accept as a personal standard of behavior. The world of the future depends on what each one of us chooses to do today.

In addition, existing international instruments like the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can also support us in our undertakings.

What the youth of today especially needs is a vision and the development of a sense of wholeness or universality. If we live up to this vision in daily life, practicing the values to live by, we will change ourselves and consequently also our surroundings. Our young men and women need to discover their inner wealth and strength, to realize that they can make a difference and build a new world of inclusiveness, respect for life and equal sharing of resources, information and skills.

Let us begin now! Let us not forget that good things must be constantly repeated and practiced.

All the best for all of us.

Thanks

Rudolf Schneider

Institute for Planetary Synthesis
P.O.Box 128, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
Tel. 41-022-733.88.76, Fax 41-022-733.66.49
E-mail: ipsbox@ipsgeneva.com
website: http://www.ipsgeneva.com