Organizers

The World Movement for Global Democracy (WMGD) is organizing the Global Symposium 2008. WMGD is an initiative of City Montessori School (CMS), Lucknow, India, which is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest city school with over 35,000 students and is also the recipient of the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education 2002.

CMS believes that “School must act as the Lighthouse of Society” and provide meaningful education, spiritual direction and leadership not only to students but also to parents and society at large. CMS advocates that a ‘modern school must concern itself with the affairs of the age’ and must also act as a powerful instrument of profound social transformation. The global society is in a state of unrest struggling with the problems that disunite the human race and we at CMS believe that Unity of Mankind is the need of hour. Victor Hugo said that "There is one thing stronger than all the armies of the world and that is an idea whose time has come." Hence, this initiative on behalf of world’s two billion children.

Nobel laureate in Economics, Jan Tinbergen said "Mankind's problems can no longer be solved by national governments, what is needed today is a World Government. This can best be achieved by strengthening the United Nations system. CMS believes that world's problems can best be solved by empowering the UN to democratically enact and enforce international law - the Idea whose time has come.

WMGD believes that World Unity is a pre-requisite for World Peace which requires a common denominator or common concern and a binding thread to bring all humanity under one umbrella. World's two billion children are the common concern for all the nations of the world and for the safety, security and welfare of our children, we need to bind the whole world by strengthening the United Nations system and empowering the International Court of Justice.

Mr. Jagdish Gandhi, President of WMGD and Founder-Manager of CMS is the Convenor of the Conference. Mr Shishir Srivastava, Secretary General of WMGD is the Organizing Secretary of Global Symposium.

Educational Philosophy and Mission of
City Montessori School (CMS), Lucknow, INDIA

CMS is striving to impart meaningful child education leading to establishment of Divine Civilization on earth:

(1) The Goal of Education includes bringing about culture of civilized living, wisdom, order and an atmosphere of peace and harmony. Teachings of various Religions also aim at reminding people of the rules of behaviour for a civilized living and love of GOD. Laws are so made as to keep a check on acts against civilized living and to promote atmosphere of peace and justice.

(2) Thus establishment of Divine Civilization is (i) ' The Goal of Education' (ii) 'The Goal of religion' and (iii) ' The Goal of law': CMS believes that now the time has come to unite these three human institutions — (a) Education (b) Religion and (c) Law to establish Divine Civilization on Earth by making every child a Total Quality Person (TQP).

(3) Victor Hugo (world renowned philosopher) said: "There is one thing stronger than all the armies of the world and that is AN IDEA whose time has come." CMS believes "Enforceable International Law is THE IDEA whose time has come" so that the actions of nation-states may also be regulated for establishment of Divine Civilization on Earth.

(4) For establishing Divine Civilization on Earth we need: (a) Law of the Parents at Home (b) Law of the Teacher at School (c) Law of the land i.e. law in the country and (d) Enforceable International Law at the global level by empowering the International Court of Justice which is the last hope of humanity's survival.

(5) CMS believes that now the time has come to Unite (a) 'The Institution of Education' (b) 'The Institution of Religion' and (c) 'The Institution of Law' — to achieve the goal of universal brotherhood and 'Establishment of Divine Civilization' on Earth.

(6) The laureate of the 2002 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education and the Guinness Record holder, world's largest city-school, the City Montessori School, is trying its best for nearly 50 years to unite these three human institutions of (a) Education (b) Religion and (c) Law to establish Divine Civilization on Earth.

(7) CMS is fully convinced that its mission is on its way to unbelievable success in the form of turning out from its portals children who are spiritually enlightened and having global awareness as well as intellectually competent; God-loving and God-fearing and capable of differentiating between good and bad, right and wrong; self-disciplined, law-abiding and socially-responsible. Children are being instilled values and virtues from the impressionable age i.e. Montessori to Intermediate level that equips them with necessary skills to help bring about Divine Civilization on Earth by developing simultaneously all the three realities of a child i.e. material, human and divine.

(1) Ever since its establishment nearly fifty years ago, CMS has been striving to establish Divine Civilization on Earth. Known for its unique educational philosophy and methodology, CMS strives to integrate EDUCATION, RELIGION and LAW to create a mighty confluence of these streams. The children take a dip in this Gangetic stream of CMS education and emerge reinvigorated, nourished and strengthened with the values and virtues of Divine Civilization.

(2) The CMS emphasis on EDUCATION makes children 'good and smart', 'a gift of God to mankind', 'a potential light of the world and 'a pride of the human race' enlivened and intellectually competent; the emphasis on spiritual teachings of RELIGION makes them God-loving and God-fearing and capable of making right decisions, right judgements, right choices and choosing right options in the light of the teachings of God and while the emphasis on LAW makes them self disciplined, law-abiding and socially responsible, thus creating a climate of establishment of Divine Civilization on Earth.

(3) This is achieved by providing the children an intellectually stimulating educational atmosphere that aims to sharpen their analytical skills, cultivate their problem-solving skills and develop their creativity as well as their retention power.

(4) At CMS particular care is taken to teach children to respect all religions since the source of all the Religions is One God and by showing them that the spiritual teachings of all religions have come from one source i.e. God. Therefore, all CMS events commence with the All Religion Prayers while excerpts from the sacred scriptures of all major religions are regularly read at the daily prayer assemblies.

(5) The unique CMS emphasis on Law aims at inspiring children to be self-disciplined, law-abiding and socially-responsible right from the childhood. This is achieved by enabling children to interact with Chief Justices, Judges and legal luminaries from all over the world. The CMS students get this opportunity at the School's annual International Conference of Chief Justices of the World where the children discuss issues of global importance with the participants from nearly 100 countries. Such close interaction with highest judicial authorities from the world over leaves a deep and life-long impact on the children, inspiring them to be self-disciplined, law-abiding and socially- responsible and also emulate the high ethical and intellectual standards from these global legal luminaries.