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First publishes on 14 June 2022.
As we witness the horrific consequences of Global Warming, the Climate Crisis, and the Environmental Degradation in the US and around the world, it is worthy to remember and salute Jimmy Carter (RIP), the visionary and prescient president who foresaw the coming of the Global Warming, but was so tragically stopped to take action by the vested interest and the oil barons, the tragedy that has continued to this age.
And now Americans have gifted themselves and the rest of us with ‘drill, baby, drill’for the next four years and more. To my mind, a sad day for humanity and our Mother Nature.
A prophetic memo to President Carter in 1977 that could have changed the course of history
Frank Press, left, with President Jimmy Carter. Photo: Via The Guardian
'Years before climate change was part of national discourse,this memo to the president predicted catastrophe...it was prescient in many ways. Did anyone listen?'
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I Have a Dream: Imagining a Better World
Our Hearts Know is Possible
A Path to Awaken the Dreams of of Our Collective Humanity
Photo credit: Medium
N.B. 2024 is ending soon, but the lessons of the year will endure. Despite the pain of so many crises after crises, we are, nonetheless, grateful for the wisdom gained, and the lessons learned. Humanity is awakening, and a new chapter is germinating. We give thanks to our collective ancestors, the sages, poets, and philosophers of love for making the opportunities before us possible, whilst brightening our path to a better life today.
At a time of new beginning, associated with renewal and new birth, reflecting on the enduring and inspiring virtues and values, such as hope, beauty, and inspiring words of wisdom from our sages, poets and philosophers of love, can point the way to a better future, aimed at furthering the common good, which will nurture and nourish our faith and our ability to navigate through the worst, guiding us towards the light.
Look all around you, across the globe, what do you see? suffice to say, this is to my mind, why, now more than ever before, we need hope. We need to appreciate beauty and we need to be inspired and nurtured by the wisdom of poets and their calming words of poetry. We must not despair, but walk on.
From December to January: The End and the New Beginning
‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us …’
With these prophetic words, Charles Dickens begins his famous 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, a story about a time of chaos, suffering and despair — but also about happiness and joy, beauty and wisdom, poetry, literature and salvation.
To My Mind:My New Year Message
Photo credit via pinterest
2024 has been a difficult and challenging year. It's time to reset. It’s time to Ring the Bells of Hope and Beauty
The Time is Now to Deepen Our Connection
From darkness to light, from pain to healing: The transformative power of hope
The Path of Hope, an illustration by Cicakkia
Today (1 January) is a significant day, the first day of 2025. We will begin a new day, a new year. Many philosophers of love, the sages of wisdom and light have reminded us of one thing, and that is the Power of HOPE, without which there will be no tomorrow and no meaningful and rewarding life.
Please read the piece below and allow me to share with you the lessons and the wisdom I have learnt from the sages of Love and Hope: Yes, they have told us that Spring will come, and flowers will bloom!
The GCGI View on the Power of Hope: A New Year Gift in Dark and Challenging Times
……
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty, that is all”- John Keats
Since the dawn of creation, creativity and beauty have been the sources of our inspiration, achievements and indeed, survival. We need beauty, because it reminds us of what's good and beautiful in humanity, of what it means to be human, lest we forget.
“Beauty…. dances as an uncontained splendor around the double constellation of the true and the good and their inseparable relation to one another… Our situation today shows that beauty demands for itself at least as much courage and decision as do truth and goodness, and she will not allow herself to be separated and banned from her two sisters …We can be sure that whoever sneers at her name … can no longer pray and soon will no longer be able to love.”- Hans Urs von Balthasar
Photo credit: Obvious State creative studio
"beauty” transcends aesthetics, and is what inspires the best in us, our aspirations for what is good and true, and what connects us to each other.'- Fyodor Dostoevsky
Please click the link below and discover more on the transformative powers of beauty:
……
On the Healing Power of Poetry
“Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”
And
“Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world.” -Percy Bysshe Shelley
In the essay, "A Defence of Poetry," Shelley argues that poetry brings about moral good. Poetry, Shelley notes, exercises and expands the imagination, and the imagination is the source of sympathy, empathy, compassion, kindness, and love, which rest on the ability to project oneself into the position of another person.
Shelley firmly believed that poetry makes people and society better; his poetry is suffused with this kind of inspired moral optimism, which he hoped would affect his readers sensuously, spiritually, and morally, all at the same time.
In Search of Meaning and Purpose: The Poets’ Guide to Politics
Photo: Via Longreads
Poetry is the key which unlocks the gates of wisdom’
‘Poetry, The Landscapes of the Soul, The Path to Serenity’
‘Poetry has a power to inspire change like no other art form’
'Be like the sun for grace and mercy.
Be like the night to cover others’ faults.
Be like running water for generosity.
Be like death for rage and anger.
Be like the Earth for modesty.
Appear as you are.
Be as you appear.'- Rumi
‘Noble be man,
Helpful and good!
For that alone
Sets him apart
From every other creature
On earth.
‘Let the noble man
Be generous and good,
Tirelessly achieving
What is just and useful:
Let him be a model
For those beings whom he surmises.’ —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Das Göttliche (The Divine)
‘Life is a wonderful journey
You learn so much from it
One moment of sadness on your face
Another moment your face is lit
The journey of happiness and joy
Feeling helpless is also a part
You get many opportunity here
Even if you do not make a start
There is so much to learn in life
There is so much to give
Do not live your life in regret
Give whatever you wish to give
Do things that make you happy
That is what life is all about.’- Poems About Life
Poetry to calm the anxious mind
Beauty in words, others' and mine
A Poetic Pilgrimage to Wisdom
"When thoughts like waves begin to crash,
And worries fill the mind's vast space,
Seek solace in a gentle breath,
A quiet corner, a peaceful place.
Let sunlight dance on leaves so green,
Hear birdsong in the morning air,
Feel the soft grass beneath your feet,
A moment's calm, a sweet repair.
In whispers of the wind's soft song,
A rhythm found to ease the heart,
Release the tension, let it go,
A new beginning, a fresh start."
Please click on the link below and read more on the transformative powers of poetry:
Poetry: A selection from the GCGI Archive
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I Have a Dream: Imagining a Better World
Connect a painting by Jacky Gerritsen
What shapes our imagination? What is the role and place of hope, beauty, poetry and literature, …, in shaping the metaphors and narratives that help us make sense of the world? What shapes our “moral imagination,” our sense of what is just, right, or possible, or what feels inevitable?
And finally, inspired by hope, beauty, and words of wisdom, I am imagining a different world, a kinder and more caring world. In the wise words of Albert Einstein, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.”
This new year, I wish to imagine a political system that puts the public first. Imagine the economy and markets serving people rather than the other way round. Imagine us placing values of kindness, respect, fairness, interdependence, and mutuality at the heart of our economy. Imagine an economy that gives everyone their fair share, at least an appropriate living wage, and no zero-hour contracts. Imagine where jobs are accessible and fulfilling, producing useful things rather than games of speculation and casino capitalism. Imagine where wages support lives rather than an ever expanding chasm between the top 1% and the rest. Imagine a society capable of supporting everyone’s needs, and which says no to greed. Imagine unrestricted access to an excellent education, healthcare, housing and social services. Imagine hunger being eliminated, no more food banks and soup kitchens. Imagine each person having a place he/she can call home. Imagine all senior citizens living a dignified and secure life. Imagine all the youth leading their lives with ever-present hope for a better world. Imagine a planet protected from the threat of climate change now and for the generations to come. Imagine no more wars, but dialogue, conversation and non-violent resolution of conflicts. Imagine a world free of corruption!
This is the world we wish to see, and we believe we have the means to build it, if we take action in the interest of the common good.
I exhort you to imagine what we can achieve together if we allow such a vision of values to guide our choices.
That choice is yours.
Kamran Mofid, Founder, Globalisation for the Common Good Initiative
GCGI Top Ten Most-Read Articles of 2024
Sunrise Oxwich Bay, South Wales.- Photo:Anne Mofid
2024 is ending soon, but the lessons of the year will endure. Despite the pain of so many crises after crises, we are, nonetheless, grateful for the wisdom gained, and the lessons learned. Humanity is awakening, and a new chapter is germinating. We give thanks to our collective ancestors, the sages, poets, and philosophers of love for making the opportunities before us possible, whilst brightening our path to a better life today.
The Winter Solstice: A Celebration of Light, Hope, Goodness, and Renewal
In Search of Meaning and Purpose: The Poets' Guide to Education
In Search of Meaning and Purpose: The Poets’ Guide to Politics
In Search of Meaning and Purpose: The Poets' Guide to Economics
These are what I have learned from 45 years of teaching economics
The Transformative and Healing Power of Love and Friendship to Change the Middle East
The tragedy of the modern-day loneliness in the era of virtual connection
A moment that changed me: The day I discovered that indeed small is beautiful
A moment that changed me: The day I saw the ruins of Coventry Cathedral
GCGI is our journey of hope and the sweet fruit of a labour of love. It is free to access, and it is ad-free too. We spend hundreds of hours, volunteering our labour and time, spreading the word about what is good and what matters most. If you think that's a worthy mission, as we do—one with powerful leverage to make the world a better place—then, please consider offering your moral and spiritual support by joining our circle of friends, spreading the word about the GCGI and forwarding the website to all those who may be interested.
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A Poet’s Guide to a Rewarding and Joyous Festive Season
‘Christmas gives us the opportunity to be the best we can be.’
Combining Passion and Compassion with Purpose and Action
Photo:dreamstime.com
When Hope Lights Up The Darkness
Christmas is all about Camaraderie and Community, Family and Friends
A Time to Weave a New and Hopeful Tapestry of Life
The other day (Tue 19 Nov 2024), as I was reflecting on our annual GCGI Christmas message, I sat down for a well-deserved tea break. I turned to my wife and said, do you fancy watching something nice and inspiring on the telly? I never knew that what we were about to watch would become our GCGI message of Christmas hope, love and goodwill for 2024 and beyond.
Poet Lemn Sissay and his Christmas Journey
‘I found the most difficult days to be my birthday and Christmas because they were a reminder of everything I never had.’- Lemn Sissay
Choosing hope and action to inspire, enable, and empower
Lemn Sissay Meets Sally Phillips
Photo credit: BBC
‘Sally Phillips meets Lemn Sissay, who spent years in the care system after being taken from his mother as a baby. His is a tale of lost Christmases and rejection before he found the voice and words that have made him one of the most celebrated poets in the UK today. As Sally discovers, it’s a position that has now helped him bring the true meaning of Christmas to hundreds of other care leavers across the country.’- More on this later.
Lemn Sissay’s poetry is imbued with humanity and lyricism
Let There Be Peace
By Lemn Sissay
Let there be peace
So frowns fly away like albatross
And skeletons foxtrot from cupboards,
So war correspondents become travel show presenters
And magpies bring back lost property,
Children, engagement rings, broken things.
Let there be peace
So storms can go out to sea to be
Angry and return to me calm,
So the broken can rise up and dance in the hospitals.
Let the aged Ethiopian man in the grey block of flats
Peer through his window and see Addis before him,
So his thrilled outstretched arms become frames
For his dreams.
Let there be peace
Let tears evaporate to form clouds, cleanse themselves
And fall into reservoirs of drinking water.
Let harsh memories burst into fireworks that melt
In the dark pupils of a child’s eyes
And disappear like shoals of silver darting fish,
And let the waves reach the shore with a
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Lemn Sissay: ‘Everything in life is connected, and everything is connected to family’
‘The poet grew up in children’s homes and never knew a real Christmas. Now, he makes sure hundreds of care leavers feast in style each year. How – and why – does he do it?’
‘Christmas, says the poet Lemn Sissay, divides the world into two sorts of people. One group gathers around the domestic hearth: all jocularity and teasing, memories and traditions. The other group is, as in the Victorian cliche, outside the window looking in. They have never felt the warmth of the homely festive glow.
Most of us have families who, even if it’s with some reservation, we join for Christmas. We roll our eyes and sigh, we anticipate the annoyances; we steel ourselves for the nuances that only we could ever understand.
Sissay, though, is a member of the second group. He was raised in care, first in a foster family and then, from the age of 12, in a string of children’s homes. Christmas came with the tree and the fairy lights, the baubles and the presents, but all those other unseen ingredients – the real flavours of the season – were absent; all those essentials that, as the Grinch finally realised, can’t be bought from a shop.
Given what he’s missed, it would be understandable if Sissay were resentful and scathing about how thoughtlessly the rest of us sometimes complain about something so vital and yet unknown to him. But he is not – he is magnanimous…’- Continue to read
No care leaver should feel alone on Christmas Day.
Lemn Sissay's Christmas Dinner on BBC TV on Christmas Day
Welcome to The Christmas Dinner. It is an annual project founded by the poet Lemn Sissay MBE for communities to provide a Christmas Day for care leavers aged between 18 and 25. One they’ll never forget.
POEM A DAY: LEMN SISSAY
'How do you do it?' said night
'How do you wake up and shine?'
'I keep it simple,' said light
'One day at a time'
And now, what I had promised you at the beginning:
What is Christmas? What is it all about?
Please see it all here:
Or
* You may equally be interested in watching the other two episodes in the series:
A Dancing Judge’s Guide to a Rewarding and Joyous Christmas
A Priest’s Guide to a Rewarding and Joyous Christmas
Christmas and New Year’s Greetings from Kamran and Annie Mofid
A time to open our hearts
“No matter how dark the night, morning always comes and our journey begins anew.”- Anonymous
As we celebrate in our various special ways
the gift of Life, Love and Light,
May Joy and Blessings be with you and your families
and may all people in the New Year
join together in serving the common good
and creating a world of peace and justice
where they learn war no more
and everyone sits under their own vine and fig tree
and no one makes them afraid.
May you find joy in the simple pleasures of life and may the light of the holiday season fill your heart with the hope for a better world
- In Search of Meaning and Purpose: The Poets' Guide to Education
- In Search of Meaning and Purpose: The Poets’ Guide to Politics
- In Search of Meaning and Purpose: The Poets' Guide to Economics
- Neoliberal Economics: A house of ill repute, Built on a shifting sand.
- Make Economics ‘Kind’ and Build a Better World