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;void(0)) As we say goodbye to 2006 and greet the new year with great expectations we would be remiss – as citizens of the world – if we did not bid a fond farewell to Mr. Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the beleaguered United Nations, and greet his successor, Mr. Ban Ki Moon. If there were any major organization in the world today that reflects the basic philosophy of the Aton Project, the U.N., and its goal of world peace seems to make an effort in that general direction. Prior to the founding of the U.N. the world had been embroiled in World War I; World War II; the Russo-Japanese, and many other conflicts that most of us are unaware of. Since its inception there has been a reduction in the number of major wars. The U.N. has provided a forum for countries to air grievances in public and set up a structure within which disputes among countries can be adjudicated and resolved peacefully. It has also established a framework to set up rules by which the nations of the world play and a structure for punishing countries that violate those rules. When countries have grievances against other countries, they often air those complaints in the U.N. to notify the world community that they have been wronged. Sometimes the offending country, having been shamed publicly, discontinues the act that had been the subject of the grievance. For instance, without the exhortation of the U.N., Pakistan’s provocative actions in Kashmir would have catapulted their conflict with India into an all-out war. The U.N. is not a perfect organization, but it runs more smoothly than many of its critics would like to admit. Like any other bureaucracy, it can use more accountability and transparency. However, it is effective in its core mission. The organization did a very good job of providing relief for the victims of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and India. There is no other mechanism for getting the cooperation and involvement of 191 independent countries. People forget that the countries of the world are like people. Each country takes the characteristics and values of its people. When a country is offended, it’s not the country itself that is offended, but its people. When people are offended, without the benefit of a referee, they take matters into their own hands. Thus, in a world without the U.N. it is conceivable that offended nations would take matters into their own hands, resulting in more armed conflicts throughout the world and more deaths. Our world is changing rapidly. The global economy hastens these changes. With change comes conflict (in our individual environment and in international relations). If we are to survive at home and in the world community, it is imperative that we take a lesson from this great organization and its efforts that John F. Kennedy saw as its struggle against “--- the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself.” May the new year bring us all peace. Oh yeah, don't forget your autographed copy of “The Ackee Chronicles”. Tony VanSluytman - the Author  Newsletter Directory The Aton Project - Home Page Tony VanSluytman info Tony VanSluytman - the Author | Return Home | The BOOK DOCTOR | The BANYON NETWORK | The Banyon Buzz Newsletters | The Aton Project Newsletters | Contact Us | |
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