Education for Human Unity & World Civilization

PREFACE

This is the fifth presentation of a new concept of education to promote human unity and world civilization. The first, School of World Civilization, to which Dr S. Radhakrishnan, then President of India, contributed the Foreword, was circulated in cyclostyled form in 1964. It was printed in 1967 under the auspices of the Indian National Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO, forming the second presentation. The third presentation, Education for World Civilization, was prepared for the Indian National Commission and published in 1970 by the Ramakrishna Mission institute of Culture, Calcutta, of which I was the Secretary. The fourth presentation, Human Unity and Education for World Civilization, a revised and enlarged version published in 1978, included two new sections, 'An Outline of Principles' and 'Culture for a New World'.

This fifth presentation, Education for Human Unity and World Civilization, has been prepared at the request of the Indian National Commission for Co-operation with Unesco, Ministry of Education and Culture, Government of India. This new presentation embodies all the most important features of the first four presentations. The whole material has now been thoroughly revised and two substantial sections have been added. The first, India's Message to Herself and to the World', points out and clarifies that the genesis of education for human unity and world civilization lies in India's genius, the consciousness of the spiritual 'unity and solidarity of humankind, as expressed in her life and in her lifework for herself and for humanity throughout the ages. The second addition, 'The Rationale', shows that mankind's cultural and scientific development is, really, the continuous expression of the infinite aspects of the universal spirit in man and that consciousness of this reality constitutes the very soul of world civilization, a consciousness in the full development of which alone lies humanity's fulfillment. These two sections of the book now give it a complete character and fulfill its objectives. It has become a new book. It has, been fittingly named Education for Human Unity and World Civilization. It will present to India and to the world a new type of education which alone can resuscitate India on her own distinctive cultural basis and give the world the basic ideas which must become the foundation of a new education for international cultural co-operation, and peace and progress in the world as a whole.

Unesco's Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Co-operation (1966) was a unique attempt on the world level to fulfill Unesco's own dictum that 'it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace most be constructed'. A study of these principles set out by Unesco reveals, however, that their fulfillment presupposes mental attitudes, on the part of people and nations, which do not yet exist and which cannot exist until people everywhere are helped and educated to see the world as a unity, and to see the cultures of the world as the common heritage of all mankind. It was for this reason that I greatly welcomed the Indian National Commission's request to prepare a paper giving my comments on the implications of the Principles of the Declaration and the procedure for their implementation. The paper showed that it was education far human unity and world civilization that could give to the people of the world that change in outlook which was a prerequisite to the implementation of the Principles of the Declaration. This paper was presented at a National Seminar held on this subject in Delhi in 1970; it has been expanded and forms part of the present work.

Education for human unity and world civilization is put forward as a method of introducing into the thought of the world concepts, ideas, and attitudes that will enable man to live according to the deepest truths of his own nature. At present, like the iceberg that has about nine-tenths of its substance submerged, man's knowledge of his real nature is submerged in the depths of his mind and soul. He can fly to the moon, he can penetrate the secrets of the planets, but as yet modern man has made no corresponding probe into the nature of his own inner being. Increasingly, however, he is beginning to realize that economic and social progress, indeed, all progress, is governed by laws that relate to himself and his attitudes, laws that call for wisdom and broad vision. In all parts of the globe today people are trying to solve problems and promote social progress through means that are based on 'racial, or national, or narrow grounds'. They are now realizing, however, that from narrow grounds man must expand his vision and view the world as a unity, a unity in which the parts are interrelated and interdependent In the great diversity of the world, however, man cannot see that there is a unity behind the parts unless he can recognize that the unity is in fact a spiritual unity. Spiritual unity is not a new concept; each one of us experiences and expresses spiritual unity in our relations with those we love and in our personal and social aspirations. In every country there is today a quest for equality, for equal shares for all. This, and every reaching out towards doing good to others, is actually an expression of our own spiritual identity with those others. It is a glimpse of the truth of the spiritual oneness of all beings. What is required now, therefore, is a conscious extension of that reaching out until it embraces the whole world. Spiritual unity is indivisible; it cannot be fragmented; the world itself is a spiritual unity. It is this spiritual unity that has now to be consciously perceived, realized, and brought to bear upon every aspect of the political, economic, and social life of the people of the world. **Contents and Sample Pages**