How to Serve Humanity

At the height of the cold war between the Soviet Union and the United States, I initiated dialogue and citizen diplomat exchanges between the two "superpowers." The work led to over 1,000 joint projects between the countries. Mikhail Gorbachev intimated to an aid that it was groups like this, the Center for Soviet-American Dialogue, that ended the cold war, not just the political leaders.The success of the work led to invitations for me to hold dialogue roundtables and teach conflict resolution in countries throughout the world. I was asked to organize a peace roundtable between leaders of the warring republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ukraine and the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. I was invited to create dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East, as well as in Central American, Ethiopia, Africa, Afghanistan, Cuba, China, Kosovo, Russia and various U.S. inner cities. This teaching material evolved over the course of 18 years of working in a variety of conflict situations and exploring what worked and how it could be translated to help others in mediating their own conflicts whether personal, organizational or international.Over the years, it was revolutionary for me to discover that conflict between nations was identical to the conflict between individuals. I found out that if people could travel deep enough into the origins of conflict, it was rarely, if ever, what it appeared to be on the surface. I also found that if it were possible to discover the roots of a conflict, future conflicts could be prevented. After a session in El Salvadorian negotiations, the former President of Costa Rica said, "Perhaps we should call this conflict transformation ... it's far more than just resolution." I found this curriculum to be unique in its emphasis upon the spiritual, political and transformational elements of a conflict and how these elements can be used as a creative force for evolutionary change.The focus of this book is on the humanitarian and spiritual values that transcend political, religious or territorial boundaries -- to unite us as the one humanity. Out of the ashes of present world crises is arising a new phoenix of opportunity that calls us individually and societally to step forth as architects of our own destiny.