Personality Development

Dear Friends,

Being the world’s only school to receive the '2002 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education', recipient of the '2004 Nuclear-Free Future Special Achievement Award' recipient of the 'Hope of Humanity' Award by the Dalai Lama, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest school by pupils in a single city with a current enrolment of over 56,000 students, City Montessori School, Lucknow sees itself as the self-appointed guardian of the rights and welfare of the world’s two billion children and generations yet-to-be born.

School Is The Lighthouse Of Society:

CMS believes that ‘School is a building with four walls with tomorrow inside’ and that the ‘destiny of a man and mankind is shaped in the classroom’. CMS, therefore, upholds that 'a school must act as the Lighthouse of Society to provide meaningful education, spiritual direction, guidance and leadership to students, parents and society — and that a modern school must be concerned with the affairs of the age. Hence, this is a CMS initiative on behalf of the world’s over two billion children and the generations yet to be born.

CMS Is Trying To Achieve The Goal Of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’:

(The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens) CMS was established 55 years ago, in 1959, with the vision of making children spiritually aware and for implanting in their tender hearts the ideas of world unity and world peace based on the ancient Indian philosophy of 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam', that is, 'the Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens'. Therefore, for the School's motto, we selected the words ‘Jai Jagat’ (ensure welfare for the World) which was coined by Mahatma Gandhi and propounded by his disciple Sant Vinoba Bhave. Consequently, CMS strives to teach every student the lofty ideals of the oneness of God, unity of humankind, universal brotherhood, world unity and world peace, in addition to the teaching of the prescribed school syllabus.

A Modern School Must Concern Itself With The Affairs Of The Age:

In this age of globalization, no person or society can live in isolation. Events in various parts of the world affect their lives, even if such events like wars or low intensity conflicts or environmental degradation, take place in far off areas or countries. For example, deforestation in a country is bound to affect not only the climate of a neighbouring country, but also disturb the environmental balance of the world, resulting in climatic changes and adversely affecting rainfall. Besides, since the economies of countries are interdependent, especially in view of quick means of transportation and even quicker means of communication, every person is affected by events like wars, conflicts and acts of terrorism.

Over The Years Thousands Of Children Have Visited Cms And Expressed Apprehensions About Their Future:

Over the years, thousands of children have been coming to CMS from different parts of India and abroad to participate in the various international educational events along with the children of CMS. During the course of these interactions, many children have presented their views and expressed apprehensions about their future. These apprehensions of children and their aspirations to do something about it inspired and motivated the CMS family to strive for World Unity and security of the world in order to safeguard the future of the world's two billion children and generations yet-to-be born.

Implications of Article 51 of the Constitution of India:

Here it would be pertinent to recall Article 51 of the Constitution of India which, inter alia, provides that “The State shall endeavour to (C) foster respect for International Law.” It should be noted that Article 51 of the Constitution of India says “the State ‘shall’ endeavour,”. It does not state that the state ‘may’ or ‘should,’ implying that the State has to endeavour and therefore, the Government of India and the state governments have no choice in this regard.

There is no Enforceable World Law Today:

The fact is that there is no enforceable world law existing in the world today that is equally applicable to all the countries and people of the world. What is generally referred to as ‘International Law’ refers to conventions and treaties between two or more countries and not to duly enacted ‘World Law’. Moreover, a law that does not carry a penalty for its violation cannot be called a law at all. In this sense, there is indeed no global law in the world, in the absence of which there is total lawlessness as reflected in the increased instances of international terrorism and stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction by various countries of the world.

Children’s Situation In The World Today:

A report of the Washington-based Population Research Bureau states that over THREE MILLION children die every year due to pollution, while another study by the National Geographic says that over 19,000 children die EVERY DAY due to starvation. Clearly, there is an urgent need for immediate action to safeguard the rights of safe future of the world’s children.

Now a new, more deadly threat to the safety and security of children all over the world has emerged in the form of international terrorism—particularly in view of the reported attempts of terrorist groups to obtain some of the over 17,300 strong nuclear stockpile of warheads and the threat of a third world war intensified by the fear psychosis. Countries are spending precious resources on arms and armaments even as their citizens suffer from lack of clean drinking water, food, shelter, education and health benefits.

Ecology and Environment cannot be Separated By National Boundaries:

Since ecology and environment cannot be separated by national boundaries, we need to have an ‘Enforceable World Law’ which is applicable to, and binding on, all the countries and people of the world in order to ensure that coming generations inherit a safe and healthy ecology and a peaceful world. Children are the most powerful common denominators for all the countries of the world and their cause is the most important one. All the countries of the world need to come together to the ‘Peace Table’ for the sake of now over two billion children of the world and the generations yet-to-be born in the right frame of mind to reach a consensus on the necessary agreements for ensuring a peaceful world.

United Nations Needs to be Strengthened for Effective and Constructive Role:

The United Nations today reflects the geopolitics of a bygone era and the last seven decades have seen more people die in numerous wars all over the world than in both the World Wars combined. Combined with the massive dangers posed by a rapidly degenerating environment, global warming, terrorism and poverty, the United Nations depends upon the strength of its member states, especially when they agree to act together for the common good of mankind.

Idea of A World Executive is Timely:

In order to foster respect for International Law, we first need to have ‘World Law’ enacted by a duly constituted law-making body like a World Parliament which alone can have the authority to enact ‘World Law’ that can be equally applicable to all the people and countries of the world. It is also necessary to have a world executive, that is, a World Government to enforce such a law. It may be pointed out here that many great leaders and thinkers of the 20th century like Albert Einstein, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Winston Churchill, Peter Ustinov, Robert Muller, Emery Reeves and Sri Aurobindo have supported the concept of a World Government.

Why CMS Launched this Campaign for Children's Safe Future:

As a Guinness World Record holder and UNESCO Peace Education laureate, CMS sees itself as the self-appointed advocate and custodian of the rights and welfare of world's over two billion children and generations yet-to-be born. It was for this reason that CMS students collected nearly 100,000 signatures in 1999 on an appeal asking the then UN Secretary General Dr. Kofi Annan to initiate steps for formation of a World Government. Dr. Annan replied that UN was powerless to do anything, unless its member states decided to do something. He advised CMS to write to all Heads of State and Governments coming to the UN Millennium Summit of World Leaders in September 2000 to come prepared to take tough decisions for reforming the UN and making it more effective to tackle problems of the 21st century. CMS did write to the world leaders but the leaders gathered at the Millennium Summit failed to take any decision regarding reforming of UN and instead focused only on issues related to their individual countries. The Second Millennium Summit held in September 2005 also could not take any decision to strengthen the UNO and has not taken up important issues like giving us a nuclear-free world.

Support of World Judiciary can Help Create A New One World Order:

We believe that the united World Judiciary is the last hope of humanity's survival. Only the support of the World Judiciary can create a favourable global climate for the formation of a duly constituted World Parliament empowered to enact enforceable world law, a World Government to implement these laws, and a World Judiciary to dispense justice and decide disputes under the law. The very survival of life on our planet is under threat. Whether the unification of humankind will happen after unimaginable horrors precipitated by humanity’s stubborn clinging to the old patterns of behaviour, or is to be embraced now by an act of consultative will, is a choice before all.

Meaningful Education is a Powerful Instrument of Transformation:

Danger of a nuclear world war is looming large over our heads. Low intensity civil wars in various parts of the world, ever increasing international terrorism, and environmental degradation are affecting individual lives on all continents. On the one hand, huge resources are being squandered in research, development and manufacture of advanced weapons of mass destruction, and on the other hand, a major part of humanity is living in want and hunger, poverty, disease and in insanitary conditions and misery. Children remain without shelter. They have no access to proper clothing, food and education. They are constantly abused and forced to work as labourers and soldiers in armed conflicts. All this needs to be changed.

Education Must also Act as a Powerful Instrument of Profound Social Transformation:

CMS believes that at a certain moment in history, education must also act as a powerful instrument of profound social transformation. And that moment has now arrived in human history. CMS believes that a modern school must act as a 'Lighthouse of Society' providing meaningful education, spiritual direction, guidance and leadership to students, parents and the society in general and must concern itself with the affairs of the age and, therefore, CMS as the self appointed custodian of the welfare of over two billion children and generations yet-to-be born has taken upon itself the responsibility of making an earnest effort to enlist worldwide support to safeguard the future of world's two billion children.