People of Lucknow have Appreciated the Vision of CMS

The people of Lucknow have so greatly appreciated the CMS philosophy of ‘Jai Jagat’ and the school’s globalism-oriented approach to education that their support helped CMS grow in strength from only five students in 1959 to over 47,000 students presently on roll, and is recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest school in a single city.

..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 International Law’ which is applicable to, and binding on, all the countries and peoples 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 denominator in any country and in the world and their cause is the most important. All need to come together to the ‘Peace Table’ in the right frame of mind to reach a consensus on the necessary agreements for ensuring a peaceful world.

Rule of Law in the World is the Need of the Hour

The hallmark of modern civilization is the rule of law. The world over, national societies and communities are governed by written rules and regulations which are enforced and applied to all, without favour or prejudice. This is as true for village and town councils and municipal corporations as for provincial and national governments. However, it is yet to become true for the international community of nations, where the decisions of the UN or its organs like the General Assembly or the Security Council are not mandatory and countries may or may not abide by these.

UN is Ineffective in Preserving World Unity and Peace

Like its unmourned predecessor—the League of Nations — the United Nations has also failed to fulfil the main objectives of peace and security for which it was formed. In the over six decades of its existence, the UN has seen more people die in numerous wars all over the world than had died in both the World Wars combined. The UN also saw the nuclear countries build up massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons, said to be over 36,000 warheads strong and over 80 countries have stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. The UN has been a silent spectator to all this and more. The UN has merely watched as three-fourths of the earth’s tropical forest cover has disappeared. Even though the UN has many achievements to its credit, in the ultimate analysis, it has fallen far short of the expectations of its founding fathers. The basic need of a civilized society is peaceful and safe future for its children.

Idea of a World Executive is not New

In order to foster respect for International Law, we first need to have ‘International Law’ enacted by a duly constituted law-making body like a World Parliament which alone can have the authority to enact ‘International Law’ that can be equally applicable to all the peoples 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, Albert Einstein, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Winston Churchill, Peter Ustinov, Robert Muller, Emery Reeves and Sri Aurobindo have supported the concept of a World Government.

Mr Gandhi’s letter to the United Nations dated 1st September, 1999

It was in this setting that the CMS students collected nearly one hundred thousand signatures in the year 1999, on an appeal to Dr Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, requesting him to initiate efforts to form a World Government free of veto powers which alone can eliminate the dangers of a nuclear holocaust and ensure the conservation of ecology and environment on a global scale. We also quoted and agreed with Jan Tinbergen, Nobel laureate in Economics who had observed that “Mankind’s problems can no longer be solved by national governments. What is needed is a World Government and this can best be achieved by strengthening the United Nations system.” The appeal also drew the attention of Dr. Annan to the provisions of Article 51 of the Constitution of India, which also says that “The State shall endeavour to...foster respect for international law” but today there is no international law which may be uniformly applicable to all the countries and peoples of the world. This appeal dated 1st September 1999 is printed herein.

CMS Promoting the need for Enforceable International Law:

It has truly been said that "Necessity is the mother of invention." Today, when technological advancements have knitted human communities all over the world into an inter-dependent global society, "Enforceable international Laws" have become an urgent necessity or else the world is bound to slide into lawlessness and chaos. Moreover, respect for law implies obeying of those laws and therefore there is a consequent need for a mechanism to implement International laws and punish the violators. Cleary, only a World authority can implement and enforce such laws while the World Court is needed to interpret the laws. It is only such a new world order that can effectively safeguard the future of humankind. Here it will be relevant to recall that Victor Hugo had once observed: "There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world and that is and 'idea' whose time has come." In view of the present world scenario, 'Enforceable International Law' is an 'idea' whose time has clearly come. CMS is promoting the idea of 'Enforceable International Law' as enshrined in Article 51(c) of Constitution of India (which says that the State shall Endeavour to foster respect for International Law) by organizing International Conference of Chief Justices of the World to build global public opinion on the issue of safeguarding the future of world's two billion children by forming a world government and for this purpose, bringing out elaborate brochures documenting the various articles, speeches and messages etc. by most eminent jurists of the world, supporting the issue of 'Enforceable International Law' raised by CMS.

Reply of the United Nations dated 11th October 1999

In his message dated 11 October 1999, UN Secretary-General Dr Kofi A. Annan wrote to CMS Manager, Mr Jagdish Gandhi, “People all over the world look to the United Nations to protect them — from hunger, disease, violence, and natural disasters — whenever the task seems too big for the nations, or regions, to handle alone. But we at the United Nations can do nothing alone, either. Our strength is the strength of our member states, when they agree to act together for the common good.” Dr Annan also pointed out that in the year 2000, leaders from all over the world would attend the Millennium Summit in New York (from the 6th to 8th September 2000). Dr Annan wrote that these leaders would consider the challenges ahead and what the UN can do to face them. He also wrote, “Those leaders will be representing you, the peoples of the United Nations. It is up to you to make sure that they come here firmly resolved to take decisions which can lead to a better life for all of us, and for our children.” Conveying his good wishes to CMS, he further stated, “I am counting on you all.”

UN ‘Millennium Assembly’ and the ‘Millennium Forum’ as Prelude To The Leaders’ Millennium Summit

As a prelude to the Millennium Summit of the leaders of the world, the United Nations organised a Millennium Assembly and a Millennium Forum. The Millennium Assembly was a meeting of the UN General Assembly explicitly devoted to discussing the challenges before the United Nations in the 21st Century. Its recommendations were to be a part of the Agenda for the Millennium Summit (Note: UN General Assembly's agenda item 30 of the 53rd session dated 10th May 1999 (clause 8) supported the formation of a 'New International Political and Economic Order'). The Millennium Forum was a meeting of civil societies and NGO’s and its ‘declaration’ too was to be a part of the Agenda for the Millennium Summit. Mr Gandhi was also invited to present his views at the UN’s Millennium Forum of the NGOs and Civil Societies.