World One-ness

 

We have before us a quote from U.N. Ambassador Chowdury wherein he expresses a need for a "sense of solidarity" among the peoples of the world.  In our effort to create the feeling of oneness, we can conclude that a sense of solidarity is almost a synonym for or a definition of oneness.  It seems that among the 150 or so nations of the world, one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome in the quest for global unity is our passionate attachment to our national flags.  For centuries, flags have been a group symbol that represents the difference between "us" and "them"' and we all know how many battles have been fought to "protect the flag".  As a symbol, of course, a flag can represent a principle for which a society or a group stands, and is certainly not necessarily a bad idea.  

We would like to suggest this as a start, however:

What if for one day each year, all the nations (and individuals) of the world would take down their flags for a 24-hour period and consider themselves "citizens of one world"?  This point of view could be supported and encouraged by the United Nations in New York by symbolically lowering all their flags on display during U.N. Day, and putting them back up again the next day,  It would probably take a few years for this idea to take hold, and some individuals or countries might reject it altogether, but at least that would make it clear to the rest of the world where some of the problems are.

         Who might take the lead to champion this project?  Personally, I believe it would be worth the effort.  

                                                                                        ... Merlyn