Our Approach

Creating a New Civilization

We live in a time of rapid and relentless change. With a host of complex global issues, human civilization itself now faces an existential crisis. Yet we believe that the crises we face today also offer an unprecedented opportunity for a major leap forward in human evolution.

Based on the ‘4-S Concept,’ we are working with our partners to connect innovative activities and changemakers emerging around the world, and to facilitate a paradigm shift toward a new civilization.

the-4s-concept

Four foundational components
for building a new civilization

Sustainability

Today’s environmental, social and economic problems—including climate change, resource depletion, wealth disparity and cross-cultural conflicts—are all interconnected global issues caused by human activities. We are at a crucial crossroads, where it is up to each of us whether humanity continues on its present path of destruction or chooses a path to a sustainable and prosperous future for the Earth and all its life.

Systems

We human beings are part of the Earth’s natural living systems. Therefore, it is imperative on us to harmonize our man-made systems, including our economic and political systems, with the principles of nature and ecology. Our current institutions have become outdated and unsustainable, and need to be redesigned so that humanity walks a path of interdependence and co-evolution with the Earth.

Science

At the cutting edge of the sciences—including quantum physics, cosmology, life sciences and consciousness research—new worldviews are emerging together with a deeper understanding of life. These new sciences could bring about a paradigm shift and provide the inspiration and foundation for building a new civilization.

Spirituality

The inner awakening and the empowered creativity of individuals are the real forces that will shape our collective future. We must ensure that all human activities in our future global society are founded on spiritual values. Our behaviors and priorities will change remarkably as we evolve our consciousness to a higher level and experience the interconnectedness of all life.

Global Partnership

In 2005, a major international forum was organized under the theme ‘Creating a New Civilization,’ in partnership with the Gorbachev Foundation, the Club of Rome and other international organizations, bringing together leaders and visionaries from the East and the West, and more than 4,000 concerned citizens. The speakers and panelists shared insights from their work in various fields, and developed a compelling vision of a new civilization based on the ‘4-S Concept’ (Sustainability, Systems, Science, Spirituality).

Quotes from Forum Speakers:

Elisabet Sahtouris, Evolution biologist

The new scientific story shows that the evolutionary process that made hostile, competitive ancient bacteria evolve into peaceful collaboration to produce huge new cells is the same process that is driving us to shift from competitive nations to a global family.

Mikhail Gorbachev, Former President of the Soviet Union

In this interdependent world where everything is globalized, including finance, resources and trade, we need effective global systems. Without vision and political will to build a new world order, nothing will change, and without a positive push from civil society, politics will not change.

Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan

It is surprising that at the pinnacle of human scientific achievement, there exists a spiritual void, which like a black hole sucks everything into oblivion. The human spirit can be revived as a global spirit if there is selfless hope for freedom, equality and justice.

Hazel Henderson, Evolutionary economist

It is not necessary to keep having the GNP grow. What you want to see is the quality of life improve, including health, education, human rights, the environment and all the other dimensions of life.

James O’Dea, Former President of the Institute of Noetic Sciences

An accumulation of scientific research from multiple fields indicates that human capacity is much greater than we are letting ourselves believe. Why do we dampen those powerful intuitions that constantly remind us that we are spacious cosmic beings and endlessly creative beings?

Ervin Laszlo, Systems philosopher

The dynamic of development that will apply to our future is the non-linear chaos dynamic of complex-system evolution. The crisis we are currently experiencing will not be overcome by tried and tested measures, carried out step by step. The way beyond it lies in profound and radical transformation.