A New Glasnost for the Planet

(Submitted by the author)

It may seem paradoxical, but despite having borne witness to the countless humanitarian and environmental disasters of recent decades, I am an optimist. But being an optimist does not mean simply looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses, like Voltaire’s Candide, and declaring everything to be for the best, despite an endless array of misfortunes.

Being an optimist, as I see it, means to refuse to make do with the status quo, and instead to consciously look for ways to make the world a better place and help address the practical challenges faced by people here and now.

Optimism by action
I call this ‘optimism by action’, and I believe that such a philosophy of life can provide the catalyst for our much-needed transformation to sustainable development.

Twenty years ago, when Glasnost – openness – was used to launch the process of Perestroika that transformed the Soviet Union, no one believed that it was doable. But I was driven by the need to ‘wake up’ those people who had ‘fallen asleep’ and make them truly active and concerned; to ensure that everyone felt as if they were master of their country, of their enterprise, office or institute: to fully involve the individual in all of the processes concerned.

Today, I am convinced that, as citizens of the world, we need a reformulated Glasnost to invigorate, inform and inspire us to put the staggering resources of our planet and our knowledge of it, to use for the benefit of all of Earth’s citizens.

Glasnost could be put to service as a catchall phrase for all of the instruments in the struggle for transparency and awareness. Glasnost is more than transparency; it is a demanding, long-term process of awakening which inevitably leads to calls for fundamental changes. A reversal of currently prevalent behavioral patterns must begin with changes in the human
spirit and a reprioritization of our value system, including relationships between people, and the man-nature interrelationship.

Solidarity of a higher order
This means solidarity of a higher order than that of previous models found in small groups, of globalization and brings about a just and caring world order. It is a solidarity that presents itself as the pillar of sustainable development in all its human and inter-generational aspects.

“Judge not by words, but by deeds,” should be our mantra. This is precisely why we need a new Glasnost for the planet, one that will inspire its citizens to become actively involved today in the struggle for a better tomorrow.

I believe in people and will remain an optimist – an active one – calling for dynamic and positive change.

Former President of the Soviet Union and Founding President of Green Cross International: www.greencrossinternational.net

Image credit: http://thegreencuttingboard.blogspot.com/Gorbachev.jpg