While many are focusing on the rivalries of various blocks of nations — from the G7 to BRICS — an effort is being made to assert world citizenship of people.

This effort starts Friday, Sept. 15, which is World Democracy Day.

Proponents report such efforts are gaining some traction in India, which just hosted the G20 summit, as well as parts of Africa. Both India and Africa have been denied permanent seats at the UN Security Council.

The UN General Debate will take place next week, featuring the pronouncements of heads of state.

Earth Constitution Institute states that it and other advocates for “democratic world federation are announcing the formation of World Electoral Districts (WEDs or Districts) on four continents, with the aim of electing delegates to the Provisional World Parliament to be held next spring in Pondicherry, India.” An online event will be held at 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 16.

The president of the group, Glen T. Martin, is author of numerous books including The Earth Constitution Solution: Design for a Living Planet. He said: “Interest in our work is accelerating due to the UN’s collapse in the face of unsolved maladies like climate change and futile conflicts such as the war in Ukraine,” said Martin. “Our legitimacy springs from our status as a grassroots organization with fervent activists worldwide who are publically calling for constitutional world democracy.” He lists the group’s aims as “abolishing war, establishing global justice through enforceable global law, and seating a world parliament elected by the world’s people.”

For background, see the piece in Toward Freedom “The World is My Country” about the efforts of Garry Davis, a leading proponent of world citizenship. Such efforts have been endorsed by people as diverse as Albert Einstein and encouraged by Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1950s. Much later, such solutions were embraced by Walter Cronkite.

Contact: Byron Belitsos, byron@originpress.com

Belitsos is co-author of One World Democracy: A Progressive Vision for Enforceable Global Law. 

[Note: producers might want to use Sara Thomsen’s song “Is it for Freedom?” as lead in, which begins: “Rulers of the nations, as you fuss and fight…”]