The UN, which by its Charter is not permitted to do anything else except "recommend", has accepted a proposal of "the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates" to proclaim the years 2001 - 2010 "An International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World".  The Laureates have accordingly issued "Manifesto 2000" which they hope will attract "a hundred million signatures".

They are apparently under the impression that this would result in world peace and non-violence to children.  They seem to be unaware of the fact that without the political machinery (i.e. inter-popular government) such waste of energy and ink is just as futile as all previous "years for peace", "decades for peace", "prayers for peace" and other examples of starry-eyed pacifism.

However, the main factor that is bound to make the Manifesto somewhat sterile is contained in the Laureates'

Programme of Action: 1b viz:

"Respect for the principles of sovereignty...in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations."

Thus the very virus that causes the impotence of the UN and deprives it of any ability to promote peace will be protected for at least ten years by personages who have been awarded the Nobel prize for their reputed contribution to peace!!

The one hope is that this Manifesto will help to concentrate peoples' minds on the need for political machinery to bring about the desired "culture of peace".  Human nature can be changed, but history teaches that men can be made peaceful only by means of peacefully enforceable law, acting on individuals.

In this imperfect world, all of us are ignorant to varying degrees.  Even Kaiser Wilhelm decreed that the 20th century began on 1 January 1900.  But the Laureates confirm that the first year of the first decade of the 3rd millennium is A. D. 2001.  Thus by the time this appears in print, many of us will have celebrated the dawn of the 3rd millennium 366 days before the end of the 2nd.  A small percentage error, but an error nevertheless!

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