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WORLD SERVICE AUTHORITY

Founded in 1954 to implement sovereign human rights

 

 

WORLD PRESS RELEASE

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

July 21, 1992

 

BURLINGTON, VERMONT, JOINS 'WORLD CITIES' IN COUNCIL VOTE

In Resolution Links the Earth Summit To Need For World Law

 BURLINGTON-- The City of Burlington, Vermont, joined the over 900 cities throughout the world which, since 1949, have declared themselves "World Cities." The resolution, introduced by Councilman Dana Clark, was voted on by the City Council as "new business" last evening after the formal agenda was completed. While not unanimous, the Resolution carried by an overwhelming majority.

The historic act puts Burlington, as a city, on record for "the establishment of world peace, economic justice, and ecological security based on just world law..." Following generally the text of the State of Minnesota's Declaration of World Citizenship of March 26, 1971, the Resolution claims that "we believe that we can best serve our city, state, and nation when we also think and act as world citizens..."

While many world cities fly the U.N. flag alongside the national or even local - if they have one - Burlington "as a symbol of our world citizenship...will display the Earth flag at the newly renovated City Hall Park."

In addition to a pledge to "seek to free humanity from the scourage of war, and to use the world's resources of energy and knowledge for the benefit of all people..." the Resolution authorizes Burlington's mayor, Peter Clavelle, "after consulation with all six of the Neighborhood Planning Assemblies," to "appoint an advisory committee to make recommendations to the Mayor and the City Council regarding the further promotion of the practices of world citizenship."

Speaking as a Burlington resident and the author of three books on the subject, Garry Davis gave a brief explanation of the modern meaning and significance of world citizenship and history of the "mondialization" movement which began at Cahors in France in June, 1949. Robin Lloyd, also a Burlington resident and publisher of Toward Freedom linked the political concept of world citizenship with ecological concerns voiced at the recent Earth Summit meeting in Rio de Janeiro.

Originating in the aftermath of World War II when cities received massive air attacks both in Europe and Japan, the "world city" movement spread from France to other European countries, then to Japan, where both Hiroshima and Nagasaki declared themselves "mondialized." From there in the '60's it jumped to the United States and Canada where Los Angeles. St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Richfield, Ohio, were among the many municipalities exercising the sovereign right of political choice by going global.

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