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A Solidary Global Agenda

Education, Sustainability, and Planetary Citizenship as levers for sustainable social development My greetings to the Heads of State, delegations, and all those participating in the High-Level Segment of the Economic and Social...

It is Urgent to Reeducate!

It is from Aristotle*2 (384 – 322 B.C.) the teaching that follows: "All of those who have meditated on the art of governing human beings end up being convinced that the destiny of empires relies on the education the youth...

Pedagogy of Affection and Ecumenical Citizen Pedagogy

As a tribute to all valuable educators, I bring some reflections I presented to the faculty of the Legion of Good Will’s (LGW) schools, which were partly published in the Correio Braziliense newspaper, of the Brazil’s capital city...

Education

Defense of All of Us

Source: A Reflection of Goodwill taken from the book “Jesus e a Cidadania do Espírito” [Jesus and the Citizenship of the Spirit], October, 2019.
Reprodução BV

Booker T. Washington

Renowned American educator Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)—first president of the legendary Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now Tuskegee University), in Alabama State (USA), who dedicated himself to creating better conditions for the individual growth of former slaves and their descendants, as well as of indigenous people—wrote: “There is no defense or security for any of us except in the highest intelligence and development of all.”

The relevance of this statement by someone who was an advisor to presidents of the United States speaks for itself due to his tireless efforts and courage. Not surprisingly, he became one of the greatest and most influential speakers of the black community in his country.

It is clear that such reflection currently applies to all human race—God’s Capital—as the untiring Dr. Washington undoubtedly and deeply wished. His Soul envisioned a future where racism, which I personally see as a social cancer, would no longer exist.

José de Paiva Netto (1941-2025), a writer, journalist, radio broadcaster, educator, composer, poet, the President Emeritus and Consolidator of the Legion of Good Will, and Spiritual Leader of the Religion of God, of the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. He was an effective member of the Brazilian Press Association (ABI) and the Brazilian International Press Association (ABI-Inter), a member of the National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Union of Professional Journalists of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the Union of Writers of Rio de Janeiro, the Radio Broadcasters Union of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Union of Composers (UBC), and the Academy of Letters of Central Brazil. He became an internationally recognized author in the defense of human rights and in his concepts of Ecumenical Citizenship and Ecumenical Spirituality, which, in his own words, represent “the cradle of the most generous values that are born of the Soul, the dwelling of emotions and of reasoning enlightened by intuition; the atmosphere that embraces everything that transcends the ordinary field of matter and comes from elevated human sensitivity, such as Truth, Justice, Mercy, Ethics, Honesty, Generosity, and Fraternal Love. In short, the mathematical constant that harmonizes the equation of spiritual, moral, mental, and human existence. Now, without the understanding that we exist on two planes―not only on the physical plane―it will be difficult to build a Society that is truly Ecumenical, Altruistic, and Solidary, since we would still be ignoring that the knowledge of Superior Spirituality elevates the character of creatures and, consequently, leads to the construction of the Planetary Citizenship.”