On November 6-9, 2020, City Montessori School (CMS) in Lucknow, the capital of Pradesh state in India, held the 21st International Online Conference of the Chief Justice of the World Supreme Court on the theme ” Global Governance Now – Urgent Need for Post COVID-19.” Masami Sensei was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for World Peace.
CMS was founded in 1959 and is now recognized by Guinness World Records as the school with the largest number of students in the world with more than 56,000 students enrolled. The school was awarded the UNESCO Peace Education Award in 2002 and is registered with the United Nations Department of Public Information as an NGO.
The founder of CMS, Dr. Jagdish Gandhi, has from the very beginning been committed to spreading world peace through education and has organized Flag Ceremonies in which all students participate. In addition to holding a regular Flag Ceremony for all students, he also organizes SOPP at CMS in conjunction with the Fuji Sanctuary SOPP. Dr. Gandhi also sent us messages for the SOPP at the Fuji Sanctuary.
The International Conference of Chief Justices of the Supreme Court has been held every year since 2001 at CMS, with the participation of honorary justices, judges, and sheiks from around the world, contributing to the discussion of various issues facing humanity in order to build a safe and secure future.
This time, the focus was on global citizenship education that empowers children to become protagonists of individual and social change in building a culture of harmony. The idea was that, after the end of the COVID-19 crisis, we should not return to a world of nationalism, disunity, and discord, but rather we need to work to build a culture of peace in the world.
Masami Sensei attended the November 8 (third day) panel on the sub-theme ” A New Definition of Security: From Military Security to Health, Work & Social Security” and made the following speech on receiving the award.
“In my opinion, the most dangerous threat to human security today is the rule less development of Artificial Intelligence (Al). If we allow technology to advance without control, it will lead to the destruction of humanity. We urgently need to establish ethical guidelines before it is too late.
In order to have the world agree on common rules, we must first have a common vision for the future. And, in order to have a common vision for the future, we must have a common understanding of who we are, and why we are here.
I believe that every life is sacred. Every human being is born with a divine spark. The purpose of our life is not to make more money, nor to gain power or fame. Our true mission is to serve others and create peace on earth together.
We must all awaken the spirit of altruism in us. We must express love and compassion towards others, and act for the benefit of all life and future generations.
I envision global governance and security which is based on such values and understanding of life. Let us call for the rule of law to ensure the political and economic freedom of every individual. Let us allow the divine spark to shine forth in all people, so that we may overcome the challenges of our times and build a peaceful world together.
Organized by the City Montessori School, the International Conference of Chief Justices of the World is truly a voice of conscience in this chaotic world. I have the highest hope that your sacred mission will be fulfilled, and you will guide humanity towards a bright future. May Peace Prevail on Earth.”
Congratulations to Masami Saionji and to all who support her work, and vision for peace. This award equally belongs to all of you.
May peace prevail on earth