Dr. Slobodan Lang, distinguished Croatian humanist and scientist, learned from Gandhi to treat concrete people with their faith and culture as basic partners in facing and solving problems. He also developed the concept of Postholocaust, meanning that we have to use it as a way to prevent future genocides, concentration camps, hate, as well as promote the universal responsibility of righteous among nations and right to a home. |
An Unpredictable Test of Japan's Resilience Prof. Dr. Slobodan Lang Zagreb, Croatia March 12th, 2011 Goodness has a right to be recognized as a part of truth I use the challenge of goodness as a way to learn from history, understand experrience and prepare for the future. Using this approach I completely abandoned a method of health related only to disease, justice limited to punishment of wrongs and history without understanding goodness. Using such approach I learned from Gandhi to treat concrete people with their faith and culture as basic partners in facing and solving problems. I also developed the concept of Postholocaust, meanning that we have to use it as a way to prevent future genocides, concentration camps, hate, as well as promote the universal responsibility of righteous among nations and right to a home. A detail from 1936 portrait of Mahatma Gandhi by Croatian painter Kristian Kreković made in his atelier in Paris. There was a deep friendship among them. Source of the photo: www.kristiankrekovic.com In a small country I used it to develop „panic of prevention“ related to AIDS, and succeeded. Before the beginning of the war I used it with Kosovo miners in 1989, succeeding to help them, but failing to get broader understanding in preventing war. It was used also in saving Dubrovnik and Central Bosnia. As the first fellow of the Xavier Bagnoud center for Health and Human Rights, I worked with its founder Jonathan Mann on the first international conference on these issues. At the beginning of the nineties I tried to prevent genocide in Rwanda and spoke about it in US. After the war in Southeast Europe I asked that after every war there should be a conference on experience of sufferring and ways of goodness used to solve them. Goodness has a right to be recognized as a part of truth. Natural disasters go in this category. NATO should have a humanitarian branch. European Union should have joint humanitarian intervention force (non military). United Nations should form agency for disasters organization of relief – UNDOR. Public health, has done so much for health by protecting its future. Now it is time to apply its method to other areas, including disasters – this is the challenge of goodness. We need to practice goddness, record experience, broaden knowledge and develop theory of goodness. Of course as Hannah Arendt said, it is will to do good and then take action. Source community.nytimes.com The New Humanism Prof. Dr. Slobodan Lang Zagreb, Croatia March 8th, 2011 Goodness is also worth remembering Since the beginning of the wars in South-East Europe, I have proposed the Challenge of goodness to people from local communities to global. Since it was time of war, I developed concept of Postholocaust (using its experrience to prevent similar events and suffering of others), teachings of Gandhi (respecting ingenious people, their faith, values and knowledge), Hanna Arendt (understanding totalitarianism ), Righteous people (all people and always can do good) and Wounded Christ. As a result we proposed and practised prevention of hate and genocide, protecting hospitals, refugees, displaced and hospitals, promote good people ... We also proposed after every war an international conference on experriencoe of goodness, not just international courts. Truth is not made just of evil. Goodness is also worth remembering. Today I challenge the concept of conflict of civilization, by colaboration. During the Gorbachov time US missed its role of leadership and traditional American ability of a vision. Instead it followed dead end road of only power, selfishness, relying on capital and arms. It is called globalization. At the 50th anniversary of Declaration of Human Rights in Strasbourgh, in 1998, I porposed Globality, which unites the world, through strength of the people, through health, education, work and one God. People from my country worked for it from Marco Polo to Andrija Štampar. At their time it was possible, now it is a necessity. Goodness is the most powerfull force of the future. Source community.nytimes.com Japan’s Multiple Calamities Prof. Dr. Slobodan Lang Zagreb, Croatia March 15th, 2011 United Nations Disaster Organization for Relief Natural disasters today have a similar role of the epidemics through history. Ability to control epidemics has been one of the key reasons for rapid development of the West. From year to year we live, or observe major disasters around the world, Asian Tsunami, earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It took a lot suffering to develop experience, knowledge, technology and organization to control epidemics. Major role was played by World Health Organization. We are also facing major future risk in global warming, and number of others. At the same time millions of people have experience and knowledge on disasters which is not integrated on the level of efficiency. Also from country to country there is enormous difference in preparedness. Integrate will, knowledge, people and countries for adequate action. United Nations should form UNDOR - United Nations Disaster Organization for Relief. If necessary there sholud be a World Summit with such goal. Headquarters should be in Japan. Source community.nytimes.com A Price Too High? Prof. Dr. Slobodan Lang Zagreb, Croatia March 19th, 2011 There are 200 states, but world is one It was impossible to solve epidemics independently from country to country. True, better prepared got significant advantage as countries and their citizens had longer lives, but only after forming World Health Organization in 1948 it was possible to control them. Same goes for disasters, natural or technological, present or future. There are 200 states, but world is one. United nations should form UNDOR (United Nations Disaster Organization for Relief). Source community.nytimes.com Allies Target Qaddafi’s Ground Forces as Libyan Rebels Regroup Prof. Dr. Slobodan Lang Zagreb, Croatia March 20th, 2011 Every UN intervention should include humanitarian support from the beginning Every UN intervention should include humanitarian support from the beginning. Now there should be all forms of media contact (television, radio, internet, facebook) to advice people, what to do to help other people and themselves as well. People are in need, and they want to help others – give them hope, advice and other help. Source community.nytimes.com How to Lose a Country Gracefully Prof. Dr. Slobodan Lang Zagreb, Croatia March 6th, 2011 Gorbachov transformed Russia from empire to a state As a first person who went through Berlin wall, let me as witness identify key historical messages:
He transformed Russia from empire to a state, openning it a chance to develop spiritually, democratically and economically. US oferred the world of conflict of civilization, instead of cooperation and peace. The world of today is not building future, because US is missing year, after year. Source community.nytimes.com Powerful Quake and Tsunami Devastate Northern Japan Prof. Dr. Slobodan Lang Zagreb, Croatia March 11th, 2011 Let's use the tragedy in Japan to form UNDOR – United Nations Disaster Organization for Relief There were always disasters in the world. But by now we have developed a number of organizations on world level. Globalization is working using the power over the people, arms and capital. World should get united for the benefit of the people, health, education. Recently we had a number of disasters which so openly showed that existing knowledge is not used as much as it could be to help the victims, because of the lack of organization and global colaboration. Let's use the tragedy in Japan to form UNDOR – United Nations Disaster Organization for Relief. Source community.nytimes.com |