will begin with the thoughts of Susan Reid, a person who has served humanity well throughout her long and dedicated life.  Her thoughts will then be followed by those of Robert Muller, a recognized pillar of thought among UN innovators.  Next, I’ve included a collage of comments from other individuals who represent institutions of baseline importance in the World.  All contribute to a greater understanding of the substance and subsequent importance of the Eden project.  Other than UN agency, there is no specific order to these statements.  Together, it is my hope that they will persuade you to consider joining us in this much needed effort.

Donald Sagar - Architect of the Eden Project
President of the Eden Institute

The CSOP addressed every single one of the topics you do and so I have had a long time to consider them. I have watched as these ideas took form in the specialized agencies of the UN, since my life has been devoted to education about the UN.  When I chaired the Committee that conducted the Inservice Courses for Teachers at the UN, I was very optimistic.  Somehow, the way was lost and now we find ourselves in need of a new beginning.  Hopefully this time we can do it right, for there is no more time for mistakes.  I feel that the Eden project is a meaningful step in the direction that mankind must go, and I am honored to be among your correspondents."

Global education that accurately explains the current threat to human survival and creates the proper respect and motivation for resolving life threatening circumstances, is the only hope for mankind.  Band-Aids definitely have their place and serve a very real purpose in the short term - but in the long run, it will be individuals that will make the difference.  If we forsake our responsibility to prepare our children for the challenges they will most certainty face, then we shall have done them and life itself perhaps the greatest of all injustices.  The challenges which will face humanity on this earth in the decades to come are unprecedented and call therefore urgently for the implementation of a project such as the one you propose.  I pray therefore that your endeavor will succeed and meet with enthusiastic response.  I wish you God's speed and assure you of my full support and cooperation."

"The Eden project has been studied with all the attention this important issue deserves and I should like to commend you on the new approach and the deep thinking.  An undertaking like the Eden project would help to work in conjunction with UNESCO objectives."

"I wish to express my support for your peace initiative and will see that the UNU (United Nations University) participates in this objective, by having the relevant units of its network involved in the project.  I will liaise with the UN Peace Studies Unit as to concrete means to cooperate."

"I appreciate our conversations about your important project to develop a "global model" that could reflect the concerns of societies around the world about peace, security and a sustainable future.  Global education has been searching for a methodology and model to deal with information overload in a way that transcends cultural, ideological and national bias.  Your project could provide an answer to this problem.  I am looking forward to working with this project as it develops and encourage you to preserver in this pioneering work."

"Your letter is most inspiring and the Eden project falls right into our purposes.  I look forward to discussing concrete cooperation with you in the very near future."

"Perusal of the materials you kindly enclosed suggests that your organization is doing useful and potentially important work.  I will ask that a brief piece be included in our quarterly publication (Negotiation Journal) describing the work of your organization"

"Your project sounds great. Had it been developed properly many years ago, present world problems would undoubtedly be of much less significance.  I have no special advice to give you except that you should go ahead and just do your best to put it in operation. You are assured of the full cooperation of the International Association of Educators for World Peace in this regard."

"Thank you for the information that you sent about the project being undertaken by the Eden Institute.  This sounds like a very worthy and challenging venture and we wish you well."

"I was very drawn to the Eden project proposal.  It offers a very promising direction of effort which I hope will soon be given an opportunity to demonstrate its value and relevance.  My enthusiasm is because it relies on cross-cultural communication"

"You are to be congratulated for having taken this initiative in promoting world peace internationally.  We will be pleased to cooperate with you in any meaningful attempt to achieve the results we both hold in mind."

"I like the basic idea and would like to hear more about your plans and progress."

"I am very gratified to know of the critical work that you and your Institute has been doing and am willing to cooperate with you in whatever way it is feasible.  I delight in the parallels of our thinking, and can see that your attempt to develop a definitive 'global standard for inquiry,' to become the basis for a dynamic global model to serve education (with instructional authority) will compliment our own work immeasurably."

"The Eden project goals and objectives are interesting and timely and we at this foundation agree that there is an urgency for a alternative approach to international problem solving."

"I offer you my and this Institute's unqualified full support and cooperation in you efforts to implement the Eden project."

"Thank you for the time you and your staff has spent with us at IBM - discussing your project.  Your presentation of the relevant pieces was both interesting and educational.  The System Integration Division agrees the project is very workable as we see it so far and are very interested in pursuing a resolve."

"I would like to hear more of your plans and opportunities for technologists such as ourselves to get involved in the Eden project.  Of relevance to your needs, is work underway to apply model based reasoning and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to the integration of many diverse sources of data to assist in the decision making process.  Also applicable to your needs is ongoing AI work on Intelligent Front Ends (IFEs) which seek to communicate with a decision maker or system user IN THEIR OWN TERMS - translating their request for information, advice or options into suitable material for further consideration."

"Thank you for the interesting information about the Eden project.  Your work definitely seems important and of course is very timely. I look forward to hearing of your progress."

"I discussed your proposal with Professor Christopher Mitchell, Director of Research in our Center, who has a solid background in both systems analysis and in conflict analysis and resolution, and he felt that the data base you proposed to establish would be an extremely useful resource.  He also felt that the Eden project was a vast undertaking, quite beyond the resources of a small group of researchers.  If the project could be restructured so that it was manageable by a small group of researchers we would be interested."

"I am very responsive to your proposal to create a peace information bank."

"The planet earth and its people have been experiencing an information explosion.  The uncontrolled expansion of information is dangerous, since it tends to diffuse meaning and purpose.  The Eden project is the first idea that I have heard of, that stands any chance of prioritizing and organizing the critical part of this vast body of information - in a meaningful way.  The fact that it will collect data about the actual experiences of nations and their peoples (from around the world) and their sense of the value of nonviolent methods for settling disputes, is exciting.  This project is therefore now and forever timely, since dispute resolution is destined to be an important part of human activity as long as mankind endures.  You can therefore count on whatever assistance that I and my organization can give."

"A data base that would incorporate cultural response to questions central to critical issues, would be very helpful in the training of personnel whose service takes them into areas of conflict."

"I am very impressed with the substance and focus of the Eden project.  It would be a welcome tool (of defining significance) in international circles, as well as providing a communicational link for academia that is long overdo.  I will convey your material to Lester Brown (Worldwatch Society) when I meet with him this week."

"I much admire all you are doing and find a great deal of it awesome.  I am enclosing the name and address of a top official at UNESCO who is in charge of a world directory of courses in the field of arms control and peace studies.  I am sure he will be interested in your ideas.  Best of good fortune to you in all your endeavors on behalf of the project and congratulations on the many associations of people whom you have been able to get to endorse your efforts in global education."