In these troubled times, it is good to announce something positive and uplifting. There are leaders who raise our vision. Many are gathering at the 4th World Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Rome November 27-30, 2003.

Three members of our Global Security Institute team -- former United Nations Under Secretary General Jayantha Dhanapala, Advisor to the Middle Powers Initiative (MPI), Senator Douglas Roche, O.C., Chairman of MPI, and myself -- will compose the delegation of an MPI member organization, the International Peace Bureau (IPB) at the Summit. The IPB is a Nobel Laureate organization and we are extremely honored to represent them at this important meeting.

Our delegation will comprise the facilitators of the first day, which is devoted to the theme of Ethics and Policy. The attendees will include such esteemed individuals as Mikhail Gorbachev, The XIV Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Shimon Peres, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Joseph Rotblat, David Trimble, Betty Williams, Jody Williams, Lech Walesa, Oscar Arias Sanchez, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Rigoberta Menchu' Tum, John Hume, Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo as well as organizations awarded the Nobel Peace Prize such as the International Labour Office, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Peace Bureau, American Friends Service Committee, Amnesty International, International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Pugwash Movement, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Institut De Droit International, and the United Nations.

I will be the facilitator of the first session on the opening day titled Ethics, Values and Policy: Our Deeper Unity, Our Common Humanity, which will include panelists Shimon Peres, Lech Walesa and Betty Williams. The event is organized by the Italian branch of the Gorbachev Foundation under the high patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, the patronage of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament and the patronage of the Senate of the Italian Republic.

Our sense of caring for other lives is certainly basic to our shared humanity. In fact, without this capacity, our other gifts, such as our ability to manipulate natural forces through science, organize vast amounts of capital and human resources through corporations and states, and define our identities through symbols can render us a dangerous species to the planet and life itself. Yet, our ability to utilize these, and other gifts, with a sense of caring magnifies our humanity and allows us to shine in beauty and healthy creativity. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureates embody examples of shining humanity.

For further information regarding the program please go to http://www.nobelforpeace-summit.org/home03-programma-en.htm

Last year Senator Roche wrote an excellent report about the 3rd World Summit http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/2003/issue1/0103p76.html

We have every reasonable expectation that this event will serve as an inspiration for millions of people who share our sense of caring for life. I look forward to reporting on the event.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Granoff
President