Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) is a non-profit grassroots membership organization dedicated to promoting a "future in which nations work together to abolish war, protect our rights and freedoms and solve the problems facing humanity that no nation can solve alone."

Citizens for Global Solutions' logo

Logo of Citizens for Global Solutions File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Logo of Citizens for Global Solutions File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Activism and Advocacy

Citizens for Global Solutions works on issues that fall into one or more of its five program areas: U.S. Global Engagement (http://www.globalsolutions.org/programs/glob_engage_home.html), Health and Environment (http://www.globalsolutions.org/programs/health_environment/health_envir_home.html), Peace and Security (http://www.globalsolutions.org/programs/peace_security/peace_sec_home.html), International Law and Justice (http://www.globalsolutions.org/programs/law_justice/law_justice_home.html), and International Institutions (http://www.globalsolutions.org/programs/intl_instit/intl_instit_home.html). CGS advocates solutions to these issues by researching and writing, lobbying policy makers and public officials, and sending out action alerts to its members. Additionally, it enables members to take action through its advocacy website (http://advocacy.globalsolutions.org/site/PageServer?pagename=advocacy), through participation in local chapters or community groups (http://www.globalsolutions.org/involved/join_chapter.html), and by encouraging members to make financial contributions to further organizational efforts. Members are also able to participate in the Partners for Global Solutions (http://www.globalsolutions.org/involved/partners/partners_home.html) program, as well as CGS' internal think tank-the World Federalist Institute (http://www.globalsolutions.org/wfi/wfi_home.html). An action alert is a message that an organization sends to its supporters calling on them to take action to influence public policy. ...

Current Campaigns & Initiatives

• Stop Bolton campaign (http://www.stopbolton.org)
• Global Solutions Flash Contest (http://advocacy.globalsolutions.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Flash_Entries)
• Global Solutions Summer Games (http://advocacy.globalsolutions.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Summer_Games_SubmissionPage)
• Victims Trust Fund Campaign (http://www.victimstrustfund.org)
• Washington Working Group on the ICC (http://www.usaforicc.org/wicc)
• Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping (http://www.effectivepeacekeeping.org)
• Center for UN Reform Education (http://www.unreformcenter.org/)
• World Federalist Institute (http://www.globalsolutions.org/wfi/wfi_home.html)

History

The United World Federalists (later the World Federalist Association) was created in 1947, as a partnership between like-minded organizations that united to foster common goals of building a world in which nations effectively engaged with one another to solve the world’s problems. Over the course of the next several years, with the horrors of war fresh in people’s minds, the demand to create a better United Nations grew. Unfortunately, the Cold War put any initiatives to do so on hold for several decades. In 1976, however, a political action campaign was formed

Logo of the United World Federalists

Citizens for Global Solutions has its roots in a 1947 convention in Asheville, North Carolina, when World Federalists, USA merged with four similar organizations to form the United World Federalists[1] (http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00393.html). Membership was open to any American except persons Communist or Fascist oriented.[2] (http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/lilly/mss/html/uwrldfed.html) It had more than 50,000 members during the late 1940s and early 1950s, including Albert Einstein, Kurt Vonnegut, Sen. Alan Cranston, Mortimer Adler, E.B. White, Oscar Hammerstein, and the organization’s longtime President, Norman Cousins. Over the course of its history, the organization recognized a number of leading globally minded citizens for their support of the organization's goals through the presentation of the Norman Cousins Global Governance Award. Recipients have included Strobe Talbott (Deputy Secretary of State under President Clinton) (read his 1992 Times editorial here (http://205.188.238.109/time/archive/preview/0,10987,160112,00.html)), Walter Cronkite (read his acceptance speech here (http://www.netvista.net/~mikos/pol-dwp/WFA_Cronkite_Speech.htm)), and Ted Turner. Logo of the United World Federalists File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Logo of the United World Federalists File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Asheville City Hall. ... Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s Years: 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 Events and trends Technology First nuclear bomb First cruise missile, the V1 flying bomb and the first ballistic missile, the... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Portrait of Albert Einstein taken by Yousuf Karsh on February 11, 1948 Albert Einstein (March 14, 1879 – April 18, 1955) was a theoretical physicist who is widely regarded as the greatest scientist of the 20th century. ... Kurt Vonnegut, Junior (born November 11, 1922) is an American novelist, satirist, and most recently, graphic artist. ... Alan MacGregor Cranston (June 19, 1914–December 31, 2000) was a U.S. journalist and politician. ... Mortimer Jerome Adler (December 28, 1902 – June 28, 2001) was an American philosopher and author. ... Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899–October 1, 1985) was an American essayist, author, and noted prose stylist. ... There were two notable Oscar Hammersteins: Oscar Hammerstein I, cigar manufacturer, opera impresario, and theatre builder Oscar Hammerstein II, Broadway lyricist, songwriting partner of Jerome Kern and Richard Rodgers This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Norman Cousins was an Adjunct Professor of Medical Humanities at the University of California and a prominent world federalist leader. ... Strobe Talbott (b. ... Order: 42nd President Term of Office: January 20, 1993–January 20, 2001 Preceded by: George H. W. Bush Succeeded by: George W. Bush Date of birth: August 19, 1946 Place of birth: Hope, Arkansas Date of death: Place of death: First Lady: Hillary Rodham Clinton Political party: Democratic Vice President... Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. ... Robert Edward Ted Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American media mogul and philanthropist. ...

With the horrors of war so recent in people’s minds – and particularly the new, looming threat of nuclear annihilation – in the late 1940s and early 1950s upwards of 50,000 supporters demanded the creation of a better United Nations. But the Cold War, association of internationalism with communism, and a shift in political nomenclature over the decades limited the organization's outreach, political initiatives and membership. Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation between nations for the benefit of all. ... Communism is a term that can refer to one of several things: a social and economic system, an ideology which supports that system, or a political movement that wishes to implement that system. ...

Logo of the World Federalist Association

The organization changed its name in 1969 to World Federalists, U.S.A. and in the mid-1970s to the World Federalist Association[3] (http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00393.html). Changes in the U.S. tax code prompted the creation in 1976 of a sister organization, the Campaign for United Nations Reform, for lobbying purposes. In the 1990s, with the Cold War over, the organization (and WFM globally) began making more progress, most notably on the issue of creating an International Criminal Court. World Federalist Association logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... World Federalist Association logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM... The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, as defined by several international agreements, most prominently the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. ...

In the 1990s, the organization gained again in membership, particularly among young professionals with a more global awareness since the end of the Cold War. As a generational gap existed and experience in reaching younger audiences presented problems for the organization, several youth leaders offered guidance (notably through the 1997 Pittsburgh Youth Statement) and leadership in more effective outreach to their peers. Of particular note was suggestions for a more mainstream approach to establishing global law rather than radical proposals for a world constitutional convention. Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Reef. ... The Pittsburgh Youth Statement was a document produced by youth leaders of the then-named World Federalist Association (now Citizens for Global Solutions) to guide the organizations leadership on how to outreach to new younger members and activists. ... A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is followed by the institutions of a state. ...

During the UN financial crisis, WFA launched a public awareness campaign, asking citizens to send $7 checks to the United Nations, highlighting the per capita cost of the American UN dues assessment. These efforts were recognized by a UN Under-Secretary General. Since Article 19 of the United Nations Charter automatically strips any member that falls two years behind in its dues of its vote in the UN General Assembly, Congress began appropriating just enough funds to avoid the penalty[4] (http://www.hrweb.org/legal/unchartr.html). Also in the 1990s, WFA President John B. Anderson shook hands with President Bill Clinton. The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 states. ... The United Nations Charter is the constitution of the United Nations. ... United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. ... Events and trends Technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other technology Reduction in size and cost of mobile phones leads to a massive surge in their popularity Year 2000 problem (commonly known as Y2K) Microsoft Windows operating system becomes virtually ubiquitous on IBM... John Bayard Anderson (born February 15, 1922) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois and presidential candidate in the 1980 election. ... Order: 42nd President Vice President: Al Gore Term of office: January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001 Preceded by: George H. W. Bush Succeeded by: George W. Bush Date of birth: August 19, 1946 Place of birth: Hope, Arkansas First Lady: Hillary Rodham Clinton Political party: Democratic William Jefferson Clinton (born...

Logo of Citizens for Global Solutions

Having worked closely for almost three decades and with significant membership overlap, the sister organization Campaign for UN Reform proposed a stronger strategic partnership with the World Federalist Association in 2003. Internal disputes within the organization and a continuing difficulty in acheiving its political, media and funding goals prompted the organization to review its vision and mission in relation to this proposal. The membership approved the proposed partnership in November 2003, creating two corporations in one organization[5] (http://www.globalsolutions.org/who/our_structure.html). - Citizens for Global Solutions and Citizens for Global Solutions Education Fund. Logo of Citizens for Global Solutions File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Logo of Citizens for Global Solutions File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

See also

• 1949 World Federalist California Resolution

The 1949 World Federalist California Resolution was a remarkable measure passed by the California legislature that called on the United States Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to allow for U.S. participation in a federal world government. ...

References

• Our Story Citizens for Global Solutions - About Us (http://www.globalsolutions.org/who/our_story.html)
• Our Structure Citizens for Global Solutions - Structure (http://www.globalsolutions.org/who/our_structure.html)
• World Federalist Association: An Inventory of its Records (http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00393.html).