2/12/2003

I will be in San Francisco on my way to Puerto Rico for the launch of the Alliance for the New Humanity.

Who would have thought this unemployed granma from the Sunshine Coast would be today packing her suitcase full of Op Shop clothes and be taken to Puerto Rico by Oscar Arias Sanchez (Costa Rica) Nobel Peace Laureate 1987, Antonio Fas Alzamona (Puerto Rico) Puerto Rican Senate President, Kerry Kennedy- Cuomo (USA) Human Rights Advocate, Ricky Martin (Puerto Rico) Grammy Award Winner, Roberto Savio (Italy) Founder Inter Press Service, Deepak Chopra (India/USA) Author, Baltazar Garzon (Spain) Judge Advocate International Justice, Ashok Khosla (India) Environmentalist, Sara Osacky- Lazar (Israel) Co Director Arab- Israeli Center for Peace and Betty Williams (Ireland) Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 1976, who I must thank for letting the others know about my One Mind One Voice poem and website, it was Betty doing that has got me to this point and a special person called Arsenio Rodriguez- the CEO of the Alliance for the New Humanity who I can't wait to meet and work with.

We are indeed all One Mind One Voice as we work to make it a better world for Caitlin and all children by the year 2015 - what a party that will be.

I felt like Cinderella as I packed the simple outfit I will wear to the Gala Ball - never mind a fairy godmother might come and wave her magic wand and turn the outfit into something more fitting for a Princess - Who am I kidding!

Lets stay with the facts.

The take over of the Old Scouts Hall in Pomona on Saturday went off so well hardly anyone even noticed. I wonder if they would notice if Ricky Martin came sometime for a visit?

Caitlin came up and inspected the building and surrounds and must have thought it was okay as she happily sat on the front steps and blew bubbles. I did hope to have a photo to show you but we are having trouble downloading them from the camera that was used.

Doug Bettens, a former group leader of the scouts group at the hall, came by to leave his handprint of support - as an ex Noosa Councillor it was pretty nice that he supported my stand of moving in before the council have time to approve the project.

I did send an email to each councillor to let them know it was happening. I have great respect for this council and for a lot of their staff. It is the memories of my dealings with them and the community before that has brought me back to Noosa Shire - but sometimes even eagles need a push.

I have no intention of working against the Noosa Council and will as soon as I get back from Puerto Rico on the 18th December write up a submission for the Old Scout's Hall to become a Peace Embassy. I am hoping they will let me be caretaker for awhile so I can prove to them that I can get the community to rally around to fix the place up.

If I could have a wish come true - it would not be about what I might or might not be wearing to a gala ball - it would be that Noosa Council officially hands over the old Scouts Hall in May 2004 as a Peace Embassy - when so many people from overseas will be here to give me a humanities award, the prefect time for the Official Launch of the Peace Embassy. That event will happen regardless of wether we have a building - it has always been for me, that people are far more important then programs - and programs are far more important the buildings. So if my friends around the world want to come to visit me, I will be here to greet them.

I just knew in my heart that Saturdays take over was something I must do, for the children of the world and for myself, as I needed to find out if the feeling inside the building is the same one of peace I get when I am in the grounds of the site.

I stayed overnight at the hall just me and a little angel I had found at a shop a few days before. When I saw her I thought she looked like she belonged at a Peace Embassy.

I will leave her there to guard the place while I am away. So if you pass by look closely at the side windows and you will see her standing looking out the window at the local school bus, waiting for the time the children will be able to come over to play with her.

http://www.onemindonevoice.org/tinangel.html While Shaun helped me clear a space in the mess, so I could sleep on an old couch that had been left there, it was just me and a little tin angel with large boots and a bright red dress, who woke to the dawn and a new beginning. Yes this place is the right place for children it just needs some TLC.

As word trickles out of the take over, nice things continue to happen one of the local newspapers The Noosa Journal have given me a space for a weekly column. I will be on the local ABC radio program on Wednesday morning and John Stokes who runs the program told me when I was on last time, he would like to have a live interview with me while I am over in Puerto Rico. Our state newspaper, the Courier Mail will be coming to the Scout's Hall on Wednesday to do a story and get a picture of Caitlin and myself, so things are ready to unfold.

This trip to Puerto Rico and my meeting with the Alliance Board and others attending will I am sure set in motion the development of “New humanity initiatives”: through people to create and evolve as yet unimagined cooperation modalities.

As John Kelly from Noosa Council said to me yesterday " Kerry I am still not sure of the bigger picture?"

I say nether am I - but I am willing to take your hand and show you how to fly.

I hope I am set up so I can send you a newsletter from Puerto Rico I am sure the view from there will be breathtaking. If not I will talk to you all just before Christmas after I return on the 18th of December. Now where did I put those old sandshoes with the fake diamonds on them Hummmmmm. Have a nice day, I will as I close the suitcase and pinch myself and know I am where I am because I follow my heart, care more about people then buildings and am game to fly.

Kerry Bowden
Alliance for the New Humanity
One Mind One Voice
Peace Embassy

One Mind One Voice.
A Famility of Humanity
PS: Caitlin say