Wessex
The Fifth International Convention
of Natural Law Parties,
Bonn, Germany
July 1998
"It does not matter who administers the government, what
matters is that they have the best knowledge."
Mrs. Susan Römer, Prime Minister, Netherlands
Antilles,
5th International Convention of Natural Law Parties, Bonn, July 1998
A report by Lorna Blair,
deputy chairperson of the Natural Law Party of Scotland
(Issued by NLP UK)
This year's International Convention of Natural Law Parties
was held once again in the Maritim Hotel, Bonn from
July 6th to 9th. Our German hosts made us most welcome
and everyone who took part in the event enjoyed the warmth
and shared enthusiasm of Natural Law Party Leaders and
candidates from throughout the world. This international
event truly gives meaning to the quote "The world is my family".
The Natural Law party has now become established in 70
countries throughout the world. Speakers from many of
these countries shared their experiences and inspired
us all to do the best that we can to promote the Natural
Law Party in each of our countries.
The chairman of the recently inaugurated Natural Law Party
of Scotland, George Stidolph, gave his maiden speech to the
convention and told of the successes with the media including
a programme on The Natural Law Party to be made and broadcast
this year by Scottish Television and another programme
following a candidate's activities throughout the elections
for the new Scottish parliament next May. 73 candidates for
this historic event will be needed to stand on the 6th of May
1999. As in all UK elections, citizens of the Commonwealth
are also eligible to stand as candidates, and will be most
warmly welcomed by the Natural Law Party of Scotland.
Natural Law Party helps ensure peaceful elections in Northern Ireland
Jim Anderson and Tom Mullins, party leader and chairman from
Northern Ireland told of their successes in the election of
June 25th when they witnessed the "quietest" election for years
throughout the period of the World Peace Assembly which the
Natural Law Party had helped organise as part of their election
campaign. Tom shared with us some very positive media coverage
which linked the World Peace Assembly to the relative peace
which lasted for the duration of the course. This was the
result of many months of meetings with the editors of the
national press briefing them on the policies of the Natural
Law Party. It is worth noting that after the World Peace
Assembly dispersed on 28th June, the divisions within Northern
Ireland society again came to the fore. These most recent
events have highlighted the need for a permanent coherence
creating group in Northern Ireland, a point which the Natural
Law Party had emphasised throughout its election campaign.
Presenting Natural Law Party policies to leaders of society
Peter Warburton, deputy leader of the Natural Law Party of
the UK, advised the conference on the importance of attending
governmental meetings such as the meeting of the Commonwealth
Heads of State Meetings in Edinburgh, the G8 summit in
Birmingham and the EU meeting in Cardiff. These meetings
provide opportunities for media coverage and possible
meetings with delegates from around the globe. Dr Geoffrey
Clements, Leader of the Natural Law Party UK, made many
contacts with delegates while in Edinburgh and this has
resulted in him being able to present the knowledge of
perfect government to leading diplomatic and government
representatives from the Commonwealth, several of whom
have since learned Transcendental Meditation.
Dr John Hagelin, Leader of the Natural Law Party in the
U.S.A supported the UK leader's approach in contacting
the most influential administrators of a country and said
that he would willingly go to any country which could arrange
appointments for him with senior politicians. John also
introduced his new book, Manual For A Perfect Government,
which is a simple guide to the policies of the Natural Law
Party. He wants countries to present this book to senior
politicians as a means of promoting Natural Law Party policies.
Maharishi addresses the Convention
This year it was a great pleasure to have a direct
conference call from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose Vedic
programmes have inspired many of the policies adopted by
the Natural Law Party. Maharishi spoke to the members of
the press and the Convention delegates, whom he described
as "awakened leaders who are creating the dawn of a new
destiny for mankind". Maharishi's principal theme was:
'unity and diversity'. These are the qualities which must
coexist in political life today and are the qualities which
the Natural Law Party policies are bringing about.
Maharishi pointed out that Natural Law Party policies are
based on the application of the complete knowledge of
Natural Law contained in the Veda. Veda is knowledge of
both unity and diversity: it is knowledge of the inner
value of life and the outer diversified aspects of life.
For example, in the field of current health care in the
world the unified, holistic value is missing, with the
result that modern medicine has unwanted side-effects,
is fragmented in its approach, and is therefore only
partially successful. To fill this lack, the Natural
Law Party is introducing Maharishi's Vedic Approach to
Health, which includes both unified and diversified
values and is a complete system of health care, free
from harmful side-effects.
"It is fortunate that the leaders of life in the world
are anxious to quickly create an ideal world on the level
of diversity in unity," Maharishi said. "This is not the
diversity that will be devoid of unity; this is diversity
of all cultures, all languages, of all systems of
everything prevalent in the world today. All will blossom
in the dignity of unity. The flag of the world will rejoice
the unified strength of all the flags. This is what the
flag of the Natural Law Party will do. . . . . . . Every
nation will enrich every other nation. This is the dawn of
a new light: the dawn of unity in diversity. Diversity of
all nations will be glorified by the rise of a sense of unity."
Significance contribution by Natural Law Parties
to the quality of national life
Dr John Hagelin, during his talk, shared with the convention
a comment which Maharishi had recently made about the economic
stability and "feel good factor" which is evident in the USA
at the moment. John had expected Maharishi to attribute this
to the large coherence-creating group of Yogic Flyers now at
the Spiritual Centre of America in North Carolina. To his
surprise Maharishi replied that it was the result of the
Natural Law Party election campaign in the USA, during which
candidates were constantly bringing out the knowledge of
perfect government in accord with Natural Law.
Speakers from South America told of ongoing projects to
teach schoolchildren to practise Transcendental Meditation
in schools and how in Peru the coherence-creating group
saved the area of Puno from the scale of disaster which
swept across the country due to the El Nino weather phenomenon.
Natural Law Party leaders from many countries in this region
indicated how difficult it is to set up new parties, often
requiring thousands of signatures per candidate and large sums
of money. Yet they are succeeding and it was inspiring for
all to hear of their success.
One of the highlights of the convention was on the final
evening when there was a conference call from the Prime
Minister of Netherlands Antilles who is a practising TM-Sidha
and whose husband is the Leader of Maharishi's Transcendental
Meditation organisation there. They are endeavouring to implement
many of the programmes that the Natural Law Party promotes. They
wish to establish a coherence-creating group for the island,
which would require just over 40 Yogic Flyers. This was the
first direct contribution from a Prime Minister to an
International Natural Law Party Convention, and deep
appreciation was shown by members of the convention for
the work that she and her husband are doing.
In his closing remarks Reinhard Borowitz, convention chairman
and leading candidate in the Natural Law Party's German
election campaign, brought to our attention again the need
for Natural Law Parties to be established in countries where
they do not already exist, particularly in Africa. Anyone
who may be interested in this project should contact Dr Reinhard
Borowitz, Maharishi International Council of Natural Law Parties,
Hoge Boekelerweg 255, NL-7532 RE, Enschede. Holland.
0031-475 40 4011; 0031-475 40 3642.
Or send an e-mail to nlp@euronet.nl.
The convention provided all members of the Natural Law
Parties a chance to meet together and share ideas and
experiences a truly inspiring event held in the luxury
of the Maritim Hotel, Bonn. Not to be missed next year.
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4th International Convention of Natural Law Parties, Bonn, Germany July 1997
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