The WorldShift 20 (WS20): An Independent Council to Complement the G20

As of 11 December 2009 

THE WORLDSHIFT 20 

AN INDEPENDENT COUNCIL TO COMPLEMENT 

THE G20 

 

We have now entered a critical phase in the 

history of humankind. The future of our 

species is at stake. The world as we know it 

today is not sustainable. We either find a way 

to make it sustainable, or we face the specter 

of breakdown and ultimately of extinction. 

 Ervin Laszlo 

 

In recognition of today's accelerating global crises, and the corresponding opportunities in 

nearly every area of human activity and endeavor, the Club of Budapest, in association with 

its worldwide partner organizations, is launching: 

The WorldShift 20 (WS20): An Independent Council to Complement the G20  

 

The WS20 is to articulate the collective voice of humanity, drawing on the heritage of all 

peoples, cultures and religions. Its core purpose is to transcend short-term and self-serving 

economic and political interests in recognition of the fact that thinking and acting in exclusive 

reference to narrow national or multi-national agendas cannot solve the global challenges 

currently confronting the human family. 

 

The Mission 

 

In his Foreword to WorldShift 2012, the Club of Budapest's new handbook for conscious 

change, Deepak Chopra writes "We are already living in two worlds. One world moves 

ahead by inertia from the past, like a massive luxury liner drifting at sea, while the other 

steps into the unknown, like a child entering the woods for the first time." He notes that the 

old world gets the lion's share of attention on the front pages of newspapers and on the 

evening news. We note in turn that it also gets the lion's share of attention in the meetings of 

economic and political leaders, including the G20 organization of nation-states.  

 

The mission of the WS20 is to give due attention to the new world emerging today, providing 

essential orientation so that it may no longer be like a child entering the woods for the first 

time, but become an informed and determined movement toward a peaceful, just and 

sustainable planetary civilization. 

 

Implementation of the Mission 

 

In order to consider the issues that affect life and wellbeing on this planet from the integral 

perspective of a new civilization, the Club of Budapest, in the framework of the recently 

initiated Worldshift Movement, is calling together global thought leaders of foresight and 

integrity from all parts of the world and all major domains of society, politics, economics, 

ecology, science, art, as well as spirituality. This eminent group is to constitute The 

Worldshift 20: An Independent Council to Complement the G20.