Yeshua

OK lets imagine for a little while. Its good to use our brains once and a while and dream of a happier world!

Imagine that a worldwide Federation of Democratic States has just come into being with a World Legislature. It is an evolved form of the UN and everybody is to think of an anthem, a musical piece or a poem to be put to music, that will represent all the peoples of the earth regardless of faith, sex, race or culture. What would you nominate? Can you think of something - a song, or a poem that could be put to music - which could fit the bill? If not then what do you think a future yet unwritten Anthem of the Earth, of this future Federation, should contain? What messages should it put across? What should it say about the world and humankind?

In addition let us speculate on the flag of this Federation. Should it be the UN flag or a new creation? If the latter then what?

whine of astonsihment

Here you go Anthem for the World

Written by a Baha'i musician Matthew Levine:cool

Yeshua

Thank you Whine! :wub

The thread starts with a bang :lol WHOOP! WHOOP!

It is a very catchy little tune and beautiful images. It is certainly a great song and the message is very true. Nevertheless it reminds me a little too much of a jolly hymn, like 'Shine Jesus Shine!' from my own religious tradition, if you get what I mean. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but some people would call it 'cheesy'. I personally am a big fan of cheese - but I know some aren't :cool It is very sweet, jolly, spirit-filled and enjoyable to sing along too. Nonetheless I feel we need something more stirring, more haunting yet powerful and sublime. We need something with a blend of instruments and musical styles from many different cultures of the world and one that is subtly spiritual/religious but not glaringly so, like the British Patriotic song, 'I Vow to thee my Country' which very subtly brings in the love of heaven and God and is a hymn, but without overdoing it.



I want to hear African music, Native American earth-based melody, Western classical - even with a little touch of the esoteric. We need something as powerful as 'The Star Spangled Banner', as haunting and pure as 'Hatikvah' the Israeli Anthem, stirring like the German national Anthem and yet jolly and sing-along like the French one. We need somethin truly World Embracing! We need something which will not allow any nation on earth to feel left out but without making it an erratic, crazy melangé of gunk just pieced together like a dodgy jig-saw puzzle

I want something as pride-inspiring and powerful as this:



But as hauntingly beautiful as this (which is just right for remembrance day on the 11th) the beautiful Scottish song Flowers of the Forest which is the official anthem (lament) worldwide for the war dead:



Or this (the Israeli Anthem):



And yet with an esoteric undercurrent like this:



Or this:



We need something that will make us proud to be human :wink Probably impossible but one can dream I suppose, haha! :wub

Or the beautiful Baha'i song, 'Divine Tapestry' which I love (it is stunning):

whine of astonsihment

@ Yeshua:wub

Smith and Dragoman (Divine Tapestry) are from a community about an hour from where I live. The first time I put their cd in my stereo I didn't listen to anything else for at least 3 months. I have all three of their cds and they're really top notch - awesome talent!

Beautiful selection of videos - thanks!

Yeshua

I know this is off-topic but I would love to hear there other songs Penny, could you put some of the best ones up on youtube? I've watched 'Kiss the Rope', about the martyr Mona in Iran, which was so heart-breaking and touching. (She was a beautiful, courageous girl very similar to Neda Soltan who was murdered on June 20th 2009, a date I will never forget because June 20th is a date of significance in my life as well, for other reasons. Me and Neda share that date.)

Lunitik

Can there really be a better anthem than:



It is quite long, but it is so beautiful

I think it speaks volumes that so many stars of that time were brought together under the banner of change and peace. The song itself is a testament to unity, discusses how we must all engage in the process of betterment, it is just awesome.

It was created for a specific cause, but it isn't that specific, it does not avoid God in the lyrics, and indeed we are His children. It also emphasizes that the physical world is for you and I to improve.

I just love this song!

Lunitik

Here is a new version, same song, however until 6:00 in - where it gets more specific about Haiti.



It might even be more beautiful in Spanish, again breaks away from the original around 5:00 in:

Yeshua

Its wonderful Lunitik, thank you so very much :wub I love it too. The message is so powerful, especially in light of Haiti, when the world saw human suffering on a horrendous scale.

Lunitik

Some parts I think would be more pertinent to Baha'i:

There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one

We are all a part of
God’s great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

When you’re down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There’s no way we can fall

Well, well, well, well, let us realize
That a change can only come
When we stand together as one

Its for the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So lets start giving

we are the World united by love so strong

we are the World connected by a common bond
Love the whole planet sing it along

we amplified the love we watching multiply

Beautiful, and over 60 million people have heard this song on youtube alone, so it seems to me it might already be getting chosen

I think it is fair to say it has become the rallying cry of unity at least in the west already, I am not aware of a version for any other part of the world, however. It would be awesome if an equal part was sang by groups from every continent of the earth (where people reside).

Essence of GOD

the lyrics of this song are actually pretty good for alien encounters

Lunitik

Great song, although rather depressing, at least for me (changed the link since it has embedding disabled, same song though obviously)

Another great song:



And a song that has always stuck with me:



Although I wouldn't consider either too appropriate for an anthem I don't think

Essence of GOD

depressing maybe,
but eventually we have to detach from everyone and everything.
thats were the real beauty is for this song, at least for me

BruceDLimber

And please don't forget, also, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," currently used as the anthem of the European Community!


Bruce

Yeshua

What would such a future world federation be "named" I wonder?

The Universal Federation of States? (UFS)

The United Federation of Nations? (UFN)

The Federation of the Earth?

The World Federation?

The World Federation of Nations?

Hmm...any "ideas" for future name of our planetary civilisation?

Fadl

Yeshua,

This topic breaks my heart, do you know why?

Because if we have a world federation (please, God!) then it would be such a tragedy if their first deliberations were about hymns and flags, don't you agree?

And you know, one of the sadest, strangest phenomenon I know, is that there are little countries around the world such as West Sahahara, or Somalia that are almost not even countries at all, as they are scarcely even governed, yet they do have a flag and an anthem... so God willing, by the time we get to the world federation, we will have transcended the need for flags, anthems, state birds, flowers, etc.... I hope!

But if this world needs an anthem at this time, why not just take the Anthem of West Sahara, and tweak it here or there?:

"O sons of the Sahara! In the battlefield, you are torch holders in the long road
Make revolution in our nation and follow this path for her sake.
Cut off the head of the invader. Cut off the head of the invader.
O revolutionaries, the homeland will be glorious. Cut off the estates in this region.
Remove in war the causes for protest and abandon it; no submission, no yielding.
No agent, no invader, no agent, no invader.
You who ask about us: we are the ones who drive the transforming struggle.
We are the ones who smash that idol, we are the ones who understand the beautiful lesson.
We are the people of the path; we are the people of the path.
We are the ones who revealed the path against the raid, the one that burns up the raiders.
It is the war to erase the oppressor and establish the right of the laborers.
We are the people of the path; We are the people of the path.
The uprising is for the people and will advance in the Arab lands.
It will produce unity forever in the hearts and will establish justice and democracy.
Every century, every generation, every century, every generation."

Yeshua

Yes I agree completely! Its prerogatives would of course be world peace, the regulation of a single currency, the sorting out of prejudices and disputes between member states, the rule of law, justice, human rights etc. and so much more. I never suggested this would be amongst its primary aims, God forbid, I was simply making light conversation and using my imagination.

I meant this thread only as a light piece of trivia last year! I was desirous to see what people could come up with, that is all. I certainly hope that this would not be the prerogative of any future world federation!

Somalia is in a particulary dire state of affairs. It hasn't had a government for what, 20 years? The poor people are oppressed by terrible tribal warlords.

Fadl

Oh, I know! Don't imagine for a minute I was lecturing you or thought you were being anything but light! I just wanted to gripe about how it is in the real world, sadly.

Fadl

Let the Most Great Peace come, and this be our anthem:

Yeshua

Amen Fadl!

"Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven"...

I genuinly don't think that peace will ever truly reign in the hearts of men until those words are sung from every quarter of the earth, and with intent. We must resign ourselves to obey God's Will and not our own contrary ones.

arthra

LordOfGoblins

I would vote this to be our anthem...