Lisinka Ulatowska
= Co-Founder of the Commons Action for the United Nations, U.N. NGO Representative Association of World Citizens.
Bio
LISINKA ULATOWSKA first became familiar with a global commons-based plan in 1983 during the Planetary Initiative for the World We Choose when she began working with Pieter Kooistra on methods to implement his self-financing World Marshal Plan. This effort culminated in a book on its implementation, Crossroads 2000. A basic income for every man, woman, and child and a Marshall Plan for the Earth (at the time available in English and Dutch). She has since worked on a number of methods to involve “ ordinary people” in global decision making via the United Nations. These are described in a World Citizens Manual, available in English, Dutch, German and Chinese.
In December, 2009, she joined James Quilligan to develop a commons model as an alternative to development to be introduced to large numbers of people and to all governments via the United Nations. The United Nations was chosen since it is the most universal world organization where some 12000 people’s organizations, 192 governments and some 4011 corporations meet. (The latter via the Global Compact, founded by former Secretary General, Koffi Annan.). This initiative is now referred to as Commons Action for the United Nations. It is providing a channel for ideas to be communicated to all Governments worldwide. These ideas are being well received because they show commons-based ways of resolving the increasing number of global problems that are at present coming to a head.
Imagine a world where all people can potentially be in ongoing consultation with all Governments via the United Nations in an effort to steward different aspects of the global commons for the benefit of all people and for nature as a whole. This vision is increasingly within the realm of possibilities with the expansion of the Internet, our growing interest in commoning, and ability to envisage the social, economic, political and other structures necessary for an all-win global community where all people can benefit and live in harmony with nature.
The global commons-based economy being promoted by Commons Action for the United Nations is at an embryonic level of development. We are hoping that the work we do together at the ICC might help us fill in the missions pieces and that we shall be able to partner with other commons organizations within a communal ICC platform and help present mutually acceptable ideas to the United Nations in a way that can strengthen our common cause.
She has written two novels, Samenzwering Samenspel. Naar spiritueel wereldburgerschap and Fearless. Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things in a World Gripped by Fear. These focus on the development of an all-win world community that works well for all (people and nature), developed, monitored and maintained by people’s movements. These were written to illustrate psychological, spiritual, political and economic commons-based approaches that can help to bring such a world about.