Social:Commonwealth of World Citizens

The Commonwealth of World Citizens (later named 'Mondcivitan Republic' after the Esperanto) was founded by Hugh J. Schonfield, an associate of H.G. Wells, in 1956. The organisation describes itself as a servant-Nation.

Objectives

Hugh Schonfield was a biblical scholar, who was later best known for his book The Passover Plot. Schonfield first felt the need for an organisation for the service of all nations as far back as 1938.

From 1938 to 1950 Schonfield examined various aspects of the project, including questions of international law. Schonfield came up with the idea of a body of persons from different countries which would have relations with the governments of other countries, without that organisation holding any territory itself. When the United Nations was formed, Schonfield wrote to the Secretary-General and to all the states party to the charter of his desire to form his Mondcivitan Republic. {{Citation needed|date=January 2018} In the summer of 1951, a General Assembly of the organisation's members was held in Paris, which appointed a Secretariat as the acting administration with offices in London. By 1952 the organisation had members in 14 countries, by 1954 in 25 countries and by 1955 in 30 countries. The second General Assembly in 1953 set up a commission to draft the text of the constitution of the organisation. Following amendments at the third General Assembly in 1955, the organisation's provisional Constitution was approved for adoption. In the same year humanitarian activities were initiated by the creation of the World Service Trust as a specialised agency of the organisation.

Caresse Crosby merged her group with the Commonwealth of World Citizens.

Ideals

For the members, state citizenship was to be always secondary to membership within the organisation. Any member was expected to be primarily concerned with the affairs and policies of the organisation. Taking part in war, aggression of oppression was strictly prohibited and the member was supposed to be prepared to suffer the penalties.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018} nd abide by a set of seven principles: * No-one is an Enemy

• No-one is a Foreigner
• Service to All
• Complete Impartiality
• Work for Peace
• True Democracy
• Equity and Justice

The Republic

With members in 33 countries it was decided in 1956 that the Mondcivitan Republic should be proclaimed in being de facto and that all governments should be advised accordingly and furnished with a copy of the constitution. A Constituent Assembly of the organisation's members was convened at the Temple of Peace, Cardiff, headquarters of the United Nations Association in Wales. In 1958 a democratic election was held giving opportunity to all members in the countries where they resided to elect deputies to the first parliament which met in Vienna in May 1959. Up to this time the organisation had used the title, "Commonwealth of World Citizens" which was abandoned in favour of "The Mondcivitan Republic". Hugh Schonfield, the pioneer of the enterprise, was elected acting president and the organisation chose an executive committee headed by a young member, Donald Hanby who was referred to as the prime minister.

In 1963, the organisation held its second parliament. The term of this body was to be for five years. In accordance with the constitution, a presidium of five was elected under the name of the Supreme Council, each member of which would hold the office of president for one year in turn.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018} r presidency, were Frieda Bacon, Justo Priesto, Nguyen-Huu, Anthony Brooke and Hugh J. Schonfield, the last named to take office at the end of August 1967. The post of prime minister was relinquished and replaced under the constitution with that of commissioner-general and Donald Hanby was elected to that office. At this time, the International Arbitration League, founded at the beginning of the 20th century by the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Sir William Randal Cremer, decided that its work could best be continued by the Mondcivitan Republic and the two organisations fused. The work of the World Service Trust continued and a housing agency, the Cremer Housing Association, was formed, which later provided new premises for use by the organisation.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018} In 1971, the provisional constitution was suspended to make way for formulating a full constitution. To enable the organisation to ensure the best means of governance, an executive council was appointed to take full responsibility for the organisation's affairs in the interim period.

The World Service Trust

The World Service Trust was founded in 1955 as a special agency of the organisation for the purpose of giving impartial aid to people and countries in circumstances of poverty, famine, disease and epidemics, as well as natural disasters. The secondary organisation was also designed to assist education and improve standards of living.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018} In 1990 the secondary organisation became a foundation and was renamed "The Hugh and Helene Schonfield World Service Trust". The Schonfields contributed to it financially. {{Citation needed|date=January 2018} The organisation fell into decline following the 1980s. Its archives are now deposited with the Bishopsgate Institute in London.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}

See also

• World Service Authority
• World Passport

External links

More information is available at:

• The Mondcivitan Republic
• The Hugh & Helene Schonfield World Service Trust
• International Leadership and Business Society

• April Carter (4 July 2013). The Political Theory of Global Citizenship. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-70108-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=VS9f19oD1CkC&pg=PT197.