Dear reader,

For the seventieth birthday of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations (back in 1948), our institute has had the pleasure to accept the invitation by Mr. de Oliveira Guterres - the UN secretary-general - to join in the 2017-2018 year-long UN campaign in defense of Human Rights: #Standup4humanrights


Like many people around the world, we occasionally use marihuana to leave for a moment the ever more invasive discourse of government and commerce behind. By making us forget our mind a bit, or a bit more, the cannabis herb snaps us out of our daily routine, making us see the world anew, different from the way we ordinarily look at it. In that moment of rejuvenation, the world around us takes on brilliance, and happily we go out of our way to engage the persons we encounter. Inspired by this plant and in defence for what we consider our inalienable right to cultivate and use it, we are happy to: #Standup4therighttomarihuana


Using marihuana and aware of its spiritual effect, has made us inquire about the nature of that spirituality, since society tells us that the use of the plant is harmful and evil. People that never use it claim to have expert knowledge, which allows them to condemn the use of the plant and warn about is nefarious effects. Already in the sixties a researcher found that:

Drug-education programs sponsored by schools and government agencies are viewed with scorn and amusement by users, since their own and friends' experiences with marijuana convince them that the instructors are ignorant or lying. (Tart, on Marihuana)

We did find among the peyote consuming Huichols of northwestern Mexico a spirituality that embraces the whole of nature with the utmost respect, even reverence. Aware that the richness of life consists in the harmonious coexistence of humankind and nature, and mind and body, the Huichols find their happiness in the ritual performance of the hunting of deer and the cultivation of corn. Then, once a year, all those called, make a long trek to the Cerro Quemado, the Burned Hill, to meet with their forebears and their gods. In our culture Moses was the last one to go on the mountain and talk to his god Yahweh, and all that we know about that is what the different Churches tell us - or don't tell us - about it. The Huichols may not have cars and might not know luxury, but they never stopped talking to their gods, in person. They say that their gods give them life and the force to defend their environment-friendly way of life. Since that way of life is seriously threatened by the all-consuming society, we decided to espouse the Huichol cause, and:

mmmmm#Standup4therighttopeyote


To stand up and be heard we will campaign on behalf of activist defenders of marihuana and peyote, proposing them as candidates for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. To insure the nomination of our candidates, the first part of our campaign will be dedicated to invite persons qualified to nominate by the rules of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee. We invite you to participate of this effort in the hope to draw attention to our legitimate demands in civil society, the forum where the future of an end to the war on drugs will play out.

mmmmm#Nobel4drugspacifists