There is a religion which says the closest leaf is connected to the furtherest star. You may or not believe it, but you do have to accept the fact that the world today is closely connected, as what is happening in the United States, has had an impact all over the planet! And, it is in this spirit that I would like to point out the need to get beyond history, be it Portuguese, British or Asian as related to our country. If we ask the question how long, for how many centuries, the Portuguese or British have exploited us, then, we also need to ask ourselves, for how long the upper castes have exploited the lower castes in our country? Yes, can India do an Obama? We may be divided politically into countries, but at this point in history it is beyond doubt that we are in the same boat, economically and environmentally. Let's not sink our world! We need to go beyond old ways of thinking, beyond a narrow definition of politics, and ready ourselves for a new world which demands from us a greater understanding and maturity as human beings.
Joao Barros-Pereira Kyoto, Japan
