Carlos Adelantado Puchal

International President

OUR TREASURE, OUR HOME

Onceagainthisyear,theInternationalOrganization

New Acropolis has continued with its activities intended to offer a path of dialogue and openness aboutthegreatquestionsoflife.

Once again we have entered into contact with the minds and hearts of tens of thousands of human beings who feel that they can take a little more advantage of the great experience of living. Because the fact is that, without having to give up anything, we can all incorporate new elements that give greater meaningtoexistenceandaddtoitsrichness.

We can discover that inner treasure through volunteering actions that multiply our strengths, since there is nothing more invigorating and satisfying than usingourenergytoofferhelptothosewhoreallyneedit.

And culture, that ethical and aesthetic language of each nation, which is both intimate and universal at the same time, can increase our treasure if we are capable of growing in tolerance and understanding of other ways of expressionthatreflectthecomplexityofthehumanbeing.

Andletusnotforgetphilosophy,whichissometimes much loved and sometimes ignored, but is as necessary in these times as in any past age. The treasure contained in philosophy is demonstrated through the undeniable freedom of thought and the independent capacity for overcoming limitations in order to expand thelimitsofconsciousness.

An individual and free consciousness, which is not afraid to establish bonds of responsibility with Nature that surrounds us, of which we are inevitably a part and whichistheevidentmanifestationoflifeonEarth.

Since time immemorial, philosophy has precisely taught that the living relationship between the planet and human beings is woven by the threads of necessity thatareintertwinedinalldirections.Wearelikemillions of passengers on a spaceship that is travelling through infinite space. Each of the travellers has their own life, but all of them depend in the last instance on the fate ofthegreatstructurethatcarriesthem.

Fortunately,inrecenttimes,humanity’sappreciation ofplanetEarth hasbeenmoving towards more globally accepted forms of interdependence, where the need for a relationship that considers the qualitative above thequantitativeisparamount.Ofcourse,inspiteofthe many positive efforts in this direction, there is still a longwaytogo.

But there are ideas that have already taken root in the collective and everyday imagination, such as the management of natural resources, the use of clean and renewable energies, or the striving for a society in constantprogressanddevelopment.

These are, without any doubt, commendable objectives. However, in New Acropolis we also advocate a revaluation of the human being as a whole, whichincludeshismoreinternalandhigheraspects.We have to look after our home, the planet, and we have to lookafterthespeciesthatinhabitit,includinghumanity.

So, establishing a simile with the three ideas set out above, we also proclaim in New Acropolis that it is necessary to continue working to achieve the constant development of each individual. It is the slow and safe way of ensuring that the whole of humanity advances towardshigherlevelsofdignityandfreedom.

In the same way, the clean and renewable energy that is within the reach of every human being lies in the nature of their actions, guided by healthy intentions to cooperate with others. That way of acting can become a chain reaction that will help us attain benefits, both individual and collective.

And finally, we have the natural resources to which every human being can have access: they are our own moral strengths that accompany us, which are there waiting to be used. They may seem small, even insignificant, but they keep growing significantly as they arechannelledintoeverydaypractice.

Each one of us can improve and we can, therefore, improve our planetary home. It is something that we owetolifeandtothefuturegenerations.

That is why we speak of Philosophy in Action, of ideas made concrete in a multitude of activities, of whichthisYearbookisahumblesample.

NuevaAcrópolisesunaOrganizaciónInternacional queproponeunidealdevalorespermanentespara contribuiralaevoluciónindividualycolectiva,através desuslíneasdeacciónenFilosofía,Culturay Voluntariado.Fuefundadaen1957enBuenosAires (Argentina)porelprofesorJorgeÁngelLivragaRizzi (1930-1991),historiadoryfilósofo.

Principios Fundacionales

Nueva Acrópolis se sustenta en tres principios fundacionales:

Fraternidad

Promover un ideal de fraternidad, basado en el respeto a la dignidad humana, más allá de las diferencias de sexo, culturales, religiosas, sociales, etc.

Este ideal de fraternidad halla su fortaleza en lo que nos une, más que en lo que nos separa. Se afirma en el reconocimiento, protección y garantía de los valores universales que, fomentando la diversidad, trascienden los propios usos y costumbres locales y confluyen en principios éticos comunes, inherentes a la dignidad de todo ser humano.

Conocimiento

Fomentarelamoralasabiduría,através delestudiocomparadodefilosofías, religiones,cienciasyartes,parapromover elconocimientodelserhumano,dela NaturalezaydelUniverso.

El amor a la verdad y el conocimiento parten de la legítima aspiración por desarrollar el propio discernimiento para la mejor comprensión del mundo y de uno mismo. Entendemos la Filosofía como eje que relaciona las diferentes facetas y vertientes del conocimiento humano.

La Filosofía puede unir las fuentes del pasado y el presente en esa visión global, amplia e integradora, transformándose en un verdadero motor de progreso, que busque profundizar en sus finalidades, y aunar todos los aspectos del saber y de la experiencia.