"Imagine all the people
sharing all the world
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one"
John Lennon’s “Imagine” is often hailed as one of the greatest and most influential songs ever. Its significance today cannot be overestimated because it’s a message of hope, peace, and a world without divisions. It represents the fundamental longing of people worldwide to live in a more peaceful and harmonic world contrary to the chaos, fear, and violence of the present global scenario.
THE BRICS PARALLEL WORLD
As I searched through the mainstream media, I found almost no information on the upcoming BRICS summit this month in Kazan, Russia. The dates are October 24 to 26. If you do not know what BRICS is about or are unaware of the upcoming Summit, you are certainly not alone. It is the intention of Western governments, including the United States, to keep you in the dark by limiting public knowledge of this groundbreaking event that is spearheading the continued development of a multipolar world. Yet, regardless of all intentions to minimize the event’s significance, the momentum of BRICS growth is akin to a rolling stone that cannot be stopped. In a nutshell, and barring an apocalyptic thermonuclear war, a successful Multipolar World will offer a safer and more secure future to this and future generations. This is a reassuring prospect amid global uncertainties.
WHY IS THE BRICS SUMMIT IMPORTANT?
Multipolarity is an alternative to the present unipolar world. It is founded on the fundamental principle of partnership and respect among sovereign nations. These principles are not indicative of the present Unipolar World, where Western Governments prefer the continuation of a World Order based on a brutally competitive ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality, where the economically more prosperous and more powerful nations (Global North) sanction, exploit, and disrespect the economies and cultures of developing and third-world countries (Global South).
Goldman Sach’s economist Jim O’Neal created the term BRIC in 2001 for Brazil, Russia, India, and China, believing that these economies would dominate global growth by 2050. The first official meeting of the four nations took place in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. It became BRICS when South Africa joined in 2010. This year (2024), Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Egypt joined with 34 countries now interested in becoming future members. As of January 2024, the BRICS alliance of 10 countries has a combined population of 3.5 billion or 45% of the world’s population. Guaranteed new additions in 2025 will increase the percentage. BRICS also claims 32% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to 30% held by the G7 countries.
Current international trends show that many nations approve of the move towards a multipolar system. The list includes countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and the Middle East. As this new multipolar arrangement begins to shape itself over the coming years, it holds the promise of a more balanced power dynamic and healthier relationships among participating nations. It also raises the question of whether or not Western countries, especially the US, will be able to accept Global South nations as equal trading partners and abandon the use of bullying tactics that have led to mistrust, fear, violence, greed, and corruption. This must change!
Over the next few weeks, I will update you with the latest BRICS news, especially during and after the Summit. If you’re curious, as you should be, I invite you to check out the fascinating BRICS website (www.brics-russia2024.ru), which explains in detail the plans and aspirations of the Summit…and beyond.