Every two years, I get in a rant in about the olympics. It has nothing to do with yogurt or homosexuality. It’s all about the true nature of the event. It’s a competition. Countries compete to determine the best. To me, it’s like war without the blood.
I don’t oppose sports. And certainly, I don’t wish any negativity on these fine and aspiring athletes. Their physicality and discipline is admirable. I want them to enjoy their triumphant. I just wish someone didn’t have to lose for someone to win.
Peace, global and internal, is always my goal. If the world only ever comes together in competition, this can’t be achieved. I have long advocated to substitute A World Party for the Olympics. Every two years, some country would host either the winter or summer bash. Delegates from every nation would come together to party. Here is how I envision the spectacle coming together:
*Representatives are randomly selected… maybe out of a hat or sombrero depending on the culture.
*It would take on a festival feel with activities over several days.
*Countries sign up to bring a signature dish for guests to sample. I imagine it like Taste of Chicago only bigger and better (and without the annoying tickets)
*In between the world smorgasbord, countries could set up activity booths. These arts and crafts opportunity would introduce guests to other culture’s abilities: pottery, textiles, etc. It would be like a world bazaar.
*In the evenings, countries would take turns facilitating the music. Everyone would be encouraged to dance but not pressured to.
*Of course, there would be an open bar.
*Ice breaker games would help people mingle with other countries.
*The whole thing could be televised so people could see that we as a human race are to quote a Thai philosophy ‘same same but different.’
Sure, I know we have the United Nations. And they do great work blah blah blah. But The World Party concept takes it to another all inclusive level. The guests are a random sampling of citizens. There is no hierarchy. Although the host country gets some control like ‘last call‘ and decorations, everybody else is on the same level. Poor and rich, book-smart and street-smart, pretty and ugly… it’s a mixer! The objective is to have fun while building relations among the human community.