Costa Rica Life – Interview with Robert Muller – Man of Peace

Costa Rica is known around the world for its biodiversity and incredible beauty.

Tourists travel to this green country to see and experience adventures in the wild, yet how much of the world knows that Costa Rica is one of the most peaceful countries on the planet?

Costa Rica does not have an army; therefore much of its resources go to supporting the strongest middle-class in Central America. The work for peace draws great leaders, writers, and philosophers.




Robert Muller, former Chancellor of the University for Peace in Costa Rica and Assistant Secretary-General to the United Nations is one of those leaders who have been working for peace his entire life.




Robert Muller was born in 1923 in Belgium. He lived in the very turbulent area between Germany and France called the Alsace Lorraine. Surrounded by war and violence during his youth, he searched for an alternative way to live and govern – peace.

After serving in the French Resistance during World War II, he earned a Doctorate of Law from the University of Strasburg. He wrote an essay which awarded him an internship at the just formed United Nations where he would work for the next 38 years. He eventually served as the Assistant Secretary-General.

‘Retirement’ doesn’t seem to fit as a title for Robert Muller; however, ‘active’ does. With the help of his wife, Barbara Gaughen-Muller, Robert is always working and thinking about how to further peace in the world.

He is the author of 25 books which have been published in several languages. He has developed a World Core Curriculum which is not only in schools around the world, but also serves as the heart of 43 Robert Muller Schools. He has authored a World Peace Plan 2010 which can be viewed on the web. The internet is also home to Good Morning World: Email Messages for a Better World.

Robert Muller’s work has awarded him the UNESCO Peace Education Prize, the Albert
Schweitzer International Prize for the Humanities and the Eleanor Roosevelt Man
of Vision Award. He has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The biography, Prophet: The Hatmaker’s Son – The Life of Robert Muller was recently released about the life of Robert Muller.

Robert Muller and his wife live in both Costa Rica and California. Between speaking
engagements, his work, and travels, Robert Muller took time to answer a few questions…

Your life began in a tumultuous time in the Alsace-Lorraine region in France, how did your childhood help shape your mission of peace?

I could not understand why there was a border in our home town or why my father had been once a German soldier and a French soldier or why my grandfather had
changed nationalities several times between French and German without leaving
his village.

You served in World War II and were a member of the French Resistance, how did
experiencing such a grim chapter in history impact you, and the path you decided
to take?

The horrors I saw made me decide to work for peace all my life.

“In the 1920’s, after the deafening sounds of the Great War subsided and the
people went on with their lives, a generation of children in Europe was taught
to believe that the Treaty of Versailles had outlawed war. They held fast to their
convictions as Hitler’s armies enslaved their countries.

On the night of the liberation of Lyon, he (Robert Muller) stood in a fallow
field weeping for all the young people whose lives were squandered during the
battles he fought in the French Resistance. That night he swore he would devote
his life to peace.” Douglas Gillies from Prophet: The Hatmaker’s Son – The Life of Robert Muller

You worked at the United Nations or almost 40 years, what changes did you see over that time?

I saw the U.N. become universal; new specialized agencies were created; and many
U.N. successes despite its weaknesses and very insufficient resources.

As Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, what were your goals and
objectives?

My goal was to encourage the Secretary General with my ideas and optimisms; to
get the U.N. involved and intervene in many world affairs; to raise new issues
for example in the environment and climate changes area, etc.

Politics and high-level leadership are not often seen as spiritual roles – how
can these positions integrate enlightenment with human progress?



I preached and announced repeatedly about the necessity and advent of a world
spiritual renaissance.

“Pray and thank God everyday for Peace
Pray for the United Nations

and all peacemakers

Pray for the leaders of nations

who hold the peace of the

world

in their hands

Pray God to let our planet at long last

become the Planet of

Peace””



From Decide To – Poems for A Better World by Robert Muller

What was your mission with the creation of the World Core Curriculum, and how
many schools carry the Curriculum?

The mission is to educate all children of the world with a total global knowledge
of the Earth and humanity so that they may remember all their life that they are
global citizens, not only national ones.The first Robert Muller School in Arlington,
Texas had the figure of 43 schools several years ago, but they could no longer
keep track of the mail they received for information (and the figure may be higher).

Why is a revolution in education needed?

A revolution is needed because national education is too intensively nation-oriented
and insufficiently world and humanity oriented.

How did you become involved with the University for Peace?

As Assistant to the Secretary General of the U.N., I heard President Rodrigo
Carazo of Costa Rica speech about offering land for the building of a University
for Peace. I loved the idea and got the U.N. General Assembly to adopt a text
endorsing the creation.

What is the vision of the University for Peace?

The vision is to teach peace, human rights, the environment and the role of the
U.N. (in international affairs), and to attain a world without any wars.

Why was the University for Peace placed in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica had the idea and proposed it and gifted the land to the U.N; moreover,
it was ideal because Costa Rica was a demilitarized country.

You live on a sacred indigenous hill, Mount Rasur in Costa Rica, why is this
place so unique?

The Indian god of the children, Rasur, appeared to them on this hill and asked
them to take care of its marvelous nature and predicted to them that the hill
would extend a civilized peace to the entire world. The University for Peace
is located on the land, and we (my family) live on it and love it.

“Dear children, the Great Spirit is in every animal, in every bird, butterfly,
flower, insect, leaf and grass you see. The Great Spirit is also in you, the Creator’s
children. Please take care of the wonderful nature created by God and some day,
from this mountain, you will see the birth of a civilization of peace spread to
the entire world.” From Mt. Rasur: The Legend and The Dreams by Robert Muller

How does Costa Rica manage to maintain peace and democracy when it is surrounded
by other countries that struggle with stability and peace?

Costa Rica maintains peace and democracy because it is demilitarized. It would
be helpful to say that the surrounding countries will become demilitarized also
and will become peaceful and prosperous.

Do you think Costa Rica is a safe place to live?

Costa Rica is a safe place to live, except San Jose which has too many robberies.

On the subject of writing, you have written many books, what has driven you to
write?

After many years at the U.N., I felt that I had valid views to communicate to
people. Writing was a way of doing that.

You have said you would like to write a book one day of all the dreams you seen
come true, what were some of the dreams that came to reality?

Quite a few of my dreams have been fulfilled. For example, to see the first world
conference on the environment convened; to see the European Union created; to
see the Cold War ended; to see mainland China return to the U.N., and to see a
United Religions created, to name a few.

You continue to publish and communicate ideas and dreams of world peace – what
is your hope for the future?



Some of my hopes are to see a drastic upward reform and strengthening of the
U.N. as it approaches its 65th in 2005; to see it transform into a United States
of the World or a World Union like the European Union.

“What an incredible planet this will be when we will be one human family living in justice, peace, love and harmony with our divine Earth, with each other and with the heavens.” Idea 1888 from Good Morning World by Robert Muller

Behind the writings and speeches and the work is the man. Robert Muller emits
something that is peace. Dedicating a life to peace is not always the popular
route. War and violence usually gets more sensationalistic coverage than the people
working together to find solutions to the world’s problem through peace; however,
no mission gains more serenity or more true accomplishment than a life dedicated
to peace.

In the hills of Costa Rica, Robert lives simply, peacefully, and joyfully with
his family, the animals, and the trees and the beauty of Costa Rica.I am sure
the children of Mt. Rasur can hear Beethoven when Robert plays his song, and possibly,
Robert Muller and Costa Rica have found each other because together, they are
graciously serving the world and fill it with music and peace.

You can access much of Dr. Robert Muller’s writings, publications and books on
the Internet. Good Morning World: www.goodmorningworld.org or Robert Muller’s website at www.robertmuller.org or Decide To poems at www.robertmuller.org/decide.

Many of Robert Muller’s books such as A Planet of Hope, Dialogues of Hope and
The Birth of a Global Civilization are available at www.amazon.com Some titles – including some in languages other than English – are available
at the U.N. library. If the titles are not available at amazon.com, please contact
Gaughen Global PR at: MEDIA 21 *Global Public Relations. Barbara Gaughen-Muller. 7456 Evergreen Drive,
Santa Barbara, CA 93117. USA – Fax: 805-968-5747

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Written by Susan Lutz who is a film maker and writer living in Costa Rica. Her documentary film, The Coffee Dance available for sale an Amazon.com, follows a group of women in the depths of poverty as they strive for empowerment. She teaches film and lectures in Costa Rica. She’s produced radio documentaries and is currently finishing her first travel book on Costa Rica. She writes an internationally recognized blog on life in Costa Rica, Motherjungle.com and is the editor of the Organic Living Page on Allthingshealing.com

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.