The financial crisis unleashed in September 2008 demands deep reflection and a change of attitude from everyone. It contains a deeper crisis affecting our model for civilization. What is desired: a world of consumers or a world of citizens? Governments took action when faced with the fluctuations in the market. The invisible hand was amputated by facts. The chaotic uncontrolled economy required the regulatory action of governments. The market, left on its own, went into a spin, losing sight of ethical values and merely considering monetary values. It was the victim of its own excessive ambition. The crisis today demands paradigms to be changed. What does the strength of the banks mean to us when we are faced with the squalid figure of one billion chronically hungry persons? Why did the G8 governments, early on, designate almost US$1.5 trillion (which have now reached US$18 trillion), towards avoiding the collapse of the capitalist financial system, merely promising (in L’Aquila, but not delivering) US$20 billion to diminish world hunger?

I am not indifferent about the destiny of my family and friends. All of them are dear to me, and I really want them all to be happy. I know for sure that true happiness of my family and friends is impossible without happiness and prosperity of all citizens of Kazakhstan. And I know for sure – true happiness and prosperity of citizens of Kazakhstan is impossible without happiness and prosperity of all people living in the world. How can this – happiness and prosperity of all people living in the world – come true? I am a Kazakh. Who is a Kazakh? A Kazakh is one of the Kazakhs. It is impossible to understand a part, without having understood the whole.

The positive image of Kazakhstan abroad for the last year has improved. And in many ways we should thank for that… the bicycle team “Astana” which won in 2009 the most prestigious race of the world “Le Tour De France”. According to the recently published index of countries’ brands of the American company “East West Global Nation Branding Index 200” for the last year, Kazakhstan got 28th place out of 200 countries of the world and improved its indicators in comparison with the years 2008 by 3 points. More considerable is the breakthrough in the number of articles and references to Kazakhstan in the global mass media from 8 thousand to more than 10,000

We offer you the variant of Declaration for discussion from Polly Higgins, Dr. Royston Flude and Jonathan Granoff: The Declaration A Sustainable Future through Spiritual Culture The World Forum of Spiritual Culture, held in Astana, Kazakhstan 18 - 20 October 2010 with participants from 70 countries, reviewed and discussed advancing a spiritual culture as necessary to achieve a peaceful, just, and sustainable future. Certain principles were salient in the presentations: we are all one - interconnected and interdependent, life is sacred and must be respected and honored in all its manifestations, and love is essential for all our endeavors. These principles can guide healthy personal and public policy and can change the pursuit of dominance and violence in world affairs to the achievement of disarmament, peace and tolerance. These principles can prevent the spoiling of the environment from market excesses to nurturing our interdependence and harmony with nature.

The “New Planetary Television M” published on its website the photographs from the World Forum of Spiritual Culture in Astana. The chairman of the International Organizing Committee of the Forum from the Russian side has been Mr. Iosif Kobzon. During his speech he became feeble, his speech started weakening, and the Forum participants went through enormous stress. At some moment we even thought that Iosif Kobzon could not come back to us. A stretcher was brought, but Iosif Kobzon found strength to rise, and his friends took him out of the session hall. We published nearly four hundred photographs of the Forum and among them there are ones that show him becoming unwell, but holding on courageously and not losing self-control.

Today, humanity is experiencing one of the most dramatic moments in its history. Global natural disasters and social upheavals, violence and conflicts disturbing people across the planet are compelling to take a deep thought about the essence and meaning of occurred processes. Besides the impact of external environmental factors the world is shaken by the economic crisis, geopolitical and religious conflicts. We cannot fail to respond to events that occur in the Maghreb and in many Arab states in the Middle East which are affected by social tensions and even have brought armed confrontation. And, unfortunately, the momentum of this instability is spread far across the globe.