MISSION
Four Bridges is a virtual sustainable global community model founded on the four principles of respect for nature, universal human rights, economic and social justice, and a culture of peace.
A community is a living system. Even a virtual community is the sum of its parts - learning, growing and constantly reinventing itself. How that community emerges depends on the level of awareness of each individual and of the collective. We are reshaping our view of what it means to be a community. We share resources (space, venues, media, technology and volunteers), respecting the strengths of our component parts. We collaborate on events, projects, and on bringing awareness of our respective missions to the community as a whole. We sense an emerging reality and seek to act in harmony with it bringing our experiences and the lessons of our failures to a place where understanding can surface.
We are a community committed to human rights, social and economic justice, respect for nature and a culture of peace. This promise is reflected in our open enrollment and lack of rules and restrictions. We believe that all individuals must be involved in the evolution of a community equally and without preference, respecting the rights of all to participate.
Our resources are provided by the collective efforts of all of the community. By sharing resources, we are able to devote more energy to our missions. We rely on donations for sustainability of the expenses associated with maintaining a presence in the community. We do not discriminate against individuals or organizations. Even those that are outside of our pillars are encouraged to participate respectfully. We welcome discussion, even when it is difficult – especially when it is difficult. We practice transformative mediation and non violent conflict resolution when issues prescribe.
Our projects reach the global community and provide resources for understanding. We are designing two museums: one a museum dedicated to Afghanistan’s history, the other a museum of the history of Israel and Palestine to be built collaboratively by Israeli and Palestinian groups established in the community. Both will include a vision of the future.
Our virtual library is dedicated to the study of Peace and Human Rights and will be designed by an archivist recognized by the Library of Congress for her work with NASA’s CoLab in Second Life.
Our Peace Pavilion will be used for seminars and classes in nonviolent conflict resolution, transformative mediation, peace studies and theories, activism, sustainable agriculture, yoga, meditation and other related topics. These will be conducted by professionals and leaders in the subjects.
Our nature preserve will highlight worldwide efforts to live within our environment in a more sustainable method. We will provide space for specific projects such as the building of a garden space by the homeless.
Our organization is constantly seeking new ideas, new projects, new organizations to add to our already incredible mix of people and collaborations. We work grid wide to bring understanding through music, arts, poetry, and interactive presentations. We are currently seeking outside funding to bring more ideas and space to our ever increasing interested organizations and ideas.
The Four Bridges Project is a shining example of how we can use the virtual world to connect internationally to the issues most pressing to this global community. We bring understanding about the roles each of us play individually to the formation of this community and the future that we are creating. We provide ways to facilitate and encourage small changes that evoke a larger purpose and we’re doing it together. There is no separation between what we do inworld and what happens through our efforts in the physical world. Four Bridges belongs to this community that gave her birth. We bring awareness, community, and hope to the world – both of them.