In many ways, Toni Morrison gives the anti-address. Not only does she dispense with the clichés and platitudes we hear in so many commencement addresses, but she tells us why they are entirely inappropriate for the occasion. "The future is not yours; the past is ever-changing; if you need someone else to tell you what to do about the catastrophe of the present, then this education was in vain; these are not the best years of your life." (her bio continues below with the citation from Wellesley)
Welcome! May we pour you a cup of tea? For this is an oasis with a mission, custom-made for we the people to consider, with neighbors near and far, how best to address our humanitarian and planetary crises, how best to solve our increasingly wild and fractious rides around the sun.
May the insights and inspirations throughout this town meeting for the planet — presented on the wings of essays, images, speeches, artwork, film, literature, poetry, and music — move you to help fan the aspirational breezes of our shared humanity into winds of change we so urgently need.
May the insights and inspirations throughout this planetary assembly -- presented on the wings of essays, images, speeches, artwork, film, literature, poetry, and music -- move you to help fan the aspirational breezes of our shared humanity into the winds of change we so urgently need.
Let us together orchestrate a future that works for all sentient beings, a future that empowers succeeding generations with unrestrained kindness, understanding, love, and, not least, deep respect for the enthralling and necessary variety of life on Earth.
