THE DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE AND BILL OF RESPONSIBILITIES

We the people of FIRST Global – the students, teachers, the mentors, the sponsors, and their supporters – declare that the time has come for the world to recognize our interdependence on one another, and accordingly invite our fellow human beings to join us in working together to improve life on our planet for ourselves and future generations.

FIRST Global believes that all people have special gifts that make them innovators. Planet Earth’s problems cannot be solved by one individual or one nation. But when we work together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish – and we can share the benefits of our new inventions with the world.

By sharing and celebrating our common understanding of science and technology, FIRST Global is devoted to cooperative pursuit of a more peaceful world by innovating together to ensure the life, liberty, success, advancement, achievement, and happiness of others.

To secure the pursuit of these goals, the people of FIRST Global now declare the following guiding principles:

• • Throughout history, innovators have allowed us to rise from the ashes of our darkest hours with profoundly transformative innovations, made by individuals and nations with the courage and wisdom to look beyond geographic boundaries and recognize that ideas are strongest when combined.
  • To overcome the urgent challenges of today and the problems our planet will face tomorrow, we will work to ensure humankind will meet and surpass the incredible accomplishments of past innovators.
  • Science and technology can unite all peoples and can, without conflict or division, be used by all nations in a spirit of innovation and cooperation to combat our common enemies of poverty, food scarcity, disease, social and economic inequalities, ignorance, and even war.
  • Now, more than ever before, it is essential to promote the opportunity for all young people to master the universal laws of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, so that as global citizens today and world leaders tomorrow, they will work collectively to ensure an improved standard of well-being in a more sustainable, peaceful world.

Therefore, we proclaim this Declaration of Interdependence, and, with common understanding and appreciation of the urgent need for one another in the quest to improve the human condition today and in the future, formally recognize our dependence on each other – and invite others to join us.

In furtherance and support of the Declaration of Interdependence adopted by the people of FIRST Global – and appealing to our best natures and biggest dreams – we enthusiastically and confidently announce that with great power comes great responsibility. All of us have responsibilities: to ourselves, to each other, and to future generations. Accordingly, we mutually pledge to each other our inspiration, our empathy, and our understanding of the responsibilities set forth below.

1. 1. 1. We promote peace by working together on science and technology projects. These undertakings foster common understanding and experiences.
      2. We treat everyone with unqualified kindness and respect. Empathy and hard work are the backbone of progress.
      3. We recognize the contributions of others. We learn more from each other than we do alone.
      4. We believe that the world does not need losers to have winners. One person’s success does not inevitably lead to another’s loss; instead, shared innovations can bring both rewards to innovators and a greater quality of life for all.
      5. We promote learning and creativity in our communities, our nations, and our world. Imagination and technology are essential tools to build a better future.
      6. We work to ensure that our own progress does not inhibit others. None of us can succeed at the expense of our fellow citizens.
      7. We love what we do. We share it with others and, in so doing, will not only drive our innovation, but also bring peace through collaboration.