DÜSSELDORF, Germany (March 23-25, 2006) played host to the progressive scientific symposium "Wisdom and Science in a Dialogue: The new Planetary Consciousness," organized by the Club of Budapest. Sixteen distinguished speakers presented concepts of integral consciousness and interconnectedness through ancient wisdom teachings (including Kabbalah) and modern science.

The world's current state of crisis fueled the scientists' need to explain this overarching integration: that we have a "way out" of our current state through acceding to a more fundamental, all-encompassing state of awareness.

Common to all presentations was that, as human awareness grows to embrace concepts that emerge with globalization, so does the knowledge that humans have been irresponsible in their approach to creating this environment. As a result, our approach to ourselves and our environment are in dire need of a revision if we are to avoid sinking into an unsolvable catastrophe.

To this end, new scientific awareness coupled with ancient wisdom teachings can show us that:

• All of humanity is one integrated body;
• We are all connected and interdependent;
• Consciousness resides not only in the brain;
• Globalization further demonstrates that we are one big village;
• We function as a single whole but do not experience this integration;
• We must develop awareness of this global unity;
• We must experience universal love.

Club of Budapest founder Professor Ervin László concluded that what was presented at this symposium was the foundation of a new worldview: one that embraces the world as, in his words, "intrinsically organic, whole and connected."

In order for this worldview to spread, László mentioned actions set in place for its dissemination-the World Wisdom Council, The Wisdom Channel (an internet-TV channel), and an internet-based university among others. The meeting ended on an active note: that there is a lot of work to do, and this is just the beginning of a major shift in human consciousness.