The First Five Decades of the One World Trust
In 1947, fresh from the horrors of World War II, a group of British Parliamentarians led by Henry Usborne established a cross-party Parliamentary Group for World Government (APPGWG).
This non-partisan organization was born from a desire to cement world peace and to ensure the world's newest financial, governing and monitoring institutions were democratic, accountable and transparent. In 1951, these MPs created the One World Trust (OWT), an independent trust dedicated to educating the public about the [non] compliance of international organizations and institutions dedicated to maintaining global governance. The major focus of the OWT was research and advocacy. The mission today reflects those same priorities, namely:
More details about the history and work of the One World Trust over the first five decades are set out below
Founded One World Trust
The One World Trust was founded in 1951 at the initiative of members of the Parliamentary Group for World Government including the past, present and future Prime Ministers, Clement Attlee, Winston Churchill and Harold MacMillan “to investigate and promote ways in which to encourage a greater sense of world community”. You can download the Trust Deed which founded the charity here. Its first major undertaking was the establishment of a World Studies Project which, with the support of the ILEA, ran course for history teachers and organised a One World Examination Syllabus competition, whose winning entry was published in association with Longmans and adopted by the London University GCE Board as Modern World History.
Launched Publications & Summer Scools
The Trust produced several publications, including Education for International Understanding (1960) with a foreword by Lord Hailsham and a message from Earl Attlee; and, with Longmans, History Syllabuses and a World Perspective (1962 & 1967). The Trust also launched a series of summer schools for graduates on Problems of World Order, held at the Universities of Sussex, Edinburgh and Malta, and, with support from the Leverhulme Trust, published a survey of audio-visual materials likely to encourage a world perspective.
Supported by a UNESCO Grant
Helped by a UNESCO grant, the Trust ran a series of schools competitions and a project for the introduction of World Studies into secondary schools, sponsored by the Leverhulme Trust, the Ministry of Overseas Development and the DES. This project produced three books: Debate and Decision (1974), a handbook for the planning of course and conferences on multicultural, social and development education, world studies and international understanding; Learning for Change in World Society (1976), a resource book which has been reprinted several times and, with a grant from Christian Aid, Ideas into Action (1980), thirteen case studies of courses developed from the project.
The Trust entered the eighties with the launch of its World Studies 8-13 Project, aided by the Schools Council and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. This led to the production of another teachers’ handbook World Studies 8-13. With Thomas Nelson and Son, four pictorial books for 14-16 year olds were produced: World in Conflict, Caring for the Planet, Progress and Poverty, and Fighting for Freedom and the organisation of one day conferences for sixth formers was added to the Trust’s range of activities.These were inaugurated in September 1988, at the University of East Anglia in conjunction with the School of Development Studies and the Development Education Centre in Norwich. The event attracted 200 students and became an annual feature. In addition to the work on education, the Trust was also active supporting the historic Law of the Sea Conference which created a system of international governance of the planet's oceans and seas.
The focus on the education and engagement of the young in global affairs developed further, with student competitions and conferences. There were many public meetings in the Palace of Westminster involving Parliamentarians and the public - and special meetings were held, as part of the Students in Parliament concept, bringing together Parliamentarians and student competition winners. The Trust was also active in two campaigns. The first was in support of the establishment of a Permanent International Criminal Court (ICC), which finally began functioning on Jan 1st 2002. The second was in support of Charter 99, a Charter for Global Democracy, calling for international accountability, equality, justice, sustainable development and democracy. Many of the ideas and indeed wording fed into the Millennium Summit debate and the subsequent Millennium Development Goals.
