ML27. BOOK STUDY: THIS MERE EXISTENCE: MOTIVATION AND STRATEGIES FOR RESTORING HUMAN RIGHTS

This Mere Existence is a celebration of our true human nature and a call to embrace that human nature for the sake of those with whom we share the planet. This Mere Existence attempts to: remind us that we are highly evolved beings capable of empathy and reciprocal altruism, and naturally endowed by our creator with inalienable human rights; motivate people to join worldwide efforts to restore those rights to all of our sisters and brothers, and provide nonviolent strategies for restoring human rights to their central place in human existence. People of all spiritualties are welcome to join the conversation.

ML02. TREASURES OF THE CAUCASUS: THE HIDDEN WORLDS OF ARMENIA AND GEORGIA

At the crossroads of Europe and Asia lies the Caucasus, ancient homeland of the Georgian and Armenian peoples. Part history, part travelogue, this course highlights the hidden treasures of these two little- known countries. We’ll explore their scenic beauty, their enduring Christian roots, their architectural gems, their distinctive musical traditions, and their dramatic political evolution. Long beset by foreign powers – Rome, Persia, Turkey, Russia – Armenia and Georgia have now emerged from their tragic past, with a renewed sense of cultural heritage and national pride.