IONA GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2015. ANTIGUA GUATEMALA (GUATEMALA)
GENERAL DECLARATION

A) The General Assembly of the IONA reaffirms its determination to develop access for all to philosophical knowledge and to make the practice of philosophy a bulwark against violence and the moral ills that are affecting the society of our times. It also intends to continue to promote an ethical renewal by providing the experience of transcendental values that can bring about a profound renewal of the human being.

The role of the General Assembly is therefore to transmit not only an ethical inspiration, but also to encourage the practical implementation of some basic lines of action in each of the national associations forming part of the IONA.

It therefore advises the member associations of the IONA to implement teaching programmes for philosophy, culture and volunteering and to develop a wide variety of activities with a philosophical focus. The aim of these programmes and activities would be not only to learn about and implement positive and constructive actions for the benefit of society or nature, but also to become aware of the need to raise awareness about actions that are harmful to society or nature.

B) The General Assembly recalls that the programmes of studies of the IONA, as a school of philosophy in the classical tradition, are based on the need for the development of the human being in order to improve society and the natural environment through a generous attitude of contributing to the common good.

C) The General Assembly recognises the positive contribution of the IONA in the world, and recommends that it continue with the valuable social and cultural work it has been carrying out over the past year. It also recommends that it continue with its collaboration and active participation with other public and private institutions and organisations in order to strengthen the necessary synergy between organisations working for philosophy, culture and volunteering.

It therefore proposes to continue with the development of work teams and social action groups that can contribute to the development and education of human beings and support the conservation and improvement of planet Earth and human societies.

D) The General Assembly approves the actions carried out during the past year by the different organisations and associations working alongside the IONA in the area of environmental protection and philosophical and social education and training, as can be seen in the Activities Yearbook which is presented to this General Assembly.

The IONA recalls that the research it carries out into different areas of knowledge helps to foster the essential part of the human being, by developing the understanding, intuition and will needed to become free from selfishness, materialism, fanaticism, violence and moral corruption. In this way it believes it can contribute to an increase in the personal and collective awareness of living together in fraternity, which is one of the fundamental criteria for creating the future of humanity, as expounded in the first of the founding principles of the IONA.