H I G H L A N D I N S T I T U T E

M A N I F E S T O

Manifesto

Built on the foundation laid by Highland City Club ("Club”) in Boulder, Colorado, Highland Institute for the Advancement of Humanity ("Institute”) strives to advance and improve the lives of others by channeling the technical, intellectual, and financial resources available to it and its members. View it as a network for the truly inspired.

Rooted in the belief that times of peak adversity are often times of peak possibilities, when stale thinking is revealed and new paradigms open up, the Institute was launched in 2020 to help envision and actualize a post pandemic world.

The Institute's location is no accident. Boulder, at times referred to as the Athens of the West, with three universities, thirty-four national labs, and ready access to an international airport is ideally situated to respond to humanity's call for advancement.

Such is the spirit of the Institute's embrace of big, big ideas. Evolution embraces a history of fits and starts, often during the most challenging of times. Think Egypt 3500 years ago, Athens 2400 years ago, Jerusalem 2000 years ago, Florence 500 years ago, and Philadelphia 250 years ago. Is it then presumptuous to suggest Boulder as the next best place to envision the future of humanity?

The work of the Institute will be carried out through a select group of Club members who, having achieved their own lot in life, strive to focus their talents, time and/or financial resources to improve the lives of others through their work, research, discoveries, networking, and charitable contributions. Most importantly, theirs is a life reflecting the words of Rabbi Hillel two millennia ago, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?"

City Club members who chose to participate in the work of the Institute are encouraged to meet and network with other members, pool resources, or simply engage with oneself in a deeply meditative environment, trusting that most human evolutionary growth emanates from modest beginnings. Jesus changed the world with a mere twelve disciples. Only 52 Founding Fathers birthed our Great Republic. As Gandhi proved, a few marching in unison can topple an empire.

The Institute is resolute in its determination to effect change for the benefit of humanity. It is not partisan; its focus is on the needs of humanity, not special interests; its emphasis is action over mere discussion.

We plan to make a small dent in the universe, and be a pivotal hinge in history. Again, Hillel, "If not now, when?"

Projects

At its inception, Highland Institute was launched to advance the following projects:

Co-creating our Post Pandemic World: identify the very best thinkers in government, business, academia, philanthropy, and the arts to envision a new world outside the old paradigm; marshal the necessary resources to drive fundamental changes in how we embrace the new world.

Boulder Cultural Arts Center: taking advantage of forty years of study and multiple public votes to finance the design and construction of a cultural arts center, Highland Institute strives to design, permit, and build a privately financed, publicly owned-and-operated state-of-the-art cultural arts facility to host global leaders to help advance human evolution.