Washingto DC. Renowned American  linguist and public intellectual Avram Noam Chomsky said that human existence is in the verge of collapse and it is not because of the ongoing pandemic.

Addressing a virtual leadership meeting of the STAR Scholar Network on Friday, Chomsky told that the corona pandemic is nothing compared to the crisis humanity will be facing shortly. He warned that nuclear war and environmental crisis are going to interact to bring this world to an end soon.

“People’s attention is focused on the pandemic as a global crisis,” said  Chomsky, “but that’s the least of the crises we face. There are more serious crises including the impending environmental catastrophe. We have a few decades left in which we can be careless, and what else? The game is over,” he warned the scholars attending the meeting.

STAR is an international forum of scholars that advances global social mobility by using research and advocacy. Chomsky was invited to the meeting with one agenda item: to establish the ‘A. Noam Chomsky Global Connections Awards.

Dr. Uttam Gaulee, the President of the STAR Scholars Network, said “these awards celebrate the power of human connections.” The awards recognize distinguished service to the global mission of the STAR Scholars Network. Several individuals with a deep impact on advancing global, social mobility are recognized every year.”

Chomsky shared his happiness that the awards will bring researchers from all over the world together to engage in interactions  “We are at a moment where human beings have to determine whether they have the moral and intellectual capacity to join together, to cooperate, to overcome the existential problems that are global in character,” Chomsky said.

Dr. Mousumi Mukherjee, the STAR Country Director of India, made an official proposal to Professor Chomsky to give his name to the STAR Global Connections Awards.

Professor Chomsky will address the STAR 2020 Conference in December and announce the winners. The 2020 STAR Conference is being  hosted by Nepal Open University in Kathmandu.

Dr. Edward Valeu, VP of Executive Innovation and Workforce Development at the STAR Scholars Network,  explained the importance of Nepal’s contribution to humanity.

Dr. Krishna Bista, STAR Division Head of Education Services thanked everyone at the end of the meeting.

Other attendees of the meeting were Dr Darla Deardorff, Mr Muhammad Uddin, Dr Handoyo Widodo, Dr Man BK, Dr Keshav Bhattarai, Dr Tirth Raj Khaniya,; Dr Otgonjargal Okhidoi, Elena de Prada,; Yuriko SATO; Prof (Dr) Khadga K.C., Dr Catherine Gomes, Dr Keith Wright, Dr Kapil Dev Regmi, Ms Marguerite Dennis,  Dr Arjun Karki, Ambassador of Nepal to the United States; Dr Marvin Perry, Dr Christopher Glass, Dr Shuning Liu, Mr Ramesh Silwal,and Dr Medani Bhandari.