What is the GRID Global?

I was born in Germany in 1970. The Nazi history was very alive in my upbringing. Already as a young child I contemplated what could possibly trigger such cruelty amongst humans. What could justify treating another person the way we would not tolerate to be treated ourselves (or the people we love)? As my life gradually unfolded in an international setting (living in eight countries on four continents and counting), I witnessed dehumanisation and unspeakable violence in many societies, countries, and social contexts.

I quit and went to a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in South India to study philosophy and meditation for almost 9 years. The following ten years I used my learnings as a translator and lecturer of Buddhist texts. The immersion into this ancient wisdom tradition taught me how to work with my mind in a structured manner. I learned how to master my perceptions and my emotions (to a large degree). Contemplations on love, compassion and kindness permeated every teaching I received.And I began to uncover what in the Buddhist terminology is called Buddha Nature (which can also be interpreted as the divine spark, source energy, our God Being etc.) that we all inherently possess and through which we are all equals.

The compilation of a mental health toolbox. It is a first aid kit for our mind, helping us to understand how the mind works and how it is connected to our emotions. Through providing a set of easily applied tools, it supports maintaining mental balance, especially in moments of distress. Additionally it fosters empathy for the predicaments of others, facilitating human connection. Since 2019 I have been working with psychologists and other people in the field on what to include in the toolkit and how to structure it. The pilot use of this toolkit is through my support of a community mental health project in Kathmandu, Nepal, implemented through the Nepal Youth Foundation since 2023.
The global initiative ‘We Are All Just Human’ aims to overcome inhuman behaviour and beliefs by emphasising the common humanity we all share. Realising that all humans fundamentally have the same wishes, the same expectations, the same fears, the same needs and aspirations, automatically inspires a feeling of closeness. When we look at another person through the lens of equanimity, we intuitively perceive their intrinsic worth, which makes it difficult to intentionally inflict harm. Our similarities provide the foundation to explore our differences and our uniqueness based on curiosity rather than hostility and fear. ‘We Are All Just Humans’ supports worldwide collaborations of artists, scientific and social organisations exploring this theme.
The Global Network to Support the Nonverbal Autistic Community is an initiative targeting the unique needs and gifts of this growing populace of children and young adults. The aim of the network is to further research, support the development of educational materials and the provision of resources with an emphasis on highlighting the exceptional gifts of telepathy and empathy that this community exhibits.

Mental health and well-being are essential to live a happy, productive, fulfilling and successful life. They are the basis for healthy relationships and social interactions, which have been scientifically proven to be the most important factors for personal happiness. Understanding what impacts and what supports our mental health is just as important as knowing what impacts and supports our physical health. Knowing how our mind works gives us agency over our mental and emotional states. It helps us recognise when we need additional support as well as foster an understanding of how to assist others during mental health challenges.

Using the breath, meditation and movement to regulate emotions
How to safely feel emotions, process information and feelings like disappointment, rejection, blame etc.
How to differentiate between situations that are uncomfortable and situations that are unsafe or even life-threatening, and how to react appropriately
Communicating feelings and needs in a safe manner
Cultivating enriching emotions like love, compassion, kindness, gratitude and learning to deal effectively with afflictive ones like anger, jealousy, fear
Basic information on how physical health like exercise and nutrition impact mental health

Detecting challenging emotional states and mental imbalance in others and how to react in a safe manner
Creating a safe environment by engaging in compassionate listening and forging meaningful connection
Learning to discuss difficult situations, disappointments, and emotions in an empathic, compassionate way to resolve conflicts and repair relationships
Learning how to effectively apologise and forgive

At the same time we relieve ourselves of the shame and the confusion that comes with not knowing what is happening to us when we experience a strong emotional reaction.Understanding our internal landscape is the first step to self-compassion, self-love and self-forgiveness, which are essential to our mental health. We are empowered to live in the present and be oriented towards the future, instead of being stuck in destructive patterns we have acquired in the past.

Inhuman behaviour towards one another is always based on the denial of the other person’s humanity. This means denying someone based on their skin colour, social status, religious affiliation or gender, for example, the same rights, the same access to resources that another group enjoys and/or sanctioning them to be subjected to physical, verbal or emotional abuse. They are treated in ways that would be unacceptable for other parts of the population. “We Are All Just Humans” emphasis the commonalities of different groups to forge empathy, understanding and the equal application of fundamental rights and humane treatment of everyone. Seeing another person as a fellow human being first of all, similar to ourselves, highlights common ground based on mutual respect when there are conflicts, misunderstandings etc.

Building connections to artists all over the world through the theme of ‘We Are All Just Humans’ utilising any form of artistic expression.
Encouraging cross-cultural, cross-racial, cross-continental cooperation between artists focusing on common thematic threads between humans, cultures, religions, ages etc. This may include concerts, exhibitions, writing books together, blogs etc.
Supporting and collaborating with like-minded organisations.
Working with scientists on common humanity traits and what unites us
Supporting initiatives within communities of different faiths, races and social status to forge viable pathways of communication and mutual understanding to prevent or resolve conflicts.

1 in 36 children are currently estimated to have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Amongst them between 25% to even up to 40% are believed to be nonverbal. Long thought to be developmentally challenged and unable to absorb information, they are often only minimally educated, if at all. Especially in societies where resources for education and health care are already limited, their chances to receive appropriate attention and support are close to non-existent.

In recent years, though, more research has been conducted exploring the abilities of nonverbal autistic people. It revealed, for example, unexpected levels of literacy, as in a study by the University of Virginia. On a more popular front, the podcast series The Telepathy Tapes by the documentary filmmaker Ky Dickens has increased attention to nonverbal peoples’ abilities since 2024. These include telepathy and other gifts, such as knowing several languages without ever learning them. These findings suggest that they have a wide array of knowledge to share with the world, which is at present largely undiscovered.

Until now scientific research into the world of nonverbal autistic people has been limited due to the prevailing assumption that being autistic and nonverbal is connected to cognitive impairments and a limited capacity to understand and process information. The GGF therefore intends to establish collaborations with scientists, people working with this demographic like teachers and caretakers, but foremost with nonverbal autistic people themselves. The aim is to compile existing findings and fund additional research projects, even if outside of the traditional academic framework.

Increased awareness among people connected to the nonverbal autistic community, as well as the general population. The elimination of misconceptions and the implementation of impactful interventions for people with nonverbal autism is key to ensure they can live a life on their terms.
Adequate educational resources tailored to the needs of the nonverbal autistic community to facilitate access to higher education and the broader spectrum of society, so they can share their unique gifts.
Easy access to mental health tools catering to people with nonverbal autism as well as the people supporting them.