What Individuals Can DO.
If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world. –Chinese Proverb
Peace begins with the individual. We must realize that, as individuals, we are not powerless and that the power of one can make a difference. As individuals we must accept the responsibility to end the scourge of war and culminate a culture of peace. We must realize that peace is more than the absence of war. War is a drain on both human and financial resources and as history proves, is not an effective means of resolving conflict. The promotion of peace involves a process of individual and communal participation. It requires love, justice, equal rights and equal opportunities.
Every single individual needs a platform to express their views because their opinion is vital to the promotion of peace. Indivduals need to express their views to decision makers and broader society and it can start from platforms like these.
We need every single person to speak, to express their views. For instance according to Matilda Fleming “Young people alone by no means have the answers to the challenges the world and communities around the world are facing. Neither do older generations. By bringing together the vision of young people today, and the experience of older generations, new answers to challenges are created.” — Matilda Flemming, leading coordinator at the United Network of Young Peace builders
These discussions will not only allow us to promote peace but will also help to build bridges and increase understanding. There are no strangers, only friends you haven’t yet met.
That’s why we are gathered here today, to give everyone a platform and to give prejudices a chance to be analyzed and corrected. We are here to address the barriers to peace and unity in our communities. Yes, it is easy to say well, “it does not affect me, that’s their problem, this doesn’t occur in my environment.” But every voice is important.
- First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out- because I was not a socialist.
- Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out- because I was not a trade unionist.
- Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out- because I was not a Jew.
- Then they came for me- and there was no one left to speak for me. Holocaust memorial day Trust.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Stated, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”. We must be aware of the inter-relatedness of all communities and peoples. Though cultures and traditions may vary, and though we are all individually unique, we are united by our humanity. We are all brothers and sisters of one human family and we must learn to live with each other and respect our differences.
In a world that has become so globalized, with advanced technologies that bring us the internet and mass global communication, with news available to us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we are responsible to remain aware of what is going on in our communities, in our country and in our world. We must maintain a global conscience and think before we make decisions that affect our families, our communities, our environment, and those all around the world.
As we discuss here, we have to realize too that knowledge obligates responsibility. As individuals we are responsible to share what we know about peace and security issues with our friends, our families, our communities and all those with whom we come in contact. We must realize that as individuals, the knowledge we have gives us the power to make a difference and we must not be afraid to stand up and be a voice for positive change. As Mahatma Ghandi said, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Learning about an issue is the first step to realizing the responsibility we have, but knowing is simply not enough. We must also actively work to achieve the secure and peaceful world we envision.
On Ethical Leadership: When virtue founds a town, the town thrives and abides. Ghanaian proverb.
