"Contemplations for Peace"
January 24, 2020
Peace should be a way of life that we practice in our daily lives, in our homes, in our schools, and in the teachings of pure religion that is free from impurities. It should also be evident in literature, both in poetry and prose, making peace an essential part of its vocabulary and meanings. One of the most influential tools in this regard is the media, which can either promote peace or sow division, discord, and hostility.
"With a heartfelt cry directed towards humanity, a person with a deep thirst for serving humanity launched this message." With these words, Mr. Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain introduced his book, bearing the same title as the article. In it, he called upon all of humanity to embrace peace as a value, a goal, and a way of life. He implored humanity to lean towards peace, which represents the true essence of humanity.
The author presents seven principles for global peace, among them, the importance of making a culture of peace an effective educational format to nurture future generations. This involves focusing on education that emphasizes respect for others, promoting values of love, tolerance, and acceptance of others, drawing lessons from history, and learning from the lives of great individuals who have served peace through their actions and achievements, and those who translated the culture of peace into behaviors that enhance harmony while combating selfish behavior and hatred.
Peace should be a way of life that we practice in our daily lives, in our homes, schools, and within the teachings of a pure religion untainted by impurities. It should be ingrained in the vocabulary and meanings of our literature, both in poetry and prose. One of the most influential tools in this regard is the media, which can either promote peace or contribute to division, distancing, and hostility.
The foundation of all principles in life is peace; everything else is branches. When we learn it from an early age and practice it until it becomes a behavior, tolerance, respect, honesty, cooperation, altruism, justice, freedom, and fairness become the values of peace that must be taught as a whole, with each value interconnected. These values are like a single body; if one part suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Therefore, it is essential to focus on the next generation from a young age so they can carry this banner and make it an integral part of their culture, passing it on continuously. Peace is a right for all of humanity, the highest right, indeed, it is the comprehensive right that encompasses all human rights.
The author adds that peace is not the sole responsibility of the United Nations or the International Peace Institute (IPI), but rather it requires collaboration among various international organizations and institutions, with each supporting the other. In the end, he points out several principles that contribute to achieving peace, including the principle of non-discrimination among people based on race, religion, color, or language, respecting the right of communities to choose their ways of organizing their lives without interference in their internal affairs, and protecting cultural diversity by accepting the right to differences and respecting the unique aspects that enrich our lives. We must remember that the world has become one global village.
In the end, the author emphasizes that there is no cause in the world worth the effort and exceptional dedication like the call for peace.