World Peace Day is observed annually on 21st September with observation of a “24 hours of non-violence and cease fire”. In the face of the pandemic the theme this year is “Shaping Peace Together” spreading compassion, kindness, and hope. Indeed, COVID19 has been a life changing wake up call for the entire world. The virus has once again highlighted the exploitation, the inequalities and the race for hegemony that fractures our communities, countries, and the world and threatens our battle against an invisible but lethal enemy that has devastated and ravaged our world.
What does then Peace mean in COVID times?
Peace is unity of the world in the wake of the gravest challenges of our time for a safer and better tomorrow.
Peace is a journey of hope for that breaks away from the shackles of exploitation, corruption to restore the dignity, integrity of mankind with a common thread of kindness and compassion for each other.
Peace is a signal to silence the battle cry and the war guns that fuel hatred, violence, destruction, and atrocities and instead fights the war for survival and existence of all of humanity.
Peace is fostering an environment of solidarity, trust and love that rises above the clarion call for dominance and power.
Peace is a conviction to build together a fair and equitable society that unleashes new hopes, new energies, and vistas for growth and prosperity of all.
Peace is an aspiration to awaken every morning without fears and worries of an unsettled, embittered, and warring world.
Peace is a celebration of the gift of life and sharing resources and collective wisdom for the common cause of humanity.
Peace is a belief and faith that while we all come from different walks of life, we sail in the same boat, belong to each other, and share a common destiny.
Peace is a necessity for survival on this planet where we all have the privilege to breathe freely, reap its abundant benevolence but not destroy it or own it.
Peace is never a given, but is a responsibility to coexist harmoniously, work together collectively to protect, safeguard and succour the wellbeing and lives of all mankind and all
Peace is a vision to see the world where we all care, support and respect each other and ourselves as we tread our way from darkness to light.
Peace is an aspiration for peace within us to be resilient no matter what life throws at us.
Peace is an edifice of love and harmony that brings us together, to stand together and work together to face the challenges of today and shape our future for a better tomorrow when together we will set ourselves free from the raging pandemic and the divisive world of inequities, violence and powerplay.
Peace alone will save our world and our planet and together we must fight this real war to lead a peaceful and happy life.
“The day the power of love overrules the love of power the world will know peace” Mahatma Gandhi