"Global truce 2013: International Peace Day"
September 25th, 2013
International Peace Day means striving for more than just the absence of war, argues George Stanley Njoroge, 28, a Correspondent from Kenya. It also means national stability and personal security.
“All you need is love…love is all you need.” The Beatles.
The Commonwealth Students Association joined other persons in celebrating the International Day of Peace. The Iinternational Day of Peace is observed annually on 21st September, to coincide with the opening of the United Nations General Assembly. The CSA is part of Peace One Day’s Student Coalition.
With the various clashes of cultures and social unease, war in the streets and war in the Middle East, my hope and wish is that we have peace – a peace exhibited not just by the absence of war, but by the stability of our nations, and guaranteed human security.
I long for a world that would not need to develop words that are devised not to exactly mean what they say. I, like you, long for peace.
I come from a country that has had more than its fair share of this bouquet of darkness: with terrorist attacks, inter-ethnic feuds and resource-based conflicts. My heart goes out to all who, as a result of conflict, have not had a chance to obtain adequate education, quality education that will offer them options to better the world, be they Somali refugees in Daddab, Kenya or the countless others across the Commonwealth.
It is this common concern for peace that I wish we, the youth of the Commonwealth, should share. More than ever, we are realizing that if any one region is not at peace, then we all should no longer be at ease, for conflict like wildfire has it own way of spreading, if not clouding the whole sky. My heart also goes out to all migrant students, who have to balance the vicissitudes of life in a foreign country with their academic rigors. I dedicate this peace day to you.
Though a simple thought, I desire is that today onward we may increase the capacities to love. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love is the precursor of a peace that goes beyond treaty: love never fails.
This should apply both to nations that are trying to deal with historical injustices, and to groups and persons who seek a better tomorrow. Martin Luther King Jr. once said “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that good.” It is such peace that will foster sustainable development, and that will make today a good foundation for a better tomorrow.
It is in our best effort not only to seek but also to maintain peace. As individuals, we all have our private misunderstandings. For the sake of the future, this Peace Day, more than lighting a candle or keeping silent at midday, let love be your driving force. Seek your adversary and make peace, if only but for one day.
photo credit: madpotter1 via photopin cc
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About me: Keenly interested in governance, youth empowerment and leadership development, I believe I have an international and inter-generational mandate to do my part in “healing the world and making it a better place” for current and future generations.
With a degree in Communications and African Literature, I am pursuing CPA qualifications, serve as a Research Officer at the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO, and Chair the Steering Committee of the Commonwealth Students’ Association. My hobbies include reading, travelling, dancing and singing.
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Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?
To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/
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