Dear fellow human beings,
We are living in a time of great contrast and contradiction. We have witnessed the wonders of science, the achievements of technology, the richness of culture, and the diversity of life. We have also seen the threats of climate change, the challenges of poverty, the dangers of extremism, and the evils of war. We have felt the joy and gratitude of those who have been blessed by these opportunities.
But we have also seen the suffering and despair of those who have been cursed by these calamities. We have seen people who have been killed, injured, tortured, raped, and enslaved by war. We have seen people who have been forced to flee their homes, their lands, their countries, and their identities by war. We have seen people who have been traumatized, scarred, orphaned, and widowed by war. We have seen people who have been dehumanized, demonized, marginalized, and silenced by war.
These people are not strangers or enemies. They are our brothers and sisters. They are our fellow human beings. They share our hopes and dreams, our fears and pains, our values and beliefs. They deserve our respect and compassion, our empathy and solidarity, our support and assistance. They need our help and intervention, our voice and action, our peace and justice.
These people are you and me. We are the ones who can make a difference. We are the ones who can change the course of history. We are the ones who can create a culture of peace in our families, our communities, our nations, and our world. We are the ones who can stop the cycle of violence, hatred, revenge, and war. We are the ones who can start the cycle of dialogue, understanding, forgiveness, and peace.
But we cannot do it alone. We need each other. We need to listen to each other, to respect each other, to learn from each other, and to support each other. We need to recognize our common humanity, our common dignity, and our common destiny. We need to realize that we are all connected, that we are all interdependent, and that we are all responsible for each other.
This is not an easy task. It requires courage, patience, perseverance, and sacrifice. It requires vision, creativity, innovation, and action. It requires love, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness. But it is not an impossible task. It has been done before by many people in many places in many times. And it can be done again by us here and now.
Let us not wait for others to do it for us. Let us not ignore or deny the reality of war and violence. Let us not be indifferent or apathetic to the plight of those who suffer from war and violence. Let us start today with ourselves. Let us be the change that we want to see in the world. Let us be the peacemakers that we need to be in the world.
Peace is possible. Peace is necessary. Peace is our choice.
Thank you for reading.