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WAIS SPEECH
- 1. SPEECH PRESENTED BY MR. JOSEPH AKAGHA AT THE SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED BY THE UNESCO CLUB OF WEST AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (WAIS) BANJUL, THE GAMBIA, ON THE EVENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE Highly Respected: Director/Principal of WAIS Academic and Non-academic staff of WAIS Distinguished guests, Members of the UNESCO Club of WAIS My dear students Ladies and gentlemen. Preamble It is my great honor to attend this event and to share with you my impressions and hopes for this year’s theme for the International Day of Peace which is: Partnership for Peace: Dignity for All. I am here today wearing two “hats”; both as a peace advocate and as the guest speaker of this event. I would therefore like to express my gratitude to the organizers of this programme and in the main to the members of the UNESCO Club of WAIS for giving me the honor of inviting me to attend this important event. Thank you, UNESCO Club of WAIS! I really see the effort of your club in the light of a Movement which I may tag; ‘’Concerned Kids for Peace’’. Frankly speaking, as a peace advocate, I have always been of the opinion that young people should be the “express trains" driving the global peace-search process, as well as the strong anchors of global peace. When young people join their hands of cooperation for peace, it will benefit not only their communities, but all facets of the human race. Thus, all peace efforts in the world will always be deformed unless young people are integrated in the peace-building efforts. Therefore, empowering them to be true partners and agents of peace and conflict transformation in their communities enables them not just to create a brighter tomorrow for themselves, but also to help build peace for all of us. Today, as we all can see, the world calls for peace. In fact, almost all global personalities both in the temporal and religious communities of the world are talking about peace. For instance Pope Benedict, the head of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide once prayed; ‘’ God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and
- 2. women and peace among the nations of the Earth.’’ Even the sages and pundits also speak in quest for world peace. For instance, Bernard Baruch stated; ‘’Let us not deceive ourselves; we must elect world peace or world destruction.’’ Then George C. Marshall said; ‘’If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his recordwe have ever known.’’ I think that it is based on this platform of wisdom that the world under the UN system is now calling for a mode of operation necessary for the attainment of world peace as it is evident in this year’s World Peace Day theme. I again feel that it is based on this direction of thought that Herbie Hancock noted; ‘’World peace is no longer some pie-in-the-sky thing, because no single person or country is going to solve it on their own.’’ What is peace? In some dictionaries, peace is defined as; the freedom from disturbance; tranquility; mental or emotional calm; a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended; the state of being free from civil disorder; the state of being free from dissension. Some scholars further elaborated the concept of peace as; when people are able to resolve their conflicts without violence and can work together to improve the quality of their lives. Peace is when: everyone lives in safety, without fear or threat of violence, and no form of violence is tolerated in law or in practice, everyone is equal before the law, the systems for justice are trusted, and fair and effective laws protect people’s rights; everyone is able to participate in shaping political decisions and the government is accountable to the people; everyone has fair and equal access to the basic needs for their wellbeing, such as food, clean water, shelter, education, healthcare and a decent living environment; everyone has an equal opportunity to work and make a living, regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other aspect of identity. But no matter how we define peace, the simple fact is that, every human being cherishes peace, and thus, it can be rightly said that Peace has always been among humanity's highest values, and in fact, for some people, peace is a supreme value. And today, as a myriad of violent conflicts still continue in different parts of the world, it is time to renew efforts to stop the tragedy of conflict, and the much needed peace can be built only through action, and not with passivity. On a general note, peace is opposed to or an opposite of antagonistic conflict, any act of violence, or war. It may refer to an internal state (of mind or of nations) or to external relations.
- 3. Every major religion of the world; Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, has similar ideals of peace and love, and this makes it a very vital phenomenon. But the central issue here is that no matter how each of us define peace, all our definitions are indicative of the priceless value of peace, especially societal or global peace. Therefore, today, the whole world is in dire search of this invaluable phenomenon called peace. Our humanity is in fact unconsciously in search for peace, insight, and healing in our endangered world. World Peace: Why? Under the ominous shadow which the second World War and its attendant circumstances have cast on the world, peace has become as essential to our civilized existence as the air we breathe is to life itself. It is observable today that there are wars almost all over the world. When we rise in the morning and listen to the radio or read the newspaper, we are confronted with the same sad news: violence, crime, wars, and disasters. I cannot recall a single day without a report of something terrible happening somewhere. Even in these modern times it is clear that one's precious life is not safe. No former generation has had to experience so much bad news as we face today; this constant awareness of fear and tension should make any sensitive and compassionate person question seriously the progress of our modern world. In fact, we can only conclude that there must be something seriously wrong with our present world with its progress and its development, and if we do not check it in time there could be disastrous consequences for the future of humanity. Even the most advanced societies are not shielded from the wrath of violence or the ugly phenomenon of ‘peacelessnes’, so to say! The worst of it all is that, large numbers of the younger generation are wasting their precious youth in learning to kill, and in this way their bodies and minds are denied the chance to do the constructive work their communities so urgently need. From this perspective I share with the UN in its present call for a partnership for peace; that, a universal action is essential to solve global turbulence, and each individual has a universal responsibility to shape actions to serve humanity’s need for peace. Every being needs peace; whether they belong to more evolved species like humans or to simpler ones such as animals, all beings primarily seek peace, comfort, and security. Life is as dear to the mute animal as it is to any human being; even the simplest insect strives for protectionfrom dangers that threaten its life. Just as each one of us wants to live and does not wish to die, so it is with all other creatures in the universe, though their power to affect this is a different matter.
- 4. Therefore, the world body, the UN, strives to lead efforts towards achieving global peace. And in this direction, on the 21st of September every year since 1981, the United Nations community makes a global call to observe this International Day of Peace and to promote one of the most fundamental of human rights: the Right to Peace in order to ensure dignity for all. In our present world, weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons, terrorism and diverse acts of violence continue to present one of the greatest threats to humanity. The use of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons and the perpetration of horrific acts of violence around the world, such as the ISIS, Boko Haram, Al-Shabab, and Al Qaeda menaces have devastating consequences for they are the most powerful means for destroying life. These activities pose a serious threat to a world that wants and seeks peace. Peace: How We Can Achieve It In recognition of the threats to peace which all humanity face today, and to confront the ugly phenomenon, the United Nations has made a global call for a partnership for peace, and hence, the theme for this year’s World Peace Day. This call is directed first to States and State leaders to join efforts in a global partnership for peace, imploring them to choose peaceful paths for resolution of international conflict. Second, it is a call to all international and local organizations including the UNESCO Club of WAIS to strengthen their commitment to the promotion of peace and stability. With their capacity to act as tools for peace, build bridges between communities and peoples and facilitating peaceful resolutions to various forms of disagreements within and outside our communities, they are in a unique position to reinforce a system of collective security and to make the world a safer place. But beyond organizations/institutions, promoting peace is also the task of everyone; teachers, market women, musicians, footballers, motorists, workers, boys scout and girls guide, etc. Indeed, it is the responsibility of all of us to take action in supporting a global movement for the construction of a culture of Peace based on the universal values of respect for life, justice, solidarity, human rights and equality between men and women. The 20th century left us a legacy of war and conflict among nations. Unfortunately, the 21st century started in a similar way. However it is not a time to despair, for the dream of having a better and safer world has not vanished. A reflectionof the tremendous human cost of war and internal conflict has moved the civil societyto express, more vividly than ever, its desire for peace. Furthermore, despite the ongoing conflicts, there are many examples of nations that have chosen the path of peace to resolve their disputes.
- 5. Today, we must recognize the efforts of the United Nations. Since its founding in 1945, following the outrageous genocides and other forms of horrors that were attendant to world war 11, peace has been at the core of its work. Over the years, the UN has been committed to save succeeding generations from the scourge of wars, conflicts and assorted violence that has continued to befall the human race. In accordance with this commitment, countless efforts have been made to keep and promote peace and to prevent conflict. For example, as we speak, there are thousands of UN peacekeepers far away from their homes, risking their lives in many different locations to ensure that conflict ceases and does not recur. And yet we need to do much more to achieve peace for all. Peace is much more than the absence of war and the Culture of Peace promotes a change of thinking, based on values and attitudes that reject violence and promote dialogue and negotiation for the resolution of conflict. Task before UNESCO Club of WAIS In the light of the foregoing discussions, the need for a crusade to achieve peace has become very imperative. But, as Mahatma Gandhi famously stated: “If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children”. A culture of peace must take root in the classroom from an early age. Along this line of thought, Joichi Ito observed; ‘’we have a long way to go before we are able to hear the voices of everyone on earth, but I believe that providing voices and building bridges is essential for the World Peace we all wish for.’’ We can therefore see the amazing wisdom inherent in the world peace day theme: PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE: DIGNITY FOR ALL! Now, the huge question before us today is how do we contribute towards the attainment of peace as we partner for peace? What are our roles? As Godfrey Reggio once noted; ‘’I think it's naive to pray for world peace if we're not going to change the form in which we live.’’ To me, this defines that we need to carry out some sort of attitudinal change in the way we live. If the way we presently live is good, all the cries for peace will not emerge. Therefore, there is clearly a compulsory need for solving our human problems through transforming human attitudes. Hence, for me as a person this view anchors on compassion which I believe is the pillar of world peace and thus has to be a universal responsibility! Let me first define what I mean by compassion. In as much as I, Joseph Akagha, am not a Buddhist, but I largely cherish the Buddhist tradition and perspective of love and compassion which it celebrates as the moral fabric of societal peace. When you have pity or compassion for a very poor person, you are showing sympathy because he or she is poor; your compassion is based on selfless considerations. On the other hand, love towards your wife, your husband, your children, or a close friend is usually based on
- 6. attachment. When your attachment changes, your kindness also changes; it may disappear. This is not true love. Real love is not based on attachment, but on altruism. In this case your compassion will remain as a humane response to suffering as long as beings continue to suffer. This type of compassion is what we must strive to cultivate in ourselves, and we must develop it from a limited amount to the limitless. Undiscriminating, spontaneous, and unlimited compassion for all sentient beings is obviously not the usual love that one has for friends or family, which is alloyed with ignorance, desire, and attachment. The kind of love we should advocate is this wider love that you can have even for someone who has done harm to you: your enemy. The rationale for compassion is that every one of us wants to avoid suffering and gain happiness. This, in turn, is based on the valid feeling of '1', which determines the universal desire for happiness. Indeed, all beings are born with similar desires and should have an equal right to fulfill them. If I compare myself with others, who are countless, I feel that others are more important because I am just one person whereas others are many. Whether one believes in religion or not, there is no one who does not appreciate love and compassion. Right from the moment of our birth, we are under the care and kindness of our parents; later in life, when facing the sufferings of disease and old age, we are again dependent on the kindness of others. Compassion is therefore indispensable in every life situation. Education and Peace-Building For our young students here, I have a special message for you in regards to the vital role of education in peace-building. Education is the key to uniting nations, bringing human beings closelytogether. In many parts of the world, civil societysuffers because of situations of violent conflicts and war. It is important to recognize the crucial role of education in contributing to building a culture of peace and condemning instances in which education is undermined in order to attack democracy and tolerance. Education is thus a key tool in combating poverty, in promoting peace, social justice, human rights, democracy, cultural diversity and environmental awareness. Education for peace implies an active concept of peace through values, life skills and knowledge in a spirit of equality, respect, empathy, understanding and mutual appreciation among individuals, groups and nations. I am sure that the UNESCO Club of WAIS in its constitution and resolutions committed itself firmly to peace activities linked to promoting human rights and democracy and encouraging societal understanding and unity. On this note, I therefore call on the association to develop their advocacy in line with UNESCO's Charter and aims, the UN
- 7. Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on peace among others. UNESCO, Stakeholders and Policy-Makers Responsibility I must note here that UNESCO and the sundry stakeholders must strongly consider the fact that the role of the young people in promoting peace, as seen in the case of the UNESCO Club of WAIS can be well complemented through a manner of deliberate policy-awakening, as it affects peace education; educational action for promoting the concept of peace in schools and colleges. This must reasonably touch on the content of education and training, educational resources and material, and school life, and in fact, training for teachers, and research. It must be reflectedin the curricula at secondary and even tertiary levels. However, the skills for peace and non-violence can only be learned and perfected through practice. Active listening, dialogue, mediation, and cooperative learning are delicate skills to develop. This is education in the widest sense. It is a dynamic, long term process: a life-time experience. It means providing the young people with an understanding of and respect for universal values and rights. It requires participation at all levels - family, school, places of work, news rooms, play grounds, and the community as well as the nation. Conclusion In all conflicts, the world typically looks at young people as either victims or villains. As victims, children lack power and must be protected; as villains, young people are blamed for violence and instability. Therefore this delicate stratum of the global demographic structure must thus be well harnessed in the building of global partnership for peace, so that they will be vital agents in protecting their dignity as well as the dignity of all of us in the human family. Under present conditions, there is definitely a growing need for human understanding and a sense of universal responsibility. We cannot create peace just on paper! Thank you.
- 8. A Brief Profile Joseph Akagha is a multi-talented and self-motivated personwho possesses an excellent business sense and superb communication skills. Though he is an accomplished writer, he also works in diverse fields. He is the founder/Editor-in- Chief of Banjul Weekend Magazine, which he founded in the year 2007. He was also the Business Development Consultant/Consulting Editor of Sports Digest Newspaper, Business Digest Newspaper and the Sports View Newspaper. He was a Special Editor of the Marketplace Business Magazine. More than these professional achievements, JosephAkagha is also the author of numerous books such as the; ‘An Anatomy of the Heroism of A First Woman’; Living A Dream to Change the World (which are yet to be released). He also authored ‘Nigeria’s Messiahs (Chronicle of 100 Amazing Achievements of Jonathan-Sambo Administration in Nigeria) which is currently available at the Timbooktoo bookshop.And very soon, he will release another booktitled; ‘LIVING SAINT OF DEMOCRACY’ Joseph Akagha is also a Business Advisor and has contributed immensely in the development of many small & medium scale enterprises in The Gambia. He is skilled in providing financial and strategic advice to small and mid-sized companies. He is also a professional Grant-Writer/Fundraiser, as well as a Capacity-building expert in ResourceMobilization for the civil society. He is a former Roman Catholic Priest-Aspirant; that is an ex-Seminarian, and had his formative life under the Roman Catholic Priesthood Order of the Spiritans. He was also exposed to various Orders of the Catholic Priesthood before he finally withdrew. He had his academic degrees and studies at the University of Lagos, in Nigeria, among others. He is vastly read, and has a good degree of mastery in Politics, Economics, Logic, Philosophy and Mathematics, and he currently works
- 9. as a Literary Consultant. His hobbies and interests include reading about politics, writing, travelling & astrology. He is a member of many profession organizations.