Culture of Peace - UNGA

India on Wednesday co-sponsored a resolution presented by Bangladesh titled, 'Follow-up to the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace'. The resolution reiterates that the objective of the effective implementation of the Programme of Action is to strengthen further the global movement for a culture of peace. It invites member states to continue to place greater emphasis on and expand their activities promoting a culture of peace at the national, regional and international Recently the UN General Assembly session on 'Culture of Peace' on Wednesday, First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Ashish Sharma said there are “disconcerting trends” in the world of today. While India fully agrees that anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and anti-Christian acts need to be condemned and the country also firmly condemns such acts, “Culture of peace cannot be only for Abrahamic religions. And as long as such selectivity exists, the world can never truly foster a culture of peace,” he said, also pointed out that UN resolutions on such important issues speak only of these three Abrahamic religions together: “The body fails to acknowledge the rise of hatred and violence against Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism also. Ashish Sharma recalled the shattering of the iconic Bamyan Buddha by fundamentalists in Afghanistan as well as the terrorist bombing of a gurdwara in the war-torn country in March where 25 Sikh worshipers were killed and the destruction of Hindu and Buddhist temples and minority cleansing of these religions by countries. He raised the question on the selectivity of first three ‘Abrahamic' religions by the current members in comparison with other religion's issues. Sharma told the General Assembly session that India is not just the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but is also the land where the teachings of Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism have taken strong root and where the Sufi tradition of Islam has flourished. Underlining that culture of peace is the cornerstone of the foundation of a global order of peace and tolerance, he said India has tried to foster this culture through tolerance, understanding, respect for differences, respect for other religions and cultures, respect for human rights, gender equality -- all this under the overarching umbrella of pluralistic ethos and democratic principles.

Deepsikha Rout