Respect for human dignity holds key to peace

World peace can be achieved only through a firm commitment to respecting human life and its dignity, it was stressed at a peace symposium here today.
It was organised by Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG), the Indian affiliate of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a global association of grassroots organisations which seeks to promote the values of peace and respect for all, in collaboration with Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB).
Titled 'Universal Respect for Human Dignity: The Great Path to Peace', the symposium was based on the 2016 Peace Proposal by SGI president Daisaku Ikeda.
It aimed to address the global concerns of violence, conflict and disregard for human rights, the organisation said in a release.

In his 2016 peace proposal, Ikeda looks at three areas which require prompt and coordinated action by governments and the civil society: Humanitarian aid and human rights protection, ecological integrity and disaster risk reduction.
In her keynote address, Smita Srinivas, Head, School of Economic Development, Indian Institute for Human Settlements, focused on issues of economic development and health as a way to respond to the wider concerns that were raised in the proposal on human dignity.

According to her, while dialogue is essential, "The ways in which different professions frame the issues shape how they -- with specific training and social privileges -- can respond to the essential needs of the society."

Srinivas pointed out that a changing world of multi-lateralism, away from the nation-state, offered increased opportunities in professional engagement with overt value propositions.
She said, "Increased dialogue needs instruments of professional education explicitly combined with reflective value propositions. I place great value therefore on problem-framing and experiential learning."
Vishesh Gupta, chairperson, Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG), said, "The preamble of the UNESCO charter opens with the famous declaration, 'Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed'.
"How, then, are defences of peace that are truly lasting to be built?"

Corinne Kumar, founder, World Courts of Women, said, "We live in very violent times. Think of the Iraq wars. The words we use now are words that have never been used before. These are times that focus on the rights of the privileged and the powerful. Times that are destroying the diversity of the world. We are living in times where dreams are turning into nightmares.