A time for hope

UNESCO Courier, Jan, 1999 by Federico Mayor Zaragoza

The International Year for the Culture of Peace proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations will begin at the end of this year. Now is the time to start preparing to take part

In twelve months we enter the year 2000: what better time to chart a new course, by working together every day to make possible a new society of peace, a society based upon the democratic ideals enshrined in UNESCO'S Constitution: liberty, justice, equality and solidarity?

There can be no lasting peace without sustainable development. There can be no development without lifelong education, without democracy, the sharing of resources to avoid the immense disparities separating the developed from the less developed countries. Within every country, some citizens want for nothing, while others lack almost everything.

The century that is drawing to a close has seen great discoveries and inventions, of which antibiotics and telecommunications are but two, but the logic of force has prevailed at a terrible cost - the lives of millions of human beings, many of them in the flower of their youth. Nothing of value has ever been achieved by violence and coercion.

We cannot continue to be indifferent to the wasting of our resources in the production of weapons to be used against enemies, whether actual or potential. We cannot tolerate the fact that, for economic reasons, thousands of helpless children are victims of sexual abuse or exploitation at work. We cannot continue to allow water to be polluted, forests to be destroyed, the air of our planet to be contaminated. We cannot accept the predominance of one culture over all others; nor can we afford to lose the diversity of the physical and spiritual heritage that we must pass on to future generations.

We must say all together: enough is enough! Let us draw new hope from the turbulent history of the twentieth century. Through non-violent rebellion, creative resistance and refusal to accept the unacceptable, let us take steps to ease the transition to dialogue, tolerance and reasoned consideration of that which divides us, and invent imaginative solutions.

The Nobel Peace laureates, with UNESCO and the United Nations, have launched an international appeal to transform the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and reconciliation. This initiative demands the participation of everyone, within families, communities, nations and regions, and offers values that can inspire young people and future generations to shape a world of justice, solidarity, liberty and prosperity.

Let us all, children, young people, women and men of all ages, unite around this manifesto and create a global movement for a culture of peace and non-violence. Let us make our voices heard by decision-makers, parliamentarians, mayors. Let us make full use of the media to arouse the conscience and commitment of the world, working, giving, sharing, reducing the distances that have divided us, healing the wounds that have given us pain.

Let us dare to take up the challenge and fashion together this new future, and start right away to prepare for the year 2000, the International Year for the Culture of Peace.