Creating Tolerance and World Peace

Archive for the ‘World Peace’ Category

Since Adolf Hitler’s failed attempts at establishing a “world government” through world domination in the early 1900s there have continued to be other attempts at establishing some form of world government in an attempt towards a more unified world, and therefore the possibility of eventually establishing world peace.

The Atlantic Charter was an agreement between Britain and the United States of America. It was initially formed to define things after World War II. This agreement ended up shaping many international agreements since that time.

Due to the impact of World War II and many of the acts against humanity as well as the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction during that war, people around the world were shocked and feared for the future of our world. There was obviously a need for more unification among the governments of the world. Therefore, in 1945 the United Nations (UN) was organized. Many felt, though, that the UN was simply a discussion forum among supreme governments and there was still a need for an efficient federal world government.

During the years between the end of World War II and 1950, at the beginning of the Korean War, there was a big push for the world federalist movement. Many books were written on the subject and organizations were formed. In 1947 the United World Federalists organization was formed. Through the years the official name of this organization changed, but their goals continued to be the same. By 1949 their membership had grown to 47,000 members. Throughout other countries around the world there were similar organizations being formed.

There continues to be attempts at establishing a true world government, and although many of these organizations have made great strides towards cooperation between nations, we are still far from having a working world government. With continued efforts, we may some day see a more workable solution which may take us one step closer to world peace.

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World Peace—it’s too big; it’s too hard. One person’s contribution won’t change anything. That’s what we tell ourselves.  But achieving World Peace will take more than the diplomacy of our world leaders; it will take more than generous donations of money from the philanthropic wealthy.  World Peace begins with each individual. Every day each and every person can move the world closer to universal peace.  How?  There are many ways to contribute, here are just a few.

Teach and live nonviolence

Western culture is inundated with graphic images violence.  Movies, video games, television news and entertainment, present hundreds of violent images each day.  To counteract these images, teachers and parents need to demonstrate conflict resolution in a positive way.  Use the violent images to start a discussion about nonviolent ways to resolve the conflict.

Work towards equitable use of resources

Western culture consumes 2/3 of the world’s resources.  Get involved in promoting equitable trade, conservation, and sustainable development. Be a conscious user of resources. Awareness is the first step towards change.

Change you

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  Operate from a place of love and tolerance.  Be awake and aware of those around you.  Take every opportunity to help. Whether it is cleaning up the park, babysitting for your neighbor’s children, or making a donation to a children’s organization, lending a hand is changing the world.

World peace begins with individuals. Let peace begin with you, then your family.  Let it flow out and encompass your neighborhood, your community, your region, state, country and hemisphere.

World peace is an elusive topic that many people talk about but few believe will happen.  While peace is always a goal, victims of war, terrorism, and other tragedies are always a reality. Millions of organizations and groups have banded together to give supplies, help, and hope to people in need across the globe.

The American Red Cross is an organization that is based on volunteerism.  It assists individuals by providing educational foundations that increase awareness of community issues.  In addition, this group distributes blood and other health products to those in need.  Frequent blood drives are held at various locations to benefit local hospitals and clinics, and lives are saved every day as a result.

One charity, called Action Against Hunger, specifically caters to those suffering in other countries.  African children who are victims of starvation are focused on specifically.  Donations of all kinds are accepted and food is shipped to these people on a regular basis.  Certain countries’ food issues are caused by government crisis, and while those problems are moving toward resolution, many families still are in need.

A third website, sponsored by Oprah Winfrey, lists many charities and other organizations that are promoting world peace.  Clearly, this issue is one that has a multitude of dimensions ranging from hunger to violence and beyond.  Her site gives suggestions on how everyone can help reach this goal and become a part of world peace promotion.

Perhaps one day, war will lessen as political parties grow stable and societies focus on loving each other instead of making war.  As we push toward this, remember that each person can do something great.  Start now.

Some may feel that since the rise and untimely death of John Lennon, world peace has become more desirable. Many of us may not attribute credit to John for the familiar quote to “make love, not war.” His mission to improve worldly interactions among us all began with The Beatles succession of later albums including “Rubber Soul.”

During the height of The Beatles popularity, Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono planned a peace movement in Amsterdam that would intrigue the generations to come. At the time the two of them were on their honeymoon but used their room to protest the war by having a bed-in. So many news stories had been cast about the Vietnam War progression and they wanted a way to attract some media attention for a good cause. They knew the bed-in certainly wouldn’t stop war coverage, but they were making an anti-war statement.

John’s other acts of world peace also included using his inquisitive nature and songwriting abilities to create tracks such as “Imagine” and “Give Peace a Chance.” Both of these songs dealt with John’s vision and interpretation of the world’s times and struggles. Imagine didn’t just make mention about no war. It conveyed what the planet would be like with no existence of malnutrition, fighting, selfishness or ill intent. “Give Peace a Chance” is self-explanatory. While many of us may view song lyrics as a trivial measure, Lennon has remained a legend for some who remember his message.

It’s no secret that he didn’t agree with the Vietnam War campaign. In fact, many disagreed with it and still might since that era. The United States government didn’t like so much publicity about his opinion and had once considered sending John back to England. In the end he remained which enlightened many of his music fans. It’s been said that heroes are remembered for the time they’re here, but a legend remains in our hearts beyond our own lifetimes.

Perhaps world peace could be more easily achieved if people understood each other’s perceptions better and handled various situations in a more effective manner. This is one of the many reasons that tolerance is important virtue to have. While we can’t avoid every atrocity we may encounter, patience should be in valuable commodity for life.

World peace is something many have longed for since the days prior to the fall of the Roman Empire. Tolerance should not be reserved for potentially difficult situations, including war. It should begin at home, school and within the workplace. Some of us will agree it’s not a good idea to characterize or stereotype an entire group of people for one tumultuous experience. We all can make mistakes, but it doesn’t make us bad human beings.

People will often agree that the news we read or view on television isn’t good. We can help to change a fraction of that by realizing that our experiences mold us into who we are. Just because we may place value on certain things, it doesn’t mean everyone will agree with us. Merely by trying to understand another person’s viewpoint it might help with the reduction of quarrelsome behavior and fighting on the battlefield.  Additionally, it’s important to remember that not all truths should be spoken if they are cruel or of little value.

Although there are some that feel first impressions and appearances are significant, others think common sense and tolerance both have merit. We might feel it best to surround ourselves with people who are similar to us. There may be times when we don’t have control of who we’re around and we may not have as much in common with other people. The depths of our souls aren’t limited and it isn’t injurious for us to embrace learning new things, but only those who are aware that they don’t know everything will truly ripen with wisdom.

Around the world, schools and organizations have been expressing their hope for peace amongst all peoples of the Earth through a standardized ceremony. Knowing that you’re partaking in the same World Peace Prayer and Flag Ceremony as people halfway across the world that you’ve never met can create a very powerful feeling of unity.

The ritual’s main point is to show that we all have something in common – the wish for peace around the world – that cross national boundaries, religious ideals and other ideologies. The idea, in essence, is that peace is something that we all strive for, despite personal politics or beliefs.

The ritual began in Japan where it was first organized in 1983. By 1986, the World Peace Prayer and Flag Ceremony had gone global and an international version of the ceremony was help in Los Angeles. Since then, organizers have helped to bring the peace ceremony to every continent of the world and most major cities in hopes that the global scale of the ceremony would bring attention to the idea that founded it – that is, that everyone truly wants peace, no matter what country or region you were born in or reside.

Aligning with the desire to be a ceremony that everyone can participate in, despite personal beliefs, the prayers that are used during the ceremony are not restricted or even reference a particular religion (usually). In fact, prayer may not be said in any way that you’re familiar with, particularly if you use prayer as part of a religious ceremony. The prayer during the World Peace Prayer and Flag Ceremony transcends denominations and religions and instead expresses a declaration of love for one’s fellow people and compassion for anyone who walks the earth. A typical prayer is “May peace be in (name of country); May peace prevail on Earth.” The declaration is used to make one feel united with everyone else who repeats the same words.

The International Day of Peace was created in 1981 when the United Nation resolved to observe Sept. 21 each year for the purpose of fostering peace throughout the world through focusing on common goals, alleviating tensions and recognizing causes of conflict. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has used the International Day of Peace to call for a nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. UN member states have also been urged to commemorate the International Day of Peace with a global ceasefire in any sort of warfare that they’re engaged in.

However, there are plenty of activities that regular citizens, from children to adults, can engage in to celebrate the International Day of Peace. One of the most popular options are a moment of silence at noon on Sept. 21. A minute of silence is a powerful sign of unity for participants but it’s also easy to implement in schools, homes, offices and places of worship as a non-intrusive message that peace is important. Some people, instead, will ring a bell or light a candle – each has their own connotations of bringing the message of peace.

Schools and other organizations have had significant successes with Peace Poles or with a World Peace Flag Ceremony to proclaim their allegiance to the idea of peace. Children and youth respond especially well to a concrete idea like creating a pole or having a ceremony to commemorate peace instead of an abstract moment of silence. Parades, parties or making pinwheels for peace are other activities that are popular with young people.

Local government officials often use proclamations to spread the message about the International Day of Peace. Vigils for war victims and others that have fallen in the quest for peace are also popular on Sept. 21. Vigils can be celebrated on the local level with an event at a local park or lake. Spread the word about your vigil or find one of your own on www.idpvigil.com.

Peace poles are one of the many symbols that are used to express a sense of worldwide unity and universal desire for peace on earth. Peace poles are often used to give children and youth a tactile, physical representation of the common goals that peoples from every nation have – world peace. Making a peace pole is also a fun activity because it gets people involved in creating something that they can have pride in, which helps to reinforce the ideas that the peace pole represents. This pride translates to a desire to participate in gatherings, moments of silence, prayers or other ceremonies (such as those that occur during the International Day of Peace or the World Peace Flag Ceremony) that are usually centered around peace poles.

The most typical material for the pole is a cedar pole measuring between 3.5 feet and 4 feet tall, but any similar wooden pole will do. Cedar has excellent resistant to rot and is easy to find at lumberyards. Cut the top of the pole with a compound miter saw at 45 degree angles to make a pointed top. Sand the entire pole to make sure it’s smooth to the touch – you will probably need both 80 grit and 220 grit sanding paper. Using a tack cloth afterwards will help to remove any remaining dust. Applying two or three coats of urethane to the entirety of the pole will help protect it from natural elements. Lightly sand between coats to keep the pole looking as nice as possible.

Language plates and other decorates are available through a couple different online shops but feel free to add whatever adornment you feel best projects the ideals of world peace and universal unity. To maintain your peace pole, sand the entire piece of wood with 220 grit sandpaper and apply a coat of urethane every couple years. This type of care extends the pole’s lifetime significantly.

Since around 2007, there has been a lot of concern about the Iranians developing a nuclear weapon. The fear has been that they would use it against the U.S. and their allies, perhaps even exporting it to terrorists who would target Americans. In the final days of the Bush Administration in 2008, there was a lot of speculation about a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facility. Many believed Bush would do it before he left office, not being confident that his successor with take such action.

It turned out that with America war wearing from several grueling years in Iraq, there just wasn’t the political will to take any action against Iran. Most believed we were past the point of no return and there was nothing we could do to stop the eventuality of an Iranian nuclear weapon. While all this was happening in the public eye, something incredible was going on behind the scenes.

The Bush Administration had secretly authorized and collaborated with Israel to create the most sophisticated computer virus ever developed and unleash it on Iran’s nuclear facility. The computer virus, called the Stuxnet, was launched in mid 2009 and took over 1000 centrifuges in Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility. This is about 1/5 of the Iranian nuclear capacity. This virus has caused serious malfunctions in the nuclear plant, delaying their creation of a nuclear bomb until 2015 at the earliest.

This project involved over 100 American and Israeli scientists and months of testing to make sure this virus would be effective. So far, the operation has been a great success and has alleviated the world’s concern over Iran developing nuclear weapons-for the time being at least. What’s amazing about this operation is not only its overwhelming success, but also the fact that they managed to keep this a secret from the world until the virus had already done its damage.