Focus
United Birmingham
by Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh
Autumn/Winter 2011
one city, one voice for peace
since, responsibility is a precursor to rights.
First and foremost, I salute those rare individuals, whose dignity in the face of tragic personal loss, profoundly moves us and transforms the surrounding environment. Accepting the death of a loved one as part of the unfathomable divine will, they choose to exercise forgiveness as opposed to taking revenge. Not only do they avert further tragedy; with courage and humility, they seize their own loss as an opportunity for everybody to take stock and to take initiative to make peace happen.
We, the citizens of Birmingham, have been, and are united in our commitment to peace. We will continue to work and pray for peace. Sustained peace is a common aspiration for humanity - a shared value for religions and a core goal of the United Nations. In our pursuit of peace, we shall stimulate a value based civil society with a new consciousness, considering the entire humanity as one large global family. We shall, in our own humble ways, endeavour to empower humans with righteousness - with compassion, forgiveness, benevolence, altruism, honesty, humility, selflessness and abundance of love. We shall promote a culture of service to others. We will glorify responsibilities more than rights - since, responsibility is a precursor to rights.
We shall try to develop a culture of peace, alleviate poverty and hunger through self help, self reliance and community participation; make 'education for peace' obligatory; enhance respect for the rights of all, particularly those of women, children, youth, migrants, refugees and displaced peoples. We shall collectively aim for peaceful resolution of conflict with utter humility. Extremism is unacceptable, but retaliation to extremism is also extremism in a different guise. We must not become tolerant of intolerance. The sanctity of life must be protected and preserved at all costs.
We must build more bridges of friendship leading to peace. The time is ripe for multi-faith and secular action, for peace through a comprehensive education strategy. Peace education however needs to begin at home within families, in schools, institutes of higher education and to be promoted by politicians, legislators, multi-lateral organisations and the Government.
The culture of peace must essentially be established by mobilising virtuous values. The quest for finding peace must start within ourselves in order to create peace around us.