|
|
|
|
“Garland
of Peace" Launch on World Peace Day, September 21, 2009
On the occasion of the World Peace Day on September 21st, the
idea of the world's "Garland of Peace" was launched and
dedicated to the people of the world from the Plaza Steps of
India Habitat Centre at 5.00 p.m. The noble idea gives a clarion
call to- "Declare War Ruins as Peace Heritage Sites".
Hon'ble Mr. Oscar Fernandes, former Union
Minister of Labour & Employment, Mr. Raj Liberhan, Director,
India Habitat Centre, Mrs. Sudha Pillai, Secretary Planning
Commission, Bishop Franco Mullakal and the author of this
splendid idea Sandeep Silas together launched the idea into
public domain by lighting candles for world peace.
The display of the 11 places short-listed to begin with,
and the concept as such, was set-up in cathedral steps formation
at the Plaza Steps of IHC for a few days for the people to see
and endorse their support. The
trapezium at the venue displayed a mast-head banner proclaiming
“Garland of Peace” and below it another called for “Declaring
War Ruins As Peace Heritage Sites”. This idea, interestingly for
peace in the world, has a purely public good focus.
Sandeep Silas, a graduate from The Maxwell
School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Syracuse, New York,
conceived this novel idea on January 2nd 2004 in an
emotional train journey over the log bridge of River Kwai Noi in
Kanchanaburi province of Thailand and later gave it a global
shape on another train journey on 20th March 2004
over the Kalka-Shimla Hill Railway train in India. Introducing
the idea Silas said—
“Garland of Peace, hopes to become an instrument of peace
education for the new generation, an expression of peace
tourism, and a framework for ensuring peace.
Peace is the base on which any human development can only
take place. Peace
is the foundation for realization of dreams.
Peace is life!”
Honb’le Mr Oscar Fernandes, representing the political leaders
of India gave a powerful message: “I feel if you don’t want to
be going into pieces you will have to don peace…otherwise the
world would go into pieces. Sandeep has given a brilliant idea
that if you want to fight a war before that, before launching
the war, go and see a war site. You want to avoid the next war,
you want to avoid Hiroshima-Nagasaki, you visit
Hiroshima-Nagasaki, you visit Kalinga. This is the only remedy
for us to avoid the world going into pieces. It is the beginning
of a thought process. Let us carry it forward. To save the world
going into pieces you have to don peace.”
Raj Liberhan, Director India Habitat Centre
representing the civil society said— “Wonderful initiative,
which Sandeep has put together. Many of us are largely peace
oriented and do think about peace all the time, want peace,
aspire for peace, but it takes a great deal of imagination and
courage to put an initiative like this in place. Howsoever a
small step it may be, but a collection of small steps always
brings you to the point where the last step becomes a giant
leap. And that’s what this initiative expresses.”
The senior most bureaucrat in India Mrs Sudha
Pillai, a Kennedy School alumnus and famous for her reform
orientation, expressed her hope—“ I am happy to be here on this
historic occasion. I have a feeling that we will remember this
warm bright sunny evening and remember it for the fact that it
started a trend and this trend actually caught up.
The young have not seen war, we have. This idea requires
a musical communication and I hope there will be people who will
actually pen down songs about it and then translate them and
make them as popular.”
Bishop Franco Mulakkal who participated on behalf
the higher clergy said—“This new concept of Garland of Peace is
really very attractive because we are all used to the concept of
“Forgive and forget”. Whereas this Garland of Peace is taking
another aspect of reality that is “Forgive but don’t forget”.
Don’t forget so that such tragedies may not be repeated. It is a
very great imagination and it is indeed a new dream. I
congratulate Sandeep Silas for taking this initiative for this
peace movement.”
Many distinguished US experts on conflict
resolution and the higher echelons in UN system have expressed
hope in this idea:
Here is what
they have said: Prof.
Catherine Bertini, former World Food Programme Executive
Director for ten years, and Under Secretary-General in the UN
considered the project very interesting and piloted it within
the UN system.
Emeritus
Prof. Louis Kreisberg, who established conflict resolution as a
discipline of study says: “Your presentation of the concept is
quite moving. There
is something there worth discussing and building upon. As you
recognize, there is the concern that in many cases these sites
are still matters of contention and willful inattention.
Often atrocities are hidden and denied by some
governments and communities.
Yet, overcoming that can be a step toward a greater
degree of reconciliation and improved relations.
This requires creative work by the peoples concerned,
usefully with some external facilitation and consultation. Sites
that are well recognized, often express a narrow focus.
What is needed to turn a war site into a peace site?”
UN
Under Secretary-General Peter Piot writes that the “idea is very
creative.” Former
UN Under Secretary-General Edward Mortimer and speech-writer to
former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan writes: “Splendid peace
heritage idea! As I said, I think an excellent symbol for this
would be the restored triumphal arch in Munich with it"
beautifully laconic inscription: AM
SIEG VERWEIHT (TO VICTORY DEDICATED)VOM
KRIEG ZERSTOERT (BY WAR DESTROYED)ZUM
FRIEDEN MAHNEND (FOR PEACE A WARNING).” Prof.
Catherine Gerard, Co-Director of the Program on Analysis &
Resolution of Conflicts in the Maxwell School of Citizenship &
Public Affairs, Syracuse University, New York said: “The Vietnam
generation is out, the second world war generation is almost
out. The time for this idea has now come.” Dr
Karan Singh: “There will be hundreds of such sites”.
Silas feels the more the better, as the message becomes louder
and reaches every corner. Dr
Kapila Vatsayayana, our authority on culture told Silas in a
conversation after watching the presentation: “You are
attempting to change the memory of war, the human cognition. I
am with you. Run to the Prime Minister and request him to take
it to the UN. The moral prestige of India will reach the heights
of Swami Vivekananda days.” India’s
Permanent Representative of India to the UNESCO Mrs. Bhaswati
Mukherji writes: “Very interesting and innovative, but its
future is at main UN”. Peace
is the basic framework without which the entire process of
development cannot be sustained.
Sandeep is seeking the support of all people, in the
interest of the people of the world, coming together and taking
a subtle yet bold step towards peace, through a workable idea
with huge and exciting potential. Many people all over the world
who have been introduced to the idea strongly feel that this is
an idea whose time has now come. “Life is
beautiful, preserve it” he says.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sandeep Silas speaking at the "Garland of Peace Launch on
September 21, 2009 in New Delhi, India. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Oscar Fernandes delivering Inaugural Address. |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
Participants Standing Up for Peace |
|
| |
|
|
Arial
view of the event
|
