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Śramana, Vol. 58, No. 2-3 April-September 2007
Towards World Peace on the Wheels of
'Anekāntavāda and Syādvāda'
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Dr. Jaya Singh'
The first World Peace Forum, held in Vancouver from June 23 to 28, 2006, expressed utmost regard for the ideal of peace without borders( world peace). It also voiced serious concerns towards the fact of illegal wars and occupations, erosion of civil liberties as also racism, global warming, renewed nuclear threats, the state of human rights in our world, poverty, disease, economic inequality and homelessness. At the end of an intensive and extensive round of purposeful and focused deliberations, the "Vancouver World Peace Forum concluded that a world without war is achievable. To that end we will heed the voice of civil society, and:
"We will build a just peace based on social justice, human and democratic rights, and economic equality.
"We will educate our children and youth to cultivate a culture of peace.
"We will recognize the needs and aspirations of all indigenous peoples.
"We will respect the dignity of difference.
"We will ensure the leading role of women and youth as peacemakers.
"We will declare war as a crime against humanity and demand an end to war.
"We will insist on the protection of the environment. General Fellow, Centre for Philosophy, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi-110067
