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Non-Violence In Today's World 47
inequality, improper distribution of natural resources, racial discrimination, and economic hardships faced by a large population and the hazards of religious and cultural fundamentalism. These can be solved by understanding the true aim of life, which is to develop values and not merely enjoyment of more and more material and sensual objects. Today, there is an urgent need to understand and imbibe the life values of nonviolence, compassion, restraint of desires and equality taught by the Great Master more than 2500 years ago.
There is some awakening in the present world and many right-thinking people have started giving attention to life-values to make life of common people healthy, happy and harmonious. The General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed the year 2000 as the 'International Year for the Culture of Peace'.11 Culture is about how we live our lives, how we think, speak and behave. On 9 December 2000, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then honourable Prime Minister of India signed the UNESCO Manifesto 2000 propagating six core values for a culture of peace and non-violence. The Manifesto, drafted by a group of Noble Peace Prize winners, solicits signature support from people across the globe to practise values like:
> Respect for life
➤ Reject violence
> Share with others
Listen to understand
> Preserve the planet
Re-discover solidarity
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