Message to the Wellington City Council for World Peace Day 2021

In celebration of World Peace Day: Reflections on Peace at home and Peace on earth

Offered at the Wellington City Council meeting on 20 September 2021, by Dr Pushpa Bhardwaj-Wood for the Wellington Interfaith Council

It is my belief that peace is not an absence of violence. It is your state of mind, your thoughts and your deeds that bring about harmony and understanding from all walks of life.

Nelson Mandela once said - If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner. No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Some very profound words were said by Hans Klung (who passed away in April this year) on peace. He said that Humanity today possesses sufficient economic, cultural, and spiritual resources to introduce a better global order. There will be no peace among the civilizations without peace among the religions! There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue between the religions! There will be no new world order without a world ethic, a global ethic despite dogmatic differences. A global ethic is a minimal basic consensus relating to binding values, irrevocable standards, and moral attitudes, which can be affirmed by all religions.  

Therefore, let us pray for wisdom and compassion within the hearts and minds of all world and civic leaders who have the power and the responsibility of making decisions that impact on the presence of peace. We pray for courage, dedication, and integrity within the spirits of all those who work for peace around the world.

Let us pray for all those who harbour thoughts and feelings of hatred, violence, and greed that their hearts and minds, and souls will be transformed into Your likeness of compassion and kindness.

Let us pray for peace and harmony as the people of this land, people of Aotearoa

असतो मा सद गमय

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय

मृत्योर्मा ज्योतिर्गमय

Lead me from falsehood to truth;
Lead me from darkness;
Lead me from death to immortality

Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe.