It is intolerable that the world's religions - founded on the values of love and compassion - should provide a pretext for the expression of hatred and violence.
Federico Mayor ZaragozaRead
A universal renunciation of violence requires the commitment of the whole of society. These are not matters of government but matters of State; not only matters for the authoirities, but for society in its entirety, including civilian, military, and religious bodies. The mobilization which is urgently needed to effect the transition within two or three years from a culture of war to a culture of peace demands co-operation from everyone. In order to change, the world needs everyone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A collective effort is essential to transition from a culture of violence to one of peace.
This quote emphasizes that achieving a universal renunciation of violence is not solely the responsibility of governments or authorities; it requires the active engagement and commitment of all sectors of society, including civilians, military, and religious organizations. It stresses that a significant transformation towards peace cannot occur without the cooperation and involvement of everyone within a society, highlighting the urgency and necessity of this collective mobilization to foster lasting change.
Themes
ViolencePeaceSocietyChangeCooperation
In practice
Example use cases
In a community meeting to address local violence issues, this quote could inspire collective action.
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