Former President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday said the responsibility of maintaining peace cannot rest only with governments or international organisations and should instead become a personal commitment for every individual.
He made these remarks while addressing the ‘Billionaires for Peace’ Conclave, which is aimed to bring together global leaders, Nobel Peace laureates, visionaries and peacebuilders to encourage dialogue, justice and collective action for a more peaceful world, reported PTI.
Call for global cooperation
Kovind said the world is currently going through a period of major global change and every government has a responsibility to ensure the welfare of its people.
“The responsibility for peace cannot be left only to the governments or international institutions. It must become a personal commitment to each one of us,” he said, as per the news agency.
Kovind added that adopting a new vision of international relations based on cooperation instead of domination could help the world achieve peace and prosperity.
Shared global challenges
The former President pointed out that humanity today faces common global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, economic instability, migration, and conflict.
According to him, these issues do not stop at national borders and affect all countries equally. “We are destined to swim or sink together. We cannot hope to rise at the expense of each other. Therefore, peace can no longer be treated as a diplomatic slogan, discussed only in conferences,” Kovind opined, as per PTI.
Peace should go beyond conferences
Kovind said peace should not remain just a diplomatic slogan discussed at international conferences.
He explained that peace becomes meaningful when education reaches underserved communities, innovation supports small entrepreneurs and healthcare services reach the poor with compassion, basically social development and equal opportunities are important for building lasting peace.
Humanism must remain central
Speaking about rapid technological growth, Kovind said Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, automation, and digital technologies will significantly change society and the way people live and work.
Despite these advancements, he stressed that human values must remain at the centre of progress.
“But amid all this transformation, one question will remain eternal, will humanism remain at the centre of our progress?” he asked.
Governor highlights importance of peace
Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma also addressed the conclave and said that societies can progress only when people feel secure, respected and connected with each other.
He said peace creates the right environment for education, innovation, businesses, and stronger communities.
(With PTI Inputs)
