“DECLARE WAR RUINS AS PEACE HERITAGE SITES”
SANDEEP SILAS
ABSTRACT
Original idea to bring a paradigm shift in the world from ‘War’ towards ‘Peace’.
I wish to place before the United Nations, an original idea, a global and holistic concept that I have evolved in a Paper, for declaration of war ruins as “Peace Heritage Sites” in the world—it hopes to become a bold move towards ensuring lasting peace in the world.
To have lasting peace in the world, to safeguard the world community from warmongers and the destruction brought by wars, we must preserve war ruins and war memorials as Peace Heritage Sites. We must not allow the memories of mass destruction, rape and loot by invading armies, genocide of a race, such as the world has seen before, to fade away from the sight of world leaders, opinion makers and the people of the world. Nay, to remember it is to work for the cause of peace so that wars never again plague the earth.
The Peace Heritage Sites’ bond attempts to place the real face of war effects, war crimes, and life-after-war, before leaders and the public, to take that last chance of diplomacy, and refrain from pressing the ‘button’ to war.
v “We have to face the fact that either all of us are going to die together or we are going to learn to live together and if we are to live together we have to talk.”— Eleanor Roosevelt
What is Peace Heritage Sites Idea?
v SCHEME TO RECOGNIZE ALL WAR RUINS /SITES/MEMORIALS AS PEACE HERITAGE SITES
v JOINED TOGETHER ON AN IDEOLOGICAL PLATFORM
v BECOMES A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF PEACE
v HELPS TRANSCEND ANIMOSITY, THE ENEMY FEELING
v ALL HUMANITY HAS BORNE THE BRUNT
v FOSTERS PEACE EDUCATION
v OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE TOURISM
v MAKES A CASE FOR DIALOGUE/NEGOTIATION/CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND PEACEFUL LIVING
v ULTIMATELY HELPS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Why Peace Heritage Sites?
Many times before, the outbreak and spread of war has proved us wrong. The culture of war needs to be replaced by the art of communication and diplomacy. Objectors must not shy from making a point. The world populace understands that behind every objection to war lies an aspiration to peaceful human life on earth and a belief in its future. The world needs not mere moments of peace but an era of peace, now, more than ever, when science has so beautifully united mankind.
Each country of the world has hidden more of its war wounds for reasons of disgust, shame, or hurt national pride. Now is the time to bring them out in the open and place them before the world community, which is clamouring and hoping for peace in each corner of the globe. The more we see them, the more will develop an urge to move away from the path that leads us to such an end. The more the citizens understand the after-effects, the more pressure they will exert upon their governments to co-exist with others in a peace situation. Let peace lobbies and interest groups come up and make bold statements. We are the only human children of the universe and we have a right to be here. Let no man or nation ever deny the privilege to peaceful life of another.
So we must recognize the issue in its proper perspective; weave such war ruins / sites into one bond—unify the people of all countries versus against and give them the name of Peace Heritage Sites. It has to be the people of the world united in one bond against war. The Peace Heritage Site idea provides that bond. When we will start looking at these Sites as a single unit, we will definitely appreciate that we do not wish to have any more wars. Peace is the basic framework necessary for all development programs in education, health and other infrastructure sectors to be launched and led for the good of humanity. So, let us resolve to prevent war as far as we can think and devote ourselves to human development.
Opportunity
v Peace Symbolism
v Peace Activism
v Peace Education
v Peace Tourism
v Peace Building
Implementation Strategy
UN General Assembly adopts proposal to declare war ruins as Peace Heritage Sites. War ruins/sites once so declared will create a very a powerful movement in the world towards peace building amongst all nations. Imagine Hiroshima and Pearl Harbour on the same platform! What a strong message it shall give to humanity; that we have all suffered, so let us not go to war again.
Presentation Opportunity
I would like to seek an opportunity to present the concept before key decision makers in the United Nations.
Presentations Held:
The Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs of Syracuse University, New York, USA (23rd April 2008);
Cornell University, New York, USA, (12th May 2008);
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, India (7th October, 2008);
Indian Council of Cultural Relations, New Delhi, before President, ICCR Dr Karan Singh (6th November 2008);
Dr Kapila Vatsayayana, Member Executive Committee, UNESCO (11th November 2008)
Rotary Club of India, Delhi Chapter (14th November 2008)
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (7th January 2009)
Sandeep Silas is a civil servant, travel writer and poet from India and has done his Masters of Public Administration from The Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Syracuse University, New York, USA.
