Recorded at Rideau Hall, Friday, September 25, 2009
“It would have been an honour to be in the midst of such a dazzling constellation of global change agents.”
“Your presence in Vancouver is a glowing testament to Victor Chan's vision and his generosity of spirit, which were instrumental in making this gathering of hearts and minds possible.”
“Like the brightest stars in the night sky, you help to guide us on our journey to a place where the human race finds joy in its common humanity and unity in its unconditional love for peace and justice.”
“I can imagine that the concert hall must be humming with the prophetic melodies of hope, compassion, and togetherness.”
“It would have been music to my ears, since I have always believed that international gatherings like these are crucial, they encourage us to renew a spirit of peace within; they invite us to develop innovative solutions; they remind us that we can no longer work in isolation from one another.”
“The time for solitude has passed. Now is the time to rediscover the values and aspirations we share in common, time to see the world through a new, dare I say, more humane lens, time to create a new civic roadmap for world peace.”
“Yes, daunting challenges lie ahead. Every day, women and men are slaughtered and maimed in armed conflicts. Every hour, young women are submitted to extreme forms of sexual terror by armed groups. Every minute, children are forced into armed combat, sexual slavery, or even drug running by armed forces and criminal groups.”
“Faced with these heart-wrenching realities, it is easy to seek solace in the opium of defeatism, fatalism, indifference. For a feeling of powerless can dampen our sense of moral duty, numb our determination to act, and lull our capacity to empathize.”
“That is why it is imperative that we inoculate ourselves with a planetary resolve to resist the “everyone for themselves and their clan” mentality. To reject the spurious claims of an imminent clash of civilizations. To quell the insidious forces of sectarianism and fundamentalism of all stripes.”
“Luckily, we are not alone on this journey. For every person in the room stand thousands, if not millions, of people around the world who, in the shadow of anonymity, are risking everything to chip away at the walls of hatred, indifference and fear that plague their communities.”
“Here, I must pay a special tribute to the women around the world who are defying the odds to make a rousing paean for peace and justice in their conflict ridden communities. Because women are conscious that life is our most precious asset, they are prepared at any cost to mobilize and take action for their children and for humanity. No one anywhere can afford to exclude women in any campaign for peace. Excluding women is a recipe for failure.”
“That is why I am pleased to see that the inclusion of women will be at the heart of your deliberations.”
“You have a unique opportunity to dream big, to join your strengths, and, most importantly, to transform your ideas into concrete action for change. Please be inspired. The world is counting on you. Peace is within our grasp.”
I thank you.
