project rain

I just came back from a business trip two days back. I arrived at the airport five hours before time as there was nothing else to do and nowhere to go. While I was lazing on the benches, I was watching with astonishment, a coltish kid; local muslim boy who was playing with some balloons. I was not the only one watching him; there was another pair, pearly blue, gazing at him but in despair. It was a little girl; Caucasian to be exact; who cannot share the same fortune of the moment. The boy sensed the anguish, decided to give one of his balloons to the little girl. This was the finest moment for humanity. At this current climate, act like this cannot be witnessed anymore even though it is as simple as sharing a balloon. I ask myself, "How was it possible?" If the same situation was applied to a grown man, I bet the outcome would have been the opposite. What made the boy to give up on his balloon? I realized that the boy was thinking without prejudice. All he sees is a little girl in quail of amusement. If he would have thought with prejudgment, he would assume people from the west equals corrupt. On the other hand, if the little girl thought the same way, she would have assumed that there is a bomb in the balloon!

But how can we achieve humanity without prejudice? What if the new millennium were a new beginning, an opportunity to turn, all together, the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and non-violence? Is this possible? These questions linger in my mind. I do not have the answers to these. Then I came upon this pledge:

PLEDGE FOR PEACE
I pledge
in my daily life,
in my family,
my work,
my community,
my country and
my region, to:

Respect the life and dignity of each human being without discrimination or prejudice.

Practice active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived and vulnerable such as children and adolescents.

Share my time and material resources in a spirit of generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression.

Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, giving preference always to dialogue and listening without engaging in fanaticism, defamation and the rejection of others.

Promote consumer behavior that is responsible and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet.

Contribute to the development of my community,with the full participation of women and respect for democratic principles,in order to create together new forms of solidarity.

You too could sign it!