EDUCATION FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE
INTRODUCTION
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall enjoy the earth .”
– Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda had his own concept of peace. He was of the opinion that humans
are the same be it of different religion, caste or creed and all the problems arouse due to the
emphasis laid on inessentials. He said that, it is a human weakness that mere customs are
deified and the true God is dethroned. Swami’s analysis shows that by overemphasizing the
details we lose the core of a thing; and that is why world peace ever eludes us. Let us get rid
of this idolizing of Nations and communities with the greatest determination, let us place God
on the highest throne and recognize the divinity of men of whatever caste, creed, or colour
they may be, and world peace is bound to follow as a natural corollary
He also said that for peaceful coexistence, we must have respect for individual
differences. Unity in spite of variety must be the watchword, for that is the pattern of Reality
as we find it manifested in the world. To him world peace means a harmony among all sorts
of cultures and political and social ideas; and looked at from the higher standpoint of
humanity, and the shades of opinion and beliefs of different religion or class of people are not
so irreconcilable.
In short, according to Swami Vivekananda any movement for world peace must
proceed from two ends. Those who are in an advantageous position now must give up all
sense and expression of superiority and must serve those who have fallen behind in order to
attain a common level of civilization. At the same time a belief in the basic equality, nay,
divinity, of all men must be engendered in every heart, so that no race or nation may suffer
from an inferiority complex. When ideas of superiority and inferiority are eliminated and men
begin to work freely and equally in love and are prompted by a spirit of service and inspired
by an urge to transcend present limitations, world peace will follow as a matter of course, as
day follows night.
Dr. George Varghese, MTTC Pathanapuram
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