Dr. Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit
February 23 is celebrated as World Peace and Understanding Day, focusing on key themes that give it universal relevance, such as basic education, literacy and equality, economic and community development, and disease prevention. The day honours the formation and enduring contributions of the Rotary Club over the years.
Living together in peace is about accepting differences and developing the ability to listen to, recognise, respect, and appreciate others while fostering unity and harmony. Peace and harmony are fundamental requirements for any nation. Citizens feel safe, secure, and able to prosper only when a peaceful environment is maintained. The day serves as a significant occasion to promote unity, recognise the importance of peaceful living, restore cohesion in a fractured society, and uphold dignified coexistence among communities.
With a renewed vision, we can collectively generate meaningful change to build the society of tomorrow. It calls for a clear and strong commitment to learning how to live and work better together. The more people who choose the path of harmonious coexistence, the greater the collective impact on the world. Although people in our country largely live peacefully, disturbances do arise due to political, social, economic, and religious factors. Price rise and unemployment also create unrest, often leading to public protests that disrupt normal societal functioning. Equal respect for all religions remains one of the strongest ways to promote peace and harmony in the country.
Humanity’s concern for peace is evident in the fact that all religions, scriptures, and many religious practices emphasise the cause of peace and advocate the elimination of war. People of different faiths often celebrate festivals together with equal enthusiasm. In schools, workplaces, and public spaces, individuals from diverse backgrounds study and work harmoniously. Peace is often defined simply as the absence of war; however, while the world has largely avoided a global war, it has not succeeded in preventing local conflicts, which continue to create tensions and crises in international relations.
Complete peace and harmony in the country will be possible only when every citizen recognises the dangers of disunity. This day seeks to strengthen the collective will to live and act together—united in diversity—to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity, and harmony. Its purpose is to promote peaceful coexistence regardless of nationality, gender, language, or religion. Peace and harmony are the building blocks of any society; without them, growth and development cannot be sustained.
It must also be remembered that maintaining peace and harmony is not solely the responsibility of the government. Each citizen must nurture a spirit of brotherhood and mutual respect. In contemporary times, one of the most urgent global priorities remains the preservation, protection, and defence of peace against the threat of terrorism.
