Year of Asia - 2020
Justice Forever, Liberty Forever
Take Action for Multiculturalism for a More Just World
Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze
President of Federation of World Peace and Love
2020.02.19
Today Asia has gradually become a force to be reckoned with because of its large population, its unique philosophies, and the resilience it has demonstrated in its historical and cultural development. We cannot describe Asia with a single word. The best and the worst coexist, just like the embodiment of the Eastern philosophy of yin and yang.
With the world getting increasingly integrated, we all face the same problems and threats. Good or bad, we have to deal with them together. No nation is able to stay unaffected. As natural and man-made disasters become more frequent, the issues of homelessness have grown more difficult. When a problem occurs in an area, it will have an impact on the rest of the world, and people in all nations will need to pay a price, visible or invisible. The kind of greed that drives people to seek nothing but profit, in particular, has eroded conscience, caused tangible or intangible harm, and affected global citizens to quite an extent.
Today focusing on the most important common value of all humanity is very crucial to “building a more just world.” This has a lot to do with regional development in Asia, problem solving, the realization of liberty and justice, as well as global sustainable development.
Conscience, conscience-guided abilities, and conscience-driven governance are three key factors, which are interrelated and allow organizations and governors to improve social protection for people. How can we provide citizens with sufficient protection of fundamental human rights and dignity through families and communities? We can start with institutional aspects and the necessity of laws and regulations. However, eventually, we still need to redirect our attention to a culture of conscience, which is the foundation.
Conscience shapes our common humanity. The calling of conscience inspires propositions, interactions, discussions, and actions, and it enables us to make good use of our differences and incorporate the strengths of everyone. It empowers us to take collective actions of conscience, spontaneously regulate our common behaviors, and form a virtuous cycle of a culture of conscience. If we wish to inspire one another to continue to serve as promoters of positivity in the international community, we need to follow our conscience and constantly “build, correct, and innovate.”
The value of multiculturalism lies in respect for and appreciation of differences, and people can use the essence of wisdom from different cultures as nutrients for sustainable development. By treating others equally and truly acknowledging that all people regardless of culture, race, and religion are world citizens and enjoy the equal right to life, we can gradually make our world more just. In order to achieve sustainability, we need to have a good culture. A fine culture nurtures a quality education, which is essential to a healthy economy. Only with the connections, exchanges, and balance created in a good economy, can we build a loving and prosperous world where we coexist peacefully.
May we all listen to the calling of conscience, stand up, and bravely speak up to initiate a culture of conscience.
May all our families and friends enjoy happiness under the shelter of conscience.
May a culture of conscience prevail and the world become strong, healthy, prosperous, happy, and sustainable.
May we all follow our conscience and courageously move forward.
Thank you all!