Youth urged to use non-violence to resolve political differences
Oct 05, 2020
“If we set aside our differences, if we work together now, and for all, we all will win the race and make what seems impossible a reality,”
NEWS |INDIA | UGANDA
There is a popular saying that an eye for an eye will only leave the world blind. The Ugandan generation today has been called upon to embrace the use of non-violence to resolve political differences to bring about the change they want.
The United Nations Global Goals Ambassador for Peace and Justice and a Nobel Peace prize nominee Victor Ochen says even though faced with continued violence and discrimination across the world, young people must not accept to be used as tools for violence.
"If we set aside our differences, if we work together now, and for all, we all will win the race and make what seems impossible a reality," said Ochen.
Uganda joined the rest of the world on Friday (October 2, 2020), to mark the International Day of Non-Violence that also brought to an end the two year celebration to commemorate the 150th birthday of India's independence leader Mahatma Gandhi.
The UN General Assembly in 2007 designated October 2, as the International Day of Non-Violence to coincide with the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi who led the Indian Independence movement through a strategy of non-violence.
At the celebration organized at the High Commission of India in Kampala, Ochen emphasized that what people share in common is much more than what they do not.
The Vice President Edward Ssekandi while addressing the same gathering also called for national and global conflicts to be resolved through peaceful means, in order to limit the suffering of those affected.
He said Gandhi's philosophy of truth and non-violence created an atmosphere for many Asian and African countries to free themselves from colonialism without use of violence that would other words have caused a lot of bloodshed
"The challenges today that have no respect for national borders, require us to co-exist naturally and peacefully in order to leave a better heritage for the future generation," said Ssekandi.
Ahead of the 2021 general elections the political climate is already heating up as individuals seeking to be elected leaders in the country seek their party nominations.
The India High commissioner to Uganda Ajay Kumar who hosted the celebrations at the India High Commission in Kampala said getting freedom through truth and non-violence is Gandhi's legacy and India's message to the world.
He emphasized that cooperation and non-violence to express difference, is the way forward for every global citizen.