October 2nd celebration, International Day of Non-Violence
The Community for human development, social and cultural organism of the Humanist Movement, have been working for 40 years to raise awareness of the need for a culture of non-violence in humans. We appreciate and support to the UN General Assembly to declare October 2nd as the World Day of Non Violence, in memory of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, and call on organizations and individuals to boost its worldwide celebration.
The current escalation of violence and global suffering, both physical and economic, results in the movement of people between countries, that’s why we consider more important than ever to work for a new culture where the human being is the most important, promoting nonviolence as method of action.
Since the beginning of its history, humanity evolves working toward a better life. Despite advances, today the economic and technological power and strength is used to murder, impoverish and oppress in vast regions of the world, destroying the future of the new generations and the overall balance of life on the planet. A small percentage of humanity possesses great wealth while the majority suffers from serious needs. In some places there is sufficient work and remuneration, but in others the situation is disastrous.
Worldwide there are 60 million people forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflicts, generalized violence or human rights violations, exceeding the figure of forced exodus during World War II victims. (UNHCR figures).
In the past, during the wave of European immigration to America, over 27 million Europeans migrated to the United States and more than 15 million Europeans migrated to Latin America. It is appropriate to recall and remember the historical periods that preceded the current one.
Syria is the main source country of refugees today, more than four million have fled to safety in other countries. The Syrian conflict enters its fifth year and the numbers of their consequences are devastating: 220,000 dead, 11 million displaced, 4 million refugees and 12.2 million people dependent on humanitarian aid to survive.
There is also a large number of people from Africa who risk their lives to reach Europe due to violence, poverty and war, that are the major drivers of migration to Europe.
But all the alleged problem of immigration is misconceived from the start. This system considers neoliberal globalization is the free movement of goods and capital, however, increasingly restricts the free movement of persons.
For the community immigrants are human beings and should have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
It is clear that this situation will require from us a serious reflection on the future. This massive influx of people will not stop until the root causes of this situation are responded and the advancement and progress in the countries of origin is promoted and encouraged. You can’t raise immigration from paternalism or charity, but in terms of fighting for the fundamental rights of people and denouncing the economic imbalances between regions.
This situation is tragic but also illuminates the birth of a new civilization, the world civilization. If so, a kind of collective mentality also has to be disintegrating as emerges a new way to educate the world. It is a sensibility that grasps the world as a whole and which warns that the difficulties of people anywhere end involving others even if they are far away. Communications, exchange of goods and the rapid movement of large human contingents from one point to another, show that increasing globalization process.
Everything ending in chaos or beginning a stage of progressive humanization depends on the intentions of individuals and people, their commitment to change the world and an ethic of freedom under the rule of the moral necessity of treating others as one wants to be treated.
We thank all the people who join this celebration and people those that work every day to build a new social fabric and radiate this new culture, the culture of nonviolence.
We aspire to the establishment of a Universal Human Nation, rule by freedom, solidarity, equality of rights and opportunities, non-discrimination and non-violence.
And as Silo said on the occasion of the first annual celebration of "Silo's Message" in Punta de Vacas, Mendoza, Argentina in 2004:
"We are at the end of a dark period in history and nothing will be as before. Slowly the dawn of a new day will begin to lighten. Cultures will begin to understand each other; the people will experience a growing yearning for progress for all, understanding that the progress of a few one ends in progress for no one. Yes, there will be peace and by necessity it will be understood that a Universal Human Nation begins to outline."