Achieving the ‘impossible’

In 1896 in England, Swami Vivekananda declared that India was chosen by Providence to give a new civilization to the world, and India had been doing that for ages. He asserted that India would conquer the world with her spirituality. We, Indians, have no other alternative—we have to do this or die. India, or Bharat, with its clarion call of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (One Planet, One Family, One Future), was powerfully showcased during the year-long presidency of the G20. For the vast majority of the population in the country, our confidence level is high. To the degree that the peoples and nations of the world accept the emerging reality of universal dharma anchored upon the spirit of tolerance and assimilation, to that degree, they will be able to reconstruct their own societies and contribute substantially to the coming divine world civilization, which is the ideal and fulfilment of Sanatana Dharma. In the words of Vivekananda, “…practical Advaitism which looks upon and behaves towards all mankind as one’s soul…” This is my deep conviction, and we are on track despite the grave peril that threatens the very survival of much of life on the planet.

Building tolerance among cultures and peoples in these days of rising violence and insurmountable polarization within societies and among nations has increased to alarming proportions. Tolerance is respect for others’ rights and freedom. When the United Nations was established on 24 October 1945, it made three promises: (i) That it would try to stop nations from going to war, prevent fighting; (ii) That all human beings would be treated fairly and justly, whether they are weak or strong; (iii) That nations would work together to help each other have better and happier lives. Sadly, all of humanity has failed to live up to even one of the three promises. Year after year, nation-states spend billions to come together to dialogue, craft policies, frame legal documents, review protocols, resolve conflicts, address humanitarian crises, formulate developmental agendas, express deep concerns vis-à-vis climate, economic and political crises, and what-have-you. When will we learn and grow up!

It was in 1993 at the initiative of UNESCO, the United Nations proclaimed 1995 as “The Year for Tolerance.” UNESCO’s 1995 Declaration of Principles on Tolerance was: “Tolerance is respect, acceptance, and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human.” This declaration initiated the General Assembly of the United Nations for the proclamation of Tolerance Day. One year later, in 1996, the UN General Assembly prescribed all Member States to celebrate November 16 as International Day for Tolerance.

For the promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence, UNESCO created “The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize” in the amount of USD 100,000 in 1995. The prize is awarded every two years to individuals or organizations on International Tolerance Day. For the year 2022, Franca Ma-ih Sulem Yong from Cameroon, President of the NGOs #Afrogiveness and Positive Youths Africa, received the Award. As a journalist, she worked hard to change people's perception of the way mental illness is viewed and represented in society. Trained in art therapy and psychology, she became the founder and president of two NGOs: Afrogiveness Movement (#Aforgiveness) and Positive Youths Africa (PYA). Both NGOs are peace education initiatives. Their ambition is to enable traumatized survivors of interfaith and intercultural conflicts in nine African countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, and Togo) to heal from their trauma through the universal language of the arts. In the months that followed, due to the wars in Europe and the Middle East, the world has become even more traumatized and violent.

Here is the challenge for our country, where so many people live below the poverty line, where women and girls are regularly assaulted; where religious intolerance is rife, where caste divide, which was meant to be a temporary feature as an enabling quota system, has become institutionalized into vote bank politics; where class disparities constantly threaten national stability, and where the 1,000+ political parties are constantly striving to grab power at any cost, et al. These, to me, are the most glaring obstacles in practicing the virtue of tolerance and, for that matter, nation-building.

It is worth pondering: how could a small number of European traders rule a country of millions? It is because rulers of princely states and their subjects were not united, and they became easy prey to the false narratives of colonial masters backed by military superiority. All of us have to think about what truly promotes tolerance and helps us to live unitedly amidst myriad diversity. Any kind of political process or legislation cannot remove intolerance or deep-seated prejudices towards one another. What truly harmonizes India is her spiritual and moral culture—it is the only thing that can keep us together in the face of divisive forces. As explained by Swami Vivekananda, spirituality was not a mere epiphenomenon of larger historical developments. Rather, it had to be an instrument for the “transformation” that would come from a fusion of Eastern wisdom with practical Western pluralism that contrasts spirituality with materialism, tolerance with intolerance, transcendence with instrumentalism.

Swamiji had warned his fellow men and women: “The idea of caste is the greatest dividing factor... all caste, either on the principle of birth or of merit, is bondage.” In a country divided by caste, creed, and religion, progress is difficult to achieve. A country can progress only if each and every citizen can progress. Law or government cannot ensure the progress of society. It is always society that has to get working for its own welfare. Until women achieve progress, there can be no progress for the nation. The recent Bill ensuring one-third women representation in Parliament is a historic achievement.

Some of the tools for achieving tolerance in different settings of society could be described as: (1) Collaborative study for transformation—The transformation of the individual is not an isolated process, neither ascetic nor cantered wholly on one’s self-fulfilment. Study circles open to all people are useful spaces for eradicating situations of intolerance and enhancing positivity. (2) Spiritual education of children—children are potentially the light of the world and at the same time its darkness. Special classes to assist children in acquiring moral values and a good character. (3) Empowering youth—youth programs aimed at providing them with a sense of purpose, building their confidence, enhancing their capacity for listening and problem-solving, and making responsible choices. (4) Devotional gatherings—turning to the Divine in prayer gives inner strength and solace from the tests and trials of life. Two more lines of action that reinforce the four core activities are undertaking services for the poor and needy and participating in public discourses. These are all the lessons that provide resilience and teach the importance of tolerance. And who knows, such initiatives could become a solid framework for establishing world peace as a consequence of the awakening of masses of humankind and the fusion of all sections of the population regardless of caste, creed, class, nationality, race, and religion.

The writer is a social worker and independent researcher based in New Delhi. Views expressed are personal