Personal Pledge for Peace and Non-violence
Mussie Hailu, Global Envoy of URI, Continental Director for Africa and URI representative to the United Nations, invited members of URI to take the Personal Pledge for Peace and Non-Violence. Cooperation Circles members might gather to read, discuss and take this pledge for IDP.
Discussion points might be:
- Which ones are practices that you would rank as most important in your life?
- Which ones would you rank as most important for your community at this time?
If you have not read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the UN; or the Preamble Purpose and Principles of the URI Charter, this would be a good time to read these documents and recommit to these values.
The Pledge
We, members of United Religions Initiative, acknowledge that world peace is only possible when we start to make peace within ourselves, our family and in our respective communities. Therefore, on this International Day of Peace, each of us commits ourselves as best as we can to become peaceful and a non-violent person. To this effect, we pledge:
- To respect ourselves, to affirm others and to avoid uncaring criticism, hurtful words, physical attacks and self-destructive behavior;
- To share our feelings honestly, to look for safe ways to express our anger, and to work at solving problems peacefully;
- To listen carefully to others, especially those who dialogue with us, and to consider others’ feelings and needs, rather than insist on having our own way;
- To apologize and make amends when we have hurt another, to forgive others, and to keep from holding grudges;
- To treat the environment and all living things, including animals, with respect and care;
- To avoid entertainment that features violence;
- To challenge violence in all its forms whenever we encounter it, whether at home, at school, at work, or in the community;
- To accept the Golden Rule (to treat others as we wish others to treat us) as our motto and principle in life;
- To promote a culture of peace, dialogue, and interfaith cooperation;
- To respect and uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
- To live by, uphold and guide by the Preamble, Purpose and Principles of the Charter of United Religions Initiative.
About this series:
Each year, hundreds of URI Cooperation Circles participate in the International Day of Peace (IDP). As a global community, we put organized global spirit and energy into action! Here are some beloved ideas and inspirations for peacebuilding. You can expect two issues of this series each week until September 21. Hope you love them too and find them useful!
See more posts in this series for more ideas about how to celebrate the International Day of Peace.
May Peace Prevail,
Sally