Flora Teckie
Flora Teckie
As we observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November, it is timely to reflect on the requirements for promoting tolerance, respect, cooperation and mutual understanding among the races, religions and nations of the world.
Tolerance towards people of different backgrounds requires a new mindset and orientation. It requires giving up prejudice and discrimination, due to race, religion or nationality, that continue to divide communities and undermine social cohesion.
Various forms of prejudice, mistrust, and suspicion have been creating exclusiveness and violence toward those who are outside one’s own social group. We will not be able to build tolerant and unified societies without confronting prejudice.
According to the Baháí International Community, “Clearly, the promotion of tolerance and mutual understanding among the diverse segments of the human race cannot be a passive or rhetorical exercise.
All forms of provincialism, all insularities and prejudices must be directly confronted. The implementation of appropriate legal measures that safeguard the rights and opportunities of all and the adoption of educational initiatives that foster human solidarity and global citizenship should be among the first practical steps taken by all nations”.
To make our differences not a cause for conflict and contention requires the acceptance of the oneness of humanity, and respect for the rights of every individual. We need to recognise that it is because of our differences that we have a beautiful world to live in. And it is the variety of colour and culture that enriches the world of humanity.
According to the Bahai Writings: “The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”
We need to acknowledge that we belong to one human family, and that we are all citizens of one planet, created by one Almighty God.
Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, states: “There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God”.
Bahálláh further states: “Observe tolerance and righteousness, which are two lights amidst the darkness of the world and two educators for the edification of mankind”.
The need for conscious, deliberate, and sustained effort to foster tolerance and mutual understanding, amongst individuals and diverse groups in our communities, cannot be over emphasized. Furthermore, there is need for genuine love, extreme patience, true humility, and prayerful reflection to eliminate the destructive impact of racism, xenophobia, religious and other kinds of prejudice and intolerance.
According to the Baháí International Community “…the task of creating a universal ethos of tolerance is intimately bound up with a process of moral and spiritual development.
Education, then, emerges as an indispensable tool-a tool of active moral learning…
Educational curricula cannot therefore be solely concerned with the knowledge of physical and social phenomena, but must also be directed toward the goal of moral and spiritual empowerment” and that “The capabilities of a moral person encompass the concepts, values, attitudes, and skills that enable the person to make appropriate moral choices and to promote creative and cooperative patterns of human interaction”.
To create a tolerant and peaceful international community, the complex and varied cultural expressions of humanity must be allowed to develop and flourish, and to interact with one another in ever-changing patterns of civilization.
There will also be a need to ensure the implementation of appropriate legal measures that safeguard the observance of human rights and opportunities for everyone.
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