Over the twentieth century humanity increasingly moved towards greater levels of international cooperation. Associated with this change was the need for the diverse peoples of the world to work together towards common goals. There were several outstanding examples where humanity was reaching for real, lasting peace, although always falling short.
First was the establishment of the League of Nations, an organization intended by its founders to secure peace at an international level. It was the means by which, for the first time in history, a system of collective security was seriously envisaged, discussed and enacted. Ultimately the peace agreement that concluded the first war world war was fatally flawed, and the League was not able to prevent the second World War,
WWII has been judged by many historians to be the deadliest conflict in human history. After this period of unprecedented horrors finally concluded, the United Nations Organization was formed along with a system of international economic institutions being established. Historic advances were made relating to human rights and international law. Many territories under colonial rule became independent nations, and arrangements for regional cooperation proliferated greatly.
The post-war decades, however, were characterized by an atmosphere of simmering tensions and often open hostility between the world’s two major power blocs. Known familiarly as the Cold War, it spilled over into actual wars in various regions of the world, and brought humanity perilously close to a conflict involving nuclear weapons. Its peaceful termination, towards the end of the twentieth century, was an occasion for relief, giving rise to explicit calls for the establishment of a new global order. Efforts to put in place new systems for international cooperation and to strengthen existing ones received great impetus, as a series of world conferences on themes of importance to humanity’s future were convened by the United Nations. New opportunities for consensus emerged, and the spirit of collaboration propelling progress found expression in certain international institutions charged with administering justice.
These various advances, despite their many limitations and imperfections and the horrifying conflicts that continued to unfold during this time, stood as signs of a widespread rise in global consciousness on the part of the earth’s peoples and their embracing universal justice, solidarity, collaboration, compassion, and equality.
Amidst the tumult of the twentieth century and the profound and far reaching changes, there have been formidable barriers to progress. Chief amongst them as racism and nationalism. Both appear to be on the rise again as the forces which would divide humanity rather than unite gain ascendancy.
It is racism I wish to address in this thread. To what extent has racism become a barrier towards lasting peace between people? If you feel racism remains a significant issue, to what extent has your religion or worldview brought peoples of all races together as brothers and sisters? Are you able to acknowledge times where you world view has fallen far from these ideals and instead fuelled division and promoted racism?
(Acknowledgement - Some of my text has been adapted from a letter from the head of my faith, the Universal House of Justice - 18 January 2019 – To the Bahá’ís of the World | Bahá’í Reference Library)
First was the establishment of the League of Nations, an organization intended by its founders to secure peace at an international level. It was the means by which, for the first time in history, a system of collective security was seriously envisaged, discussed and enacted. Ultimately the peace agreement that concluded the first war world war was fatally flawed, and the League was not able to prevent the second World War,
WWII has been judged by many historians to be the deadliest conflict in human history. After this period of unprecedented horrors finally concluded, the United Nations Organization was formed along with a system of international economic institutions being established. Historic advances were made relating to human rights and international law. Many territories under colonial rule became independent nations, and arrangements for regional cooperation proliferated greatly.
The post-war decades, however, were characterized by an atmosphere of simmering tensions and often open hostility between the world’s two major power blocs. Known familiarly as the Cold War, it spilled over into actual wars in various regions of the world, and brought humanity perilously close to a conflict involving nuclear weapons. Its peaceful termination, towards the end of the twentieth century, was an occasion for relief, giving rise to explicit calls for the establishment of a new global order. Efforts to put in place new systems for international cooperation and to strengthen existing ones received great impetus, as a series of world conferences on themes of importance to humanity’s future were convened by the United Nations. New opportunities for consensus emerged, and the spirit of collaboration propelling progress found expression in certain international institutions charged with administering justice.
These various advances, despite their many limitations and imperfections and the horrifying conflicts that continued to unfold during this time, stood as signs of a widespread rise in global consciousness on the part of the earth’s peoples and their embracing universal justice, solidarity, collaboration, compassion, and equality.
Amidst the tumult of the twentieth century and the profound and far reaching changes, there have been formidable barriers to progress. Chief amongst them as racism and nationalism. Both appear to be on the rise again as the forces which would divide humanity rather than unite gain ascendancy.
It is racism I wish to address in this thread. To what extent has racism become a barrier towards lasting peace between people? If you feel racism remains a significant issue, to what extent has your religion or worldview brought peoples of all races together as brothers and sisters? Are you able to acknowledge times where you world view has fallen far from these ideals and instead fuelled division and promoted racism?
(Acknowledgement - Some of my text has been adapted from a letter from the head of my faith, the Universal House of Justice - 18 January 2019 – To the Bahá’ís of the World | Bahá’í Reference Library)