Laiq Ahmed Atif – This article was originally published in Maltese in ‘It-Torċa’.

Indeed, peace is the golden key that opens the door to progress and development in society and ensures that future generations can flourish and move forward. Personally, I strongly believe that peace is the only way for all of us to thrive and move forward; and for our progress and advancement.

Therefore, we should live our lives peacefully and seek to spread peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding within our societies.

The Caliph’s message

The Caliph and Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aba, who has the cause of peace very dear to his heart, once again has called the world to this lasting course of peace; while he was speaking about peace building, during ‘National Peace Symposium’ in the United Kingdom on 9^th March 2024, in front of more than 1200 people, including more than 550 State Ambassadors, Members of Parliament, dignitaries and academics who represented 30 countries.

During his keynote address, His Holiness, highlighted very important points and key aspects for peace building and he showed the way forward of how we can turn the prevailing threats to our serenity towards lasting peace and tranquillity for all.

I take this opportunity to mention briefly some points from the keynote address of His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aba that could be an action plan for the cause of peace, harmony and mutual understanding.

Together for peace

First and foremost important point is this that, we must understand that peace is not the obligation of some countries or people, rather, it is the responsibility of all of us to contribute whenever and wherever we can, so that peace is established in our societies.

Furthermore, all stakeholders, governments, politicians, academics, and all people must play their roles in ensuring social cohesion of our individual societies and the wider peace and harmony of the world.

The United Nations and the veto power

It is also important to strengthen the United Nations where every country has equal rights and no one has the power of veto, and where a few nations do not have dominance that can easily override the views of the majority. Instead of deciding each issue based on its facts and merits.

Peace cannot be established without justice, therefore, we must earnestly strive together in the cause of peace and justice, and champion the rights of those who are powerless and are the victims of injustice.

The welfare of all mankind

The developed, rich and major countries, instead of always looking out for their own interests, should give priority to the common good, for the well-being of all humanity.

If there is a war between two countries, neutral parties should immediately mediate between them and strive to establish peace based on the principles of justice and equity; and they should not let it spiral into regional wars.

The need of the time

All religions should also join together for the common goal of peace and justice. There is no doubt that religion is a very powerful instrument and can make a huge difference to the noble cause of peace.

In addition, we always keep our future generations in mind, and try to do everything so that they have a much better world than ours. Political leaders must take a long-term view of what is in the best interest of all humanity. Therefore, we must all come together, setting aside national, political, and other vested interests for the greater good of humanity and to ensure that we leave behind a prosperous world for our future generations.

It is the need of the time that we must focus all our energies and efforts on establishing true peace so that we may live in a world of hope and prosperity rather than a world defined by inequality, hatred, and bloodshed.