Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Pray for Peace Day: Dec. 18





 On December 18, wherever you are in the world, take out just thirty seconds to Pray for Peace Between India and Pakistan.



"Peace between India and Pakistan has been stubbornly elusive and yet tantalizingly inevitable. This vast subcontinent senses the bounties a peace dividend can deliver to its people yet it recoils from claiming a share. 

The natural impulse would be to break out of the straitjacket of stated positions and embrace an ideal that promises sustained prosperity to the region, yet there is hesitation. 

There is a collective paralysis of the will, induced by the trauma of birth, amplified by false starts, mistrust, periodic outbreaks of violence, suspicion, misplaced jingoism and diplomatic doublespeak. 

Hypnotized by their own mantra, the two states are reluctant to move towards normalization until certain terms and certain promises are kept."  - Jang Group & Times of India  

Swati Sharan introduced the idea 
"Pray for Peace Day" through Aman ki Asha.

Aman ki Asha is a campaign for peace between India and Pakistan, between the Jang Group of Pakistan and The Times of India. 

'Aman ki Asha" means "hope for peace." Aman is an Urdu word meaning peace, Asha is a Hindi word meaning hope. 

The objective is to create a dialogue between governments and to encourage people to people contact to contribute to bring peace to Pakistan and India.

Five ideas to share and work on:

  • Make and display a sign in different languages saying "Pray for Peace Day!"
  • Tell ten people you know about this initiative, family, friends, neighbors, co-workers.
  • Create ways artistically to show your perception of how and where Indo-Pak relations are and need to be.
  • On Dec 18, or before, as part of awareness raising, include a yoga, pranayam, meditation.  
  • Talk to NGOS, teachers, parents and get children to do arts and crafts to show their support. They might like to do drawings, origami. Any kind of creative expression is welcome.





Those who are not participating through an organized group are encouraged to join. 

Everyone is welcome. 




Some expressions of support for this initiative include:



Send feedback to the Aman ki Asha.


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