National
Tolerance not enough, need love to live in pluralistic world: Trudeau
New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) Tolerance is just not enough in a pluralistic society like India where love for each other is needed more, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday – the last day of a controversy-mired week-long state visit to the country.
Capping off the trip, Trudeau, one of the most favorite liberal mascots in the world, told a gathering of nearly 5,000 Indian students and young professionals that people in the world needed to recognise everyone’s rights and not discriminate against them for who they were and what their backgrounds were.
“Diversity, pluralism, bringing people together with different backgrounds, different stories… that matters. Understanding that everyone has a right to a complete life lived in respect and love and acceptance is essential,” the schoolteacher-turned-politician said at United Nations Young Changemakers Conclave at the packed Indira Gandhi Stadium here.
He was accompanied by his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau who introduced her husband as an “ally”, a “big brother” who himself had fears but knew how to move forward.
As Trudeau walked up to the podium to address young girls and boys – most of them in school uniforms, Sophie Gregoire hugged him warmly. The two shared a kiss applause with the audience loudly putting their hands together.
Trudeau said little tolerance would be wonderful in some places in the world. “Don’t get me wrong there. But tolerance is not good enough for a society like India or Canada. Think about it ‘I tolerate you’. Doesn’t exactly have a very nice ring to it. There is no religion in the world that tells you tolerate your neighbour. No. Love your neighbour, accept your neighbour, embrace your neighbour.”
Trudeau’s pep-talk to Indian youth rang out amid an ongoing debate over social and religious tolerance in India.
He urged the youth to strive for a world which is fairer to all and gives opportunities for all to succeed.
But what does that world actually look like, he asked, adding not a hyperloop from Delhi to Mumbai, self-driving cars, electric cars or flying cars or even artificial intelligence computers on wrists or embedded in brain.
“All that is possible, all sorts of technologies down the line that are going help shape the future but it won’t define the future.”
He said by a better world he meant a place to live in where it “doesn’t matter where you are born, to what kind of a family, whether you are a boy or a girl, what your skin colour is, who you fall in love with.”
He saw a reflection of that world while visiting an ashram of Mahatma Gandhi’s during the early days of his trip to India, he said.
“I had a deep and moving experience of visiting Gandhi’s ashram and certainly the reflection of what it means to be successful. You think of the impact and the power of his example, his life.”
The Prime Minister said we could not afford to have a world where people “are led to silence or people are ignored”.
The Trudeaus later had a conversation with Samyak Chakrabarty, MD X Billion Labs and UN Goodwill Ambassador for India Dia Mirza during which he stressed on sustainable development, saying a strong economy could not be built unless the environment is protected.
He said the G-7 meeting, to be held in his Canada in June this year, would have an extra focus on empowerment of women and the menace of plastic.
“When we empower (women), women grow. This will help in shaping business communities and politics for the better.”
The event was hosted by X Billion Labs, an eco system of impact enterprises.
–IANS
sar/vd
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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