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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Millions of people around the globe hope for world peace, but will it actually happen?

By world peace, I mean complete harmony between every culture, gender, religion, nation, social and economic status, and political party. With 7 billion people on this planet and thousands of languages and traditions, world peace would definitely be difficult to attain. Let’s consider our challenges.

Several countries are currently at war, have trade embargoes, or are at emotional odds with one another. Political unrest is common news in places like the Middle East and Africa. Riots and protests are breaking out because of the current situation in Gaza.

Terrorist attacks kill hundreds of innocent civilians in countries like Pakistan, Malaysia and India. Child soldiers are forced to kill thousands of women and the elderly in Sudan and Rwanda; women are constantly beaten and raped in northern Africa. Drug cartels are rapidly gaining power in Mexico and Brazil; children and pregnant women are starving after the earthquake in Haiti. 

Thousands of children and teenagers are kidnapped every year around the world, including highly developed countries like the United States and France. People are greedy for oil; slavery is still common in many third world countries. Women don’t have the right to vote in several countries and students and employees are still discriminated against based off of race, gender, and religion.

Government spending for a nation’s security has increased dramatically over the years, instead of investing in education or social reforms. Many governments around the world still oppress their people and young females get burned alive for loving a man outside of her culture. Impoverished people are still looked down upon as dirty in countries today; we still see elementary school shootings as the headline in the news. 

Every minute of the day, someone in the world is suffering. It could be someone with the same upbringing as you, the same views as you, or even the same dreams and aspirations as you. It could be someone who is just like one of your closest friends or family members. It could be someone with a talent that will change the world forever. 

Many people fail to realize that the people suffering in other cities, countries, or continents are just like them. Very quickly, those people are forgotten, because of their cultural identity or religious affiliations, simply because they are different from us– but they are people sharing the same resources as us and living on the same planet as us. They are our neighbors. 

In recent years, countries around the globe have strived for equality and have encouraged minorities, women, and LGBTs to hold power in workplaces. The United Nations has funded hundreds of causes, from world hunger to education, yet we still complain without actually trying to change the world. 

Why is it that we blame the United Nations, our president, our governor, our parents or our teachers for the injustice and suffering in the world? We should all contribute to world peace instead of putting the blame on someone else. The only way we can see progress in the future is if we take the initiative. 

Be kind to everyone. If each of us view the world as one family instead of with distinct cultural borders, we will see this diverse cultural melting pot attain the harmony we all hope to see. 

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