Restoring Human Connection: First Step to Global Peace: Chinmaya Gha

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) India, which had played a pivotal role in the nuclear disarmament campaign, should spearhead the movement which has faded away from people's minds, President, IGNCA Trust and India's Special Envoy for West Asia and the Middle East Peace Process Chinmaya R Gharekhan said today.

Speaking at the seminar on Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Dr Daisaku Ikeda's 2007 Peace Proposal titled, 'Restoring the Human Connection: The First Step to Global Peace', Mr Gharekhan said, ''We must revive the movement that describes nuclear weapons as crimes against humanity. We must avoid the logic of deterrence.'' He said the country's credibility for initiating such a campaign would now be particularly high as it itself had become a nuclear weapon power.

''If we were to initiate a campaign globally, and say yes, we are ready for disarmament, provided others do so. Then the world will listen,''he said, referring to President Dr Daisaku Ikeda's 2007 Peace Proposal to the United Nations.

The seminar was held under the aegis of the Daisaku Ikeda Corner on the Culture of Peace, Kalanidhi Reference Library, IGNCA where Mr Gharekhan delivered the keynote address. Other speakers were Mr Osama Musa, Ambassador of the State of Palestine; Dr Vibha Parthasarathi, former Chairperson, National Commission for Women; and Dr K K Chakravarty, Member Secretary, IGNCA.

UNI