23.09.2014

International Centre of the Roerichs has proposed a peacemaking initiative

Under the patronage of UNESCO and the Commission of the Russian Federation on UNESCO affairs and within the framework of the International Day of Peace celebrations the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich organized a round table. Its participants adopted a resolution, which contains the address to the renowned international organizations (UN and UNESCO), heads of states and governments and international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to do everything within their power in order to create understanding in the society of the role of Culture as the true foundation of Peace.

Today the problem of the preservation of sustainable peace on the planet and finding the ways of achieving it is one of the most pressing problems of a modern civilization. Statistics indicates that during the 14 years of the XXI century the number of wars and armed conflicts increased dramatically. According to the data collected by the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (Germany) the year 2012 alone witnessed 62 wars and armed conflicts. It is almost twice more than their number in the closing decade of the last century. In 2013-2014 the political and economic contradictions disrupted the peace in Ukraine and led its people to a civil war. Armed conflicts continue across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

In this context the participants of the Round Table wish to draw attention of the world community to Nicholas Roerich’s appeal “Peace through Culture” which is the basis and the goal of the Roerich Pact (1935) for the protection of the cultural, educational and scientific properties both in the time of peace and in the event of armed conflict.

Roerich’s appeal for peace through culture expresses the idea of utmost importance that peace can be achieved only through knowledge and education, high morality and beauty, mutual respect and tolerance, goodwill and dialogue. Since time immemorial and until now it has been Culture, this torch-bearer of enlightenment, cordiality and mutual understanding, has been preserving peace in society and has been a foundation of the peaceful cooperation between nations. As Nicholas Roerich said, “Where there is true Culture, there is great Peace.”

Enmity, which time and again drives people to armed conflicts, originates in people’s minds. And only Culture can soften people’s hearts and bring into them peace and cordiality.

The role of Culture in achieving sustainable peace and sustained development has not been fully realized yet.

Therefore, the participants of the Round Table “Nicholas Roerich’s Appeal “Peace through Culture” as a Way to Abolish Wars and Establish Sustainable Peace” address the renowned international organizations like UN and UNESCO, the heads of states and governments, the international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to do everything within their power to establish in the society the understanding of the role of Culture as the true foundation of peace. Supporting Culture as the foundation of peace should become the priority of activities on all levels: the level of world community, state and non-governmental organizations.

The Statutes of UN and UNESCO, the UN Declaration of 1984 on the Right of Peoples to Peace, the Yamoussoukro Declaration, which gave rise to the concept of “the culture of peace,” all contain the basis of the priority support to Culture as the main foundation of Peace. The Roerich Pact, the ideas of which about the attainment of Peace through Culture find the ever increasing support of the people of many countries, to which the already achieved results of the international exhibition project of the International Centre of the Roerichs “The Roerich Pact. History and Modernity” organized in several countries of Europe, Latin America and Asia amply testify, also contains it.

The role of international non-governmental organizations in promoting the idea of preservation of peace through culture has been increasing. State’s understanding of the role of non-governmental organizations and the readiness of State authorities of all levels to have a full-fledged partnership with them is an extremely important factor in the genuine process of making peace through Culture.

In the context of the above, the participants of the Round Table express their support to the initiative of the International Centre of the Roerichs to launch a new international exhibition project “Peace through Culture” in 2015, the year of the 80th anniversary of the Roerich Pact, and request UN, UNESCO, the President and the Government of the Russian Federation as well as all international organizations to support this peacemaking initiative of the International Centre of the Roerichs and extend their help in its realization.