ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT, DR. A.P.J.
ABDUL KALAM AT THE INDRA GANDHI PRIZE FOR
PEACE, DISARMAMENT AND DEVELOPMENT 2002
I am delighted to
confer the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development
to Sir Shridath Ramphal, the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth.
We all know that Sir Ramphal has served with great distinction
on numerous international commissions that addressed global issues.
His role as an ardent internationalist striving for increased
global cooperation and improved global governance is well known
and the award of this prize is a fitting recognition of his invaluable
contribution towards developing world.
Sir Ramphal has
strongly advocated the need to view the planet as our country
and to see ourselves as planetary citizens. He alerted us that
the right type of importance is to be given for the development
of nations taking into account, livable environmental needs. The
importance of interdependence and the need of a global ethic to
guide our actions received the desired impetus from Sir Ramphal
in the Commission on Global Governance which spoke of "Our
Global Neighbourhood."
The issue of survival
has acquired a special focus, since the sustenance of human life
has been endangered on the planet because of the pattern of human
actions which has been triggering environmental degradation. We
have all become vulnerable and there is a need for every one of
us both in the developed and developing world to protect the world’s
ecological capital to ensure a safe and prosperous future for
the humanity at large. Our former Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi
also articulated the cause of a world order in which the principle
of environmental security extended to global economic relations.
Sir Ramphal’s
thoughts on removal of disparities among and within nations, economic
progress in harmony with the laws of nature, interdependence of
nations for growth and eradication of poverty also constantly
guided the vision of Smt. Indira Gandhi. Indeed we have to act
in a concerted manner towards creating a new, just and more equitable
international order. We cannot deny that globalization as a phenomenon
has come to stay. With the dawn of this millennium, the pace of
transformation of the world into a global village has accelerated.
Globalization is inevitable and unavoidable and the need of the
hour is for humanity to collectively make endeavours to transform
the process of globalization into a positive phenomenon.
We believe, there
is a distinct gap between the developing countries in hundreds
and developed countries in few. How India can contribute in bridging
this gap and in achieving prosperous, peaceful and safe nations?
It has to be through a simultaneous launch of a mission by every
nation to work for achieving education with value system, religion
transforming into spiritual force to bring universal brotherhood
and economic development with due care with ecology to eradicate
poverty.
From our ancient
times we have celebrated the cause of peace. It is only in conditions
of peace and security that people and countries can effectively
pursue development. Violent conflicts are an enemy of development.
We too as a nation firmly believe that for a better tomorrow,
interaction amongst nations must be based on co-existence not
conflict, cooperation not confrontation and concord not coercion.
We, the people of India strongly believe in the synergy of peace
and development and our aim is to transform India into a developed
nation by 2020.
We are indeed
happy that Sir Ramphal has been chosen by the jury for the prestigious
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development. I
congratulate Sir Ramphal and wish him all success.
