[Reader-list] Draft Appeal Against War by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

[Sagnik Chakravartty]

To All UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors
 
Dear Colleague, 
 
I am worried, as you must be, by the deepening clouds
of war hovering over South Asia. There is very little
that the International community can do to stop this
insanity of nuclear confrontation which would destroy
life and property on an unimaginable scale, except to
make appeals such as the following which I have
drafted for your kind approval. 

"We, the undersigned Goodwill Ambassadors of UNESCO
are deeply concerned about the dangerous escalating
tension between India and Pakistan as the outbreak of
war between the two countries shall inevitably end up
in nuclear confrontation, now that both India and
Pakistan are armed with weapons of mass destruction.
The horrible death and destruction caused by nuclear
war and its disastrous consequences would further
aggravate the suffering of the deprived masses in
South Asia". 

"At this critical crossroads of history, we earnestly
call upon the governments of India and Pakistan to
heed the advice of International community and the
anti-terrorist sentiments of their own people who are 
largely against this fratricidal war. It is only by
resolving their disputes in the spirit of the
sub-continent=B9s great common culture of non-violence

and tolerance that their leaders could guide their
poverty-stricken people towards peace and prosperity
and save the world from its annihilating
repercussions". 
 
Kindly do convey your consent at the address below as
the matter is most urgent. This will enable me to
internationally publicize this appeal in the
media. 
 
May I also take this opportunity to inform you that in
order to step up the campaign against the sentiment of
war, the biannual "UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh 
Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence"
has now been raised to hundred thousand dollars from
the previous amount of forty thousand dollars. The
award was established to mark the 125th anniversary of
the birth of Mahatma Gandhi by the UNESCO Executive
Board at its 146th session at Paris and Fez on 16
May=8B4 June 1995. Among the laureates, the 1998 Prize

was jointly won by Indian and Pakistani anti-nuclear
activists =8B Mr. Narayan Desai and his Shanti Sena
(Peace Brigade) for promoting education and youth 
training camps and Ms. Shahtaj Kizilbash, representing
thirty NGOs in Pakistan that are working against all
odds for women=B9s rights and religious
tolerance. 
 
 
Madanjeet Singh 
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador 
Founder, South Asia Foundation 
 
 

 



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