WBU-AP (under 25 years old) Fine Work "My Concept of World Peace from the Perspective of a Person with Visual Impairment" Wong Chi Wai (20, male, Hong Kong China) |
You and I -- we are human beings -- and we form the majority in the entire world. We are composed of many different races with a rich variety of experiences behind us. In fact, how the world is constructed and how it is shaped greatly depends on the manner in which we act and interact with one another. Thus, in order to bring about world peace, everyone must put in some effort. Each one of us is a part of the world which means that every one of us should shoulder part of the burden in paving the way for world peace and for positive development. Different people have different interpretations of world peace because of our varied backgrounds in terms of knowledge and experiences that we may have acquired. Some people think that the way to bring about world peace is to oppose terrorism. Others think that world peace can be achieved by opposing any kind of violent behaviour against all other life forms, especially the life of animals. Some people prefer to promote actions that would lead to the building up of a loving and harmonious environment for living. I believe that peace cannot be achieved at this present moment; nevertheless, we human beings should work hard towards achieving this goal in the long run. For me, in particular, as a visually impaired member of society, world peace is something truly meaningful. In fact, I am of the view that the three major themes for world peace are as follows -- the satisfaction of basic needs, equal opportunities for all, and mutual love and respect for one another. Fulfilling our basic needs means making food available to all human beings and this food should be nutritious for growth, particularly for the children. There should also be enough water for everyone and we should all have shelter and adequate protection. In spite of the fact that so many people are involved in providing such security for the world, there are still a lot of people who are suffering from hunger, malnutrition and homelessness. For these people, such basic needs are actually a luxury. If this fundamental but important task is not accomplished, the consequence will be long-term physical and psychological damage which will have a serious developmental impact upon the countries concerned. If we can succeed in satisfying the basic needs of human beings all over the globe, then everyone will have more time and more energy to devote to the development of the community and society. We will then be able to give more attention to education and to place more emphasis on moral values and peer group involvement and participation. With the creation of such conditions, the proper environment will be established to help bring about the realisation of the other two themes ? equal opportunities and the feeling of love amongst all the peoples of the world. The concept of equal opportunities is especially relevant to persons with disabilities. Each and everyone of us, whether we are disabled or not, is a unique being with our own talents and potential abilities. Nonetheless, equal opportunities must be available to everyone so that each one of us can develop and use our own talents and abilities to benefit society. In the present world, some people are being oppressed and so they are not able to make their contributions to society. This oppression could be in the form of discrimination, or injustice, or the denial of economic aid and facilities; very often such oppression and suppression occur as institutionalised practices in the existing system. Those who are oppressed have very little opportunity to participate in the affairs of society and they are unable to pursue proper occupations or earn adequate incomes. Consequently, they are very dependent on government welfare and on handouts from the general public. This is very damaging to their self-confidence and self-esteem. Nevertheless, simply getting rid of the adverse effects of inequality is not enough to ensure that everyone can enjoy equal opportunities. We need to promote healthy development for all people and we must create an environment in which everyone can utilise their potential and talents to fulfil their needs. We should be able to interact with one another with trust and confidence and convey the sense that we are contributing to one another's well-being. Only by doing this can we bring about the sense of belonging and the development of positive attitudes among the people. I also believe that every human being has the right to receive love and to be respected. Unfortunately, in the current situation, there are people who are not able to enjoy love and respect. On the personal level, for example, some children are being abused by their parents or guardians. On the political level, some regions of the world are being invaded by armies from outside and they are helpless to protect themselves. We need to create an environment and society in which positive experiences can be put into practice so that love and respect can be learnt by emulating good examples. We should construct a positive environment in which everyone will have the chance to be loved and respected. We must create a loving community in which people will have a caring attitude when dealing with one another. Thus, society will be built on a caring and loving relationship among all the people. In conclusion, it is a dream of mine to bring about a peaceful world. I would like to share my dream with everyone. If you believe in what I say, then let us join hands together and let us all work towards our ultimate shared goal! |
Back 5th Onkyo Braille Essay Contest -- Asia-Pacific Region 5th Onkyo Braille Essay Contest -- Other Region |
|