We asked the following questions to young people and adults in different countries:
- How can we ensure that common universal human values continue to thrive?
- What actions can we take to foster a peaceful coexistence?
- Could you share with us a dream that fills you with excitement?
Amna (Finland)
Interview: Aylin Arda
Hi, I am Amna. I am Pakistani and Finnish. I have lived in Finland for about four and a half years. Today I am going to share my personal views and thoughts about promoting shared human values.
How can we ensure that common universal human values continue to thrive?
I think we can do this by re-educating the people about human rights is an effective way for promoting human values. As we know our school and society have become so modern nowadays. But there is still a lot less discussion about human values and rights, for example in school. They teach students that there are people that are fighting for their rights. Not many people have an interest in it, because they don’t know the history of these fights that people are fighting for and don’t know why this all started. If we try to spread more awareness and do activities that are fun, and are the sources of information about human values. Maybe we’ll see some progress in it.
What actions can we take to foster a peaceful coexistence?
By maintaining peace, and by forgiving the people… Because everyone living on this planet earth has been faced with some shared crisis like Covid-19 so it’s really important for us to maintain a brotherhood and try to fight against them together.
Could you share with us a dream that fills you with excitement?
In my view if people start to understand that everyone on this earth is equal. They also deserve the same rights and values. Also that we are all human; maybe then we’ll get to a solution to these crises that have been happening lately.
(January 20, 2023)
Martina Rajimovic (Germany)
Interview: Rana Özçelik
How can we ensure that common universal human values continue to thrive?
To keep human values alive, we should not allow any race, belief, skin color, or culture to dominate. It is important to accept and respect every individual, regardless of their nationality. This understanding should be taught to every child from an early age.
What actions can we take to foster a peaceful coexistence?
We cannot ensure peace in every country, but we can strive to avoid war and find more reasonable solutions. We need to think about what would be beneficial for every human being. It is our duty to be more understanding, help those in need, and, above all, accept everyone in their own position.
Could you share with us a dream that fills you with excitement?
I wish that from a young age, every child would be taught in schools that all people are equally valuable…
(January 20, 2023)
Meliha (Germany)
Interview: Hafsa Yıldız
How can we ensure that common universal human values continue to thrive?
We can keep them alive by constantly reminding ourselves and those around us and by determining our priorities accordingly.
What actions can we take to foster a peaceful coexistence?
Although the idea of humanity living in peace seems a bit utopian to me, I believe we can make people understand that just as their own lives are important, the lives of the people they live with are also valuable. By sharing our emotions and thoughts within the framework of respect, we can contribute to this idea.
Could you share with us a dream that fills you with excitement?
Actually, I have several dreams that I would describe as exciting, but right now, the first thing that comes to mind is meeting my long-lost friend after a long time and having a conversation over a warm cup of coffee and chocolate cookies, reminiscing about the years we left behind…
(January 20, 2023)
Kinga S. (Germany)
Interview: Rana Özçelik
Hi, my name is Kinga S., I am 43 years old, Hungarian, grew up in Romania. I’ve studied Management and Marketing and now I am reorienting myself by learning and working in healthcare.
How can we ensure that common universal human values continue to thrive?
A big task! What are shared human values? Love, truth, peace, loyalty, honesty, acceptance, compassion, just to name some, but there are many more. Very nice to talk about them but it can be a challenge to live up to them!
To represent or to promote these values in the world, we have to be one with them, if not than we are just speaking theoretically. Which is nice but that’s just it.
We have to understand, believe, but most importantly we have to live according to these values.
Everything begins in our childhood, in our family! Every action that we take has to be according to these values, in order to share them with our children. Because they influence what they see, they copy our ways of being. If the children grow up in an environment soaked in these values than it will be in their nature to act accordingly and take them to a higher level. Their choices, their spirit of work will spread these energies in society, shaping our politics and governments. As a result these values will be promoted in our communities and in our world. It may sound idealistic but it is not impossible!
What actions can we take to foster a peaceful coexistence?
Peace on a global scale sounds almost impossible, unfortunately, but there are constant attempts and steps taken towards it. If we look at the past and after that to the present times, it does look a lot better, but still a long way ahead!
To bring peace to the world one has to have peace within! Very few have that. I think that the key lies in each of us! We should work for our inner peace to experience it in our personal world. To accept the moment and to be in peace with it is a real struggle for most people.
Being conscious and aware is the soil where peace can grow! If one has peace within this is the quality that will be spread outside! The more conscious people there are the more peace there will be in the world!
Could you share with us a dream that fills you with excitement?
My goal is to have inner peace and balance to resonate with the world but not to be entangled with it!
One thing that I do, is to make a list, for myself, about how I wish a person to be, whom I interact with, whatever the level of commitment it might be. I imagine all their qualities, actions, way of speaking, everything about them. Then, I try to live up to this list myself! I try to speak, act, be that person that I would like to be in an interaction with! Not always easy but always a beautiful challenge!
(February 7, 2023)