TV Channel

Respected Vishwa Gurujī, Mādheśvarānanda, and dear participants of this conference. First, please allow me to express my gratitude for convening this conference with such broad international participation. It is very timely indeed. It is my great honor to be here and to say a few words. I firmly believe that bringing together this audience to discuss world peace in close connection with nonviolence and the importance of fundamental interrelations is a step in the right direction. Regardless of the role each of us plays in our respective societies, one thing is certain: we live in a world that is increasingly turbulent, uncertain, novel, and ambiguous—much more so than ever before. Linear answers can no longer address the challenges we face daily. Our goals can only be met if we create resilient societies with the ability to adapt, while focusing on a shared vision of peace and well-being for all. A world without peace will not survive. A world without distributing wealth will not survive. A world without taking care of our beautiful planet will not survive. How can we achieve all these goals? We are responsible for creating resilient and responsible societies. Each individual, each of us, has to contribute and become a responsible and active citizen of this world. Is this a dream? No, it is not—if we all contribute our share. I would like to share what my country, Slovenia, is trying to do to contribute to this pathway toward common goals. We have decided to initiate a process of designing a new vision for our country together with all our citizens. Over recent months, we have worked tirelessly with hundreds of Slovenians to define a whole-of-society vision. This vision now guides and sets our strategic development priorities, which will lead us toward designing our development strategy. Moreover, and this is what is truly important, Slovenia wants to be a responsible global citizen. While we are setting our own path toward well-being, we are also aware of our shared responsibility for global peace and prosperity. This is why our development strategy will address our commitment to implementing the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. In fact, Slovenia is a pioneering country in the sense that it officially recognizes Sustainable Development Goals as an integrated part of our development plans. This corresponds to the responsibility placed on each country to contribute towards implementing the SDGs. At the regional and global level, we will continue to strive for and contribute to poverty eradication, gender equality, human rights, and environmental protection. This is what we will do, and what each country should do to contribute to peace. Peace is never achieved without good intentions and cooperation with others. Even more importantly, it requires coherence or balance with one’s self. And what is the best way to achieve that inner balance? I think we all know the answer: yoga is the answer. I would like to conclude with just a few words, already stated here: world peace is in our hands. Thank you.