Blitz Bureau
A Peaceniks was organised at Peoples Convention Centre by Yuvsatta, under the initiative of Peace’s Forum for Rise of South Asia-PFFROSA.
Prominent amongthose who were present on the occasion included Reeta Kohli, Member Judge, National Company Law Tribunal-Mumbai, Anil Mudgal, Founder of ArushiBhopal, Senior Advocate Manjit Singh Khaira, SK Setia, Former DPI (Schools), S Rajinder Singh Rahi of Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan, writer Sukhdev Singh Sirsa, Mohd. Khalid, Senior journalist SP Singh and Hamir Singh, water expert Amandeep Singh, advocate Gurshamshir Singh Waraich and Pramod Sharma, founder, Yuvsatta.
Welcoming the participants, Avtar Singh Paul said once South Asia used to control one-fourth of the world trade and now one-fifth of the world’s poor live in this region for which along with “foreign forces our own policy makers are also responsible”. Learning from the European Union, extra efforts should be made for open trade and travel to flourish, he said.
Reeta Kohli said that people of this region never invaded territories of other nations. “It’s only in the recent past, we have seen hatred and warmongery taking roots,” she added.
Khaira was of the view that age-old common culture, soulful music and literature can bridge the gaps.
Waraich and Rahi narrated the wonderful reception they got in their recent visit to Pakistan. They favoured more people- to- people dialogues and interactions. Setia in his concluding remarks said that the common man should understand the nefarious designs of strong world powers, as their common interest was to “keep us divided and mint dollars and exploit our natural resources and minerals”
