International Day of Peace   |21 September 2023

LDS calls for collective responsibility in fostering peace

“As we mark the International Peace Day, Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) joins the rest of the world in calling for a collective responsibility in fostering peace.

“LDS recognises that to achieve peace we need to change attitudes at a personal level before we can expect institutions both state and non-state actors to create and sustain a peaceful society.

“Mother Teresa reminded us that ‘peace begins with a smile’.

“What she meant was that once we smile at someone, the person will smile back at us. In that instance, there are no moments of hatred or negative feeling towards each other. ‘That’s how the journey towards peace begins,’ she said.

“Since coming to power in October 2020, LDS continues to talk about personal empowerment of every Seychellois.

“As the most important living thing in the world, each of us as individual human being we have the responsibility in building a culture of peace.

“A Chinese proverb reminds us that if there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

“LDS is saying to every Seychellois that peace begins with us as individuals.

“As individuals we have the power to make a difference for ourselves, our families, communities, country, and the rest of the world.

“We can all make a difference. It starts by accepting the responsibility to take actions that will culminate a culture of peace.

“We must also remember that peace is a process that involves individual and communal

participation. It will not happen overnight, but we must start somewhere.

“That beginning is with each and every one of us.”

Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS)