Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
[File Photo]
The Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection is calling for greater social cohesion as Fiji marks the International Day of Peace.
Speaking on the theme, “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” the Minister says peace is more than the absence of conflict. She says it must be reflected in how people treat one another and in creating communities where everyone feels safe, respected and included.
The Minister says Fiji’s diversity remains one of its greatest strengths, but the country must also acknowledge the wounds of its past.
She says displacement, the legacies of indenture and blackbirding, land loss and political upheavals have left pain and mistrust that can pass between generations.
The Minister says truth-telling, healing and reconciliation are therefore critical to building a more peaceful Fiji.
She is also urging faith communities, parents and elders to promote compassion and respect while rejecting prejudice and exclusion.
The Ministry is working with partners through initiatives such as the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index Assessment to better understand what strengthens or weakens social cohesion.
The Minister says peace must ultimately be lived through empathy, rejecting discrimination and misinformation, protecting vulnerable people and choosing dialogue over division.
