Let’s March! - Part 2

3.4 Let’s March!

Part 2

We can do it ... You may ask that - what can one person do? I would recall a story of my childhood: A heavy fire had broken out in the forest. All the animals were running away, including lion, the king of the forest. Suddenly, then he saw a tiny bird rushing towards the fire. He asked the bird, “What are you doing?” To the lion’s surprise, the bird replied “I am going to extinguish the fire.” The lion laughed and said, “How can you do it keeping just one drop of water, in your beak?” The bird was adamant, and she said, “I am doing my bit.” Eighteen years ago, millions of individuals marched across the globe. And demanded a new international law for the abolition of worst form of child labour, and it has happened, we did it, millions of individuals did it. Friends! We live in an age of rapid globalisation. We are connected through high-speed Internet. We exchange our goods and services in one single global market. Thousands of flights every day connect us from one corner to another corner of the globe. But there is one serious disconnect and there is a lack of compassion. Let us inculcate and transform these individuals’ compassion into a global compassion. Let us globalise compassion. Mahatma Gandhi said, “If we are to teach real peace in this world... we shall have to begin with the children.” I humbly add, let us unite the world through the compassion for our children. I ask - Whose children are they who stitch footballs, yet never played with one? Whose children are they who harvest cocoa, yet have never tasted chocolate? Whose children are they who are dying of Ebola? Whose children are they who are kidnapped and held hostage? They are all our children. I remember an eight-year-old girl we rescued from intergenerational forced labour from stone quarries. When she was sitting in my car right after her rescue, she asked me: “Why did you not come earlier?” Her angry question still shakes me – and has the power to shake the whole world. Her question is for all of us. What are we doing? What are we waiting for? How many girls will we allow to go without rescue? Children are questioning our inaction and watching our actions. We need collective actions with a sense of urgency. Every single minute matters, every single child matters, every single childhood matters. Therefore, I challenge the passivity and pessimism surrounding our children. I challenge this culture of silence and this culture of passivity, this culture of neutrality. I call upon all the governments, intergovernmental agencies, businesses, faith leaders, workers, teachers and NGOs, and each one of us, to put an end to all forms of violence against children. Slavery, trafficking, child marriages, child labour, sexual abuse, and illiteracy these things have no place in any civilised society. Friends, we can do this. Governments must make child - friendly policies, and invest in education and young people. Businesses must be more responsible, accountable and open to innovative partnerships. Intergovernmental agencies must work together to accelerate action. Global civil society must rise above the business-as-usual and fragmented agendas. Faith leaders and institutions, and all of us must stand with our children. We must be bold, we must be ambitious, and we must have the will. We must keep our promises. Over fifty years ago, on the first day of my school, I met a cobbler boy, my age sitting outside the gate of my school. I asked my teachers: “Why is he working outside? Why is he not with us in the school?” My teachers had no answer. One day, I gathered the courage to ask the boys’ father. He said: “Sir, I have never thought about it. We are born to work.” His answer made me angry. It still makes me angry. As a child, I had a vision of tomorrow. A vision of that cobbler boy sitting with me in my classroom. Now, that tomorrow has become TODAY. I am TODAY, and you are TODAY. TODAY it is time for every child to have a right to life, right to freedom, right to health, right to education, right to safety, right to dignity, right to equality, and right to peace. TODAY, beyond the darkness, I see the smiling faces of our children in the blinking stars. TODAY, in every wave of every ocean, I see my children are playing and dancing. TODAY, in every plant, in every tree, and mountain, I see our children growing freely with dignity. Friends, I want you to see and feel this TODAY inside you. My dear sisters and brothers, as I said many interesting things are happening today. May I please request you to put your hand close to your heart - close your eyes and feel the child inside you? I am sure you can - Now, listen to that child. Listen please. Today, I see thousands of Mahatma Gandhis, Nelson Mandelas and Martin Luther Kings calling on us. Let us democratise knowledge. Let us universalise justice. Together, let us globalise compassion! I call upon you in this room, and all across the world. I call for a march from exploitation to education, I call for a march from poverty to shared prosperity, a march from slavery to liberty, and a march from violence to peace. Let us march from ignorance to awakening. Let us march from darkness to light. Let us march from mortality to divinity. Let us march!

- (Nobel Acceptance Speech by Kailash Satyarthi)

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