Diversity: Charting a course
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
These significant ideas, established in 1776 and incorporated into the American Declaration of Independence, emphasise the importance of equality. Moreover, they implicitly recognise the existence of different cultures, ethnicities, and religions. These profound words suggest that diversity is a foundational cornerstone upon which America has been built, embedding values necessary for the country to flourish and prosper.
Dr. Mahmoud Eboo, President of the Ismaili Council for USA, welcoming Ambassador Karen Hughes, Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, in the US Department of State, to the Summit at Southern Methodist University. Photo: Aftab Chagani
Keeping the Declaration in mind, Ambassador Karen Hughes, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the United States Department of State, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Congresswoman for the 30th District of Texas, and Dr. Mahmoud Eboo, President of the Ismaili Council for USA, addressed students, parents, and local elected officials at Southern Methodist University (SMU) on 20 August 2007.
The first annual Youth Summit and Diversity Dialogue, organised by the office of Congresswoman Johnson and the Ismaili Council for Northern Texas, is expected to initiate a series of interventions focusing on the vital importance of intercultural cooperation to foster a commitment to promoting peace on a global scale.
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson welcoming participants to the Youth Summit and Diversity Dialogue Photo: Aftab Chagani
During her opening address, Congresswoman Johnson urged the youth to consider the negative consequences of accentuating the differences between us, rather than the similarities that we share. She noted that “much of the uprising around the world has to do with not knowing each other, not accepting each other, not having as much tolerance as we need and not respecting differences.” She encouraged the youth to break away from such divisive patterns of behaviour, asking them to focus instead on the common ties that bind together all of humankind.
“The lessons that apply to international diplomacy,” advised Ambassador Hughes, “apply to getting along better with people right in your own classrooms, and that is to start with a spirit of respect, to be willing to listen and to establish a genuine two-way dialogue” She enumerated several ways in which her office is attempting to improve relationships with the rest of the world and many of them involved participation by youth, such as student exchange programmes. Others included local initiatives, such as charity events that might recruit youth from other faiths, encouraging "people to people connections."
In his closing remarks, President Eboo was optimistic, placing trust in the future, and advising parents of the students present: “Allow your children to explore the world. Let them learn different languages... Give your children the gift of travel, and give them the gift and the opportunity to engage with the world. And it is my hope that in so doing, this generation of leadership who will inherit the world will have the capability and the capacity to see beyond prejudices and to ensure that those principles of diversity endowed in the Declaration are upheld globally.”
Fourteen-year-old Ana Rais, a participant at the conference, was inspired by the speakers. After emerging from the group discussion session, Ana felt that she had a clearer understanding of what it meant to seek out common knowledge, which Congresswoman Johnson had described as “the responsibility of the world’s majority to educate themselves on the culture, tradition and beliefs of the significant minority." Ana recalls at that moment she felt empowered with the ability “to change the world.” The Summit made her realise that “any profession, even art, can make an impact on the rest of the world. That was something I had never thought of before" she explained.
In today’s world, with images of intolerance and misunderstanding littering the media, the SMU Summit was a call to the youth of Texas, and to the American public as a whole, to stand up against those who preach intolerance. It was a call to the leaders of tomorrow to uphold the values upon which America was built and the strength derived from greater understanding and cooperation.
All students signed the “Peace Promise,” a contract affirming they will continue to promote peace, unity and understanding in their lives, and to educate others to do the same. Three months after the Summit, the students received a follow-up contract assisting them to incorporate the ideas presented at the Summit into their daily lives. The feedback received is promising and demonstrates that the participants are working towards greater acceptance of each other.
Students expressing their hopes for a more open and accepting world. Photo: Aftab Chagani
