No one is born hating others.
The reactions of the human heart are not mechanical and predictable but infinitely subtle and delicate.
I believe that we must maintain pride in the knowledge that the actions we take, based on our own decisions and choices as individuals, link directly to the magnificent challenge of transforming human history.
There are no greater treasures than the highest human qualities such as compassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart.
In the past, human society provided encouragement and opportunity for people to extend support to each other, especially in highly stressful situations.
A great revolution in just one single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind.
When one takes action for others, one's own suffering is transformed into the energy that can keep one moving forward; a light of hope illuminating a new tomorrow for oneself and others is kindled.
But I think we need to remember that democracy everywhere is by its nature incomplete, a work in progress.
It is only through such real-life daily struggles and challenges that a genuine sensitivity to human rights can be inculcated. This is a truth that is not limited to school education: it applies to all of us.
Dialogue and education for peace can help free our hearts from the impulse toward intolerance and the rejection of others.
No one can live entirely on their own, nor can any country or society exist in isolation.
Human rights will be a powerful force for the transformation of reality when they are not simply understood as externally defined norms of behavior but are lived as the spontaneous manifestation of internalized values.
So long as nuclear weapons continue to exist, so will the temptation to threaten others with overwhelming military force.
We must take steps to prevent further nuclear weapons development or modernization.
Poems and songs penned as an unstoppable outpouring of the heart take on a life of their own. They transcend the limits of nationality and time as they pass from person to person, from one heart to another.
With love and patience, nothing is impossible.
Men and women who know the brutal reality of war, who know that war strips people of their very humanity, must unite in a new global partnership for peace.
We are not merely passive pawns of historical forces; nor are we victims of the past. We can shape and direct history.
Faced with stress, too many people feel they have nowhere to turn to, that they don't have access to the kind of friendships or communities where they can easily and openly share their problems and worries.
