In 1995 the 28th session of UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed November 16 to be the International Day for Tolerance and adopted the Declaration on the Principles of Tolerance. Since then this day has been annually marked in all the member countries.
The ideas of tolerance and shaping of tolerant relations have been acquiring increasing recognition in the modern world. With each passing year a growing number of countries actively implement them in their family, educational, and public policies. They view this work as one of the most important components of well-developed civic society, as an efficient means of using humanist values to achieve mutual understanding between the citizens of their states, trust among nations, and peace on the Earth.
Each of us knows well how happy a person’s life is when they are satisfied and loved by relatives and close people, and when friends, colleagues, and acquaintances respect them and surround them with care and kindness. Conversely, nothing could be worse when the surrounding people pay no attention, respect, but instead humiliate or even offend and hate them. Then even tears are not always helpful, and a person experiences many sufferings. In both cases we deal with the phenomenon called tolerance. This concept implies the notions of generosity, restraint, toleration, good will, politeness, justice, mutual respect, compassion, readiness for reconciliation, and the like.
So it is not accidental that in the civilized world the International Day for Tolerance ranks among remarkable events in the public life of a state. It is regarded as one of the most important humanitarian events that stimulate the much-needed collective self-analysis. The International Day for Tolerance makes us think about the current relevance of this principle, which we view as the most secure basis for our rights, freedoms, diversity, and further development.
Tolerance is not only a moral duty, but also a legal political demand. In Ukraine, as a multinational state with a variety of cultures and religions, tolerance to the perception of things that are different is the main factor of harmony in diversity, internal stability, and peaceful development. Analysis of many events taking place in our country shows that we need to use all possible means to develop social and state-run institutions and establishments to secure principles of tolerance. In order to implement this, it is very important that this year’s International Day for Tolerance was marked on a proper organizational level. In this connection I am asking the following questions:
To President Viktor Yushchenko: “What measures has the head of the Ukrainian state taken and is taking to mark the International Day for Tolerance on a national level?”
To Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko: “Is it true that you have scheduled a meeting of Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the International Day for Tolerance to take place on November 16?”
To VR Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn: “Could you do a useful thing, too, by printing the text of Declaration of the Principles of Tolerance and handing the copies out to every MP for popularization of its content among the citizens?”
To the heads of leading Ukrainian TV channels (UT-1, Inter, 1+1, New Channel, ICTV, TRK Ukraina, STB, TET, and Channel 5): “Isn’t it the time to show corporative solidarity by organizing on November 16 an All-Ukrainian TV telethon under the title ‘Bring Tolerance into the Ukrainian Environment?’”
To all the presidential candidates in Ukraine registered by the Central Election Commission: “On the International Day for Tolerance, are you ready to publicly sign a Special Memorandum whereby you will assume a responsibility to always act on the basis of recognition of universal rights and freedoms stipulated by the UN-approved Declaration of Tolerance Principles during the presidential election campaign and thereafter?”
I hope to receive a positive reaction from you, dear ladies and gentlemen, because tolerance should be a manifestation of concern and interest rather than indifference. Above all, it is caused by the importance to keep to the ethics of responsibility for the situation in our society. There is no need to prove that at the current stage of its development, education on the ideas of tolerance and counteraction against mass manifestations of brutal intolerance has become especially topical.
No contemporary society can experience sustainable development in conditions of intolerant attitude to man and all living beings. Therefore, I call upon the Ukrainian government to do everything possible to make the coming International Day for Tolerance one more step to promote the activities that require general participation. Healthy society should orient people toward mutual respect.
