School Founder Andrew Kutt’s remarks on the occasion of the 2023 Oneness-Family School United Nations Day celebration.
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Welcome, one and all,
We gather here today in the spirit of unity and harmony, bound by a common purpose. This festival stands as a testament to one of the oldest traditions at our school.
In a world that is often divided and fractured, we find solace in traditions like the United Nations Day Festival. They serve as a gentle reminder of the common bonds that tie us together across national boundaries and the dreams we collectively aspire to as a human family.
At Oneness-Family School, our mission is to empower our young people with the mindsets and qualities of character they need to achieve their dreams and, simultaneously, change the world for the better. We firmly believe that it is through the pursuit of their dreams that they will, indeed, make the world a better place.
As L.R. Knost beautifully articulated, “It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world. It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”
And as we gather here, we are acutely aware that billions of people on our planet yearn for peace, just like us. Events like today rekindle our hope for the world and reaffirm our faith in ourselves. In the words of the spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy:
“There will come a time when this world of ours will be flooded with peace. Who will bring about this radical change? It will be you – you and your sisters and brothers. You and your oneness-heart will spread peace throughout the length and breadth of the world.”
Peace, to us, is not a mere cessation of war. It’s not an abstract concept but a tangible reality, a feeling in our hearts, a powerful force. Peace is our recognition of the humanness in each other. It’s how we treat one another on a day-to-day basis. Peace is built on the foundation of countless small acts of kindness and courage, which, in turn, inspire even more acts of kindness and courage. It’s forged through the transformation of our dreams into reality, even in the smallest of ways.
So, that’s why we’re here today:
To collectively build the world of our dreams – one act of kindness at a time.
To remember that we all share a single home, that we are all citizens of planet Earth.
To uplift one another, to heal one another.
To stand together as a family of nations for this day.
And most importantly, to celebrate and honor the innocence, joy, and light in the hearts of our children.
Thank you for joining us on this special occasion. Together, we can create a world where peace and unity prevail, one step at a time.
