Aisa Ovshiyeva Declaration Of Independence
THE WINNING ESSAY
IDEA is happy to announce Aisa Ovshiyeva from Russia the winner of the IDEA Declaration of Interdependence essay contest. Honorable mention also goes to Syed Hashim Zaidi, the first runner up from Pakistan and Feshko
Yliana the second runner up from Ukraine who will receive IDEA publications. Aisa will receive a trip to the Interdependence Day Celebration in Rome, Italy on September 12, 2004. Idebate Magazine would like to congratulate Aisa and we invite our readers to read her essay which is printed here in full.
By Aisa Ovshiyeva, Russia
The world is rapidly and inevitably moving towards unity. I believe that in the near future all our differences will begin to fade away: racial, religious, national. Everything …show more content…
that used to be a source of deep bloody conflicts will quite soon become
insignificant.
We, the people of a new millennium, have more similarities than differences, though we do speak different languages, celebrate different holidays and worship different gods.
Our historical experience has taught us a lot. It has taught us the importance of such fundamental values as tolerance, understanding and mutual respect. The most atrocious example of human intolerance, and man-hating ideology was the Second
World War in which the whole world, and my country in particular, lost an appalling number of human lives. We had to pay an enormous price, and endure unbelievable sufferings, catastrophes and hardships in order to recognize finally that today humanity has no alternative but international cooperation and mutual understanding. The Declaration of Interdependence is a great conclusion to reach after having gone through all the shocks of the 20th century, and having learned all the harsh lessons of the world’s history.
With a new era upon us we have had to review some of our old values and make way for a new one, interdependence. The
Declaration begins with the remarkable words “WE THE
PEOPLES…” So, most importantly, it shows us a new
way of thinking, a global thinking. I firmly believe that all political and economic reforms must be supported with changes in people’s minds; otherwise they can be extremely painful and absolutely abortive. Only if we realize that we are not just citizens of our countries but also citizens and patriots of the whole world will we be able to build a new world which is
“civic, civil and civilized”.
16| International Debate Education Association
Our survival depends on our awareness of the fact that the world today is a highly interdependent place, that all our problems are interconnected and that, as Adlai Stevenson said,
“on this shrunken globe, men can no longer live as strangers.” Our survival depends on each person’s sense of responsibility, and our powerful refusal to remain indifferent, passive spectators. I remember the great words of
Franklin Roosevelt who said, “When peace has been broken anywhere, the peace of all countries everywhere is in danger.” In this new reality, thinking that AIDS is an African problem solely or that white people need not bother about racism, that it’s only ethnic minorities’ concern, is totally shallow-minded. It is people’s ignorance that makes them feel this way.
I remember a discussion we had in Eng lish class on the world’s current issues. We were asked to talk about which present-day problems we considered extremely vital and which not. It absolutely baffled me when one of my classmates declared that as all of her relatives were ethnic Russians, she didn’t care about immigration. People still close their eyes to the problems that do not directly affect them, treating them as farfetched and illusory. This head-in-the-sand attitude is extremely dangerous. The new world tendencies urge us to be active, open, and well-informed. Passivity, which inevita bly leads to isolationism, is a suicide.
Last year I was an exchange student in the
United States of America. It was an incomparable experience. I was born in the Soviet Union and I still held some silly stereotypes about
American life and people. Now that I experienced life “over there” and partially absorbed it
-- I am a much happier person, as I freed my mind from all the misconceptions and prejudices. I saw how much I had in common with
American kids. We like the same music, watch the same movies and read the same books.
Although life is easier in the US, we still share the same problems, but to a different extent: poverty, unemployment, terrorism.
The world is being greatly transformed by the forces of globalization and the growing interdependence of the world’s peoples. We have to give up the policy of narrow-minded nationalism in favor of such universal values as equality, solidarity, tolerance and our common duty.
The global problems we are facing at this stage
challenge us to work together. No matter how strong a country is, there are problems such as terrorism that it cannot solve on its own. September 11 showed that. Everything that used to seem strong, solid and stable in reality turned out to be shaky and fragile. On that fateful day people all over the world were mourning.
I remember that expression of deep shock on my dad’s face when he told me about what had happened. Although America is an ocean away
from Russia, it felt like such a close place. We the people of the world felt our dependence upon each other, our vulnerability and powerlessness if we’re alone.
There is a huge network of terrorist organizations around the world. Consequently, in order to resist this worldwide disaster we have to join our efforts and stay united; otherwise we’ll be taken over. However, we have to look into the core of the problem. What gives birth to terrorism? Hatred born by severe poverty, for one thing. We have to admit that the world we’re living in is still unjust and unsafe for lots of people.
That’s why interdependence also stands for the fair distribution of natural resources and for equality in a global sense, so that people all over the world can have equal opportunities to realize their potential, so that we can live in a world that is pluralistic and just. The Declaration of Interdependence is the first necessary step towards building that new world.
The simple truth is that we depend on each other. The situation when people in the western world are living quite a sufficient life but those in Africa dying of hunger is not okay. The most obvious message is that we need to cooperate.
The Declaration of Interdependence is, obviously, not a law.
It is not supported by force. It’s more like a message, a vital response to the world’s challenges. It’s a powerful call for all of us to be compassionate, thoughtful, and open-hearted.
The Declaration of Interdependence carries a significant moral meaning. I believe that with the help of this document we will make the world stronger, fairer and safer, as our strength is in the unity of the human family, in recognizing our common destiny, and fulfilling our mutual responsibilities. International Debate Education Association |17
IDEA is happy to announce Aisa Ovshiyeva from Russia the winner of the IDEA Declaration of Interdependence essay contest. Honorable mention also goes to Syed Hashim Zaidi, the first runner up from Pakistan and Feshko
Yliana the second runner up from Ukraine who will receive IDEA publications. Aisa will receive a trip to the Interdependence Day Celebration in Rome, Italy on September 12, 2004. Idebate Magazine would like to congratulate Aisa and we invite our readers to read her essay which is printed here in full.
By Aisa Ovshiyeva, Russia
The world is rapidly and inevitably moving towards unity. I believe that in the near future all our differences will begin to fade away: racial, religious, national. Everything …show more content…
that used to be a source of deep bloody conflicts will quite soon become
insignificant.
We, the people of a new millennium, have more similarities than differences, though we do speak different languages, celebrate different holidays and worship different gods.
Our historical experience has taught us a lot. It has taught us the importance of such fundamental values as tolerance, understanding and mutual respect. The most atrocious example of human intolerance, and man-hating ideology was the Second
World War in which the whole world, and my country in particular, lost an appalling number of human lives. We had to pay an enormous price, and endure unbelievable sufferings, catastrophes and hardships in order to recognize finally that today humanity has no alternative but international cooperation and mutual understanding. The Declaration of Interdependence is a great conclusion to reach after having gone through all the shocks of the 20th century, and having learned all the harsh lessons of the world’s history.
With a new era upon us we have had to review some of our old values and make way for a new one, interdependence. The
Declaration begins with the remarkable words “WE THE
PEOPLES…” So, most importantly, it shows us a new
way of thinking, a global thinking. I firmly believe that all political and economic reforms must be supported with changes in people’s minds; otherwise they can be extremely painful and absolutely abortive. Only if we realize that we are not just citizens of our countries but also citizens and patriots of the whole world will we be able to build a new world which is
“civic, civil and civilized”.
16| International Debate Education Association
Our survival depends on our awareness of the fact that the world today is a highly interdependent place, that all our problems are interconnected and that, as Adlai Stevenson said,
“on this shrunken globe, men can no longer live as strangers.” Our survival depends on each person’s sense of responsibility, and our powerful refusal to remain indifferent, passive spectators. I remember the great words of
Franklin Roosevelt who said, “When peace has been broken anywhere, the peace of all countries everywhere is in danger.” In this new reality, thinking that AIDS is an African problem solely or that white people need not bother about racism, that it’s only ethnic minorities’ concern, is totally shallow-minded. It is people’s ignorance that makes them feel this way.
I remember a discussion we had in Eng lish class on the world’s current issues. We were asked to talk about which present-day problems we considered extremely vital and which not. It absolutely baffled me when one of my classmates declared that as all of her relatives were ethnic Russians, she didn’t care about immigration. People still close their eyes to the problems that do not directly affect them, treating them as farfetched and illusory. This head-in-the-sand attitude is extremely dangerous. The new world tendencies urge us to be active, open, and well-informed. Passivity, which inevita bly leads to isolationism, is a suicide.
Last year I was an exchange student in the
United States of America. It was an incomparable experience. I was born in the Soviet Union and I still held some silly stereotypes about
American life and people. Now that I experienced life “over there” and partially absorbed it
-- I am a much happier person, as I freed my mind from all the misconceptions and prejudices. I saw how much I had in common with
American kids. We like the same music, watch the same movies and read the same books.
Although life is easier in the US, we still share the same problems, but to a different extent: poverty, unemployment, terrorism.
The world is being greatly transformed by the forces of globalization and the growing interdependence of the world’s peoples. We have to give up the policy of narrow-minded nationalism in favor of such universal values as equality, solidarity, tolerance and our common duty.
The global problems we are facing at this stage
challenge us to work together. No matter how strong a country is, there are problems such as terrorism that it cannot solve on its own. September 11 showed that. Everything that used to seem strong, solid and stable in reality turned out to be shaky and fragile. On that fateful day people all over the world were mourning.
I remember that expression of deep shock on my dad’s face when he told me about what had happened. Although America is an ocean away
from Russia, it felt like such a close place. We the people of the world felt our dependence upon each other, our vulnerability and powerlessness if we’re alone.
There is a huge network of terrorist organizations around the world. Consequently, in order to resist this worldwide disaster we have to join our efforts and stay united; otherwise we’ll be taken over. However, we have to look into the core of the problem. What gives birth to terrorism? Hatred born by severe poverty, for one thing. We have to admit that the world we’re living in is still unjust and unsafe for lots of people.
That’s why interdependence also stands for the fair distribution of natural resources and for equality in a global sense, so that people all over the world can have equal opportunities to realize their potential, so that we can live in a world that is pluralistic and just. The Declaration of Interdependence is the first necessary step towards building that new world.
The simple truth is that we depend on each other. The situation when people in the western world are living quite a sufficient life but those in Africa dying of hunger is not okay. The most obvious message is that we need to cooperate.
The Declaration of Interdependence is, obviously, not a law.
It is not supported by force. It’s more like a message, a vital response to the world’s challenges. It’s a powerful call for all of us to be compassionate, thoughtful, and open-hearted.
The Declaration of Interdependence carries a significant moral meaning. I believe that with the help of this document we will make the world stronger, fairer and safer, as our strength is in the unity of the human family, in recognizing our common destiny, and fulfilling our mutual responsibilities. International Debate Education Association |17