Ladnun Declaration

Preamble

We the citizens of the world hailing from different countries who have assembled here in the idyllic surroundings of the Jain University campus to participate in this historic conference recognise that we have a common overriding goal of attaining peace through non-violent action and realise that an action is fearful without direction and that once a direction is determined it is possible to make assertive and courageous endeavours towards accomplishing our cherished aspirations. We also believe that the lofty goal of eradicating all forms of violence that threaten the existence of mankind today cannot be realised unless a global campaign exhorting people to give their mite to the noble cause of peace by doing some actions is launched at individual, social, national and international levels. Guided by the spirit embodied in the above lines, we make the following recommendations and declare that their adoption by the institution and individuals of the world will pave the way for the advent of a peaceful and non-violent world.

1) Welcome PEACE in the midst of peace gatherings.

2) Use Peace Tableaux at such gatherings, to clarify conception of peace.

3) Organise workshops, evaluations and follow-ups.

4) Set up NG0s for peace reinforcing existing organisations.

5) Establish centres for the training of Peace Brigades of Non-violence.

6) Promote criss-cross networkings among peace organisations as well as amongst such institutions.

7) Promote interchange of peace activists and organisations at personal level.

8) Mobilise public opinion in favour of disarmament.

9)Establish centres for dissenunation of international information regarding peace and non-violent actions.

10) Stress unity and rights of all beings and prepare a set of principles leading to the framing of laws, even at the level of animal-citizenship-rights, to bring about equality among all beings in a non-violent world.

11) Stop acts of cruelty towards animals at all organisational levels and promote the cause of peace in public minds and especially children.

12) Hold future conferences in areas of the world where there are problems activating potential violence.

1) Encourage studies, meditational training and research on international cooperation for peace and non-violent action.

2) Follow up peace research histories and individual network of happenings to co-ordinate analysis and peace strategies.

3) Encourage peace education through poetry, fine-arts, music, dance/drama and cultural exchanges.

4) Include a study of Human Rights Declaration and work towards its implementation.

5) Promote through the medium of the press the peace oriented programmes and notices.

6) Include a study of the Declaration of Children's Rights and work towards its implementation.

7) Take up a case study of the Nuremburg Principles against war and try to improve upon them in accordance with world peace principles by cross references to the international laws of warfare.

8) Undertake the study of the constitutions of various countries in order to realise how they undertake to follow fundamental rights, human rights and in what respect.

9) Impart training in non-violence at family level.

10) Learn and teach how to communicate well with others successfully.

11) Teach positive resolution--skills to children and young students.

12) Include peace education in the curricula of the teacher trainees as well as of the young students.

13) Educate the children in peace activities and respect them.

14) Make available inspiring literature on peace and non-violence.

15) Arrange the teaching of history in the framework of non-violence.

16) Foster a comparative study of religions so as to avoid religious wars and tensions and ensure lasting peace and happiness.

17) Eliminate biases of nationalism inherent in the present system.

18) Include peace education in the global academic curricula.

19) Find new systems of curricula to counterbalance methods of training in violence presently being used.

20) Initiate steps for establishing WORLD INTERFAITH SCHOOLS & COLLEGES FOR PROMOTING GLOBAL EDUCATION.

1) Start an international transcultural peace pledge chain.

2) Establish a non-governmental united organisation of the people which may be named United Peoples Organisation for establishing sovereignty of PEACE and NONVIOLENCE.

3) Send and depute NGO representatives to U.N.O. and its specialised agencies.

4) Create a People's Parliament for Peace & Non-violent Action in every country.

5) Substitute (and supply) non-violent Defence Structures for violent means of national defence structures.

6) Impress upon the Press, Police, Politicians and Judiciary the obligation to uphold the supremacy of Peace and Non-violence and to respect the true principles of law and order in that context.

7) Recommend and press for making a separate Ministry of Peace and Non-violence in every country.

1) Assist the present social service organisations to bring honour and dignity to the individuals.

2) Support one another in peace activities.

3) Entertain resolutions of conflicts and dispose of them immediately.

4) Put up non-cooperation with militarised defence structures in this era of Nuclear Armaments in the members' own country when morally called upon.

5) Promote non-violent defence and social defence methods that is the civilian defence as opposed to the Military defence.

6) Involve children in peace processes as Ancillary Civil Force.

7) Object to and protest against the violence presently exhibited in mass media.

8) Provide adequate primary training to the masses for civil disobedience against acts of violence, first by talks, lectures and visual media and then by token demonstrations at all levels of the social participation in the sacred cause of PEACE & NON-VIOLENCE.

9) Ban/boycott the sale and purchase of war toys.

10) Rehabilitate people who fall victims to violence and provide social openings for them.

11) Promote a way of life which is in tune with healthy living food habits (vegetarianism as an example), right conduct, ever abiding love for peace and justice.

1) Promote an inner awakening towards tolerance and coexistence in individuals.

2) Respect one another's views or path to peace and practically promote it more by personal involvement than by suggestions.

3) Tolerate and respect one another's point of view and innovate new ideas for peace.

4) Say 'No' to violence and 'Yes' to non-violence for all.

5) Promote non-violent defence at individual levels.

6) Promote the voluntary limitations of wants and means.

7) Promote cleanliness find simplicity in attire and surroundings.

8) See that people don't use abusive language and abusive slangs by way of talking or habit.

9) Promote hobbies in arts, crafts and music and adopt world wide pen friendship and spend adequate time and means in involvement therein.

10) Encourage writing frequent letters to editors and legislators highlighting issues of violence and injustice in order to establish truth, non-violence and justice.

11) Set examples of peace, love, non-violence and moral conduct in life.

12) Pledge yourself to side with the underprivileged, the poor and the oppressed to check deprivation of needs and essentials.

13) Expose disguises of bonded labour and recurring social evils at personal level.

14) Eradicate drug abuse and alcoholism.

15) Check food wastage of every kind and see that poor men, animals, pets and birds are fed properly out of such supplies.

16) Promote kitchen-gardening and pot-plant growing of vegetables as a way to promote peace fund of food.

17) Promote plantation of fruit-trees, medicinal plants and herbs as home to home dispensaries and healthy living.

18) Encourage interested people to write one letter each day either inland or abroad with an intention to promote peace links and goodwill among the peoples of the world community.

19) Try to popularise the aims of Acharya Tulsi's Anuvrat Movement and observe Anuvrat Code of Conduct.

1) Support the emergence of a World Government with due involvement of all regions of the world and resources of peace and material at Command.

2) Reach people with power and encourage them to act non-violently.

3) Demand exchange of children (including children of leaders) for short visits when the tension between two or more countries escalates (Peace Children).

4) Make injustices visible to all sections of society.

5) Support political candidates footed on peace platforms.

6) Create conditions for conscientious object or status as an alternative to military service.

7) Organise train and utilise a World Peace Brigade to be deployed in potential areas of conflict.

8) See that its members enter political process as non-violence candidates with Peace Platforms.

9) Address and meekly redress/ remove political/ economic or social causes of poverty, which contribute to violence.

10) Stress urgent need for religious institutions to enter into dialogue so that they no longer remain causes of violence.

11) Support global action on local successful movements of peace (like Chipko or Anuvrat Movement) to protect the global environment and promote peace through individual commitment.

1) Explore legal defences available for participating in civil disobedience struggle using the possibility of World Citizenship as a method.

2) Advocate and uphold the right to choose political allegiance taking advantage of arguments in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

3) The above action plan for the eradication of violence and promotion of peace and non-violence was adopted unanimously by the delegates at the concluding session of the International Conference on Peace and Non-violent Action. It was modified and amended before its acceptance by delegates. It came to be known as Ladnun Declaration. Originally the draft was prepared by a committee chosen by the delegates comprising the following members:

Mr. Garry Davis: President, World Government of World Citizens, Washington, U.S.A.

Mr. S.L. Gandhi: Secretary, ANUVIBHA,  & Coordinator of the Conference Jaipur, India.

Dr.(Mrs.) Suman Khanna: Assistant Professor, Matasunderi College,Delhi, India

Dr.Ramjee Singh: Head Deptt. of Gandhian Thought, Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India.

Rev. Monika Sidenmark: Cooperation for Peace, Vallingby, Sweden.

Mm. Shirley O'Key: Grand Mothers for Peace, Sacramento, U.S.A.

Mr. Ataur Rahman: Society for Peace and Development, Rajoir, Bangladesh.