2011 was a remarkable year in world history..
It may have been another year of economic hardship and political repression for millions, but there was a difference. This time - people started organizing and demanding their right to 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness' in every corner of the globe. As a result, dictators fell from power, ineffective democratic leaders were voted out of office and corrupt elites were challenged by mass movements in dozens of nations.
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We all have the same dream. We want economic security. We desire lives defined by the currency of love and compassion rather than the currency of dollars, euros or pesos. We demand freedom of speech and freedom of religion (and the freedom not to worship). We know that governments are created by people to serve people. People are not created to serve governments. As such, we insist on having true democracies where everyone can freely and fully participate in the making of our nations.
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What is our ultimate aim? It is quite simple - one united world with peace and justice for all. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less.
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Truth and The Power of the People
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In the last year of his life, Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) published his heliocentric views in De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, 1543) proving the Earth rotated around the sun rather than vice versa. Subscribers to his revolutionary theory were deemed heretical and punished by the Church. Yet, the Church was unable to hold its scientifically untenable position, and the 'heretics' prevailed. Why? It is because they had the truth on their side. No one today believes the sun rotates around the Earth.
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The same can be said about the mass movements that began in 2011 for human rights, democracy and transparency in government. The people have the truth on their side. While the 'Occupy' protesters in United States have made Americans conscious that extreme wealth inequality is anti-democratic and unethical, the people of Egypt forced the heavy-handed Mubarak regime from power in a demonstration of solidarity across ethnic, religious and class lines. These are but two examples from the year.
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In 2011, people in the United States, United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Russia, India, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Cote d'Ivoire, Pakistan and many other countries courageously banded together to fight tyranny and corruption in all of its forms. There were even significant protests in several regions of China.
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At the forefront of most of these national movements, especially in the Middle East, were women. As the twenty-first century will go down in history as 'The Century of the Woman,'2011 may well be regarded as the breakthrough year for the long-oppressed women in the East.
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April 25th is a day to cherish and celebrate for many reasons. One reason? It is the day Manal Al-Sharif, the young Saudi activist, was born in 1979. Despite being married and raising a five-year old son, she risked her career and her freedom to lead a campaign against Riyadh's prohibition of women drivers. After posting a video of herself driving, she was arrested and sent to jail. Because she had reason - the truth - on her side, she was not intimidated.
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Due to her efforts, not only have a significant number of male Saudi intellectuals voiced support for her movement but the Shura Council (the advisory panel to the King) has also promised to allow women to participate in elections within the next few years. While these concessions are neither timely enough nor far-reaching enough, significant progress toward equality has already been made by Manal and the brave women of Saudi Arabia. Their campaign must not end.
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2012
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2012 will not be successful unless we continue to stand up for democracy, justice and peace. Until poverty, racism, gender-bias, tyranny, intolerance and corruption are eradicated from our world, we can neither be silent nor passive.
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In our quest, we must hold onto hope and hold onto each other.
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Never give up - never.
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(Photo: Manal Al-Sharif, b. 1979)
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J Roquen
