Reflecting on the Golden Rule

5 April 2024
Mussie

The Golden Rule and Ubuntu - moral compass towards peaceful co-existence, common good, shared humanity, global sustainability and collective future     

Greetings of peace and blessings. It is a great honor and pleasure for me to share with you this message on the occasion of the celebration of the 2024 Golden Rule Day to highlight the importance of the teaching of the Golden Rule and Ubuntu to foster peaceful coexistences, mutual respect, human dignity, interfaith harmony, compassion, cohabitation and collective future for the good of humanity

As you know one of the most consistently progressive ideas in human history, being both ancient and relevant to our world today, is that of “reciprocity”, “ human virtues”, “ compassion and shared humanity” as indicated in the basic teaching of the Golden Rule and Ubuntu.

The Golden Rule (treating others as you want to be treated) and the teaching of Ubuntu (I am because we are) are one of the oldest and most agreed upon moral principles in human history.

The celebration of the Golden Rule Day is a reminder for all of us as a world citizen everyday as much as possible to practice and live according to those human virtues and to – “Do more than belong; participate.  Do more than care; help.  Do more than believe; practice.  Do more than be fair, be kind. Do more than dream; work.”

The core message of Golden Rule and Ubuntu will help us to develop right human relationship based on mutual respect, human dignity, integrity, harmony, kindness, compassion, care and act for the good of each other & the welfare of all life forms on earth.

The Golden Rule and Ubuntu applied together are relevant tools to foster peace, interfaith harmony and to counter discrimination, greedy, hate speech, violence, xenophobia, exclusion and marginalization and incitement which lead to war and the violation of human right

The message of the Golden Rule and Ubuntu are more relevant than ever in our world as it will help us in the pursuit of social justice, peace, healing and compassion.

The Golden Rule and Ubuntu help us to disarm fear, to open the world for better change and to lay the foundations for lasting peace.  In an increasingly globalized world – in which societies are growing more diverse – Golden Rule and Ubuntu are central to living together. 

The Golden Rule and Ubuntu help us to extend our concern beyond ourselves and to embrace a greater understanding and respect for others

The teaching of Golden Rule and Ubuntu also help us to promote universal values aimed at building communal life, human right, cohesion and interdependence for collective well-being without leaving no one behind.

In this divided and conflict-torn world we cannot remain as we are, nor can we go back. We need to move forward in a new direction for us to live in peace, without marginalizing and killing each other and destroying the environment. The road map to make this happen is by living and acting based on the teaching of the Golden Rule and embracing the spirit of Ubuntu.

It is with this in mind we are celebrating the Golden Rule Day to promote this core value of life in the world as it is antidote to most of social ills facing our world.

Finally I call upon each of us to make personal pledge for peace and non-violence and be compassionate by living according to the teaching of the Golden Rule and embracing the spirit of Ubuntu in our daily life and be the change we want to see in the world.

Attaining peace in people’s hearts is a precondition of attaining peace in the world. We need to be a responsible global citizen and play our part to our best ability in being the peace we want to in the world.  

May Peace, Golden Rule and the Spirit of Ubuntu Prevail on Earth