The world stands on the brink of a third world war, with growing concerns in Asia. Sri Lankan Nobel laureate Mohan Munasinghe has cautioned that the risk of nuclear war is greater than ever before. He has appealed to Asian leaders to take initiatives to promote peace and stability. Munasinghe cited the friendly talks between leaders of India, China, and Russia at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, as a symbolic example of world peace.
During an event marking the launch of a peace initiative in Dubai, Munasinghe stated that Global South, particularly Asia, is now in a leadership role. The Global South refers to countries often recognized as developing, less developed, or underdeveloped. These countries are primarily located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Munasinghe, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, said, “If you have seen the pictures of the recent SCO summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin were together. These are the biggest and most powerful countries in Asia. It is very symbolic.”
Describing it as real peace for the world, he added, “If leaders can do this, then I think everyone can come together.” Munasinghe, a Sri Lankan academic and economist, received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as the vice-chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
In response to a question about his earlier statement on the possibility of nuclear war, Munasinghe said, “It is time, not just for India and Sri Lanka, but for all of Asia, to show the path of stability and peace that the previous powers of the world, especially Western leadership, have not been able to show. But we will show them.”
Munasinghe stated that nuclear war is closer than ever and must be avoided at all costs. He added, “World peace depends more on all of us than on governments or leaders. To save the earth and ourselves, we must unite, let’s work together for peace.”
Dr. Huzaifa Khorakiwala, Executive Director of Indian pharmaceutical company Wockhardt and CEO of the Wockhardt Foundation, launched the I Am Peacekeeper initiative in Dubai. Its aim is to bring together individuals and institutions willing to promote dialogue and understanding for global harmony.
