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Visasier Kevichüsa with his family members receiving the award from Peace Channel.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Sep. 21: “Forgiveness is never to raise the past issue, and living with unforgiving feelings will be like drinking poison; and without forgiveness we cannot move forward. If an individual refuse to forgive, how a person can claim to be the follower of our Almighty?” was the message conveyed by peace award recipient Visasier Kevichüsa at the 11th Peace Knit fest 2018 on September 21 at Town Hall, Dimapur.
The occasion coincided with the foundation day of Peace Channel. Kevichüsa was conferred Peace Award 2018 by Peace Channel for his contribution in working and promoting reconciliation in Nagaland and Northeast region. The event was jointly organised by Peace Channel in collaboration with People's Forum for Peace, North East Diocesan Social Service Society, North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research and DAN on the theme "Transformed to transform".
"If our memory of the past is greater than our future than we are dying," underscored Kevichüsa. Receiving the award, Kevichüsa remarked that the absence of peace was costly.
Guest of honour and Bishop of Kohima Diocese, Rev. Fr. James Thomas Thoppil, in his address said, 'to have peace, one has to be prepared for war.' The term ‘war’ he was referring to the fight for peace within oneself: fighting own prejudice, hatred and selfishness. Peace can be brought from within and not outside, he remarked.
Special guest and Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur, Sushil Kumar Patel, asserted “unless we promote peace, stability is a concern. After we engage ourselves in lots of wars, then only we reflect that peace was not only important but indispensable.”
"Inner and outer peace both are important because when we don't have inner peace it is difficult to spread the message of peace. There are a lot of absences of peace in society but when there is injustice in the society peace disappears and therefore resources should be shared equally in a society", the DC said while affirming that the state requires peace messengers who can sow the path of peace.
Director of Peace Channel Dr. Fr. CP Anto, in his welcome address, queried if there was any funding from the state government for peace. In this context, he suggested the state government to introduce peace education.