TOLERANCE: A Virtue Necessary for Peace

The word “TOLERANCE” is a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, beliefs, practices, racial or ethnic origins, etc., differ from one’s own. To tolerate is to respect, accept, and appreciate the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression, and our ways of being human.

The rising state of violence in societies mostly happens due to lack of tolerance. Tolerance needs to be seen as a norm that protects against violence. It is not only a moral duty but also a necessary requirement of the present era.

The International Day of Tolerance is observed every year on November 16. The aim of celebrating this day is to build tolerance among cultures and people. The act of tolerance sustains civic order by promoting ongoing criticisms, analyses, and debates among the people. There is a need to teach, act and promote tolerance in our society. A better understanding of Tolerance will help reduce the alarming rate of crimes and violence.

To create a climate of tolerance, we all need to take individual responsibility for our actions, make concerted efforts to reach out to those who differ from us, and also get involved with the community to build diversity. Above all, we need to appreciate one another’s cultural values, listen to others and not judge them based on their differences, refrain from labelling people, lend a voice to educate, and create awareness on tolerance.

Finally, states should legislate for equality and basic human rights for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence.