“Nonkilling” was featured among the main themes of two large international conferences that were held this month in India and Nepal. On October 2-3, Jagran Lakecity University celebrated its 2015 International Conference on Human Rights in Bhopal, India, in collaboration with the World Federation of United Nations Association (WFUNA). “A Nonkilling World” is one of the conference themes introduced by CGNK Governing Council Treasurer Anoop Swarup. The “Bhopal Declaration for achieving the goal of  killing-free world” was adopted following the initial conference statementt: “Human life is the greatest gift of nature that can neither be damaged nor demeaned by us. Every ‘human life’ carries along with its birth, the right to live to the fullest extent and enjoy all that is bestowed by nature.”

A few days later, on October 9-11, the 2015 Conference of the Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA) took place in Kathmandu, Nepal, with the endorsement of the International Peace Research Association. In this case, “Nonkilling” is featured as the fourth sub-theme of the conference, and was the focus of a special panel organized by Dr. Pradeep Dhakal, APPRA Co-Secretary General and translator of the Nepali edition of Nonkilling Global Political Science. The conference will also host the book launch of CGNK’s latest publication Nonkilling Spiritual Traditions.

Bhopal Declaration for achieving the goal of a killing-free world

Adopted by the International Conference on Human Rights: Contemporary Issues and Challenges

Reminding, all those present here of the celebration of the adoptionby the General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993 which recognizes the inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of all individuals globally,

Noting, the determined efforts made in this regard in the past by distinguished individuals and organizations including the past efforts of various UN bodies and non-governmental organizations,

Stressing, the fact that the world faces significant obstacles in fulfilling human rights worldwide as envisaged in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

Recognising, the importance of the role of the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations in the realization of Human Rights,

Encourages, all relevant bodies in India, and international organisations to collaborate more closely with each other at the grassroots level to promote and enhance the implementation of the central aims as promulgated under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

Promote, move toward the measurable goal of a killing-free world by means open to infinite creativity in reverence for life,

Urges, all national and international players to reaffirm their stand against violence and killing in all forms, and to promote Nonkilling and Nonviolence for global peace as a precursor to the attainment of the universal goal of human dignity and human values,

Calls, upon all the peoples to uphold the sacrosanct nature of educational, cultural, political, social, environmental and moral rights through knowledge and awareness.

Signed at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India by all those present and participating in the Conference on 2-3 October 2015.