Light Your Match and Let it Light the World: 9-year-old’s Reflection on the Global Peace Convention 2017

Eric Olsen
March 3, 2017

By Hanako Taura

There is a story by danish children’s story writer Hans Christian Andersen that my son was introduced to this winter, the story of the little match girl.

After we read the story, he could not stop his tears. How could there be children in the world with no one to care for them, no one to feed them, no one to give them warmth and most importantly no one to love them? For him, the story is a reminder of all the suffering children in the world.

Last night, as we witnessed the close of the Global Peace Convention 2017 from across the ocean in the United States, something again reminded him of the little match girl, and his tears began anew.

It was an important opportunity to drive home the message that we’ve been hearing over the live streamed plenaries and inspiring short videos from the convention: we are the moral and innovative leaders who can tackle problems that our human family faces that sometimes seem insurmountable.

I showed him the short quote from Kartikeya Sharma, spoken during the Global Peace Economic Forum,

“Let us in this hall remember Mahatma Gandhi, who asked us to think of the poorest and needy, and resolve, ‘What would you do, or what would you suggest that could help them.’ Any suggestion, or any change you would like to recommend which would actually effect the lives of the poorest.”

(Quote begins at 3:36)

And we remembered, we have a light. We have our hands; we have our minds; we have our hearts driven by service to humanity, and most importantly we have others in this world who, like us, are driven by the same dream of making the world better for our entire human family. And when we work together – we can make sure the children of the world have the families that can love them, feed, them and raise them to become successful, active, amazing adults.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Grammy-award winning producers, and creators of the newest “Unificaiton song,” address Plenary II during the Global Peace Convention. 

Terry Lewis said during the second plenary of the convention:

“You have to shed more light by being a brighter light. Bright light will change darkness but a dim light will be consumed by darkness. Please don’t be a dim light. Be involved. Be active.”

My son and I resolved last night, to do something, even small, for humanity, and pray that it will become a part of something larger that will change the world.

Many matches lit throughout the world can light the world and reach the children who are still cold, hungry and without love.

My son’s tears have dried for now, but the light inside his heart still burns strongly. This week we will find a place where he can put his passion into action. Thank you Global Peace Convention 2017 for lighting the fire in us.

 

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