New Delhi, July 09: Asserting that mankind has been numbed by the daily news of violence across the globe, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today asked world governments to adopt the "culture of dialogue" at home to resolve contentious issues amicably through talks. Inaugurating an international conference on 'Dialogue Among Civilisations' here, he also asked the world community to accept India's principle of secularism to establish a violence-free environment and ensure sustainable development.
"I suggest that this principle of secularism, which is enshrined in India's Constitution, should be accepted by all countries. Tolerance should become a global ideal. This would go a long way in promoting understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples belonging to different faiths and cultures," he said. Emphasising that the "culture of dialogue should begin at the national level" to resolve contentious issues through talks, Vajpayee said, "The more a nation can harmonise differences at home, the greater will be its ability to contribute to a dialogue at the international level."

Describing the much-debated thesis of an impending 'clash of civilisations' as "flawed and baseless", Vajpayee said its main fault was that it failed to recognise that "civilisations do not -- rather cannot -- clash". "To be civilised is to abjure clashes and conflicts and to try to resolve all disputes and contentious issues through dialogue. Civilisations are anchored in a common set of values and ideals .... And all civilisations have a civilising influence on human beings. That is a part of the very definition of civilisation," he said.
He asserted that the future of mankind would not be determined by a "conflict among civilisations .... Rather humanity's future will witness a concert or confluence of civilisations". Bureau Report