The International Day for Tolerance was observed in the world including Pakistan on Tuesday with the pledge to educate all and sundry about tolerance, human rights and fundamental rights. According to private news channel, different programmes and seminars were held by the radio and other TV channels to mark this day with promise to increase tolerance amongst the masses.
The International Day for Tolerance is an annual observance declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance. Building tolerance requires access to education. Intolerance is often rooted in ignorance and fear of the unknown, and of the "other", such as other cultures, religions and nations. Intolerance is also closely linked to an exaggerated sense of self-worth and pride: notions taught and learned at an early age.
Therefore, in the coming years, greater emphasis needs to be placed on educating children about tolerance, human rights and fundamental freedoms. But education does not end in school; adults-firstly as individuals capable of committing acts of intolerance, but more importantly in their capacity as parents, law-makers and law-enforcement officials also need to be considered a priority target of our educational efforts.
An International Day for Tolerance can serve as an annual occasion for tolerance education as well as for wider social and political reflection and debate on local and global problems of intolerance. It is a moment to take stock of the progress made during the year and to propose fresh policies to close remaining gaps.