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It is added on November, 3rd 2009
PRAYER FOR PEACE AND CULTURE
Culture and Peace—the most sacred goal of humanity! In the days of great unrest, both material and spiritual, the disturbed spirit yearns for these radiant strongholds. But our union in the name of these regenerating conceptions should not be an abstract one. In accordance with our abilities, each one in his own field, should infuse them into the actual surrounding life, as most necessary and undeferrable.
In our Peace Pact, in 1929, we proposed a special Banner of Peace for the protection of all cultural treasures. A Committee for promoting the Peace Pact has been elected in New York. An International Union for the Roerich Pact has been established with its central seat in Bruges, where a world Congress for spreading the ideals of Peace through Culture was convened last September with most significant results, indicating how close this aim is to the hearts of all affirmative people of the entire world.
From Temples, shrines of spirit, from all light-imparting centers, should ceaselessly thunder the world-wide call, eliminating the very possibilities of wars, and creating, for the generations to come, new lofty traditions of veneration for the true cultural treasures. By untiringly unfurling everywhere the Banner of Peace, we thus destroy the very physical field of war. Let us also affirm the World-Day of Culture, when simultaneously in all churches, all schools and all educational institutions, the world will be reminded of the true treasures of humanity, of creative heroic enthusiasm, of improvement and enhancement of life. For this purpose, we have not only to safeguard our cultural heritage in which are expressed the highest achievements of humanity, with all available means, but we must consciously value these treasures, remembering that each contact with them in itself will ennoble the human spirit.
As we have already witnessed, wars cannot be stopped by interdiction, any more than malice or falsehood can be prohibited. But by striving undelayably and patiently to the highest treasures of humanity, we may make these products of darkness altogether inadmissible, as the progeny of crass ignorance. The ennobled, expanded consciousness having contacted the Realm of Light, will naturally enter the path of peaceful constructiveness, discarding as shameful refuse all the disparagement of human dignity generated by ignorance.
Already the lists of endorsers of the Banner of Peace are long and glorious. Already the Banner has been consecrated during the conference in Bruges in the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Thereby we have given our sacred oath to introduce it everywhere with all possible measures. Those from all ends of the world who trusted us and have suffused the space with their heartiest wishes, will not look in vain for the Banner above all shrines of real treasures. Each day brings new letters, new response. The election urn has been filled with precious votes “For Peace.” Verily Peace and Culture are at present urgently needed.
It is not so much a new law that is needed, but an imperative wish, a united panhuman desire to safeguard the achievements of mankind, which is so badly needed. Every endeavor, even the most evident, requires an active start. For Peace and Culture one does not even need a unanimous world-wide vote. The beautiful principles of General Good can be affirmed in every scale, still retaining their vital potentiality. Let us thus greet wholeheartedly all co-workers: “Without delay, proceed victoriously in your full capacities, along this glorious Path!”
Verily, the time is short—lose neither the day nor the hour! Kindle the flame of the heart to an indomitable enthusiasm. Under the Banner of Peace let us proceed towards the One Supreme Light, in powerful union as the World League of Culture!
Fiery Stronghold,
The Stratford Company, Boston, 1933
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