Address On The Occasion Of The Jawaharlal Nehru Award For International Understanding 2003 To His Excellency Mr. Goh Chok Tong

Evolution of Enlightened Citizens

I am indeed delighted to confer the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding to His Excellency Mr. Goh Chok Tong, Prime Minister of Singapore. We honour Prime Minister of Singapore Mr. Goh Chok Tong who, with his leadership and vision, has come to occupy a leading place amongst the Statesmen of Asia. At the same time, we remember and pay our respects to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of free India, who with his leadership and vision ensured that India occupies its pride of place among the comity of nations.

Voice of Freedom Movement

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, indeed was the leader of free India, a source of inspiration and the voice of freedom movements across Asia and other parts of the world. He belonged to the category of leaders who have a world vision of humanity at large.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had a great hope and a dream for the people of Asia. He was one of Asia?s most notable and articulate political leaders of the generation which saw the development of anti-colonial nationalist movement, the destruction of colonial empire in Asia and Africa and the making of new nations? state in their place. He is one of those rare leaders who in 1930?s itself envisaged the role of science in shaping human destiny. He boldly said the future belongs to those who make friends with science. His friendship with science was for the upliftment of poor, impoverished and oppressed people.

Vision of Nehru

The vision of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has been guiding us since the early years of independence. However, freedom, for Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had a social and ethical context and a moral purpose as well. It was not an end in itself but was necessary to creating a climate in which human talent and creativity could be forged for the greater benefit of all humankind including the underprivileged. For colonial nations, which had been long, impoverished by years of bondage and servitude, freedom acquired a special meaning in the form of a condition in which a free society could be rebuilt. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru?s contribution to the rebuilding of our nation has been acclaimed by all. His principles and policies moulded various aspects of our nation building and he has rightly been called the architect of modern India.

Vision with Dynamism

Mr. Goh Chok Tong, Prime Minister of Singapore, we feel that you have been an outstanding example of a vision with dynamism, which go towards the making of a resurgent Asia. You have guided the destiny of Singapore and its people for a decade and a half. Under your illustrious leadership Singapore has scripted a new way of doing things designed to creating an enterprising and an innovative society. The results are there for all to see in the form of the Singapore dream. Within the short span of a generation, Singapore has emerged as a developed nation ? a vision articulated by the founder of independent Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. This is particularly important when it was thought in 1965 that independent Singapore was not viable and your predecessor had an unenviable task to make it work and you created a nation out of people of origins mostly from China, India, Malaysia and several other parts of Asia. Our greetings to you and the people of Singapore.

Your vision, however, has not been limited to Singapore alone. You have worked tirelessly to promote understanding and cooperation not only within Asia but also between the different regions and continents of the world. If today, the world recognizes that the 21st century would be the century of Asia, then, it is to a large extent the result of efforts of visionary leaders like you. I was quite happy about the special mention of India in your Keynote Address at the East Asia Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum last year. I would like to quote from your Address:-

?In addition, as India opens up, it will increasingly look East. India?s long-term vision is an Asian Economic Community, comprising the ASEAN + 3 countries, and India. We should welcome this and embrace India. There is no reason to handicap ourselves by leaving out a new and highly promising growth centre.?

We have taken note of your visionary statement and India would like to share and further strengthen the ancient bonds of friendship and cooperation, trade and commerce, culture, language and spiritual traditions with Singapore and also with the other ASEAN members. How do we promote regional prosperity and peace? How do we create the AU (Asian Union) just like the EU (European Union). If a war torn Europe for centuries can come together, why can?t we, who share similar civilizational strength. Can it be done through the evolution of enlightened citizens? We have in front of us Jawaharlal Nehru?s democratic modern India and Mr. Goh Chok Tong?s dynamic vision for Asia.

Evolution of Enlightened Citizens

There are many challenges in our planet earth of six billion people. Reforms are needed in the United Nations to reduce the tensions and tensions transforming into war between nations. Many nations are experiencing the problems of injected terrorism. The young people of the planet are dreaming to live in the land of opportunities and happiness. We have also seen that the economic prosperity of few nations alone has not brought lasting peace to the world. In such a situation, it is essential to evolve the principle of enlightened citizenship based on Asian ethos. The enlightened citizenship has three components: education with value system, religion transforming into spiritual force and bringing economic prosperity through development. This mission can be put into action with the Asian nations coming together economically and spiritually. How it can be done? All the children in the age group of 5-17 years will be learning in the schools and home, the education with value system, with the teacher in the centre stage. Every religion has got two components: religious dogmas and spiritual preachings. The spiritual focus influenced by compassion and love must be nurtured as an integrated mission. In many nations, in spite of their core competence, material wealth, biodiversity and human resource, still certain percentage of people is below poverty line. By using the core competence, with competitiveness as a base and the mission of transforming the developing nation into a developed country, Asian nations can work together for a peaceful, prosperous and safe region, which can also spread elsewhere. I am putting forth these thoughts of enlightened citizenship on this occasion, where two Asian nations with vision are coming together.

Conclusion

India values your personal involvement and contribution in laying a strong foundation for a dynamic and forward looking relationship between our two countries and also between the other countries of Asia. We are, therefore, indeed privileged to honour you today as a true friend of India, an outstanding leader of Singapore, a symbol of a resurgent Asia and a World Statesman. As we confer the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding for the year 2003 upon you, Mr. Prime Minister, let me be the first one to extend my warmest congratulations and good wishes to you and through you to the people of Singapore.

May God Bless You.