I am delighted to confer the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development to Sir Shridath Ramphal, the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth. We all know that Sir Ramphal has served with great distinction on numerous international commissions that addressed global issues. His role as an ardent internationalist striving for increased global cooperation and improved global governance is well known and the award of this prize is a fitting recognition of his invaluable contribution towards developing world.

Sir Ramphal has strongly advocated the need to view the planet as our country and to see ourselves as planetary citizens. He alerted us that the right type of importance is to be given for the development of nations taking into account, livable environmental needs. The importance of interdependence and the need of a global ethic to guide our actions received the desired impetus from Sir Ramphal in the Commission on Global Governance which spoke of "Our Global Neighbourhood."

The issue of survival has acquired a special focus, since the sustenance of human life has been endangered on the planet because of the pattern of human actions which has been triggering environmental degradation. We have all become vulnerable and there is a need for every one of us both in the developed and developing world to protect the world's ecological capital to ensure a safe and prosperous future for the humanity at large. Our former Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi also articulated the cause of a world order in which the principle of environmental security extended to global economic relations.

Sir Ramphal's thoughts on removal of disparities among and within nations, economic progress in harmony with the laws of nature, interdependence of nations for growth and eradication of poverty also constantly guided the vision of Smt. Indira Gandhi. Indeed we have to act in a concerted manner towards creating a new, just and more equitable international order. We cannot deny that globalization as a phenomenon has come to stay. With the dawn of this millennium, the pace of transformation of the world into a global village has accelerated. Globalization is inevitable and unavoidable and the need of the hour is for humanity to collectively make endeavours to transform the process of globalization into a positive phenomenon.

We believe, there is a distinct gap between the developing countries in hundreds and developed countries in few. How India can contribute in bridging this gap and in achieving prosperous, peaceful and safe nations? It has to be through a simultaneous launch of a mission by every nation to work for achieving education with value system, religion transforming into spiritual force to bring universal brotherhood and economic development with due care with ecology to eradicate poverty.

From our ancient times we have celebrated the cause of peace. It is only in conditions of peace and security that people and countries can effectively pursue development. Violent conflicts are an enemy of development. We too as a nation firmly believe that for a better tomorrow, interaction amongst nations must be based on co-existence not conflict, cooperation not confrontation and concord not coercion. We, the people of India strongly believe in the synergy of peace and development and our aim is to transform India into a developed nation by 2020.

We are indeed happy that Sir Ramphal has been chosen by the jury for the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development. I congratulate Sir Ramphal and wish him all success.

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