Our community welcomed a distinguished voice for global peace this week as Egg Harbor Township Mayor Laura Pfrommer honored World Peace Ambassador Jain Acharya Lokesh at City Council Hall in Atlantic County.
During the ceremony, Mayor Pfrommer presented a proclamation recognizing Acharya Lokesh's outstanding contributions toward global peace, harmony, and human values. The mayor described him as a tireless advocate whose work promoting interfaith harmony and humanitarian principles has touched communities around the world.
Basant Gupta, Member of the Atlantic County Cultural and Heritage Board, attended the event, underscoring the significance of this recognition for our region's commitment to cultural understanding and peaceful coexistence.
Mayor Pfrommer praised Acharya Lokesh's relentless work to establish global peace and harmony, noting that his "We Support Peace" mission has now reached the United States and is inspiring Americans to contribute toward the vision of a war-free world. She expressed her support for the campaign and commended his commitment to creating a more peaceful and united world.
Acharya Lokesh, founder of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti and World Peace Centre, shared the philosophical foundation of his work, explaining that he represents the great Indian philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" — The World is One Family. He emphasized that Indian culture has always guided humanity toward welfare, coexistence, and universal brotherhood.
In his remarks, the peace ambassador delivered a powerful message about the futility of conflict. He stated that war and violence can never solve any problem, observing that violence only breeds further violence while wars bring immense suffering and represent a curse for humanity. He noted that armed conflicts lead to loss of life and property, inflation, unemployment, pandemics, and humanitarian crises whose consequences affect future generations.
Acharya Lokesh urged nations and communities worldwide to resolve differences through dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect. He stressed that sustainable development and human progress are possible only in an environment of peace and harmony, extending his best wishes for the well-being of all and praying for peace, happiness, and prosperity for humanity.
The "We Support Peace" campaign, which Acharya Lokesh launched with the vision of creating a "War-Free World," aims to unite people from different countries, cultures, and communities in support of peace, harmony, and human values. The initiative seeks to ensure that future generations inherit a safer, happier, and more prosperous world.
Concluding the program, Acharya Lokesh called upon citizens worldwide to make peace a global priority, emphasizing that comprehensive development and lasting progress cannot be achieved unless the world embraces an atmosphere of peace, harmony, and mutual respect.
The ceremony at Egg Harbor Township's City Council Hall reflects our community's ongoing commitment to fostering dialogue, understanding, and peaceful cooperation across cultural and religious boundaries.
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Karen Johnson
With over 30 years of news experience in major markets like Los Angeles, Denver, and Columbus, Karen now covers our area for South Jersey NewsBeat. She also brings her articulate and conversational news delivery to WOND radio listeners every weekday. Her background includes work with the NBC Radio Network, and she thrives in fast-paced news environments.
