Give me more light, give us world peace

Last year, we collectively went through a cyclonic, grief-stricken and reflective sort of year. At the first quarter of 2020, while people were just recovering from or planning their holiday season, climate change had thundered upon mankind at a global scale and then intimately stormed into our local communities.

Rising global temperatures due to the greenhouse effect inflamed unprecedented, flaring levels of wildfires, viral outbreaks, locusts, water scarcity and soil degradation. Later on, tempests of interconnected, global crises in healthcare, education and financial systems to food insecurity and discrimination have also unyieldingly descended upon us.

Our snug worldviews were turned upside down as the firestorm of diverse social values and blind spots in humanmade systems surfaced. It was a year where no place was untouched by abuse, unscathed by conflict and unspoiled by garbage. Mother Nature made sure everyone paid attention.

Yet, in the avalanche of upheavals and cataclysms, the world stayed resilient. Our social media and news media were inundated by the global outpour of clapping crowds, helping hands and caring hearts; wildlife rejoiced on the empty streets of human settlements; coordinated, global actions have breathed new life into friendly, international collaborations; innovators, local heroes and "out of the box" thinkers have disrupted old problems by seeking transformative solutions; and worldwide carbon emissions cratered.

At the heart of this miracle lies our united effort. No matter how dark and difficult situations became, light, hope and peace were always flickering just around the corner. As the number of awakened people snowballed, more and more deeply rooted, decaying inequalities and muddied injustices saw the light of day. The planted seeds of a greener and kinder future had been gently sprouting in the background for some time.

This is the year to make self-care and healing a number one priority. We need to empower our true authentic self and discover our unique life purposes so that we may bear fruit to a joyful, prosperous, healthy and meaningful existence for all. It is a time to nourish and nurture our own growth, to quicken our own beautiful blossoming -- so that we may, when the time comes, be strong enough to stand up to say no to hate and yes to love.

Despite many physical borders closing lately, our virtual borders are ever more open, so it is easy to stay intertwined. The foundation of tolerance, compassion and respect for one another and our planet Earth is the universal language of our shared humanity and is the nucleus of a peaceful co-existence. As we all share 99.9 percent of the human genome, an abundant, bountiful harvest of international amity can be sown and reaped as long as we are willing.

The years from 2021 onwards give mankind an opportunity to regenerate and metamorphose outdated ideas. We hope through our shared efforts that sustainable pathways for peace, stability and reconciliation are created. Just as a tsunami is merely little droplets of water, let us pool our positive actions together to form a massive wave of love. So shine brightly and bravely your inner light, and illuminate our world because we are, simply put, better together.

The author is an honorary fellow at University College London and an honorary councillor at World Future Council.