In celebration of the onset of 2024

In celebration of the onset of 2024,

The passage of years in various calendars continues to cast a shadow on the human lifespan on this planet.

Despite scientific progress, the approximately 8 billion inhabitants of Earth have not yet found a way to live together in peace and happiness. Mother Earth provides ample space, food, water, and clean air for all residents, yet a quarter of the population lacks sufficient access to these essentials in various parts of the world. Global warming poses another significant threat to the continuation of life. However, the most alarming challenges facing humanity extend beyond concerns for food, water, and air—it is about lives; the vulnerable young lives lacking safety in this world. Innocent children who suffer in the fires of unreasonable wars, and leave behind ashes of shame and hopelessness for humankind.

If religions were intended to convey messages of peace, their followers today often initiate wars in the name of faith and religion. If schools of thought were established to protect humans, they have now become grounds for violence and conflict.

We declare, 2023 years after the birth of Jesus Christ, on the cusp of entering the 2024th year after him, that we stand with the message of Jesus and all individuals, past and present, who value “human beings” and uphold human rights, children’s rights, and environmental rights as the most essential values to strive for. We express dismay at government operations aiming to maintain peace, human rights, and environmental protections. Therefore, we seek assistance from people of every religion, race, and ethnicity. Our concern extends to humanity and Mother Earth.

Now, on the brink of the new year and at any other time, we stand in solidarity with the innocent people of Iran, including the children of labor, neglected women, and families torn apart while fighting for freedom. We endeavor to be the voice of the silent and forgotten. Today, our world has lost faith in governments, and our hope is vested in nations that, beyond the political machinations, pursue peace, social justice, and endeavor to bring smiles to the faces of every child on Earth.