Youth talk

The last couple of years popularised many debates and one of these was tolerance.

Many people today feel that tolerance is a concept that remains an option to people. The best and only option in my opinion is ‘both acceptance and appreciation’.

With so many different people in the world today, carrying with them so many different beliefs and traditions, there still exists, inherent in these differences, a common value of consideration, kindness, empathy and, this similarity, is much larger than any difference that divides people.

In this course of differences, amongst many, I have vegan friends, party-animal friends, atheist friends, and you know something, they are all right in their decisions, because they have chosen their own paths in life while respecting the choice others have taken. Only when people accept this and truly respect and acknowledge others’ dissimilarities, will the world become a happier place.

Even though many people still believe that they hold the right to moderate how ‘accepting’ they are to cultural, social, economic and religious differences, it is appalling how people forget that this choice is like moral values.

It is as important as holding the door for the person behind you, helping the elderly, respecting your parents and that is how we have the sort of empathy and understanding for humanity.

It is the month of Ramadan and it is very fulfilling to see how people following different religions and from different countries have embraced the essence of this month.

This is one of the best things about Bahrain, its infinite willingness to observe and respect all the festivals and important events - from Christmas to New Year - Eid to Diwali.

To all us residents here, such are the important lessons that we learn and that is what helps us grow into people who are far more appreciative, evolved and complete as individuals of today and leaders of tomorrow.