The variety of ways in which this festival is celebrated around the world enables us to encounter some powerful lessons about our common humanity, and our relationship with the world around us. Those celebrations that emphasise the end of harvest remind us of the need for all of us to work together to ensure the preservation of the environment and the many for whom bad harvests mean they go to bed hungry. 100 world leaders are due to gather at the UN in NYC to try to revitalise talks on climate change so today is an opportunity to renew our efforts to tackle the environmental challenges our world faces.
The triumph of Goddess Durga over evil remind us of the potential for light to prevail over darkness, knowledge and wisdom over ignorance. But desirable ends need continually to be worked at by members of all communities if we are to ensure that those suffering deprived of food today can be given justice, that those plunged into disease are healed, and that those mired in ignorance can be given the means to escape it. Developing countries are being most affected by climate change and damaged by the fallout of the global recession. Navaratri this year can be not only a celebration but a timely call to action.
Best wishes
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation
