المجلس العالمي للتسامح والسلام

Ambassador Noel Nelson Mason: Tolerance and Peace Are Indispensable for the Progress of Nations

Written by: Fadi Francis

Ambassador Noel Nelson Mason

  • Member of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace
  • Currently a member of the National Assembly of Gabon
  • Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Gabon
  • Former Minister of Forests and Environment of Gabon
  • Former Minister of Relations of the Parliament of Gabon
  • Former Gabonese Ambassador in the United Nations (New York)

 Ambassador Noel Nelson Mason, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Gabon, has highlighted the importance of the role played by the Council for Tolerance and Peace in countries as it contributes to solving problems in many of them.

 During an interview on the official website of the Council, he said that  most developing countries face numerous challenges, including: education and health, as well as meeting basic needs such as equality, justice, etc. pointing out that peace and tolerance will be threatened in any society or country when people fail to overcome these challenges.

The interview:

1- The Global Council for Tolerance and Peace is composed of a prominent elite with great experiences and worldwide known figures … Can you tell me about your vision of the noble humanitarian goals that the Council adopts at the international level?

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace.

This organization has given me the opportunity to work, with other personalities from different countries, to advocate and promote peace and tolerance.

They are the two basic values in the human family, society, country and the world. We will live in a better place when peace and tolerance prevail, and I will add respect and justice to them.

I came from a country that has a desire to develop, but we cannot achieve development without peace. The Global Council for Tolerance and Peace targets groups of people who can better achieve such goals, including: parliamentarians, politicians, academics, researchers, and civil society, especially our youth who are our future.

2- Being the most influential person in The Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, what are your aspirations for the next step regarding the council’s activities?

  I am trying to contribute to the important Projects of the Council, as well as I aspire to the development and advancement of Council in order to take its role in the implementation of strategic projects that have a real impact on promoting peace and tolerance in Member countries.

Personally, I would be ready to take a more active role in the council.

3- How can we promote and spread peace and tolerance among all citizens without the discrimination of religion, language, race, or color?

This is the great question. But I would simply say that man is the alpha and the omega in any society and in any country. Humans are the basis of the development, civilization and history of any country.

Challenges are many and enormous in most of the developing countries, such as education, health, decent work, meeting basic needs, equality and justice.

Peace and tolerance will be threatened in a society, when people fail to overcome such challenges.

But it is also remarkable that even in the poorest countries, there are values and systems of solidarity that provide fertile ground for promoting peace and tolerance.

Our mission remains enormous. Peace and tolerance will continue to be the challenges in the future, and it is a realistic approach that should be the basis of the Council’s work.

4- Do you propose a humanitarian case or initiative that the Council will adopt in turn to raise the value of the human being?

At the moment, the Council has not yet determined a project to Gabon or any country in Central Africa that I know about.

As for my country, there are various fields in which the council can contribute. Education is the best way to promote peace and tolerance in any country in the world. It is the basis of human empowerment.

This is where I would like to suggest to the Council to be involved in. It will, of course, also train parliamentarians on methods and techniques for promoting peace and tolerance. They will be able to promote it better in their constituencies.

5- How do you adopt these ideas in Gabon?

Gabon is a country of peace and tolerance. The highest authorities and the Gabonese government always work for achieving peace in the country and in Central Africa. The President of the Republic of Gabon, H.E. Ali Bongo Ondimba, in his speeches at the United Nations always affirms the preservation of peace around the world. The talks between political parties in the Republic of Gabon are still aiming for preserving peace and tolerance in the country.

With regard to the action the council could take, it would be preferable to sign a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between The Global Council for Tolerance and Peace and The National Assembly of Gabon. This will open the floor for initiatives that the Council could support.

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