The unrealized dream of peace

The year 2022 launched with many hopes, most of them are unrealized as it comes to an end. We hoped that the booster shots would kick out the pandemic. We hoped that the war between Russia and Ukraine will end quickly. We hoped that poverty, violence, and civil unrest wouldn’t drive people away from their homelands and will force them to be refugees in other countries. We hoped that the Southern border of USA will not be closed for migrants. We hoped there will be peace in the world.

As the year comes to an end, none of the above happened. The world has become more brutal. Billions of dollars are being spent on the war machine. The USA is poised to open more fronts to fight beyond its border.  Russian fire power is mercilessly devastating people’s lives in Ukraine. More nations in the world are forced to bear the brunt of war, poverty and disease. And the pandemic caused by COVID-19 is back amidst us even after  a series of vaccine shots. It continues to kills people in the USA and beyond.

The year 2022 is leaving behind a lot of unsolved puzzles. We continue to fight a never-ending war on poverty, disease and natural disasters. Tens of thousands of refugee seekers are waiting to enter the USA on its Southern border for a better living. The line of refugees at the Southern border of the USA is growing even larger.

As a person of Indian origin, it is natural for me to look at my native where the politics seems is murkier than ever. The ruling party claims to have built modern resources while the opposition parties cry over the sufferings of the common man. War may erupt at India’s Northern border at any time to come,

Welcome to 2023!

A new year with more challenges than hopes.

(Ashok Ojha, president, Yuva Hindi Sansthan and Hindi Sangam Foundation, is a New Jersey based language teacher and journalist. He is a recipient of the Fulbright-Hays Award 2022 by the US Department of Education. He may be reached by email: aojha2008@gmail.com)