COPENHAGEN—Mrutyuanjai Mishra, who was a speaker at the Berlin conference, wrote an important article in the Times of India about the conference, entitled, “A Summer for Peace? Beyond geopolitics toward a new international security architecture.” The article was published as a “Voices” op-ed on June 15 in both the World and India sections in their digital edition, in the printed edition, and also in Romanian. The Times of India English print version circulation ranks #1 in the world, and the digital #5. Mrutyuanjai Mishra, originally from India, now living in Denmark, spoke at the conference about the British Empire oppression of India and the effects to this day.
He opens the article:
“As armed conflicts continue to rage in Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia, citizens around the world are asking a simple but profound question: Where are the leaders capable of imagining a future beyond endless war? At a moment when the dangers of escalation—including the risk of a direct confrontation between nuclear powers—remain very real, there is an urgent need for a fundamental rethinking of international relations and global security.
“The economic consequences of these conflicts are already being felt far beyond the battlefield. Rising energy prices, supply chain disruptions, food insecurity, and growing military expenditures are placing enormous burdens on societies across the world. Yet despite these dangers, the dominant political discourse often remains trapped within the framework of geopolitics, where nations are viewed primarily as competitors engaged in a perpetual struggle for power.
“This question was at the center of a recent conference organized by the Schiller Institute in Berlin on May 30–31. Bringing together former government officials, diplomats, academics, journalists, military experts, and peace activists from more than a dozen countries, the conference focused on two themes: “The Urgent Need for a New International Security and Development Architecture” and “The End of 500 Years of Colonization: Toward a New Era of Peace and Development.”
“I was honored to be invited as a speaker at the conference, where I addressed the impact of colonialism on the Indian subcontinent. My presentation explored the long-term economic, cultural, and geopolitical consequences of colonial rule and examined how the legacy of empire continues to shape international relations today. The discussion reinforced the broader theme of the conference: that lasting peace requires not only ending present conflicts but also understanding and overcoming the historical structures that contributed to inequality and division among nations.
“What emerged from the discussions was a challenge to the dominant geopolitical framework that has shaped international affairs for decades. Rather than accepting a world fragmented into competing geopolitical blocs, many participants argued for a new security architecture that takes into account the interests and legitimate concerns of all nations.
“At the conference, Schiller Institute founder Helga Zepp-LaRouche argued that the current global crisis stems from efforts to preserve a declining unipolar order.
“Helga LaRouche called for the creation of a new international security and development architecture that would include all nations and respect the legitimate security concerns of each. She emphasized that Western countries should engage constructively with the Global South, which increasingly seeks alternatives to older patterns of economic and political domination.."..
Read the middle section about the current conflicts in Iran, Ukraine, and regarding Russia and China in Documentation (or at the article link).
Here is the conclusion:
“Humanity stands at a historic crossroads.
“One path leads toward continued geopolitical rivalry, expanding military blocs, escalating arms races, and the danger of wider wars. The other leads toward dialogue, development, and a new international security architecture based on shared interests and mutual respect.
“The challenge before humanity is not merely political but philosophical. Do we accept Thomas Hobbes’s vision of endless competition and conflict, or do we embrace the belief that human beings are capable of reason, creativity, and cooperation?
“Perhaps the greatest lesson of our time is that no nation can achieve security by making others insecure. Lasting peace will emerge only when the world recognizes that humanity truly is one family.
“As conflicts in the Middle East show signs of de-escalation, there is hope that diplomacy may once again become possible elsewhere. If leaders are willing to rise above the habits of geopolitics and embrace a broader vision of humanity’s common future, this summer could become remembered not merely as a pause in conflict, but as the beginning of a new era of peace.”
