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HM King Constantine's speech at the annual Round Square conference 1 September 2005 Category: Speeches The following speech was delivered by HM King Constantine at the annual Round Square conference, at the Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ridgeway, Australia, in September 2005 It seems to me, that as humanity develops over the eons, history is distilled down to the cultural essence of our world's nations -and built on their divergences. What do I mean by that? That as much as we develop in the fields of technology and science, as much as our collective mind renders more sensitive to moral nuances, as much as we should be learning from the cyclical tides of history, we continue to perceive 'others' through our differences rather than our similarities. Whereas technological advances should draw us closer, we are fundamentally driven apart; we boast the principles of equality and democracy, yet we adapt them to the ambiguous world of international relations; we advise you, our children, to learn from our past mistakes, and yet we will hand over a more fragile world than the one we received. Certainly, to the unspoilt, critical mind of young people such as yourselves, the world's leadership must seem inexplicable: if everyone is set to end world poverty, why is this exacerbating instead of recovering? How can countries not commit to the battle to reverse the destruction of the environment, when the urgency is made clear daily? How does one distinguish which national strife to intervene in, when other civil wars and acts of genocide span decades? Why, in all our wisdom, do we still need reminding to embrace our differences? Lets take an example in which this meeting's theme is being put to practice: the European Union. Ever since the fiscal unification of European nations, studies have shown that these very countries' nationals seek a deeper connection with their own legacy. The further we join our hands, embracing other Europeans, the more we look to our unique traits as a people, in order to fortify the genes each nation carries through history. In a positive interpretation of this meeting's theme, by embracing our differences, we have sought the truth about us. And this brings me to the parameter you have set to this year's theme, which I find goes right to the heart of progress: Looking to ourselves, in order to understand and accept diversity. From a personal perspective, I can tell you that this is something members of royal families have done for centuries. They would find themselves in the position of having to adopt a country other than the one they were born or had served in. From that moment on, the culture, history, temperament and inherent characteristics of the people they were appointed to serve, truly became their own. I myself am amazed at the extent to which my sister for instance, born Princess Sofia of the Hellenes, has transformed to a true Queen of Spain, with the sensitivities, disposition and subtle qualities of any other Spaniard. At the same time, she is Greek to the bone? Or my wife, who at the age of 18 joined me in serving the Greek people as Queen and has since amazed all with her Greek spirit. Knowing how much my beloved wife and sister love their motherlands, I believe we can all transcend the boundaries of what we are and extend our understanding to our neighbours and our foes equally. Having had to live in a country other than my own for a long time, I found that it is in my 'Greekness', that I welcome and embrace others. In our love for our own history and country, one will find the respect for others' history and culture, no matter how much these may differ. One would argue of course, that there are thousands who espouse their respective cultural background to the extent that it blinds them to others. I put it to you that True knowledge of one's history, can only generate respect; as there is no lesson learnt which does not prescribe empathy. Genuine respect for one's heritage, will lead to another's existence; as the universality of human development will unveil. As with everything in life, the more sincere the search within, the more our humble roots will expand, -to envelope humanity. I have repeatedly stated, and the Round Square is the outcome of this conviction, that we should all do our very best, at every possible opportunity, to encourage you, -the generation to lead our future-, towards an all-encompassing, healthy and proactive life. Via your attendance and contribution to the curriculum, you will grasp among other things, how divergent the lives of young people around the world can be. I am not referring here to differences in wealth, nor living standards. The great difference, one which you will have to embrace in the future, is that there are entire societies, in which children live within fanaticism and prejudice. Many argue that these social contexts will, in the 21st century, become more frequent. Images of children pointing guns are so recurrent, it barely shocks one anymore. At the same time, young recruits of self-proclaimed armies bare their faces defiantly to the rest of the world. Children who were denied a choice, as much as the ones who survived their brothers and sisters in tragedies such as Beslan last September, or those literally torn from their homes in the Gaza Strip by their country's soldiers. Dozens of cases where young people are collectively socialised in insecurity, insularity and confusion. So I will leave you with this: Cherish the freedom you have to make your own choices. Embark on any path that leads to knowledge, in order to make these choices wisely. And in acting upon your chosen path, remember to embrace the differences, whatever these may be. |
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