Empathetic Action

The Real Stories of Peace: Empathetic Action.

Meet Renu from Kathmandu, Nepal. She is an undergraduate student and a devoted peacebuilder working to foster social harmony and tolerance in Nepal. 

From a young age, Renu was fascinated by historical events and narratives. Her life took a decisive turn when she encountered the story of ‘Jana Yuddha’ (People’s Armed Revolution). The historical account devastated her, revealing how war obliterated fundamental human rights, particularly the ‘Right to Live with Dignity.’ The realisation that war led to a lose-lose situation for Nepalese people, profoundly affected Renu.  

Listening to the experiences of war survivors who were tortured and continue to be haunted by that trauma even after a decade made her realize that war can never be justified.

‘My education and field experience in social work helped me to uncover that the root causes of conflict and injustice in Nepal are not political or ideological differences but rather the ‘divide and rule’ tactics. Discriminatory attitudes, hate speech, and misinformation propagated by elites to benefit a small group at the expense of the larger population.’

This realisation led Renu to dedicate herself to the work of reconciliation and peacebuilding. She decided to leave her hometown and move to Kathmandu to learn ways to build peace and started pursuing a degree in Social Work.

Renu firmly believes that peacebuilding must begin locally. In a diverse country like Nepal – with many ethnicities, castes, and religions – hate and violence are all too easy to spread. Local peacebuilding efforts are therefore crucial in addressing these issues directly within communities, fostering understanding and cooperation among different groups. But it is essential that local people have empathic feelings so that they can understand each other.  

‘The biggest challenge in peacebuilding is the lack of empathy. Many people don’t understand the difference between equality and equity. Equity, or positive discrimination, is necessary to uplift communities that have been suffering for centuries.’

Renu envisions a peacebuilding sector where local people appreciate diversity and harness it for positive change and development. She also believes that liberal ideas are imperative in increasing tolerance and preventing religious and ethnic conflicts.

Renu now spends time working alongside Freedom Studio, learning about forms of activism and advocacy through art. She is raising awareness of and engaging local communities in these programmes.

For Renu, peace starts from within by cultivating a positive mindset and practicing non-judgement.