It is our reality today that several States, Nations, and Peoples share the same territorial and political space. Because of the unique nature of this existence, sometimes disagreements, conflicts, and even outright hostilities break out among the parties. The challenge that the world has faced over several decades, if not centuries, has been how to manage these disagreements and conflicts without resorting to violence, and where violence inevitably occurs to limit its scope, duration and impact, and most importantly respect and protect the dignity of the peoples involved; and where violence has occurred and caused harm to find mutually acceptable means of affording justice to the aggrieved and granting reparation for any harm caused in the process.

The Congress of Nations and States believes that it behooves all Peoples all over the world, Nations, States, and Peoples, whether rich or poor, militarily powerful, or less powerful, irrespective of their political and ideological affiliations, cultural beliefs and practices, cosmological outlook, and especially religious beliefs and practices to treat one another with dignity, respecting that essence that distinguishes us as human.

It is the acknowledgement of the absolute sanctity of our humanity and that of others that will propel us to recognize the validity of the diversity of the existence and experience of others whether that diversity be their skin color, hair texture, eye color, physiognomy, gender, language, religion, or cultural practices. The acceptance, acknowledgement, and respect of the diversity of our human family is the cornerstone of the foundation of peaceful co-existence of the different shades and groups of our human family. It is at the core of the values and beliefs that shape our behaviors towards others, especially those who appear different from us. It is a critical factor in our decisions to engage other people respectfully and democratically, or to subjugate them; relate impartially to or discriminate against others; and discuss and resolve differences of opinions, and claims respectfully, or in extreme cases conduct wars of attrition that often result in the slaughter of thousands and sometimes millions of innocent people, destabilization of Communities, Peoples, and sometimes entire Nations, and destruction of our environment.