CHENNAI: Hyper-nationalism is the biggest threat to humanity and as long as territorial, ideological, and religious conflicts exist, we always are war-prone, said retired Air Marshal M Matheswaran on Tuesday. Speaking at a panel discussion on ‘The beginning of World War II: Great Tragedy and its lessons’ at Russian Centre of Science and Culture, he said: “Understanding and causes of World War II should be a lesson for future and we must take right ideological position.’’
The event was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the World War II outbreak. About 100 school and college students attended and participated in the exhibition which followed it. The exhibition had historical novels and rare archive photos of the second world war, including a paper clipping of an Indian Express report published during the world war.
Addressing the gathering, Oleg Avdeev, Consul-General of Russian Federation in Chennai, said the West had made a lot of attempts to misrepresent the World War II. ‘’It is important to see the real reason for the war and the role the Soviet Union played in it,’’ he said.
Head of Department of Politics and Public Policy, University of Madras, R Manivannan said appeasing fascism is the highest price one can pay in politics. ‘’Countries should never undermine global institutions which were built with great ideas to keep international peace,’’ he said.
The group of panelists stressed that people should come together to understand the reasons for World War II and ensure that it is not repeated again. Consul of Russian Federation in Chennai, Anton Chernov; Senior Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Presidency College, Anbu Arumugam, and writer R Venkatesh participated.