Srinagar, Nov. 15 -- Humanity has an extraordinary ability to remember the wrongs committed against it and a remarkable ability to forget the wrongs it commits against others. This contradiction lies at the heart of many conflicts that continue to divide the modern world. We condemn the imperial conquests, colonial exploitation and territorial occupations of previous centuries, yet often remain silent when similar ambitions of domination emerge in new forms today. Have we really learned from history, or have we simply changed the language and instruments of power?

Much of today's geopolitical tension has its roots in history. Empires expanded through conquest, colonial powers redrew boundaries, communities were displaced, cultures were s...