As I travel the world, I am reminded again and again that the health of a society is revealed not only in its laws or its institutions but in the way its people speak to, and about, one another. My father taught that nonviolence begins with language and the discipline to choose words that uplift rather than degrade, that clarify rather than distort and that build community rather than fracture it.

Last month in the United States, we marked the holiday that bears his name at a time when our own social cohesion is under immense strain. The rhetoric of public life has grown sharper, more cynical and more divisive. Too often, we speak as if our neighbours are adversaries rather than fellow citizens. But this erosion of respect is not unique to America. It is a global challenge and Australia is not exempt.

During my Australian visit, I have sensed both the extraordinary achievements and future potential of this nation along with the fragility of its social fabric. As I see in so many communities across the world, there are deep wounds and deeper misunderstandings. But what I also observe is the power of narrative. The stories we tell about one another, and the stories we showcase, shape the possibilities of our shared future.

When we speak about groups of people as problems rather than partners, we diminish our collective humanity. Reducing individuals to........

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