It is a privilege and honour for me to welcome such an august gathering this morning. Before coming to Lucknow, I am sure that delegates and guests belonging to India, attending this conference and also some from abroad, must have heard about the proverbial Lucknow hospitality and I am sure what you all have been seeing since the last three days must have impressed you that the reputation of Lucknow is well founded. Lucknow is a warm city. Lucknow is a city known for culture, tolerance, unity in diversity, diversity in unity and its cuisine.

I welcome all of you to this capital of Uttar Pradesh. Children numbering 32,000 have brought about this wonderful international event for the 8th time. Children, you have the greatest stake in today's world. People like me and most sitting on the dais have played our innings, but you have to still play your innings. And it must be a harrowing feeling for you, a frightening feeling for you that whether you would be able to play your innings in a world which is full of acrimony, hatred, terrorism and intolerance. If you are concerned, if you are perturbed, the feeling is legitimate, because the world - the type of which we have today - is not conducive to the flowering of your personality. What is that world wherein your personality would flower to the optimum? That world, children, would be a world where we would have enforceable international law. Now for that to happen, the traditional concept of sovereignty has to be given the go by and the states have to agree to practice auto-limitation, to the extent of recognizing international law sovereign in the same manner, in which municipal law is today. It's only when that happens, then we can have a world parliament, a world executive and a world judiciary. The world parliament would be enacting laws, the world executive would be executing them or implementing them and the world judiciary would be punishing the people who violate those laws.

The very real question is, would nations, especially the big ones, agree to this auto-limitation of their sovereignty? Well, I am an optimist, who believes, you know, 'O, when the winter comes, can spring be far behind'. But optimism simplicitor does not get the better of my objectivity. As I see things today, I am constrained to observe that the big countries of the world like America, France, England, Russia and a host of other countries, China, would not like to shed off their traditional sovereignty and agree to auto-limitation to the extent of accepting international law as a binding law.

Mr Gandhi, I have something for you to think. For the 8th time you are organizing this international conference with the solemn and firm hope that one day we will have a world order, a world legislature, a world executive and a world judiciary and year after year, with the same fervour, spirit and gusto you are having this International Conference of the Chief Justices.

I have a suggestion. Please broaden your international conference and involve executives. Unless you involve the executive heads, I am afraid, the optimist I am, you would not perhaps succeed in your endeavours. Because it is the executive heads, who have to agree to auto-limitations and consequently a Conference of Chief Justices simplicitor would not be good enough. Involve the executive heads. If you can persuade the executive heads to shed off their sovereignty and to practice auto-limitation, there is a greater reality of your achieving what you want to. And therefore, my request at the cost of repetition is, broaden your conference, have the chief justices, but also have the executive heads. Once the executive heads are there, they see these children of yours (CMS) bubbling with enthusiasm and innocence and I am sure, they would be persuaded that national ego should be subordinated for a better world for the children; and then they may agree to auto-limit their sovereignty and accept a world order. This is my suggestion. Please give it a thought and I appeal to the chief justices also. I am sure they will have no objection. Chief justices simplicitor, they are not the persons Mr Gandhi, who would make nations agree to auto-limiting their authorities, but if you involve the executive heads, the prospects are certainly brighter and certainly better. This is my suggestion Mr Gandhi.

Marvellous is a mild word. I am absolutely dazzled by the enthusiasm and optimism with which Mrs Gandhi and you go on holding this conference year by year. Not only this conference you know, you all are good enough to invite me in other international events. Why? Not for any personal gain -- because, we have to provide a better world for the children.

Today's children are the leaders. Why? (They are) chief justices, judges and presidents of tomorrow. You are doing it for your children and the biggest assets and wealth of the nation are the children and the biggest 'karma' (duty) which any person can do is to serve children, who have the best years of their life ahead of them. With these words, I once again express my gratitude to the organizers for having asked me to deliver this opening address.