We can all learn to be peace builders. In our own lives, it’s often as simple as being kind (to ourselves as well as others); stopping to think (and breathe) before letting anger take hold and learning how to forgive or accept things that are out of our control.
Conflict, security, violence, war, and peace are issues that impact all of us whether we are aware of it or not. They are complicated issues and they are critical to the legacy we pass on to our children and future generations. The concept of world peace can seem ‘too big’, impossible… ludicrous even. Yet, the prevalence of peace or conflict on a global scale is influenced by one thing. The collective impact of all human actions and reactions. It is quite literally down to every one of us. And it’s important that we are not paralysed by the overwhelming scale of the concept. We can all start to build peace right now, and in every moment. Starting with ourselves, our families, and our communities.
We all have a responsibility in the choices we make about how we approach conflict. While our view of the world as shaped in childhood and adolescence is a key determinant of our perspectives in adulthood – a peace builder is someone who simply decides to act mindfully – often in small ways – to make their corner of the world a peaceful place. As human beings, we have incredible potential. Peace building requires that we tap into that potential. It doesn’t offer an easy or quick fix. It is an ongoing process of learning for us all.
When we brush away the cobwebs of the daily grind, and the struggles and challenges we face in adult life – surely we would choose to pass on the legacy of a worldview that encourages peace building to our children?
Exploring peace building through film
A series of interviews that engage 11th UNESCO Youth Forum participants to talk about what peacebuilding means to them. They were asked what they do for their communities and how UNESCO can help them achieve their goals. The youth talk about their personal projects .
A conflict analysis is a nonnegotiable first step when preparing a conflict transformation and peacebuilding intervention. Understanding violence is part and parcel of this initial assessment.
What is the Quaker approach to peace activism? For Anthony Manousos, it means that peace starts within.
Explaining the difference between peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peacebuilding.
David Kirshbaum, director of the Nonviolence International Arizona Research Center, breaks down Johan Galtung’s peace theory and how it describes what is necessary to create and measure a Culture of Peace.
A noted pioneer in the field of Peace Studies, Johan Galtung makes the case for incorporating human rights as key to successful peace building around the world.
The Forgiveness Project collects and shares stories from both victims/survivors and perpetrators of crime and conflict who have rebuilt their lives following hurt and trauma. Founded in 2004 by journalist, Marina Cantacuzino, The Forgiveness Project provides resources and experiences to help people examine and overcome their own unresolved grievances. These testimonies bear witness to the resilience of the human spirit and act as a powerful antidote to narratives of hate and dehumanisation, presenting alternatives to cycles of conflict, violence, crime and injustice.