There are untold numbers of peace builders throughout the world’s history. Some well-known Nobel Peace Prize winners, like Nelson Mandela… and other unsung heroes you won’t find in the history books – but who have nonetheless played a vital role in the global march to peace.
The Peace Building Resource Centre (part museum, part education centre) we are working towards establishing in London will deliver exhibitions exploring these extraordinary peace builders; examining the individual stories of our Peace Heroines and Heroes – allowing their extraordinary sacrifices, strength, and perseverance – often in the face of unthinkable obstacles – to serve as an inspiration to us all.
Throughout history, the Peace Movement has been consistently characterised by a shared desire to eradicate war and violence – whether justified by virtue of race, resource, religion or ideology.
The etymology of peace
Peace is commonly understood in terms of societal harmony, and/or the absence of violence and conflict. Throughout history, world leaders have relied on peacemaking processes and diplomatic means to establish regional peace, and economic security – via a plethora of official agreements and treaties. These governmental vehicles for officiating policies of cooperation and trade agreements have demonstrably influenced a reduction in global conflict, an increase in international trade…and a subsequent reduction in poverty (though of course this is not ubiquitous; with a very real, perennial threat of corruption permeating populations in several regions).
The perpetual dream of universal peace has long been a preoccupation for philosophers, policy makers, libertarians, and pacifists alike. The acknowledged necessity for cooperation and peaceful foundations for coexistence (and ultimately survival) within and among nations emerged as early as ancient Greece. In fact, the Greek word ‘Eirene’ is believed to be the first word to describe ‘a state of peace’ – with the first known peace treaty, the ‘Thirty Years’ treaty, signed between the ancient Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta in 446/445 BC. A treaty that brought an end to the the First Peloponnesian War. In the course of time of course, more established, wide-spread programmes for peace among nations have emerged.
Exploring a history of peace through film
“I Have a Dream” was delivered on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington. It was a call for equality and freedom, and became one of the defining moments of the civil rights movement – and one of the most iconic speeches in American history.
The Polish Solidarity movement was founded in September 1980 at the Gdansk shipyard, led by Lech Walesa. ‘Solidarnosc’ was the first free trade union in the Communist block. It was a peaceful movement that played a key role in the decline and fall of the USSR.
Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp was a series of protest camps established to protest nuclear weapons being placed at RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire, England, in the 1980s. A supreme example of non violent action.
The Peace Museum, Bradford, is currently the only museum dedicated to the history and stories of peace, peacemakers and peace movements in the UK. It has been the inspiration for our plans for The Peace Building, which will be a Peace Museum on a bigger scale – based in London, the world capital.
The Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, Norway is a showcase for the Nobel Peace Prize and the ideals it represents. The Centre is also an arena where culture and politics merge to promote involvement, debate, and reflection around topics such as was war, peace and conflict resolution.
WW2, August 6th 1945, an atomic bomb detonates at approximately 600 meters over downtown Hiroshima. Severely devastated, Hiroshima became the world’s first city to be attacked by an A-bomb. The Hiroshima Museum is on the site of the bombing.
The inspiring story of how Bertha von Stuttner promoted peace right up to her death (2 weeks before the start of the first world war). She influenced all Nobel Prizes and was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.