culture of peace
Some inspirational thoughts from Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, UN Under-Secretary-General and Former President of UN Security Council and UNICEF:
“Building Cultures of Peace:
Moving from Conflict to Dialogue
In the changed world we live in, it is time to discard the eye for an eye approach. We have experienced enough violence. We cannot afford more. The time to act is now.
Peace is a prerequisite for human development. And peace cannot be achieved unless the mind is at peace. Peace is meaningful only when we have peace within and peace without. I believe, therefore, that a culture of peace should be the most appropriate vehicle for making the United Nations absolutely essential for the 21st century.
Let me end on a note of guarded optimism. I believe the time of a culture of peace has com. It is no longer just an idea of concept-it is growing into a global movement with the dedicated efforts people like you. But that only means we have crossed the first hurdle. The rest of the journey will take us to our street where millions are without shelter; to our schools where children are denied proper education; to our communities where poverty is endemic and harmony exists only in hope; to our societies where discrimination and exclusion is still the order of the day; but most importantly, to every human mind to rid them of the evils of intolerance and prejudice, ignorance and selfishness that compel them to repeat the cycle of violence. Only then will we have a culture of peace that inspires a truly universal value system.”
In order to have peace, the culture of peace must be imbued in the world culture. Following are six important steps to WAGE PEACE.
1) Change happens from within. Peace is impossible if it does not start internally. In order to speak about peace, one must live in peace, know peace, and use peace. If we wish to end the chain of violence, we must start with ourselves. We need to realize that peace is not a passive concept, but an active one, which requires constant work to reach it. Like tolerance, peace cannot just exist on the surface, it must be internalized and respected to persist. Like in the worlds of Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see.”
2) Seek community. What better way to get the culture of peace into our lives than by sharing it through group interaction and activity. Not only is this about promoting peace through volunteer and humanitarian organizations, but about being a cultural peace ambassador wherever you go. Even a group of three is community. A group of two is already dialogue. It is through dialogue that the culture of peace can be spread.
3) End violence. Never resort to violent action, because it will only be a perpetuation of what we don’t want. Violence never solved anything. The vicious cycle of “an eye for an eye” only “makes the world blind.” Violence is not the currency for peace, it is not the way to attain anything good.
4) Establish and teach Peace Studies. The culture of peace, if taught, will transform the world. Peace becomes the way and the means-a reality to solve problems-and a tenable option that people will reach for instead of jumping straight into violence. The culture of peace is that of tolerance and appreciation for our differences, and hope that we can transcend the suffering of violence.
5) Permanently incorporate women into the peace process. It has been proven time and again that when women are involved in establishing peace, the outcomes are more likely to be successful. Women have long term goals in view which involve family and children and the well-being of people.
6) Support the United Nations. The UN is the largest international organization that is dedicated to promoting peaceful means in creating a better world. With 191 countries in participation, it is therefore not surprising that decisions are hard to reach. The UN, for all the criticism that it receives, is not above its critics. The UN should constantly seek constant reform and to improve itself to better handle the ever-changing situations of the world. Do not forget that the UN is not only political, but deals mostly in economic and social improvement in the world.
“Building Cultures of Peace:
Moving from Conflict to Dialogue
In the changed world we live in, it is time to discard the eye for an eye approach. We have experienced enough violence. We cannot afford more. The time to act is now.
Peace is a prerequisite for human development. And peace cannot be achieved unless the mind is at peace. Peace is meaningful only when we have peace within and peace without. I believe, therefore, that a culture of peace should be the most appropriate vehicle for making the United Nations absolutely essential for the 21st century.
Let me end on a note of guarded optimism. I believe the time of a culture of peace has com. It is no longer just an idea of concept-it is growing into a global movement with the dedicated efforts people like you. But that only means we have crossed the first hurdle. The rest of the journey will take us to our street where millions are without shelter; to our schools where children are denied proper education; to our communities where poverty is endemic and harmony exists only in hope; to our societies where discrimination and exclusion is still the order of the day; but most importantly, to every human mind to rid them of the evils of intolerance and prejudice, ignorance and selfishness that compel them to repeat the cycle of violence. Only then will we have a culture of peace that inspires a truly universal value system.”
In order to have peace, the culture of peace must be imbued in the world culture. Following are six important steps to WAGE PEACE.
1) Change happens from within. Peace is impossible if it does not start internally. In order to speak about peace, one must live in peace, know peace, and use peace. If we wish to end the chain of violence, we must start with ourselves. We need to realize that peace is not a passive concept, but an active one, which requires constant work to reach it. Like tolerance, peace cannot just exist on the surface, it must be internalized and respected to persist. Like in the worlds of Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see.”
2) Seek community. What better way to get the culture of peace into our lives than by sharing it through group interaction and activity. Not only is this about promoting peace through volunteer and humanitarian organizations, but about being a cultural peace ambassador wherever you go. Even a group of three is community. A group of two is already dialogue. It is through dialogue that the culture of peace can be spread.
3) End violence. Never resort to violent action, because it will only be a perpetuation of what we don’t want. Violence never solved anything. The vicious cycle of “an eye for an eye” only “makes the world blind.” Violence is not the currency for peace, it is not the way to attain anything good.
4) Establish and teach Peace Studies. The culture of peace, if taught, will transform the world. Peace becomes the way and the means-a reality to solve problems-and a tenable option that people will reach for instead of jumping straight into violence. The culture of peace is that of tolerance and appreciation for our differences, and hope that we can transcend the suffering of violence.
5) Permanently incorporate women into the peace process. It has been proven time and again that when women are involved in establishing peace, the outcomes are more likely to be successful. Women have long term goals in view which involve family and children and the well-being of people.
6) Support the United Nations. The UN is the largest international organization that is dedicated to promoting peaceful means in creating a better world. With 191 countries in participation, it is therefore not surprising that decisions are hard to reach. The UN, for all the criticism that it receives, is not above its critics. The UN should constantly seek constant reform and to improve itself to better handle the ever-changing situations of the world. Do not forget that the UN is not only political, but deals mostly in economic and social improvement in the world.