Redefining Peace

On the 20th of September 2021 for the occasion of World Peace Day; Faces of Change, ImpactLeaders international, Initiative for Diversity, Inclusion and Peace and the Global Group for Universal Human Rights organized a peace dialogue with the theme ‘Redefining Peace’. The aim was to come up with ideas how we can make peace actionable from the grassroots.

Speakers from Syria, Kashmir, Honduras and Afghanistan shared their stories, illustrating the devastating effects of war on the lives of ordinary people. Highlights of these talks are that women often are the most sacrificed victims of war. Honduras – a small country in Central America – appears to be one of the countries with the most urgent and acute human rights problems with widespread corruption and no rule of law. Afghanistan is one of the most costly interventions in the last 20 years and also one of the most ineffective, recent events show clearly. Kashmir is a contested region, which for decades has been fighting for independence and freedom. Syria is already more than 10 years at war with no hope for it to end soon.

Peace Dialogue – the successful technique

The dialogue centered around 3 questions: what are personal experiences of people with building peace from the grassroots, what are their dreams for a world in peace and what can we do on the short and long term? Peace is about people that have dreams, turn that into hope and make it actionable.

Personal experiences clearly showed the devastating impact of war on the life of individuals. Even when one is safe and has found sanctuary in a new host country, the pain of the motherland is always present. ‘It feels like a stone in your foot which you cannot get rid of’, one of the participants said. One is always thinking about the people that have been left behind and how everything that represents home, has been destroyed.

Dreams create a pathway to another future. People have many dreams. Peace in their country of origin, empowerment of women, respect for each other, no one should be allowed to manufacture weapons of mass destruction. But also the right of children to a life in peace, to happiness and basic security. Countries which are privileged like The Netherlands have a duty in this respect, to support this call and cause for peace in the world.

How can we make peace actionable?

By paying it forward. Spreading the word and message of peace. Sharing examples, good practices, lessons. Also by creating networks, gathering likeminded people, educating children from primary school onwards about the importance of peace. But also by not forgetting the people that have been left behind. Not everyone can seek sanctuary and they are then left to the mercy of the warlords that promote war as a justifiable way to break the cycle of violence. The cycle must be broken and we all must become peacebuilders and catalyze change.

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