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Have We No Use for Peace Anymore?
For three Sundays in September, I spent my mornings metaphorically walking with genocide survivors, investigative journalists, ambassadors, actors, a UN peacekeeping lieutenant-general, educators, performing artists, poets and musicians. All of them gathered together because of the continued needs they see in the world around them, a world plagued by hate, violence, fear and destruction. A world they each know can become quite different, can become a world of humanity — a world focused on forgiveness, understanding, and peace.
The mountain is tall. The river is wide, but each of those participants’ unique experiences reflected possibility: the mountain can be scaled, the river can be crossed, but we must start NOW.
Many participants from the U.S. (audience and presenters) shared the feeling that this powerful nation is at the edge of a dangerous “precipice” and must choose to actively pursue peace and understanding, which requires a clear commitment to equality and justice. The alternative is to move further down a path of violence.
September 21st was International Peace Day, a day established by the United Nations to focus the world’s attention on the ideals of peace and to call for 24-hours free from violence. The day came and went without a blip. Often, I see social media posts honoring this day. This year, I saw one, which pushed…
