Why is peace such a divisive issue, even among Christians? Why is it so hard to practice right here right now? Why is peace often considered an extra, rather than an essential, to faithful Christian living? The three authors decided to write this book when the Indonesian member of the team remarked to the other two: "If the Christian church is to make any impact on Indonesia, it must address itself to the biggest peace issue -- reconciliation with Muslims." But before the writers could honestly consider that explosive possibility, they first had to ask why Christians find it so difficult to live peaceably with other Christians. They've discovered that conflict is often a prerequisite of peace. They grant that peace is a continuum -- easier to live in some areas of life than in others. They've learned that peace has two parents -- hard work and grace. Living in peace is muscular activity. The authors suggest how to develop "peacemaking reflexes"; how churches "can learn to handle conflict well"; and how to cultivate vulnerability and humility, two essential "attitudes of peacemakers." True stories from communities around the world support this hopeful but strenuous call to faithful living.

The culture of peace and non-violence is essential to human existence, development and progress. In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus the norm-setting, forward-looking “Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace”. Governments, institutions, NGOs, other civil society entities and, in particular, individuals – all are encouraged therein to contribute to the global movement for the culture of peace. Related to this vision, this rich and varied dialogue discusses how the culture of peace can be achieved in the world. Based on the extensive personal and professional experiences of two high-profile thinkers and activists, they analyse the challenges unfolding at local, national and global levels and how these relate to humanity's quest for peace, human security and happiness. Although coming from very different positions – one a Buddhist philosopher, educator and leader; the other a UN diplomat renowned for his international work in peace, development and human rights – these interlocutors are united in their search for justice and better quality of life for all and their conviction that women and young people are the most effective means to achieving positive change in the world. The dialogue provides ideas on the key challenges that face our planet: poverty and deprivation, war and violence, nuclear weapons and small arms, climate change and environmental degradation, weak governance and financial crises, marginalization of women and alienation of youth and the relentless drive for materialism. They also invite us to consider how the culture of peace can be practically achieved through an individual, collective and institutional transformation. Recognizing that global citizenship, multilateralism, women's equality and value-creating education are central and inter-linked themes, this dialogue also underscores the inherent strength of spirituality, compassion, empathy, forgiveness, respect for diversity and empowerment that comes from the trials and tribulations of life.

This book challenges the discourses, narrative frames, and systems of beliefs that support and promote violence and conflict, it defines new comprehensive approaches to human security as preventative and empowering to individuals, and it provides conceptual frameworks and methodological tools for enhancing the processes of communicating peace.

As the world faces a multitude of complexly-interwoven challenges, new values and new worldviews are emerging to change the ways in which human beings relate to each other, to our planet, and to all life on Earth. In today's globalized world, humanity is becoming inescapably aware that coexistence, cooperation, and respect for diversity are fundamental values by which all of us must live. These essential human values, which apply in all individual and societal relationships, are likewise intrinsic to a culture of peace: a way of living that will allow a harmonious, multifaceted, global civilization to blossom.Central to this volume is a belief that in an interdependent world, collective decision-making for the collective good is the most effective way to move forward. In order to respect the balance among cultures and nations, decisions that have a global impact must be taken multilaterally. No culture can achieve and maintain its international objectives by acting unilaterally; nor can any nation or cultural group claim to represent the whole of humanity.Shaping the Culture of Peace in a Multilateral World compiles prominent visionary articles from United Nations institutions and regional and other intergovernmental organizations, and highlights the contributions being made to the creation of a culture of peace. It aims to strengthen multilateral cooperation among intergovernmental organizations worldwide, and to facilitate the formation of a global network of multilateral mechanisms, which will provide collective and holistic responses to the peace and security challenges of the 21st century. Shaping the Culture of Peace in a Multilateral World is in itself a true example of multilateralism, and a publication treasure for people, who are active or interested in international diplomacy and international affairs.

Around the world, thousands of grassroots movements are confronting issues like destruction of the environment, economic depression, human rights violations, religious fundamentalism, and war. This book tells the courageous story of one such group. Organizing in 1939, Northern Baptists formed the Baptist Pacifist Fellowship as part of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Southern Baptists formed a parallel body. Like today, it was a time when sources of hope seemed hard to find. Discerning a need to support and connect Baptist conscientious objectors in the United States, members faced hostility in congregations and the nation. For the duration of the Second World War, the Korean War, war in Vietnam and elsewhere, Baptists sustained a witness for peace and justice. By 1984, threat of nuclear weapons led to formation of a wider circle of resistance to the culture of war. Subsequently, the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America has brought together Baptist peacemakers from around North America and the world. However small in numbers or reviled, members have been building a culture of peace through an interracial and international community. This book is an invaluable resource for those seeking a new world of forgiveness, respect for human rights, nonviolence, and peace.

Pedagogies for Building Cultures of Peace explores how normalizations of violence are constructed from the perspective of young adults and how pedagogies can be created toward building cultures of peace. Findings show the diverse ways in which enmity (or the dehumanized other) is constructed, including through socialization processes, associating difference as deficient, systems of exclusion, disengaged citizenship, and cultures of competition and rivalry. Results also show how critical adult education can reveal hidden forms of power embedded within normalizations of violence, creating opportunities for peacebuilding education. By collaboratively engaging in peace research with youth, and by explicitly exploring power as a central component of violence, violence transformation and peacebuilding education led by youth become imaginable.

The intent of this playbook is to enable PK-12 teachers, teachers-in-training, counselors, and coaches to use character and peace education lessons to enrich their curriculum and help students expand their knowledge and understanding of themes and content in each of the book’s chapters. The lesson plans will help students discover, learn, reflect on, and make connections between and among each of the chapters in the book, such as Character Development, Peace Awareness, Special Skills, and Selfdiscipline, Respect, Responsibility, Relationships, and Conflict Resolution. This playbook is designed in such a way that you may take any one of the lessons and implement it at any time you find a teachable moment or want to focus on a particular topic or theme. The lessons have been designed to help you and your students "reflect” upon and make "connections" between the content and activities of each lesson. At the end of each chapter is a stop-sign symbol suggesting one “read/reflect/respond.” The playbook is rich in references, research, and resources.

We are living today in a multicultural world, surrounded by people from different backgrounds, cultures and religions. Establishing tolerance and peace has become crucial. Without these qualities, social stability and communal harmony are threatened; and acceptance of each other remains elusive. Spreading a culture of tolerance and peace is necessary to address contemporary issues of world peace, this includes reflection on the importance of refusing violence and adopting a more peaceful means for resolving disagreements and conflicts. This book, written by the world’s foremost thinkers in this area, aims to increase feelings of openness and respect toward others, solidarity and sharing based on a sense of security in one's own identity and a capacity to recognize the many dimensions of being human in different cultural and social contexts. Topics discussed in the book include: Promoting Tolerance and Peace  Teaching Tolerance and Peace  Human Values  Intercultural / Interreligious dialogue  Human Fraternity document

Examines the overlapping aims, values, and concepts in peace and environmental education.

This book provides skills for therapists and families to help improve interpersonal communication, promoting a new system of family coexistence and a refreshed concept of the modern marriage in society. Written from a constructivist peace perspective, the book’s aim is to reduce the high statistics of intimate partner violence that occurs in Mexico, arguing that the culture of peace and how it is born in the family in turn affects society for better or for worse. Based upon interviews from 150 long-term married couples, the chapters address the components that promote peaceful dialogue in marriages, such as assertive language, active listening, tolerance to frustration, and gender perspectives. Including accessible language and several models of peace, the book uniquely examines same-sex marriages, the role of children in marriage conflicts, and prescribed gender assumptions and roles in relationships. It aims to empower family members to move away from old habits and seek a more equitable existence in marriages and society at large. This interdisciplinary text will be of great interest to family therapists and clinical social workers, as well as to students and researchers in communication and peace studies.