How to Recognize a Culture of Peace

In a culture of peace:

People are transformed into instruments of peace,

They respect all life,

They share what they have with others,

They reject violence and endeavor to prevent conflicts,

They understand that power increases

As they come together as a community,

And that power is based, not on force, but on cooperation.

 

In a culture of peace:

People make friends, not enemies,

They practice equality without exception,

They listen to each other so that they may understand,

They provide for each other’s basic needs, and

They celebrate differences, not just tolerate them.

 

In a culture of peace:

People communicate freely,

They value fundamental rights and liberties,

They respect universal human rights,

They follow the rule of law – local, national, and international,

They are good stewards of the earth, and

They rediscover solidarity.

 

Do we live in a culture of peace? No we do not.

We live in a culture of war.

 

In a culture of war:

People are transformed into instruments of hate and violence,

They have little respect for life,

They hoard their material possessions,

They embrace violence and endeavor to stir up conflicts,

They fail to understand that power decreases

As they become alienated from the community,

And have an increasing appetite for power based on force.

 

In a culture of war:

People insist that they have enemies,

They allow suspicion and fear to destroy friendship,

They build fortresses to close themselves off from others,

They exploit others and deprive them of their basic needs,

Intolerant of differences, they rejoice in a tiresome lack of diversity.

 

In a culture of war:

People practice secrecy and censorship,

They disregard fundamental rights and liberties,

They violate universal human rights,

They ignore the rule of law – local, national, and international,

They shamefully exploit the earth and its resources, and

They forget all about community.

 

How do we bring about a paradigm shift

From a culture of war to a culture of peace?

 

The paradigm shift will come:

When people are transformed into instruments of constructive change,

When there is education for all – especially women,

When qualitative values inform decision-making, not dollars,

When dialog, conflict resolution, and consensus-building

Replace the darkness of autocratic mandates.

 

The paradigm shift will come:

When our institutions aim to sustain democracy, not suppress it,

When they conceive and nurture responsible citizenship,

When they promote democratic principles and practices, and

Strengthen popular participation in governance.

 

The paradigm shift will come:

When an independent media successfully challenges

The self-interest of the mainstream media,

When violence is no longer elevated
To a position of honor and labeled patriotism,

When the free-flow of information reveals

The value of disarmament and engenders

Respect for human rights and civil liberties.

 

The paradigm shift will come:

When efforts are underway to restore the earth

And to preserve its life-sustaining properties,

When attempts to globalize the world economy

Eradicate poverty, not add to it, and

When people from all corners of the earth,

Are freed of artificial constraints, and

Learn to sing in near-perfect harmony.

                                                           --Edrene S. McKay