
at peace
[Middle English pes, from Old French pais, pes, from Latin pāx, pāc-. See pax.]
noun
Idioms beginning with peace:
peace and quiet
In addition to the idiom beginning with peace, also see at peace; hold one's tongue (peace); keep the peace; leave someone in peace; make one's peace with; make peace.
Definition: calm, serenity
Antonyms: agitation, distress, frustration, irritation, noise, upset, worry
n
Definition: harmony, agreement
Antonyms: agitation, conflict, disagreement, disharmony, distress, fighting, war
Perhaps one of the most complex concepts in human history, peace has been used to refer to everything from “absence of war” to “equilibrium” to “a utopian state of spiritual and social harmony devoid of conflict.” These widely differing images are indicators of essential differences in ideology, culture, and perceptions of history. Understanding peace requires an acknowledgment of these different contexts as well as a willingness to explore those meanings with which we are less familiar.Ironically, the most familiar images of peace are perhaps the least helpful, as they consist of stereotypical assumptions that do not invite further examination of a complex phenomenon. These highly idealistic images generally depict peace either as the condition that exists when wars are suspended or terminated, or, conversely, as a harmonious world devoid of conflict. At best, such images provide faint shadows of peace rather than illuminate its essence. More often than not, they serve to lessen any interest in peace as a desirable or achievable state, either by devaluing it (a simple interlude between wars) or by ascribing unattainable, utopian preconditions to it (a world in total harmony without conflict). In the West, a common understanding of peace originates from the Latin pax, meaning “a pact or settlement to deter or end hostilities.” This meaning arises primarily in historical, political, and military contexts, which appear to be closely related. Given the fascination of Western historians with war, it is understandable that many continue to envision human history as a series of wars and respites from wars, and salient historical figures as warriors, military leaders, or heads of state who declare and prosecute wars against other states. Within this context, peace has come to be narrowly understood as the absence of war, the end of war, interludes between wars, or nonwar.
Accordingly, in American military history, the word peace essentially means “the absence of war.” Thus, militaries fight wars to “win the peace”—to bring about periods of nonwar through the use of force. In military paradigms, peace is seen as an ultimate or ideal goal rather than a means to an end. Those engaged in such wars tend to believe theirs will be the last, that the subsequent nonwar period of peace will be enduring, or that moments of nonwar are only interludes that will ultimately give way to future wars.
Related to this is what the Norwegian peace scholar Johan Galtung has termed negative peace, that is, the absence of war and “direct” violence. Under this kind of peace, many forms of “structural” violence (indirect, institutionalized violence) such as economic exploitation, racism, sexism, oppression, hunger, and poverty still exist.
Such narrow notions of peace say nothing about what peace is—only what peace is not. And they describe what it is not in terms of something with which we appear to be quite familiar: violence and war. Among other conclusions, we might infer from this that our knowledge about peace is at best very limited, since we seek to define it in terms of what it is not rather than what it is.
Related to this is the idyllic image of a world without conflict, pain, suffering, and struggle. Yet at all levels of human existence—from the interpersonal to the global—peace includes, rather than precludes, conflict. Conflict is a basic fact of life; thus, a world at peace will be full of conflict. What distinguishes a peaceful world, among other qualities, is the extent to which unnecessary conflict is prevented and all other conflict is managed in nonviolent ways. This idyllic image often arises out of a fundamental confusion surrounding conflict and violence. Conflict and violence are not synonymous terms: conflict can be violent, but it also can be nonviolent; it can be destructive and painful, but it also can be constructive and useful. Clarification of these concepts allows movement beyond the normative fear of conflict and negative associations with it. The existence of conflict in the future then becomes an understandable and acceptable fact of life, and the idyllic image of peace becomes unnecessary and unrealistic.
Although these shadow images of peace seem antithetical (i.e., they could be easily juxtaposed at opposite ends of a continuum depicting ideological views of peace), in fact, they have much in common with one another. Both types attempt to define peace in terms of (1) what is missing rather than what is present; and (2) one or two basic components (e.g., violence and conflict).
Once outside (Western) historical, political, and military contexts, however, peace means much more than the absence of a specific phenomenon, which it is not. For many scholars in peace studies and peace research, peace is much more than not‐war; it is much more than not‐ violence; and it is never seen as not‐conflict.
Essential Peace
If, instead, we begin with equally valid definitions of pax—and with pacific (from the Latin pacifico and pacificus, and the French pacifique)—we see a different face of peace altogether: one involving reaching agreement by negotiation (as opposed to the use of force); mediation; reconciliation; amity; calm; tranquility; or order—even “rejecting force as a means of achieving policy objectives.” Here it is important to acknowledge that peace can exist at every level of existence, from the intrapersonal (psychological, spiritual, etc.) to the global (political, sociological, environmental). Thus, generic definitions of peace become extremely problematic. Nonetheless, there is general agreement in peace research and peace studies on the broad parameters of peace.
Some peace researchers approach an understanding of what peace is by identifying the conditions necessary for it to exist. The following ideological and infrastructural conditions are not exhaustive by any means, but represent what many experts believe to be essential for peace to develop in the world: the presence of cultures of peace (vs. cultures of violence); the presence of justice (economic, social, and political); the shared democratic use of power (economic, social, and political) among people who govern themselves (“power with”) rather than the governance of the many by the few who have “power over” the many; the presence of economic and ecological sustainability; the nonviolent (vs. violent) management and resolution of conflict; the development of common security that does not rely on the threat or use of violence; the pursuit of collective and individual ends through nonviolence rather than violence; and the elimination of violence in all its myriad forms (including the “war systems” inherent in many nations). Each of these conditions requires a brief explanation.
The presence of cultures of peace refers to the social and cultural components (values, belief systems, ideologies, philosophies, theories, societal norms, etc.) that undergird and legitimate everyday life and the infrastructures we create to carry us into the future. Wars are not fought without ideologies that tell us that it is acceptable and justifiable to conduct them. The ubiquitous violence that exists in the media, in entertainment, in our schools, in our streets, and in our homes does not exist without belief systems that legitimate and encourage it. Similarly, peaceful relationships among individuals, groups, genders, classes, nations—as well as relationships between human beings and the rest of the nonhuman world—cannot exist without cultural values and ideologies that promote nonviolence, respect, and tolerance for everyone, especially those who are somehow different from us. In a culture of peace, for example, people would not be entertained by violence (nor would they seek to be entertained by it).
A fundamental ideological cornerstone of the violence surrounding us today is the idea that one's identity is primarily related to one's gender, race, national origin, political affiliation, economic status, religious ideology, or socioeconomic class. The result of this kind of identity formation is the grouping of people into “us” and “them.” Once a person or an ethnic group or a country is a “them,” they are less valuable, less important, and somehow less human than “us.” This is the first step toward dehumanizing “the other,” which in turn is the first step toward aggression and violence. Cultures of violence inculcate ideologies that give rise to the formation of these kinds of mutually exclusive identities. Cultures of peace, on the other hand, would embrace “species identity” and other inclusive forms of identifications with humanity, which Elise Boulding and Robert Jay Lifton have so eloquently examined in their research and writings.
The presence of justice at all levels (economic, social, and political) refers to the ways in which individuals and groups are treated by society and one another. While justice is a highly debated term, there is little disagreement that peace can exist without it. In particular, this is true because the existence of injustice implies ongoing structural violence against certain peoples or groups. As Johan Galtung notes, the Greek eirene, the Hebrew shalom, and the Arab salam take us beyond the Roman pax to an understanding of peace that includes “justice.” In this view, peace is not only the absence of all violence (including underlying structures of violence) but also the presence of justice (Galtung calls this positive peace).
The shared democratic use of power is relevant to all personal and social relationships, but especially to those in the arenas of governance, business, international relations, and global security. In his groundbreaking work Three Faces of Power, the American economist Kenneth Boulding identifies three basic forms of power (“threat,” “exchange,” and “integrative” power) and argues that integrative power is the most important of the three, as it is what gives rise to relationships of respect, love, friendship, and so on.
The presence of economic and ecological sustainability is essential because economic or ecological development that is not sustainable assumes dysfunctional levels of injustice and violence in the present moment and ultimately will lead to conflict, violence, and systemic imbalance. A peaceful world requires basic levels of security, which are ensured, in part, by stable economic systems and viable ecological relationships with the natural world.
The remaining four conditions fall within the category of nonviolence. While nonviolence can refer to anything (change, transformation, revolution) that happens not to be violent (as in the case of “nonprincipled nonviolence”), this term is used most often in peace studies to refer to the waging of conflict and the transformation of society through the power of active love. Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolence (ahimsa and satyagraha) was “the pursuit of truth through love.” The strength of nonviolence emanates from an understanding of the origins of power: all power derives from the consent of the governed. The political scientist Gene Sharp carefully explains that known histories of successful nonviolent struggle and conflict resolution date back to the fifth century B.C.
Peace requires the nonviolent management and resolution of conflicts for many reasons, not least of which is found in the shadow of peace, which defines peace as the absence of violence. Violence (from the Latin verb violare) means “to violate.” Violence can be verbal, psychological, emotional, and spiritual—as well as physical. It can be collective as well as individual.
As Duane Friesen makes clear, to do violence to someone is to violate the integrity of that person. Gandhi saw life as one long “experiment with truth,” wherein each person possesses a small piece of the truth and conflicts are the moments in which we learn from one another about our separate and collective truths. Waging conflicts violently, then, is the antithesis of being interested in the truth; it is a means to “win” a conflict temporarily—not to be right in the long run. For most in peace studies, violence cannot be seen as conflict resolution: it is, instead, only the violent waging of conflict for reasons that are legitimated by cultures of violence.
For the same reasons that nonviolent conflict resolution is necessary, peace also requires the development of nonviolent systems of common security; the nonviolent pursuit of collective and individual ends; and, ultimately, the elimination of all forms of violence, whether direct or indirect. Thus, for example, personal growth and individual success, interpersonal relationships, social change and transformation, and the conduct of international relations will need to be reenvisioned as nonviolent means and ends rather than accepted as status quo violent means and ends.
Peace Development
In the languages of Western culture, peace is a noun, not a verb. It is an object, a goal, a future state of being to be passively wished for and waited upon. No one “does” peace. Yet peace, like war, requires intensive preparation, organization, training, and education. It also requires immense resources and commitment. Peace will not exist without being developed and built from the ground up.
Peace development requires leaders: those who can envision a world without violence and design its blueprints. Peace development also requires actors who will transform the elements of nonpeace into the fabric of peace. The shadow of peace assumes that geopolitical entities called nation‐states are the fundamental units of analysis, and that the political and military leaders of these nation‐states are the primary actors and leaders. The development of essential peace, on the other hand, is not limited to nation‐states and their leaders. Rather, essential peace requires the effort of individuals, communities, local and regional governments, teachers, nongovernmental organizations, international nongovernmental organizations, networks, and the nontraditional loci of nonviolent power.
Since essential peace can exist at all levels of existence, from the spiritual to the global, the paths to its successful development are many: there is no one “right” path to peace and there is no one “right” leader who will take us to it. This awareness allows for everyone to contribute to the building of peace in their lives and in their communities. According to many Eastern religions and philosophies, peace at all levels of existence is interconnected. Therefore, the development of peace in one arena of the world may contribute to the development of peace in many arenas of the world.
[See also Pacifism; Peace and Antiwar Movements; Quakers.]
Bibliography
n. 1. freedom from or the cessation of war or violence: the Straits were to be open to warships in time of peace.
2. a treaty agreeing to the cessation of war between warring states: support for a negotiated peace.
3. freedom from civil disorder: police action to restore peace.
keep the peace refrain or prevent others from disturbing civil order:
the police must play a crucial role in keeping the peace.See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.
In the Bible, the word shalom is most commonly used to refer to a state of affairs, one of harmony, tranquillity, and prosperity. Shalom is a blessing, a manifestation of Divine grace. Of course, it also denotes the opposite of war, for the absence of war, too, suggests an orderly and tranquil state of affairs.
In rabbinic texts, shalom primarily signifies a value, an ethical category; the overcoming of strife and enmity in family, communal, and national life, and the prevention of war. It is still depicted as a manifestation of Divine grace, but in many sayings it appears in a normative context: the pursuit of peace is the obligation of the individual and the goal of various social regulations and structures.
The rabbis went to great lengths in their praise of peace, to the point of viewing it as a meta-value, the summit of all other values. Peace is the ultimate purpose of the Torah, and the essence of prophecy and redemption; Shalom is the name of God, the name of Israel, and the name of the Messiah.
Nevertheless, the sages discuss the relationship between peace and other values, such as justice and truth. One view is that peace, justice, and truth are fully harmonious and complementary (TJ, Ta'an. 4:2). However, there are also discussions concerning which value prevails in cases of conflict. In this context, even where peace is given priority it is viewed as an individual, partial value that must compete with other values. Thus, one may lie for the sake of peace (Yev. 65b). Furthermore, according to R. Joshua ben Korḥa, strict justice is incompatible with peace; a judge should therefore temper justice with peace and rule in favor of compromise (TJ, Sanh. 1:5; TB, Sanh. 6b; the opposing view is "let justice pierce the mountain," that is, justice at all costs).
The unique development of the philosophical and mystical literature in the Middle Ages is reflected in its portrayal of peace as an ontological principle. Peace was elevated to the level of the cosmic, the metaphysical, the Divine. Peace is the foundation of all being, the principle that harmonizes contending forces within each individual object and reconciles the separate elements of nature as a whole. Ultimately, peace is the embodiment of the Divine immanence in the world: "God is the ultimate form of the world, and in this He comprehends all and joins and unifies all, and this is the very essence of peace" (R. Judah Löw ben Bezalel, Netivot Olam, Netiv ha-Shalom, 1).
Peace and War
The post-biblical discussion of this question was greatly influenced by the reality of Jewish powerlessness. Neither war nor peace really stood as concrete options for the Jewish people. Only the wars of the Gentiles belonged to historical reality; the ancient wars of Israel were a matter more for theology than for politics. The Jew waged war against the evil inclination far more than he did against any historical foe. Peace, too, was discussed primarily from a utopian perspective, in light of the prophetic vision of eternal peace.
In this context, three different models of peace were put forward. According to the first model, peace will eventually be achieved by a transformation of the consciousness of the individual. Thus, Maimonides viewed intellectual perfection as the guarantor of peace. The apprehension of truth, the universal knowledge of God, will displace man's attachment to illusory goods and destructive impulses, and completely eliminate the irrational factors that cause conflicts and wars (Yad, Melakhim 12:5; Guide III, 11). According to the 11th-12th century Spanish thinker Abraham bar Ḥiyya, on the other hand, man's destructive impulses are to be overcome not by an intellectual change but by an emotional one, namely, by a sense of intimacy and love that will grow among men in the Messianic era, once they have all chosen to adopt the same faith and path (Hegyon ha-Nefesh, 4).
According to the second view, the people of the world will be made to live in peace by being brought together under a single universal framework. Thus, David Kimḥi (Commentary to Isa. 2:4; Mic. 4:3) and Isaac Arama (Akedat Yitsḥak, 46) portrayed the Messiah as a supreme, utopian judge who would make peace between the nations. This vision speaks not of a human society that has risen above all striving and conflict, but rather of a kind of international court whose authority and righteousness are accepted by all. Other thinkers envisioned a kind of Pax Judaica, a single, central government in Zion to which all peoples would be subject (Saadiah Gaon, Book of Doctrines and Beliefs, 8:8; Albo, Sefer ha-Ikkarim, 4:42).
A third view anticipated the achievement of peace by an internal reformation of the socio-political order. In the teachings of Isaac Abravanel, war was described as a consequence of man's historical and cultural fall, a fall that is embodied preeminently in man's technological civilization and political tradition and institutions. Ultimate redemption is destined to bring about the demise of materialistic civilization and the disappearance of political structures and boundaries (Commentary. to Gen. 3:22, 4:1, 17, 11:1 and elsewhere). In the teachings of Isaac Arama, on the other hand, peace and war are discussed in relation to the presently operative political and judicial order. The closer the laws and the political order come to satisfying the natural, universal sense of justice, the more peace will tend to overcome war (Akedat Yitsḥak, 46, 81, 105a).
The emphasis on peace in Judaism is demonstrated by the fact that all major prayers (including the Amidah, the Kaddish, and the Grace After Meals) conclude with a prayer for peace, as does the Priestly Blessing (Num. 6:27).
n.
In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.
O, what's the loud uproar assailing
Mine ears without cease?
'Tis the voice of the hopeful, all-hailing
The horrors of peace.
Ah, Peace Universal; they woo it --
Would marry it, too.
If only they knew how to do it
'Twere easy to do.
They're working by night and by day
On their problem, like moles.
Have mercy, O Heaven, I pray,
On their meddlesome souls!
Ro Amil
World peace must develop out of inner peace.
— Dalai Lama
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Quotes:
"Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God."
- A Course In Miracles
"Harmony is one phase of the law whose spiritual expression is love."
- James Allen
"Bullets cannot be recalled. They cannot be uninvented. But they can be taken out of the gun."
- Martin Amis
"Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live."
- Marcus Aurelius
"Right human relations is the only true peace."
- Alice A. Bailey
"If the history of the past fifty years teaches us anything, it is that peace does not follow disarmament -- disarmament follows peace."
- Bernard M. Baruch
See more famous quotes about Peace

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Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the establishment of equality, and a working political order that serves the true interests of all. In international relations, peacetime is not only the absence of war or conflict, but also the presence of cultural and economic understanding .
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From the Latin pax, meaning "freedom from civil disorder," the English word came into use in various personal greetings from c.1300 as a translation of the Hebrew shalom. Shalom, cognate with the Arabic "salaam", has multiple meanings: safety, welfare, prosperity, security, fortune, friendliness. The personalized meaning is reflected in a nonviolent lifestyle, which also describes a relationship between any people characterized by respect, justice and goodwill.
This later understanding of peace can also pertain to an individual's sense of himself or herself, as to be "at peace" with one's own mind attested in Europe from c.1200. The early English term is also used in the sense of "quiet", reflecting a calm, serene, and meditative approach to the family or group relationships that avoids quarreling and seeks tranquility — an absence of disturbance or agitation.
In many languages the word for peace is also used a greeting or a farewell, for example the Hawaiian word Aloha, as well as the Arabic word Salam . In English the word peace is used as a farewell, especially for the dead as in Rest In Peace, RIP.
Religious beliefs often seek to identify and address the basic problems of human life, including the conflicts between, among, and within persons.
Christians claim Jesus of Nazareth to be the "Prince of Peace", the Messiah Christ who established a Kingdom of Peace where persons, societies, and all of creation are to be healed of evil. For persons to enter this Kingdom and experience peace, Christians believe that one must develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who stated: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
Buddhists believe that peace can be attained once all suffering ends. To eliminate suffering and achieve this peace, they follow a set of teachings called the Four Noble Truths — a central tenet in Buddhist philosophy.
Islam means the way of life to attain peace. The word "Muslim" means the person who submits to Allah in Peace. The submission to Allah (the Arabic proper noun for "The God", One and Only) is based on humility. An attitude of humility within one's own self cannot be accomplished without total rejection of violence and attitude of alliance towards peace.
Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy homeostasis and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness.
Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered a state of consciousness or enlightenment that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as prayer, meditation, t'ai chi ch'uan (太极拳, tàijíquán) or yoga, for example. Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of knowing oneself. Finding inner peace is often associated with traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism as well as the New Age movement. Inner peace is also the first of four concepts to living life in the rave culture acronym PLUR.
Satyagraha (Sanskrit: सत्याग्रह satyāgraha) is a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as "Mahatma" Gandhi) said to have been inspired by Henry D. Thoreau's 1848 essay "Civil Disobedience". Gandhi deployed satyagraha in campaigns for Indian independence and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa. Satyagraha theory also influenced Martin Luther King, Jr. during the campaigns he led during the civil rights movement in the United States. The theory of satyagraha sees means and ends as inseparable. Therefore, it is contradictory to try to use violence to obtain peace. As Gandhi wrote: “They say, 'means are, after all, means'. I would say, 'means are, after all, everything'. As the means so the end...”[1]
Since classical times, it has been noted that peace has sometimes been achieved by the victor over the vanquished by the imposition of ruthless measures. In his book Agricola the Roman historian Tacitus includes eloquent and vicious polemics against the rapacity and greed of Rome. One, that Tacitus says is by the Caledonian chieftain Calgacus, ends Auferre trucidare rapere falsis nominibus imperium, atque ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant. (To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace. — Oxford Revised Translation).
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war (or all wars), minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace. Means to achieve these ends usually include advocacy of pacifism, non-violent resistance, diplomacy, boycotts, moral purchasing, supporting anti-war political candidates, demonstrations, and lobbying to create legislation.
Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes or gaining advantage. Pacifism covers a spectrum of views ranging from the belief that international disputes can and should be peacefully resolved; to calls for the abolition of the institutions of the military and war; to opposition to any organization of society through governmental force (anarchist or libertarian pacifism); to rejection of the use of physical violence to obtain political, economic or social goals; to opposition to violence under any circumstance, including defense of self and others.
Pacifism may be based on moral principles (a deontological view) or pragmatism (a consequentialist view). Principled pacifism holds that at some point along the spectrum from war to interpersonal physical violence, such violence becomes morally wrong. Pragmatic pacifism holds that the costs of war and inter-personal violence are so substantial that better ways of resolving disputes must be found. Pacifists in general reject theories of Just War.
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achieving world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue.
The UN, after approval by the Security Council, sends peacekeepers to regions where armed conflict has recently ceased or paused to enforce the terms of peace agreements and to discourage combatants from resuming hostilities. Since the UN does not maintain its own military, peacekeeping forces are voluntarily provided by member states of the UN. The forces, also called the "Blue Helmets", who enforce UN accords are awarded United Nations Medals, which are considered international decorations instead of military decorations. The peacekeeping force as a whole received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
The highest honor awarded to peace maker is the Nobel Prize in Peace, awarded since 1901 by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. It is awarded annually to internationally notable persons following the prize's creation in the will of Alfred Nobel. According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who
| “ | ...shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.[2] | ” |
The International Gandhi Peace Prize, named after Mahatma Gandhi, is awarded annually by the Government of India. It is launched as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Gandhi in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of his birth. This is an annual award given to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods. The award carries Rs. 10 million in cash, convertible in any currency in the world, a plaque and a citation. It is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, creed or sex.
The Paul Bartlett Ré Peace Prize, named after the artist Paul Ré, is awarded bi-annually by the University of New Mexico (UNM).
The Student Peace Prize is awarded biennially to a student or a student organization that has made a significant contribution to promoting peace and human rights.
A peace museum is a museum that documents historical peace initiatives. Many peace museums also provide advocacy programs for nonviolent conflict resolution. This may include conflicts at the personal, regional or international level.
Smaller institutions:
The following are monuments to peace:
| Name | Location | Organization | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Peace Bell | New York City, NY, USA | United Nations | World peace | |
| Fountain of Time | Chicago, IL, USA | Chicago Park District | 100 years of peace between the USA and UK | |
| Confederate Memorial[3] | Arlington, Va, USA | Arlington National Cemetery | Southern States choosing peace over war | |
| International Peace Garden | North Dakota, Manitoba | non-profit organization | Peace between the US and Canada, World peace | |
| Peace Arch | border between US and Canada, near Surrey, British Columbia. | non-profit organization | Built to honor the first 100 years of peace between Great Britain and the United States resulting from the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. | |
| Statue of Europe | Brussels | European Commission | Unity in Peace in Europe |
| This section requires expansion. |
Many different theories of "peace" exist in the world of peace studies, which involves the study of conflict transformation, disarmament, and cessation of violence.[4] The definition of "peace" can vary with religion, culture, or subject of study.
One definition is that peace is a state of balance and understanding in yourself and between others, where respect is gained by the acceptance of differences, tolerance persists, conflicts are resolved through dialog, people's rights are respected and their voices are heard, and everyone is at their highest point of serenity without social tension.
The Peace War Game is a game theory approach to peace and conflict studies. An iterated game originally played in academic groups and by computer simulation for years to study possible strategies of cooperation and aggression.[5] As peace makers became richer over time, it became clear that making war had greater costs than initially anticipated. The only strategy that acquired wealth more rapidly was a "Genghis Khan", a constant aggressor making war continually to gain resources. This led to the development of the "provokable nice guy" strategy, a peace-maker until attacked, improved upon merely to win by occasional forgiveness even when attacked. Multiple players continue to gain wealth cooperating with each other while bleeding the constant aggressor. Such actions led in essence to the development of the Hanseatic League for trade and mutual defense following centuries of Viking depredation.[6]
The democratic peace theory holds that democracies will never go to war with one another.
Borrowing from the teachings of Johan Galtung, Norwegian co-founder of the field of Peace Research, on 'Positive Peace',[7] and on the writings of Maine Quaker Gray Cox, a consortium of researchers and disputants in the experimental John Woolman College initiative have arrived at a theory of Active Peace. This theory posits that Peace is part of a triad, which also includes justice and wholeness (or well-being), consonant with scriptural scholarly interpretations of the meaning of the early Hebrew word S-L-M or 'Shalom', called by some the Bible's word for salvation, justice, and peace. Furthermore, the consortium have integrated Galtung's teaching of the meanings of the terms peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peace building, to also fit into a triadic formulation. Vermont Quaker John V. Wilmerding, Jr., founder of John Woolman College, posits five stages of growth applicable to individuals, communities, and societies, whereby one transcends first the 'surface' awareness that most people have of these kinds of issues, emerging successively into acquiescence, pacifism, passive resistance, active resistance, and finally into Active Peace, dedicating themselves to peacemaking, peacekeeping, and/or peace building.[8]
Following Wolfgang Dietrich,Wolfgang Sützl[9] and the Innsbruck School of Peace Studies, some peace thinkers have abandoned any single and all-encompassing definition of peace. Rather, they promote the idea of Many Peaces. They argue that since no singular, correct definition of peace can exist, peace should be perceived as a plurality. This post-modern understanding of peace(s) was based on the philosophy of Jean Francois Lyotard. It served as a fundament for the more recent concept of trans-rational peace(s) and elicitive conflict transformation.
In 2008 Wolfgang Dietrich enlarged his earlier approach of the Many Peaces to the so called "five families" of peace interpretations: the energetic, moral, modern, post-modern and trans-rational approach.[10] Trans-rationality unites the rational and mechanistic understanding of modern peace in a relational and culture-based manner with spiritual narratives and energetic interpretations.[11] The systemic understanding of trans-rational peaces advocates a client-centred method of conflict transformation, the so called elicitive approach.[12]
Peace and conflict studies is an academic field which identifies and analyses violent and nonviolent behaviours, as well as the structural mechanisms attending violent and non violent social conflicts. This is to better understand the processes leading to a more desirable human condition.[13] One variation, Peace studies (irenology), is an interdisciplinary effort aiming at the prevention, de-escalation, and solution of conflicts. This contrasts with war studies (polemology), directed at the efficient attainment of victory in conflicts. Disciplines involved may include political science, geography, economics, psychology, sociology, international relations, history, anthropology, religious studies, and gender studies, as well as a variety of others.
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Dansk (Danish)
n. - fred, offentlig orden
int. - fred!
idioms:
Nederlands (Dutch)
vrede, rust, vredesverdrag
Français (French)
n. - paix, l'ordre public, tranquillité
int. - paix (excl), silence (excl)
idioms:
Deutsch (German)
n. - Friede, Ruhe und Ordnung, Ruhe
int. - still!, ruhig!, pst!
idioms:
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ειρήνη, ησυχία, (δημόσια) τάξη, (πνευματική) γαλήνη
idioms:
Italiano (Italian)
pace, calma, tranquillità
idioms:
Português (Portuguese)
n. - paz (f), serenidade (f), harmonia (f), reconciliação (f)
idioms:
Русский (Russian)
мир, спокойствие
idioms:
Español (Spanish)
n. - paz, sosiego, tranquilidad, calma, armonía, tranquilidad de ánimo
int. - Paz!
idioms:
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - fred, frid, lugn
中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
和平, 和睦, 和约, 治安, 秩序, 祝平安!, 安静!
idioms:
中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 和平, 和睦, 和約, 治安, 秩序
int. - 祝平安!, 安靜!
idioms:
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 평화, 강화조약, 치안 , 안심
int. - 평화롭다, 침묵하다, 침묵
idioms:
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 平和, 和平, 講和, 平穏, 安心, 治安, 和解
v. - 静かになる
idioms:
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) سلم بين الأمم, سلام, هدوء, سكينه
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - שלום, שקט, שלווה, הפסקת המלחמה, סדר
int. - ברכה לפרידה או בקשת שקט
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