Millions of Americans want peace, and in particular they want a peace that can be achieved peacefully.
In today’s post, we share the voices of some of the hundreds of Americans who responded to the Personal and Institutional Rights to Aggression and Peace survey conducted in over 40 countries by the Group on International Perspectives on Governmental Aggression and Peace (GIPGAP).
Here are their views regarding the best ways to achieve world peace:
- Provide more equality in shares of resources, better understanding and validation of differences in cultures.
- Hold peaceful meetings between many countries in the world, between world officials.
- Put hatred, power, and money aside.
- Ummmm … change people!?! Things like Fair Trade, and equalizing standards of living would certainly help equalize powers.
- Get rid of our values through some form of a cultural revolution.
- Foster strong social relationships, empathetic perspectives, and a sense of responsibility to fellow human beings.
- May god bless you and walk with you during these times. Explore the Zen Philosophy.
- Accept differences and pay attention to others.
- Promote negotiation, discussion, mutual concession.
- Level the playing field to give all countries equal economic, medical, and political opportunity.
- Foster solidarity and mutual help between countries.
- Pick better, nonviolent leaders.
- Promote nonviolent policies and leadership activities to promote nonviolence.
What do you think of these suggestions from fellow American citizens? Their views and hundreds of others will be available in the International Handbook on Peace and Reconciliation, which will be published by Springer Publishing next month.
What additional suggestions can you offer?
Enjoy your holidays and work for peace.
Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology