IN PROCESS

Forward author, Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury

Why is early childhood is a unique opportunity to transform from a culture of war to a culture of peace?

In 1945, fifty countries came together to form the United Nations (UN). After two world wars, the establishment of the UN sought to build peace and global security.

While current world affairs may suggest not much progress towards peace has occurred, individuals all across the world have been uniting to build long-term peace and security.

Building a culture of peace to bind people together will drive efforts to create and maintain sustainable peace and security.

The Process

Throughout history, wars have been waged to settle border disputes, gain control over resources, or dominate over others.

Peace was formerly thought to be the absence of war. However, following the Cold War, the idea of peace grew into something more than just the absence of war or conflict.

To rid the world of war and conflict in the long-term, peace needs to be inclusive and sustainable.

In 1988, Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury was appointed by the President of the fifty-third regular session of the UN General Assembly, Didier Opertti, to chair the committee devoted to the culture of peace.

The committee aimed to create a culture of peace that transcended national boundaries and concepts of time.

The challenges of working on long-term peace for this committee included gaining the consensus of member states on basic concepts and perspectives, balancing the interests of nations, and overcoming fluctuations in leadership depending on voting cycles in different countries.

The Declaration

The committee presented the “Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace” to UN General Assembly in 1999.

The declaration aimed to guide governments, international organizations, civil society, and individuals to build a culture of peace.

It defined peace as the “condition or state in which every person is empowered to develop his or her full potential.”

Furthermore, a culture of peace was defined as “a set of values, attitudes, traditions, and modes of behavior and ways of life based on” a set of principles that promote peace.

To develop a culture of peace, peaceful settlements of conflicts, mutual respect and international cooperation are needed. Individuals must build skills that promote dialog and consensus.

Additionally, democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms should be present. The elimination of poverty, illiteracy, and inequalities also contribute to building peace.

Realizing the Culture of Peace

This realization begins with a single person shifting mindsets from a culture of war to a culture of peace.

Education is needed to discourage promote violence and conflict.

Everyone is a global citizen linked together across the globe. Each person must understand how global community interacts and how other parts of the world affect him or her.

Call to Action

The Global Movement for the Culture of Peace is an action-oriented coalition that generates international attention to issues about building peace.

Pathways to Peace and Peace Education Resource Center aim to make peace practical on local and global levels.

Action towards a culture of peace can be taken on the following four levels:

1. Global: A global network should be created to connect individuals and organizations striving for peace.
2. National: Advocacy for national leadership to build a culture of peace is important.
3. Community: Local policies can determine peace in communities.
4. Individual: Early childhood development is a unique opportunity to transform from culture of war to culture of peace.