WHAT CAN I DO FOR WORLD PEACE?

Change your way of thinking
Family and community initiatives
Promote and educate for world peace
Strengthen the United Nations
Promote global democracy and just government
Encourage just use of resources
Political activism

Change your way of thinking

Changing ourselves to resolve conflict peacefully plays a part in world peace. We need to understand our own anger, aggression and desire for revenge. We can always learn more about controlling these basic with a reasoned logical approach. We can choose to value and respect others no matter what their religion, ethnic background, class and nationality.

We can choose to make world peace a priority and get educated. Find an international news service that avoids national bias. See yourself as a global citizen first then a member of your nation second. Try to find out what is really happening in world conflicts, and learn to detect western propaganda that becomes increasingly subtle as we become more educated. Discuss all these issues with family and friends. Give a damn.

Family and community initiatives

The average western child watches thousands of murders on television before they reach their teens. Parents have a responsibility to teach nonviolence. Make a point of having no firearms in the household and demonstrate conflict resolution skills in your relationships. Violence in local communities can provide a foundation for conflict on a national level. You can support any strategies that assist marginalized people in your community. Violent behavior has strong links with poverty and lack of opportunities.

Promote and educate for world peace

Every nation needs to overhaul their education systems to promote world peace and nonviolent strategies, and global cooperation. Education would have a strong focus on human rights, democracy, tolerance and understanding of other cultures, religions and genders. Education is a vital link to achieve a culture of peace when every person can understand global issues, respect human rights, appreciate diversity, and respect others.

Strengthen the United Nations

Despite criticism and mistakes, the United Nations has played a role in preventing or limiting wars around the world. Many dream of the day when all nations can be warned that any invasion of another country will be met with a speedy response from all UN members. This approach minimizes spending on arms as the armies of 40 countries should suffice to stop an invading army. The reform of the United Nations Security Council is needed to make it more representative and its decision-making process more transparent.

International laws still need improvement, as the Declaration of Human Rights by the UN still does not prohibit killing. These laws still need stronger backing by international courts and UN sanctioned military force.

The UN is in a unique position enact and enforce laws that prevent anyone supplying terrorists or repressive leaders, minimize nuclear arsenals, outlaw mines and biological weapons and propose weapons inspections of any country.

Religions can promote peace and justice

Religions have caused many wars, but parts of their beliefs can promote peace and justice. The major religions should be able to make firm commitments to this and adopt firm positions on major conflicts. The churches should work closely with the UN to promote world peace. The major religions can still do much more to promote links with each other and tolerance of other faiths.

Promote global democracy and just government

Nations find it more difficult to go to war when there is representative and a democratic decision-making process. Non-violent promotion of democracy in authoritarian regimes is a long-term goal toward world peace. Support the reform and democratization of the United Nations. Get involved in movements like Amnesty International who seek to make repressive regimes more accountable. Speak out and get involved if you think your country is being unjust.

Encourage just use of resources

Poverty and injustice have clear links with war, revolution and terrorism. The West consumes far more than the third world, while the third world suffers much more the effects of this in terms of pollution and weather changes. We can get involved in agencies promoting conservation, sustainable development, equitable trade patterns, provision of food and clean water supplies.

Political activism

There are many organizations you can join who are working toward world peace. Some are sensible, some tend to be a bit extreme but they all play their part in the move toward world peace. Get on the Internet and do a search for any that you feel you could join.