
Hello friends, I hope you are all happy, safe and at peace. 🙏🏽
In these last few days, the media has been bombarding us with images of the everlasting explosive conflict between Palestine and Israel. As someone who actively seeks peace and has met people from both countries, I've always sincerely hoped for a day in which this conflict ends.
Because the ones suffering the most, are not the ones actively participating in the war, but the ones who never wished for a war and have to live daily with feelings of fear, restriction and confinement. The ones who see their access to land, education, health and other basic needs constricted.
According to the Sustaining Peace Project and the 2023 Global Peace Index report, today:
💥 More countries are experiencing violent conflict than in the last 30 years
💥 Gobal military spending is at an all time high, amounting 2.2 trillion USD worldwide
💥 Drones are playing a major role in today's wars: the total number of drone attacks increased by 40.8% in 2022
💥 The Russian-Ukrainian war, is hailed as the most substantial conflict since World War II
💥 Battle deaths spiked by 45% between 2020 and 2021, predominantly in the Asia-Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa regions
💥 As of 2020, there were over 80 million war refugees and displaced people worldwide
As individuals watching these conflicts while seating comfortably at home in our couches, we may wonder how we can contribute to the development of peace in the world and help end the inumerous conflicts going on out there today. While we may not have the power to single-handedly solve global conflicts, let's not forget that our personal actions and attitudes can indeed make a positive difference.
7 ways you can promote peace as an individual:
🙏🏻 Cultivate Inner Peace: Practices such as mindfulness, meditation, or relaxation techniques can be used to reduce personal stress and anxiety. When you are at peace with yourself, you are more likely to radiate peace to those around you. If you don't know where to start, make sure to check out one of our free guided meditations on youtube!
🤗 Practice Compassion & Empathy In Your Daily Life: Try to see the world through the eyes of others. Being compassionate and empathic in your closest relationships (with family, friends, co-workers) can lead to better communication and cooperation, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts around you. Your immediate surrounding is the place to start cultivating positive human qualities - if we all do this, we'll be helping expand peace.
🤝 Promote Tolerance & Inclusivity In Your Communities: Make an effort to understand different cultures, perspectives, and beliefs. By engaging in dialogue with people from diverse backgrounds to learn about their experiences and viewpoints, you might understand and accept them better. Also, take it as a responsibility to speak out against discrimination and prejudice, which are forms of violence.
🌎 Practice Responsible Consumerism: Support businesses and products that promote ethical and sustainable practices. And avoid supporting industries or products that contribute to conflict or harm. Most of us are consumers on a daily basis, so making the right choices on the products and services we buy can make a difference. If you are an investor, make sure your investments aren't supporting harmful industries such as arms and weapons manufacturing.
🧒 Be a Role Model For Children And Teenagers: As adults, we tend to consciously or unsconsciously act as role models for the younger generations. You can decide to adopt peaceful behavior and attitudes to inspire those around you, especially if you are a parent, older family member or teacher. Children learn from the adults in their lives, so setting a peaceful example for them is important.
☮️ Advocate For Peace Locally and Globally: Engage and vote for your local and national representatives that advocate for policies and initiatives that promote peace, diplomacy, and conflict resolution. At the global level, you can use technology and social media to connect with people from around the world and engage in online discussions about peace and global issues to promote understanding and solidarity.
👐 Volunteer Or Give Money for Peace Organizations: Many organizations work towards peace and conflict resolution. Consider volunteering your time, skills, or resources to support their efforts. Here's a list of some of the most accountable and trustworthy organizations acting for peace globally.
At Meditaction, we recognize that peace-building is a complex endeavor, and progress of peace may be slow and incremental. Nevertheless, we believe that by practicing inner peace and working together on this, it is possible to create a more peaceful and just world for future generations.
Remember that promoting peace is an ongoing commitment. While individual actions may seem small, they can have a ripple effect and contribute to a more peaceful world over time. By embodying the principles of peace in your daily life and advocating for peaceful solutions to conflicts, you can play a meaningful role in the global quest for peace.
The potential for peace or violence lies within each one of us. The wars and confilcts we see in the world are all caused by human thoughts and actions. This means that if we work to develop our inner peace, we will be contributing to reduce those wars and conflicts in the world.
With Love 💛
Tatiana Abreu
This post was made in collaboration with Andrea Rezes Esmeraldino.
Comments