Mandatory clearout of Israeli settlements by soldiers.
My Approach To Peace:
Local Level
III. Community
Communities are one of the most fundamental, yet least utilized agents for change in modern society. The most effective way to educate and organize the greatest number of people is within the community context. In reference to the term community, there are actually two meanings which can be applied. The traditional community is centered around location, while another type of community is just as valid, yet centered around education. In the first community peoples' awareness must be raised on issues and how they can act. After this, the community's actions must be supported. In the second community preventative techniques must be practiced. If future leaders can be educated on how to resolve conflicts by peaceful means, and can be taught to see a world which is enriched, not partitioned, by ethnic and religious identities, then peace will truely be able to be sustained.
The Coaltion for Peace Action is one group which reaches out to both location--based and education--based communities, specifically within the United States of America. Public Witness is one program of theirs where the Coalition organizes vigils, rallies and other public demonstrations to call the attention of the community, media and elected representatives to the urgent need for advancing their goals. The Colation for Action also sponsors many community education workshops and the Peace Voter program to inform voters on how the current candidates stand on issues related to peace. Their Real Alternatives to Violence for Everyone (RAVE) program addresses the education--based community. RAVE is a training program for young people that uses a "dynamic conflict resolution program to facilitate the effective practice of nonviolent lifestyles." The program consists of a series of workshops focused on learning through experiencing. These workshops are led by inter-racial teams of Alternative to Violence Project trained facilitators.
Seeds of Peace is a non-profit, non-political organization which focuses on the education -based community in the Middle East. They "work to secure peace in the Middle East by bringing together Arab and Israeli teenagers before fear, mistrust and prejudice blind them from seeing the human faces of those they have been taught to hate." The program works to educate preceeding generations to develop empathy for each other and to aid them in forming listening, negotiating and other skills which are necessary to stop the cycles of chronic violence in their regions. While the neutrality of this organization is commendable, if these goals are going to be effective internationally, for an extensive range of participants, then this type of program must be directly or indirectly (through monetary means as well as publicity) through each nation's government, and implemented through community leadership. The Middle East Children's Association, which is "endorsed" by the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Palestinian Education Authority is a good example of a first step in this respect. They're working to demonstrate that education plays a major role in establishing peace, and attempting to place the issue on the public and national agenda, as well as to determine suitable strategies to implement their goals. It is now up to national governments to make the next move!
IV. Individual
It's essential to view different levels of community which create lasting peace, and are each components of the final product. Yet before any community is possible, each individual must be willing to work for or with the community. Before any action can be taken, we must each decide how our identity works within the community context, and what community we want to support. Wether we like it or not, we are each a member of the global community, and whatever we do on a household, local or national level effects the world. So what can each of us do to support peace? You must decide what works for you, but for starters, you can check out the links on the Take Action! page within this Sustaining Peace website. Many organizations are accessible through a simple click of your mouse, and they'll take you through the steps after that. Above all, we must each realize that our actions can and do affect the world. So how are you going to change the world today?