Here is an AI-generated podcast based on the article
The peace initiative which is needed the most just now on the basis of urgency consists of a series of negotiations to end the most violent conflicts and wars. Anyone who can contribute in important ways to end the Ukraine war as early as possible would get the credit for helping to sorting out the most likely flashpoint for the possibility just now of a world war or a nuclear war. Similarly ending the middle-east conflict as early as possible is extremely important. Several others of the over 50 conflicts in the world are much more costly in terms of their many-sided distress than is commonly realized.
These negotiations can often involve many complications which can result in the very high costs and risks of several wars getting prolonged. Therefore this writer has been pleading for some time for a different approach which starts with immediate ceasefire on the basis of the existing line of control while all territorial or other complicating issues are for the time being put on a backseat for sorting out later. Then several goodwill enhancing and humanitarian measures such as friendship meetings, exchange of any prisoners or other captives, sending some help to reduce distress should take place, and some non-official friendship or peace and reconciliation groups should start functioning. Reconstruction work should start at a significant level and humanitarian aid should be stepped up.
A few weeks after the ceasefire is put in place the next round of negotiations should start to sort out all other issues. This should be organized in such a way that even if disagreements persist, cordiality and hope should be maintained. Periodic breaks can be taken, and negotiations can start again after these breaks.
Meanwhile all the time non-official friendship and goodwill efforts and reconstruction efforts should continue. In this way people have widespread realization of the benefits of peace, and the chances of sorting out various differences also increase.
While all this is extremely important, a lot more is also needed to strengthen the possibilities of peace and the forces of peace at world level. There should be continuing efforts for this at the level of communities, families, educational institutions and at other levels. The overall aim should be to ensure that from early life onwards people are exposed to the importance of justice based peace and non-violence in our life. On the one hand such continuing efforts will reduce the enormous violence that takes place in daily life almost all over the world. On the other hand this will prepare a strong base in all countries for having a friendship based approach with all countries instead of having an aggression-based approach.
If such a base of peace and non-violence has been prepared in any society or country, then even if any opportunist leaders try to impose an agenda of violence and aggression, this will be much less likely to succeed as people who are highly committed to peace with justice will oppose any such agenda.
Similarly when such a base for peace has been prepared then people will be much more inclined to oppose the relentless arms race and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It is likely that people will become much more supportive towards the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and more generally for various aspects of disarmament including bans on particularly painful and longer-lasting weapons like cluster-bombs and landmines.
In order to increase the possibilities of all this happening, increasing numbers of peace volunteers are needed which can rise above all narrow perceptions and interests to work for peace. Even if they just devote on average an hour per day and just one per cent of their income this will be an important contribution for peace by these volunteers. Many such volunteers are likely to come forward once a clear, honest and non-partisan agenda of peace can be presented with which many more people can identify closely. Unfortunately such opportunities have often not been available to people in which they can find entirely trustworthy initiatives to link up for promoting peace with justice ( while more opportunities are often available to link up with narrower and less worthy causes). This only reminds us of how much the most worthy causes have been neglected and how much more needs to be done.
Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, Earth without Borders and A Day in 2071.
