Let's activate peace

Eva Dalak and I initiated “Let’s activate peace“ online exchanges in December to create a safe(r) space where peacebuilders can meet and engage in an open and constructive dialogue on the high escalation in the Middle East. Our motivation stemmed for the desire to move beyond the alarming polarization in our societies and the suffocating silencing and self-censorship that often accompanies discussions on this topic.??

Here is what we have learned so far and what we strongly believe in:?

• Sharing and acknowledging difficult emotions and different perspectives are key in times of crisis, war, and terror. They help to feel connected, resilient and hopeful. However, we emphasize that these exchanges should serve as a means to an end, not as an end in themselves.

• We - individuals and communities - all have undealt or not fully processed trauma and triggers. While connection is pivotal for personal and collective healing, it should not replace individual healing and transformation. We need a balanced approach where others can support, show empathy, and stand in solidarity while individuals are responsible for their own healing processes.?

• Amidst the complexities of healing, we firmly believe that it should not serve as an excuse for remaining neutral in the face of injustice, human suffering, and despair. We acknowledge that connection and healing are inherently political, often messy, non-linear, and painful.?Embodying multi-partiality, we emphasize the importance of engaging with different actors and their needs, while simultaneously speaking truth to power.

• Multi-partiality is not what most of us have learned at school or in our families. And like learning any new skill or adopting a different approach, we are convinced that this can be learned and practiced in our communities.? And yes, sometimes or often we fail, and this fine, too. We are humans and not robots.

• We are all so much more than a particular ethnic, religious, gender or national identity. Embracing the multiplicity of identities as human beings, friends, world citizens, and caregivers can be a powerful resource: Focussing on these life-affirming identities can be a great resource if the other identity markers separate more than connect.?

• Our vision for transformative change is rooted in an ecological understanding: Life is change, and change is inevitable. This necessitates the acceptance that the old must make way for the new, embracing the concept of creative destruction within the peacebuilding field. We are challenging the foundations of peacebuilding by asking critical questions such as, "What is peace to whom?", "Can I work on peace if I am not at peace myself?", and “What are my own or collective triggers and trauma that brought me to the field of peacebuilding?”?

We want to own and (re)activate peace inside of us and among us: What are my needs and fears, and how well do attend to them? How well do I know and care for the needs and fears of others? Activating peace among us will only work if we activate peace inside of us (and vice versa). We believe that the process of activating peace within us and among us is an ongoing (life-long) process and requires collective efforts.

Our recent session, held on Wednesday, marked our third gathering, and we are eager to welcome more voices to the conversation. We invite all peacebuilders to join us in shaping a vision for peace activation that resonates with our shared humanity and collective aspirations for a just and more harmonious world.

If you are interested to join please, contact us at [email protected]?