Peace

A resilient position means that you are not always on the brink of war. The cost of war is so great that being on the brink is a deeply uncomfortable place to be. We have to make leaders and societies pay more attention to the costs of conflict.

Economist specializing in conflict, development, and poverty research

We do fight a lot of the time. The United States has been at war with somebody (in an active, intensive, pitched-battling sense) for many years of its existence but- importantly- not with most of its potential adversaries. Peace is not so unusual, and perhaps we should also not overestimate the frequency and likelihood of war.

Economist specializing in conflict, development, and poverty research

Honestly, I do not always feel hopeful. I am more worried for the future of my community now, eight years after the genocide began, than I was when I first escaped ISIS. But I also find hope and solidarity in those crises.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Yazidi Genocide Survivor Advocate

Beyond the atrocities of mass murder and rape, ISIS also set out to systematically destroy the Yazidi community by ensuring that we did not have the resources to survive in our homeland. They poisoned wells, burned farms, took out electrical grids, and destroyed schools, homes, temples, and hospitals.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Yazidi Genocide Survivor Advocate

I don't think it was inevitable until the point where the tanks started rolling-in. It was unstoppable at that point… But 20 years ago, would we have realised this was going to happen? My sense would be absolutely not. I say this as someone who participated in a really sincere effort to reach-out to Russia, to include Russia in the cooperative mechanisms that work for us.

We're afraid of living under constant terrorism, and the constant threat of a neighbour who wants to kill you and destroy everything you care about. The escalation is already here. He has already reached a point of escalation that we must not tolerate – he is already doing everything he is capable of.

Ukrainian politician and head of Servant of the People party faction

What has happened is that by relinquishing our influence, we have encouraged China and Russia to become even more active in the region. The competition with China and Russia is unfolding right within the Middle East.

U.S. National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump

Coming from the German-speaking part of Belgium, my family history includes both German and Belgian soldiers, highlighting the lose-lose nature of war, which only results in death and misery. Therefore, I believe in investing in multilateralism, seeking common ground rather than emphasizing differences.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda

There is still considerable hesitancy within the international community for robust intervention. Ultimately, blue helmets, or UN peacekeepers, come from specific countries, and the decision to withdraw them rests with the capitals of these contributing countries.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda

As a prosecutor, I recognize that our involvement typically begins when it's already too late: when prevention, humanity, and common sense have failed. Violence, whether in families, communities, or at an international level, signifies a failure of humanity.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda

I firmly believe that a society cannot heal from the wounds of war without accountability for serious international crimes. How can a society move towards a shared future while fundamental disagreements about the past and about responsibility for past crimes persist?

Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda

The Olympics elevate this understanding; there, athletes' origins become secondary. You don't dwell on their life stories; their athletic prowess and the spirit of competition captivate you. The focus is on their dedication and the culmination of years, sometimes lifetimes, of preparation, free from the constraints of politics and geographical divides.

Syrian Swimmer & Refugee Advocate Who Competed in Olympics

Grief is perhaps the most universal human experience—live long enough, and you will grieve. When I see grief in another, whether a friend or a perceived adversary, what do I choose to do? In moments of shared grief, we find ourselves reflecting each other; your grief mirrors mine.

Author of "From Scratch" memoir and television producer

We have taught them they are American, Indian or African. Children have never created borders, religions, faiths or caste systems. Children have not been responsible for wars and divisions in society- we did that… and now we're imposing on our children, from their birth, a divisive image of who they are. We need to learn from children, and learn simplicity, forgiveness and the beauty of life.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Child Rights Activist Against Child Labor

I want every mother in the world, from Baghdad to New York to be able to guarantee the same strength and health to her child; to give that child the tools to control their happiness and health, and to have the power to live well.

Extreme athlete known for ice exposure & breathing technique methods

Society feels broken because society is broken. When the most powerful nations in the world are spending billions of dollars on ways to kill each-other, and a fraction of those resources on ways to heal each other, we're broken.

Author of "A Return to Love" & Spiritual Activist