Role of Civil Society in promoting a Culture of Peace |
- Rachelle Tansley
When discussing the Role of Civil Society in
Promoting a Culture of Peace we can us past stories to help us understand
how we should promote Peace in Society. For example agricultural instruments
in the local town, where the people used hem to sew the seeds plough the
fields, which made life enjoyable and peaceful. Then when Cain started
making violent instruments such as spears and hammers. The people used to
them kill one another, to settle "old scores". Cain was very distressed by
the killing of the people that was taking place in the society, which he
thought within, the society, that the people followed by example. If the
produced weapons, they become violent. So he began making the agricultural
instruments again, and the people became peaceful. Working in the fields,
becoming constructive and creative, working together. Peace and tranquility
within the society. The moral of this story is that Peace is in our hands,
whether we want to promote peace or disturb. That the kinds of examples we
place within society effect the beliefs in the society.
The story by Oliver Goldsmith, about vicar
wakefield, who taught school children morals and good behaviour, is very
inspirational in the promotion of peace. Wakefield helped the people to
become responsible and good friends. The work of one person and his own
kindness to other promoted peace within the society. The moral of this story
is that in every society, the role of each individual is of great
significance, whether being or small we can continue with all our might for
the welfare within our society.
There two ways in which we can promote peace
within our society:
As a teenage girl, who has live her whole life
within the Army, I have seen one part of the hard-work of people,
individuals who want Peace, although their reasons for war may not be
considered correct, the beliefs of each individual, that I have known within
the Army are the same. We want Peace within our world. We hope democracy
will go further, to teach other toleration, respect for other people's
opinions and their way of life. We are all human beings and we should live
as equals and as friends. A very wise man once told me "It is not the colour
of the skin but the content of the character that is important" in my
opinion he couldn't be more right.
Bringing change in society, education and
civil society play a key role in the promotion of Peace. Therefore I have
some suggestions to make in this context.
The awareness of Peace and Non-violent in
society, is a very important issue to discuss when trying to promote Culture
of Peace.
Peace is very hard to create in world where
there are so many wars and cultural disagreements. Human beings are
obviously the cause of violence, through our variety of feeling (happy, sad,
angry) we make our decisions. These decisions have consequence.
To promote a Cultural of Peace we need to
promote the idea and understanding that violence is wrong by:
Promoting Culture of peace in Society is very
important; people need to know that any kind of violence is unacceptable. We
need to provide help of victims of violence, abused children, and victims of
domestic violence. Violence should not be accepted and kept quiet. Victims
need to come forward for help. We need to make people in society aware that
if they suffer violent acts, they should seek help, like a Woman's Centre.
Many victims of domestic abuse believe it is their own fault. Victims need
help to realize acts of violence are unacceptable; there is no reason for
violence.
The Government needs to provide stronger laws
to protect people stronger laws to protect people from the acts of violence.
These laws will influence the ideals that violence is wrong, like the
Domestic Violence Act, which provides protective injunctions against
violence, dispossession from the matrimonial home and alternative residence.
With stronger laws, victims may feel more confident to come forward to the
police, accept that they shouldn't have to hide away and suffer.
Peace and non-violent is very hard to accept
when we live in a world where punishing your children at home or at school,
is acceptable. These old-fashioned ideals need to be stopped.
It has taken Britain years to reduce violence.
We have stopped the ideas that it is okay to hit your children that it is
okay to abuse your wife/husband, with laws and the promotion of non-violence
but even today people suffer whether it be terrorist attacks on trains or
people fighting in the streets. But if you provide society with the
education, awareness and help that they need, then they will realize that
Peace is great thing.
By educating people and making them aware of
Peace, they will understand others. They will not fear the differences but
accept them. Fear is the main factor of violence, if people fear one
another; they become hostile and violent, destroying society. By promoting
the ideals of Peace, to love one another, educating people and making them
aware of the world and the different cultures within our society, then they
will follow by the examples given to them.
Source: International Seminar
of Cultural Of Peace and Nonviolence Wardha, October 7–9, 2005 |