International Peace Day

The Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) starts with the notion that “wars begin in the minds of men so it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed”. In this spirit, the International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. In 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access.

Both in war and peace times, humanitarian aid carries a vital importance, which is only possible through sophisticated coordination of all the actors. Community-led NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) play the role of intermediary between the individuals in a community and the international actors such as international NGOs, intergovernmental organizations such as different agencies of United Nations, local as well as national governments.
However, the influence of the NGOs is not limited to the aid programs after-the fact but also preventative actions. Taking part in peacebuilding activities is a great example of this. Peacebuilding, in broader sense, is an activity aiming to resolve a conflict through nonviolent means. Together with governmental and international organizations, as well as research institutes are examples of potential actors in this process.
The process of transition and preservation of peace should be designed by the local actors. Sustainable peace would be provided only with the participation of local NGOs active in the fields that were affected the most by a conflict. Top-down ceasefires or agreements which were externally brokered often fail because they bypass the involvement of local organizations resulting in temporary solutions rather than long-term peace. On the other hand, locally-led peacebuilding ensures that solutions are more inclusive and representative of community needs.

It is often the case that local NGOs lack the necessary funding, making them dependable on international donors and project financing through intergovernmental organizations, which may create a conflict of priorities. As an alternative, many local NGOs adapt the approach of building networks oftentimes on national level. “Local Networks for Peace: Lessons from Community-Led Peacebuilding “, edited by Connolly and Powers (2018) discusses advantages and risks of working within networks. They focus on cases in Burundi, the Central African Republic, Colombia, Kenya, Liberia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. On top of the financial advantages, networks strengthen the potency of influence within the region by providing a diversity of expertise, experience, and knowledge.

Advocating for peace and human rights is a step individuals can contribute to peacebuilding. Learning about roots of violent conflicts and educating yourself and those who around you about nonviolent solutions are also individual actions contributing to peace. One of the most effective ways is volunteering at a local NGO, or donating to peacebuilding initiatives.