Obstacles to peace – and how to overcome them - IOL

The writer argues that lasting peace requires more than ending wars – it depends on confronting racism, inequality, nationalism, religious prejudice and gender inequality.

As we celebrate the International Day of Peace on 21st September, it is timely to reflect on the barriers that humanity must overcome if lasting global peace is to become a reality. 

Peace, in the Bahá'í view, is more than just an end to war. There is need for change in individual attitudes and the creation of a universal framework to uphold that peace. Overcoming obstacles to peace require new approaches and a united vision. 

“World peace is not only possible, but inevitable. It is the next stage in the evolution of this planet”, states the Universal House of Justice, the international governing council of the Bahá’í Faith, in a statement entitled "The Promise of World Peace".  

Humanity has reached a new level in its maturity where the unification of the human family and the establishment of a peaceful global society are within our reach. Yet this promise cannot be fulfilled without confronting the barriers that continue to undermine peace. 

One of the most persistent barriers to peace is racism. The Universal House of Justice identifies racism as “one of the most baneful and persistent evils” and stresses that “Recognition of the oneness of mankind, implemented by appropriate legal measures, must be universally upheld if this problem is to be overcome”.

A peaceful society cannot be built while people are judged or treated differently because of the colour of their skin or ethnicity. 

Another obstacle is the widening gap between rich and poor. According to the Universal House of Justice: “The inordinate disparity between rich and poor, a source of acute suffering, keeps the world in a state of instability, virtually on the brink of war. …The solution calls for the combined application of spiritual, moral and practical approaches…”. 

Justice and equity must therefore become central to efforts to create peaceful societies.

The statement also challenges unbridled nationalism, distinguishing it from healthy patriotism. According to the Universal House of Justice: “Unbridled nationalism, as distinguished from a sane and legitimate patriotism, must give way to a wider loyalty, to the love of humanity as a whole. Bahá'u'lláh's statement is: “The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens”.

Religious prejudice and conflict represent another serious obstacle. “Religious strife, throughout history”, says the Universal House of Justice “has been the cause of innumerable wars and conflicts, a major blight to progress, and is increasingly abhorrent to the people of all faiths and no faith. Followers of all religions must be willing to face the basic questions which this strife raises, and to arrive at clear answers. How are the differences between them to be resolved, both in theory and in practice?”

The statement identifies the denial of equality between men and women as an injustice against one half of the world's population and as another barrier to peace, asserting that: “Only as women are welcomed into full partnership in all fields of human endeavour will the moral and psychological climate be created in which international peace can emerge”. 

Peace also depends on the ability of peoples to communicate and understand one another. The Universal House of Justice states that, a “fundamental lack of communication between peoples seriously undermines efforts towards world peace. Adopting an international auxiliary language would go far to resolve this problem and necessitates the most urgent attention”.

The abolition of war, therefore, cannot be achieved through signing treaties and protocols. In addition to recognition of the oneness of humanity, and eliminating prejudice, there is need for international institutions to regulate international affairs and for upholding peace. 

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