Why global peace may require stronger international institutions - IOL

The writer argues that lasting peace requires more than treaties: it depends on international institutions capable of regulating global affairs, resolving disputes and protecting the unity of humanity.

The International Day of Peace, observed on 21st September, was a reminder that global peace is humanity’s greatest need and one of the highest goals towards which we can all work.

In my previous article, I shared the Bahá’í view that, the abolition of war cannot be achieved simply through signing treaties and protocols. Lasting peace requires the recognition of the oneness of humanity, and the elimination of prejudice in all its forms – racial, religious, national, ethnic, or gender. 

It requires international institutions to regulate global affairs and to uphold world peace. This article explores further regarding the establishment of institutions capable of upholding peace. 

According to the Bahá’í Writings, "The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá'u'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded”.

This world commonwealth will consist of a world legislature, which would enact the laws necessary to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all peoples. It would have a world executive, backed by an international force, which would carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by the world legislature, and to safeguard the unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal would adjudicate and deliver its final judgements in all disputes that may arise between the various elements of this universal system. 

The Bahá’í Writings further envisage: “Some form of a world superstate… in whose favour all the nations of the world will have willingly ceded every claim to make war, certain rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain armaments, except for purposes of maintaining internal order within their respective dominions”.

The commonwealth of nations is to maintain law and order at global scale. Warfare, in the Bahá’í view, “is the ultimate tragedy of disunity among nations where no international authority exists powerful enough to restrain them from pursuing their own limited interests”.

The Bahá'í vision also includes measures that would strengthen understanding among the peoples of the world. 

“A world language will either be invented or chosen from among the existing languages and will be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an auxiliary to their mother tongues” say the Bahá’í Writings and that “A world script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and facilitate intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of mankind. In such a world society science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will co-operate, and will harmoniously develop…”.

In 1985, during the International Year of Peace, the Universal House of Justice (the international governing council of the Bahá’í Faith) addressed a message to the peoples of the world, entitled ‘The Promise of World Peace’. The statement examined the reasons that world peace had for so long been considered unattainable, outlining new approaches for overcoming the barriers to peace. The statement was presented to world leaders and widely shared across the globe during the Year of Peace and thereafter. ‘The Promise of World Peace’ is available on www.bahai.org. 

* For feedback please contact: [email protected] or (011) 801 3100. Websites:  www.bahai.org,  www.bahai.org.za

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of IOL or National Media Group.