Quiet reflections are calm, sometimes chaotic but it produces a heart and mind that is open to the many colorful experiences that life affords us.
Quiet reflections are calm, sometimes chaotic but it produces a heart and mind that is open to the many colorful experiences that life affords us.
Different experiences have moved me to stop for a moment of quiet reflection on my values and world views with a renewed vision. These little moments have been instrumental in who I have become and why I decided to journey on this pathway to peace. One such moment was when I first decided to study peace at my University.
In my introduction class, I was excited to learn all these different methods of nonviolence and ways one can achieve peace in society. In class, we had these complex discussions that challenged the world as I knew it. During one of these discussions, one student asked whether peace is truly attainable and whether it can be achieved in peaceful means. This question came at a time I was struggling to find answers that would appease the optimist and peace advocate within me. Prior to this class, I studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark where I studied Humanitarian law and Armed Conflict and took a study tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina to learn about the Bosnian war and the efforts to rebuild the society.
The question this student asked is one I continue to ask myself and one I hear from others who argue against the need for peacebuilding.
In Bosnia, my class met with NGOs who were working on social cohesion by focusing on educating the youth to shift their perception of the other groups. We met with students and high level officials who were hopeful of peace because they had experienced the absence of peace and they knew how dark and painful those times were.
In the capital, Sarajevo, I saw buildings that were still laced with bullets.
In Republika Srpska, I heard stories by a woman who had lost her children and husband in the Srebrenica massacre.
In Srebrenica - Potočari Memorial and Cemetery, I saw an estimated 6,100 tall white gravestones.
These experiences have left an indelible impression on me.
So when the question of whether peace is truly attainable and whether it can be achieved in peaceful means comes up, I reflect back on these experiences and retort: have you seen the remnants of war? Have you experienced the absence of peace? I have come to understand that peace is possible. I refuse to believe otherwise. The pain and anguish I felt looking at the 6,100 people buried in the Srebrenica - Potočari Memorial Cemetery tells me that peace has to be possible and should be achieved in means that are just and sustainable.
Sadly, in our society, people are overcome with anger and hopelessness over the violence inflicted on others and the destruction caused by terrorism. Hope seems to be drained from people’s heart. At this juncture, I reflect: How should we respond to something like this? By building peace within and without.
Furthermore, as a young fellow, I continue to learn that one of the ways of achieving peace it to establish and support civilian-led peacebuilding structures and mechanisms in the highest level of government.
While these moments of reflections are heavy, thankfully, I experienced a renewed sense of hope and peace at FCNL’s Quaker Public Policy Institute and Annual Meeting. I remember entering the Grand Ballroom where most of the huge events were hosted to marvel at the hundreds of people who had showed up to give their time and efforts to lobby Congress on legislation that will permanently authorize the Atrocities Prevention Board.
Interacting with people and learning about their own path to peace continues to inspire me and shapes how I view peace and the methods of attaining it. Sharing my journey on my pathway to peace with participants of Annual Meeting was a wonderful experience. I am so thankful for the speakers and attendees I met and the quiet reflections each encounter afforded me.
Pivoting to peace is a journey. A journey that requires us to invest in tools and structures that mitigates and transforms conflict. Quiet reflections on this journey is a gift that gives us the opportunity to stop, turn around and humbly examine our values and world view with a renewed vision and appreciation for what has been accomplished and excitement for what lays ahead.
