The word peace has a broad meaning. In fact, it is an umbrella term that covers a wide range and shades of meanings. Therefore in order to make it a clear and unambiguous base for any educational purpose, it has to be interpreted as something that students can learn and change their ways of behaviour both as individuals and groups for a better future. The outcome of such learning should be observed and evaluated objectively.

To live in the true sense we need peace in every way. It provides the atmosphere, space and nourishment essential to grow towards human perfection. However, we have to frankly accept the fact that we still lack a great deal of understanding of what peace really is. Hence there is considerable negligence and confusion in the field. Practically people tend to define peace according to their dwn preferred perspectives. Consider the following interpretations:

Economics: Peace is the eradication of poverty. It is the economic wellbeingness of people.

Politics: Peace is the outcome of democracy. Peace results from good governance.

Anti-military: Stop war and there is peace.

Law: Peace is law and order.

Social harmony: Resolve conflicts between diverse groups. Integrate such groups together through fair distribution of justice.

Such definitions are useful in their own fields of work. But when they are taken as the only peace then there is the tendency to ignore the other perspectives. All the perspectives of peace contain the seed of peace. However, they are obviously fragmentary in the sense they do not present the whole view. They are limited only to a few concerned. Peace-building with such fragmentary perspectives is doomed to fail. Take, for example, an economic development community project that ignores human values and morals. The deterioration in the neglected aspect will not allow the fulfilment of the economic wellbeingness. Peace-building is effective when it is approached from all social and human perspectives. In other words, peace-building should be approached holistically. It is a harmonious blend of external factors as well as internal factors, individual factors as well as social factors.

The word peace is mostly used in a narrow sense to mean absence of war. Surely it is more than that. It should mean not only absence of war, but violence in all forms such as conflict, threat to life, social degradation, discrimination, oppression, exploitation, poverty, injustice and so on. Peace cannot be built as long as violent social structures exist in society. Naturally such structures will lead people to act violently. For instance, an unfair system of resource distribution in a society leads to frustration of those who get less. Frustration leads people to violence. Absence of all such obstructive and inconducive factors to a good life can be called negative peace.

All the above perspectives imply that peace is an external phenomenon. There is a perspective quite different to it, which holds that peace is an inner factor. It says 'Peace is within you'.

Peace could also be explained in positive terms as well. Presence of happiness, health, content and good economy, social justice, and freedom for expression, creativity and support for personal growth at all levels are elements of peace. It could be named as positive peace. As mentioned above, peace may arise from political, economic, legal and other social structures that lead people to live righteously.

All ranges of shades of meanings of peace come easily under three basic sources. They are inner peace, social peace and peace with nature. They could be analysed further this way:

1. Inner Peace:

2. Social Peace:

For example, harmony and peace with oneself, good health, and absence of inner conflicts, joy, sense of freedom, in- sight, spiritual peace, feelings of kindness, compassion, and content, appreciation of art.

For example, peace between man and man, (men and women. as well!) harmony arising from human relation- ships at all levels, conflict reconciliation and resolution, love, friendship, unity, mutual understanding, acceptance, co-op- eration, brotherhood, tolerance of differences, democracy, community-building, human rights, morality.

3. Peace with Nature: For example, harmony with natural environment and mother earth.

Recognizing these sources of peace are important for they provide bases on which peace can be built. Each source could be further analysed in detail so that many more subcomponents can be identified. Whatever peace-building effort comes under one or more of the above sources. Often some projects confine themselves into a single source and neglect the others or even work against others. For instance a community income-generating project may neglect the aspects of inner peace such as moral or spiritual values of a particular community. Peace has to be viewed holistically not fragmentarily as we said earlier. Total peace arises from working through all the sources. The above model could be diagrammed in the following way:

Generally we are used to view peace as an end, i.e. an end product. This view tends to devaluate the process of building it. As we know the means contain the end. Therefore it is more helpful to consider peace as both the process and the end. To emphasize the process, and to be practical it is useful to define peace more in action-oriented terms rather than in abstractions. An example for such a definition is:

Peace is the behaviour that encourages harmony in the way people talk, listen, and interact with each othec and discourages actions to hurt, harm, or destroy each other -Theresa M. Bey and Gwendolyn I: Turner (1995)

Concluding Thoughts

This chapter attempts at broadening your vision of peace through various perspectives as well as looking at it as a whole. Approach to understand and build is best when it is holistic. In developing educational programmes it is useful to define peace in practical behavioural terms. Peace is both the process and the end.

Things To Do

1. Make a collection of inspiring quotations on peace from various sources and identify the basic concepts and values underlying them.

2. How is peace viewed in your religion ? Search for references to peace in your scriptures.

3. What kind of peace do you want to have in school?

4. Make a list of synonyms and phrases expressing the meaning of peace, e.g. contentment, living in harmony.

5. Think of some peace-loving people you know and identify peaceful characteristics you observe in them.

6. Give five outstanding characteristics of a peaceful society.