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PEACEFUL AND WISE QUOTATIONS OF THE AGES
“ PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT BUT THE PRESENCE OF CREATIVE ALTERNATIVES FOR RESPONDING TO CONFLICT.”
— DOROTHY THOMPSON ( JOURNALIST, RADIO BROADCASTER, 1893 – 1961, USA ) —
“ PEACE IS THE WORK OF JUSTICE INDIRECTLY, IN SO FAR AS JUSTICE REMOVES THE OBSTACLES TO PEACE;BUT IT IS THE WORK OF CHARITY ( LOVE ) DIRECTLY, SINCE CHARITY, ACCORDING TO ITS VERY NOTION, CAUSES PEACE.”
— THOMAS AQUINAS ( PHILOSOPHER AND THEOLOGIAN, 1225 – 1274, ITALY ) —
“ PEACE, TO HAVE MEANING FOR MANY WHO HAVE ONLY KNOWN SUFFERING IN BOTH PEACE AND WAR,
MUST BE TRANSLATED INTO BREAD OR RICE, SHELTER, HEALTH AND EDUCATION, AS WELL AS FREEDOM AND HUMAN DIGNITY.”
— RALPH BUNCHE ( POLITICAL SCIENTIST, ACTIVIST, 1904 – 1971, USA ) —
“ IF DEVELOPMENT IS THE NEW NAME FOR PEACE, WAR AND PREPARATIONS FOR WAR ARE THE MAJOR ENEMY OF THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLES. IF WE TAKE THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL HUMANITY AS OUR NORM, INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUAL GREED, PEACE WOULD BE POSSIBLE.”
— POPE JOHN PAUL II ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, 1920 – 2005, POLAND AND ITALY ) —
“ PEACE DEMANDS THE MOST HEROIC LABOR AND THE MOST DIFFICULT SACRIFICE. IT DEMANDS
GREATER HEROISM THAN WAR. IT DEMANDS GREATER FIDELITY TO THE TRUTH AND A MUCH MORE PERFECT PURITY OF CONSCIENCE. ”
— THOMAS MERTON (THEOLOGIAN, WRITER, ACTIVIST, 1915 – 1968, USA ) —
“ THE BEAUTY OF PEACE IS TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.”
— DEKHA IBRAHIM ABDI ( ACTIVIST, NGO WORKER, 1964 — 2011 ) —
“ ULTIMATELY, WE HAVE JUST ONE MORAL DUTY: TO RECLAIM LARGE AREAS OF PEACE IN OURSELVES, MORE AND MORE PEACE,AND TO REFLECT IT TOWARDS OTHERS. AND THE MORE PEACE THERE IS IN US, THE MORE PEACE THERE WILL ALSO BE IN OUR TROUBLED WORLD.”
— ETTY HILLESUM ( AUTHOR, 1914 – 1943, NETHERLANDS ) —
“ TO PLUNDER, TO SLAUGHTER, TO STEAL, THESE THINGS THEY MISNAME EMPIRE; AND WHERE THEY MAKE A WILDERNESS, THEY CALL IT PEACE.”
— PUBLIUS CORNELIUS TACITUS ( HISTORIAN, POLITICIAN, 56 – 120, ROMAN EMPIRE ) —
“ PEACE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT JUSTICE, JUSTICE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT FAIRNESS, FAIRNESS CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT DEMOCRACY, DEMOCRACY CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT RESPECT FOR THE IDENTITY OF WORTH OF CULTURES AND PEOPLES.”
— RIGOBERTA MENCHU ( ACTIVIST, 1959 , GUATEMALA ) —
“THERE IS NO WAY TO PEACE. PEACE IS THE WAY.”
— A.J. MUSTE ( THEOLOGIAN, ACTIVIST, WRITER, 1885 – 1967, NETHERLANDS AND USA ) —
“ THE PURSUIT OF PEACE AND PROGRESS CANNOT END IN A FEW YEARS IN EITHER VICTORY OR DEFEAT. THE PURSUIT OF PEACE AND PROGRESS, WITH ITS TRIALS AND ERRORS, ITS SUCCESSES AND SETBACKS, CAN NEVER BE RELAXED AND NEVER ABANDONED.”
— DAG HAMMARSKJOLD ( FORMER SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS, 1905 – 1961, SWEDEN ) —
“ PEACE IS THAT STATE IN WHICH FEAR OF ANY KIND IS UNKNOWN.”
— JOHN BUCHAN ( WRITER, HISTORIAN, POLITICIAN, 1875 – 1940, SCOTLAND AND CANADA ) —
“ IT'S SO HARD TO FORGET PAIN, BUT IT'S EVEN HARDER TOREMEMBER SWEETNESS. WE HAVE NO SCAR TO SHOW FOR HAPPINESS. WE LEARN SO LITTLE FROM PEACE.”
— CHARLES MICHAEL PALAHNIUK ( NOVELIST, 1962 – PRESENT, AMERICA AND UKRAINE ) —
“ YOU CAN’T SEPARATE PEACE FROM FREEDOM
BECAUSE NO ONE CAN BE AT PEACE UNLESS HE HAS HIS FREEDOM.”
— MALCOLM X ( ACTIVIST, RELIGIOUS LEADER, 1925 – 1965, USA ) —
“ A PEOPLE FREE TO CHOOSE WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE PEACE.”
— BERNICE JOHNSON REAGON ( MUSICIAN, ACTIVIST, 1942 – 2024, USA ) —
“ THERE COMES A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU
HAVE TO CHOOSE TO TURN THE PAGE, WRITE ANOTHER BOOK OR SIMPLY CLOSE IT. ”
— SHANNON ALDER ( AUTHOR ) —
“ UNTIL HE EXTENDS THE CIRCLE OF COMPASSION TO
ALL LIVING THINGS, MAN WILL NOT HIMSELF FIND PEACE.”
— ALBERT SCHWEITZER ( HUMANITARIAN, MEDICAL DOCTOR, 1875 – 1965,GERMANY AND FRANCE ) —
“ THE WAY IN WHICH WE CAN PROMOTE PEACE, IS BY PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF OUR RESOURCES, EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE RESOURCES, AND THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT, IS THAT THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE A POLITICAL, ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT FACILITATES THAT.”
— WANGARI MAATHAI ( ACTIVIST, CONSERVATIONIST, 1940 – 2011, KENYA ) —
“ IF THERE IS TO BE PEACE IN THE WORLD, THERE MUST BE PEACE IN THE NATIONS.
IF THERE IS TO BE PEACE IN THE NATIONS,THERE MUST BE PEACE IN THE CITIES. IF THERE IS TO BE PEACE IN THE CITIES, THERE MUST BE PEACE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS. IF THERE IS TO BE PEACE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS, THERE MUST BE PEACE IN THE HOME. IF THERE IS TO BE PEACE IN THE HOME, THERE MUST BE PEACE IN THE HEART.”
– LAO TZU ( PHILOSOPHER, 4TH CENTURY BC, CHINA ) —
“ WHEN THINGS ARE INVESTIGATED, THEN TRUE KNOWLEDGE IS ACHIEVED ; WHEN TRUE KNOWLEDGE IS ACHIEVED, THEN THE WILL BECOMES SINCERE ; WHEN THE WILL IS SINCERE, THEN THE HEART IS SET RIGHT ( OR THEN THE MIND SEES RIGHT ) ; WHEN THE HEART IS SET RIGHT, THEN THE PERSONAL LIFE IS CULTIVATED ; WHEN THE PERSONAL LIFE IS CULTIVATED , THEN THE FAMILY LIFE IS REGULATED ; WHEN THE FAMILY LIFE IS REGULATED, THEN THE NATIONAL LIFE IS ORDERLY ; AND WHEN THE NATIONAL LIFE IS ORDERLY, THEN THERE IS PEACE IN THIS WORLD . ”
— CONFUCIUS ( PHILOSOPHER, 551 – 479 BC, CHINA ) —
“ PEACE BEGINS WHEN THE HUNGRY ARE FED.”
– UNKNOWN AUTHOR –
“ TO PRESERVE PEACE, WE NEED WEAPONS OF SMALLER AND BEINGS OF LARGER CALIBER. ”
– UNKNOWN AUTHOR –
“ IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE “
— JOHN LENNON ( ARTISTIC HUMANITARIAN, MUSICIAN, SINGER, SONGWRITER,
9 OCTOBER 1940 – 8 DECEMBER 1980 ) —
“ FIRST KEEP PEACE WITH YOURSELF, THEN YOU CAN ALSO BRING PEACE TO OTHERS.”
— THOMAS KEMPIS ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, AUTHOR, 1380 – 1471, ROMAN EMPIRE ) —
“ PEACE BEGINS WITH A SMILE.”
— MOTHER TERESA ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, 1910 – 1997, OTTOMAN EMPIRE, MACEDONIA, INDIA ) —
“ WITHOUT DEEP LISTENING AND GENTLE LOVING SPEECH IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE TOWARDS PEACE. PEACE WILL ONLY BECOME A REALITY, WHEN WORLD LEADERS COME TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ABILITY TO HEAR THE SUFFERING AT THE ROOT OF ALL CONFLICTS.”
— THICH NHAT HANH ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, WRITER, ACTIVIST, 1926 – 2022 , VIETNAM ) —
“ IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT PEACE, THEN WE MUST WORK FOR IT AS ARDENTLY,
SERIOUSLY, CONTINUOUSLY, CAREFULLY, AND BRAVELY AS WE HAVE EVER PREPARED FOR WAR.”
— WENDELL BERRY ( WRITER, POET, ACTIVIST, 1934 , USA ) —
“ WAR WILL STOP WHEN WE NO LONGER PRAISE IT, OR GIVE IT
ANY ATTENTION AT ALL. PEACE WILL COME WHEREVER IT IS SINCERELY INVITED.”
— ALICE WALKER ( WRITER, POET, ACTIVIST, 1944 , USA ) —
“ PEACE IS NOT SOMETHING YOU MUST HOPE FOR IN THE FUTURE.
IT IS A DEEPENING OF THE PRESENT, AND UNLESS YOU LOOK FOR IT IN THE PRESENT,
YOU WILL NEVER FIND IT.”
— THOMAS MERTON, ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, WRITER, ACTIVIST, 1915 – 1968, FRANCE, USA ) —
“ TO FIGHT AND CONQUER IN ALL OUR BATTLES IS NOT SUPREME EXCELLENCE;
SUPREME EXCELLENCE CONSISTS IN BREAKING THE ENEMY’S RESISTANCE WITHOUT FIGHTING. ”
— SUN TZU (MILITARY STRATEGIST, PHILOSOPHER, 544 BC – 496 BC, CHINA) —
“ BUILDING PEACE IS MORE OFTEN ABOUT CREATING SPACE, DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS, PERSEVERING
IN SPITE OF OVERWHELMING PESSIMISM, AND BEING FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO RESPOND TO EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES, MEAGER AS THEY MAY BE.”
— JOHN PAUL LEDERACH ( PEACE SCHOLAR, WRITER, 1955 , USA ) —
“ PEACE WE WANT BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER WAR TO FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY,
DISEASE AND IGNORANCE.”
— INDIRA GANDHI ( FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA, 1917 – 1984, INDIA ) —
“ WAR IS NOT INHERENT IN HUMAN BEINGS. WE LEARN WAR AND WE LEARN PEACE.
THE CULTURE OF PEACE IS SOMETHING WHICH IS LEARNED, JUST AS VIOLENCE IS LEARNED AND WAR CULTURE IS LEARNED.”
— ELISE BOULDING ( SOCIOLOGIST, AUTHOR, PEACE SCHOLAR, 1920 – 2010, NORWAY AND USA ) —
“ IF EVERYONE FOUGHT FOR THEIR OWN CONVICTIONS THERE WOULD BE NO WAR.”
— LEO TOLSTOY ( WRITER, 1828 – 1910, RUSSIA ) —
“ YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET PEACE WITH MILLIONS OF ARMED MEN.
THE CHARIOT OF PEACE CANNOT ADVANCE OVER A ROAD LITTERED WITH CANNON.”
— DAVID LLOYD ( COMIC ARTIST, 1950 , ENGLAND ) —
“ WORLD PEACE IS ONE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE TO DO TOGETHER.”
— YOKO ONO ( ARTIST, SINGER, SONGWRITER, PEACE ACTIVIST, 1933, USA ) —
“ IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY ‘WE MUST NOT WAGE WAR.’ IT IS NECESSARY TO LOVE PEACE AND SACRIFICE FOR IT.WE MUST CONCENTRATE NOT MERELY ON THE NEGATIVE EXPULSION OF WAR, BUT THE POSITIVE AFFIRMATION OF PEACE.”
— MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, ACTIVIST, 1929 – 1968, USA ) —
“ PEACE EQUALS THE ABILITY TO HANDLE CONFLICT, WITH EMPATHY, NONVIOLENCE, AND CREATIVITY. ”
— JOHAN GALTUNG ( SOCIOLOGIST, PEACE SCHOLAR , 1930 – 2024, NORWAY ) —
“ TO SUGGEST THAT WAR CAN PREVENT WAR IS A BASE PLAY ON WORDS AND A DESPICABLE FORM OF WARMONGERING.THE OBJECTIVE OF ANY WHO SINCERELY BELIEVE IN PEACE CLEARLY MUST BE TO EXHAUST EVERY HONORABLE RECOURSE IN THE EFFORT TOSAVE THE PEACE. THE WORLD HAS HAD AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT WAR BEGETS ONLY CONDITIONS THAT BEGET FURTHER WAR.”
— RALPH BUNCHE ( DIPLOMAT, ACTIVIST, MEDIATOR , 1904 – 1971, USA ) —
“ PEACE IS THE HAPPY NATURAL STATE OF MAN; WAR IS CORRUPTION AND DISGRACE.”
— JAMES THOMPSON ( POET, WRITER, 1834 – 1881, SCOTLAND ) —
“ FIVE ENEMIES OF PEACE INHABIT WITH US — AVARICE, AMBITION, ENVY, ANGER,
AND PRIDE; IF THESE WERE TO BE BANISHED, WE SHOULD INFALLIBLY ENJOY PERPETUAL PEACE.”
— FRANCESCO PETRARCA ( SCHOLAR AND POET, 1304 – 1374, ITALY ) —
“ A LARGE PART OF PEACE IS GENUINELY WANTING PEACE.”
— ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM ( PHILOSOPHER, THEOLOGIAN , 1466 – 1536, NETHERLANDS ) —
“ THE SOCIAL PROGRESS, ORDER, SECURITY AND PEACE OF EACH COUNTRY
ARE NECESSARILY CONNECTED WITH THE SOCIAL PROGRESS, ORDER, SECURITY AND PEACE OF ALL OTHER COUNTRIES.”
— POPE JOHN XXIII ( RELIGIOUS LEADER , 1881 – 1963, ITALY ) —
“ MAKE PEACE WITH THE UNIVERSE. TAKE JOY IN IT. IT WILL TURN TO GOLD. RESURRECTION WILL BE NOW. EVERY MOMENT, A NEW BEAUTY. ”
— JALAL AD-DIN MUHAMMAD RUMI ( POET, RELIGIOUS SCHOLAR, MYSTIC, 1207 – 1273 , KHWAREZMIAN EMPIRE AND SULTANATE OF RUM ) —
“ PEACE IS THE ONLY BATTLE WORTH WAGING.”
— ALBERT CAMUS (PHILOSOPHER, AUTHOR, 1913 – 1960, FRANCE ) —
“ TO REPLACE THE OLD PARADIGM OF WAR WITH A NEW PARADIGM OF WAGING PEACE, WE MUST BE PIONEERS WHO CAN PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. WE MUST BE DOCTORS WHO CAN CURE THE VIRUS OF VIOLENCE. WE MUST BE SOLDIERS OF PEACE WHO CAN DO MORE THAN
PREACH TO THE CHOIR. AND WE MUST BE ARTISTS WHO WILL MAKE THE WORLD OUR MASTERPIECE. ”
— PAUL K. CHAPPELL ( PEACE ACTIVIST, FORMER SOLDIER , 1980 , USA ) —
“PEACE, IN THE SENSE OF THE ABSENCE OF WAR, IS OF LITTLE VALUE TO SOMEONE WHO IS DYING OF HUNGER OR COLD. IT WILL NOT REMOVETHE PAIN OF TORTURE INFLICTED ON A PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE. PEACE CAN ONLY LAST WHERE HUMAN RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED, WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE FED, AND WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS ARE FREE.”
—TENZIN GYATSO, THE 14TH DALAI LAMA ( RELIGIOUS LEADER , 1940 , TIBET ) —
“ ESTABLISHING LASTING PEACE IS THE WORK OF EDUCATION ; ALL POLITICS CAN DO
IS KEEP US OUT OF WAR.”
— MARIA MONTESSORI ( PHYSICIAN, EDUCATOR, 1870 – 1952, ITALY ) —
“ PEACE ISN’T THE ABSENCE OF PROBLEMS, IT’S THE PRESENCE OF CALM.”
— MAXIME LEGACE ( EITHER A HOCKEY PLAYER, A PHILOSOPHER OR BOTH ) —
“ WE CANNOT HAVE PEACE IF WE ARE ONLY CONCERNED WITH PEACE. WAR IS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
IT IS THE LOGICAL OUTCOME OF A CERTAIN WAY OF LIFE. IF WE WANT TO ATTACK WAR, WE HAVE TO ATTACK THAT WAY OF LIFE.”
— A. J. MUSTE ( THEOLOGIAN, ACTIVIST, WRITER, 1885 – 1967, NETHERLANDS AND USA ) —
“ PEACE COMES FROM BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE THE BEST THAT WE HAVE, AND ALL THAT WE ARE, TOWARD CREATING A WORLD THAT SUPPORTS EVERYONE. BUT IT IS ALSO SECURING THE SPACE FOR OTHERS TO CONTRIBUTE THE BEST THAT THEY HAVE AND ALL THAT THEY ARE.”
— HAFSAT ABIOLA ( ACTIVIST, 1974 , NIGERIA ) —
“ I WENT INTO THE ARMY BELIEVING THAT IF YOU WANT PEACE
YOU MUST PREPARE FOR WAR. I NOW BELIEVE THAT IF YOU PREPARE THOROUGHLY
FOR WAR YOU WILL GET IT.”
— SIR JOHN FREDERICK MAURICE ( MILITARY GENERAL , 1842 – 1912 , ENGLAND ) —
“PEACE IS NOT THE PRODUCT OF A VICTORY OR A COMMAND. IT HAS NO FINISHING LINE,
NO FINAL DEADLINE, NO FIXED DEFINITION OF ACHIEVEMENT. PEACE IS A NEVER-ENDING PROCESS, THE WORK OF MANY DECISIONS.”
— OSCAR ARIAS ( FORMER PRESIDENT OF COSTA RICA , 1940 , COSTA RICA ) —
“ NO ONE IS SO FOOLISH AS TO PREFER TO PEACE, WAR, IN WHICH, INSTEAD OF SONS BURYING THEIR FATHERS, FATHERS BURY THEIR SONS.”
— CROESUS ( KING OF LYDIA, 7TH / 6TH CENTURY BCE, LYDIA KINGDOM – PRESENT DAY TURKEY ) —
“ WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE OVERCOMES THE LOVE OF POWER THE WORLD WILL KNOW PEACE.”
— JIMI HENDRIX ( MUSICIAN, 1942 – 1970, USA ) —
“ WAR IS AN INVENTION OF THE HUMAN MIND. THE HUMAN MIND CAN INVENT PEACE.”
— NORMAN COUSINS ( JOURNALIST, AUTHOR, PEACE ACTIVIST, 1915 – 1990, USA ) —
“ PEACE HATH HIGHER TESTS OF MANHOOD THAN BATTLE EVER KNEW.”
— JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER ( POET, ACTIVIST, 1807 – 1892, USA ) —
“ THOSE FOR WHOM PEACE IS NO MORE THAN A DREAM ARE ASLEEP TO THE FUTURE.”
— JACK DUVALL ( ACTIVIST, WRITER , MEDIA PRODUCER, 1946 , USA ) —
“ I DESTROY MY ENEMIES WHEN I MAKE THEM MY FRIENDS.”
— ABRAHAM LINCOLN ( FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 1809 – 1865 , USA ) —
“ I HOPE…THAT MANKIND WILL AT LENGTH, AS THEY CALL THEMSELVES REASONABLE CREATURES, HAVE REASON AND SENSE ENOUGH TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES WITHOUT CUTTING THROATS ; FOR IN MY OPINION THERE NEVER WAS A GOOD WAR, OR A BAD PEACE.”
— BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (POLITICAL LEADER, WRITER, INVENTOR, 1706 – 1790 , USA ) —
“ IN SETTINGS OF DEEP CONFLICT, WORDS AND PROMISES DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN ADEQUATE MEASURE THAT GENUINE CHANGE HAS TAKEN PLACE. PEOPLE’S ACTIONS, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIOR DO.”
— JOHN PAUL LEDERACH ( PEACE SCHOLAR, WRITER , 1955 , USA ) —
“ PEACE IS SOMETHING YOU MAKE WITH YOUR ADVERSARIES, NOT WITH YOUR FRIENDS.”
— JOHAN GALTUNG ( SOCIOLOGIST, PEACE SCHOLAR, 1930 – 2024 , NORWAY ) —
“ IF YOU WANT TO MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR ENEMY, YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH
YOUR ENEMY. THEN HE BECOMES YOUR PARTNER.”
— NELSON MANDELA, ( POLITICAL LEADER, ACTIVIST, LAWYER, 1918 – 2013, SOUTH AFRICA ) —
“ PEACE CANNOT BE BULLIED INTO EXISTENCE.”
— ALI JARBAWI ( POLITICAL LEADER, PROFESSOR, WRITER, 1954 , PALESTINE ) —
“ WE LIVE NOW IN A GLOBAL VILLAGE AND WE ARE IN ONE SINGLE FAMILY. IT’S OUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO BRING FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE FROM ALL DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE WORLD AND TO LIVE TOGETHER IN PEACE.”
— JACKIE CHAN, ( ACTOR, FILMMAKER, MARTIAL ARTIST, 1954 , HONG KONG ) —
“ PEACE IS NOT A RELATIONSHIP OF NATIONS. IT IS A CONDITION OF MIND BROUGHT ABOUT BY A SERENITY OF SOUL. PEACE IS NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF WAR. IT IS ALSO A STATE OF MIND. LASTING PEACE CAN COME ONLY TO PEACEFUL PEOPLE.”
— JAWAHARLAL NEHRU ( FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA, 1889 – 1964, INDIA ) —
“ WE KNOW HOW TO ORGANIZE WARFARE, BUT DO WE KNOW
HOW TO ACT WHEN CONFRONTED WITH PEACE? ”
— JACQUES-YVES COUSTEAU ( OCEANOGRAPHER, FILMMAKER, WRITER, 1910 – 1997, FRENCH ) —
“ A PEOPLE FREE TO CHOOSE WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE PEACE.”
— BERNICE JOHNSON REAGON (MUSICIAN, ACTIVIST, 1942 – PRESENT, USA ) —
“ WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN THE POWER TO LOVE
WILL REPLACE THE LOVE OF POWER. THEN WILL OUR WORLD KNOW THE BLESSINGS OF PEACE.”
— WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING ( THEOLOGIAN, 1780 – 1842, USA ) —
“ TO HAVE PEACE AND NOT WAR, THE DRIFT TOWARD A WAR ECONOMY,
AS FACILITATED BY THE MOVES AND THE DEMANDS OF THE SOPHISTICATED
CONSERVATIVES, MUST BE STOPPED; TO HAVE PEACE WITHOUT SLUMP, THE TACTICS
AND POLICIES OF THE PRACTICAL RIGHT MUST BE OVERCOME. THE POLITICAL
AND ECONOMIC POWER OF BOTH MUST BE BROKEN.”
— C. WRIGHT MILLS ( SOCIOLOGIST, AUTHOR, 1916 – 1962, USA ) —
“ I’M NOT DISTURBING THE PEACE. I’M DISTURBING THE WAR.”
— AMMON ASHFORD HENNACY ( ACTIVIST, 1893 – 1970, USA ) —
“ RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS MEANS PEACE.”
— BENITO JUÀREZ ( FORMER PRESIDENT OF MEXICO , 1806 – 1872, MEXICO ) —
“PEACE IS NOT A RELATIONSHIP OF NATIONS. IT IS A CONDITION OF MIND BROUGHT ABOUT BY A SERENITY OF SOUL.PEACE IS NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF WAR. IT IS ALSO A STATE OF MIND. LASTING PEACE CAN COME ONLY TO PEACEFUL PEOPLE.”
— JAWAHARLAL NEHRU ( FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA , 1889 – 1964, INDIA ) —
“ IT ISN’T ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT PEACE. ONE MUST BELIEVE IN IT. AND IT ISN’T ENOUGH TO BELIEVE IN IT. ONE MUST WORK AT IT.”
— ELEANOR ROOSEVELT ( DIPLOMAT, ACTIVIST, 1884 – 1962 , USA ) —
“WHEN THINGS ARE INVESTIGATED, THEN TRUE KNOWLEDGE IS ACHIEVED;
WHEN TRUE KNOWLEDGE IS ACHIEVED, THEN THE WILL BECOMES SINCERE ; WHEN THE WILL IS SINCERE, THEN THE HEART IS SET RIGHT (OR THEN THE MIND SEES RIGHT) ; WHEN THE HEART IS SET RIGHT, THEN THE PERSONAL LIFE IS CULTIVATED ; WHEN THE PERSONAL LIFE IS CULTIVATED, THEN THE FAMILY LIFE IS REGULATED ; WHEN THE FAMILY LIFE IS REGULATED, THEN THE NATIONAL LIFE IS
ORDERLY ; AND WHEN THE NATIONAL LIFE IS ORDERLY, THEN THERE IS PEACE IN THIS WORLD.”
— CONFUCIUS ( PHILOSOPHER , 551 – 479 BC, CHINA ) —
“ PEACE IS NOT MERELY A DISTANT GOAL THAT WE SEEK, BUT A MEANS
BY WHICH WE ARRIVE AT THAT GOAL.”
— MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, ACTIVIST, 1929 – 1968 , USA ) —
“ AN EYE FOR AN EYE WILL ONLY MAKE THE WHOLE WORLD BLIND. ”
— MOHANDAS GANDHI ( ACTIVIST, LAWYER, 1869 – 1948, INDIA ) —
“ WE SAY NO TO THE PEACE THAT KEEPS US ON OUR KNEES, NO TO THE PEACE
THAT KEEPS US IN CHAINS, NO TO THE FALSE PEACE THAT DENIES THE VALUES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR PEOPLES.”
— RIGOBERTA MENCHU ( ACTIVIST, 1959 , GUATEMALA ) —
“ PEACE IS NOT AN ABSENCE OF WAR, IT IS A VIRTUE, A STATE OF MIND, A DISPOSITION FOR BENEVOLENCE, CONFIDENCE, JUSTICE.”
— BARUCH SPINOZA ( WRITER, PHILOSOPHER, 1632 – 1677, NETHERLANDS ) —
“IF YOU LOVE PEACE, THEN HATE INJUSTICE, HATE TYRANNY, HATE GREED — BUT HATE THESE THINGS IN YOURSELF, NOT IN ANOTHER.”
— MOHANDAS GANDHI ( ACTIVIST, LAWYER, 1869 – 1948, INDIA ) —
ORDERLY ;AND WHEN THE NATIONAL LIFE IS ORDERLY,
THEN THERE IS PEACE IN THIS WORLD.” BRINGETH PEACE. “
— HELEN ADAMS KELLER ( AUTHOR, DISABILITY RIGHTSADVOCATE, POLITICAL ACTIVIST
AND LECTURER, 1880 – 1961, USA ) —
“ THOU HAST MADE US FOR THYSELF, O LORD, AND OUR HEART IS RESTLESS
UNTIL IT FINDS ITS REST IN THEE.”
— AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO ( THEOLOGIAN AND PHILOSOPHER, 354 – 430, THAGASTE ) —
“ YOU WERE PLACED ON THIS EARTH TO CREATE NOT TO COMPETE.”
— ROBERT ANTHONY ( AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONAL THEORIST, AND PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT CONTROL AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, 1916 – 2006, USA ) —
“ PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF ANYTHING. REAL PEACE IS THE PRESENCE OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
BOTH PEACE AND THE THIRST FOR IT HAVE BEEN IN THE HEART OF EVERY HUMAN BEING IN EVERY CENTURY AND EVERY CIVILIZATION. ”
— PREM RAWAT ( AUTHOR, 1957 – PRESENT, INDIA AND USA ) —
“ PEACE PRODUCED BY SUPPRESSION is neither natural or desireable.”
— ANNA JULIA COOPER ( EDUCATOR, ACTIVIST, WRITER, 1858 –1964, USA ) —
“ IF EVERYONE FOUGHT FOR THEIR OWN CONVICTIONS THERE WOULD BE NO WAR. ”
— LEO TOLSTOY ( WRITER, 1828 – 1910, RUSSIA ) —
“ THE STRONGEST PASSIONS, AND MOST DANGEROUS WEAKNESSES OF THE HUMAN BREAST;
AMBITION, AVARICE, VANITY, THE HONORABLE OR VENIAL LOVE OF FAME, ARE ALL IN CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE DESIRE AND DUTY OF PEACE. ”
— ALEXANDER HAMILTON ( POLITICAL LEADER, 1755 – 1804, USA ) —
“ PEACE IS NOT THE PRODUCT OF TERROR OR FEAR. PEACE IS NOT THE SILENCE
OF CEMETERIES. PEACE IS NOT THE SILENT RESULT OF VIOLENT
REPRESSION. PEACE IS THE GENEROUS, TRANQUIL CONTRIBUTION OF ALL TO THE GOOD OF ALL. PEACE IS DYNAMISM. PEACE IS GENEROSITY. IT IS RIGHT AND IT IS DUTY. ”
— OSCAR ROMERO ( RELIGIOUS LEADER, 1917 – 1980, EL SALVADOR ) —