Peace Begins with Our Understanding of Human Nature

An Existential Perspective on a Culture of Peace and the Building of Society

 

If wars begin in the minds of human beings, then a culture of peace must begin there as well. Lasting peace cannot be achieved simply by signing new diplomatic agreements or introducing new legislation. The crises of our time reveal that something more fundamental is required: a living culture of peace. Such a culture is formed from within—through the way we see one another, the values we cultivate, and our willingness to listen as well as to speak.

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Peace cannot be defined merely as the absence of war. If that were so, societies governed by fear, injustice and distrust could still be described as peaceful. Clearly, they are not. As UNESCO recognised in its Constitution in 1945, if wars begin in the human mind, then it is there that the foundations of peace must also be built. This insight remains as relevant today as it was then, reminding us that politics, military power and economic resources alone can never create lasting peace. Ultimately, peace depends upon our understanding of the human person.

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A sustainable culture of peace rests upon those principles that make genuine human cooperation possible. While the concept is often associated with the vision of the United Nations and subsequent international efforts, this essay understands the term in a broader sense. The emphasis lies not primarily on political institutions or international frameworks, but on the educational and cultural process through which people develop the values, capacities and relationships that make lasting peace possible.

 

Although humanity has made extraordinary scientific, technological and economic progress, our world continues to be marked by war, deep political polarisation and growing uncertainty about the future. It is therefore no longer sufficient merely to ask how we can end today’s conflicts. The more fundamental question is how we can build a society in which war no longer appears to be a conceivable solution. This inquiry reaches far beyond diplomacy or international security; it ultimately concerns the kind of human beings we become and the kind of society we choose to build.

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From Human Relationships to a Peaceful Society

A culture of peace possesses both an institutional and an existential dimension. While the former concerns the political, legal and social structures that promote peaceful coexistence, the latter addresses our understanding of the human person and the values upon which peaceful societies ultimately depend. It is through art, religion and culture that this existential dimension becomes tangible, coming alive within everyday life.

The classical philosophical distinction between an external, material form and an internal, mental reality offers an important perspective for understanding a culture of peace. Concentrating solely on society’s visible structures—its laws, institutions and political agreements—is never enough. We must look beneath these external forms, examining the convictions, values and understanding of humanity that shape the way individuals think and act.

This is where art, religion and culture fulfil an indispensable role. Granted, they rarely possess the authority to rewrite legislation directly, yet they hold a unique capacity to reshape our imagination, deepen our empathy and enlarge our understanding of one another. It is through this quiet transformation of the human mind and heart that the true foundations of lasting peace are laid.

An existential perspective thus shifts our attention from political systems to human self-understanding, freedom and responsibility. Conflicts encompass far more than politics, economics or competing interests; they arise from the very way we choose to see and treat one another. If we wish to build a sustainable culture of peace, wise political decisions alone will never be sufficient. We must also cultivate the human qualities that make peaceful coexistence possible.

A living culture of peace cannot simply be established through legislation or international summit meetings. It must grow from the ground up, through the way people live together in everyday life—expressed in the culture we create together, the values we choose to pass on to our children, and our willingness to speak with one another rather than merely at one another.

The argument developed throughout this essay follows a clear progression—moving from the individual person, through our shared culture, and ultimately to society as a whole. For it is within human relationships that both democracy and lasting peace find their deepest foundations.

 

A Culture of Peace and the Liberal International Order

The liberal international order has deep intellectual roots extending from classical philosophy to the Christian understanding of the human person. Liberalism adapted many of these enduring ideas to the conditions of the modern secular world. Yet behind every discussion about international cooperation, political institutions and economic systems lies a more fundamental question: what does it truly mean to be free?

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Far from being a simple framework of rules and institutions, the liberal order rests at its heart upon a particular understanding of human freedom and responsibility. Freedom in this context means more than having choices or being protected from coercion; it includes the opportunity to seek truth, to assume responsibility and to care for others. Human dignity is not merely the outcome of a political contract or legal agreement, but rests upon deeper moral and philosophical foundations.

Our societies Helix-like require security policies capable of responding to today’s immediate threats, alongside peace policies designed to reduce tomorrow’s crises. These are not competing priorities but complementary responsibilities—one addresses the consequences of conflict, while the other seeks to prevent the conditions from which conflict arises.

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Today, strategic and military concerns have largely displaced the broader discussion about how peaceful societies are actually built. Instead of asking only why wars begin, we should also ask what kind of society we wish to create. A sustainable peace cannot be founded upon fear or a balance of power alone; it requires hope, trust and a positive vision of the future. Ultimately, this remains the central question of peace itself: what kind of world do we wish to leave to future generations?

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Human Beings Shape Society – Society Shapes Human Beings

If a culture of peace is fundamentally about human development rather than merely political programmes, we must examine a broader question: how is a society actually formed?

We often explain social change in terms of politics, economics or technological innovation. These are undoubtedly important forces that shape society’s external structures, yet behind every institution stand human beings. No society emerges by itself; it is created through the ways people think, the values they embrace and the choices they make in everyday life.

At the same time, none of us grows up in isolation. We are shaped by our families, our schools, our language, our history and the culture into which we are born. Our moral character and our understanding of responsibility develop through our relationships with others. There is a continuous interaction between the individual and society: human beings shape society, and society in turn shapes human beings. It is within this dynamic relationship that the foundations of a culture of peace are established.

Modern political debates often concentrate on changing systems. Yet systems do not truly change unless the people who sustain them also change. Laws and institutions can maintain order and protect fundamental rights, but they cannot compel trust, compassion or mutual respect—qualities that must grow organically through human relationships.

For this reason, every discussion about peace ultimately returns to our understanding of the human person. If every individual possesses an inherent dignity, then respect is not merely an admirable ideal but a practical necessity. Recognition of human dignity gives rise to trust, and trust makes genuine cooperation possible.

To focus on the human person does not mean ignoring institutions or political structures. On the contrary, it means recognising that people and society continually shape one another. If we wish to understand what forms a society’s ideals and gives it its identity, we must look to its culture. It is there that its stories, values and collective memory are preserved and renewed. Culture is not simply an attractive addition to society—it is its very foundation.

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Culture – The Soul of Society

Culture is often understood only as art, music, literature or inherited traditions. Yet these are merely its visible expressions. More fundamentally, culture is the living environment in which we acquire language, develop values and learn to understand the world. Through culture, each generation hands on not only knowledge but also ideals, beliefs and ways of relating to others. It is within culture that a society continually forms and renews its identity, making it a living process through which society continually recreates itself rather than something that exists alongside politics or economics.

Nevertheless, we frequently underestimate its importance. Political decisions and economic results are easily measured, while the influence of culture unfolds gradually over generations. Yet the people who establish laws, govern institutions and shape public life have themselves been formed by the culture in which they live.

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Politics and economics may therefore be compared to the external framework of society, while culture provides its life, its meaning and its moral direction. Building peace is consequently not only a matter of improving external institutions; it also requires transforming the cultural environment that shapes the way human beings live together.

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Art plays a particularly important role in this process. Through literature, music, theatre and the visual arts we are invited to enter another person’s experience. Art stretches our imagination, deepens our empathy and enables us to see reality through different eyes. The artist, therefore, does more than portray the world; artists actively participate in shaping it.

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Culture, however, is not a static inheritance that each generation merely preserves. It is continually renewed through everyday encounters between people. Every generation receives something from the past, but each also contributes something new to the future. This raises an important question: how do we preserve what is most valuable while remaining open to renewal? The answer lies in Bildung.

 

Bildung – The Path Towards a Culture of Peace

How do we cultivate the values and the understanding of humanity upon which peaceful societies depend? The answer lies not simply in education, but in Bildung.

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Education provides knowledge, professional competence and practical skills. Bildung, however, concerns the formation of the whole person. It is the lifelong process through which people deepen their understanding of themselves, of others and of the wider world. It enables us to recognise larger patterns, challenge our own assumptions and accept responsibility for our actions. Unlike formal education, Bildung is never completed; it continues throughout life.

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A society may possess highly educated professionals and outstanding universities, yet still be deeply divided by distrust, hostility and polarisation. Knowledge alone cannot answer the fundamental questions of how we should live together or what responsibilities we owe future generations. Education therefore becomes incomplete unless it is accompanied by personal and moral formation.

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This is also where the true foundation of democracy is found. Democracy is far more than elections, constitutions or legal procedures. It depends upon citizens who are willing to listen, capable of critical reflection and prepared to respect those with whom they disagree. Such qualities cannot be created through legislation; they develop organically through Bildung.

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A culture of peace cannot, therefore, be established through a short information campaign or a series of isolated courses. It grows wherever people continue learning throughout life—in schools, universities, families, workplaces, cultural institutions and voluntary associations. It is ultimately about human growth. The more deeply we understand ourselves and the world we share, the better equipped we become to care for both.

 

How We Interpret the World Shapes Politics

Politics extends far beyond the administration of power, legislation and public institutions; at its deepest level, it concerns how we interpret reality and how we choose to live together. Political decisions are naturally based upon facts, yet facts never speak entirely for themselves. They are always interpreted through historical experience, cultural assumptions and competing visions of the future. Our understanding of history, our expectations of other people and our beliefs about what kind of future is possible all profoundly influence the political choices we make.

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Consequently, many conflicts arise not because people lack information, but because they interpret the same reality through different intellectual and cultural frameworks. Historical narratives, inherited prejudices and competing visions of society often shape political decisions just as much as objective facts.

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This is precisely why a culture of peace matters. Its purpose is not merely to improve the tone of public debate, but to transform the very framework through which we understand one another and the world we share. As dialogue, mutual understanding and shared ethical principles become stronger, the political possibilities also begin to change. The most crucial political question is, therefore, not simply what kind of world we happen to inhabit, but what kind of world we consciously choose to build together.

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An Existential Perspective on Conflict Resolution

The way we understand reality—and the way we understand ourselves—ultimately shapes our values, our decisions and our actions. This carries profound consequences for how we approach conflict and how we seek to build peace.

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Politics is concerned with who exercises authority, by what legitimacy, and towards what ends. The most significant political decisions therefore always carry an existential dimension, revealing how we understand the human person, freedom, responsibility and the future.

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Social conflicts rarely arise solely from disputes over wealth, territory or competing interests; at a deeper level, they concern the ways in which people choose to relate to one another. For this reason, every lasting process of conflict resolution must begin with ourselves—with our moral judgement and the choices we make in everyday life. Every conflict remains rooted, ultimately, in how we understand ourselves and those around us. This is the essence of an existential perspective on war and peace.

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The persistence of war and recurring international crises, despite the existence of the United Nations, international courts and countless political agreements, points to a deeper reality. The roots of conflict lie beyond institutions alone. Peace is not built primarily by creating new organisations or drafting additional legal frameworks; rather, it grows when individuals and communities begin making wiser existential choices. Institutions can support this process, but they can never replace it.

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Every Conflict Ultimately Raises Five Questions

The existential approach may be summarised in five fundamental questions that lie beneath every conflict.

1. The awareness of choice
   Rather than merely being a consequence of what happens to us, every conflict involves how we choose to respond. Recognizing that we always retain a measure of agency in our response constitutes the first step towards peace.

2. Self-reflection
   What truly motivates me? Which fears, needs, values or assumptions shape my own actions and judgements?

3. Understanding the other
   What genuinely drives the other person or group? What specific experiences, concerns or aspirations shape their perspective?

4. Discovering common ground
   Even where deep disagreements remain, which shared values or mutual interests can still provide a foundation for cooperation?

5. Responsibility for the future
   In what ways will the choices we make today shape the society that future generations will inherit?

 

The existential dimension is not simply another technique for resolving a particular category of conflict; it is a fundamental way of approaching conflict itself. Whether disagreements arise between individuals, communities or nations, the process must begin with self-examination. Only when we understand the deeper motivations behind our actions can we hope to address the legal, political and economic dimensions of conflict in a lasting way.

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Conflict resolution is consequently not a fundamentally bureaucratic or legal procedure. It is a journey that begins with existential reflection, develops through ethical responsibility and ultimately finds expression in laws, institutions and political cooperation.

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The Necessity of Intercultural Dialogue

If peace requires this depth of reflection, then dialogue between cultures, religions and philosophical traditions becomes indispensable. Far from being an optional addition to peacebuilding, such dialogue constitutes one of its essential foundations. These traditions profoundly influence the ways people understand reality, responsibility and the meaning of human life.

Religious communities, cultural institutions and moral leaders therefore carry an important responsibility in helping to cultivate a culture of peace. Intercultural and interreligious dialogue should become a natural and permanent part of conflict prevention, long before crises erupt into violence.

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Peace, Democracy and Sustainable Development

Peace, democracy and sustainable development are often treated as separate political objectives, each with its own institutions, academic disciplines and international agreements. Yet a closer examination reveals that they are deeply interconnected.

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A society characterised by fear, distrust and insecurity cannot sustain a healthy democracy. Likewise, where people are denied meaningful opportunities to influence their own future, social tensions inevitably deepen. And if natural resources are exhausted or social inequalities continue to widen, the foundations of both democracy and peace are gradually undermined.

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The relationship works in every direction. Security enables people to participate confidently in public life, democracy provides peaceful means of resolving disagreements, and environmental sustainability creates the conditions that allow future generations to flourish. These are therefore not isolated goals but different dimensions of the same reality. While peace concerns the way we relate to one another, democracy addresses how we make shared decisions, and sustainability embodies the responsibility we bear for the world we leave behind.

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This holistic perspective transforms our understanding of peacebuilding. Diplomacy and security policy remain essential, but they are not sufficient. Lasting peace also requires investment in education, culture, human rights, social justice and a fair economy.

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Peace is consequently not a final destination that can simply be achieved and then secured indefinitely. It is the expression of a society whose people have learned to live together with justice, responsibility and mutual respect, while remaining within the ecological limits upon which all life depends. A genuine culture of peace cannot be confined to one government department or one international organisation; it is the shared responsibility of schools, universities, families, cultural institutions, businesses, civil society and global organisations alike.

 

A Culture of Peace as a Shared Responsibility

How, then, do we build the trust upon which a culture of peace depends? The answer remains dialogue. Whenever people genuinely meet one another, they challenge their own assumptions, deepen their understanding and begin to build relationships of trust. Dialogue constitutes, therefore, far more than a method for resolving crises after they have emerged; it remains the very driving force of a living culture of peace.

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If a culture of peace concerns the way we live together, then the everyday encounter becomes fundamental. Dialogue cannot be treated as a remedy applied only after conflict has broken out; it must be present from the beginning, woven into the ordinary fabric of society.

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To meet another person in a genuine spirit of dialogue means far more than exchanging opinions. It begins with a sincere willingness to listen and to understand, even when the other person holds very different experiences, beliefs or convictions. The aim is not uniformity of thought. Rather, it is to discover how people with different backgrounds can live and work together while preserving their differences.

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Dialogue also invites us to recognise the wider and deeper relationships that connect human life. There can be no sustainable development without peace, and no lasting peace without genuine democracy—realities that continually depend upon one another.

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When people encounter one another in this way, something changes within the relationship itself. Prejudice gradually gives way to curiosity, while distrust begins to develop into confidence. It is through countless encounters of this kind that the relationships upon which democracy ultimately depends are formed.

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Consequently, the concept of peace dialogue is much broader than formal peace negotiations between opposing parties. Dialogue takes place wherever people seek mutual understanding, share experiences and accept responsibility for the future. Whether within universities, cultural institutions, political life, local communities or between different religious traditions, its purpose remains the same: to build bridges where division once existed.

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Interreligious dialogue occupies a particularly important place within this broader vision. The world’s religions and philosophical traditions preserve profound insights into ethics, community, responsibility and the meaning of human life. The purpose of such dialogue is not to erase theological differences, but to strengthen cooperation between people of different faiths and convictions. Through encountering other traditions, we often come to understand our own tradition more deeply. In this way, dialogue inspires a shared commitment to the continued moral and human development of society.

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In an age increasingly characterised by polarisation, this approach is more than a practical method; it constitutes a way of life. It reminds us that a sustainable society does not require complete agreement, but rather the ability to live constructively with our differences. Human beings, culture and society are inseparably connected. As understanding grows, trust develops, making genuine cooperation possible. It is through this gradual process that a living culture of peace takes shape.

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Our values are profoundly influenced by our experiences, our emotions and the culture in which we are raised. For precisely this reason, strong convictions alone are not sufficient. Our values must also be examined through critical self-reflection. The role of reason is not to suppress our emotions but to help us distinguish between what merely serves our own immediate interests and what genuinely contributes to the common good. Through this process of reflection, our ideals are gradually transformed from narrow self-interest into authentic concern for others.

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Such development ultimately requires a transformation in the way we understand ourselves and the world. Three complementary perspectives may serve as guides in this process: the holistic, the transcendent and the sacred.

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Adopting a holistic lens means recognising the interconnectedness of human beings, society and the natural world. No action exists in isolation. Every decision creates consequences that extend beyond ourselves, influencing both those who live alongside us today and those who will inherit the future.

The transcendent perspective, in turn, concerns our capacity to rise above immediate desires, short-term interests and narrow perspectives. It invites us to set aside our own preferences, at least temporarily, in order to seek what is genuinely true, good and right within a wider existential horizon.

Finally, the sacred points towards those realities that possess intrinsic worth. Human dignity, freedom, truth, love and peace are not valuable merely because they produce useful outcomes. They deserve our deepest respect because they possess value in themselves.

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When these three perspectives are allowed to work together, our relationship with the world is transformed. We begin to look beyond ourselves and become capable of assuming genuine responsibility for the future we are creating together. It is here—in the meeting point between the holistic, the transcendent and the sacred—that the ethical foundation of a living culture of peace is ultimately established.

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Yet this raises an important question. If the nations of the world have already affirmed this vision through the United Nations, why is it so rarely heard in public debate? Why does the idea of a culture of peace receive so little attention in politics and the media when it concerns nothing less than our common future?

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The answer is that responsibility in a democracy never rests solely with politicians, governments or international organisations; it belongs to all of us. A culture of peace is built in everyday life—in families, schools, universities, workplaces, cultural institutions and voluntary organisations. It is expressed in the way we meet one another as fellow human beings.

The decisive question is therefore not only what technical solutions we choose, but what values guide those choices. Ultimately, the question of peace is not simply how humanity can avoid the next war. It is what kind of humanity we aspire to become, and what kind of world we wish to leave to future generations.

It is about peace on earth—and peace with the earth.​