Issue

 Achieving peace is called 'a problem of convergence'.  That is to say, the converging of many different issues impact upon peace - often, each one is a dilemma in themselves.  'Problems of convergence' are the most difficult to resolve.  The solutions, therefore like the problems, are complex and are the most challenging.  Unfortunately, this presentation gets a bit technical as a result.

 Humanity (whether at the community level or world level) has not achieved a Culture of Peace because the methodology leading to a solution has not been well understood and necessary action agreed upon.  We call the science of gaining this understanding and knowledge about peace solutions 'Macropeace'.

 Macropeace can be described as seeing the 'Big Picture' of Peace.  The purpose of this presentation is to communicate the 'Big Picture' of Peace, as simply as possible (not an easy task or it would have been done before).  The benefit of understanding 'Macropeace' is the ability to priorize key factors necessary to achieve peace: namely peace education, peace informatics, E-peace, motivation, unification, conflict transformation and mainstreaming.

 An overview of Macropeace can be gained through an understanding of a Conceptual Map, Problem Solving Methodology, and Change Management.

A Conceptual Map

We have chosen to describe the 'Big Picture' of Peace as 'The Peace Pie', attempting to get the many elements that impact upon peace into one picture.  Indeed, a picture that is worth a thousand words.  This picture is arrived at by applying a typical problem solving methodology.  There is a hierarchy to the Conceptual Map that is best understood by the following 4 diagrams.

We start with Diagram 1 which shows the three major typical issues that first impact upon peace and must be understood to start to arrive at a solution: Resource Issues, Problem Solving Issues, and Functional Issues.  These are explained more fully in the following diagrams.

 

Diagram 2 shows the elements of  Resource and Problem Solving Issues in more detail.  Resource Issues can be broken down into the management of the major types of resources, namely Information, People (human resources and the network of organizations), Money and Time resources.  Problem Solving Issues can be broken down into: Problem Identification, Action Planning, Action Implementation, Monitoring/Evaluating/Adjusting.   

 Note: "11 others" include media, conflict impact of policies, global action plan to prevent war, demilitarization, nuclear weapons, proliferation of conventional weapons, landmine ban treaty, new weapons, biological and chemical weapons, state and corporation accountability, civil society movement to abolish war.  (Undoubtedly more will be added to the list.)

for example only (final version under construction): 

Problem Solving Methodology

[diagram reference: NORAD System Support Facility presentation by Small Bear Management Services; see http://www.smallbear.com/chngemgt/sld017.htm ]

 Problem Solving Methodology can be broken down into: Environmental Scan, Problem and Solution Identification, Action Planning, Action Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluating, and Corrective Action/Adjustment.  (For an overview of the Steps in a Strategic Planning Process refer to http://www.des.calstate.edu/leep.html (click on Strategic Planning);  http://www.uimprove.com/prob_meth.html ; and

http://dekalb.dc.peachnet.edu/~jbenson/csci1401/problemsolving/tsld001.htm )

 Environmental Scan - Once the vision and mission are clearly identified, we must analyze the external and internal environment. The environmental scan analyzes information about an organization's external environment (economic, social, demographic, political, legal, technological, and international factors), the industry, and internal organizational factors.   

Problem and Solution Identification - This is the 'idea stage', and involves gathering together the key players and scope the problem; then investigate, quantify and identify remedies. 

Action Planning, Action Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluating, and Taking Corrective Action/Adjustment are relatively self-evident. 

Change Management

 There is an excellent slide presentation at http://www.smallbear.com/chngemgt/sld001.htm giving an overview of Change Management. 

Effective change in most organizations takes 2 to 5 years, depending upon the circumstances.  One can imagine that change, in our selves, families, communities and world, from a culture of violence to a Culture of Peace and Non-violence will take a lot longer.

 The Change Model is comprised of 4 Levels:

1. Knowledge (increase knowledge)

2. Attitude (change attitudes - motivation)

3. Individual Behaviour (change individual behaviour)

4. Group (Organizational) Behaviour (change group behaviour)

 Refer to http://www.peace.ca/mgmtnote.htm 'Managing the Journey' for another overview of the recommended video by Ken Blanchard of the same name.

Is Peace Achievable?  What Is The Formula For Peace?

 For a detailed response to these questions, refer to http://www.peace.ca/formula.htm

 The bottom line is that Peace in our families, communities and world is achievable.  This is not the conclusion of one individual, but the results of many years of research and thought by the world's most prominent peace people.  (The Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict http://www.ccpdc.org  recently reported: 1. deadly conflict is not inevitable; 2. the need to prevent deadly conflict is increasingly urgent; and 3. preventing deadly conflict is possible.  "The problem is not that we do not know ... it is often that we do not act.")

 Peace is achievable. Further, the formula to achieve peace is known. We currently have the knowledge, technology and infrastructure to achieve peace. So what is the problem? Motivation: "The world is dangerous not because of those who do harm, but because of those who look at it without doing anything." 

World leaders have not been motivated to work together in co-operation to achieve world peace (hence a management or leadership problem). And the world's populace have not been motivated to motivate their political leaders (a civic problem). We can, and should, approach this from the top down, and from the bottom up.

Initiate a National Culture of Peace Program in as many countries as possible, as soon as possible.

 For a detailed description of a National Culture of Peace Program for Canada (or any country for that matter), refer to http://www.peace.ca/copp.htm.  A suggested Process Framework is shown at http://www.peace.ca/appendixb.htm

 A Culture of Peace Program must take a long term perspective.  Transforming values, attitudes and behaviours that are indispensable for eliminating the deep roots of violence, exclusion and conflict (see Change Model above), of individuals and institutions on a broad scale, is extremely difficult (but possible).

 A National Culture of Peace Program would raise the profile, mobilizing resources, organizations and public opinion. It will put peace work on a fast track, and focus it on a common objective or worthwhile cause. It will include action to support participatory communications, networking and the free flow and sharing of information and knowledge. Education is the principal means to build a Culture of Peace, and hence action would be taken to develop education, training, and research for peace and non-violence. Ultimately, informed voters can provide direction to our leaders motivating them to take the necessary action to build peace in our communities and world. The first country to do this could then provide a working model to others and speak from experience.  It will not be easy - it will be a lot of work - but it is the plan that makes the most sense today.

 Peace Starts At the Individual Level - the Health Care Model

 The Preamble to UNESCO's mandate states: "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed".

 Violence is a disease.  We know the antedote: peace education to transform values, attitudes and behaviours that are indispensable for eliminating the deep roots of violence, exclusion and conflict.  We 'simply' have to innoculate all the children of the world.  We can learn from the Polioplus program, whereby the World Health Organization and partners are working to eradicate polio from the face of the earth by 2005.  This was once also thought to be an impossible task, but we are now reaching this monumental goal.

 The Formula For Peace applies equally to building peace at the individual, family, community, national and world levels.  What we learn at one level, we can often apply at the other levels.  This is represented in the following diagram as a Peace Informatics Matrix to facilitate, and organize, our peace information and understanding: 

THE PEACE INFORMATICS MATRIX

Conclusion: Time is of the Essence

 As the World's Scientists have warned us, during our children's lifetime "A great change in our stewardship of the earth and the life on it, is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided and our global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably mutilated." [reference http://www.peace.ca/scientistswarning.htm ]

 Where before, too many people have been able to turn a blind eye to the violence taking place around us, in our communities and world, we now have to conclude that it is urgent to understand and implement the science of MacroPeace. The Internet and mass media communications are recent innovations that make a most significant contribution to our ability to achieve peace.  One can already see the effects of 'E-peace' in bringing support, education and peaceful solutions throughout the world.

 It is particularly up to those of us individuals, communities and nations that are relatively prosperous to take responsibility for change - the poor and distressed are not able. 

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