Creative approaches to peace work in moments of crisis
The year 2020 has prompted a global gasp. The new COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to witness the interconnectedness of our world in an unprecedented manner. We have realized how global mobility makes us part of one system and to which extent the world is interdependent. Many of us have been solicited to rethink the way we live and how we cooperate with each other.
This pandemic halted “business as usual” and heightened the imbalances of our collective socio-economic system. Simultaneously, it inspired many people to create new paths for themselves and their communities. In other words, while this crisis continues to clearly outline the current inequalities and systemic oppression, it requires that we find new ways of relating to each other. Therefore, we pose the following question: Considering your personal experience and context, what can be the role of peace studies and peace work in such a scenario?
In John Paul Lederach’s words, “the greatest movements forward, when you look really closely, often germinated from something that collapsed, fell to the ground, and then sprouted something that moved beyond what was then known” (The Moral Imagination, 2005, p. 162). We want to embrace the opportunity of this crisis to reflect upon and transform the way things used to be done for decades or even centuries. Let us welcome it and use it to connect.
In Volume 12 of the Many Peaces Magazine, our intent is to find out how this extraordinary situation has given rise to creative projects and perspectives in the field of peace work. We invite you to share your unique experiences during this particular moment and encourage you to send your contributions to magazine@manypeaces.org at the latest by January 1st 2021.
Image source: freestocks.org (Spring mistletoe by Joanna Malinowska)