FEBRUARY IS PEACE & CONFLICT PREVENTION Month
As Rotarians we all aspire to see a world in which Peace and Conflict Prevention thrive, and though it remains an aspirational goal, we celebrate Peace and Conflict Prevention in the month of February on the Rotary calendar.
When asked to say what comes to mind when peace is thought of, there are as many words forthcoming as there are people. For me peace means harmony and calm, yet for others peace could be the smell of a freshly brewed morning coffee or the feeling one gets when held by a caring friend. Whatever Peace may mean to you and me, it is clear that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but it is a mindset that understands we have a shared humanity, and this understanding engenders compassion and empathy for others and causes us to act accordingly.
Peace therefore begins in the heart, and we are all individually and collectively responsible for engendering its presence. The law of correspondence says that our outer world is a reflection of our inner world, and when it comes to Peace nothing could be truer.
It is this inner world of peace that engenders compassion and empathy that causes us to treat our brother fairly and to do unto others as we would wish others to do to us. Peace therefore perpetuates fair play and justice, and justice in turn perpetuates peace. If all mankind were to live by the Rotary Four-Way Test, we would soon realize the aspirational goal of peace! Rotary promotes peace in everything we do, through the spirit of cooperation and collaboration with others, especially when the "others" do not look like us.
Peace, I believe, is also a manifestation of an evolved and mature mindset that does not allow our reptilian brain to hijack our thinking when suddenly faced with potential threats. It is this evolved thinking that causes us not to react with violence when a reckless driver suddenly cuts us off in traffic. We engage in big-picture thinking which allows us to smile and muse to ourselves that perhaps he's just having a bad day!
As Rotarians we have a responsibility to share our mindset of peace with the world. More importantly, we must recognize that every time we collaborate or partner on a project, especially those which cross borders, cultures and races, we beckon the prospect of a world of peace incrementally closer. Let us all in everything we do as Rotarians help to bring peace to our world!
Shalom!
William (Bill) Aiken
District Governor 2025-2026
Rotary International District 7020
Unite For Good
Recognise Needs Transform Lives
