The elusive global peace

MANILA, Philippines - The world is facing extreme problems and critical situations that threaten the people of planet Earth with total destruction. The major causes of the problems are the spread of nuclear and other weapons of human destruction, multiple environmental degradation, climate changes, spread of civil conflicts and the lack of viable life-serving global economy.

The various sectors and institutions, both public and private, recognize the urgent needs and aspirations of mankind for peace. It is a growing fact that the world finds itself at a crossroad and we can either continue drifting towards self-annihilation or move towards a new global order ensuring peace, justice and well being.

The world has become endangered by the non-institution of the basic needs of the population, and the continuing gap between the rich and the poor, and the breakdown of human values and cultural heritage.

All sectors of society must join hands in the search for lasting peace and health, reinforce the global striving for peace initiatives. It is the obligation and commitment of every citizen to work for peace, human rights and justice for all.

The International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP Philippines) is playing a significant role in promoting world peace, international understanding through education, healthy and constructive dialogues, and conferences.

The world educators group based in Alabama, USA is headed by Dr. Charles Mercieca, Ph.D., its president and a member of the academic community of Alabama’s A&M University. There are numerous chapters in 130 countries with dedicated national chancellors who are successfully implementing the various peace programs affecting the environment, human rights, air pollution and related areas of concern facing humanity, facing the world. This peace education endeavor originated in Romania in the early ’70s.

The world organization promotes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations as approved on December 10, 1948. The international association of educators is a non-political and non-governmental organization working closely on a Consultative Status with the United Nations, United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESC), the United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UNICEF, ECOSOC, UNDP, UNCED, and other bodies.

The International Association of Educators for World Peace has developed peace programs for various schools and colleges. Students are taught that “peace begins with the individual self, hence the element of spirituality is brought into perspective since it enables the human being to become elevated above the level of animals”. IAEWP has also developed peace education pilot school projects for the purpose of creating a new generation of individuals capable of waging permanent peace on planet Earth. Eight years ago, this writer was appointed Philippine National Chancellor.

World peace is a universal dream which tugs at the heart of every citizen who has in his heart and mind the well-being of billions of people, specially women and children, who are among the most affected sectors whenever war and hunger, disease and poverty stalk their paths. It is the same dream and pursuit of these people who are victim of ongoing wars and conflicts. The International Association of Educators for World Peace is a major exponent of the principle that only a humanistic education of a people is the most powerful weapon, in the long run, in attaining world peace.

The problem of world peace is not a world problem. It is an individual problem. War, like peace starts in the mind and heart of the individual. When the mind of the individual is disturbed, unhappy or resentful, when it is full of hate, anger and greed, then it becomes a problem of conflict or war. Peace, too, must start in the mind and heart of the individual. When the individual is at peace, when he is serene, contented and compassionate, when his heart is full of understanding, love and forgiveness then he becomes the center of peace for the world. Peace is a state of mind, an attribute of the will. As long as people do not think peace and will it into existence, there can be no peace for mankind. Peace is not a gift. It is a condition we have to generate by our thoughts, by our desires, by our aspirations. Because peace is an individual problem, it must start with the individual.

Peace is essentially an attitude we have to develop, a longing we have to fulfill, a feat we have to accomplish. In a strange fashion, we do not have to fight for peace. We have to desire it, will and win it. We have literally to think peace into reality, to actualize it in human society by our will and action. In other words, we have to educate ourselves, we need to have a curriculum for peace. And education for peace must be both horizontally and vertically pervasive. It must start not in the grades but in the womb. As Confucius once insisted, the true starting point of education must go up to and through the university. Education for peace, therefore, must be a “seamless web”, using the term of historian Henry Steel Comanger. It begins in infancy, it is formalized in the elementary school, it continues through the most advanced education.

In my book entitled “Wounded No More” A Journey to the World of Woundology and Glorious Conquest in Healing the Mind, Body and Spirit, I have proposed that policymakers in government and the agencies charged with the education of millions of Filipinos, specifically the Department of Education (DepEd) be more attuned to their social mandate to accelerate peace education among the youth. The integration of Peace Culture and Education in all curricula from preschool up to collegiate and graduate studies is an imperative step towards the concretization of the program for citizens to imbibe.

If this proposal is adopted by the DepEd, it will be a landmark along the policy of the Philippine government to promote the rights of children to survival development, special protection and participation with full recognition of the nature of childhood and its special needs.

The reason for existence of every individual is to educate, motivate, inspire and to uplift others. We need to do our part, our share. We cannot achieve peace in our world if there is war in our hearts and homes. We need to take care of our bodies, mind, spirit, emotions in tandem with the universe. Do not wait until our bodies, our relationships, our lives, our planet go down the drain to begin the healing process.

Let us heal ourselves in order to heal our planet Earth. As we purge the pollutants in our bodies, hearts and souls, so do we clean the harmful substances in the Universe. As we tread the path to higher consciousness, we learn to share our enlightened thoughts with humanity.

If we can only truly identify our mission, first by healing ourselves, then we can perform our virtuous task of sharing, loving and caring.

(Dr. de Ubaldo was conferred the title of Honorary President of Natural and Alternative Medicine by the prestigious Royal Institution of Singapore during the grand launching of the First Asian Congress on Health and Peace Tourism held yesterday, July 31, at the Philippine Trade Training Center.)