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Our vision
Grains of Peace promotes a positive and forward-moving vision of peace. Peace brings the freedom to enjoy life. A negative sense of being and the possible resulting violence deny that freedom. Peace brings a sense of well-being. A cynical attitude to peace cannot.
In this important section, you'll find new ways of defining both peace and violence, and of distinguishing between different types of peace and different types of violence.
We invite you to read on and learn more about positive and negative peace, inner peace and outer peace, and the similarities and differences between non-violence and peace.
Peace and violence - towards new definitions
One can no longer define peace as the absence or war or the absence of violence. it's not possible to say that violence is more inherent to human beings than the desire for peace.
So How should peace be defined? and violence?
How do human beings relate to violence? To peace?
Positive peace - Negative peace
Starting in the 1960s, several authors have been distinguishing between negative peace and positive peace. Amongst these, Johan Galtung defined in 1964 negative peace as the absence of direct violence (wars,..), and positive peace as the absence of indirect violence (anonymous structural violence), enabling persons to be integrated. More recently, his definition of positive peace has evolved towards the inclusion of the notion of harmony.
These definitions continue to be refined ...
Inner peace - Outer peace
For some, peace brings to mind inner peace, for others, peace between countries. We suggest to also include interpersonal peace and intercultural peace.
To these, social peace and structural peace can be added.
Paix, non-violence - des définitions distinctes, mais proches
On entend parler de paix intérieure, de paix géopolitique, de choix de vie non-violente ou d'actions de non-violence, sans parfois avoir des définitions claires en main pour les différencier. Voici des définitions possibles qui cherchent à clarifier les notions de paix et de non-violence...
Peace and non-violence – possible stand points
Non-violence is a life choice, based on a profound respect for physical, psychological and moral integrity of other human beings.
Peace has a larger sense; it is a life choice based on respect, as well as the serenity, cordiality and harmony between humans.
Together peace and non-violence form an existential ethic – how to live one’s life well; how to live well and act well with others; and how to allow others to live well and interact with all of us.
These concepts of peace and non-violence become more refined with time and according to different cultures. We hear about inner peace, geopolitical peace, of choices of a non-violent life or non-violent actions, sometimes without having clear definitions available to differentiate between them.
It is possible to distinguish three possible attitudes of peace and three possible attitudes of non-violence:
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Inner peace |
Active peace
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Proactive peace |
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Non-violence |
Active non-violence
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Proactive non-violence |
How are these defined?
Our own personal resources
We each have a portion of light and a portion of darkness inside us. These portions vary with the circumstances of life and with the growing awareness of these two portions within us. One feels definitely more energised when we allow our portion of light to affirm itself.
Key facts that motivate us
Civil society, school systems, local and international institutions are more and more actively engaged in contributing to a climate of peace.