Halcyon Identifies

 

Global defence spending is up 8% per year and yet it’s possible that major wars (i.e. conflicts causing 1,000+ violent deaths a year) may be declining; 10 years ago, there were 15 major wars worldwide - today, seven.

Far from causing us to become more violent, something in modernity and its cultural institutions has made us nobler, argues a world-renowned psychologist.

The world has become slightly less peaceful over the last year due in large part to the global economic crisis, says a new report that measures countries' peacefulness.

Annual world military expenditure is estimated to have reached $1339 billion, representing a 6% increase in real terms since 2006 and a 45% increase over the past decade.

More than 30 winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have called for urgent action to implement quality education and build peace in conflict-affected countries, setting the classroom as the stage for conflict transformation.

• Peace - a unique new index takes a business-like approach to promoting global peace by ranking 140 countries by their relatve peacefulness.

• Climate/Collaboration/Food/Peace/Security - the current global food crisis and climate change challenges appear to present global peace and security challenges that transcend national boundaries and demand collaborative solutions.

   

• Childhood/Conflict/Peace - former child soldiers can be reintegrated into society and turned into "guardians of peace".

Responses - 09/12/07

• Fairness/Gender/Peace - in the belief that a fairer and more peaceful world depends on gender equality, a new range of articles, blogs and podcasts explores issues of gender empowerment at the global level.

Responses - 20/09/07

• Peace - millions of people around the world aim to mark international "peace day" on 21 September.
• Travel - travellers have the potential to bring supplies to underfunded non-profits everywhere, and can now find out what's needed before they depart.