A vision without a task is a dream.
A task without a vision is drudgery.
But a vision with a task
can change the world.
-- attributed to Black Elk (Oglala Sioux)
The Zones of Peace International Foundation (ZOPIF) is a non-profit organization with the vision of an evolving global culture of peace. The mission of ZOPIF and any affiliated branch is to work toward a global culture of peace through fostering and assisting in the establishment of Zones of Peace in active partnership with citizens, religious/spiritual and secular leaders, and their governments. The following document is a guide for establishing Zones of Peace.
Personal peace results from cultivating love, compassion, wisdom and justice from which emerge balanced relationships with oneself, with others and with the environment. Such peace is a state of mind freed from agitation, intolerance and aggression. It is the very foundation for harmony within family, community, nation and international relationships.
People of genuine peace and non-violence regard no one as an enemy, wage no wars and sanction no destructive acts against the environment. The mere presence of a person of peace can be an inspiration to others and even affect their surroundings; great leadership in peace can inspire whole nations. Individuals who hunger for peace form a noble alliance; together they nurture personal peace and transmit it to others.
The term 'Zone of Peace' has been used by various organizations around the world. It has appeared in Africa, Central America, Hawaii, the Philippines, Nepal, the United Nations and elsewhere. The concept of what constitutes a Zone of Peace may differ from place to place and should not be confused with ZOPIF's. Since 1989 when it was first conceived, our definition has been refined and expanded to become more inclusive. We now define a Zone of Peace as follows:
A Zone of Peace is a site with sacred, religious, historic, educational, cultural, geographical and/or environmental importance, protected and preserved by its own community and officially recognized by a governmental authority. It is not merely a "Demilitarized Zone", but a sanctuary that operates within ethical principles of non-violence, free from weapons*, acts of violence, injustice and environmental degradation.
The official declaration or recognition of the Zone of Peace expresses commitments on the part of its community, governmental authority and, if appropriate, religious leadership to preserve the peaceful integrity of the designated site. Its custodians, members, participants and visitors exemplify mutual respect and non-violent behavior while on the site, and share their resources for furthering peace and cooperation.
A Zone of Peace is like a wellspring where peace is cultivated through education and example. Some Zones of Peace will be sites valued by religious, spiritual or ethnic traditions as sacred sites or special places of worship and/or pilgrimage; others may be places of special environmental or cultural importance, including UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites and Monuments.
The principal long-term objective of establishing Zones of Peace is to contribute to the creation of a global culture of peace, advancing a more just and secure world spiritually, socially and economically. It is hoped that Zones of Peace eventually may spread to encompass the entire planet.
* Exceptions include weapons displayed in a cultural, religious, spiritual, artistic or educational context; or employed as part of a traditional or spritual practice or ritual, so long as they are not used in acts of aggression to cause harm to the site or to anyone.
Zones of Peace provide models to put peace into practice. The conditions required for a Zone of Peace are exactly those that most thoughtful people and leaders would like to see in their own communities and nations and throughout the world. By creating small, manageable peaceful regions, we can teach ourselves how to create a culture of peace in a world where a general commitment to justice, security and spiritual freedom is lacking. We can take personal responsibility to plant the seeds of peace and to nurture their growth.
For genuine, lasting peace to abide in any social setting, it is necessary to establish a secure, non-violent environment that is maintained through mutual respect and the spirit of cooperation. Lacking such an environment, people naturally seek protection -- often by acquisition of weapons. At a local level, custodians of a Zone of Peace can begin to create the conditions for genuine security through implementing a variety of methods of mediation and conflict resolution, out of which local and regional peace and security can grow. As this process is applied worldwide, conditions are created for a true global culture of peace.
Qualifications for a Zone of Peace are expressed in generic terms so that they are universally applicable. A site must comply with the following general principles and requirements to qualify as a Candidate Zone of Peace. Beyond these requirements, each Zone can incorporate adaptations according to its specific environmental and cultural context, as well as the special interests and constraints of the sponsoring body or its associated community.
The following guideline for a site becoming a Candidate Zone of Peace is used by the King County Branch of ZOPIF in the state of Washington, USA, and serves as an example for other local affiliated branches. In the event that there is no local branch, ZOPIF will take responsibility for all branch-related activities listed.
With Candidate Zone of Peace status secured, the sponsoring body, the Branch and ZOPIF will request the appropriate governmental authority to officially recognize the site as a Zone of Peace.
Presently, in the United States, governmental policies for recognizing Zones of Peace have not yet been made. Nevertheless, this final component for establishing an official Zone of Peace is described in the following section. The process, based on international experience, brings local and national governments into active partnership with citizens and religious leaders. Local, regional and national Zones of Peace will be recognized through respective governmental policies; whereas international Zones of Peace will be established through a UNESCO declaration, resolution or convention.
Official recognition of a Zone of Peace will be made through governmental policies written in cooperation with ZOPIF, its respective affiliated branch, and community members from the Candidate Sites. In-depth learning and dialogue will insure that these policies respect and protect the various codes of religious and ethnic communities, and will function without regard to race, gender, sexual identity or political affiliation.
The right to appropriate spiritual expression in each site must be guaranteed. For example, as in Mecca where non-Muslims are not allowed, likewise in some Native American communities, outsiders may be denied admittance into some sacred sites.
Depending on the particular jurisdiction, the governmental policies may be expressed in either very specific or broad general terms. Regardless of the degree of specificity, governmental policies for recognizing Zones of Peace will share a common denominator, namely, the desire to establish, promote and maintain peace. For example, ZOPIF and its branch will request the government to provide training in non-violent conflict resolution and mediation for a team of law enforcement personnel who would respond to a call for assistance from the site.
It is worth noting that the governmental authority might be more prepared to create these policies when it sees three or more Candidates standing together with one united voice, especially in areas with diverse cultural, spiritual or ethnic constituencies. Moreover, one Candidate Site, or especially one official Zone of Peace, standing alone, could become a target for violent incidents, whereas sibling sites strengthen each other's resolve to promote and maintain peace.
Consequently, at least three Candidate Sites must exist prior to requesting official recognition from the government. This requirement may not be necessary, however, in less diverse or less populated localities, and its applicability will be determined by ZOPIF and its respective branch.
Whether of local, national or international significance, all Zones of Peace shall be instituted according to the same Qualifications for a Zone of Peace stated in Section IV above.
Each Zone of Peace will be identified by a sign or other entrance marker that includes the ZOPIF logo. Information posted on a nearby bulletin board or kiosk, or otherwise made available, shall explain the Zone of Peace, note its boundaries, identify the sponsoring and custodial bodies, display the code of expected conduct, and present the community's cultural and philosophical traditions. A similar entrance marker shall be displayed at each Zone of Peace so that the logo may be recognizable and familiar worldwide. Some additional feature in the logo would distinguish the different levels of Zones of Peace, e.g., local, national or international.
Consistent with the governmental policies, there shall be periodic reviews of Zones of Peace to assure that the site continues to meet the basic Qualifications. Such a review could also occur following a change in custodianship or any major change affecting the site's ability to comply with its original application.
Operation and protection of a Candidate Site or a Zone of Peace shall be provided by the custodial body. Other organizations, whether governmental or non-governmental, may render support to the Site in the form of financial assistance, expertise and volunteer help. And through its representation in the local branch, there will be direct benefit from the network with other Sites.
Through a natural process of growth, each Site and its community will acquire skills and a unique identity, and thus become a role model for the local, regional and national communities. Candidate Sites and Zones of Peace --
Additional operations and functions will evolve that are unique to each Site.
Any violation of the code of conduct (See sections IV.4. & V.4.g.) in a Candidate Site or a Zone of Peace must receive immediate attention to minimize negative impact upon the Site's integrity and quickly restore the state of peace and harmony. Any incident of violence in a Site should be approached with the goal of non-violent resolution. It is a fundamental responsibility of the custodial body to develop and apply effective non-violent procedures and techniques for dealing with any breach of peace.
In the initial stage, custodians' response to a code violation should involve minimum intervention. Minor violations may be handled by personal contact with the perpetrator, possibly involving the family, and primarily in an educational manner. Counseling through a process of victim-offender reconciliation is another option. When the violators are part of an organization, their leaders may be approached to negotiate a solution using conflict resolution and mediation skills. As a last resort, local publicity may serve to prevent further escalation and deter future violations by fostering community understanding and support.
Each custodial body should look to its community for peace-making resources from their religious leaders and organizations, elders, civic leaders, attorneys, conflict resolution and mediation specialists, and health professionals, etc. Any of them can play a significant role in maintaining the spirit of a Zone of Peace when confrontation arises. Additional resources are available through other Candidate Sites, Zones of Peace, ZOPIF and its affiliated branches, who function together as a network to support and protect one another.
If all these resources have been exhausted and the conflict remains unresolved, or if the nature of the threat warrants it, then the custodial body of a Candidate Site should seek help from law enforcement. In the case of a Zone of Peace, however, governmental policy will provide law enforcement personnel who have been trained in non-violent conflict resolution and mediation procedures.
A follow-up assessment of the code violation or confrontation might reveal contributing factors, such as poverty, human rights violations or a tradition of culturally sanctioned violence to exist within the associated community itself. In such a case, the custodial body would want to identify itself as a friend of its own community by cooperating in constructive activities that may reshape or redefine community relations in a positive manner.
In a world that appears to be increasingly fragmented and devastated by violence and conflict, it is apparent that conflict resolution skills, and indeed a new way of thinking about and being with conflict, are essential if we are to survive.
The very foundation of a Zone of Peace is based upon the following primary mandates: that it conducts its own affairs in a peaceful, respectful manner; that the Site and people are protected by non-violent means from abuse; and that it serve as an example of peace in action to the community at large. For this to be accomplished, the custodians of the Zone of Peace should draw upon their own religious, philosophical and cultural heritage of peace and non-violence. In addition, they can learn and borrow from other traditions of non-violence, and incorporate relevant findings of modern social sciences.
Having received the required education and training, each custodial body shall develop and refine its own blend of philosophy and practical non-violent conflict resolution and mediation techniques. It will then provide instruction as needed to its community members, especially those directly charged with maintaining peace at the Site. Outside consultants or respected authorities may be called upon to assist the custodial body in developing these programs and conducting training. An ongoing evaluation and modification should occur as experience is gained. In addition, the program can be further enriched through visits from spiritual leaders and representatives from other organizations and schools of mediation and conflict resolution. The custodians are encouraged to offer peace education to individuals and organizations in the greater community.
The following are descriptions of trainings strongly recommended for all members of the community who are interested in developing their site into a Zone of Peace. Furthermore, these trainings are required of the custodial body and encouraged for the sponsoring body.
World peace begins with the individual; it begins at home, with how we live our lives, relate to others and handle conflict. Conflict resolution is peace work with principles and tools that are universally applicable at every level, between individuals, families, communities and nations.
Conflict resolution training helps develop the skills, attitudes, processes and techniques vital to resolving the conflicts in our daily lives. These are the building blocks for a more peaceful society and a more peaceful world.
Some themes covered in conflict resolution trainings include:
Armed with these tools, individuals can live the principles of non-violent conflict management, and also teach or assist others to find peaceful reconciliation to situations of conflict wherever they might occur.
Mediation is an essential tool in creating a culture of peace. It helps people face even the most difficult of circumstances and bridge human differences. The skills of mediation can apply to conflicts in the workplace, community and between nations. The process brings people together in the presence of a skilled and impartial mediator to increase understanding and work out mutually satisfying solutions. In the safe environment of mediation, each person's voice is heard, their perspectives and concerns respected, and their options clarified.
More is accomplished than just the immediate solution to a problem. Barriers that result from misunderstanding and stereotypes come down. New ways of working together are discovered. Because mediation encourages self-respect and self-reliance and helps people develop empathy and compassion for the situation and problems of others, it has the potential for transforming both the participants and the communities they return to.
With training, many people can become effective mediators and make an important contribution toward creating peaceful communities. Training provides them with an understanding of the concepts of mediation and the vital role of a mediator in action, as well as a step-by-step approach to the process and strategies that are part of the art of mediation.
Supplemental trainings that teach respect for the differences between people are strongly encouraged. It is important that people recognize and appreciate virtues universally valued by all cultures to help people address the spiritual and moral dimensions of their lives, and to raise children who are conscious of these values.
Only an intelligent decision to work for the protection of life can drive away the darkness of fear, hatred and destruction. Only peace can replace war. Peace, a ray of the highest human potential, must abide at the core of the definition of human nature in a world seen as one interconnected community.
We, the human family, stand at the dawn of a new century and millennium. In this new dawn we share in the birth of a higher ethical consciousness than the world has ever known. Central to this blossoming consciousness is the power of peace, permeating lands, nations and persons everywhere as the sweet fragrance of hope and fulfillment of the needs and destinies of peoples.
We hope Zones of Peace become a dynamic sign, a luminous invitation. That they call us to drink from the wellspring of peace, quenching the thirst for a need which is imperative to all. May all nations and their peoples reclaim today their birthright to peace and embrace its harmony, joy, love and benevolent existence.
The vision of a Zone of Peace arose in May, 1989, from efforts to declare Medjugorje a Regional and International Zone of Peace in Bosnia & Hertsegovina, which was at that time one of the Socialist Republics in former Yugoslavia. The idea was conceived during an informal dialogue between two prominent Franciscan priests, Fra Leonardo Orec and Fra Tomislav Vlasic, and Ms. Ivanka (Vana) Jakic. It is significant that the concept began in Medjugorje, a pilgrimage site of international renown carrying a sacred message of peace to the world, yet, in the country which would soon be torn apart by violence, becoming one of the worst examples of the ravages of war to happen in recent times.
In September, 1991, the idea for Medjugorje grew to include eight sacred sites, two from each major religion in Bosnia & Hertsegovina, which were declared simultaneously as the first Regional Zones of Peace. At that time, there was hope that other former Yugoslav Republics and other countries would follow the example. Unfortunately, Bosnia & Hertsegovina, as an area of the greatest diversity of ethnic/religious culture, was the hardest hit during the ensuing four-year war. Some of the eight Sites were destroyed in the conflict. None survived as a Zone of Peace.
The lesson learned was that eleventh-hour measures came too late to be productive. An effectual Zone of Peace must be established far in advance of any threat of war or destruction. The work of peace education needs time to take root in the community and then spread, for true, lasting peace to be accomplished. Finally, international recognition is necessary to insure that no act of violence can be made against sites of great importance, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, without incurring public outcry and resulting in global repercussions.
Working toward such international recognition, in February 1991, Ms. Jakic presented a draft resolution to the Second International Conference on Peace and Non-Violent Action at Rajsamand (Udiapur), India. The Conference adopted the resolution and sent it with a petition to the United Nations, the UN Security Council and UNESCO "to create a new International Convention on the basis of which every nation and country that wishes could and may declare its own sacred sites, special places of worship and pilgrimages as well as places of historico-cultural importance as International Zones of Peace." (Quoted from the Resolution.) In response, in a letter of March, 1991, the Director of the UN Executive Office for Secretary-General Perez De Cuellar stated, "Your request for the creation of a new International Convention on the naming of sacred sites as International Zones of Peace is a most interesting one . . . . The Secretary-General is aware of your efforts for international harmony, and greatly appreciates your support for the World Organization."
Shortly thereafter, UNESCO invited Ms Jakic for further discussions. In October, 1991, she had a number of meetings in Paris with the Director of UNESCO's Division of Human Rights and Peace, where it was agreed that she would both coordinate a team of lawyers to draft a new Declaration or Convention on International Zones of Peace, and find a UNESCO Member State to present it before its General Assembly. (Zones of Peace International Foundation has subsequently decided that local, regional and national Zones of Peace should first be established within their own countries before asking for world recognition, thus delaying the international measure until several nations actively support the program.)
In July, 1992, the 1991 Rajsamand Resolution served as a basis for another resolution which was adopted at the Thirty-Fourth Annual Conference of the Fellowship of Reconciliation for the States of Washington and Oregon (USA) and British Columbia (Canada), held in Seabeck, Washington. In April, 1993, Ms. Jakic presented a paper on the Zones of Peace at UNESCO's Seminar on the Contributions of Religions to the Culture of Peace in Barcelona, Spain. This was followed by another major presentation that same year at the centennial Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, Illinois, USA. There, the request for a new Convention, as stated in the Rajsamand Resolution, was again endorsed and supported by spiritual leaders of different faiths and by secular dignitaries from all over the world. It was also adopted at the 1994 Women of Vision Conference in Washington, D.C., organized by the Center for International Dialogue. And in December 1995, at Ladnun, India, Ms. Jakic, as President of the Zones of Peace International Foundation, presented a new resolution with an expanded definition of the Zones of Peace to the Third International Conference on Peace and Non-Violent Action. This resolution, too, was unanimously adopted.
Workshops on Zones of Peace have been held and enthusiastically received at the above-mentioned Thirty-Fourth Annual Conference of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and at International Women's Conferences in Washington, D.C. (October 1994) and Seattle, Washington, USA (February 1995). In 1995, Nan McMurry gave a presentation at the United Nations Fourth World Conference for Women, held in Huairou in the People's Republic of China.
The Zones of Peace International Foundation was incorporated in October, 1993, by Ms. Ivanka Jakic, Jack Bucher, M.D., Elizabeth Heath, Nan McMurry and Donald C. Whitmore, as a non-profit organization in the state of Washington, USA. We are greatly indebted to our dear friends-in-peace, the late Roderick Cassidy, Violet Cassidy, and Donald Cassidy and his family, for their exceptional generosity in unquestioningly and selflessly sponsoring our work. Without their aid and constant moral support, even the best of our intentions could not have materialized.
Since 1990, Ms. Jakic has worked with several teams of people from two countries, who have helped shape the preceding Guideline, contributing their own inspiration, energy and insight. Some of these people include:
From Croatia: late Maria Dabic, Vesna Grubic, Vesna Krmpotic-Petkovic, Dr. Milka Pinhak-Jauk, Fra Nedjeljko Sliskovic, Drago Smalcelj and Ljubomir Tot.
From the U.S.: Jack Bucher, M.D., Elizabeth Heath, Nan McMurry and Donald C. Whitmore (Team 1). William Larrimore, Melissa Le Paine, Jerry Martin, Linda Mitchell and Sue A. Voorhies (Team 2). Linda Borland and Jamie Garner (Team 3).
In addition to these teams, many other individuals have contributed immeasurably to this document, such as Dr. Prof. R.P. Dhokalia from New Delhi, India, and from the U.S., Patrick Harrigan, Alesa Lightbourne, Jan van Pelt, Linn Waiters and Monica Wood. And our "Conclusion" was inspired by Rev. Dr. Richard S. Kirby.
We wish to express our profound gratitude to Dr. Francesco Vismara for translating the Guidelines into Italian.
Apologies are offered to anyone who may have been inadvertently overlooked in this acknowledgment.
To date, several communities are actively preparing for Candidate Zone of Peace status, and the work of promoting peace education continues to move forward through all of ZOPIF's activities.