View source for Peace

{{wiktionary}}
'''Peace''' is a time without any [[fight]]s or [[war]]s. In a larger sense, peace (or '''peacefulness''') can mean a state of harmony, quiet or calm that is not disturbed by anything at all, like a still [[pond]] with no ripples.

Many people and [[organization]]s want peace. One organization that was set up to bring peace among the nations and try to make war a thing of the past was the [[League of Nations]] after [[World War I]].  When it did not stop [[World War II]], it was replaced by the [[United Nations]] which tries to make the world peaceful. This means that if any member is attacked or invaded by another country without attacking that country first, the other members will come to help the country that was attacked first. This idea was used by the United Nations to defend both [[South Korea]] and [[Kuwait]] when they were attacked.

[[Martin Luther King, Jr.]] wrote in a [http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html letter he sent from the Birmingham jail] that, "True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of [[justice]]." In other words, Real peace is more than just problems being gone: there must be fairness to have peace.

[[Alfred Nobel]] created an annual award, the [[Nobel Peace Prize]], for the person who had done the most to bring peace to the world.

== Religious beliefs and peace ==
[[File:Justitia et pax - Brescia - Pinacoteca Tosio-Martinengo - 13-4-2002.jpg|right|thumb|"Justice and Peace shall kiss" refers to [[Psalm]] 85]]

[[Buddhist]]s think that peace can be gotten once all suffering ends.{{fact|date=June 2013}}To get rid of suffering and get this peace, many try to follow a set of teachings called the [[Four Noble Truths]]{{fact|date=June 2013}}

[[Jews]] and [[Christians]] believe that true peace comes from a personal relationship with [[God]]. [[Jesus Christ]] (also called the "Prince of Peace" in the [[Book of Isaiah]]) said: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ({{bibleverse||John|14:27|NIV}})

Muslims follow Prophet Muhammad who teaches them that peace is the glue that holds communities together and sustains the world. 

=== Inner peace ===
{{main|Inner peace}}
Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being [[mind|mental]]ly and [[spirit]]ually at peace, with enough [[knowledge]] and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness.

Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered a state of consciousness or enlightenment that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as [[prayer]], [[meditation]], [[Tai chi chuan]] or [[yoga]], for example. Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of knowing oneself.

== Movements and [[activism]] ==
[[File:Peace symbol (bold).svg|thumb|right|A peace symbol]]
=== Peace movement ===
{{Main|Peace movement}}

A movement that seeks to get ideals such as the ending of a particular war, minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving [[world peace]]. Means to achieve these ends usually include advocacy of [[pacifism]], [[nonviolence|non-violent resistance]], [[conscientious objector]], [[diplomacy]], [[boycott]]s, [[moral purchasing]], supporting anti-war political candidates, [[Demonstration (people)|demonstrations]], and [[lobbying]] to create legislation on [[human rights]] or of [[international law]].

== Theories on peace ==
Many different theories of "peace" exist in the world of [[peace studies]], which involves the study of conflict transformation. The definition of "peace" can vary with religion, culture, or subject of study.

Peace is a state of balance and understanding in oneself and between others, where respect is gained by the acceptance of differences, tolerance persists, conflicts are resolved through dialog, people's rights are respected and their voices are heard, and everyone is at their highest point of serenity without social tension.

== Related pages ==
*[[Anti-war movement]]
*[[Ceasefire]]
*[[Pacifism]]
*[[Peace makers]]
*[[Peace treaty]]
*[[World peace]]

[[Category:Peace| ]]
[[Category:Basic English 850 words]]
[[Category:Society]]