What does peace mean? It is a huge term. For me personally it is the opposite of war. There is a difference between the adjective “peacefully” and the noun “peace”. To live in a peaceful society is more than not living in war. Living a peaceful life for me means to respect everyone and to communicate nonviolently. It begins with the way you look at a person, the tone with which you speak and with the words you choose to say. 

There are many conflicts in the world, a lot of disrespectful communication and a lot of aggression. Mostly these conflicts are about simple differences in people’s lives. Sometimes the correlations are bigger and more complicated. War arises from conflict and is carried on for generations. Since we humans are social beings, we feel that we belong to groups. We grow up in a fixed group, a tribe, a community, a family…, and even in adulthood we get to know groups to which we belong. Friends, religious communities, work groups and so on. Within a group, a sense of belonging then develops and we support each other. This usually means that people defend each other as soon as a member of their own group is attacked or gets into conflict in some other way. If one is firmly anchored in a group, it is usually difficult to form one’s own opinion in corresponding situations. Thus, one swims with the current and defends the person to whom one feels connected through the common affiliation of the group. 

In my experience, you grow up much more as an individual in Germany than in many other countries. Group membership is becoming less and less of a priority. Fostering people’s self-confidence is in the foreground. As a result, we people in Germany have a much easier time than many people on earth forming our own opinions. Hate and war have less power as a result, because people are less likely to join groups and movements in general and therefore also those that spread war or hate. Nevertheless, hate exists and also the tendency to join a group is still there. Through the democratic government in Germany, much is being done against hate and discrimination. For example, there are integration helpers in educational institutions and many companies. The legal system in Germany also makes it possible to get help for oneself or for others if one gets into conflicts. Calling the police usually means that you get help. But also in a democratic system like the German government people who want to spread hate have a chance to do so. However, due to the legal system and education, this happens on a much smaller scale. would say that Germany is at peace, but not always peaceful.

Johanna, 22 years old from Bonn in Germany