In recent decades, there has been a growing concerted effort on the part of many individuals and groups to construct together a world of social solidarity, justice, and peace beyond the frightening possibilities of nuclear apocalypse or the plethora of regional and factional interest wars. Several nongovernmental organizations have developed, often in association with the United Nations, to advance particular sectors of advocacy that bear on some dimensions of peacemaking and peacebuilding.
Peace talks, of course, are only a possibility if leaders on both sides agree to them. The trouble is that once a conflict has escalated, it can be very difficult to persuade those involved in fighting to sit down to negotiate. This can prolong a conflict and lead to extreme suffering.
Another factor is the timing of peace negotiations. It is widely thought that it makes sense only to hold peace talks while a conflict is at its lowest ebb. But in practice, the experience of numerous conflicts demonstrates that it is possible to begin negotiations even as a conflict is raging. Indeed, in the case of the current war in Ukraine, a number of high-level peace negotiations have begun while Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his unprovoked military assault on the country.
The work of peacemakers has always been difficult and dangerous. Yet it is essential if we are to avoid the most disastrous outcomes of war. The most important work to be done is addressing the root causes of armed conflict: poverty, global inequalities, and exploitation.