November 22, 2019

For National Education Week, a panel focused on “Global Resilience: Local and Global Community Impact.” The group of panelists have been working to make local and global sustainable change happen in many, varied ways. The session began with the Center’s Coordinator of Healthy Minds Inner Peace program, Geshe Dr. Thupten Tendhar.

Thupten began with the question, What is Global Peace? The audience pondered this question for a few moments, then he summarized our thoughts: Feelings of Calm, Acceptance, Support, Protection, Flourishing, Oneness. The next question was, How do we achieve global peace? He explained several factors that can lead to global peace: A perspective of interdependence where my wellbeing depends on your wellbeing and your wellbeing depends on my wellbeing. In addition, it requires interdependence on the environment in which we live. When we have a deep appreciation of nature we are more conscious of protecting our earth home. Without nature, there really is no future. To maintain a behavior of  nonviolence, we must consider how we are suppoed to act toward each other to maintain each other’s well being. Behaviors include not only physical treatment, but also verbal and mental behaviors to support each other and lead toward oneness.

So, what are some benefits of global peace? First is personal happiness, finding and becoming aware of  joy and harmony in our lives. This healthy evolution means that if we grow up happy in our own families, we will carry on this happiness into our adult lives and into own new families. Research has shown that individual happiness contributes to group & societal happiness and that personal happiness contributes to global peace because everything is connected. Be good, be positive and extend the connections.

This event was sponsored by the URI International Center, The Harrington School of Communication and Media, and The URI Center for Nonviolence & Peace Studies.