Wars and the Search for Peace
Overview
Wars are the outcome of ego, greed, delusions, etc.; the search for peace is the foundation of humanity’s shared future
Dr. Sfeir-Younis’s work on peace and conflict represents a profound integration of economic analysis, human rights advocacy, and spiritual wisdom. Beginning with his 1998 testimony to the UN General Assembly linking conflict to poverty, he has consistently argued that war is not merely a political or security failure—it is an economic, moral, and spiritual catastrophe that perpetuates human suffering and prevents genuine development.
His frameworks challenge the international community’s selective investment in violence over peace: “We cannot find money for peace, yet we find trillions of dollars for armament.” Through analysis of conflicts from the Middle East to Latin America, he demonstrates that lasting peace requires not just ceasefire agreements but addressing root causes—economic injustice, human rights violations, and the spiritual disconnection that allows violence to persist.
Dr. Sfeir-Younis advocates for what he calls “Chile de Paz, Chile en Paz, Chile por la Paz” (Chile of Peace, Chile in Peace, Chile for Peace)—a comprehensive peace framework that transforms military institutions, redirects resources from armament to human development, and cultivates inner peace as foundation for collective harmony. His work insists that peace is not absence of war but presence of justice, dignity, and compassion.
Key Publications & Teachings
- Link Between Conflict Situations and Resulting Poverty (1998, UN General Assembly) – World Bank testimony establishing conflict as primary driver of poverty and underdevelopment
- Preventing Violent Conflict: The Search for Political Will, Strategies and Effective Tools (2000) – Comprehensive frameworks for conflict prevention through development and rights
- Violation of Human Rights is a Threat to Human Security (2004) – Linking rights violations directly to conflict escalation and insecurity
- ¿Cuán Cerca Estamos de una Destrucción Nuclear? (2006) – How close are we to nuclear destruction? Urgent analysis of proliferation dangers
- Guerra en Medio Oriente: El Fracaso de La Paz (2006) – War in the Middle East: The failure of peace—critique of international community’s inadequate responses
- Creando una Tierra de Paz: ¿Debería Nuestro Ejército ir al Medio Oriente? (2006) – Creating an Earth of Peace: Should our army go to the Middle East? Chile’s role in peace versus war
- Pena de Muerte a Sadam Hussein: La Humanidad Debería Estar Avergonzada (2006) – Death penalty for Saddam Hussein: Humanity should be ashamed—moral critique of execution
- Management by Terror (MBT): Does It Really Work? (2006) – Analysis of fear-based governance and its failure to create security
- Día del Ejército: Chile de Paz, Chile en Paz y Chile por la Paz (2014) – Army Day: Chile of Peace, Chile in Peace, Chile for Peace—vision for military transformation
- “We cannot find money for peace, yet we find trillions for armament” (2014) – Viral statement exposing global priorities—armament over human development
- Peace Now (2014) – Urgent call for immediate peace-building, not delayed promises
- Una Vida En Conflicto (2023 Podcast) – A Life in Conflict—personal reflections on decades of peace advocacy
Evolution of This Work
Books
Columns
News
Podcasts
Continue your journey through Dr. Sfeir-Younis’s work