Quotes about peace

The central question of “Un Souvenir de Solférino” from 1862, in the English version quoted in the Dunant biography published by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Would it not be possible, in time of peace and quiet, to form relief societies for the purpose of having care given to the wounded in wartime by zealous, devoted and thoroughly qualified volunteers?

From a letter to Gustave Moynier of 29 May 1864 in which he announced his withdrawal, in the English version of the Committee.

The enterprise has been set on foot; I have only been an instrument in the hands of God; it is now for others more qualified than I am to press on and make the undertaking advance.

From her Nobel lecture of 18 April 1906 in Kristiania, delivered in German; English translation published by the Nobel Foundation.

This question of whether violence or law shall prevail between states is the most vital of the problems of our eventful era, and the most serious in its repercussions.

Also from the Nobel lecture of 1906; English translation published by the Nobel Foundation.

It is erroneous to believe that the future will of necessity continue the trends of the past and the present.

From his weekly paper “Harijan” of 20 July 1935, as documented in the collection “The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi”.

Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.

From his journal “Young India” of 8 October 1925, as documented in the same collection.

I seek entirely to blunt the edge of the tyrant's sword, not by putting up against it a sharper-edged weapon, but by disappointing his expectation that I would be offering physical resistance.

The starting sentence of his ethic of reverence for life, as quoted by the German Albert Schweitzer Centre; own translation from the German.

I am life that wants to live, in the midst of life that wants to live.

His definition of good and evil from the ethic of reverence for life, quoted by the German Albert Schweitzer Centre; own translation from the German.

Good is to preserve life and to promote life, evil is to destroy life and to hinder life.

From his Nobel Lecture “The New Germany”, delivered in German in Oslo on 29 June 1927, in the English translation published by NobelPrize.org.

The policy of Locarno is incompatible with policies of distrust, violence, and oppression. Locarno is the policy of understanding and free will.

From the same Nobel Lecture; Willy Brandt quoted this passage in his own Nobel Lecture in 1971.

Locarno means much more to me. It is the achievement of lasting peace on the Rhine, guaranteed by the formal renunciation of force by the two great neighboring nations and also by the commitment of other states to come to the aid of the victim of an act of aggression in violation of this treaty.

Written in 1921 and quoted by Willy Brandt in his Nobel Lecture in Oslo on 11 December 1971, in the English translation published by NobelPrize.org.

Many nations have fought against each other, but the blood that has flowed is of only one kind: the blood of Europe’s citizens.

From his farewell article “Rechenschaft” (Accounting) in “Die Weltbühne” of 10 May 1932, the day he began his sentence; own translation.

… I am not going to prison out of loyalty, but because as a prisoner I am at my most inconvenient.

From the same article “Rechenschaft”, in which he explained why he did not flee abroad; own translation.

The oppositionist who has gone across the border soon speaks hollowly into the country.

From his Nobel Lecture “Peace Policy in Our Time” in Oslo on 11 December 1971, delivered in German, in the English translation published by NobelPrize.org.

War must not be a means to achieve political ends. Wars must be eliminated, not merely limited.

From the same Nobel Lecture, in which he called a policy for peace the genuine Realpolitik of the age.

War is no longer the ultima ratio but rather the ultima irratio.

Also from the Nobel Lecture of 11 December 1971, in the NobelPrize.org translation.

Peace policy is a sober task.

From his speech from the dock at the Rivonia Trial on 20 April 1964.

I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.

From his Nobel Lecture at Oslo City Hall on 10 December 1993.

Let it never be said by future generations that indifference, cynicism or selfishness made us fail to live up to the ideals of humanism which the Nobel Peace Prize encapsulates.

Also from the Nobel Lecture of 10 December 1993.

Let the strivings of us all, prove Martin Luther King Jr. to have been correct, when he said that humanity can no longer be tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war.

From his Nobel Lecture in Oslo on 10 December 2002.

War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.

Also from his Nobel Lecture in Oslo on 10 December 2002.

The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.

From his speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize at the University of Oslo on 10 December 1964.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.

From his Nobel Lecture in Oslo on 11 December 1964.

We adopt the means of nonviolence because our end is a community at peace with itself.

Also from the Nobel Lecture of 11 December 1964.

I am still convinced that nonviolence is both the most practically sound and morally excellent way to grapple with the age-old problem of racial injustice.

From his Nobel Lecture in Oslo on 10 December 2001.

Today’s real borders are not between nations, but between powerful and powerless, free and fettered, privileged and humiliated.

Also from his Nobel Lecture in Oslo on 10 December 2001.

The sovereignty of States must no longer be used as a shield for gross violations of human rights.

From his report as Secretary-General to the General Assembly on the fall of Srebrenica, dated 15 November 1999.

The tragedy of Srebrenica will haunt our history forever.