Courage is the first principle because it makes all other principles possible when faced with difficulty and challenges. Its meaning stems from the Latin root word cor which means heart. We define courage as the inner strength embodied when allowing the wisdom of the heart to guide our decisions. Engaging in the world from a place of courage, empowers us to stand up in the face of injustice and to speak truth to power with an open heart.
# Responsibility
Assuming our responsibility in creating reality is a radical act of self-empowerment and allows us to create a different reality. The word responsibility literally means the ability to respond consciously rather than to react unconsciously to what we encounter in life. Taking radical responsibility requires us to start with ourselves and to embody the change that we seek to create in the world.
# Imagination
Whatever we can imagine we can create. Creative imagination allows us to bring something into the world that does not yet exist. That is a huge part of the work of conflict, including finding a common ground beyond what currently seems possible, bridging the divide and transcending incompatibilities. We must engage in imagination in order to break free from the existing old that only works for a few to create something new that works for all.
# Transformation
The art of peacebuilding is transforming a destructive conflict of seemingly incompatible interests into a generative conflict with mutual beneficial gain and development. We view inner work and personal development as a prerequisite for outer effectiveness and social transformation.
# Collaboration
We embrace collaboration over competition. Collaboration is a foundational practice to experience the full, joyful interconnectedness of life. We focus on working together collaboratively on the basis of a shared-power model – moving from domination (power over) or conformity, to consensus inviting creative participation reflecting our interconnectedness. We believe that together we can achieve much more than we can alone.
# Inclusivity
Inclusivity is key to tapping into collective knowledge, experience and wisdom to unleash the potential of humanity. Practicing inclusivity means putting all (human) beings - and not special interests - first and leaving no one behind. It allows us to build a culture of peace considering the needs and reflecting the gifts of all.
# Justice
There is no peace without justice and there is no justice without peace. We acknowledge that varying forms of oppression intersect with one another shaping people’s lived experience, and we remain aware and inquisitive of these oppressions. Justice is an imperative to creating a culture of peace and building a society that thrives on equity.
# Integrity
Our actions need to be a reflection of our values so that what we cherish most is enacted and lived as cultural realities. Integrity asks us to hold ourselves accountable to walk the talk and to disrupt the status quo by recognizing that peace begins within – taking radical responsibility for ourselves, our relationships, our communities and our home, Planet Earth.
