international security, today’s leaders are granted the unique opportunity to communicate with one another to negotiate peace and to resolve conflict. However, this is no simple task. As United States President Obama recently experienced, states which we have struggled to keep from proliferating since the Cold War era have begun to challenge the will and might of the world’s great powers. Particularly in the case of North Korea, much of the President’s decisions rely on Russia and China, as well as inform other nations of how the United States might respond to their own aggression in the near future. This intertwining of decision-making and the growing complexity of conflict reflects the need for a new approach to peace in the twenty-first century.While several organizations have come forward with their ideas on the subject of peace, each of them brings a different flavor to the table. Think tanks like the Council on Foreign Relations (hereafter referred to as CFR) bring scholars together to discuss mounting tensions overseas and the direction that politicians should take in dealing with issues such as nuclear proliferation, human rights issues, and environmental sustainability. Other organizations stick with one ideal for peace. Organizations like Soka Gakkai International and the African Diaspora Foundation work hard to influence change through peaceful methods and emphasize a humanist approach to peace. One common thread runs through each of these organizations: the ability to learn from one another, to teach one another, and to share knowledge across borders. This approach to peace through education may be the change that this world needs in order to fully embrace these challenging modern times.
