The creation of a Department of Peace has long been supported by the citizens of the United States and by members of Congress from both political parties. It is time to heed the call for peace, not as a reaction to the debate on gun violence, but because it is the right thing to do. Yet, how can we begin to create a culture of peace, when we have only a Department of Defense?
As suggested in H.R. 808 introduced in 2007, the mission of the Department of Peace could include: “(1) hold peace as an organizing principle; (2) endeavor to promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights; and (3) develop policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict.”