GCS i3 provides insights, ideas and initiatives to advance sustainable security.
This is an endeavour to:
- offer reliable peace research, education and action;
- Identify the more problematic challenges to wider security;
- facilitate creative problem-solving and understanding of cosmopolitan conflict resolution;
- improve contemporary approaches for the prevention, management and transformation of violent conflict;
- confront dated thinking on security, dubious strategy and dangerous military practices by identifying safer, better and more cost-effective means;
- develop options and initiate sound alternatives to problematic systems and,
provide useful services to address human needs.
Sustainable common security is an urgent priority, as well as a progressive ideal. Like any ideal, it is an aspiration and a guide towards better.
In the emerging global-local environment, mutual vulnerability appears inevitable. Similarly, security will remain elusive unless shared and approached as a common, continuous responsibility.
Sustainable common security is largely synonymous with positive peace. Both are more holistic than the narrower notions of national and international security or the conception of negative peace (the absence of direct, overt violence). Both are increasingly interdependent across systems, beliefs and borders. Both make the connection between direct violence, structural violence (exploitation and exclusion) and cultural violence, and help in efforts to curtail each.
As we inhabit and depend upon complex problematic systems — political, environmental, economic, military – more comprehensive, integrated analysis is essential to understand, improve and transform critical systems.
There are better approaches and promising alternatives. Prior planning and preparation do help.
“We are thankful for these and all the good things of life. We recognize that they are part of our common heritage and come to us through the efforts of our brothers and sisters the world over. What we desire for ourselves we wish for all. To this end may we take our share in the world’s work and the world’s struggles”.
-J.S. Woodsworth