Peace Profiles

Peace Profiles is a series by Academi Heddwch Cymru, which aims to draw attention to those who have played a significant role in Welsh peace efforts. This collection of short articles will include both widely recognised individuals, and those who have been overlooked.

What is a ‘peace figure’?

In this series, we define a ‘peace figure’ as someone who has attempted to make the world a more peaceful place. This could be through modern medicine, social reform, global citizenship, combating climate change; the methods of instigating peace are endless.

When it comes to discussions of peace, there is often discourse surrounding its definition. Every individual has a different view of what constitutes peace – this could be simply the absence of violence, or a person could define peace more broadly (as we do at Academi Heddwch Cymru). This is also true of peace figures. What constitutes a peace figure to some, may take another form to others. Even in the Bible, there is extensive reference to ‘peace’ and ‘peacemakers’.

“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.” 

John F. Kennedy

The words ‘peacemaker’ and ‘peacekeeper’ each carry varying connotations. ‘Peacemaker’ is often used in diplomacy, to describe one party maintaining peaceful relations in an attempt to avoid conflict. ‘Peacekeeper’, in turn, is synonymous with the United Nations. So, to avoid confusion, we have chosen to use the term ‘peace figure‘.

A cartoon of Henry Richard of Tregaron by Vanity Fair.