February 23rd: When Peace Is Not Just a Word, But a Consciousness
By: Ali Aminulloh
In a world fraught with differences in religion, ethnicity, ideology, and even lifestyle choices, peace often sounds like a beautiful slogan, but it’s far from practical. Minor conflicts in households, heated debates on social media, and even wars between nations serve as reminders that peace is not something that comes automatically. It must be recognized, pursued, and fought for.
Every February 23rd, the world commemorates the World Day of Peace and Understanding. This commemoration aims to raise global awareness of the importance of tolerance, cooperation, and harmony in life. It’s not just about ending major conflicts, but also about building habits of mutual understanding in everyday life.
This day is celebrated globally through various social activities such as community service, blood drives, discussions, seminars, and international cultural performances. All these activities lead to one goal: strengthening bridges between people, not widening gaps.
One international organization actively promoting this spirit is Rotary International. Founded in 1905 in Chicago, the organization now has over 1.4 million members in over 200 countries and territories. In its six focus areas: peace promotion, disease eradication, education, community empowerment, the environment, and child welfare, Rotary places peace as the central axis of its humanitarian efforts.
However, more than just an annual agenda, peace is truly a matter of awareness. And this is where the relevance of the Shaykh’s trilogy of awareness becomes so crucial: philosophical, ecological, and social awareness.
Philosophical Awareness: Peace Begins with a Way of Thinking
Philosophical awareness invites humans to reflect on who we are, why we live, and how we should treat others. Peace is born from a mature mindset that differences are not threats, but inevitable. Without mature thinking, tolerance will remain merely a formality.
World Day for Peace and Understanding serves as a reminder that conflict often stems from narrow perspectives. When humans learn to understand before judging, peace is no longer a utopia.
Ecological Awareness: Harmony with Nature
A peaceful world is not only about relationships between people, but also about the relationship between humans and nature. Environmental damage, the unlimited exploitation of resources, and the climate crisis are all forms of conflict between humans and the earth.
In this context, peace has an ecological dimension. Planting trees, protecting rivers, reducing plastic waste—all of these are practices of peace toward nature. Without ecological harmony, social peace will be fragile.
Social Awareness: Caring for Togetherness
Social awareness encourages people to care and get involved. Community service, cross-cultural dialogue, tolerance seminars—all forms of commemoration on February 23rd are concrete practices of social awareness. Peace cannot be simply spoken; it must be manifested in action.
In an increasingly connected yet also easily divided world, social awareness is the foundation of togetherness. We cannot live alone. Peace is the result of healthy interactions.
Ultimately, the World Day of Peace and Understanding is not just an international ceremony. It is a reminder that peace is the responsibility of every individual. It begins with awareness of thought (philosophical), awareness of protecting the earth (ecological), and awareness of caring for others (social).
If we only commemorate peace once a year, it will be just another date on the calendar. But if we live it as a living consciousness, then every day is February 23rd, the day when humanity chooses to understand, not to be hostile.
Indonesia, February 23, 2026
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