Peace for our time

Anger management and self-control, conflict resolution and the power of non-violence. In fact, non-violence has been successful in many cases, even against armed combatants.

Religious education in schools could also give more attention to peace.

There are strong peace traditions of religious groups like the Anabaptists, Quakers and Buddhists.

We often hear about the Christian crusaders but not the Christians peacemakers that tried to peacefully stop the Crusades.

They were against the violence, not thinking it Christian, but anti-Christian.

Peace education's most important lesson may be that peacemaking is legitimate. Peacemaking is not just wishful thinking.

There are evidence-based measures that can be implemented.

At the very least, it is no less reasonable than thinking joining the military and learning to kill is an effective way to resolve conflict. Not even guns have stopped the ongoing armed conflicts in the world.

Yes, we know that there have been many wars in history. We also know that there have been many peace treaties and the end of wars as well.

So, one lesson is that peace is not impossible.

Reducing arms sales is something else Australia could do. Basically, the opposite to what the Turnbull government announced, wanting to become a top arms dealer in the world.

Selling weapons, and critics have already noted this, to countries with poor human rights records is not a good plan.