The Brilliant Art of Peace presents lectures delivered by seventeen of the world's most eminent thinkers, including several Nobel laureates, for the United Nations Secretary-General Public Lecture Series. Toni Morrison addresses the state of the humanities, Chinua Achebe contemplates the influence of language on peace, and Desmond Tutu reflects on the role of religion in politics, among many other speakers on a variety of topics. The reader will find humor, moral rigor, and wit in this thought-provoking and timeless collection.

"I am convinced that the language that has the most force, that requires the more acumen, talent, grace, genius, and, yes, beauty, can never be again be found in paeans to the glory of war or erotic rallying cries to battle. The power of this alternative language does not arise from the tiresome, wasteful art of war, but, rather, from the demanding, brilliant art of peace."

—Toni Morrison, "The Humanities After 9/11" in The Brilliant Art of Peace

The United Nations wrestles daily with questions of peace and security, sustainable development, human rights, the rule of law, good governance, and humanitarian assistance. But at root, the UN's work is about mobilizing efforts to serve humanity. Kofi Annan, the UN's seventh secretary general, recognized a role in these efforts beyond that of diplomats and peacekeepers. He engaged not only the governments of the UN's 193 member states but also academics, artists, and other opinion shapers, aware of their enormous potential as advocates and valued partners in achieving the goals of the UN. As part of this initiative, in 2002 he established the Secretary-General’s Lecture Series.

The Brilliant Art of Peace presents lectures delivered by seventeen of the world's most eminent thinkers, including several Nobel laureates, with a foreword from Kofi Annan. The lectures challenge prevailing thinking on important issues such as globalization, human rights, identity, religion, science and technology, economics, the humanities, language, music, and the United Nations. The reader will find humor, moral rigor, and wit in this thought-provoking and timeless collection. A must-have for any reader interested in the human condition.

Contributors

Chinua Achebe • Kwame Anthony Appiah • Jagdish Bhagwati • Leon Botstein • Toni Morrison • Ali Mazrui • Paul Muldoon • Seyyed Hossein Nasr • Daphne Preuss • Jeffrey Sachs • William F. Schulz • Stephen Schlesinger • Amartya Sen • Joseph Stiglitz • Jennifer Thomson • Desmond Tutu • Eric Wieschaus

About the Editor

Abiodun Williams was recently named president of The Hague Institute for Global Justice. Prior to this role, he was senior vice president of the Center of Conflict Management (CCM) where he led USIP's work in major conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, the Middle East, and North Africa. Previously he also served as director of strategic planning in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General during the last six months of Kofi Annan's first term and during the entire five years of his second term.

 

Related Publications

Myanmar’s Fateful Conscription Law

Myanmar’s Fateful Conscription Law

Monday, February 26, 2024

By: Ye Myo Hein

Earlier this month, Myanmar’s ruling junta enacted a compulsory conscription law that had been dormant since 2010. General Guan Maw, a leader of the Kachin Independence Organization, greeted the junta's decision by comparing it to the 2021 military coup: "If February 1, 2021, was the beginning of the end, the law enforced on February 10, 2024, can be said to mark the end of the end.” As popular reactions to the new conscription plan roll out across the country, General Guan Maw’s pronouncement becomes increasingly prescient.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Report of the Expert Study Group on NATO and Indo-Pacific Partners

Report of the Expert Study Group on NATO and Indo-Pacific Partners

Monday, February 19, 2024

By: USIP Expert Study Group on NATO and Indo-Pacific Partners

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its four partner countries in the Indo-Pacific—Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and New Zealand—have entered a period of increased engagement. This engagement is taking shape in the context of the war waged by the Russian Federation (Russia) against Ukraine, NATO’s growing awareness of the security challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China (China), and important structural changes in the international system, including the return of strategic competition between the United States and China and Russia. It is occurring not only in bilateral NATO-partner relations but also between NATO and these Indo-Pacific countries as a group.

Type: Report

Conflict Analysis & PreventionCivilian-Military RelationsGlobal PolicyMediation, Negotiation & Dialogue

The Latest @ USIP: Grassroots Efforts to Address Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis

The Latest @ USIP: Grassroots Efforts to Address Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

By: Sara Pantuliano

More than half of Sudan’s population of 46 million is in need of humanitarian assistance -- and less than a quarter of them are actually receiving aid amid the country’s civil conflict. Sara Pantuliano, the chief executive for the Overseas Development Institute, discusses the current crisis in Sudan, why Sudan is important for global peace and how grassroots organizations in the country can help deliver aid to places that international organizations cannot reach.

Type: Blog

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

View All Publications