I have spent my life listening to words about peace—pledges, promises, educational campaigns, conferences, and charitable appeals. I have signed some, observed many, and reflected on all of them. I am Alberto Portugheis, pianist, educator, lifelong pacifist, and founder of HUFUD. Through decades of both contemplation and action, I have concluded that the human desire for peace is universal. What is lacking is not goodwill but structural courage—the courage to confront militarism itself.
A Culture of Peace already exists among ordinary people. You do not have to convince anyone that bombs are undesirable, that children should be safe from armies, or that no parent wants a coffin returned instead of a child. These truths are self-evident. Yet war continues. Why? Because militarism, armed forces, and the war industry remain intact, protected, and normalized.
Peace education, pledges, and symbolic gestures can inspire—but they cannot dismantle the structures that perpetuate violence. The purpose of this essay is to explore what it takes to move from pledges to action, and why only a full commitment to universal demilitarisation can genuinely change war culture.
The Limits of Peace Pledges
Peace pledges and campaigns often focus on ideals: “I will work for peace,” “I reject violence,” “I support non-violent resolution.” These words are heartfelt, and they matter. They can change hearts, attitudes, and conversations. Yet they do not, on their own, disrupt militarism.
The war industry continues to operate. Standing armies train. Weapons are sold, tested, and deployed. Budgets for militarism take precedence over housing, healthcare, education, and environmental protection. Pledges without action are gestures, not interventions.
Militarism: The Engine of War Culture
War persists because it is economically and politically entrenched:
- Economic Dependency: Hundreds of thousands of people depend on war industries for their livelihoods. Factories producing tanks, missiles, and fighter jets pay salaries, taxes, and influence local economies.
- Political Compulsion: Even leaders who personally support peace are forced by systemic structures to maintain militarisation. Jobs, budgets, and geopolitical alliances make it almost impossible to reject war.
- Cultural Normalisation: Militarism becomes invisible in societies that consume its products and accept its presence as inevitable.
This is why pledges alone do not dismantle war culture. They must be accompanied by actions targeting the underlying systems.
The Environmental and Social Costs of Militarism
Beyond direct human casualties, militarism has far-reaching consequences:
Environmental Destruction
- Training grounds, weapons testing, and war zones poison soil, water, and air.
- Entire ecosystems are devastated, causing species extinction and long-term environmental damage.
Climate Impact
- Military operations are among the largest institutional contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Conventional accounting often excludes these emissions, masking their significance.
- Militarism is the No.1 producer of climate change.
Social Costs
- Militarism redirects public funds from education, healthcare, and infrastructure to weapons and armies.
- Poverty, displacement, and societal instability increase in regions affected by arms proliferation and military operations.
Any real strategy for peace must account for these hidden damages and work to reverse them.
Why Traditional Peace Organisations Often Fall Short
Many peace organisations celebrate the Global Peace Index because it provides data for reports, conferences, and fundraising campaigns. They speak of peace education, dialogue, culture of Peace, Peacebuilding and awareness but the world is increasingly violent – both from official wars as from social violence – and many political analysts say that if we continue the current path we shall inevitably end with another World War. Common limitations include:
- Symbolic Actions: Ceremonies and pledges without systemic interventions.
- Fundraising Narratives: Emphasising donations rather than demilitarisation.
- Dialogue with Power: Negotiating with institutions that profit from militarism instead of opposing them.
Consequently, wars continue, arms are sold, and militarism remains unquestioned. True peace requires confronting these realities directly.
Real-World Examples: Pledges Versus Action
Europe
European countries often rank high on peace indices. Yet Europe is a major exporter of weapons. Refugees flee war zones; profits remain local. Peace pledges exist alongside lucrative militarism.
Africa and Latin America
Countries often depicted as “violent” or “unstable” are frequently affected by imported militarism. Arms sales, historical intervention, and economic dependency exacerbate conflict. Pledges in these contexts rarely translate into structural change.
Global South
Many developing nations invest heavily in military hardware at the expense of social programs. Schools crumble while fighter jets are purchased. Pledges cannot compensate for such misaligned priorities.
Moving From Pledge to Action: The Path Forward
Changing war culture requires more than awareness; it requires structural transformation. Key strategies include:
- Universal Demilitarisation
- Eliminate standing armies.
- Convert military production to civilian use.
- Reallocate budgets to social and environmental priorities.
- Community-Based Peace Initiatives
- Encourage local dialogue addressing militarisation’s effects.
- Promote education focused on systemic causes, not just ethics of peace.
- Policy Reform and Advocacy
- Hold governments accountable for arms exports and military spending.
- Advocate for treaties that restrict war industry proliferation.
- Global Cooperation
- Collaborate across borders to address militarism as a worldwide system, not isolated national policies.
Each action addresses the root cause of war culture rather than merely its symptoms.
Measuring Peace Meaningfully
If we are to track progress, peace indices must evolve. True indicators of peace would include:
- Reduction of arms manufacturing and exports
- Closure or conversion of military bases
- Public investment in social welfare instead of militarism
- Environmental remediation of war-affected regions
Without these measures, pledges remain symbolic gestures rather than transformative tools.
The Moral Imperative
Peace is not merely a political goal—it is a moral, social, environmental, and economic necessity. Militarism perpetuates suffering, not only in war zones but globally, through environmental destruction and resource diversion. Those who pledge peace without addressing militarism inadvertently support the continuation of the system they oppose.
At HUFUD, we assert that only by confronting the structures of war can pledges become actions. Only by universal demilitarisation can a culture of peace flourish meaningfully.
From Pledge to Real Change
Ordinary people desire peace. This truth is universal. What prevents its full realization is a system built to perpetuate war.
Pledges inspire, but without dismantling militarism, they are insufficient. True peace requires confronting armed forces, war industries, and military-dependent economies.
I call on all who wish for a real, lasting peace to support initiatives that do not simply repeat the words of peace, but actively dismantle the systems of war.
At HUFUD, we act with courage, clarity, and conviction. Peace is achievable—not through rhetoric, not through pledges alone, but through fearless action against militarism.
Join HUFUD to advocate for universal demilitarisation. Support research, policy reform, and global cooperation that dismantles war culture. Reject militarism—not rhetorically, but practically. Peace is possible, but only if we act.
