When we talk about a culture of peace, we refer to a set of values, attitudes, behaviours and practices that promote nonviolent conflict resolution, respect for human rights, social justice and coexistence in diversity.

The culture of peace involves a way of thinking and acting that puts cooperation, dialogue and empathy at the centre as tools to build fairer and more peaceful societies.

1. Rejection of violence: Promotion of nonviolent ways to manage conflicts, from the personal to the global level.
2. Dialogue and mutual understanding: Listen and respect different points of view to find common solutions.
3. Social justice: Fight inequalities and guarantee fundamental rights for all.
4. Respect for human rights: Protection and defence of individual and collective rights.
5. Education for peace: Transmit peace values from formal and informal education.
6. Gender equality: Promote the equitable participation of women in all areas of society.
   Environmental care: Promote a respectful relationship with nature as a basis for sustainable coexistence.
7. Solidarity and cooperation: Working together to face global challenges such as inequalities, discriminations or change

The culture of peace is not only a theoretical idea, but a way to face the challenges and conflicts of everyday life, from school situations to global challenges. Here are some examples of how it can be applied:

At school: The culture of peace helps us to solve misunderstandings or conflicts between students, fostering dialogue, mediation and mutual understanding.

In society: In different neighbourhoods and communities, the culture of peace invites us to live together while respecting cultural, religious, ethnic or opinion differences.

In the world: At an international level, the culture of peace involves reflecting on violence, armed conflicts, disarmament or climate justice. Working for the reduction of nuclear weapons, promoting agreements for the protection of the environment and combating global inequalities are examples of necessary actions.

The culture of peace is a conscious commitment to replace violence with understanding and collaboration. It is not only the absence of war, but the active construction of conditions that allow fair, solidarity and sustainable coexistence.

The works that can be submitted to the ICIP Alfons Banda Prize can address the following topics:

• Conflicts and peaceful transformation: analysis of conflict situations and strategies to resolve them without the use of violence.
• Human Rights: works related to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that promote equality, social justice and the fundamental rights of all people.
• Disarmament and security: work on alternatives to armed violence and approaches to human security.
• Environment and peace: works that relate sustainability to the construction of a peaceful environment.
• Historical memory: works that explore, analyze or document historical events related to situations of conflict, repression or violence, emphasizing their consequences and the lessons that can be extracted to build more peaceful societies.
• Culture and peace: cultural and artistic initiatives that promote social transformation and promote dialogue and coexistence.

Participating in the ICIP Alfons Banda Award offers students the opportunity to:

• Give visibility to their work in the search for peace.
• To actively contribute to the construction of a fairer and more peaceful society.
• Receive institutional recognition for its contribution to the promotion of nonviolence and the culture of peace.
• The awarded works have an economic endowment of 850 euros each.

Alfons Banda (1944-2014) was a reference in the field of education for peace and one of the promoters of the creation of the ICIP, an institution of which he was vice-president. Throughout his career he stood out in the promotion of peace, social justice and human rights, and contributed to the formation of new generations in the field of peaceful conflict resolution.

The Alfons Banda Prize awarded by the ICIP, in memory of his work, recognizes those young research works that contribute to the analysis and implementation of a culture of peace, and that are aligned with the values he defended.