...that each person is uniquely valuable, that there is something of God in everyone. Because of this, we feel we must question what we are doing when we allow some people and some nations to be called 'The Enemy'. However much we disagree with them and what they do, we must remember that those who are called enemies are human beings like ourselves. Like ourselves, they can make mistakes and do wrong, but we must judge them as we do ourselves; we must neither mis-represent them nor make pre-parations to annihilate them.  

International relations will always bring tensions, but our response to this should not be one of constantly upgrading weapons and waiting in readiness for war. Rather, we should put our energies and re-sources into developing and advocating non-military ways of solving conflicts and averting wars. Within our lifetime, the development of modern weapons has given human beings the power to destroy all life on this planet. It is a great and terrible power to have at our disposal.  

We believe that we always have the choice to work for war or to work for peace; to add to the distrust and hostility in the world or try patiently to undo and lessen it. The responsibility lies with each one of us. Quakers work, locally, nationally and internationally to: 

• promote a culture of peace.
• address the root causes of violence, conflict and insecurity.
• promote nonviolent approaches to work for peace, justice and social change.
• support peacebuilding and peacemaking in areas of violent conflict.
• promote disarmament.