Dosan Ahn Chang-ho was a Korean independence activist, educator, and thinker. He advocated not only for Korea’s independence but also for civic unity and moral reform. To him, peace was not merely an absence of force, but a state of harmony achieved built on moral awareness and proper education. He sought to improve society through cooperation and solidarity, and he encapsulated his beliefs with the
following statement: “Peace is the only way!”
However, our society is being torn apart by those who pay lip service to peace while promoting violence. Violence can
never be a means to achieve peace. True peace can be realized through continuous
dialogue and cooperation. Therefore, we must distinguish between those who use
peace as mere rhetoric and those who actively practice it.
The world we live in today was shaped by those who came before us, and the choices we make now will shape the future for generations to come. We must continue working to ensure that history’s tragedies are not repeated. This is how we honor history, protect the people of today, and pave the way to a peaceful future. Peace is not just one of many options—it must be the only path. We must move forward with our eyes set on peace, ensuring that the pain and sacrifices of history are never repeated. Peace is not merely an ideal; it becomes a reality through the actions of those who strive for it.
