The parallels between the United States and Bosnia, a deeply divided post-war society, are many and alarming. Living in Bosnia and learning from and working with Bosnian peacemakers has given me a different vantage point to reflect about the challenges and divisions in the United States, now more than ever. I’m continuing to learn from local peace activists about how Bosnians think about group dynamics, the challenges that each ethnic and religious group face in Bosnia, and how they deal with the past in constructive ways to move together toward a better, shared future.

So, what are some things that Bosnians are teaching me that might be relevant to what’s happening in the States?

Black lives matter. Until they matter equally with every other life, in practice and policy, Peace Catalyst will continue to work for structural change. The tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd should compel all of us to work for equality and justice in our world, and they should also prompt inner reflection. How did we get to this point in history? Why have we been silent for so long?

On Saturday, May 16, police sealed off the area around Sarajevo’s Catholic Cathedral, where Bosnian Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljic said mass to a congregation of few dozen Croat dignitaries and priests. The US and Israeli embassies and the World Jewish Council condemned the mass, and thousands of Bosnians, many wearing masks, demonstrated that same day.

But why all the uproar over a Catholic mass in Sarajevo?

What is Ramadan? Who observes it, and how does it work? We asked our friend Afnan to explain the basics and tell us what Ramadan means to her.

Christians often think peacemaking work between religious groups requires setting the bar really low in terms of the results we hope for. “Peace” must just mean getting along at some basic level, being able to have nice conversations, and not offending people from other groups. But that’s not the case. So what is peacemaking really?

COVID-19 is upon us, but don’t let yourself be overcome by stress and anxiety. Here are some ways to deal with it in healthy, constructive ways and use it for positive transformation in yourself, your relationships, and your community.

Have you ever dropped a pebble in a calm pool of water and watched the ripples roll outward until the entire pool of water seemed to be pulsating with activity? That’s a good way to describe the peacemaking movement in Louisville. Read the story.

Are you fed up with hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric, and uncivil discourse in politics and social media? You can help change the angry, polarizing climate by becoming a force for peace!

Here are some practical ways to catalyze peace with wisdom. We call them the 4 R's of civil discourse.

Islam and Christianity are different religions, but in both faith traditions Miriam/Mary is a revered figure and someone around whom we can have important conversations. So who is Miriam in Islam and Mary in Christianity? And where is the common ground?