How to Build Peace through Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is a practical way to build peace in local communities and in the world. One of its main advantages is the inclusion of young people in creating a safer, securer, and healthier world. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for every person, no matter what their age is, to get their voices heard.
The sure thing is that the vision of peace shared by heads of states, politicians, diplomats, scholars, and common people who have always been living in the absence of war and conflict differs from the vision of those living under the stress of war and all its outcomes.
Those who have gone through difficult phases in their lives because of conflict due to wars or even climate-related reasons have a clear vision of how a peaceful world should be. At the same time, they have the desire to live in a conflict-free world. If those people are provided the right knowledge and skills they could turn their visions into actions. It would give a boost to global efforts for establishing a culture of peace while making it possible for the voices of different people to be heard.

Why entrepreneurship?
For many decades, economics has been at the focus of the world’s smallest and biggest countries. However, traditional economics cannot be at the focus of a planet with limited resources. Firstly, this model will cause irreversible environmental damage, and secondly, inevitable conflicts over natural resources.
Hence, the economic model must switch its goal from the take-make-waste model to a circular economy. Education and training on sustainable entrepreneurship allow every single person to learn why it is important to switch to a circular economy and how to do it in innovative ways. Innovation at this point does not stand for big tech or new inventions. It’s about practical and smart solutions that can improve people’s lives and help save the planet at the same time.

Furthermore, access to entrepreneurial knowledge contributes to the purpose of the 2030 Agenda to 'leave no one behind'. People all over the world contribute to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Goals in different ways. Social entrepreneurship is one of them as it can help to achieve each of the SDGs.
Today, September 21 is the International Day of Peace. The 2020 theme for this important day is: Shaping peace together. Celebrate the day by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of a health crisis that highlighted the importance of global cooperation.

If you like the idea of building a culture of peace through entrepreneurship, you can take the online training offered by the Entrepreneurship Campus or submit an innovative idea or project that champions one or two SDGs to the Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition. The deadline for submitting new entries is on September 30th.