In Evidenza

UNIVERSITY, THE NEW WAY OF PEACE

“UNIVERSITY, THE NEW WAY OF PEACE ”
Prof. Massimo Maria Caneva MD PhD
AESI President
Director Rome International Seminar for Peace
—–
7 OCTOBER 2026
ROME

We are facing historic shifts in the international geopolitical, economic, cultural, and religious balance. We must not lose hope for a lasting and just peace among peoples, because history always teaches us that good prevails even where some desire conflict and division. Certainly, as Pope Leo says, we cannot resolve these crises by putting peoples against one another, engaging in military confrontation, and wielding political and economic power to dominate others.

It is particularly urgent to rebuild international dialogue through diplomatic and cultural channels in order to promote the common good and a solidarity founded on respect and the dignity of the human person. To this end, it is necessary to involve those who wish to personally dedicate their lives to these indispensable values and who currently hold institutional responsibilities at all levels. We must not fall into the trap often promoted by distorted media coverage—perhaps frequently funded by the very arms dealers themselves—which conveys only terror and the urgent need for conflict to resolve all crises.

The first step to take is a cultural one, which must begin by investing in the younger generations—who, especially at this moment, find themselves disoriented in the face of international and geopolitical instability, with repercussions such as severe economic crises and attempts by some to exert even greater power and control over others. Universities need a strategy that is attuned to international realities and that helps students take responsibility for bringing about urgent change, fostering what we might call a culture of solidarity in support of the common good.

AESI is engaged in this task both at the national level—through the training of new generations of diplomats and international relations officials—and at the European level, as well as in crisis areas where there is an urgent need for a competent and effective presence of university cooperation, bringing together university diplomacy and peacekeeping forces operating under mandates from the United Nations and the European Union.

The process of educating new generations and involving them in future peace plans is certainly a long and often delicate one that does not make the news, but it must absolutely be pursued with urgency in order to restore the conditions for human coexistence that, unfortunately, the current generation—and perhaps even the previous one—is undermining due to a lack of awareness of what happened in past conflicts, as well as a tendency toward relativism and a disregard for the common good.

AESI is strongly committed to promoting the United Nations and the European Union, both of which require urgent internal political and organizational reforms in order to play a more active role in international crises. The United Nations serves as a point of reference, and despite its difficulties in articulating operational strategies, it remains the leading international actor in peace processes. Unfortunately, the European Union has become bogged down in military and economic confrontations with neighboring countries without realizing that the only path forward is dialogue and diplomacy, which can bring about true security and peace. To rediscover these great realities and values, we must work with the younger generations and engage those within the institutions who prioritize human dignity over profit and economic power.

We have been engaged for many years in university cooperation projects for peace, and we must continue on this path by promoting a new culture of international relations in Italian and European universities—one founded on the common good and the protection of human dignity. All of this requires dedication, expertise, and a broad international vision. It is not a matter of organizing master’s programs or university courses with grandiose titles on international and geopolitical crises, but rather of imparting to our students values and skills that many faculty members may still need to acquire through hands-on experience and crisis management in the situations we are currently facing. Analysis and action: universities must change to be more effective in addressing the challenges we face today.

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