Following the First and Second World Wars, the world is now witnessing an escalation of conflicts on an unprecedented scale, notably in eastern DRC, Sudan, the Middle East, and the  Ukraine-Russia conflict. Precisely at a ‘belle époque’, when we speak of new challenges such as artificial intelligence, the colonisation of Mars, climate war, the global crisis, and, above all, the anthropological crisis.  

Faced with these challenges, the essential thing would be dialogue – a platform for concrete agreement that leaves no one out. The problems are global, not national. States should sit down at the negotiating table rather than taking to the battlefield whenever a challenge or disagreement arises. After all, this is a challenge to our very intellect. We need to learn to engage in dialogue. Dialogue, alongside negotiation, is an art we should refine every day, always seeking balance and always interpreting the various complex scenarios in the best possible way. 

Dialogue is the right and ideal path to global progress. Deterrence through force or threats, the bipolar world, the Security Council, and all other means and bodies will fail if we are unable to engage in dialogue. 

And this dialogue should not simply be an obligation, but rather a rewarding exercise insofar as everyone’s aspirations are taken into account. Nations should learn to cooperate rather than compete ‘on equal terms’. 

In the context of international and diplomatic relations, we are witnessing a wave of severed diplomatic ties between states. This is worrying insofar as people no longer know how to speak the same language; indeed, it conveys the image that we are in a jungle, where there is no space or place for us to sit under the same tree and draw up a plan. 

To achieve this goal, Heads of State and Government must promote discourse that enables harmonious coexistence and cohabitation between opponents, the marginalised, small communities, and governments. 

This is a crucial moment for humanity, and we must pursue the path towards achieving peace in various regions through negotiation, lest we come to regret our actions and destroy what little dignity we have left. We can still save lives and set humanity and the world right, for we are rational beings. To date, there is no other being or instrument capable of transforming nature in the way that Man can. 

Furthermore, those nations are mistaken who believe that technology will somehow balance or resolve human problems. Technologies will not solve the problem precisely because they are not the problem; the problem is man, who must make rational use of them and be aware that  ‘no technology is capable of reading reality in all its aspects’, as the Catholic Church observes in  ‘Antiqua et Nova’. In the face of artificial intelligence and other technologies, prudence and dialogue are required.  

Furthermore, many actors in international law are pursuing a path of rearmament (for example, Europe’s latest rearmament plan) in an attempt to establish peace through deterrence; I am particularly opposed to this kind of stance insofar as it precludes dialogue, invariably creating a  threatening rather than a facilitative atmosphere. 

And we need to embark on a journey of reclaiming our humanity and self-discovery. Once we  have mastered ourselves, we can indeed explore the other positive aspects of the universe–technologies, for example–and this is by no means irrelevant, given that the progress of  machines has not translated into the progress of humankind as thinking, critical beings.  

From every life lost and every conflict, we should learn that war and weapons will not bring  peace and sustainable development. No nation has ever emerged victorious, or at least returned  to its normal state, after a war; we all lose something through war. We must learn from history  that “some mistakes of the past must not be repeated in the present” (REGO, 2004). We must  be optimistic and seek out the mechanisms at our disposal, the fruits of our intellect, to build a  multilateral world, thanks to solid and lasting solutions for global peace and security. 

In conclusion, we must urge states to observe a ceasefire, prioritising the peaceful resolution of  conflicts through sincere and open political dialogue. All people are called upon to work towards  building a more peaceful, just and inclusive world. 

Every human being must be a driving force in the mission to promote dialogue between nations, organisations and businesses, believing that respect for people, regardless of their positions,  their cultures and an understanding of differences, are essential qualities of the humanity we  are building. 

References 

Doctrinal Note of the Catholic Church published by the Dicastery for the Faith and the  Dicastery for Culture and Education – “Antiqua et Nova”, 2025. 

REGO, António, “Deus na Cidade”, PAULUS Editora, 2nd Edition, 2004.