We have the capacity to choose against war and so to give peace a chance: to want to do so is a sign of sanity rather than madness. The first step is to understand that there is a choice.

Diana Francis has been working on non-violent conflict resolution, mediation and reconciliation in England and worldwide. She is widely involved in training people in community reconciliation and peace work. Her work has inspired many people to engage in non-violent activism. She has trained women, who have vividly become trainers and peace-workers in their own communities. Diana is the author of two books, both published by Pluto Press: "People, Peace and Power: Conflict Transformation in Action" (2002) and "Rethinking War and Peace" (2004).

For more than 40 years, Diana Francis has been working on non-violent conflict resolution, mediation and reconciliation. She has also been involved in training people in community reconciliation and peace work, and through this work she has mobilized people enormously to engage in non-violent activism. When asked about her vision for the future, Diana replied, "My longings are interpreted more in terms of process than of end points. I endeavor to be part of a process towards a fundamental shift in culture from one that accommodates violence as 'normal' and defines power in terms of control, to one in which care, respect and compassion for each other and for humanity predominate . This will mean learning to build bridges of love and co-operation between people rather than fear and antipathy. My vision is to teach young children that to be tender and caring is not equivalent to being weak. At the same time we, women and men, have to work untiringly with courage and determination to effectuate radical social changes that will help the youth think about their behavior. This will give them the courage, over and over again, to stand up and be counted for their deeds, and will make them able to link analysis with imagination and find happiness in solidarity. 'Non-violence' means living the future in the present, so we just have to get on and do that."

Committee for Conflict Transformation Support (CCTS) International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)