Peace quotes: 50 + 23 quotes about peace

Johannes Haupt (Senior Editor)

If you are looking for quotes about peace, it is worth taking a look at our article. Here you will find 73 sayings, aphorisms, wisdoms and quotes about being in a state of peace, world peace, inner peace, and against war. Moreover, you will find some interesting facts about peace.

If all people would live in peace with their fellow human beings, but also with themselves, the world would be a better place.

We can only wish for a state of complete peace. Some will do more, some less. If you are also a supporter of peace, you can express your feelings with the quotes in our article.

Quotes about Being at Peace

Quotes about being in Peace

We have some quotes for you that advocate universal peace. In our first list, you will find peaceful sayings, quotes, aphorisms, wisdoms and beautiful quotes from famous personalities about peace.

The quotes talk about (being and living in) peace in general as well as its impacts and make you think about peaceful living.

1. Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.
   (Francis of Assisi, catholic saint, 1182-1226)
2. Peace is present when things form part of a whole greater than their sum, as the diverse minerals in the ground collect to become the tree.
   (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French writer and pilot, 1900-1944)
3. In order to have peace, we must always want it, and not always doubt it.
   (Aristide Briand, French lawyer, journalist, politician, foreign minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, 1862 – 1932)
4. Peace comes by understanding, not by agreement.
   (from Arabia)
5. You may forget where you buried the peace pipe, but you never forget where the hatchet is.
   (Mark Twain,>U.S. writer, 1835-1910)
6. A human being is capable of anything, why not to live in peace?
   (Unknown)
7. If you want peace, cultivate justice.
   (Unknown)
8. Sometimes there is peace, but there is never a guarantee of peace.
   (Publius Ovidius Naso, ancient Roman poet, 43 B.C-17 A.D)
9. When the shepherd comes home in peace, the milk is sweet.
   (African Proverb)

Quotes about Peace of Mind

Quotes About Peace of Mind

Peace of mind means being carefree, satisfied, and calm. People who have peace of mind have a clear mind, and feel untroubled by worry. Achieving such a state is difficult, but worth striving for.

The following quotes should help you find peace of mind.

1. For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.
   (Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882)
2. Piety is not a goal but a means to attain through the purest peace of mind the highest culture.
   (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, 1749-1832)
3. Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinion at all.
   (Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, German naturalist, 1742-1799)
4. Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconceived notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abysses nature leads, or you shall learn nothing. I have only begun to learn content and peace of mind since I have resolved at all risks to do this.
   (Thomas Henry Huxley, English biologist, 1825 – 1895)
5. Don’t destroy today’s happiness with tomorrow’s worries.
   (Unknown)
6. If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.
   (Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher, 365 B.C.-290 B.C.)
7. Maturity is learning to walk away from people and situations that threaten your peace of mind, self respect, values, morals and self worth.
   (Unknown)
8. The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil.
   (Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and statesman, 106-43 B.C)
9. Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.
   (Epictetus, Greek philosopher, c. 50-135 A.D.)

Short Quotes about Peace

Short peace quotes

Although there are so many important things to say about peace and living in peace, sometimes brevity is appropriate and gets to the heart of the a matter.

If you prefer a short quote about peace, you will find it in this list:

1. There is no 'way to peace,' there is only 'peace.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)
2. Peace is its own reward.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)
3. Peace is always beautiful.
   (Walt Whitman, US poet, 1819-1892)
4. Happiness is peace.
   (Franz von Dingelstedt, German poet, dramatist and theater administrator, 1814-1881)
5. Peace is liberty in tranquility.
   (Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and statesman, 106-43 B.C)
6. Anything that costs your peace is too expensive.
   (Unknown)
7. Peace at home, peace in the world.
   (Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founding father of the Republic of Turkey, 1881-1931)
8. Blessed are the peacemakers on earth.
   (William Shakespeare, English playwright, 1564-1616)

Quotes about War and Peace

Quotes about war and peace

The concepts of war and peace are opposites and as such stand in contrast to each other. Therefore, many of the quotes cited address the relationship between the two states.

These quotes tout the desirability of peace, with most of those quoted stating there preference for peace.

1. It is better to have the ugliest peace than the most beautiful war.
   (Unknown)
2. An unjust peace is better than a just war.
   (Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and statesman, 106-43 B.C)
3. Peace has as many victories to show as war, only far fewer monuments.
   (Ken Hubbard, U.S. humorist, 1868-1930)
4. There never was a good war or a bad peace.
   (Benjamin Franklin, American politician, 1706-1790)
5. Only the person who has experienced light and darkness, war and peace, rise and fall, only that person has truly experienced life.
   (Stefan Zweig, Austrian writer, 1881-1942)
6. In the longest peace man does not speak so much nonsense and falsehood as in the shortest war.
   (Jean Paul, German writer, 1763-1825)
7. To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.
   (George Washington, 1st President of the United States, 1732-1799)
8. In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.
   (Herodotus, Greek historian, c. 485 – c. 425 BC)
9. Better an egg in peace than an ox in war.
   (from England)

Quotes against War

Peace quotes against war

In the absence of peace, there is nothing more cruel and horrible than war.

Below we have collected numerous anti-war quotes for you. With these quotes, you can clearly speak out against wars wherever they may be.

1. Are wars… anything but the means whereby a nation’s problems are set, where creation is stimulated – there you have adventure. But there is no adventure in heads-or-tails, in betting that the toss will come out of life or death. War is not an adventure. It is a disease. It is like typhus.
   (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French writer and pilot, 1900-1944)
2. Imagine it’s war, and no one remembers the end of this saying:
   Imagine it’s war, and everyone dies.
   (Unknown)
3. Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.
   (Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882)
4. Anyone who has ever looked into the glazed eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think hard before starting a war.
   (Otto von Bismarck, German politician, 1815-1898)

Quotes about Love and Peace

Quotes about Love and Peace

Love and peace are closely related. If we are able to love ourselves and our fellow human beings, we can also live in peace with them.

Are you looking for quotes that address the theme of hope and love? Check out the nice sayings and quotes in this section.

1. Love yourself first, then you will find inner peace.
   (Unknown)
2. Every human longs for peace and love.
   (Hiawatha, pre-colonial Native American leader and co-founder of the Iroquois Confederacy)
3. Peace between countries must rest on the solid foundation of love between individuals.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)
4. We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace.
   (William E. Gladstone, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1809-1898)
5. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
   Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
   (Francis of Assisi, catholic saint, 1182-1226)

Quotes about World Peace and Peace on Earth

Quotes about world peace and peace on earth

World peace means that every nation and every human being on earth lives in peace with each other.

In the next list you will find quotes that deal with world peace. They talk about what we must do in order to attain world peace and the responsibilities we have towards others.

1. If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)
2. We want to bring the kingdom of peace to the earth, to bring freedom to the oppressed of all countries. We must struggle for the sacrament of the earth!
   (Ernst Toller, German writer, 1893 – 1939)
3. To solve the problem of organizing world peace we must establish world law and order.
   (Arthur Henderson, British politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, 1863 – 1935)
4. For peace to reign on earth, humans must evolve into new beings who have learned to see the whole first.
   (Immanuel Kant, German philosopher, 1724-1804)
5. The very first step in nonviolence is that we cultivate in our daily life, as between ourselves, truthfulness, humility, tolerance, loving kindness.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)
6. In a gentle way, you can shake the world.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)

Quotes about Serenity and finding Inner Peace

External peace isn’t the only thing that matters, you should also live in peace with yourself.

There are many wise sayings on the subject of inner peace. Here you’ll find the most beautiful and wisest quotes about serenity and self assurance required to achieve a state of inner peace. 

Quotes and Proverbs about being at Peace with Oneself

Quotes about inner peace

Being at peace not only with others but with yourself is a great life achievement.

Once you live at peace with yourself you will radiate tranquility, poise, serenity, and balance.

In this subsection, we have quotes from famous personalities as well as sayings and proverbs about attaining inner peace.

1. Be at peace with your own soul
   then heaven & earth will be at peace with you.
   (Isaac of Nineveh, Syrian bishop, theologian, ca 640 -700)
2. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)
3. Solitude is fine when you are at peace with yourself and have something definite to do.
   (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, 1749-1832)
4. First keep peace with yourself, then you can also bring peace to others.
   (Thomas à Kempis, German-Dutch canon, 1380-1471)
5. He who is truly at peace thinks evil of no one.
   (Thomas à Kempis, German-Dutch canon, 1380-1471)
6. If you want to live in peace with yourself, you have to accept yourself as you are.
   (Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf, Swedish writer and children’s author, 1858 – 1940)
7. Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.
   (Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882)
8. If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace, you are living in the present.
   (Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher, 365 B.C.-290 B.C.)
9. He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.
   (Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor, 121-180)
10. Acceptance of others, their looks, their behaviors, their beliefs, brings you an inner peace and tranquility – instead of anger and resentment.
    (Unknown)
11. Outward peace is useless without inner peace.
    (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)

Quotes on How to Protect your Inner Peace in Life

Quotes on how to protect your inner peace

Achieving inner peace and keeping your poise isn’t easy. There will always be people, who will try to disrupt your sense of tranquility. But don’t let anyone disrupt your peace or steal your energy.

The following quotes will help you retain your inner peace and stay calm in times of stress.

1. You have the power to protect your peace.
   (Unknown)
2. Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.
   (Francis de Sales, former Bishop of Geneva, saint in the Catholic Church, 1567-1622)
3. You’ve got to protect your energy. Not everyone deserves it.
   (Unknown)
4. Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.
   (Mahatma Gandhi, Indian revolutionary, 1869-1948)
5. Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
   (Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, 1803-1882)
6. That the birds of worry and care fly over your head, this you cannot change, but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent.
   (Chinese Proverb)

Quotes from Buddha concerning Inner Peace

Quotes from Buddhism on inner peace

Buddhism is considered the most peaceful religion in the world for a reason. This world religion is concerned with finding inner peace. That’s exactly why Buddhism can teach you a few things on the subject of inner peace.

Below you will find some Buddhist quotes on peace.

1. Blessed is the man who lives in peace with himself. There is no greater happiness on earth.
   (Siddhartha Gautama, first Buddha, founder of Buddhism, 560 B.C.-483 B.C.)
2. Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
   (Siddhartha Gautama, first Buddha, founder of Buddhism, 560 B.C.-483 B.C.)
3. Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.
   (Siddhartha Gautama, first Buddha, founder of Buddhism, 560 B.C.-483 B.C.)
4. To be calm is the highest achievement of the self.
   (Zen proverb)
5. At the end of the day, I’m at peace because my intentions are good and my heart is pure.
   (Siddhartha Gautama, first Buddha, founder of Buddhism, 560 B.C.-483 B.C.)
6. Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.
   (Siddhartha Gautama, first Buddha, founder of Buddhism, 560 B.C.-483 B.C.)

Here you can find even more Buddha sayings.

Interesting Facts about Peace

When people talk about "peace" they don’t always mean the same thing. Different people have different understandings of peace. In this section, you’ll learn why that is and where peace originated in the first place.

You will also find out what the (white) dove with an olive branch in its beak is all about and why it’s a symbol of peace.

What Peace Means

what peace means

When we talk about peace these days, we usually mean the absence of war. This is not exactly the entire definition, but it isn’t fundamentally wrong. Because, of course, it cannot be denied that war and peace are closely related and directly influence each other. But peace means much more than an absence of war.

Immanuel Kant held the belief that peace is not a state of nature. To put it differently, peace refers to a non-violent, peaceful state of tranquility. This refers primarily to persons (groups), states, and religions. In any case, norms, rules and laws are necessary for this.

Another definition sees peace, for example, as a legal order in which the welfare, as well as the prosperity of citizens, is the primary goal.

The rule of law, democracy, social justice, tolerance and the ability to engage in dialogue are the fundamental conditions for lasting peace.

Overall, however, there are diverse understandings and interpretations of the term "peace". Therefor theories of various researchers and philosophers diverge widely.

In some countries and religions, peace is also understood as a spiritual state. This is the case in India, for example. The Indian word for peace, "shanti," denotes a mental state of complete tranquility, that is spiritual peace.

The definition of the term by the Norwegian researcher Johan Galtung is recognized worldwide and is thus the most widespread idea of peace.

The Distinction between Positive and Negative Peace

Distinction between positive and negative peace

According to peace researcher Johan Galtung, there are two types of peace.

Putting it broadly, negative peace means decreasing violence, whereas positive peace means increasing justice.

More specifically:

Negative peace basically refers to the absence of direct personal violence. That is, there is no war, but there are still inequalities such as discrimination and poverty.

You speak of positive peace when there is additionally no indirect and structural violence. Thus, positive peace also goes hand in hand with justice, freedom, and ultimately economic as well as social development.

In a world where there is holistic positive peace, all people would be treated equally and justly.

Since we will probably never reach a state of complete positive peace, peace to be understood as a process as opposed to the natural state of things.

You can actively participate in this process by, for example, by not discriminating against anyone and living peacefully with your fellow human beings.

Why the Dove is the Symbol of Peace + other Peace Symbols

Dove as peace symbol

The dove as a symbol of peace goes back to the story about the end of the world in the Bible.

According to the Bible, Noah sent out three doves after the Flood to find land. This tactic is an ancient seafaring practice. The second dove Noah sent out came back with an olive branch in its beak. Therefore, he could see that the flood and thus God’s wrath was over and there was peace again.

The dove as a symbol of peace really became popular in 1949.

At this point of time the first so-called "World Congress of Intellectuals in Defense of Peace" took place in Paris. A friend of the painter Pablo Picasso was one of the organizers and was looking for a poster motif for the congress. During a visit to Picasso’s studio, he chose the image of a white dove without any deeper meaning, simply because he found it beautiful.

In the following years, Picasso was allowed to design a dove for the congress several times. It was only later that the connection to the biblical story about Noah was found. Nowadays, there are many more symbols that stand for peace.

Other symbols representing peace include:

1. CND symbol (so-called peace sign)
2. Olive branch/tree
3. Rainbow peace flag (PACE)
4. Origami paper crane
5. V-hand-sign
6. The broken rifle
7. White poppy

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