In remembering the appalling suffering of war on both sides, we

Hear the solemn words of Queen Elizabeth II, spoken as one who witnessed both the ashes of war and the slow flowering of reconciliation: “In remembering the appalling suffering of war on both sides, we recognise how precious is the peace we have built in Europe since 1945.” In this utterance lies the wisdom of remembrance, the humility of perspective, and the gratitude that grows when humanity turns its face from destruction toward healing. It is both a warning and a blessing—warning us never to forget the horrors, and blessing us with the reminder that peace, once built, is the most fragile and precious of treasures.

The meaning is clear and profound. War brings not only death, but also scars that linger for generations—families broken, cities destroyed, trust between nations shattered. The Queen does not speak only of victory or defeat, but of suffering on both sides, for she knew that pain does not respect borders. Every soldier who fell, every civilian who grieved, every child who grew up amid rubble carried the same burden of loss. By acknowledging both sides, she reminds us that peace cannot be born from triumph alone; it is born from mutual recognition of shared humanity.

The origin of this reflection lies in the end of the Second World War, in 1945, when Europe lay in ruins. Out of those ruins, leaders and peoples alike resolved to build something greater than conquest: the bonds of unity, cooperation, and reconciliation. The creation of institutions such as the European Union, once unimaginable, was born from the conviction that if nations tied their destinies together in trade and trust, war could be kept at bay. Queen Elizabeth, who lived through the Blitz as a young princess, understood better than most the cost of conflict and the miracle of this fragile peace.

History provides countless reminders of this truth. Consider the story of Germany and France, once bitter enemies locked in endless cycles of war. Their lands soaked with blood for centuries, their people hardened by hatred. Yet after 1945, through courage and vision, their leaders chose reconciliation. In the act of joining hands across old wounds, they transformed the very heart of Europe. What had once been a battlefield became a bond. Their example shows us that remembrance of suffering can be the seed of lasting peace, if we have the courage to let go of vengeance.

O children of tomorrow, learn this: remembrance is not to dwell in bitterness, but to guard against forgetting. For when the memory of suffering fades, the temptation to repeat it grows. If we honor the fallen, let it be not by raising new armies, but by cherishing the peace their sacrifice has purchased. Let remembrance serve as a lamp to light the path away from destruction and toward harmony, lest the past’s mistakes become the future’s inheritance.

Reflect also upon your own life. Have you not seen how conflict within families, friendships, or communities leaves scars on all sides? Even when one believes oneself victorious, there is still loss—of trust, of unity, of love. Only when both sides acknowledge the pain endured can healing begin. The Queen’s words apply not only to nations but to every relationship: peace is always precious, because it is always fragile, and it must be tended like a garden, with care and humility.

The lesson is clear: honor the past, protect the present, and build the future upon peace. Do not let material ambition, pride, or vengeance undo the fragile work of generations. Seek reconciliation where there has been conflict, cooperation where there has been rivalry, and compassion where there has been division. Just as Europe rose from ashes to unity, so too can you mend what is broken in your own life—if you remember the cost of forgetting.

So let Queen Elizabeth’s words endure: “In remembering the suffering of war, we recognise how precious is the peace we have built.” May these words be passed down like sacred wisdom—that peace is not guaranteed, that it is bought with sacrifice, and that its value is beyond measure. Guard it, nurture it, and never forget the price that was paid for it. For to remember is to honor, and to honor is to ensure that peace endures.