Peace is not a luxury. Peace is a necessity.

Ashraf Ghani, a leader who sought to guide his war-torn land, spoke words that ring like iron hammered upon an anvil: “Peace is not a luxury. Peace is a necessity.” This declaration is more than a political slogan; it is a cry from the depths of human experience. For too often, the privileged speak of peace as if it were a gift to be enjoyed when convenient, a fine garment to be worn in times of prosperity. But Ghani reminds us that peace is not an adornment. It is the very breath of society, the foundation without which no life, no learning, no love can endure.

The ancients also recognized this truth. The philosophers of Greece and Rome often argued about justice, freedom, and the good life. But all admitted that without peace, none of these treasures could exist. Cicero declared that “in times of war, the law falls silent.” What he meant was simple: when swords are drawn, the voices of wisdom and learning are silenced. Thus, peace is not a luxury for the comfortable; it is the soil from which all other goods grow. Without it, nations and souls alike wither into dust.

Consider history’s testimony. In the long years of World War II, Europe was consumed by flame. Cities were reduced to ash, families torn apart, and the world seemed plunged into endless night. Only when peace was restored could healing begin — homes rebuilt, schools reopened, trust renewed. That restoration showed the truth of Ghani’s words: peace was not a prize to be enjoyed by a few, but a necessity demanded by all, without which even survival itself trembled.

And yet, look also to those who lived in peace and treated it lightly, as though it were a treasure too common to be valued. The Roman Empire in its height enjoyed centuries of the Pax Romana, a peace that allowed commerce, art, and law to flourish. But as generations forgot that peace is a necessity, corruption and complacency grew. When invaders came, the empire that had once been strong crumbled, for its people had ceased to honor the gift of peace. Here lies a warning: peace must be cherished, guarded, and remembered, for when it is lost, its absence is a furnace that consumes all.

Children of tomorrow, hear this wisdom: peace is the ground beneath your feet. Without it, the seed of education cannot grow, the waters of trade cannot flow, the warmth of family cannot endure. It is not the crown upon life, but the foundation stone. To live without peace is to walk in shadow and chaos. Therefore, never let anyone tell you it is optional, never allow yourself to believe it is a dream too distant to pursue. It is a necessity, as vital as bread and water, as sacred as air.

The lesson is clear: do not take peace for granted, nor treat it as a prize that can be delayed for future generations. Work for it, speak for it, and guard it, for it is the lifeblood of all progress. When conflict arises in your home, your work, or your community, do not dismiss peace as weakness. See it instead as strength, for only through peace can truth and justice breathe freely.

Practical action flows from this truth. In your daily life, seek reconciliation quickly. Do not let disputes fester, for they corrode the bonds of fellowship. In your community, labor for fairness, for there is no peace without justice. And in the affairs of nations, support those who pursue dialogue over destruction, who remember that the ruin of war is never a path to life. Let your heart, your home, your society be a place where peace is honored as the greatest necessity.

So let it be spoken, and let it be remembered: “Peace is not a luxury. Peace is a necessity.” Without it, no field will yield fruit, no city will stand secure, no family will rest in safety. But with it, nations may flourish, wisdom may rise, and hearts may find rest. Guard peace, cherish peace, live for peace — for upon it rests the destiny of all mankind.