If we truly want peace, we must back co-operation over division

We live in a world where conflict feels ever-present. Whether on our newsfeeds or closer to home, division is often easier to see than unity. But peace is not something out of reach. It is something we can build through cooperation, community and commitment.

My own background gives me a personal connection to the importance of peace. I know how quickly stability can be lost and how hard it is to rebuild. The power of people coming together sits at the heart of why I believe so strongly in co-operation. Not just as a business model, but as a way of living and leading.

Around the world, co-operatives are helping to lay the foundations for peace. In Guatemala, they provide livelihoods and stability for communities torn apart affected by conflict. In Rwanda and Bosnia, they create safe, practical ways for people to work side by side after war. In each case, it is not grand gestures but day-to-day co-operation that makes progress possible.

Earlier this year we welcomed representatives from Wahat al-Salam Neve Shalom, a co-operative village in Israel where Palestinian and Jewish families live together as equals. In one of the most challenging regions of the world, they have created a community built on mutual respect and equality. Their story is powerful because it is real. Peace, even in fragile places, is possible.

We also hosted Peace Players Northern Ireland, who bring together young people from across political and religious divides through sport. Their work in Belfast shows that rebuilding trust takes time, care and consistent investment, but that it can be done.

This is what co-operation looks like in action. And it is why we believe it should be better supported.

Right now, there is a petition calling for more UK government funding for co-operatives as part of international development policy. These organisations support local ownership, build economic resilience and promote social cohesion, often in the most divided places. They deserve recognition, and they need backing.

This is not about charity. It is about investing in inclusive and democratic solutions that create long-term stability. It is about understanding that peace is not only about politics. It is about people having shared purpose, shared opportunity and a voice in shaping their futures. It is about people looking for what they have in common, not for reasons to highlight differences and division.

That is why I have added my name to the petition, and I encourage others to do the same.

At the Co-op we will continue to support international co-operatives through our partnerships and campaigning. From our founding days to the work we do today, we have always believed in co-operation as a force for good. In the current climate, that belief feels more relevant than ever.

The theme of this year’s Peace Day is “action for peace”. While the need for action is global, the solutions often begin locally. In communities. In relationships. In businesses that choose fairness and shared success.

Peace is not abstract. It takes work. It is strengthened every time people choose co-operation over conflict, inclusion over division and shared ownership over fear.

This Sunday we have a moment to reflect. Beyond that, we have a responsibility to act. Let’s choose peace and invest in the models that help make it real.

Shirine Khoury-Haq, CEO, Co-op Group - you can sign the petition here

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The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.