A Simple Flag Ceremony, A Shared Commitment to Peace, Montpellier, France
December 10, 2025
Submitted by: Dr. Carlos Palma, Founder of: Living Peace International
During a recent visit to Montpellier in the south of France, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of university students and young professionals from the Living Peace network. Our time together focused on a shared question: how can we respond to the challenges facing today’s world with our lives?
The conversation was thoughtful and deeply engaging. The students asked meaningful questions and spoke openly about their hopes and concerns for a world that often feels divided. Together, we reflected on the idea that peace is not an abstract concept, but a daily choice expressed through our actions, relationships, and commitments.
To conclude our meeting, I suggested that we come together in the Peace Flag Ceremony, and the group immediately agreed. As always, it became a simple yet solemn moment.
Standing before the flags of the world opened our minds and hearts to all of humanity. Together, we prayed for peace everywhere, holding in our thoughts the 56 countries currently experiencing armed conflict, whether at a local or international level.
In that quiet and respectful space, the strength of unity was deeply felt. The ceremony reminded us that even the simplest gestures, when shared with intention, can nurture hope and renew our collective commitment to peace.
Moments like these reaffirm a timeless truth: peace begins within each of us, and it grows when we choose to stand together.
May Peace Prevail On Earth!
Dr. Carlos Palma
Founder: Living Peace International