Global Peace Index advocates for investing in peace not war

By Kielce Gussie

VATICAN NEWS

The Australian Embassy to the Holy See hosts the presentation of the 2026 Global Peace Index with the founder of the Institute for Economics and Peace Steve Killelea as he breaks down the importance of having data on global peacefulness and how to invest in peace rather than war.

 

Global Peace Index Presentation in Rome at the Australian Embassy to the Holy See (L: Ambassador Keith Pitt & R: Steve Killelea) 

For the last twelve years, peace around the world has deteriorated: more countries are engaged in external conflicts, the number of drone attacks has increased over 11,500% between 2018 and 2025, and the number of people killed in domestic fighting has seen a six-fold rise since 2007.

The reason this data exists is thanks to the Global Peace Index. Part of the Institute for Economics and Peace, Founder and Executive Chairman Steve Killelea created the index to give people, governments, and countries the information they need to concretely work for peace in the world.

Steve Killelea is the founder and executive chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace

“Some people wonder why this is important. But if you can’t measure something, can you truly understand it?” Killelea emphasized to Vatican News.

How do you know?

First launched in 2007, the Global Peace Index (GPI) is an important piece of research in the world regarding the measure of global peacefulness. It brings three categories together to create the complete index—militarization, ongoing conflict, and internal safety and security.

Before the GPI, a standardized, comprehensive index that listed countries by peacefulness did not exist. Without this proper measuring, Killelea begged the question, “How do you know whether your action is either helping or hindering in achieving your goals? You simply don't.”

Investing in something greater

Hosting the presentation of the 2026 GPI in Rome on June 22, Australian Ambassador to the Holy See Keith Pitt stressed the important work that Killelea has been doing with the GPI over the last 19 years.

Australian Ambassador to the Holy See Keith Pitt introducing Killelea and the GPI

Its data outlines a rise in the number of conflicts around the world and the founder pointed out a shift in how wars ended. In the 1970s, 23% came to a close with a peace agreement. Decades later in the 2010s, that dropped to only 4%.

Why is that and why are there so many conflicts in the world today? Killelea argued there are a number of “lingering, small grade conflicts”, which can sometimes become major ones. “If we can't stop the conflicts, then the number of them logically have to grow,” he explained.

One of the characteristic weapons used in warfare today versus decades prior is drones, which have changed how conflicts are fought faster than the world can keep up. To avoid falling behind, Killelea highlighted the need for governments to “take a sober look at what the impact of conflict will be on their economies and on their citizens, and also on the global stage.”

Moreover, he pointed out that only around 0.1-1% of funding spent on the military is given to building peace. AI has reduced the amount of time needed to target from one day to mere seconds.

The problem of drones is an ethical one. Drones provide the ability to kill without human oversight. This technology removes the human aspect of warfare, seemingly making it easier to take the life of another simply by pushing a button.

Killelea warned how “without human intervention, you will not know whether AI has made a hallucination or a false positive.” That means innocent people can be targeted and innocent lives destroyed.

Killelea highlighted how peace is achieved if people invest in peace

He noted how governments must begin to work out how to create alliances in order to create peace. The key to this, the Institute for Economics and Peace founder shared, is “governments waking up and realizing that you can invest in war, but that does not actually create peace.”

Peace is achieved when people invest in peace.

He offered three concrete ways to do this. First, more diplomacy. Second, when dealing with localized conflict, it is important to understand the grievances and address them. Third, better people’s livelihoods. “If people can see their livelihoods improving, they're a lot more likely to not want to fight or try and overthrow the government,” Killelea stressed.

Hope on the horizon

But the data is not meant to signal that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. On the contrary, Killelea highlighted that there is hope. “The hope in humanity is that we all move through cycles,” he said, “I think we can take hope in the fact that many of these countries will wake up and realize where they may have thought they were bulletproof in the past, they're not.”

He also stressed that today’s world needs messengers of peace. Pope Leo XIV’s repeated calls for peace, dialogue, and an end to violence does play a role in concretely achieving peace.

The GPI looks at and measures the factors that drive peace in the world

“I think at the moment we need some prophets of peace. The old ones, such as the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, they've passed. I think Pope Leo can take on that mantle, so I would fully encourage him to really become that prophet of peace.”

The GPI looks at and measures the factors that drive peace in the world

“I think at the moment we need some prophets of peace. The old ones, such as the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, they've passed. I think Pope Leo can take on that mantle, so I would fully encourage him to really become that prophet of peace.”

Catholic Communicators Urged to share Opportunities with Colleagues

 

by Valerian Kkonde

ACCPU

 

Brother Rogers Kazibwe addressing the Communicators. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

The representative of the Religious on the Social Communications Commission of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, Brother Rogers Kazibwe, has called upon Communicators to share with their colleagues the available opportunities if they are to succeed in the challenging apostolate of the media of social communication.

 

Brother Kazibwe sounded this advice at Ulrika Guest House, on April 24, 2026 while meeting the Communicators who were gathered for their annual Communications Week.

 

“I am here to encourage. You may not be appreciated but do not give up. What is most important is collaboration. We are not competitors; we are all working for Christ.”

 

Br. Kazibwe, who is in the finance department of the Brothers of Christian Instruction- Kisubi, went on to advise Communicators to tip each other on availability of opportunities and share ideas. He added that it is important to involve the people in the media apostolate as well as to diversify.

 

“What we do is not our job; it is God’s work. You are contributing to the spiritual formation of our people. It is not easy to convince the Bishops to appoint people to the Social Communications Commission, and that is why I want to appreciate Bishop Joseph Franzelli, Bishop Robert Muhiirwa, Bishop Christopher Kakooza and Bishop Paul Bakyenga (RIP).”

 

A section of the Communicators. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

Bishop Joseph Franzelli is the chairman of the Social Communications Commission, while Bishop Muhiirwa is the vice chairman. Bishop Kakooza is a member on the Commission, and so was Bishop Bakyenga at the time of his passing.

 

Br. Kazibwe, who studied Social Communications in the Gregorian University- Rome, reminded the Communicators about the importance of further studies and told them to improve on themselves. He thanked them for maintaining the activity of meeting annually to share challenges, which helps them to grow and come out victorious. In early 2000 he was Managing Director of Radio Sapientia, founded and solely owned by the Uganda Catholic Episcopal Conference.

 

Beautiful natural flowers at Ulrika Guest House contribute to the good quality of air. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ACCPU

The week-long workshop, running from April 22^nd to s6th, was held under the theme: “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Productivity and Effectiveness in Catholic Media Institutions.” This was in line with Pope Leo XIV’s 60^th World Day of Social Communications message which is: “Preserving Human Voices and Faces.”