Keynote speaker Samantha Nutt called for students and residents of north Idaho to campaign against world violence and small arms trade during the keynote address of the Borah Symposium Wednesday night.
The War Child Canada founder said the recent terror attacks in Brussels and San Bernardino serve as proof of a global turning point involving war and peace in the modern world.
“Many of us wonder whether our children will truly feel safe anywhere, and that is a terrifying and horrifying reality for all of us,” Nutt said. “But I do believe it is possible to disrupt this cycle of violence and poverty.”
Nutt said she realizes how individuals may have difficulty believing in the potential for a peaceful world in context of recent tragedies.
“In the face of these atrocities, it can be very easy to succumb to a sense of cynicism and believe that peace is a naive concept with no place in the modern world,” Nutt said.
As a physician with over 16 years of experience in war zone care, Nutt discussed the brutality she saw as a humanitarian worker in the Congo. She said sexual violence in war-torn regions has become cyclical, as young women are repeatedly assaulted and abused.
“There is an ongoing need for treatment programs for rape survivors, as well as protection programs to make sure these young girls and women are safe,” Nutt said. “But we can”t stop there. Because it is not enough to treat the problem and then move on, only to send women out there to be assaulted again.”
Nutt said violence in these regions often occurs due to the relative ease of individuals accessing weapons. She said it is important for developed countries to reduce the small arms trade to poverty-stricken regions of the world.
“We must know these small arms do not recognize borders,” Nutt said. “Their first stop will not be their last.”
She said the United States has contributed to the crisis by aggressively producing light weapons.
“The worldwide pandemic of weapons is one of the greatest threats to global health in the world today,” Nutt said. “And yet in the United States, many pension funds are heavily invested in the top arms manufacturers.”
Nutt said another important aspect in combating violence around the world is a consistent flow of funds and effort.
“When you see a crisis in the news and want to write a check, that is noble,” she said. “However, know that if you really want to have a lasting impact, a consistent amount of money invested – even if it”s a smaller amount on a monthly basis – will go a lot further than a one-time donation.”
Nutt said the foundation of social change is knowledge and information. She said individuals should make a concerted effort to read or watch news every day.
“People say, “I don”t understand what is going on or who these parties are,”” Nutt said. “We use it as a reason to do nothing at all.”
She said violent threats that were once common in specific regions of the world appear to be expanding to include all corners of the globe.
“In my experience, so it goes,” Nutt said. “Death. Resentment. Revenge. It is a far too familiar beat, these drums of war.”
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom