In 1989, a lone protester stood in front of a line of tanks in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square protests, becoming a global symbol of resistance, according to CNN. In 2011, Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest of injustice, igniting the Arab Spring, a wave of pro-democracy protests and rebellions that spread across the Middle East and North Africa, according to Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based news network. In recent years, young activists have mobilized millions around the world to demand action on various issues. From different places and different people came one idea: that change begins with individuals who refuse to stay complacent.

History has shown us that the most powerful movements for justice were not created by governments, they were demanded by ordinary people who refused to accept injustice. Every movement, every protest, every call for human rights began with someone deciding that silence was not acceptable.

Once we understand that people are suffering and that peace is fragile in our world, we can no longer claim ignorance. Knowledge may give individuals power, but it also obligates responsibility.

Ignorance is the easiest excuse for inaction, but it is no longer an excuse once we become aware.

I have felt how much simpler it is to read about suffering and move on, convincing myself that there is nothing I can really do. But every one of us is born with the freedom to choose and have free will, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a foundational document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. We choose what we care about. We choose what we ignore. We choose when to speak out or remain silent. 

I understand that not everyone has the same ability to act on those choices. Many people around the world face severe consequences from censorship to violence, and even imprisonment, for speaking out. But recognizing this reminds us that for those of us who do have the safety to speak, that choice we make carries even greater weight.

Willful ignorance allows people to maintain a positive self-image without having to act in an altruistic way, according to the American Psychology Association. Yet awareness disrupts that comfort. Once we recognize injustice, inaction becomes a conscious choice.

Governments derive their power from the will of the people, and democracies function because individuals decide what kind of world they want to live in. When people are disengaged or unwilling to act, governments can operate without pressure to change, according to the National Library of Medicine. If peace is ever going to exist beyond words and treaties, it must first exist in the will of individuals. 

That means we cannot sit around and do nothing. Taking action does not mean solving global conflicts single-handedly. It does not require becoming a world leader or a diplomat. Action can be small, but it must exist.

Such actions can be learning about human rights issues instead of ignoring them and supporting organizations that help people in crisis. It can be having uncomfortable conversations about war and genocide and refusing to look away when others are suffering. These choices may seem small on their own, but together they have the potential to create change. 

The world we live in today was shaped by the choices of individuals before us. And the world that comes next will be shaped by ours. 

If we truly believe in the notion of peace and that every person deserves dignity and safety, then those beliefs cannot remain abstract ideals. They must become action. Peace is not something that happens on its own; it is an ongoing goal that people continue to choose to fight for.