The United Nations designated the year 2000 the International Year for the Culture of Peace. Louise Diamond has been working in this field for 30 years. She is cofounder and president of the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, which deals with ethnic conflict around the world.

All of us seek to operate from a sense of inner peace as we handle the inevitable differences, hurts, and fears we confront in our relationships at home and at work. We also yearn for a world less convulsed by violence, hatred, and revenge. In this philosophical work, Diamond unravels the four spiritual principles that undergird the practice of peace building: (1) unity, (2) interrelatedness, (3) love, and (4) co-creativity.

With illustrative material from her experiences of bringing people from all walks of life together across "enemy" lines for dialogue, problem-solving, and reconciliation, the author discusses the importance of finding a common ground, trusting each other, compassionate presence, and the power of partnership. Daring to create harmony in ourselves and in the world is a daunting challenge given the adversarial nature of our culture where conflict, debate, and competition are heralded as positive qualities. Diamond shows how one person radiating inner peace can be a beacon of hope in any situation of heightened tension. The book concludes with a list of national and international organizations working for peace.