How Fiction Can Build Peace

It's how we imagine what's possible.

Hey Friends,

Peace now.

I’ve been thinking about you this week. I know many of you are exhausted—by the division, by the violence, by the gaslighting and the feeling that nothing we do matters.

But the thing about impossible change: it always looks inevitable in retrospect.

Look at Minneapolis. It was the thousands of small acts that moved mountains. The Everyday Ambassadors made that happen.

Peace can’t wait for governments to get their act together. But it also can’t happen without us doing the small, unglamorous work in our own communities to turn the tide.

So I wanted to let you know: This week, I’m opening my Field Guide at half price. The Field Guide is where I teach the peace moves I’ve spent years developing, learning from peacemakers around the world—frameworks and practices you can use in your workplace, your neighborhood, your family, and to change politics. It’s the deep dive these posts and podcasts can’t give you.

Right now it feels especially urgent, and I want to make it as easy as possible for you to join if you’ve been thinking about it. If you’ve been intrigued by what you’ve seen here, join us.

If you’re in, welcome and thanks. If not, no worries. Either way, I’m so glad you’re here, and grateful for all you do.

Warmly,

Annelise

The Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal and the fictional Tokyo Women's Tribunal decades later

This month, all month, we’re exploring the power of fiction and fictions—to imagine what’s possible, find solutions, and create peace in this dark world. So I’m bringing back an episode from the archives that shows you exactly what I mean.

I recorded this before Everyday Ambassador existed as a Substack, which means many of you haven’t heard it. If you’re thinking about how to reimagine what’s possible in your own work or community right now, this one’s essential listening.

I sit down with Professor Christine Chinkin, former judge at the Tokyo Women’s Tribunal. Chinkin shares how this people’s tribunal was set up as a fictional continuation of a previous war crimes tribunal that ignored women, in order to bring victims justice.

Foreign Policy magazine’s Mayesha Alam also joins the podcast to share how FP uses a crisis simulation called Peace Games to push participants towards more innovation solutions. Finally, students from Northwestern University share their personal stories on how they use fictions to overcome challenges in their daily lives.

The through-line? Fiction is a power move any of us can use.

Have a listen, and share your examples of the power of fiction in imagining a more peaceful world!

Annelise

PS: Ready to build your peace toolkit? Learn how to apply moves like fiction in your own life—upgrade to get my monthly Field Guide at 50% off. Then share your questions for the paid subscribers’ Ask-Me-Anything on using fiction in peace-building next week!