Peace must be built through dialogue, says Khan

As the world observes the International Day of Peace today (September 21), Sabrina Iqbal Khan, who has worked extensively in community dialogue and peacebuilding in Fiji, says this year's theme, “Invest in Peace - For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” is relevant as Fiji begins an extended review of its Constitution.

Ms Khan, a lawyer, has spent years working with communities across Fiji, strengthening the trust and social cohesion that help sustain the nation through periods of change.

Her academic studies in peace and conflict have reinforced her view that lasting peace rests not only on formal outcomes, but on the dialogue, consensus and community that precede them.

“This is a consequential moment for our nation,” Ms Khan said.

“Inclusive dialogue, where every person is heard and treated with dignity, is what transforms a process of change into something the whole nation can own.”

Drawing on her Christian faith, she pointed to the enduring call to be peacemakers, rather than merely peacekeepers, describing it as an active pursuit rooted in hope.

“Scripture reminds us that peacemakers are blessed,” she said.

“It calls for humility, patience and a willingness to listen.”

She pointed to Fiji's tradition of talanoa - open dialogue through which grievances are aired and relationships restored - as a resource well suited to the current moment.

Understanding, she said, tends to grow not from positions won, but from relationships sustained.

Ms Khan stopped short of commenting on the substance of any proposed constitutional changes, saying it was a matter for Parliament and the Fijian people to decide through due process. Her focus, she said, remains on the integrity of the process as much as its outcome.

“On this International Day of Peace, my hope for Fiji is that we come to see peace not as something given, but as something we must continually invest in, through dialogue and community,” Ms Khan said.