LIBERTATEA DE CONȘTIINȚĂ CA FUNDAMENT AL PĂCII ÎN LUME. EDIFICAREA UNEI COEXISTENȚE RESPONSABILE ÎNTRE CONVINGERI ÎN ORIZONTUL UMANITĂȚII COMUNE
FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AS THE FOUNDATION OF WORLD PEACE. BUILDING A RESPONSIBLE COEXISTENCE BETWEEN BELIEFS IN THE HORIZON OF COMMON HUMANITY

Summary/Abstract: Freedom of conscience as the foundation of world peace. Building a responsible coexistence between beliefs in the horizon of common humanity. In a world marked by persistent conflict, ideological polarization, and identity crises, the question of the foundations of peace within the moral order of humanity becomes more pressing than ever. Traditionally, the concepts of peace and security have been associated with the absence of physical violence or with geopolitical balance; however, contemporary approaches shift the emphasis toward deeper structural and cultural dimensions of peaceful coexistence. Within this framework, freedom of conscience, understood as the right of every person to think, empathize, and act according to their own moral and religious convictions, emerges ever more clearly as an essential pillar of authentic peace. Freedom of conscience is not merely an abstract individual right; it is a concrete indicator of the maturity of a democratic society. It lies at the core of all other liberties, freedom of expression, religion, and political belief, and reflects a community’s ability to manage pluralism without resorting to exclusion, coercion, or stigmatization. In the absence of this freedom, minority convictions become sources of tension, and ideological intolerance may escalate into radicalism, structural violence, or even civic collapse. As Hans Küng aptly observed,“There can be no peace among nations without peace among religions, and no peace among religions without dialogue between religions”, a statement whose meaning can be extended in a broader sense: without dialogue between consciences, no responsible peaceful coexistence is possible. The aim of this paper is to articulate the relationship between freedom of conscience and the construction of an equitable and peaceful order, from both normative and practical perspectives. It will begin with the philosophical and legal foundations of freedom of conscience, in order to explore how this right contributes to conflict prevention and social cohesion. It will be argued that only peace founded upon respect for the conscience of others can be truly viable over time, within the context of an interdependent, fragile, and diverse humanity.

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