Abstract

The pandemic of the 21st century has disrupted the existence of humans and other living beings. In this "new reality", peace research provides an indispensable theoretical framework for interpretating the present and the future (prospects). Thus, from this interdisciplinary field, resorting to a logical and hermeneutic analysis of events (through representative examples and situations), the different types of violence are introduced, as they have been developed by their main theorists. Our current situation and its vicissitudes are analysed, with emphasis on education, communication (infodemic), health conditions, and current practices of discrimination, as well as the unnecessary military metaphors used to talk about the disease. The typology of peace is used as a counterpoint, mainly following Johan Galtung´s model. Therefore, it is postulated that with the contribution of Philosophy for Peace, it will be possible to promote the actions, ideas, and virtues necessary to counteract the old and new harmful practices, developing alternatives such as solidarity, ataraxia, communicative justice, empathy, and environmentalism, in transit towards the Culture of Peace and Gaia Peace. The reflection on current needs and actions leads us to conclude that vaccines alone are not enough to overcome the pandemic.