This past May, a gunman shot and killed two young Israeli Embassy staffers on a busy street in Washington, D.C. In early June, in Boulder, Colorado, one person was killed and several others injured when molotov cocktails were tossed into a peaceful march. Days later, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot in their home. And last week, on a Utah college campus, an assassin killed political activist Charlie Kirk.

Here in Arizona, we are no strangers to such political violence. This is the place where a gunman shot Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in 2011. More than a decade later, the violence has not subsided — it has only spread.

As faith leaders from many traditions, we come together in shock, grief, and horror — and in a firm commitment to change the dangerous trajectory our country is on. We implore our fellow Americans, and especially our neighbors here in Arizona, to help stop it. Indeed, the overwhelming majority of Americans reject political violence. 

Violence begins with words. When contempt and cruelty become commonplace in our public discourse, it too easily ends in bloodshed.

Across our faith traditions — whether rooted in Scripture, sacred law, or spiritual practice — we share a core conviction: every person has inherent dignity and worth. That is not negotiable. It means disagreement, no matter how passionate, must never strip people of their humanity. It means we address conflict not with threats or insults, but with listening, respect and a commitment to seek common ground.

The work of peace is not passive. It is not simply the absence of conflict; it is the daily, active practice of building relationships, creating trust, and seeking solutions that honor all involved. Arizona faces many challenges on water, education, public safety, economic opportunity and more. None of these will be solved if we cannot speak to each other across political, cultural and ideological divides.

In that spirit, a grassroots group of dozens of faith leaders from across Arizona, spanning many traditions, has come together today, on this International Day of Peace, to launch the Arizona Faith for Peace campaign. We are pastors, rabbis, imams, Bible study teachers, priests, ministers, nuns, deacons, and more — leaders who believe our communities cannot remain on this dangerous path of division and violence, and who know we are capable of charting a better course.

We are beginning with a joint statement signed by nearly 100 faith leaders across our state, declaring that differences of opinion must be met with mutual respect and dignified dialogue. In the weeks ahead, through community outreach, public resources, and regular op-eds, we will amplify voices of faith in the hope that Arizona can demonstrate to the nation that peace is possible, even in divided times.

We urge Arizona’s elected officials to lead the way. Leadership is more than winning arguments: it is creating space for meaningful, good-faith negotiations. It is modeling the discipline of listening — especially to those we may never persuade. And it is rejecting words and actions that inflame rather than heal.

We call on community leaders — whether in schools, businesses, neighborhoods or civic organizations — to set the tone. Our children are watching how we treat each other. If we normalize anger, contempt, or cruelty in our public square, they will inherit those habits. But if we show them that principled disagreement can coexist with respect, they will learn to carry that spirit into the future.

Peace begins with each of us, but it cannot end there. Real change takes a community. That is why we have launched the Arizona Faith for Peace campaign — because our voices are stronger together. And last week’s tragedy shows us that our voices for peace are desperately needed. We invite you to stand with us: sign on, lend your voice, and find resources for your community at www.azfaithforpeace.org.

On this International Day of Peace, and in the shadow of last week’s tragedy, let us remember: our differences need not make us enemies. Arizona can be a place where every resident feels seen, heard, and valued, even in disagreement. Peace lives in the choices we make each day, in every conversation, every meeting, every word, and, crucially, in our choice to respond to political differences with dialogue rather than violence. 

Let us choose peace — before more lives are lost.

Don Henninger has been a media executive and business leader in Arizona for over 35 years, including time as managing editor of the Arizona Republic and publisher of the Phoenix Business Journal. He currently is co-chair of the Arizona Democracy Resilience Network, via the Carter Center.