Short answers, pulled from the story.
Peace is a state of harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a societal sense it means a lack of conflict and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. No single universal definition exists, since the meaning expands based on context and culture.
The word peace comes from the Anglo-French pes and the Old French pais, recorded in the 11th century, and ultimately from the Latin pax. It entered English greetings around the year 1300 as a translation of the Hebrew word shalom, which also carries meanings including justice, good health, safety, and well-being.
Peace is measured by indexes such as the Global Peace Index from the Institute for Economics and Peace, which uses 23 indicators of the absence of violence and the fear of violence. The 2015 edition ranked 163 countries, and according to the 2017 Global Peace Index, Iceland is the most peaceful country and Syria the least peaceful.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded since 1901 to individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to peace. It is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a group of five individuals chosen by the Norwegian parliament, following the prize's creation in the will of Alfred Nobel.
Sweden has observed peace and neutrality since 1814, and Switzerland has held an official policy of neutrality since 1815. These are the longest continuing periods of peace and neutrality among currently existing states.
Satyagraha is a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mahatma Gandhi, used in campaigns for Indian independence and in his earlier struggles in South Africa. The word means 'truth-firmness' and influenced Martin Luther King Jr., James Bevel, and others during the civil rights movement in the United States.