The following scenario is a futures scenario for Brussels based on two days of worldbuilding, where we dove deep into the topic of peace and peace making practices, guided by the 200 year present of Elise Boulding.

The wind blows hard. The population is very dense, and more fluid than ever. Climate change made people more nomadic and less attached to their stuff. There is a ‘southern’ atmosphere in the streets, people speak a ‘fantastic language’. ‘Accidental families’ live in community in former office buildings. There are intergenerational learning sessions at the pond, and lifelong learning programs. A parents movement does hugging and shaking sessions. The big debate of today is to abolish the notion of punishment. There are repair and healing circles.

You hear and sense a mysterious rhythm of peace, the city seems a peace garden. Is it the location and diversity of Brussels that is fertile ground to cultivate peacemaking practices? There are rumours about the presence of a peace machine in the city. Nobody knows where it is. Some claim to have heard it. Others felt it and then some have been told to go visit it. Some people are eagerly searching for it. Some say it is a big glass cube inside the Palais du Justice, which is not possible to verify. Dogs seem to hear the frequency of the machine. Some Brusseleirs have telepathic communication with the peace machine and are helping others to understand it. There are a bunch of disbelievers who reject the presence of any such object in the city. 

The peace machine…

…collects information from around and has special abilities to communicate with non-humans. 
…has a healing power and follows a seven-stage process to restore peace within people in need. 
…spreads a vaporized liquid throughout the city to ensure plants, animals and people can thrive on an amazing air quality, can grow plants and flowers. 
…can adapt in different contexts to respond to the needs and changes its focus.
…captures stories in the city and weaves a rich tapestry for the city. 
…reminds us of what is going on a global level and that sharing a planet means sharing a responsibility to restore balance and peace. 
…guides people to find their purpose. 
…gets informed by time travel

You need to feed the peace machine something before interacting with it. It is still a mystery what it eats. The peace machine loves petting. The machine emits impulses and if you are around it, it can prompt you to do surprising acts, like cleaning a glass. There are moments when the peace machine rests, when it is tired and sick.