From the shocks of global conflict to the tremors of ecological crisis, 2023 serves as a stark reminder of how out of balance nations and people are with one another other, and with the world itself. Even so, there were flashes of hope and strength among the storm clouds, drawing a picture of a world full of possibilities for a rebound in 2024.

It has been about a year since the war in Ukraine started, but it has turned into a drawn-out stalemate that has caused a lot of suffering and made the global economy unstable. Threats of nuclear war, for a while, hung over the world as Russia's Vladimir Putin found himself pushed into a corner.

Beyond Europe, rising tensions in the Middle East led to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has killed thousands of people and put the stability of the region, if not the entire world, at risk.

Along with rising tensions between the US and China over the latter's all-encompassing territorial claim in the South China Sea, these disputes showed how fragile the balance of power is in a world that is becoming more divided and distrustful.

The Philippines itself grapples with striking a balance between asserting its sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea being encroached upon by China and pushing dialogue as the way to resolving issues with a bully of a neighbor.

Mother Nature let loose her wrath in 2023, which made us realize how fragile our planet's ecosystem is. When climate change keeps getting worse, extreme weather events become more regular. Devastating floods flooded large land areas, sweltering heatwaves made parts of the world unlivable, and wildfires burned through woods like they had no limits.

But amid the uncertainties in 2024, there had been signs of hope. At the COP28 summit in the United Arab Emirates, people worldwide finally came to a historic climate change agreement.

Even though the agreement was far from perfect, it nonetheless drew global pledges to work together to eliminate all carbon emissions by 2050. This is a big step towards a healthier future.

As we start a new year, the question that keeps going through our minds is how we can ensure that 2024 is a year of positive change instead of more chaos. The answer is not only to deal with current problems but also to help change people's mindsets.

To begin, we need to put talks and negotiation ahead of raising arms. The wars in 2023 were caused by old grudges and nations with self-centered and narrow goals.

We need to be open with each other, show empathy, and really want to find a peaceful answer in 2024. It is important to strengthen multilateral platforms that encourage a sense of shared duty and safety. We can only put out the flames of strife and create a world where talking is more important than firing guns if we all work together.

Second, we must move quickly on climate change, an existential threat. Even though the COP28 deal is positive, it needs to be turned into real action plans.

Developed countries need to keep their promises to help developing countries with technology and money so they can switch to clean energy sources and become more resistant to climate change. People must also adopt sustainable habits, like lowering their carbon footprints and pushing for tougher environmental rules. Now is not the time for small changes; 2024 calls for a big, shared jump to a better future.

Last but not least, we need to encourage a sense of global unity. Pandemics and poverty are just two of the problems we face that affect people all over the world. In 2024, we need to build stronger ties of understanding and empathy because we know that the health of one country is connected to the health of all.

Not only does this require humanitarian help, but also a commitment to fixing the problems that cause suffering, like unfair wages or unstable governments. We can make the world a better place for everyone by putting money into healthcare, education, and long-term growth in areas that are at risk.

The year that was — 2023 — weighs heavily on us. Even so, let us welcome 2024 with a strong hope of a world where peace wins over strife, sustainability beats environmental damage, and solidarity beats apathy.