‘Tis the season to come together—not only for friends and family, but also for nations. Throughout history, there have been plenty of instances where statesmen and leaders have come together during the holiday season to solve significant and complex problems. Here are five international agreements made in the holiday spirit.





1. Reestablishment of U.S.-Iranian Relations (2013)

It came as a surprise to many Middle East scholars when newly elected Iranian president Hassan Rouhani called for the reestablishment of bilateral relations between Iran and the United States. For decades, U.S. and Iranian diplomatic relations have been nonexistent. Rouhani has made great progress working to improve relations between Iran and the P5+1 (the UN Security Council Members plus Germany). In fact, Iran’s recent commitment to the nuclear deal, which establishes a six-month freeze in the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for the gradual draw-down of sanctions, is an incredible breakthrough for the region and shows what can be accomplished through engagement and conversation.



2. The Dayton Agreement (December 14, 1995)

On December 14, 1995, after a three-and-a-half year conflict, the Dayton Agreement (also referred to as the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina) successfully brought the Bosnian War to an end. The breakup of Yugoslavia—the multi-ethnic former Soviet Republic—resulted in a bloody conflict of ethnic cleansing unlike anything the world had ever witnessed. The Dayton Agreement was heralded as an excellent example of ethnic and national conflict resolution—an agreement that marks “the birth of modern state-building.”



3. Maastricht Treaty (Drafted December 1991)

The Maastricht Treaty—drafted shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union—officially established the newly named “European Union.” This agreement not only set the stage for the creation of the Eurozone and the euro, but also brought European nations one step closer to economic and political integration. A continent that had seen two major World Wars has become so economically interdependent that conflict is almost unthinkable. Though not without issue, the European Union is a striking example of the political and economic power that can come from cooperation and integration.



4. The “Christmas Truce” (December 24-25, 1914)

Perhaps the most interesting—albeit unofficial—agreement made in the holiday spirit is the Christmas Truce of 1914. During Christmas Eve and Christmas Day of 1914, in the embattled trenches of English and German forces, soldiers from both sides had an unofficial ceasefire. Official accounts tell not only of enemy soldiers wishing each other a “Merry Christmas,” but also of soldiers leaving the trenches (exposing themselves to enemy fire), meeting between the trenches, and shaking hands. Though the Christmas truce did not end the conflict, which would go on to claim millions of lives, it presents a striking image of humanity in the center of a bloody military campaign.



5. Treaty of Ghent (December 24, 1814)

On Christmas Eve of 1814, the Treaty of Ghent signified an end to the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States of America. The War of 1812 is perhaps most remembered for the British attack of Washington, D.C. in which both the White House and Capitol building were shelled and burned. The Treaty of Ghent ended military conflict and reestablished relations between the U.S. and Britain, and—to the detriment of lives lost—restored the original, pre-conflict borders over which the war was originally fought. This treaty can serve as a lesson that conflict over territory results in net loss for both sides, and arguably that the War of 1812 was therefore fought for nothing.



A Holiday Bonus: Egyptian–Hittite Peace Treaty (Circa 1259 BCE)

The Egyptian-Hittite peace treaty is credited as the first peace treaty ever made, before there even was a holiday season—so maybe we can give them a pass. This treaty, negotiated by Ramses II and the Hittite King Hattusili III ended the 20-year war between Egyptians and Hittites over territory in what is now Syria. The treaty ended conflict between the two groups and established a mutual security alliance in which the kingdoms “would aid each other in the event of an invasion by a third party.”



Throughout history, humanity has witnessed conflict and hatred, but cynicism and pessimism don’t always replace idealistic longings. These historic instances show that states coming together to solve problems can, in fact, be effective. So, with the holiday spirit in mind, let’s come together. It’s not like it hasn’t worked before.