"In our African language we say a 'person is a person through other persons.' I would not know how to be a human being at all except I learned this from other human beings. We are made for a delicate network of relationship, of interdependence. We are made to complement each other. All kinds of things go horribly wrong when we break that fundamental law of our being. Not even the most powerful nation can be completely self-sufficient."
Bishop Desmond Tutu (1931- )
Nobel Peace Prize, 1984
Acknowledgements:
Adults throughout the world are actively engaged in the process of peacemaking. This section is to recognize with appreciation the people and organizations who are promoting non-violence and environmental awareness.
"Peace need not be impractical and war need not be inevitable."
President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
Organizations:
On March 1, 1961, President John Kennedy issued an Executive Order creating the National Peace Corps. Today more than 140,000 Americans have participated in this organization which has served over 100 countries. The year 2001 is the 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps.
The National Peace Monument in Washington D.C. is sponsored by the National Peace Corps Association which is comprised of returned Peace Corps volunteers. In 1987, Congress dedicated 11 acres on the Potomac River to be developed as a memorial to honor peacemakers and peace initiatives. The National Peace Monument needs to raise $11 million dollars to complete this project. Please refer to their updated peace bibliography and curriculum guide above.
The year 2001 is the 30th anniversary of Greenpeace International. Greenpeace was conceived in 1971 when members of the "Don't Make a Wave" committee in Vancouver, Canada renamed their organization to proclaim their purpose: to create a green and peaceful world. Today, their headquarters is in Amsterdam, and they have 43 offices in 30 countries.Read essays on the present
Read essays on the present