newsletters
August 2024
Seek peace within yourself and others • Reach out in service • Protect the environment • Respect diversity • Be a responsible citizen of the world
Desmond Tutu: “If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.” (Nobel Prize Winner 1984)
WORLD CITIZEN PEACE RE-DEDICATES THE ALPHABET FOREST PEACE SITE AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR
The Alphabet Forest is a lively corner at the Minnesota State Fair filled with excited children, games, books, crayons, art projects, and of course, big colorful letters of the alphabet: A to Z. The Alphabet Forest is also a World Citizen Peace Site with the message that literacy and peace go hand in hand.
On Friday, August 23 WCP Executive Director Dennis Hart, Board President Caren Stelson and Board members Flora Tsukayama, Martha Roberts, and Joyce Bonafield-Pierce celebrated the rededication of the Alphabet Forest as a Peace Site with author/illustrator Debra Frasier, the creator of the Alphabet Forest, Minnesota State Fair CEO Renee Alexandre, Alphabet Forest Coordinator Anita Dualeh, and WCP’s major supporters Carol Erdahl and her daughter Beth, sponsors of WCP’s Lowell Erdahl Peace Scholarship.
(l. to r.) Martha Roberts, Carol Erdahl, Beth Erdahl, Caren Stelson, Flora Tsukayama
Against the background of laughter, loudspeakers, and bustling crowds, Dennis Hart and Caren Stelson spoke to the importance of this corner of the Fair as a WCP Peace Site and honored author/illustrator Debra Frasier who imagined the Alphabet Forest into being. As part of the ceremony, Dennis Hart and Caren Stelson proudly presented a new WCP flag and the WCP Peace Site Plaque to Anita Dualeh, which hangs above the door of the little log cabin located at the center of the Forest.
As part of the ceremony, creator Debra Frasier thanked CEO Renee Alexander for her belief in the Alphabet Forest and her leadership, as well as appreciated the nearly 400 volunteers and staff who keep the activities running throughout the twelve days of the Fair. Frasier shared how her colorful picture book, A Fabulous Fair Alphabet, expanded into “today’s magical space where children come to play with letters, develop vocabulary, read, and embrace the wonderful diversity of the State Fair — in peace and harmony. And this is why the Alphabet Forest at the Minnesota State Fair, in August of 2024, renews its commitment as a World Peace Site.”
The mission of World Citizen Peace is to “empower people to create a just and peaceful world.” From little ones to big ones, the Alphabet Forest at the Minnesota State Fair does just that.
ERDAHL PEACE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES!
Congratulations to the recipients of World Citizen Peace’s Erdahl Peace Scholarship! Once again, a number of outstanding peace proposals were submitted to us from our Peace Ambassadors. From those the following Peace Ambassadors were selected based upon their proposal’s alignment with our Five Peace Actions and the level of impact and community outreach.
Each recipient will be provided with $250 to help them carry out their peace project and promote a more just and peaceful world. Learn more about these powerful projects below:
- Gladys Biney, Ghana. As a dedicated peace advocate aligned with World Citizen Peace I propose a comprehensive campaign aimed at promoting peace across communities, schools, and churches. This initiative seeks to underscore the significance of peace in our daily lives and empower individuals to actively contribute to peacebuilding efforts within their respective spheres. This project will engage with 200 schools, 150 children and communities 150, helping spread peace education.
- Aimee Allen, Washington State. At Harbor Montessori School, we will do a staff activity at the beginning of our school year that would allow us all to reflect on our school values and set an intention of living into those values for the school year. We have over 60 employees spanning three campuses. This activity would be done all together at our staff in service. This is a great way to reset for the school year and to carry a shared culture and vision across the campuses. We would use the grant to buy two Maker DIY kits from MYintent.org. We will engage with 64 adults on this project. We hope that this project will help us all live into our school values of inclusivity, connection, integrity, respect, and optimism. As teachers wear these on their wrists for the school year, they will both be reminded of the value they are committed to, as well as be a model and inspiration for our students. We would also consider doing a similar activity with students at some point.
- Gwen Harris, Illinois. This project will advance the Peace Actions to seek peace within yourself and others, and to Reach out in service. At the Crystal Lake Montessori School plan to use the Erdahl Peace Scholarship as seed money to create a sustainable and expandable fundraising project, which will be used to fund future peace actions. Our plan is to create and sell “My Intent” bracelets with peaceful words. More than 30 people will be involved in this project. Our school’s elementary students will sell these to the greater school community (150 children) and can spread the message of World Citizen and the peace actions.
MAKING PEACE WORK
Thank you for your continued donations to World Citizen Peace. You enable us to do the work we do. Your generous donations also directly support the incredible peace actions of our Peace Ambassadors, such as those in Accra, Nigeria, Gig Harbor, Washington, and Woodstock, Illinois. Thank you all!
JOIN WCP ON FACEBOOK
As many of you know, we rebranded our social media presence at the beginning of this year. As a result of these efforts, we have grown our following on our new page by 200%! If you haven’t done so yet, we strongly encourage you to follow us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all things peace education at WCP! If you are a Montessori educator or friend, we invite you to join our growing World Citizen Peace Montessori Network as well.
Stay tuned to these Facebook pages for exciting announcements. If there is anything you’d like us to share with the global World Citizen Peace community on social media, please make sure to mention/tag us on Facebook and we will spread the word! @worldcitizenpeaceofficial
PEACE AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT
As a recipient of World Citizen Peace’s Erdahl Peace Scholarship, our Peace Ambassador Esimaje Michael Onoseme is promoting peace education through the Tun Tun Education Program. The program successfully provided training on Peacebuilding in 3 schools with training material support from TEM Foundation covering topics spanning understanding Peacebuilding, the Basis of Human Rights, Stages of Conflict, impact of Peacebuilding, Mission of the TunTun Education Program, Conflict and Crisis Management.
“These sessions were geared towards exposing the student cohort to conflict resolution strategies, peace ambassadorship, moral boundary development, and conflict communication management whilst nurturing an exemplary behavioral pattern. Each of the training sessions was held after conducting the baseline test and thereafter the end-line test, As the Project Lead, I ensured all questions from each student were adequately answered. Our student also appreciated the use of visual aids and presentation slides
“These sessions were geared towards exposing the student cohort to decision-making, building strength of character, and formation of leadership essences whilst learning innovative ways to overcome peer pressure and improving their lives with genuine commitment to a set goal. I ensured the sessions were exciting and interactive as the students were encouraged to share their views on interpersonal conflict and personal issues.”
This program had over 170 student participants.
DID YOU KNOW?
The word “peace” comes from the Latin word “pax” which means peace, agreement, treaty of peace, tranquility, absence of hostility, or harmony. Pax also referred to the Roman goddess of peace and prosperity.
The statue at left represents the goddess Pax, located at Pavlovsk Garden, St. Petersburg, Russia. (Wikipedia)
WORLD CITIZEN PEACE THROUGH TIME
In 1965, US President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed September 13 as World Law Day. This day has special meaning for World Citizen Peace. The following is a 2013 quote from Lynn Elling, our early leader:
“Without World Law, History tells us that Peace Treaties & Peace Agreements between warring nations will not prevent War in the future. More than ever before, the Human Family needs and deserves World Law with Justice. Many of the World’s leaders and proponents have made this case over the years.”
WCP’s Lynn Elling devoted his life to promoting peace through World Law. For many years Lynn helped organize World Law Day programs often along with a dinner party sponsored by World Federalist Association. Several organizations over the years became co-sponsors, including the United Nations Association, the League of Women Voters, the Bar Association, and others.
In Minnesota, where World Citizen Peace is headquartered, the state proclaimed a Declaration of World Citizenship. This document became a ‘prototype’ for two other states and over 200 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada.
