newsletters
September 2024
Seek peace within yourself and others • Reach out in service • Protect the environment • Respect diversity • Be a responsible citizen of the world
Mother Teresa: “Peace begins with a smile.”
HELP US CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF A NEW PEACE BOOK
World Citizen Peace is excited to announce the publication of Julie Lillie and Carey Seeley Dzierzak’s Empowering Peace and Justice Education: An Actionable Framework for Elementary Educators and Learners.
World Citizen Peace’s Five Peace Actions provide the framework for Lillie and Seeley as they explore the power of each action and unpack philosophy, pedagogy, developmentally appropriate and culturally affirming classroom activities, and resources that support teachers eager to create cultures of peace in their classrooms. This book needs to be in the hands of every teacher and everyone who seeks actionable paths to peace. World Citizen Peace looks forward to partnering with Lillie and Seeley to help them do just that. For more information and to order, go to https://www.thepeacepad.org/book
JOIN IN LISTENING TO “NON-VIOLENCE: A STYLE OF POLITICS FOR PEACE”
The Corpus Christi Catholic Church of Roseville is hosting an event on non-violence. They, along with World Citizen Peace and PeaceMaker Minnesota, invite you to hear Georgetown lecturer Eli McCarthy introduce “Nonviolence: a Style of Politics for Peace,” the January 1, 2017 World Day of Peace message from Pope Francis.
Members of the Social Justice Committee of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Roseville, Minnesota, will facilitate a review of the message from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. US central time on Wednesday, October 2.
Register here to receive a Zoom link for the event.
DONATE TO WORLD CITIZEN PEACE TODAY!
You can empower World Citizen Peace through your generous donations. Your generosity isn’t just a donation — it’s a declaration that peace is possible. This fall, every dollar you give will be matched, doubling your impact! That means your $9 turns into $18, your $21 turns into $42, and your larger gifts have twice the power to promote peace in our world.
Join us today and let’s build peace — together.
REGISTER TO BECOME A PEACE SITE!
Show your commitment to peace to your neighborhood and the world! Register today to become a World Citizen Peace Site. After that you can celebrate your work in our Facebook pages. Send us a brief narrative with a few pictures of your peace site. And be sure to follow us on Facebook!
DID YOU KNOW?
The world celebrates peace with the Nobel Peace Prize. But did you know the odd origins of this famous award?
Alfred Nobel invented “safety blasting powder” — now known as dynamite, which is five times more potent than gunpowder. It made construction with explosives safer, more efficient, and cheaper. However, military leaders also realized the value of dynamite as a weapon.
Alfred Nobel, the man known as the “Lord of Dynamite,” was a pacifist and was greatly troubled by the wartime use of his invention.
So upon his death, Nobel stated that the bulk of his vast fortune would go to a fund to annually celebrate advancements in science, literature, and peace. That fund was the start of the Nobel Peace Prize.
PEACE AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT
Peace Ambassador M. Robinson Sesay and YouthBuild Sierra Leone (YouthBuild SL) marked International Peace Day with a dynamic “Jog-4-Peace” event in the heart of Makeni city. The celebration brought together youth, community leaders, and peace advocates for a morning of physical activity and reflection on the importance of peace and unity in Sierra Leone and beyond.
The event kicked off early in the morning, with participants gathering at the city’s Mena Junction to jog through key routes in Makeni. The Jog-4-Peace symbolized solidarity, resilience, and the collective commitment to fostering peace within communities. Led by M. Robinson Sesay Snr, the CEO of YouthBuild SL and Coordinator of Live in Peace Movement, the event highlighted the role of young people in driving positive social change.
Later, the CEO joined other advocacy groups and called for continued efforts to promote peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development in the region. Special attention was given to the challenges of drug addiction and violence affecting youth, with a focus on innovative, community-driven solutions like those spearheaded by YouthBuild SL. The “Jog-4-Peace” event was an embodiment of the organization’s mission to empower individuals through education, leadership development, and community service, reinforcing the message that peace is achieved not only through dialogue but also through action and unity.
This celebration is part of YouthBuild SL’s broader efforts to engage the community in peacebuilding initiatives, aligning with their ongoing tree-planting projects and youth leadership programs that aim to create a more peaceful and prosperous future for Sierra Leone.
WORLD CITIZEN PEACE THROUGH TIME
Lynn Elling was an early and visionary leader of World Citizen Peace. He often traveled around the globe with Donna, his wife, to promote a more just and peaceful world.
Inspired by Gandhi’s message, Lynn’s journeys to other countries all contained a common thread. Lynn used these opportunities to share his Declaration of World Citizenship and encouraged world leaders to do the same. Below are a few of the highlights of his many journeys for peace.
August 5, 1970 — City couple confers with Tito. Lynn and Donna Elling with President Tito and his wife from Yugoslavia.
November 19, 1974 — City ‘envoy’ gave Soviets peace plan
December 5, 1974 — Elling’s quest for peace leads him to Pravda editor
of the Soviet Supreme Committee [photo: The Minneapolis Star by Mary Jane Gustafson]
December 23, 1974 — Minneapolis Insurance man working for world peace [Republican Eagle, Red Wing, MN]
November 12, 2013 — Ellings take extraordinary voyage to Vietnam (at 92 years of age) [article The Aitkin Age]