Tag Archives: peace

Traveling is a Game

By Lauren Selman and Tina Hittenberger  | Bio

One of the most inspiring things here [at the Olympics in Vancouver] is the sustained camaraderie of ALL the athletes.We have been here eleven days and the demonstration of humanity has not waivered once. I am continuously stunned by the respect, courtesy and admiration that transcends national boundaries, religious differences and historic animosities. This code of sportsmanship and honor encompasses more than just the

read more

The Elders Update

Nobel Laureate Martti Ahtisaari has joined The Elders, replacing Muhammud Yunus who has stepped down due to the demands of his work. According to Mr. Ahtisaari, "Peace is a question of will. All conflicts can be settled, and it is
intolerable that violent conflicts defy resolution for decades, causing
immeasurable human suffering.

Martti Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2008 for his efforts on several continents and for more than 3 decades to resolve international conflicts.

read more

Is Peace Enough?

By Shae Hadden

In every moment, all possibilities are happening:

  • birth, rebirth, death
  • love, fear
  • war, peace
  • compassion, hate
  • trust, distrust
  • harmony, conflict
  • poverty, wealth
  • starvation, obesity
  • disease, health
  • beauty, toxic waste
  • wisdom, folly
  • youth, adulthood, elderhood
  • creation, destruction

And so on….

Opposing forces are constantly in dynamic motion, striving for balance and harmony.

When 99.99% of human beings all desire the same things (to live peacefully, feed their families and enjoy life’s abundance), it is no longer enough for us to simply strive for peace.

In these challenging times, we need to transform the entire dance of creation and destruction.

More later on why peace may not be enough….

read more

Musing on Beliefs

By Shae Hadden | Bio

I was in an interesting conversation recently about how we can interact with people who hold different beliefs than ours. The question posed was, “How can one be with someone whose beliefs are the antithesis of our own?” An important inquiry to engage in, considering that a clash of beliefs is at the heart of most conflict and strife between people.

Responses from the group varied from escape (“We can’t be with them at all, so we leave”) and avoidance (“We can’t

read more

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

By Jim Selman | Bio

This week is the 40th anniversary of Woodstock.
Can you believe it? It seems not so long ago that we were all about “peace,
love and music”—a generation that was going to change the world. And in many
ways we did! In CBS’s Sunday Morning
retrospective on Woodstock, the theme came through that the ‘spirit’ of that
memorable event lives on in our children at outdoor

read more

The Elders in the Middle East

At the end of this month, the Elders will be visiting Israel, the West Bank
and Gaza in support of current peace efforts. They plan to meet grassroots organizations, young people, members of
civil society, independent experts, business leaders and others in both Israeli and Palestinian society and listen to the concerns of a wide variety of people who are working hard for peaceful coexistence. The delegation, led by the former president

read more

Tribute

On this day of remembrance, we pay tribute to those who have gone before and those of us today who dedicate their lives to peace, human rights and justice. And, in the words of Victor Frankl, let us remember that life will continue to call us to achieve more in these domains.

"Life never ceases to put new questions to us, never permits us to come to rest…. The man who stands still is passed by; the man who is smugly contented loses himself. Neither in creating or experiencing may

read more

International Peace Day

September 21st was International Day of Peace. Every year since its inception by the UN in 1982, this holiday has grown to  mobilize millions of people around the world to
call for the end of conflict and the creation of a culture of peace among all nations and
peoples. In 2002, the UN officially declared September 21st to be the permanent date for the Day of Peace. Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can

read more