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Wednesday, August 22, 2007
What's Right
I've been thinking about thinking. It seems we can easily get caught up in dwelling about what's "wrong". From what I've seen, that is about as useless as dwelling on a pimple that takes up, hmmm, maybe 1/4 inch of our whole face. We miss the beauty of the whole by focusing on the 1/4 inch "bad" part.
I admit that what is going on in our world is WAY bigger than a mild case of acne, but still, the rest of the face - the healing and kindness - also exists and should not be overlooked.
This is a photo of Jes Ward speaking at the AFSC celebration a couple of weeks ago. She works with Peace Jam whose central offices are in Arvada, Colorado. Peace Jam was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
From the press release announcing their nomination:
The PeaceJam Foundation is an 11 year old non-profit organization that works with Nobel Peace Prize winners and the youth of the world. "They have convened over 150 Youth Peace Congresses involving more than 500,000 young people across the USA and in South Africa, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Mexico, United Kingdom, Argentina, Costa Rica, and soon East Timor," said Corrigan Maguire [Nobel Peace Prize winner who nominated Peace Jam]. "The conferences bring a Nobel Peace Laureate to work side-by-side with young people for several days, teaching them how to tackle community problems, and training them in specific methodologies designed to allow them to successfully implement their specific community projects."
"Ten years ago, I joined with many others in bringing before the United Nations a resolution proclaiming the period of 2001 to 2010 as the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World." said Corrigan Maguire. "I have watched with growing interest as the PeaceJam Foundation...has worked with tremendous passion and outstanding dedication toward achieving the lofty goals of this United Nations resolution."
Over 310,000 projects have been completed by PeaceJam youth to date. PeaceJam also runs a year long peace education program that covers kindergarten through college youth, and which is now being introduced within the juvenile justice system.
You can get youth in your community hooked up with Peace Jam by visiting: http://www.peacejam.org/getinvolved.htm
I admit that what is going on in our world is WAY bigger than a mild case of acne, but still, the rest of the face - the healing and kindness - also exists and should not be overlooked.
This is a photo of Jes Ward speaking at the AFSC celebration a couple of weeks ago. She works with Peace Jam whose central offices are in Arvada, Colorado. Peace Jam was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.From the press release announcing their nomination:
The PeaceJam Foundation is an 11 year old non-profit organization that works with Nobel Peace Prize winners and the youth of the world. "They have convened over 150 Youth Peace Congresses involving more than 500,000 young people across the USA and in South Africa, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Mexico, United Kingdom, Argentina, Costa Rica, and soon East Timor," said Corrigan Maguire [Nobel Peace Prize winner who nominated Peace Jam]. "The conferences bring a Nobel Peace Laureate to work side-by-side with young people for several days, teaching them how to tackle community problems, and training them in specific methodologies designed to allow them to successfully implement their specific community projects."
"Ten years ago, I joined with many others in bringing before the United Nations a resolution proclaiming the period of 2001 to 2010 as the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World." said Corrigan Maguire. "I have watched with growing interest as the PeaceJam Foundation...has worked with tremendous passion and outstanding dedication toward achieving the lofty goals of this United Nations resolution."
Over 310,000 projects have been completed by PeaceJam youth to date. PeaceJam also runs a year long peace education program that covers kindergarten through college youth, and which is now being introduced within the juvenile justice system.
You can get youth in your community hooked up with Peace Jam by visiting: http://www.peacejam.org/getinvolved.htm
***
And today I read about a Jewish man from Hawaii that brought surfboards to some Palestinian surfers.
"God will surf with the devil if the waves are good," he [Paskowitz] said. "When a surfer sees another surfer with a board, he can't help but say something that brings them together."
He said he was inspired after reading a story about two Gaza surfers who could not enjoy the wild waves off the coastal strip because they had only one board to share between them.
"So I said to my son, 'Come, we'll go to Israel and get them some boards,"' Paskowitz told AP Television News. He described his mission as a "mitzvah," Hebrew for a "good deed."
Arthur Rashkovan, a 28-year-old surfer from Tel Aviv, said Paskowitz's project was part of a larger effort called "Surfing for Peace," aimed at bringing Middle Eastern surfers closer together.
"God will surf with the devil if the waves are good," he [Paskowitz] said. "When a surfer sees another surfer with a board, he can't help but say something that brings them together."
He said he was inspired after reading a story about two Gaza surfers who could not enjoy the wild waves off the coastal strip because they had only one board to share between them.
"So I said to my son, 'Come, we'll go to Israel and get them some boards,"' Paskowitz told AP Television News. He described his mission as a "mitzvah," Hebrew for a "good deed."
Arthur Rashkovan, a 28-year-old surfer from Tel Aviv, said Paskowitz's project was part of a larger effort called "Surfing for Peace," aimed at bringing Middle Eastern surfers closer together.
Looks like peace & goodwill can start anywhere.
Maybe even here and now.
Maybe even here and now.
Labels: AFSC, Nobel Peace Prize, Peace Jam, Surfing for Peace
posted by Carol at 7:21 AM
2 Comments:
Carol, I might change my trip to the 15th. I'll know by Saturday! In the meantime, drop by Left of Centrist for a major announcement.
I have checked out your new digs. Congratulations on the move to your own place! I'll be watching your progress.
(maybe I'll be seein' ya next month!)
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