Greetings!
We are living in a very exciting time as the National Peace Academy (NPA) becomes a reality in this country! This past summer marked our first educational initiatives and we are pleased to announce the tremendous success of both the International Institute on Peace Education (IIPE) held this past July in Colombia, South America, and the first Peacebuilding Peacelearning Intensive (PPI) held at Wilmington College in Ohio in early August. The Intensive was the first of this annual educational program, laying the cornerstone of our future Peacebuilding Certificate.
For those of you who were with us at PPI 2010 at Wilmington College, I know that you join us in celebrating our time together. It was a time of deep learning, sharing, and community for both the edu-learner faculty and the participants. As one of the participants recently shared, "I never went to any training or program where I felt so connected after the fact." The spirit of the PPI community continues to resonate two months later as we strive to live out the principles and practices of building a culture of peace. Watch for information announcing PPI 2011.
In addition to the action in our education sphere, this fall the National Peace Academy's administrative and fund development spheres have begun a period of intense activity. We are delighted to announce the opening of the new National Peace Academy administrative office in Shelburne, Vermont. An Open House at the new administrative office was held on Sunday, September 26 with over forty people in attendance. Lou Ensel, NPA Board Chair, was present, as well as Paula Guarnaccia, NPA Director of Administration and Finance.
The Open House inaugurated the National Peace Academy's first Annual Pledge Drive which will help secure NPA's future. Please know that your pledge to the National Peace Academy --- at any level of funding --- will help the NPA to expand peacebuilding and peacelearning throughout the United States. Click here to make your donation.
We extend to you our heartfelt thanks for your continued support and interest in the work of the National Peace Academy as we stand with you to secure a future of peacebuilding and a culture of peace.
In loving cooperation,
Dot Maver
President |
 NPA Open House
The National Peace Academy has an administrative home in Shelburne, Vermont! The NPA's new administrative office was celebrated on Sunday, September 26th with an Open House. Over forty people from across New England joined the NPA President, Dot Maver, Board Chair, Lou Ensel, and Director of Administration and Finance, Paula Guarnaccia, to mark the event. It was a joyous occasion landing the NPA Executive, Administrative, and Fund Development spheres in a physical location as NPA moves into a new year of activity to develop and expand peace infrastructures in the United States. |
| |
Peace and War Summit
NPA is partnering with the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University to bring together top scholars, veterans, military personnel, as well as business leaders, practitioners and representatives from non profit organizations at the 2010 International Peace and War Summit.
The summit will consist of seven different panels designed to facilitate new and diverse conversations relating to peace and war. The Summit themes will also be explored through poetry, play, musical concerts and two art exhibits as well as a Peace Pole dedication ceremony.
Join the National Peace Academy in Cleveland for this unique gathering on October 25-30, 2010.
More information and a complete schedule of events can be found here.
|
| |
| Peacebuilding Peacelearning Intensive Report
 The National Peace Academy's Peacebuilding Peacelearning Intensive (PPI) is intended to advance the development of the full spectrum of knowledge, skills and capacities of the peacebuilder - inner and outer, personal and professional. In doing so, it provides a holistic introduction to the theory and practice of peacebuilding and engages participants in cooperative learning experiences, including the preparation of a peacebuilding project proposal to take back to their communities.
The 2010 PPI was held August 1-7 on the campus of Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio. Of the 73 people who attended, 65 came from 22 U.S. states, and eight came from six countries in Africa, Asia, and South America. Also, 58 were registered participants and 15 comprised the edu-learner faculty. Click here to read the full report, which describes the context and intention of the PPI, the program design and actual unfolding in Wilmington, the participants and edu-learners who attended, and some of the project proposals that came out of the week-long program.
Information about PPI 2011 will be posted on our webpage soon. |
| |
International Institute on Peace Education Report 
The 2010 International Institute on Peace Education (IIPE) took place in Cartagena, Colombia, from July 11-17, 2010. The Institute was co-organized by the National Peace Academy (home of the IIPE secretariat) and Fundación Escuelas de Paz in partnership with the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID), the Colombian National Ministry of Education and a consortium of organizations invested in furthering peace education in Colombia.
The Institute gathered 65+ participants from more than 12 countries, with a majority coming from Colombia and Latin America. Participants included formal and non-formal educators, researchers, students, government officials, policy makers, and representatives of non-governmental organizations. Participants spent the week collaboratively exploring and exchanging best practices related to the theme of "Learning to Read the World from Multiple Perspectives: Peace Education toward Diversity and Inclusion."
Click here for a complete report of the 2010 IIPE. |
| |
NPA Courses Piloted at Case Western Reserve University
This semester, the National Peace Academy is working with the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University to offer two courses: Peacebuilding in the 21st Century and Nonviolent Approaches to Social Change. NPA's edu-learner faculty, Arthur Romano, an accomplished international educator and Rotary World Peace Fellow is the first National Peace Academy & Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence Teaching Fellow at Case Western Reserve University. These courses provide students with an opportunity to explore both theoretical frameworks for peacebuilding and inspiring stories of peacemakers and communities from around the world that have committed themselves to positive change. In this age of profound interconnectivity, these courses have generated a great deal of excitement and the design process was very much a collaborative affair as Arthur worked with NPA staff and friends and colleagues from Indonesia, Germany, India, Japan and that list is continually growing as we continue to receive support globally.
Please click here or contact Arthur to find out more about how you can join in the expanding conversation around peacebuilding. |
| |
BePeace Course
The National Peace Academy is sponsoring a 32-hour BePeace Foundations Course featuring Rita Marie Johnson of Rasur International. The course will be held in Charlotte, Vermont from Wednesday, November 16th through Saturday, November 20th. This course provides instruction in the BePeace Program which began in Costa Rica and is now coming to the United States. The National Peace Academy is assisting Rita Marie to bring the BePeace program to this country by offering the first BePeace Foundations Course to be held in New England. In the words of Rita Marie, "BePeace is the clearest 'how to' you will find for embodying peace" as it teaches participants to feel peace, speak peace, and then to teach peace.
Please click here for additional information about the course or contact Paula Guarnaccia at the National Peace Academy (802) 585-1672. The early registration deadline is October 17th so you will need to act quickly if you want to take advantage of the discount!
|
| |
|
