Following September 11, 2001 my daughter used her savings to launch an international peace program called the Peace Diaries in classrooms in twelve countries including Argentina, Azerbaijan, Chile, Ghana, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Russian Federation, Sierra Leone, Taiwan, South Africa and the United States.
Many children and adults question the motives for the senseless killings
that occur throughout the world. Determined to make a difference for all
children, my daughter and her friend Diana Moy launched the Peace Diaries in January 2002. In just eight months time, Karen and Diana developed a Web site and lesson units, recruited and trained teachers, collected essays and artwork, published a 300-page book of the students’ work and produced a radio program for broadcast during the World Summit for Sustainable Development. In November 2002, Karen and Diana launched Peace Diaries Volume II: Cultivating Peace. This second volume of student work will be published in March 2003.
The Peace Diaries Project enables children everywhere – in tough inner-city neighborhoods, in the suburbs and in war torn nations – to connect and learn about each other through dialogue and essay writing on topics of culture, human rights, diversity, tolerance and peace. The students' work is published on the Peace Diaries Web site at www.peacediaries.org and each student who participates receives a book of their collaborative work.
My daughter is not a wealthy person, just a dedicated hard worker with a
vision for a better world for all children. Although Karen applied for and received funding from two foundations for the Peace Diaries program, she used her own savings to supplement the cost of developing and running the program. She says that the Peace Diaries has brought her the most difficult challenges of her life and the greatest rewards.
Karen had no formal education in peace work and took out loans and
returned to school to learn how to (in her words) “do it right for the
people who believe in her.” Her efforts have inspired others to help and
she has the blessings of many as she continues to expand the program.
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