Student Peace Alliance Hosts First Annual National Conference
Nearly 300 youth gathered on the college campus to develop their peacebuilding and organizing skills, gain inspiration from experienced peace workers, share resources and join in partnership of their common goal: Our Generation Calls for Peace.
The youth, ages 14 -30, represented 35 states and over 80 schools. Until that time, there were 40 Student Peace Alliance chapters across the country. The hope was to enliven an increase in that number at the conclusion of the conference, spreading the movement.
Keynote speakers featured Nobel Peace Laureate Betty Williams and Arun Gandhi. Other presenters included leading experts in their fields of; gang and school violence prevention, prisoner rehabilitation, peace and conflict resolution education, international diplomacy and negotiation, international and domestic peacekeeping, arts and peace, economics of peace, nonviolent communication training and campus and community organizing. Our own NH Department of Peace campaign leader, Barbara Thorngren was among this list of highly experienced presenters.
It was exciting to witness a generation so sincere and willing to nurture the seeds of peace in the soil that has been tilled by the many of us who have come before them. In this, there is hope. Join us in supporting them when we can. They are our nation's future.
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