About Us
In This Section:
Founders' Message
During my 6 year tenure as Chair of the Friends of the United Nations, Kofi Annan’s first speech as Secretary General to the UN General Assembly and my close association with Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and former President of the Security Council, now a member of the Peacemaker Corps Board of Directors, made a profound impact on how I viewed the world. I was saddened by their assessment of the deplorable conditions and terror so many millions have to endure. I was challenged by their conviction that we have the power to make the world a better place. And I resolved to build an organization that would make a difference.
The Peacemaker Corps, a 501(c)(3) and NGO at the United Nations was created in 1997 to educate vulnerable youth in the principles of non-violent conflict resolution and civilized behavior in order to make our world more peaceful, tolerant, and safe. Many in the Public and Private sectors have supported our mission through the years. And for this we are grateful. The success we have had in transforming the lives of so many young people compels us to do more and more at a time when the need is greater than it has ever been.
From the beginning, we have endeavored to positively impact large numbers of vulnerable children and youth populations, as well as the communities in which they live. Our new alliance with Franklin/Covey, the internationally acclaimed leadership development and training firm, will enable Peacemakers to increase our capacity to deliver training through schools, community and faith-based channels many fold. A critical element of our “Leader and Peacemaker Project” will be Bullying Prevention & Resolution, as this problem affects millions of young people, particularly students of all races and classes. In addition to addressing physically violent bullying, solutions for solving verbal, emotional, abusive and cyber bullying will be taught.
The Peacemaker vision and core program is as relevant today as when we first began non-violent conflict resolution training in HUD facilities 12 years ago. However, we are assembling new vocabularies and interactive technologies to deliver programs online, and building social tools and networks to reach children and youths in ways that will resonate to make an immediate impact and alter the way they behave and achieve as adults.
We look forward to continuing our journey with familiar and new partners.
