Founder Message
by Carole Sumner Krechman
Tolerance & Diversity Training
In 2002 I established The Peacemaker Corps, a 501(c)(3) and NGO at the United Nations 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 I am grateful. The success Peacemaker Corps has had in transforming the lives of so many young people compels me to do more and more at a time when the need is greater than it has ever been.
Community Organizing
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. We have established alliances with HUD to help create and deliver our core workshop; with Franklin/Covey, the internationally acclaimed leadership development and training firm that enabled Peacemakers to increase our capacity to deliver training through schools and community and faith-based channels. A critical element of our “Leader and Peacemaker Project” was 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, we discuss solutions for solving verbal, emotional, abusive and cyber bullying is part of the curriculum.
Issues in Youth Violence
The Peacemaker Corps vision and core program is as relevant today as when we first began non-violent conflict resolution training in HUD facilities 17 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. Three years ago Peacemaker Corps launched the Peace in the Streets Global Film Festival. We use the internet, social media and a web of youth organizations, educational institutions, and several United Nations agencies as partners to spread the word about the festival, which now reaches every corner of the world. Our goal of using technology to reach our audience will be expanded this spring as we launch our companion mobile video broadcast app as the final component of our film festival acceptance and deliver model. We now have the capabilities to reach millions of youths and teach them to become film makers. By telling their stories privately to the world and providing them the bully pulpit of the United Nations we can positively influence both the film maker and the film watcher.
Mentoring
For this body of work I received the Purpose Prize Fellowship in 2008. I am privileged to be involved with 450 other exceptional seniors who have been so honored as this prize enters its 2nd decade. .