PEACE COMMUNITIES

Rotary Zones 33 & 34

In late 2020, an idea that Rotarians from Zones 33 & 34 could model how to make learning to be a peacebuilder widely accessible across their communities emerged. In April 2021, Youth & Peace in Action (YPA) was announced and endorsed by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). More than 20 Rotary Districts joined together as collective Founding Sponsor of YPA. Rotarians in D6860 (Alabama) and D6670 (Ohio) also joined in. Nearly 300 high schools and youth clubs/organizations joined in making Youth & Peace in Action the largest local youth peacebuilding initiative in the US and Caribbean.

YPA has two parts – separated for academics and action:

My Peacebuilder Foundations (MPF) is an interactive online course that students complete asynchronously for certification. Or, teachers can use a YPA toolkit to adapt exercises and classroom conversations to instructional needs and standards.
Leading Peace Project Teams (LPPT) is for student organization/club members who want to be part of live, virtual training and complete a peace project. It’s a leadership development and project management experience that can also result in certification.

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Lebanon

Lebanon historically holds a central role and place in the realities of conflict and hopes for regional peace in the region. Yet, Lebanon’s challenges are pronounced. The current situation is one of economic collapse and infrastructure free-fall. A large body of research indicates a persistent yearning, particularly among university students and young professionals, to not be victims of history.

In 2020-22, Build Peace. Be the Peace. NewGen Peacebuilders Lebanon brought together 100 students from universities and Districts across Lebanon funded by a Rotary Global Grant. Select students were also trained to facilitate smaller peace education workshops.

The momentum continues with development of an innovative replicable and scalable year-long program in Lebanon for young people ages 22 to 35. The goal: create a network of young influential bridgebuilders capable of and energized to work toward a more stable, peaceful, and resilient Lebanon that serves as a model for the positive impact of unity through diversity.

In 2020-21, NewGen Peacebuilders was awarded funding from Rotary District 6860 to support high school student participation in the first NGP cohort in Alabama. The program was titled NewGen Peacebuilders – Metro Birmingham 2021.

More than 100 high school students and mentors created local peace projects and became certified peacebuilders. A beautiful chain of events was set in motion. With sustained support of Rotary District 6860, the NewGen Peacebuilders program continues to be available in Alabama as part of Youth & Peace In Action (YPA), the largest local youth peacebuilding initiative in the US and Caribbean.

The next phase has been a year-long peacebuilding journey with 200+ students across all 8 high schools in Birmingham, AL. The program wraps - for now - with a celebratory in-person Youth Peace Conference in collaboration with the May 2023 International Peace Conference in Birmingham.

Birmingham, AL

The Philippines

Operation Brotherhood Montessori Center (OBMC) successfully completed a two-day Professional Development for Leading Peace Project Teams. Through this workshop, OBMC gained essential knowledge and skills to become effective peacebuilders and to guide 509 high school students in creating peace projects and positively impacting their communities.