Peace Jam
PeaceJam UK is part of an international youth movement led by Nobel Peace Prize winners.
PeaceJam UK is an exciting and innovative international peace education programme for schools and youth groups in the UK. It is built on a pyramid of three simple ideas: Inspiration, Education, Action! It is the only education programme devised by and involving leading Nobel Peace Laureates who work personally with young people to pass on their spirit, skills and wisdom, tackling issues ranging from violence, racism and conflict to educate and inspire a new generation of peace-makers to take action in youth-led Global Call to Action (GCA) projects!
The Birth of PeaceJam
Ivan Suvanjieff, an artist and musician, had been talking with some gang members in North Denver, USA, 1996, when he discovered that these young men with guns greatly admired Archbishop Desmond Tutu for his non-violent efforts toward social change. He then realised that Nobel Peace Laureates could act as alternative role models for disaffected young people. Colleague, Dawn Engle, helped him contact the Dalai Lama, whom she had met during her years of work for the U.S. Congress. His Holiness loved their idea and helped them set up PeaceJam as a vehicle to enable his fellow Laureates to teach young people the art of peace. PeaceJam UK is student-led and has been running strong at the University of Bradford since 2006.
PeaceJam UK
Our VISION: To inspire and empower young people to take positive action as champions for peace and human rights for all.
Our MISSION: To engage in and develop relevant reciprocal partnerships and networks in order to:
- Provide opportunities to meet with Nobel Peace Laureates and other inspirational alternative role models;
- Provide resources and training to youth leaders, student mentors, volunteers, teachers and young people;
- Inspire young people to undertake social change projects linked to the Global Call to Action (GCA).
PeaceJam UK increases young people's awareness about global issues around violence, war, and peace, and develops their leadership capacity to bring about more peace in their schools, local communities and the world.
PeaceJam UK inspires young people aged 13-18 to:
- Become a new generation of peacemakers.
- Transform yourselves, local communities, and the world.
- Choose non-violent solutions to problems.
- Be active global citizens
How it Works
INSPIRATION: Every March a different Nobel Peace Laureate spends a weekend of debate and activity at the University of Bradford with young people from West Yorkshire and around the UK, assisted by our volunteers and student mentors - key to the whole process. At the PeaceJam UK Conference youth groups are split into Family Groups, led by student mentors, you get an amazing opportunity to listen to an inspirational speech given by a Nobel Peace Laureate, be involved in Q&A time, take part in co-operative activities, and participate in workshops, community service projects, entertainment and the candle-lighting ceremony of inspiration!
EDUCATION: The PeaceJam Slam in November is a great taster for those new to PeaceJam UK to find out more and get involved in a day of workshops. We offer support and training for youth leaders and teachers. At the Slam each PeaceJam UK group will be given curriculum materials around peace and non-violence to learn about a particular Nobel Peace Laureate, their life and work, and historical and cultural background throughout the school year or in youth clubs.
ACTION: PeaceJam UK demonstrates the importance of service to the community through hands-on volunteering work. You can set up a PeaceJam group, take part in youth-led GCA social change projects and launch your Peace Plan at the Conference in March! You will make new friends and you can upload your GCA projects and meet youth peace-makers all over the world on the website www.peacejam.org.
The Global Call to Action! (GCA)
Ten Years - One Billion Acts of Peace!
A challenge to the youth of the world to solve the problems of our time!
PeaceJam's Global Call to Action (GCA) is an international movement of young people who have decided to work together to solve the most pressing issues of our time. On September 16th 2006, 10 Nobel Peace Laureates, gathered in Denver, Colorado. It was the largest gathering of Nobel Peace prize winners in U.S history. The call to action was issued by 10 leading Nobel Laureates who have identified ten problems that are at the root of much of the world's suffering.
Over the next ten years PeaceJam, with the support of the Nobel Peace Laureates, aims to engage young people on a massive level, working toward the creation of ONE BILLION acts of service and peace.
The Global Call to Action Issues:
- Access to water and other natural resources
- Ending Racism and Hate
- Halting the Spread of Global Disease
- Eliminating Extreme Poverty
- Social Justice and Human Rights for All
- Rights for Women and Children, and their Role as Leaders
- Restoring Earth's Environment
- Controlling the Proliferation of Weapons
- Investing in human security
- Breaking the Cycle of Violence
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ANNUAL NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE LECTURE
Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel
will speak on
‘Challenges to Human Rights in the 21st century’
Friday 27 April, 5pm Norcroft Centre, University of Bradford*
Doors open from 4pm
*Free tickets are available at http://www.sutickets.com/event/158438
Only a few tickets will be available on the door
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel was active as a Christian pacifist and advocate for
the poor when he spoke out against the Argentine military junta that took
power in 1976 and against which Britain found itself at war in the
Falklands/Malvinas islands 30 years ago. He was imprisoned and tortured
until released following an Amnesty International campaign.
Adolfo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980 for his leadership in
campaigning for human rights and democracy in Latin America. Today, he
supports groups trying to uncover the truth about the crimes of the
dictatorship in Argentina, to bring justice to their families, and to locate
the children of the ‘disappeared’ and reunite them with their biological
families. A former professor of architecture, he is also a talented sculptor
and artist. He recently urged the UK government to enter into ‘dialogue’
about the Falklands/Malvinas.
This lecture forms part of the PeaceJam project, where young people work
with Nobel Peace Prize winners to become effective peacemakers themselves.
For more information see: <http://www.peacejam.org.uk> www.peacejam.org.uk