Peace in their own words...

Where Peace Lives attends Youth Convention at the United Nations in New York
From the Ghandi-King Season of Non-violence Conference

Click here for Photos from the United Nations Event

"Since the day I was born", says Jon, "my parents always told me 'Our generation screwed up this world, and your generation is going to fix it.' I've heard it about a million times since then and after hearing it so many times I became desensitized to the idea. I became very accustomed to the thinking that my generation was no different. We're just as greedy, selfish, ignorant, and pugnacious as all the countless generations before us. What could we possibly change? What's so great about us?

Then I started working on this mural. During the brainstorming process I had the privilege of hearing what my peers had to say concerning the state of the world, and how they thought the world should be. Hearing the relentless optimism of my fellow students gave me a new perspective. Sure, making a difference isn't going to be easy, but hey, why not? There's nothing stopping us.

The two canvases of our mural depict the world as we see it, and the world as we feel it should be — the problem and the rectified scenario. However, this mural is unfinished; do you see it? Right there, between the two. That's where the solution goes. It's not finished because it's a project that we as humanity are continuously working to paint. As the future scientists, educators, architects, artists, and politicians, we the youth add a little more to that canvas everyday. It's a daunting task, but it's not beyond the realm of possibilities.

My parents told me that my generation was going to fix the world. Before this I didn't believe it, but I think I can call myself an optimist again, and can safely say that I'm looking with great anticipation toward the future that my peers and I are going to create."

Claire Masteller's shares with hundreds of students at the United Nations, March 16th, 2007 for the Ghandi-King Season of Non-violence Youth Conference

"It is often said a picture is worth a thousand words", says Claire Masteller. "A picture is something universal that everyone around the world can understand. It has the ability to bridge the gaps between different races, religions, languages, and cultures. The Where Peace Lives Mural Exchange utilizes art as a medium to communicate peace. In a world full of so much turmoil and unrest, the discussion of peace is always open for new views and ideas. For years we have spoken of peace, but this project allows us to express ourselves in a new way that people all over the world can relate to. By taking our visions of peace and transforming them into concrete images we are able to communicate with others through the universal language of art.

Coming from Communications High School we have been taught to communicate through not only words but also images. So, when I first heard about the project I thought what better message to communicate than that of peace? This project was a great way to put all of our schooling to use in order to truly make an impact and create a positive change in the world by opening the eyes of many others to important world issues. This project will truly help the youth of the world to build bridges to universal peace.

As we worked to complete this project it became more than just a mural. With each hour devoted to it, and with each brushstroke we each put a part of ourselves into the mural. It was not just an image on a canvas anymore, it was so much more. It was a possibility, it was a future. The mural helped open our eyes to the world and to what the world could be.

We made the mural to make an impact, and in turn, it made an impact on us. It showed us that we were what the world needed to change. It showed us that peace truly lives inside us."

Communications High School, Wall, NJ

"Painting the mural showed all of us how peace is achieved. Even though we didn't always agree, we learned to compromise and in turn, we created peace between each other. " — Alexa Squillaro

"Sometimes, I still like to close my eyes and pretend that we had never finished painting the mural —For that, my friends, is an experience that I will not soon forget. " — Skippy Smith

"Aside from having a great time and getting in touch with an artistic side of myself that I rarely get to see, what I really feel that I am taking away from the mural project is a true idea of progress. We often worry so much about the details in life that it becomes difficult to keep the big picture in mind, but in this mural, every little detail, every little stroke of the paintrbush, was a step in the right direction. " — Shina Alads

"Working on this mural taught all of us that people with different ideas can come together and move toward peace. " — Samantha Jasanovsky

Indiana Elementary School in Indiana, Peru along the Amazon river
completes beautiful vision of peace in 2007.
Click the mural below to see a larger view.

THE PEACEMAKERS SCHOOL - Conerly Road Elementary School, Somerset, NJ

"Working on the mural was a big thing for me because it made me feel happy and it explains what peace is." — Jasmine Blades, Grade 3

"Working on the mural made me feel joyful seeing big and small working together, it made me feel peace." — Shannon Lauder, Grade 3

"When I was working on the mural it felt like I was helping someone so I feel happy for when were giving our mural to someone else so they know what peace is to us." — Kyra Erel, Grade 3

"I think the mural helped bring out the peace in everyone." — David Earley, Grade 4

"Working on the mural made me feel happy because I got to be part of something big, and it was like seeing what peace means." — Michael Velez, Grade 4

"Working on the mural project made me feel very peaceful and happy. It made me happy and peaceful because I got to be with my friends and I got to learn how to make a mural." — Alayna Fuller, Grade 4

"Working on the mural made me feel happy because I was part of a very big thing with peace and love." — Emily Riha, Grade 3

"Working on the mural made me happy. I liked doing it because it was fun and everyone was able to do it."— Juliana Kosty, Grade 3

Where Peace Lives travels to Suez, Egypt to work with special needs students at the El Safaa Society for Special Needs Children in May 2007

Click mural for larger view.

The experience went way beyond being honored guests into this diverse Muslim community, it was the experience of being a family. It was an opportunity to begin creating a new conversation and dialogue for what is possible for our global family to live and work with one another in peace. Peru and Greece will be the next mural programs to begin internationally this year.

Click here to see photos from the May 2007 visit to Suez.

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SIMBA FRIENDS in Ghana, West Africa

Hello Donna and Jeffrey,
Greetings to you and hope that all is well. We are glad to inform you that the project has successfully been started and we have currently completed a couple of activities preparing the participants for their final mural work. Please find attached pictures of some of our first level of activity. The school that is approved by the Ministry of Education of Ghana to host this project on the premises is ASHONGMAN ESTATE DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL and the participants are in Grade 5 and 6 respectively with ages ranging from 10 - 13. Thanks and all the best.

Regards,
Adonis N. Quainoo
Executive Director
Simba Youth Club
Accra, Ghana.

Participants doing some cutting on What's Not Peaceful to them.	Participants working the What's Peaceful and What's Not.
Participants showcasing their peace of work on what's peaceful to them.
Participants with Collages on what's peaceful to them.
A Participant trying to draw what she has imagine on what's not peaceful to her.

The Monmouth County Teen Arts Festival — March 15-16, 2007
The event was sponsored by the Monmouth County Arts Council (MCAC) of New Jersey — Brookdale College Campus

Where Peace Lives created a peace mural with teens at this years annual arts festival in
Tinton Falls, New Jersey, Monmouth County presented by MCAC.

Click here to see all the photos from the event.