National Peace Academy

Yippee! At long last, I am not a lone voice crying in the wilderness. There are others who take peace seriously—seriously enough to call for a National Peace Academy. It will be a place to investigate peace, to study peace, to learn to practice peace. And do we need it!

Here’s just a taste from their website. Their prose is below, my additions are in blue.

The Academy founders recognize that peace is serious business, requiring rigorous study and discipline. If done right, it will save America money and lives.

Yes, yes, yes! Peace does save money even if not always in the short-term. We all know that “war” makes for a strong economy, but at what long-term expense? Money and lives.

This is no walk in the park. Peace at all levels of society - from the backyard to the boardroom to the border and beyond - will require all hands on deck. Everyone is needed to make this kind of change possible.

Also, whilst there are pockets of peace all over the world, I’d rather fit the world into a pocket of peace. Let the whole world become peace-filled. The whole world—no exceptions. Backyard, boardroom, border as well as classrooms, court rooms and caucuses.

A consortium comprised of Case Western Reserve University, Peace Partnership International and The Biosophical Institue convened a Vision Meeting, held April 22-23, 2008, at Case, at which a process was launched to design and found a National Peace Academy. Vision Meeting attendees included educators, business leaders, armed services personnel, journalists, community representatives and policy-makers from around the world.

It has to be a consortium. Has to. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Thank you, Margaret Mead. You know, dear one, all good ideas start out as crazy ideas. The idea that there could be a place to study peace in our country is radical, magical and long overdue.

The objective of the National Peace Academy is to advance and support:

• Existing peace education and peace-building efforts


• The study of the phenomena of peace


• Research, program development, training, and education for professional and citizen practice of peace and peace-building


• A worldwide network of peace academies


• Structures and programs in government, military, business, and civil society for a culture of peace

I’m going to connect with them and recommend that an omnifaith spiritual component be a part of the curriculum.

A Global Stakeholder Summit is planned for early 2009 as part of an inclusive process to design the National Peace Academy.

You can be part of founding the National Peace Academy by clicking HERE and filling out the form (be sure to check the box for the National Peace Academy Fund). Peace Partnership International, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under U.S. tax laws, is acting as fiscal agent for the National Peace Academy consortium.

As Elise Boulding told the National Peace Academy vision/planning group, "This is the most important thing we can be doing right now."