Summit aims to promote nonviolence
By Ryan Chalk
Article Launched: 08/31/2008
One Community: No hate, no violence.
That is the theme for a major youth nonviolence summit planned for January of 2009.
PeaceJam Solano is spearheading the Solano County Coalition to Eliminate Racism and Hate, a group of members throughout the community, including local law enforcement, school officials, clergy and businesses working together in an effort to eliminate racism and hate in Solano County.
"I believe personally that racism and hate play a much larger part in youth crime and violence," said Sherilyn Henry, president of PeaceJam Solano. "We're addressing this throughout the county."
Organizers are working hard in the planning stages to hold the event in Fairfield, with a tentative date of Jan. 10.
Henry envisions a huge "Martin Luther King, Jr.-like" march starting at Fairfield High School and moving its way down North Texas Street, ending at Armijo High School.
From there, the summit would take shape with activities throughout the day. Events such as panel discussions from violence prevention experts, discussions groups led by the youth, a 'peace picnic' and concert will be held as well as opportunities for families to interact, all with the goal of identifying and drafting solutions to local violence.
"We invite everyone in our community who have a heart for youth and who want to be part of an event for non-violence," added Henry.
The planning process is moving forward quickly, according to Henry. Organizers will be holding planning meetings on the second Monday of the each month with the next scheduled meeting set for Monday, Sept. 8 at the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District Office in room 319.
The 6 p.m. meeting is open to anyone who would like to get involved with the summit or would just like to learn more about PeaceJam Solano, according to Henry.
PeaceJam Solano grew out of the internationally recognized PeaceJam Foundation, which was founded in 2006 by 12 Nobel Peace Prize winners including The Dalai Lama.
According to Henry, PeaceJam Solano was the first chapter to grow out of the foundation, and it developed a model that is now being duplicated not only across the country, but also worldwide.
One of the goals of PeaceJam Solano is to provide youth the tools to deal with conflict.
"When the youth really believe they can make a difference, miracles can happen," said Henry.
For more information about the summit, contact PeaceJam Solano President Sherilyn Henry at 208-0853, or E-mail Sherilyn@PeaceJamSolano.org.
The youth need to be inspired in order to become caring and thoughtful citizens, according to Henry, "and I think PeaceJam can provide that."
PeaceJam Solano and The Coalition are working together make sure the nonviolence summit has an impact on the youth.
We would really like to see our youth move from coping alone with this environment of violence,"
2008 PeaceJam Peace Contest Begins – don’t wait to enter!
All Solano County Youth, Ages 5 - 18 are invited to
enter!
Entry
forms and rules are available at
www.PeaceJamSolano.org
Entries are accepted
now
through 5:00 PM on Friday October 17,
2008
The
Solano Peace Contest, a program of Youth Peace
Initiative (YPI) is a county-wide event. This year we
are pleased that the Peace Contest is co-sponsored by
the United Way of the Bay Area. This will be the
third year of the Solano Peace Contest. In previous
years, when the contest was limited to high school
youth, we had entries from 12 different high schools
in the county, representing six of the seven public
school districts, and several entries from
incarcerated youth in the Juvenile Detention
Facility. We believe that expanding the ages to
include elementary and middle school youth will
greatly increase the interest in the community (both
youth and parents) and will bring more awareness of
the contest and how we each can contribute to peace
in our community. We anticipate receiving 500 student
entries.
We believe that students (and their parents) will be
positively impacted by reflecting on the personal
nature of the contest. Their entries must address
either question: 1) “What does peace mean to
you?” or “How can you contribute to peace
in our community?” Self-esteem and confidence
are increased when students see their work on public
display; their efforts are celebrated; and they are
exposed to a larger community of caring, peace-minded
people.
Adults in the county are impacted by: 1) greater
awareness of their personal responsibilities to be a
peacemaker in our communities; 2) self-reflecting on
how (and if) they are modeling personal peace
behaviors; 3) supporting the youths’
involvement in the Peace Contest; and 4) witnessing
the deeply moving student Peace Contest entries.
Distribution of the 2009 Peace Calendar will extend
the positive influences of the event throughout the
coming year.
The Topic:
“What does Peace mean to YOU” and/or
“How can YOU contribute to PEACE in our
community?”
Three
Categories
are available for each age group: 5 – 10, 11
– 13, 14 - 18
Literature: Essay & Poetry ~ up to 150 words
Poster art ~ up to 9 x 12 inch size
Multi-media: Music & Film
Cash
prizes will be awarded for each category – 27
prizes &
$3,375
in all!
Elementary School (Ages 5 – 10):
First Place Winners: $100
Second Place Winners: $50
Third Place Winners: $25
Middle
School (Ages 11 – 13): First Place Winners:
$200
Second Place Winners: $100
Third Place Winners: $50
High
School (Ages 14 – 18): First Place Winners:
$300
Second Place Winners: $200
Third Place Winners: $100
Selected
entries will be featured in a 2009 PeaceJam Calendar
How
to Enter:
Go to www.PeaceJamSolano.org and download the Peace
Contest Entry Form and Guidelines. Students may enter
each category one time, but
a separate entry form with parental permission
must accompany each entry.
Mail or deliver entry with signed (parent and youth)
entry form (preferably in a manila envelope)
to
Youth Peace Initiative,
California Business Center, 1652 West Texas Street,
#248, Fairfield, 94533.
Entries
must be postmarked by October 17, 2008 ~ no
exceptions
Winners
will be announced at the
PeaceJam Awards Dinner
on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at the Fairfield
Community Center, Willow Hall, 6 – 8:30 PM. All
contest entries will be on display. SAVE THE DATE and
get your dinner tickets now.
Dinner
tickets
for this exciting PeaceJam Peace Contest Awards
Banquet on November 8, 2008 are free for student
entrants 9 and under; $5.00 for all other students 18
and under; $15 for one parent per student entrant;
and $25.00 for all other adults (including second
parent). Donations and dinner tickets may be
purchased by calling Peace Contest Chair, Jennifer
Darcangelo at 707-427-6536 or emailing at
jdarc623@yahoo.com
Judging:
The Peace Contest entries will be judged by a
distinguished panel of multi-cultural
judges.