Peace Pole Presentation at Newark Peace Summit, New Jersey-USA

May 13th-15th, 2011

The Temple of Understanding organized a workshop on Saturday, May 14 entitled Community Action as Education as part of this year’s Newark Peace Education Summit, which was held at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey, May 13-15, 2011. The overall theme for this year’s conference was peacemaking practices from around the world, featuring panels and workshops with His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Nobel Laureates and peace advocates from a wide cross section of cultures, disciplines and perspectives.

The summit explored the programs, policies, and methods used by communities to establish peace, why and how they work, and how to replicate them in America and around the world. The Temple of Understanding’s workshop was a multi-faceted demonstration of the power of nonviolence to heal wounds inflicted against women and the vulnerable. Presenters included keynote speaker Ibrahim Sharif, author L.Y. Marlow, the One Voice children’s choir, youth interns from the Temple of Understanding, and the wonderful students of George Anthony’s conflict resolution program at Susan E. Wagner High School – who always conclude their program with, “May Peace Prevail on Earth!”

Deborah Moldow gave a talk on the Peace Pole project as a powerful tool for healing communities, citing examples of the efforts of World Peace Prayer Society volunteer Peace Representatives. The Peace Pole graced the Summit lobby for the rest of the day, inspiring many photographs.