Imagine a City that is vibrating with the spirit of cooperation! Imagine that in a few years from now, this will be true: The thought leaders of the community from grassroots peace, environmental and justice groups, Lane Interfaith Alliance, Human Rights Commission, the University, the hospitals, the police, the Chamber of Commerce, and City Council have been meeting for months in conversations that connect with the youth, the elderly, the gays and transgenders, the veterans, the Latinos, the Asians, and Native and African-Americans, using Appreciative Inquiry, World Café, and other peacelearning practices to define commonly held values and principles. Imagine that from these conversations we develop a stated united purpose and definition of a City of Peace that will be fully funded and supported in public/private partnership to provide experiences that transform every neighborhood of the City, giving voice to the voiceless, tools of self-assessment and right relationship, whereby every child and every adult is unafraid to be seen for who they truly are and are welcoming to all with joy and gratitude for the vitality of the place that Eugene occupies in the ecosystem of this planet and this Universe. We're going to make peace fun by putting it in the hands of the people! How to build a City of Peace - beginning thoughtsIf you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
1. Release all expectations. The less fixed your ideas about what it's supposed to look like or how to get there or how soon, the more able you will be to recognize resources as they arise. This is a multi-year experiment, one step at a time, and may require re-starting the process several times.
2. Regard everyone as a resource, because everyone in the city is a
stakeholder, and no matter their level of involvement, they each have a
unique contribution to make. Peace is about inclusiveness. 3. Focus on the process, not the result. In order to empower citizens to take action, create connection that is heart-to-heart, face-to-face, and create an abundance of time and space for conversation to occur. Encourage listening and empathy skills. Build the common story of what's valued. 4. Create a movement, not a campaign. Don't take positions, make declarations, become institutionalized, or issue-focused. This is about maintaining a vision and hope of what is possible, not about policies or politics. Focus on strengths and positive assets, and they will become stronger. Featured Link Microfinance | Sign up for the periodic newsletter that can keep you informed on the steps we are taking to inspire, educate, and create peace right here at home! The "Join" link is in the upper right corner. If you have any difficulty, e-mail David at davidhazen@boxbe.com  8.5" x 1.5" stickers now available, $1 each or 3 for $2! To order, e-mail David at davidhazen@boxbe.com Read the Peace is Sexy poem! |
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David Cooperrider: "Every global issue is a business opportunity...90% of our business activities originates in cities... when thinking about changing entire systems, a city is something you can get your arms around." -- David Cooperrider developed the methodology for organizational renewal known as Appreciative Inquiry.
"The "City of Peace" is more than an intention, it is a collaborative journey into the heart of understanding; to dismantle the root causes of violence, so that all may prosper as we build the 'City of Peace'."
--- Paul Simon
"Building peace means living it, noticing it, and encouraging it. I often think it would be good to have people writing letters to the editor frequently, opinion pieces, or getting on radio programs, pointing out acts of kindness, peaceful responses, and efforts to better work with and connect to those we often disagree with. These are all part of building a City of Peace. All the best." -- Kitty Piercy, Mayor of Eugene