Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Peace Jam
Youth and Nobel Peace Laureates working together to change the world. What a powerful combination! That’s the vision of PeaceJam, an international, curriculum-based program that empowers youth and teaches them to be committed, capable agents of positive change for their communities and the world. Since 2002, Great Lakes PeaceJam (GLPJ), headquartered in Kalamazoo, MI, has brought this program to youth throughout Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. In 2010-11, 48 clubs in the region served more than 1,500 youth, 49% of whom self-identified as members of a racial minority, who designed and implemented over 50 distinct action projects in their communities. PeaceJam clubs have shown increases in community engagement, decreases in fighting, and increases in communication skills. In addition, nearly half of the clubs say PeaceJam has had a positive influence on youths’ decisions to pursue post-secondary education.
In April 2012, Greater Lakes PeaceJam held its 10th Anniversary Youth Conference in Kalamazoo, MI.
Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum
During the conference, youth explored issues of place, participation, and power working with Guatemalan Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú. They attended skill-building workshops, participated in structured reflection led by trained college-age volunteers, and together performed a large service-learning project as part of Global Youth Service Day.
Because many program participants in the Kalamazoo area come from low-income communities and low-income populations within more affluent communities, the $100 registration fee (which covers the cost of food for the weekend) is often out of reach. Seeding Change, the organization behind Great Lakes PeaceJam, requested $600 from Bread for the Journey of Southwest Michigan to cover the registration fee for six students. The BFJ chapter was very pleased to provide the requested funds, enabling six students in need to participate in this inspirational, capacity-building weekend.
