Voyagers Community School Peace Conference
Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23
INAUGURAL PEACE CONFERENCE ENCOURAGES ATTENDEES TO
LIVE, THINK, PRACTICE PEACE
Voyagers’ Community School to Inspire Non-violent Activism, Promote Human Rights
During June Conference in Asbury Park
ASBURY PARK, NJ (April XX, 2012) – The Voyagers’ Community School, a preeminent and progressive learning institute based in Farmingdale, N.J., today announced plans to host an inaugural peace conference in Asbury Park on June 22 and 23. Aptly titled the Voyagers’ Peace Conference, the two-day event will raise awareness for non-violent solutions to issues that challenge our world, educational philosophies and environment.
The Friday and Saturday schedule will include prominent key note speakers that will inspire Peace Conference guests with opening and closing remarks. During the two-day conference, more than 20 cross-generational workshops will encourage open conversation towards prevalent issues that challenge our world. Workshop topics to be discussed include peace and conflict; food justice; human rights; self-awareness and transformation; youth and adult dialogue; democracy and peace education; and advocacy.
“The inaugural Voyagers’ Peace Conference will give non-violent activists of all ages an opportunity to unite and harness their energies towards the betterment of society. The conference will raise awareness for peaceful opportunities through progressive learning, and incite the peacemaker within each of us,” commented Karen M. Giuffré of the Voyagers’ Community School.
The Voyagers’ Peace Conference will happen from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Key note speakers will include:
Friday, June 22
- Opening address by Dr. Nel Noddings, author of Peace Education: How we come to both love and hate war.
- Endnote address by Zoe Weil, President and Founder of The Institute For Humane Education and author of Most Good, Least Harm: A simple principle for a better world and a meaningful life.
Saturday, June 23
- Opening address by Grandmother Flordemayo, a member of The International Council of the Thirteen Grandmothers.
- Endnote address by Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and author of Legacy of Love: My education in the path of nonviolence. Following years of daily lessons from his grandfather, Dr. Gandhi works internationally to perpetuate the philosophy of nonviolence. He employs constructive programs in villages throughout the world to raise the oppressed out of social and economic distress. He has been featured as guest speaker at numerous notable organizations, including the Chicago Children’s Museum; the Women’s Justice Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Young Presidents’ Organization in Mexico; the Trade Union Leaders’ Meeting in Milan; the Peace and Justice Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Monmouth University School of Social Work is a sponsor of the Voyagers’ Peace Conference. Tickets are priced on a sliding scale and available via Voyagers’ Peace Conference on Eventbrite. For more information about the Voyagers’ Community School, please visit www.VoyagersKids.com.
About the Voyagers’ Community School
Based in Farmingdale, New Jersey, the Voyagers’ Community School was founded more than eight years ago to teach traditional academics in non-traditional ways. The school implements the fundamental philosophies of John Dewey, Loris Malaguzzi, Maria Montessori, Sylvia Ashton-Warner and other prescient educators, to educate students from grades kindergarten through high school. Highly-qualified educators combine with the school’s advanced digital technology, progressive arts program, and state-of-the-art learning facilities to ensure the success of every child.
More info about the Voyagers Community School Peace ConferenceFree Minds, Free People
Free Minds, Free People is a national gathering, presented by the Education for Liberation Network, that brings together teachers, high school and college students, researchers, parents and community based activists/educators from across the country to build a movement to develop and promote education as a tool for liberation. The goal of the conference is to provide a forum for sharing knowledge, experiences and strategies to help disenfranchised communities understand and challenge the injustices they face. It takes place every other year. Our most recent event, Free Minds, Free People 2011 in Providence, RI, drew more than 700 people.
For those who were at the Houston conference in 2009, you may remember the amazing group of more than three dozen people from Salt Lake City, largely high school and college-age youth of color, who presented and participated in that conference. They are coming together to host the 2013 conference. Here is a message from the Salt Lake City team:
We are excited to host the Free Minds, Free People conference in Salt Lake City not only because we feel it will bring a great surge of enthusiasm to our activist community, but also because we will have the opportunity to show those outside of Utah why we choose to invest and build in this state. We know that the work we are all doing has great meaning and are very excited to see up-close what the rest of the FMFP family is working on throughout the country
