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Peacemakers Tea
Lately it seems like every time we turn on the television, read the newspaper or a magazine, or even as we log onto the internet, there is always some crisis unfolding or negative views being exposed throughout the world. All this distressing news makes me speculate just how much bad news sells a great deal better than good news or of something more positive taking place. With the thousands of jobless and homeless people owing to a major recession and bad economy worldwide in the past couple of years, the ongoing war in the Middle East and the deployment of thousands more troops to Afghanistan does not help the situation. Particularly when many of those soldiers being deployed are women…someone’s mother, daughter, sister, or aunt. God’s intent in the creation of women was for them to carry another human being nine months in their belly, not to be hauling machine guns, ammunition, grenades, or any other kind of injurious weapon anywhere on their body.
And thank God for women, many throughout the world are now coming together in making an effort for world peace. American, European, Latin, Middle Eastern…black, white, brown…Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, etc…a humble notion to know that race and religion sheds no chauvinism. The chief starter making this major impact to build a global “bridge” is none other than Peacemakers Incorporated (Peacemakers).
Founded by Vivian Anderson Castleberry, Peacemakers was incorporated in 1987. Ms. Castleberry is also the author of Daughters of Dallas and in 1957 she was the first female reporter of the Dallas Times Herald and served on the Editorial Staff. In addition, Ms. Castleberry was recently selected by Women’s eNews as one of the “21 Leaders of the 21st Century 2009” honorees. The awardees include Nobel Peace Prize winners, writers, journalists, and women's rights selected from around the world for their “demonstrated commitment to creating change on behalf of all women”, according to Women’s eNews Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Rita Haley Jensen,. The awards ceremony will be held in New York City on May 6, 2010. Since its inception, Peacemakers has hosted three international women’s peace conferences with over 1,400 delegates from 45 countries which included three Noble Peace Laureates. The last conference was held in Dallas, Texas in July 2007. For over two decades now, Peacemakers has adhered to its perspectives on peace with the foremost one being that “peace is the imperative for our world”. As Peacemakers held steadfast over the years in trying to make the world more peaceful to live in, the Castleberry Peace Institute (Institute) was established in October 2008.
Peacemakers had their end-of-the-year meeting (member “Tea”) in Dallas’ Lakewood area in December. Members expressed their thanks to the outgoing board members and welcomed the new. Gratitude was also expressed to the outgoing president, Dr. Nia MacKay laying emphasis on opening the doors to the Muslim Community particularly during these trying times with the ongoing war in the Middle East. Dr. MacKay also established the first Annual Peacemakers Luncheon. A round of applause was given to her successor and the new Peacemakers President for 2010, Dr. Virginia Trevizo-Wells. Present too was Dr. T. David Mason, Regents Professor of Political Science from the Department of Political Science at the University of North Texas (UNT) and a member of the Peacemakers Board of Directors. Dr. Mason came from Memphis, Tennessee to Texas in 2007 through a peace study program with a plan for UNT and a proposal to teach peace education in schools. UNT accommodates students in research and with a good collection of a peace proposal in hand, he believes this will give the students a reason to stay at UNT and continue their research given that “we do social studies research”, he said. When asked how he thought Peacemakers could partake with UNT’s goals, he said, “Peacemakers opened doors that we didn’t know existed”. He went on to say how UNT with the Institute alongside, they can get engaged in more projects to create peace around the world. The Institute was officially adopted by UNT in December 2009.
UNT now offers a peace studies program and at present is the only 4-year university in the South and Southwest Regions who offers this program. Dr. Jo-Ann Stankus, a Peacemaker member, will head the first class of First Women in Peace Around the World. The Institute will help support a curriculum teaching conflict resolution skills and tolerance to students of all ages as well. It will also provide an online worldwide network and directory of peacemakers, peace organizations, and a research center with resources on peace-related issues. Through communication, education, and leadership, the Institute’s strategy is to ultimately empower peacemakers locally and globally. An upcoming event in Spring 2010 includes the Grand Opening of the UNT Castleberry Peace Institute at UNT on the Square. The ambiance was filled with so much warmth, kindness, enthusiasm, and energy--- so peaceful. It ended with an aura of amiability. After all, as it was articulated throughout the meeting, “war is expensive…peace is priceless”.
And thank God for women, many throughout the world are now coming together in making an effort for world peace. American, European, Latin, Middle Eastern…black, white, brown…Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, etc…a humble notion to know that race and religion sheds no chauvinism. The chief starter making this major impact to build a global “bridge” is none other than Peacemakers Incorporated (Peacemakers).
Founded by Vivian Anderson Castleberry, Peacemakers was incorporated in 1987. Ms. Castleberry is also the author of Daughters of Dallas and in 1957 she was the first female reporter of the Dallas Times Herald and served on the Editorial Staff. In addition, Ms. Castleberry was recently selected by Women’s eNews as one of the “21 Leaders of the 21st Century 2009” honorees. The awardees include Nobel Peace Prize winners, writers, journalists, and women's rights selected from around the world for their “demonstrated commitment to creating change on behalf of all women”, according to Women’s eNews Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Rita Haley Jensen,. The awards ceremony will be held in New York City on May 6, 2010. Since its inception, Peacemakers has hosted three international women’s peace conferences with over 1,400 delegates from 45 countries which included three Noble Peace Laureates. The last conference was held in Dallas, Texas in July 2007. For over two decades now, Peacemakers has adhered to its perspectives on peace with the foremost one being that “peace is the imperative for our world”. As Peacemakers held steadfast over the years in trying to make the world more peaceful to live in, the Castleberry Peace Institute (Institute) was established in October 2008.
Peacemakers had their end-of-the-year meeting (member “Tea”) in Dallas’ Lakewood area in December. Members expressed their thanks to the outgoing board members and welcomed the new. Gratitude was also expressed to the outgoing president, Dr. Nia MacKay laying emphasis on opening the doors to the Muslim Community particularly during these trying times with the ongoing war in the Middle East. Dr. MacKay also established the first Annual Peacemakers Luncheon. A round of applause was given to her successor and the new Peacemakers President for 2010, Dr. Virginia Trevizo-Wells. Present too was Dr. T. David Mason, Regents Professor of Political Science from the Department of Political Science at the University of North Texas (UNT) and a member of the Peacemakers Board of Directors. Dr. Mason came from Memphis, Tennessee to Texas in 2007 through a peace study program with a plan for UNT and a proposal to teach peace education in schools. UNT accommodates students in research and with a good collection of a peace proposal in hand, he believes this will give the students a reason to stay at UNT and continue their research given that “we do social studies research”, he said. When asked how he thought Peacemakers could partake with UNT’s goals, he said, “Peacemakers opened doors that we didn’t know existed”. He went on to say how UNT with the Institute alongside, they can get engaged in more projects to create peace around the world. The Institute was officially adopted by UNT in December 2009.
UNT now offers a peace studies program and at present is the only 4-year university in the South and Southwest Regions who offers this program. Dr. Jo-Ann Stankus, a Peacemaker member, will head the first class of First Women in Peace Around the World. The Institute will help support a curriculum teaching conflict resolution skills and tolerance to students of all ages as well. It will also provide an online worldwide network and directory of peacemakers, peace organizations, and a research center with resources on peace-related issues. Through communication, education, and leadership, the Institute’s strategy is to ultimately empower peacemakers locally and globally. An upcoming event in Spring 2010 includes the Grand Opening of the UNT Castleberry Peace Institute at UNT on the Square. The ambiance was filled with so much warmth, kindness, enthusiasm, and energy--- so peaceful. It ended with an aura of amiability. After all, as it was articulated throughout the meeting, “war is expensive…peace is priceless”.
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