Arts & Culture

4 Peaceful Organizations Worth Supporting

By Tamar Fox / July 3, 2008

It may not seem like there’s much any of us can do to bring peace to even a relatively small corner of the world, but supporting world peace is as easy and concrete as drinking coffee or playing basketball. Here are four groups that not only work for peace, they also grow coffee, make yummy food, teach kids to play basketball, and bring young people together for a camp experience that includes conflict resolution exercises.

Mirembe Kawomera A coffee cooperative in Uganda that grows organic, kosher, fair trade coffee. The best part: The co-op is made up of Jewish, Muslim and Christian coffee farmers all working together. In Luganda, Mirembe Kawomera means Delicious Peace.
Peaceworks is a "not only for profit" company that makes healthy foods products produced by neighbors on opposing sides of political or armed conflicts. Plus, they donate 5% of all profits to groups working to empower the moderates in the Middle East who want a peaceful end to the war through a two-state solution.
PeacePlayers International Founded on the premise that “children who play together can learn to live together” PPI brings kids together to play basketball, which unites and educates young people in divided communities. Currently operating in Northern Ireland, South Africa, New Orleans, Cyprus, and the Middle East, they foster positive relationships for thousands of children, helping form positive relationships, develop leadership skills, and improve their futures.
Seeds of Peace Bringing kids together at a summer camp in Maine, and doing follow up programming in their home communities in the Middle East and South Asia, this program includes daily dialogue sessions, regular camp activities like arts, sports, and music, a ropes course, religious services for both Jews and Muslims, and a peer support program. When participants (called ‘Seeds’) go home, they attend more coexistence programs, and a conflict resolution and mediation training program.
   

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  • By Jonathan 7/8/08 at 9:04 a.m. UTC

    "that grows organic, kosher, fair trade coffee."

    How do you grow non-kosher coffee???

  • By eitan189 7/7/08 at 5:51 p.m. UTC

    On what basis do you accuse any of these organization of cultural imperialism? You couldn't be more off base.

     

  • By Anonymous 7/4/08 at 8:43 p.m. UTC

    Doesn't this concept smack us with an allegory to The White Man's Burden?

    Hopefully the organizations you describe have a more realistic understanding of the tasks they are faced with than did the cultural imperialists of yore.

  • By Roi Ben-Yehuda 7/4/08 at 9:52 a.m. UTC

    I used to work for Seeds Of Peace.  It is an amazing organization. Good find, wifey.  Looking forward to read more about the other ones.  

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