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Showing posts from January, 2013

Let's Encourage the Whole World to Dance

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Delightfully cute - peppered with keen insight! "What if there really are two paths?  I want to be on the one that leads to awesome!" Let's encourage the Whole World to Dance! Toward eupan ~ ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

University Centers for Peacemaking

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Featuring the The Marquette University Center for Peacemaking . It is always good to have resource connections with other peace-making initiatives - and areas for learning and growth.  The Marquette University Center for Peacemaking "empowers the university and the wider community to explore together the necessary skills to become informed, spiritually-centered, nonviolent peacemakers. Rooted in the Ignatian charism, the center fosters an awakening to the holistic relationship of scholarship, spirituality, nonviolent living, and the active struggle for peace and justice." From their website - are numerous other links to religious based peace-making initiatives . And . . . Featuring the McMaster University Center for Peace Studies .   The Centre for Peace Studies at McMaster grew from the shared concern of scholars and physicians at McMaster about the dangers of the Cold War. This collaboration initially led to the introduction o

On the Common Good

A friend and person I admire has posted insights on Martin Luther King, Jr. - Ghandi - and God - shaping the Common Good.   The author John Franklin Hay is Associate Faculty, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indiana) in addition to being a Civic Community Leader & Christian Pastor. Among many other items, he notes: By and large,today’s leaders cannot lead toward common ground because they do not believe it exists and they do not believe it exists because they cannot believe or see beyond their own conceptions of God.  And: As we continue to make a secular assessment and take a non-religious approach to address terrorism, we foment it. Today’s most significant conflicts are religiously-based. When American leadership comes to deeply understand, truly respect, and act with high regard for the religion of Islam, Islamic fundamentalist-sourced terrorism will begin to be dried up. Gandhi and King, I believe, would hav

Training in Peacemaking

There are a number of ways that any person can develop skill, knowledge, & experience in work associated with peace-making.  Many Universities are developing study programs in Peace, and there are many co-related degrees that could be earned by peacemakers - programs in International Studies, Economics, Sociology, Religion, and Psychology would have overlapping concerns with peacemaking work. For persons looking for a unique approach to peacemaking studies where pursuing a Graduate Degree is not possible - there are a few options. I have commented on my praise for Rotary Peace Fellow programs in the past.  This can be part of an earned Master's Degree - or - a shorter term Professional Certificate from Chulalongkorn University from 3 months of intensive study in Southeast Asia. I've recently learned of this program, led by SIT (formerly, the School for International Training) and their Graduate Work program possibilities include the SIT Graduate Institute .  Amon

Interfaith Dialogue and Working for the Good for All

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RenĂ© Wadlow is a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, a representative to the United Nations, Geneva, of the Association of World Citizens. He authored a great piece for Fellowship of Reconciliation which gives a history of Interfaith (Inter-religious) Dialogue. It ends with these words:   Since 1893, interfaith discussions have increased, but many of the issues have remained the same: how to make religious thought relevant to the social-economic-political issues of the day. Can religious organizations play a useful role in the resolution of violent conflicts? It is important to build on past efforts, but many challenges remain. These challenges call for responses from a wide range of people and groups, motivated by good will to break down barriers and to reconcile women and men within the world community.  Toward eupan ~ ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

Land Mines - solutions working!

Land mines are horrible in many ways. They are effective for their purpose - in immoblizing, terrorizing, and maiming vehicles & persons - but none of this is good for building, collaborating, & sustaining fruitful life & charitable coexistence. Here's a developing cheap proto-type for safely detonating current land mines - toward making the world a better place. Toward eupan ~ ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

Be brave.

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If we all had the courage to be brave like Tommy Carroll, we could change the world for the good for all. "There's always a way to overcome an obstacle, if you really want it enough." Toward eupan ~ ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

Invention + Aid + Sustainability + Health Benefit = Inspirational New Product

On behalf of the Eupan Global Initiative , we've made a small contribution to the major crowdfunding effort related to the GravityLight! This link about the GravityLight   - is a superb example of how a few persons, using their skills & abilities - sought to tackle a problem - and have succeeded.  They're providing cheap, sustainable, non-polluting (environment & families) lighting - for potentially millions of persons the world over. If we can get persons to think, invent, collaborate & work towards helping others like this - the world will change for the good of all! Toward eupan ~ ~ marty alan michelson, ph.d.

Peace is Possible

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Several years ago we started the Eupan Global Initiative   as our  effort, emerging from Oklahoma City, to extend conversation & action toward peacemaking in our world. Alone, our work makes only a small dent in the world situation. And yet, we are not alone!!  And our combined work with others is changing the world! Over the years we have shared numerous ways that persons can be engaged in making the world better - through action, advocacy, & various forms of lifestyle.  Over the years we have partnered with others, and we'll continue to do so, in order to shape our world for the good extended to all - toward eupan !  [ eu is the Greek root for "good" and pan is the Greek word for "all" - eupan is about "the good for all!"] Together with others we are shaping our world to become better. At the start of a New Year - I believe more than ever that the world can be a better place.  More than ever I believe sustainable living that ext