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Home , 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, David Trimble, John Hume, Kailash Satyarthi, Martti Ahtisaari, Mohamed ElBaradei

First Presbyterian Church FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH * 204 WEST PRAIRIE * Peace Notes DECATUR, ILLINOIS 62523-1295

Focus on Peacemakers

This issue celebrates individual peacemakers near and far. On each page you’ll find:  An essay written by a member of the Peacemaking Committee about a remarkable person of peace, many of whom may be new to you.  An introduction to the local Decatur Public School students who were named Peacemakers by their schools this year. Thanks to Connie Requarth for compiling these.  Descriptions of winners over the past three decades, compiled by Craig Mandernach.

Tawakkol Karman The Peacemaker Awards, 2017

By Sandy Peterson By Connie Requarth

Tawakkol Karman, at the age of 32, was presented As we look at leaders who have striven to the “in bring peace around the world, we also want to recognition of her work in non- acknowledge some of our younger and local Peacemakers. violent struggle for the safety of In our 9th year of giving these awards, First women and women’s rights to Presbyterian’s Peacemaking Committee full participation in recognized 10 Peacemakers at eight Decatur peacebuilding work in .” public schools. We collaborate with both She was the first Yemeni, the Central Christian Church’s Peace and Justice Committee and First United Methodist’s Mission second Muslim woman, and the Committee. youngest recipient overall to Each student received a certificate, an date to receive that award. engraved medallion and a $50 gift card. “A journalist by profession and human rights Plaques located prominently in each school activist by nature, Tawakkol responded to the political were updated with the newest awardees’ names. Teachers and school staff made the instability and human rights abuses in Yemen by comments about the honored students. mobilizing others and reporting on injustices. In 2005, Please see more about these accomplished she founded the organization Women Journalists students in the display case in the Gathering without Chains which advocates for rights and Room. freedoms and provides media skills to journalists. In addition, the organization produces regular reports on human rights abuses in Yemen,” particularly those Nobel Peace Prize Awards that targeted journalists. From 2007 to 2011, Tawakkol organized weekly By Craig Mandernach protests in Yemen’s capitol city, targeting “systemic government repression,” corruption, and injustice. In The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 97 2011, she redirected her efforts towards supporting times to 130 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and the movement, even speaking in person 2016, to 104 individuals and 26 organizations. with Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon Since the International Committee of the Red and organizing rallies at the UN headquarters in New Cross has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize York City. three times (in 1917, 1944 and 1963), and the She is known among her peers in the opposition Office of the United Nations High Commissioner movement as “mother of the revolution” and “the iron for Refugees has been awarded the Nobel Peace woman.” Tawakkol declares, “You have to be strong; Prize two times (in 1954 and 1981), 23 separate you have to trust yourself that you can build a new organizations have been awarded the Nobel country. You have to know you have the ability to Peace Prize. If you receive the email edition, you achieve your dream.” can click on the links to get more information about the prize recipients. (Quoted Source: nobelwomensinitiative.org)

Peace Notes is distributed three or four times a year by the Peacemaking Committee of First Presbyterian Church. Its articles are intended to be thought-provoking and consciousness-raising, as well as informative about peacemaking efforts of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and First Presbyterian Church. Viewpoints expressed do not necessarily reflect positions of the Presbyterian

Church (U.S.A.) or our local congregation. Thanks to all who contributed to this issue.

Peace Notes First Presbyterian Church Summer 2017

The Peacemaker Awards, 2017

Palwasha Kakar Terrence Tally, Thomas Jefferson By Phyllis McPherron Middle School

Palwasha Kakar “Terrence has demonstrated exemplary serves as a deputy leadership abilities amongst his peers. He minister in the interacts with other students through his great Ministry of Women’s capacity for positivity, and is motivated by the Affairs for the satisfaction of doing the right thing.” government of Terrence visited First Pres on June 11 with . She was his mother and brother (pictured below with previously program Connie Requarth and Craig Mandernach). manager of a regional office of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission working toward the protection, promotion, and defense of the rights of the Afghan people, particularly women. She was born in eastern Afghanistan, educated at Kabul University and became a teacher. Her family was displaced during much of the 1980’s and 1990’s due to Soviet occupation and fighting among the Mujahedeen. When public teaching became impossible, she joined UNICEF and worked as a social trainer. She created the The Nobel Peace Prize 2016: only home school for girls in the Eastern Zone of conflict under the Taliban. Her “for his resolute efforts to bring the country's more family was later forced into exile in than 50-year-long civil war to an end” Pakistan. The Nobel Peace Prize 2015 When she returned in 2001, she created National Dialogue Quartet the first council of women in the city of “for its decisive contribution to the building of a Heart. She served as a women’s rights pluralistic in Tunisia in the wake of the officer, documenting human rights Jasmine Revolution of 2011” violations and calling on the government of The Nobel Peace Prize 2014 Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents and and international forces to respect and uphold “for their struggle against the suppression of children the rights of Afghan citizens. and young people and for the right of all children to ” In her present position, Kakar continues to challenge patriarchal norms and ensure The Nobel Peace Prize 2013 the rights of Afghan women in Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical governmental policy. Her work to lift up the Weapons (OPCW) “for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical voices of women, often in remote regions weapons” of the country, placed her in life- threatening situations. She continues to The Nobel Peace Prize 2012 work toward the creation of environments (EU) that offer women a reprieve from “for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human discrimination and violence. rights in Europe” Palwasha Kakar was a Woman Peacemaker in 2006. The Nobel Peace Prize 2011 , , and Tawakkol Karman “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work”

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Peace Notes First Presbyterian Church Summer 2017

The Nobel Peace Prize 2010 “for his long and non-violent struggle for Julia Esquivel fundamental human rights in China” By Jean Wollenberg The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 Barack H. Obama Ms. Julia Esquivel, born in 1930, is a “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between Guatemalan poet, theologian, and peace activist. peoples” Ms. Esquivel lived in exile from her country for nearly a decade as a result of her work on behalf The Nobel Peace Prize 2008 of justice for indigenous Mayan people. The region in Central America where Julia is from has “for his important efforts, on several continents and seen as much civil unrest in the twentieth century over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts” as any place on the globe. As her native Guatemala The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 endured nearly 30 years of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change catastrophic political violence (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. under the rule of a series of “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to dictators, Esquivel watched as lay the foundations for the measures that are needed thousands and thousands of to counteract such change” Maya, Quichez and other indigenous groups were The Nobel Peace Prize 2006 savagely murdered. and “for their efforts to create economic and social Against this bloody backdrop, development from below” Esquivel played the role of activist, poet, and minister. The Nobel Peace Prize 2005 She stood as a witness to God’s justice and International Atomic Energy Agency compassion, and acted as a healer amidst a land (IAEA) and Mohamed ElBaradei “for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from of suffering. As a result of her work on behalf of being used for military purposes and to ensure that the poorer and oppressed people in Guatemala nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the she was threatened and harassed by police and safest possible way” army forces for many years, and she narrowly escaped kidnapping, arrest, and assassination. Finally, in 1980 she was forced to go into exile to save her life. Esquivel later used her time as an opportunity for education, for her own development, and as a The Peacemaker Awards, 2017 time to heal from the pain she experienced watching so many people endure fear, torture, Natahjie Bradford, and death. She wrote two collections of poems, MacArthur High School Threatened with Resurrection and The Certainty of Spring, which she says was literally like oxygen for “Natahjie is outgoing, very social and her, arising as much out of need as from volition – loves helping others. She has participated the need to heal, the need to keep on living. Her as a mentor for the past 2 years.” poems carry a particularly powerful message of life’s longing to let love have the last word.

The Peacemaker Awards, 2017

Gideon Outzen, Eisenhower High School

“Gideon is personable, kind, caring, and good natured. He has accumulated over 600 service learning hours over his 4 years of high school.”

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Peace Notes First Presbyterian Church Summer 2017

The Peacemaker Awards, 2017

Ava McIntosh, Dennis Lab School

“Ava is consistently considerate, polite, and supportive. She is always willing to lend a hand or an ear. She cares deeply for all people and animals, not just her circle of friends.” Enele Sopoago Prime Minister of Tuvalu The Peacemaker Awards, 2017

By Jim Rauff Xavier VanWilliams, Dennis Lab School Enele Sopoago (born 1956) has been a

relentless advocate for action on climate change. “Xavier is a caring and considerate His island nation of 10,000 people is particularly individual….who goes out of his way to susceptible to rising ocean levels. help his friends when they are struggling At the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference, academically. He has made a commitment Mr. Sopoago warned that “Tuvalu’s future at to handle disagreements with peaceful current warming, is already bleak, any further means, speaking out and acting in ways to temperature increase will spell the total demise of resolve conflict.” Tuvalu….” Last year, at the World Humanitarian Summit, Mr. Sopoago said, “People displaced by the impacts of climate change may be due to sudden onset events such as floods, and storm surges. Others The Peacemaker Awards, 2017 may be displaced by slow onset events like prolonged droughts, sea level rise, changes in Amanda Allgeier, rainfall patterns to name just a few. Johns Hill Magnet School While these people may be forced to migration

across country borders, they do not fit the Of Amanda, one teacher says, “She is definition of refugees under the Refugee our quiet leader”. She works well with Convention. They often fall through the current everyone, even those outside her friendship mechanisms of protection. As such, we urgently realm. Another teacher says, “She has need to establish a legal protection system for always shown kindness to all”. people internally displaced and displaced across borders from the impacts of climate change.”

The Nobel Peace Prize 2004 The Nobel Peace Prize 2001 Wangari Muta Maathai United Nations (U.N.) and “for her contribution to sustainable development, “for their work for a better organized and more democracy and peace” peaceful world”

The Nobel Peace Prize 2003 The Nobel Peace Prize 2000 “for her efforts for democracy and human rights. She Kim Dae-jung has focused especially on the struggle for the rights “for his work for democracy and human rights in of women and children” South and in East in general, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea in The Nobel Peace Prize 2002 particular” “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful The Nobel Peace Prize 1999 solutions to international conflicts, to advance Médecins Sans Frontières democracy and human rights, and to promote “in recognition of the organization's pioneering economic and social development” humanitarian work on several continents”

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Peace Notes First Presbyterian Church Summer 2017

The Peacemaker Awards, 2017 Shirin Ebadi Kenisha Singleton, By Sandy Peterson Hope Academy Shirin Ebadi is an “Iranian activist, human rights “Kenisha’s empathy, respect, and , and former judge who won the Nobel Peace cooperation give her the ability to engage Prize in 2003 for her work to improve human rights in in positive relationships. She acts as a , especially those of women, children, and facilitator to promote peace and harmony political prisoners.” The first Muslim woman to at Hope and in the community.” receive that award, she was “only the fifth Muslim to receive a in any field.” One of the first female judges in Iran, Dr. Ebadi’s The Nobel Peace Prize 1998 and rights activism was sparked “for their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the when she was dismissed as a conflict in ” judge after the 1979 revolution. She taught The Nobel Peace Prize 1997 human rights courses at International Campaign to Ban Landmines University. Securing (ICBL) and a license to practice law in “for their work for the banning and clearing of anti- personnel mines” the early 1990’s, Dr. Ebadi served as an attorney “for The Nobel Peace Prize 1996 persecuted journalists, Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta political prisoners, women, “for their work towards a just and peaceful solution children, and the families of to the conflict in ” murdered students and dissidents.” Dr. Ebadi founded the “Society for Protecting the The Nobel Peace Prize 1995 Rights of the Child” and the “Defenders of Human and Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs Rights Center” (DHRC). The latter was opened in “for their efforts to diminish the part played by 2002. from the DHRC have assisted “more nuclear arms in international politics and, in the than 5000 defendants on a pro-bono basis.” The longer run, to eliminate such arms” Center promotes human rights (particularly those of women), “free and fair elections and due process of The Nobel Peace Prize 1994 the law.” Although a Muslim herself, Ebadi believes , and in a secular government, not one ruling a country “for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East” with Islamic law. The Nobel Peace Prize 1993 In 2004, Dr. Ebadi made the Forbes Magazine list and Frederik Willem de Klerk of the “100 most powerful women in the world.” An “for their work for the peaceful termination of the accomplished author of several books and many apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a articles, Dr. Ebadi had a memoir published in 2006, new democratic ” titled Iran Awakening: One Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Life and Country. In 2009, her Nobel medal was confiscated by the Iranian government and her bank accounts were frozen. Another memoir was published in 2016 and titled Until We Are Free: The Peacemaker Awards, 2017 My Fight for . Dr. Ebadi was forced into exile in 2009 and Collin Mohr, currently resides in and continues her advocacy efforts. Garfield Montessori School (Quoted Sources: www.nobelwomensinitiative.org, “Collin has a special gift to make others harvardmagazine.com, and iranrights.org) smile and laugh…and strives to look at the positives in any situation. If a conflict should arise in the environment around him, he lightens the mood with a joke, a story or a humorous comment. His friendship is cherished by all. “

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Peace Notes First Presbyterian Church Summer 2017

The Nobel Peace Prize 1992 Rigoberta Menchú Tum Pierre Trudeau “in recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the By Fred Spannaus rights of indigenous peoples”

Pierre Trudeau served as ’s Prime The Nobel Peace Prize 1991 Minister from 1968 to 1979 and again from 1980 to “for her non-violent struggle for democracy and 1984. He was active in working for justice in his first human rights” term, but it was during his second term that he gained a well-deserved reputation as a world-class The Nobel Peace Prize 1990 peacemaker. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev Shortly after becoming “for his leading role in the peace process which today prime minister for the characterizes important parts of the international community” first time, Trudeau recognized the People's The Nobel Peace Prize 1989 Republic of China as a The (Tenzin Gyatso) legitimate government. for “peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and Canada also declared an mutual respect in order to preserve the historical and arms embargo against cultural heritage of his people. “ the apartheid regime in South Africa and later The Nobel Peace Prize 1988 cancelled a trade United Nations Forces program, ending favored for “reducing tensions where an armistice has been status that South Africa had held for 47 years. negotiated but a peace treaty has yet to be Starting with his return to office in 1980, Trudeau established” increased his efforts for international peace. His work took two tacks: encouraging equity between The Nobel Peace Prize 1987 Oscar Arias Sánchez wealthy and poor nations, and trying to reduce “for his work for peace in Central America, efforts tensions among nations with nuclear arms. which led to the accord signed in Guatemala on He first facilitated a "North–South" dialogue August 7 this year” between wealthy, industrialized nations and underdeveloped countries. In 1983 he turned his attention to preventing nuclear buildup. In a -two year span he visited leaders in both the eastern and western blocs to persuade them to negotiate the The Peacemaker Awards, 2017 reduction of nuclear weapons and to lower Cold War tensions. He went to Europe, Asia and Chandler Mundy, Washington, D.C. He met with government leaders to support disarmament. For this, he was awarded Stephen Decatur the Albert Einstein Peace Prize. Middle School Though valiant, his efforts met with little success and even some ridicule. Lawrence Eagleburger of the “Chandler is responsible, honest, and U.S. State Department (who became Secretary of trustworthy. He treats others with respect State) was quoted saying that Trudeau's attempts to and with a caring attitude regardless of spur arms reduction talks were ''akin to pot-induced the audience present.” behavior by an erratic leftist'' (New York Times, December 23, 1983).

Pierre Trudeau died in 2000 of prostate cancer. The Peacemaker Awards, 2017 His son Justin is now Prime Minister. Here’s a quote from Pierre Trudeau’s final address to the House of Commons: Devan Jones, Thomas Jefferson “And let it be said of Canada, and Canadians: that we saw the crisis; Middle School that we did act; that we took risks; “Devan possesses a penchant for that we were loyal to our friends and open with our adversaries; that we scholastic achievement and a cheerful lived up to our ideals; and that we disposition. She has demonstrated honor have done what we could to lift the and equanimity as she has navigated the shadow of war.” complex and often dramatic landscape of middle school.”

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