“Sharing Ideas” luncheon was held by Pacifica Institute’s Bay Area branch on March 29, 2009 at the Cultural Center in Sunnyvale. After an enchanted lunch, people from the Turkish community and St. Robert’s Catholic Church of San Bruno community brainstormed two essential questions: “What does peace mean to you?” and “How can you contribute to peace in our community?” People between the ages of eleven and late seventies from diverse cultural backgrounds exchanged their thoughts about peace in an inspiring environment. Surprisingly, the whole luncheon was the idea of an eleven year old son of a journalist. Guests were not only delighted by admirable Turkish foods, they were also acquainted with the mission and activities of the Pacifica Institute by watching a short video. Sheral Marshall from the St. Robert’s Catholic Church made an informative speech about the story of St. Francis and the Sultan of Egypt, whose encounter was a step for the Muslim-Christian dialogue in the 13th century. Afterwards, participants brainstormed the questions in moderated round table discussions. At the end of the program, following ideas were harvested as the fruits of dialogue:
What Does Peace Mean to You?
- Love and respect for one another
- To have a peaceful mind
- Praying for being peaceful, which is deeper than being happy
- Loving God and loving each other
- To have a state of tranquility
- Having no hostility against anyone
- Getting along with each other
- Feeling safe
- Appreciating diversity
- Not being self-centric
- Respecting each other
- Following right
- Preventing violence
- Understanding yourself & others
- Good relationship with God, self, and others
- praying for/with others
- coexistence
- accepting others without judging
- friendship between people without much conflict
- Enjoying the moment with elements that God gave to us to live in a peaceful world
How Can You Contribute to Peace in Our Community?
- Sharing small things everyday
- Being a good example and helping others
- Volunteering your skills and knowledge
- Accepting people no matter color, race, culture, etc.
- Maintaining discipline and order in your own family.
- Help out with charity around community
- Real peace comes from real justice/respect
- Be friendly and open to everyone’s ideas
- Speak out for those without much say
- Try to understand each other
- Participate in outreach
- Have peace within yourself
- Emphasize similarities, not differences
- Empathize with others
- Do voluntary work
- Visit neighbors
- Visit nursing homes, orphanages, etc.
- Make more dialogue
Now, we are hoping to proactively apply these ideas into our lives to contribute peace in the community!