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!