From the Editor

As I started working on this 20^th year issue, I was planning to focus on the United Nations (UN) at its 60^th birthday, and on dealing with diversity and violence in the schools. However, as I got into the articles and issues, I became deeply aware of the potential importance of the Decade of a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World which was proclaimed by the UN in 1998, at the request of the Nobel Peace Laureates, for the period 2001 - 2010.

Taking the Decade seriously could help promote international peace, national peace, community peace, and peace in the schools. Furthermore, it could lead to a major reallocation of budgetary resources away from the destruction and violence which is killing so many people and causing so many who survive to suffer, especially women and children.

The article by Dr. Krieger, Awakening America…, is especially important during this time of potential nuclear crises. The Dialogue piece includes ideas and proposals from a number of sources for "waging peace." I hope you will use the information in this issue to strengthen your resolve to commit to promoting peace and nonviolence in your work, your school, your community and to urge your representatives at local, state (or provincial), and national levels to commit themselves to wage peace, not war—at home and abroad—and to support the UN and other international agencies working for peace around the world.

We hope the articles in the Building a Culture of Peace section will be especially helpful to teachers, other educators and community activists.. Although PEACE in Action is copyrighted, teachers are free to reproduce materials for educational purposes from the magazine or our website: [www.promotingpeace.org] We would appreciate a note of credit and to hear what you used and how you used it.

We welcome your comments and your suggestions (or draft articles) for future issues. For those who wish to contribute financially, order additional copies, or write to us, please note our new address in the page 1 sidebar. Special thanks to Bonnie Kuhr for "desk-top" assistance and to Ashleigh Brilliant (Brilliant Enterprises, 117 W. Valerio St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101 USA) for permission to use his Pot-Shots postcards.

Peace be with you!

Jim Roush

Summer 2006 Issue