Janet Wilson launches One Peace (with some helpers)
At the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival on September 7th, I launched One Peace: True Stories of Young Activists. This was the 20th anniversary of our internationally renowned outdoor event and only the 2nd time in its history that it rained. And rained! Luckily the clouds parted just before my scheduled time. Since this book is about children and for children, I asked some of the village kids if they would read passages from the stories relating to the heroes for whom they modeled. Ari Zimmerman read her poem, Peace Begins With Me. The children didn’t seem nervous, but I sure was, especially since the majority of the audience was friends and neighbours!! Other authors who read included Ken Oppel, Dennis Lee, Arthur Slade, Caroline Adderson, and Richard Scrimger.
One Peace celebrates the power of one—what one young person can do to make a difference, in the heart, in the home, in the community and in the world. The stories of the accomplishments of children from around the globe who have worked to promote world peace are told through art, poetry, quotations, and photographs, mostly by young people for young people. Inspired by Gandhi’s philosophy that to reach peace we must begin with the children, One Peace explains difficult subjects that are within a child’s radar, from bullying to child soldiers. I hope the moving testaments to the courage and initiative of youth will inspire readers young and old to ‘be the change’.
Posted under Announcements, Authors, Books, Events, Guest Author Blog
