Peace, You and I ...

My idea behind this initiative is aimed at world peace. We are divided by various factors, such as caste, religion, nationality, gender, age, race etc but i strongly believe that doesn't change the fact that we are all one and the same, we are all humans. We are capable of sharing love and living in peace and harmony. Through these monochrome portraits i try to depict the factor of unity in diversity. Lets make this world a better place to live in.

[peaceyouandi]

Hi, my name is Gabriela Margarita Garza-Lainez and I’m from the United States. I currently live in Melbourne whilst pursuing a career in film and television. My dream and where I envision myself in the next few years, is to settle in Melbourne for sometime, be surrounded by people who love and support me while creating films and building up my own creative business from the ground up. Two people I really admire our my parents. My dad is the logical one while my mom is more emotional, but together they create one of the best teams. I was blessed to grow up and seeing them as an example of how to become the best version of myself I can be and to see how a beautiful marriage can blossom. World peace is a beautiful concept. I think it can be achieved like everything else in life is achieved, little by little. I’m learning to slow down and really take in my experiences and not rush through life. Once you slow down and find inner peace, you can start to spread the love. And all the little things add up and can eventually end in something beautiful like world peace. The message I’d like to end with is “To just slow down and enjoy the good and bad that comes. To find self love and peace within oneself is key to becoming happier. And happy people share happiness. Spreading happiness can spread some peace. “                                         

[peaceyouandi]

I’m Aduba. I’m from the now independent country of South Sudan, which surprisingly not many people know of its whereabouts. Sudan is the biggest country in all of Africa with the most beautifully, dark-skinned people you will ever see. I love my culture but because of the war, I lived in Egypt from infancy until I was 8-years-old. It may sound pretty amazing to have lived in Egypt but it really wasn’t (other than being able to growing up speaking Arabic). My mum had to take care of my younger brother and me on her own and at times leave me to take care of him at the innocent age of 5. I guess you could say I learned to be responsible from an early age. My dad was in and out of our lives so I never got to know him very well, so that makes my mum a single mum and an extraordinary one too.

I’m completing an honours degree researching lung cancer at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre which is something I would never have guessed I’d be doing. I also work in hospitality part time which can be the best job in the world at times because I work for different events and concerts but yet again, I never know who or what to expect. A drunken customer may occasionally knock everything off my counter and hit me with them in the process (but I’m not complaining).

I like kids. OK that’s an understatement: I absolutely adore children with all my heart. It’s this form of fuel that helps ignite the passion I have for becoming a Paediatrician. I want to go back to my people in Sudan and help the orphaned and dispersed children in families who weren’t as fortunate as my family and I. Coming to Australia as immigrants was probably the best decision my mum ever made. I’ve learned and experienced so much including different cultures, a love for the piano, basketball, languages and the endless doorways that education can open for absolutely anyone who is willing to learn.

I don’t look up to anyone other than Jesus. People tend to have this habit of disappointing me to be honest. “...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith.” - Hebrews 12:2. I believe that we shouldn’t limit our abilities by trying to be like someone else. As you can already tell, I have faith that Jesus is the epitome of a role model.   I think everyone has their own definition of what equality is but I think equality is simply treating others the way you would want to be treated. Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. Consequently, because not everyone is capable of treating others as themselves, world peace has been difficult to achieve.

I believe that peace can be achieved when a person truly has faith in God.

[peaceyouandi]

Hi, my name is Miina Maria Hurskainen and this is my story. I come from a small town in Finland called Pieksämäki. It is located in central Finland and is surrounded by beautiful lakes and forests.

I’m currently into the final semester of my Master’s degree in Accounting, with just the thesis work left to complete my studies. I also work as a Credit Controller, in the Accounts department for a Finnish Construction Corporation.

I enjoy going on random walks and getting lost, to explore my surroundings without directions or a map. It’s an experience that reminds me of how beautiful and exciting the world is; and how everything around you makes your life, what it is; and how important these small things are. Right now my biggest goals are career based. I want to work in functions related to strategic management and achieve some notable milestones in my career. I know it’s a cliché but my mum is my source of inspiration. She grew up in simple life conditions with bare minimum, but always chased her dreams. Her desire has been to help people in her life and in her work and that is something I would love to be able to carry on in my life. One of my favourite memories was when I was young. I was sitting in the car with my parents and my sister, travelling to Lapland. Suddenly I said “It’s so nice that we are all together, this is what family is all about”. I understood how important family is to me and how valuable spending time together with them is. This is a phrase we still repeat when we are all together. World peace is something that we should all aim for. We should be able to lead a peaceful life and have the same possibilities and basic rights as everyone else. We should all learn to respect one other. I know that we can’t really change how some people behave and we shouldn’t try to, but if we all change ourselves, be mindful about our own actions and follow our hearts, we can achieve a much better world. A world where people would look around them and see the beauty of love, humanity, serenity, friendship and peace.

You may have moments in your life that may bring you down. But never give up. They are only meant to test your strength and help uplift and bring out the best in you; a sign of your own inner-strength. You are stronger than you believe and you should always remember that.

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[peaceyouandi]

Hi, my name is Matilda, born and bred in Melbourne but I like to consider myself as a citizen of the world. I’m currently trying to pursue a Masters degree in International Relations.

I love dancing, travelling and watching movies. I like to look up to people who pursue what they truly love irrespective of what society or others might say. I believe that everyone should aspire to live the life they love and love the life they live.

In my opinion, the day we no longer have conflict is the one when humanity can truly come together and thrive. That day is the day, when World Peace can be achieved.

To me, True equality is when everyone has the same ability to access and do whatever it is they want to do, that is available in this world. Unfortunately, we are a long way off from that but my message to the world is, “If everyone looked for the similarities and commonalities that bind us together as humans, rather than focus on the differences, we’d get there a lot faster”.

[peaceyouandi]

This is Michael Gow, from Melbourne. He is currently working as a draftsperson and is also a talented photographer and is very passionate about it.

Michael is very close with his family and friends. He feels that since we all share this planet, there is no reason to fight over small things when the value of life is much higher than the value of monetary objects.

He believes that we can achieve world peace by finding a common goal or value in life and help one another achieve that goal.

He wants to be able to spread love, share more positivity with the world and try eradicate the negativity that we see spread all over the news on a daily basis.

Michael’s message to the world is, “Lets choose peace over war, because one brings happiness and joy and the other only brings pain.”

[peaceyouandi]

This is Gary Lee from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Gary is considered as one of Melbourne’s amazing Superheroes. Gary works for the City of Melbourne as an International Student & Youth Project Officer. He is also the Chief Choreographer of PoisE’n Bollypop dance crew, and the Events/Projects Manager & Artistic Director for multiple fashion shows and photo shoots throughout Melbourne.

He is also heavily involved in a lot of community work. He likes to inspire and help people achieve their aspirations, by giving people a chance to explore opportunities, to engage and develop an understanding of the community.

On 21 January 2016, the Australia Day Council announced Gary Lee as the 'New Australian of the Year 2016'.

The following is the interview with Mr. Lee. What are your ambitions and goals? Everything I do is about empowering others; hoping to touch lives and help others live a happy and purposeful life. I am driven to work and inspire young people to make a positive difference.

I don't have a 10 year plan because I feel I have the opportunity to influence change every day. I am extraordinarily grateful for what I have in life and giving back is something I have always focused on.  I find myself creatively stimulated by all things different and unique; but more importantly, I am motivated by people. What are your hobbies and interests? I have a serious addiction to wanderlust – an undying desire for new sights, sounds, people and food; and the only continents I’m yet to visit are Antarctica and South America. I also enjoy outdoor activities like white river rafting, snorkelling, and hiking; though the ocean is my place of serenity.

One thing about your life, you would like to share? I love to be involved in different things.  I am a big believer in setting things in motion and seeing how they unfold. It’s not about the prestige or the money that is the end goal, it is about being happy and having the chance to do what I love (or want to) and share it with people who appreciate it. I like to wake up and be excited about the day ahead and go to bed at night, being exhausted but proud about what I have achieved with a great group of people. That way, I can look back at my life and know it's been a good one.

What is your favorite quote? "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead

What does equality mean to you? That all people, irrespective of sex, gender, race, age, sexual orientation, origin, caste or class, income or property, language, religion, opinions, health or different-ability are treated fairly & equally and have the same access to opportunities. More importantly, no one gets left behind.

What does World peace mean to you? A time and place where everyone from all walks of life, is kind to one another as PEACE begins with respect and compassion.

What message do you want to share with the world in terms of peace?Being an ambassador for “Welcome to Australia”, I strongly believe that as a nation, we can cultivate a stronger culture of welcome. Australia is known for its diversity, compassion, generosity and commitment to give everyone a fair go. If we can lead the way, then hopefully, everyone else will follow. “Let’s be kind to one another.”

[peaceyouandi]

This is Karen Whitney from Melbourne, Australia. She is currently pursuing a degree in Entertainment Management with a Major in Music Business. Karen aspires to own an Event management company and run a lot music events. Her hobbies include bush walking, poetry, song writing, listening to music and attending music concerts. She is also learning to play the bass guitar.

Karen looks up to one of her lecturers, Abby Gee for inspiration. Abby is the director of One Little Indian Enterprises, a company dedicated to serving poverty, environmental and animal rights related causes. She’s also an ardent fan of John Taylor, who is a bass guitarist and co-founder of new wave band Duran Duran. Karen’s mother has always encouraged her passion and love for music and believed that she will find a way to get into it, no matter what.

Her favourite quote is, “There are no airbags in the music industry. When it goes wrong YOUR head is going through the windshield.” – martin Atkins.

Karen believes that there should be equal rights for everyone irrespective of your race, colour, age or gender. According to her, world peace can be achieved only when wars are prevented and people put down their guns and start to talk. 

If you could change one thing in this world what would it be? When presented with this question, Karen replied, “I would stop animal farming, shut down all the slaughterhouses, stop all testing done on animals and start growing clean food for the world to eat.” Her message to the world is, “We should all learn to live in peace and harmony.”

[peaceyouandi]

This is Grady-Mae Dixon from Emerald, a beautiful hilly town in Melbourne, Victoria, populated mainly by teachers and hippies. She’s currently graduated from high-school and is pursuing bachelors in Digital Media at RMIT University.

Grady hails from a family of painters, travelling actors, and singers and is still figuring out what the future holds for her and what she wants out of it. She has an ardent passion for theatre and says, “It’s not just the acting which has captured my heart but all the other elements involved in creating a show; from script writing, dialogue, costumes, lighting, backstage and stage managing.”

Grady wanted to share a childhood memory, when her parents realised that she was bound for the life of a performer. “When I was nothing but a toddler I got jealous of my sister getting all the attention during her preschool play and decided drastic measures would be needed to get that spotlight BACK ONTO ME! Obviously the only sensible option in the brain of a 3 year old was to strip down into nothing but my knickers and jump on stage. Needless to say I had caught the theatre bug.”

Grady spent a fair amount of her childhood days with her grandmother and her aunt Maureen. She thanks both of them for opening up a world of imagination and creativity for her, whether it was painting in her Grandmother’s studio or pretending to be a chef at a French Restaurant.

She adds, “An adverse symptom of growing up with dyslexia is that it’s easy to develop a hate for reading and writing. But that changed when I was introduced to an amazing author named Terry Pratchett. His excellent combination of magic, wonder and gut wrenching humour, gave me back my love for reading. Terry Pratchett passed away recently but he left behind a plethora of knowledge, wisdom and good laughs.”

“And what would humans be without love?” “Rare” said death. A quote by author Terry Pratchett in his book, “Sourcery”. Grady loves this quote because she believes, it was Terry’s way of showing that even in the darkest and scariest places of the world, all humans have love and kindness within them.

Grady feels that every species of this planet should be judged purely based on their actions and contents of their heart rather than their mental or physical presence. When asked what World Peace meant to her, she replied, “I think World Peace shouldn’t be described as something definitive like an end goal. Something so finite doesn’t seem to fit a world constantly changing. I think we as a society should instead focus on the actual process of creating a better world and strive together to create a positive change. “

If given the chance to change one thing in this world, Grady would like to bestow a sense of ownership in everyone. She says, “I feel that it’s really easy to pull out the “It’s not my problem” card. But people need to own up to their own mistakes and the mistakes of others if we want to make this a better world.”

Her message to the world is, “Don’t be ashamed of making mistakes because mistakes make the best stories. “ @thestuntedgiant

[peaceyouandi]

This is Ruby Mathilde Culley. She was born in the United Kingdom but moved to Australia in 2000 when she was three years old. Ruby has just completed year twelve VCE, and is currently spending her days drawing, striving for the perfect selfie and indulging herself in various other hobbies. Going by the saying “There ain’t no rest for the wicked”, she’s decided to head straight on to University, to study Business and Japanese, in hopes to obtain a work-placement opportunity in a corporation where her Japanese will prove useful. Ruby draws inspiration from the people around her; her parents, sister, and her amazing group of friends. Her parents always promoted her partaking in the things that she wanted to do, whether or not they’re considered the norm. Ruby has an amazing voice and hopes that someday, she’d get to voice act for cartoons and animated musicals.” Over the years she has enjoyed travelling with her mum and sister. She loves meeting new people, learning new things and helping others to learn new things. She says, “One of my most prominent memories include doing Tim Tam slam-dunks with vending-machine hot chocolates in the school library, with my friends Grady and Cassie, during our exchange study term to Japan. Eating in the library wasn’t exactly permitted, but we were pretty stealthy about it. “ She adds, “My dad read me a quote from author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. I’ve reflected upon my encounters with people and have found this to be consistently true; why would I talk to someone who made me feel ignored and insignificant the first time?” “To me, equality means I have every opportunity that the next guy has. Humans can’t do everything, but everything that one person has access to, should be made available for everyone else. We’re past the point of fundamentalism, so everything that we do is essentially to make our lives an enjoyable experience, and living in a peaceful world devoid of prejudice would certainly turn up the pleasantness.” “World peace is such a broad and seemingly unachievable goal. However, small everyday acts like consciously alleviating racism and participation in stereotypes will perpetuate compassion within our personal spheres, eventually bleeding into everyone else’s and spreading across the globe.” Her message to the world is, “To think for yourself and adopt beliefs that promote acceptance, tolerance and equality. Changing the world starts with one open mind among millions.”

@daisy-nips

[peaceyouandi]

This is Ganesh Malla. He was born in a remote village in Nepal. Ganesh started out in this small village where there was no electricity, no telephones and even no roads, and has now made it to the world’s most liveable city, Melbourne. He currently works as an IT Officer in Melbourne, and says that, during this amazing journey, he has learnt so many new things and has met a lot of amazing people. Being a very curious person by nature, Ganesh likes to keep busy by constantly seeking to learn new and exciting things. He also loves travelling, as he enjoys the thrill involved in visiting new places, meeting new people and learning about new cultures. Ganesh’s message to the world is, “When we stop seeing the differences in a person’s shape, colour and religion as a bad thing, and start to understand that these differences are actually what makes us all unique and brings the variety to the world; that’s when we will realise that we all belong to the same planet and that we can all live in peace and harmony, by sharing all the resources provided to us.”

[peaceyouandi]

This is Jani Paltridge. She was born in Namibia, Africa and lived there for about 9 years. Her mother was a well-known border-control cop and after a dangerous yet successful drug bust, their family received numerous death threats from other gangs and hence they had to flee their home country without getting the chance to bid adieu to her family that included her grandparents, father, step mother and her agnate siblings. She says that this was the hardest thing she had ever done. They came to New Zealand, (to be as far as possible from home) and lived in a quiet beach town called Whitihanga. At this point, Jani only spoke basic English but with great help from her friend Fern and fern's family, her English improved a lot. Jani then moved to Auckland for a couple of years and after her family moved to Australia, she moved to Waikato, to continue her studies. She feels she made some great friends in Waikato, who eventually became her second family. Jani was raised in New Zealand for most of her life, and decided to go traveling after her studies. She has travelled over 33 countries and has seen a mixture of amazing and sad things. She says, "My past and what my parents have taught me, has given me great love for helping the less fortunate". She has also done a lot of volunteer work on her travelling and says the experiences have opened her eyes to a lot of problems we face. Jani has been vegan for over a year now. She couldn’t stand the harsh cruelty the animals face in the industry and strongly felt the need to have control over what she ate. She adds, "I felt like animals were no longer regarded as living beings on earth but were seen just as a source of food, clothing, products and a source of income for big greedy companies". She lived in Amsterdam and Germany for two years and moved back to Australia as she missed her family. Jani met the love of her life in Australia and they got married in 2013. She now lives in Melbourne, with her husband Tom and her dog Frankie. She feels that Melbourne is a beautiful city where you get to experience different kinds of cultures, and sees it as a sign that us humans can all co-exist and live in peace and harmony. When asked about her thoughts on the topic, Jani said, "Peace is about putting others before yourself. It’s about being kind and generous in everything you do and expecting nothing in return. If everyone did this, we would all live in peace. It’s not just about accepting each other’s differences but being able to enjoy them, learn from them and work together as team in hopes for a better future." Her message to the world is, "God is love and through love, understanding, kindness and forgiveness we will have peace within and it will translate outwardly."

[peaceyouandi]

This is Liz George, from Kerala, India. Liz is currently in the final year of her Bachelors degree in Aviation Management.

She loves dancing and is also interested in listening to different kinds of music without a language barrier. She enjoys travelling and getting to know other cultures. She has an outgoing personality and likes interacting with people. She goes by the motto, "Be who you are... nobody can change you unless you want to."

When asked about her views on peace, she quotes, "Peace is not what you get, peace is what you acquire. You earn it by your actions."

[peaceyouandi]

This is Evelyn Beena, from Melbourne, Australia. She is currently studying Bachelor of Aviation at Swinburne University of Technology and is also pursuing a Commercial license (CPL) at the Melbourne Flight Training.

Evelyn’s interests range from listening to yé oldé songs, story writing, creative thinking, laughing without a reason, cracking inside jokes (which half of the people wouldn’t understand), to watching cartoons such as The Looney Tunes Show, Tom and Jerry and Scooby Doo etc.

To the list of things she loves, she adds charitable works, puppies, reading The Book of Proverbs (from The Bible) and spending time alone.

She believes that World Peace can be achieved only when nations can ACTUALLY live together in harmony, without any cold wars, or terrorist attacks, without using  weapons, or killing innocent people.

Her message to the world is, “Find your inner peace. Put on a pair of earplugs and shut the world out. I believe that we cannot have inner peace until we are at peace with our past. Like Timon (from The Lion King) says ‘You got to put your past behind ya’”.

[peaceyouandi]

This is Mona Lieber from Hunfelden, Germany.  Ever since her childhood, Mona has always been interested in flowers and she pursued her childhood dream and studied to become a Florist. Photography has also been one of Mona’s biggest hobbies.

Mona is currently enjoying her dream year in Australia. She says, “I am so grateful for the fact that I was welcomed so warmly here. Australia has opened my eyes and allowed me to see the world in an entirely different perspective. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world here.”

She adds, “I think Karthik's project is amazing and positive, just by the fact that it provides anti-racism message with pictures, in hopes to reach out to a younger audience that are active on social media and hope that they spread the word around to as many people as possible, to leave a positive message for the society. I believe that racism still exists in today’s world but it is up to us to educate our society and hopefully, overcome this stigma.”

Talking about her family, Mona says, “I was fortunate enough to be born in a family, who are completely against racism and they have helped me be the person I am today. My sister has an African boyfriend, and my family have welcomed him with open arms and hearts. However my sister can only see him if she travels to Africa because the visa restrictions prevent her boyfriend from coming over to Germany. I strongly believe everyone has the right to enjoy a happy life. “

“My message and request to everyone is, please respect everyone around us. We are all the same no matter what race, colour, religion or region we belong to. Do you think it would be easier for everyone to live without prejudice and disputes? If yes, then let's all Pledge against Racism.”

She quotes Martin Luther king and says, “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” She believes that people are often judge by their appearance and according to her, this is wrong.

[peaceyouandi]

This is Yulia, 21, born in Moscow but raised in Milan. She is studying Political Science and International Relations, and graduates this October. Yulia says “I like to see life as a journey, doing things I love most, dancing to various tunes, diving deep in the sea and exploring the world”. She loves her family, who are spread around the world, but despite the distance she always feels they are close to her. Her mom is her biggest supporter and motivator; and says, she wouldn't be where she is now if it wasn't for her love and care and same goes for her dad., “Everything I do, I do it thinking about him”, she adds. Yulia feels like she wants to do something meaningful in life, try and change things that go wrong in this world. She wants to diffuse peace as much and far as she can. When asked what peace meant to her, she quoted “Peace is about finding your place in life. It's knowing that you are in the place you are supposed to be, doing the things you're supposed to do. It's a state of mind and a universe's rule. It's a goal, an ambition, a destination.” She adds, “Peace is not handed to you, you have to work hard, fall and stand up, lose your way and then find it again to achieve it. Its worth it all though.  Nothing can be compared with the sense of serenity you feel when you know that you are doing something good, for yourself and for the others around you. I want to share and spread peace all over the world, I think the world needs more of that.“

[peaceyouandi]

This is Ian Peric from Wodonga a city in Victoria, Australia. Ian strongly believes that he is a servant of the global community and is helping to nurture sustainable smiles through books, meditation, workshops, compassionate business practices and charitable projects ( https://www.pricelessvitality.org/). He is very friendly and likes to help others in any possible way. Ian likes spending time in nature, laughing and doing creative things. His goals are to maintain good health, happiness and for peace to be a “normal” entity across Earth. He says that no matter how reality unfolds, it will be perfect and loved as it is and adds, “In order to most effectively share health, happiness and peace, I need to have them strongly in place myself.” His message to the world reads, “ I believe that peace is our natural state. Suffering is caused by a mind trained to resist, judge and withhold love. This creates internal friction who’s fire projects out in verbal and physical violence. If our children have the tools to honestly explore what’s happening inside them and work through belief systems that no longer serve; they then have the ability to compassionately help others with their suffering. When the cause is treated the friction that sparks the flame that burns into an inferno of non-peace doesn’t have what it needs to grow or sustain itself. The path to peace leads to collaboration, kindness, compassion and the shared goal of happiness for all our grand children.“

[peaceyouandi]

This is Catherine Millar, born and bred in Melbourne, Australia. She’s currently studying Bachelors of Social Work at RMIT University. Her career goals are to work alongside people and help support them in the best way she can, possibly using creative outlets such as Art. She also has a degree in Fine Art at RMIT University and intends to combine the creative process as an outlet for expression, within her future social work practice. Catherine’s life goals are to have a loving family and to try and attempt to live in an eco friendly manner, as she believes that the environment needs support and love too. Her message to the world is ” I believe you should treat people how you would like to be treated, that way there would be a lot less negativity and hatred in the world. It’s small changes like this which make a difference in the world.“