Peacejam
OK so I feel like not enough people know about this.
Peacejam calls itself a youth conference, but it's so much more than that. It is pretty much a movement of youth dedicated to peace, aided by a few adults. Educating young people on how they, personally, themselves, can make a positive impact on the world.
First, you have the big main event thing: a genuine Nobel Peace Prize winner, speaking to you. Answering your questions. Sharing their story, and how you can make a difference. It's inspirational. This year, at the one I go to, there was Betty Williams. She started and organised rallys every Saturday, protesting against the violence in Ireland due to the divide between Catholics and Protestants. This made a huge impact, and helped lead to the Good Friday Agreement. She decided at one point, that she wanted to build a city for children, entirely peaceful. Sounds nuts, right? Well, she's already protested for six years against a part of Italy that was going to be used for nuclear waste dumping. She now owns the land. She met a nationally famous architect - a big deal in Italy. They've designed the houses. The project is underway. It's happening. She's amazing.
Then there's the workshops. These are a huge range of activities and smaller talks related to peace, from mental health issues to Semites to empathy to fgm to healthy relationships to getting clean water for people to asylum seekers and everything inbetween. You choose one, and hear the most incredible stories, and then work out what that means for you, and what you can do.
But that's not all on the action front - they also have action projects, which are much more focused on actively doing something, like refurbishing tools to send to Africa, how to protest peacefully, talking to people with dementia, exploring the spoken word in activism, how to use social media to make a difference, planting trees, and much more.
One of the best things is the atmosphere - there's no judging. None. It's astonishing. People can and do just go on the stage before talks and just dance to the music they play, and it isn't judged. You're more likely to be congratulated for your bravery than laughed at. You can share things that trouble you or are personal, and it is accepted and not devalued. Your opinion, your struggles, your experiences, genuinely matter and are valued. It's an amazing feeling.
There's also just a jam at the end of the first day (hence the name) where anyone can come up and perform. Singing, dancing, poetry, stand up - it doesn't matter. Regardless of who or what you do, you'll always be greeted by genuine applause and admiration, even if you mess up. It's so positive and everyone gets so into it - the whole room will commonly do the macarena, the cha cha slide and the conga to leave the first day. Everyone looks ridiculous, and no-one cares.
You also have the ceremony of inspiration. People come up and talk about who or what inspires them. It ranges from famous peacemakers to friends who made it through bullying. It's very personal and very emotional - if you don't cry, you're either really practised at holding in your emotions or you simply don't have a heart. It's such an intimate yet shared thing, and everyone's input is deeply respected.
Throughout the weekend (yes, they fit all this in one weekend) there is a constant theme of the billion acts of peace movement. This is a project that, unsurprisingly, is aiming for one billion acts of peace - anything from picking up litter to helping your community. Everything can be recorded on a website that registers that you have made a difference and contributed to a movement of people aiming for peace.
And finally, every year a small speech is given by a charity that gives grants to young people from 11 to 18 year olds who want to do something related to peace. It's incredible, and helps put into action what is discussed all weekend. It shows and helps individual or groups of young people to actively make a difference, locally or internationally. It proves that it can be done, you are not too young, you can have a voice. You can do something. You have that power. And that they will help you use it.
So that's Peacejam. I just wanted to share it with everyone I can, because everyone deserves to know about it, and to go at least once. It's such an amazing project, and it really makes a difference. So I urge everyone to find your closest Peacejam, anywhere in the world, and go if you can.
Spread the word, and spread peace.
