Empower Peace History
The genesis
of Empower Peace was born in December 2000 after
the seventh and final installment in a series of
broadcasts involving youth from Belfast, Northern
Ireland, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Boston,
Massachusetts called Team Harmony. Team Harmony
sought to break down cultural barriers and
stereotypes involving students within the United
States. These youth engaged in positive dialog
using satellite technology, which resulted in a
moving and educational cultural exchange.
First Exchange: Boston to Bahrain
Empower Peace launched its first worldwide youth-based initiative on May 22, 2003, linking together high school students in Boston, Massachusetts with students in Manama, Bahrain through live videoconference. The broadcast took place at El Centro Del Cardenal High School in Boston where students from El Centro and Stoneham High School gathered together to talk live to students from Khawla Boys and Girls Secondary School in Manama. The discussion was streamed over the Internet allowing students and teachers around the globe to log onto www.empowerpeace.org to view the discussion live.
Second Exchange: Jordan to New York
The second Empower Peace took place on May 11, 2004, with students from Long Beach High School in Long Island, New York and students from five different schools in Amman, Jordan. They engaged in a 90-minute discussion to openly discuss the importance of promoting peace in their communities and in the world. Students from the 2003 Boston to Bahrain video exchange also participated by submitting their questions live to the students in New York and Jordan. Over 5,024 estimated students from 114 classrooms in 26 countries from the 6 continents logged on to view the successful and much needed event.
Third Exchange: Pakistan to Boston to New York to Egypt
The third Empower Peace youth cultural exchange took place on September 29, 2005 connecting schools in Boston and New York to schools in Egypt and Pakistan. The schools participating in the exchange from abroad were the Beaconhouse School in Islamabad, Pakistan and the Modern Education Schools in Cairo, Egypt. In the states the discussion involved students from Long Beach High School in Long Island, New York and Stoneham High School, Somerville High School, Prospect Hill Academy, and the Al-Noor Academy from Massachusetts. During the exchange students learned about the importance of understanding and respecting one another’s way of life while breaking down barriers of misunderstanding that they may have previously formed.
Fourth Exchange: Pledging for Pakistan
Just days after the Pakistan to Boston broadcast, a devastating earthquake hit Pakistan killing tens of thousands of people including 17,000 children who died when their schools collapsed. As reports of the destruction spanned the globe, Empower Peace students learned just how small the world really is; one of their new Empower Peace friends in Islamabad had died when his apartment tower collapsed. Soon afterwards, students in Boston and New York wanted to know how they could lend a hand. Empower Peace: Pledging for Pakistan was born from their desire to help!
On November 10, 2005, students and teachers participated in a live telethon, which was covered by a number of media outlets including Geo TV in Pakistan and WB56 in Boston, in addition to being streamed live over the Internet. Highlights of the event included a message from US Senator Edward Kennedy, and a performance by UN Goodwill Ambassador and Pakistani rock star Salman Ahmad. Empower Peace students raised $10,000 for the earthquake victims during the telethon, all of which was donated to the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing disaster relief to the victims of the South Asian disaster.
Fifth Exchange: Lebanon to Long Beach I
Empower Peace next ventured to Long Beach California and Brummana Lebanon on June 6, 2006 for its fifth broadcast. The 90-minute broadcast included day-in-the-life videos from Lebanon and California students, cultural dance performances, and a special message from former United States President Jimmy Carter. This fifth broadcast incorporated two special facilitators, both of Lebanese heritage: In California, Lebanese-American actress and political activist Kathy Najimy; and in Lebanon, actress Zeina Deccache from the Lebanese Broadcasting Channel. Both women spoke about the importance of cultural exchanges such as Empower Peace, as well as the necessity of forums where kids of all ages can address issues such as racial and cultural discrimination.
Sixth Exchange: Lebanon to Long Beach II
Subsequent to the summer turmoil that took place in Lebanon, and in the midst of political chaos, Empower Peace returned to revisit Lebanon to connect two more schools. On November 30, 2006, the Hariri High School II and the American Community School in Beirut, Lebanon were connected with the Robert A. Milikan Peace Academy in Long Beach, California. The broadcast was hosted by Sarah Khoury, a television journalist for Lebanon’s Future TV and Nader Twal, a teacher in Long Beach, California.
During the 90-minute event, students were able to discuss their thoughts and feelings with regard to education, pop culture and current events, particularly the summer war in Lebanon, and the subsequent political dishevel. In addition, students in both Lebanon and California engaged in an open-ended question and answer period where a number of students were able to voice their opinions on a wide range of topics. Students on both ends presented day-in-the-life videos, and students in California shared several student produced videos promoting peace. In addition, the Lebanese students sang a special version of the Lebanese national anthem, which they performed as their cultural presentation.
Seventh Exchange: Boston to Edinburgh, Scotland to Kuwait
On Thursday March 22, 2007, Empower Peace made its latest global connection uniting hundreds of students in three unique locations - Boston with students in Edinburgh, Scotland and Kuwait. Students from James Gillepies and Liberton High Schools in Edinburgh, Scotland, spoke with students from Pentucket and Stoneham High Schools in Boston and students from the AMIDEAST ACCESS scholarship program in Kuwait. This was the first time Empower Peace ventured to Europe and it was pleased to find that ‘teen speak’ could be understood around the world!
During the 90-minute broadcast, students discussed openly numerous topics such as hobbies, sports, television and even political preferences. In addition to the question and answer segments, students presented day-in-the-life videos and cultural performances. In Boston, one student sang a beautiful rendition of the Beatles’ “Let it Be,” while in Kuwait one student treated broadcast participants with a unique instrumental on the oud, a Mediterranean version of the guitar.
Altogether nearly 1000 students and teachers representing 15 countries worldwide participated in the broadcast.
First Exchange: Boston to Bahrain
Empower Peace launched its first worldwide youth-based initiative on May 22, 2003, linking together high school students in Boston, Massachusetts with students in Manama, Bahrain through live videoconference. The broadcast took place at El Centro Del Cardenal High School in Boston where students from El Centro and Stoneham High School gathered together to talk live to students from Khawla Boys and Girls Secondary School in Manama. The discussion was streamed over the Internet allowing students and teachers around the globe to log onto www.empowerpeace.org to view the discussion live.
Second Exchange: Jordan to New York
The second Empower Peace took place on May 11, 2004, with students from Long Beach High School in Long Island, New York and students from five different schools in Amman, Jordan. They engaged in a 90-minute discussion to openly discuss the importance of promoting peace in their communities and in the world. Students from the 2003 Boston to Bahrain video exchange also participated by submitting their questions live to the students in New York and Jordan. Over 5,024 estimated students from 114 classrooms in 26 countries from the 6 continents logged on to view the successful and much needed event.
Third Exchange: Pakistan to Boston to New York to Egypt
The third Empower Peace youth cultural exchange took place on September 29, 2005 connecting schools in Boston and New York to schools in Egypt and Pakistan. The schools participating in the exchange from abroad were the Beaconhouse School in Islamabad, Pakistan and the Modern Education Schools in Cairo, Egypt. In the states the discussion involved students from Long Beach High School in Long Island, New York and Stoneham High School, Somerville High School, Prospect Hill Academy, and the Al-Noor Academy from Massachusetts. During the exchange students learned about the importance of understanding and respecting one another’s way of life while breaking down barriers of misunderstanding that they may have previously formed.
Fourth Exchange: Pledging for Pakistan
Just days after the Pakistan to Boston broadcast, a devastating earthquake hit Pakistan killing tens of thousands of people including 17,000 children who died when their schools collapsed. As reports of the destruction spanned the globe, Empower Peace students learned just how small the world really is; one of their new Empower Peace friends in Islamabad had died when his apartment tower collapsed. Soon afterwards, students in Boston and New York wanted to know how they could lend a hand. Empower Peace: Pledging for Pakistan was born from their desire to help!
On November 10, 2005, students and teachers participated in a live telethon, which was covered by a number of media outlets including Geo TV in Pakistan and WB56 in Boston, in addition to being streamed live over the Internet. Highlights of the event included a message from US Senator Edward Kennedy, and a performance by UN Goodwill Ambassador and Pakistani rock star Salman Ahmad. Empower Peace students raised $10,000 for the earthquake victims during the telethon, all of which was donated to the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing disaster relief to the victims of the South Asian disaster.
Fifth Exchange: Lebanon to Long Beach I
Empower Peace next ventured to Long Beach California and Brummana Lebanon on June 6, 2006 for its fifth broadcast. The 90-minute broadcast included day-in-the-life videos from Lebanon and California students, cultural dance performances, and a special message from former United States President Jimmy Carter. This fifth broadcast incorporated two special facilitators, both of Lebanese heritage: In California, Lebanese-American actress and political activist Kathy Najimy; and in Lebanon, actress Zeina Deccache from the Lebanese Broadcasting Channel. Both women spoke about the importance of cultural exchanges such as Empower Peace, as well as the necessity of forums where kids of all ages can address issues such as racial and cultural discrimination.
Sixth Exchange: Lebanon to Long Beach II
Subsequent to the summer turmoil that took place in Lebanon, and in the midst of political chaos, Empower Peace returned to revisit Lebanon to connect two more schools. On November 30, 2006, the Hariri High School II and the American Community School in Beirut, Lebanon were connected with the Robert A. Milikan Peace Academy in Long Beach, California. The broadcast was hosted by Sarah Khoury, a television journalist for Lebanon’s Future TV and Nader Twal, a teacher in Long Beach, California.
During the 90-minute event, students were able to discuss their thoughts and feelings with regard to education, pop culture and current events, particularly the summer war in Lebanon, and the subsequent political dishevel. In addition, students in both Lebanon and California engaged in an open-ended question and answer period where a number of students were able to voice their opinions on a wide range of topics. Students on both ends presented day-in-the-life videos, and students in California shared several student produced videos promoting peace. In addition, the Lebanese students sang a special version of the Lebanese national anthem, which they performed as their cultural presentation.
Seventh Exchange: Boston to Edinburgh, Scotland to Kuwait
On Thursday March 22, 2007, Empower Peace made its latest global connection uniting hundreds of students in three unique locations - Boston with students in Edinburgh, Scotland and Kuwait. Students from James Gillepies and Liberton High Schools in Edinburgh, Scotland, spoke with students from Pentucket and Stoneham High Schools in Boston and students from the AMIDEAST ACCESS scholarship program in Kuwait. This was the first time Empower Peace ventured to Europe and it was pleased to find that ‘teen speak’ could be understood around the world!
During the 90-minute broadcast, students discussed openly numerous topics such as hobbies, sports, television and even political preferences. In addition to the question and answer segments, students presented day-in-the-life videos and cultural performances. In Boston, one student sang a beautiful rendition of the Beatles’ “Let it Be,” while in Kuwait one student treated broadcast participants with a unique instrumental on the oud, a Mediterranean version of the guitar.
Altogether nearly 1000 students and teachers representing 15 countries worldwide participated in the broadcast.