2008 Woodie Awards
PeaceJam goes to Oregon
Nobel Peace Laureate takes time to reflect with students
LaTasha Monique
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: News
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Winning the peace prize for his struggle for human rights and nonviolent reform in Latin America, in 1974 Perez Esquivel established "Servicio Paz y Justicia," an organization dedicated to connecting different groups of people focused on peace, nonviolence and human rights in Latin America. The organization also helped to establish a human rights commission with the United Nations.
Finally in 1977, Perez Esquivel's quest for liberation through nonviolent means would catch up with him and he would find himself behind bars for 14 months without trial.
With the aid of translator Beverly Keene, Perez Esquivel told students about his struggles with peace in Argentina during the late 60's and why both education and a nonviolent culture go hand and hand in changing the world.
"That is the importance of the PeaceJam program," said the 1980 Nobel laureate. "It works with youth to develop this understanding of a culture of peace."
PeaceJam is designed to connect young people. Mentors at Oregon State University divided students from Oregon, Washington and California into family groups where they practiced exercises in maintaining peace and understanding when faced with human differences.
Perez Esquivel feels that one of the biggest elements lacking in society is not only education but how one obtains education.
"The family is really a core educator, but we have to think about and rethink how the family goes about the task of education and developing a sense of understanding," he said.
"Education is something that has to happen in family, not just in schools but in family. Schools don't teach, they merely instruct education happens in other places. To really be educated we need to be directed in exercising choices enabling freedom."
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