by Marianne Perez

A testament to the Department of Peace Campaign's success is the increased media attention it is receiving.  Thanks to the tireless efforts of our national media coordinators, Patty Kuderer and Matt Harris, over a dozen members of the press have turned up at the conference.  They are radio, print and television journalists, from across the United States as well as representatives from Japan and Germany.  Each of them were invited to our press conference which featured the following speakers: 

- Dot Maver, Executive Director of the Peace Alliance (welcome and introduction)

- Marianne Williamson, Founder and Chair of the Peace Alliance (overview of the bill and importance of our diverse network of supporters) 

- Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith,  Founder and Spiritual Director, Agape International Spiritual Center (the spiritual necessity and welcoming of the bill)

- Denise Brown, Chair, Nicole Brown Foundation (preventing and raising awareness about domestic violence)

- Amy Smart, actress (getting the entertainment community on board)

- James O'Dea, President, Institute of Noetic Sciences (the science of peacebuilding and conflict prevention) 

- Rick Dutras-St. John, Challenge Day (getting high school kids to stop tolerating each other and start loving each other)

- Frances Fisher, actress, (people in Hollywood using their connections to put the spotlight on important issues, and the DOP is the most important issue to her)

- Aaron Voldman, Director, Student Peace Alliance (youth are currently living with so much violence around them, so they see the Department of Peace as a way to live with hope)

- Dr. Tricia Jones, Professor of Psychology Studies in Education (the effectiveness of programs on school-aged children and the scientific research to prove it)