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The Peace Alliance Announces Creation of Educational Institute
The Peace Alliance Educational Institute to Focus on
Violence Prevention Education

Washington, DC – The Peace Alliance, the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization leading the growing grassroots movement active in all 50 states for creation of a U.S. Department of Peace, announced last week it is in the process of creating The Peace Alliance Educational Institute, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focusing on violence prevention education and research.

We chose the name 'The Peace Alliance Educational Institute' because we feel it most accurately describes both the tone and nature of the work we intend to do through the new organization, said Peace Alliance Executive Director Lynn McMullen. 'Institute' demonstrates the serious, practical, pragmatic and scientifically-based nature of effective peacebuilding.

The Institute will support The Peace Alliance's research and education work in the fields of peacebuilding, and violence reduction and prevention. The Peace Alliance and the Campaign for a U.S. Department of Peace have worked to educate the general public and members of Congress on the importance and efficacy of peacebuilding and working proactively to prevent and reduce violence. The Peace Alliance expects The Institute to take on the task of educating the general public, leaving The Peace Alliance free to focus exclusively on building congressional support.

Having The Institute working alongside The Peace Alliance will vastly improve our outreach capabilities, said McMullen. "By conducting research, education and training to increase the public's understanding of peacebuilding, The Institute will be our primary resource to implement our goal of helping communities actually practice peacebuilding.

McMullen expects the Institute's Board to be named within the next 60 – 90 days, and that the Institute will begin accepting donations within the week.

About The Peace Alliance:

The Peace Alliance is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to empower civic activism for a culture of peace. The Peace Alliance works in partnership with the Student Peace Alliance to lead the growing grassroots movement active in all 50 states to pass legislation to create a U.S. Department of Peace. The bill, HR 808, is currently co-sponsored by 69 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including the original sponsor.

When created, the Department will be headed by a Cabinet-level Secretary of Peace appointed by the President (with the advice and consent of the Senate), and will focus on expanding the nation's capacity to resolve conflict nonviolently, prevent violence by addressing its root causes, and promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights.

Domestically, the Department will research, propose and facilitate practical, field-tested solutions to reduce and prevent violence. It will provide additional financial and institutional heft to strengthen and complement our current approach to violence, focusing on prevention through multi-layered strategies. These strategies include increased funding for local programs already proven effective at reducing and preventing violence. A Peace Academy, on par with the military service academies, will provide a four-year course of instruction in peace education after which graduates will be required to serve five years in public service in programs dedicated to domestic or international nonviolent conflict resolution.

Internationally, the Department will research and analyze foreign policy and recommend to the President ways to address the root causes of war. The Department will also provide expert advice to the President on nonviolent means of diffusing or dealing with international crises.

For more information on HR 808 and the campaign to create a U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence, please visit www.thepeacealliance.org.

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