By Bria Anderson

As many of us know, it isn’t often that one crosses an organization like the The Peace Alliance, and the general Department of Peace campaign. Tonight we began our conference by reigniting old friendships from previous events and conferences, both with people inside our states as well as with people across the nation. We recognized the many volunteers and peacemakers that weren’t able to attend, including SPA’s own Rob Atkinson, by ringing massive Harmony Bell from the World Harmony Foundation, made from recycled Chinese ammunition and scraps leftover from war. The impact this bell had was beyond impressive, as there was not a dry face in sight. For many of us, the sound of that bell represented the amount of passion that Rob Atkinson had not just for our campaign, but also for his wild passion for something our world desperately needs: Peace.

We also were blessed to listen to beautiful music, performed by Peter Bolland on guitar, voice and harmonica.

Afterwards, we listened to Ocean Robbins speak to us about the reasons for the need for the establishment of the Department of Peace and Non-Violence.  He also talked about the relation between connecting with people, how simply doing that will have a profound impact on not only this movement, but also for every other movement as well.  Ocean Robbins is both the founder and director of YES! Or Youth for Environmental Safety, a non-profit organization he founded in 1990 at age 16. Since then, Ocean has had the privilege of speaking to over 200,000 people and organized as well as facilitated gatherings (or Jams) for youth leaders in over 60 nations worldwide.

We also had the privilege to watch the movie "Soldiers of Peace," produced by Mr. Steve Killelea. Soldiers of Peace is a documentary film about, no surprise here, the current and everlasting need for peace in our world.  Mr. Killelea also introduced us to the Global Peace Index, a website that addresses most countries and measures how peaceful they are through homicide rates, suicide rates, etc.