Friday, July 2, 2010

Share Your Story – U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy

The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy is collecting stories from citizen diplomats to feature on their new website to highlight the great work many Americans are doing all over the world. The great part about collecting these stories is that they will automatically be included in The Center’s bi-annual National Awards for Global Citizen Diplomacy (past awardee includes Greg Mortenson). The Awards' link will have nomination instructions on the webpage.  The Center will make a monetary donation to an organization chosen by each awardee (there will be six individuals awarded). The ceremony will be held during the U.S. Summit & Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy in Washington, D.C. in November, during a special cultural event hosted by the International Cultural Engagement Task Force.

Read about retired U.S. Army veteran and police officer Stephen Fryburg:

I'm a retired police officer and US Army veteran (member of Veterans for Peace), served 3 years, 74-77. When the US decided to attack Iraq, out of frustration, I created a website that I have continued to maintain called the Human Club,
www.humanclub.org. The website serves to get people to envision themselves as global citizens.  Then I joined with a group of people in the Dayton Ohio area who were trying to get a peace museum started, 2003. I became the only full time volunteer of the museum so that we could get the museum started, the Dayton International Peace Museum, and eventually became a board member and director of the museum, all volunteer positions.


Or what about the story from Linnea Keats:


Since 1989 my husband and I have been engaged in hosting college and high school students through various programs the promote international exchange to develop mutual respect, cultural understanding and promote peace.  We have worked with AFS, AYUSA, our local sister city program and our own individual internship program prior to 9/11.   As a result of our efforts we have hosted 37 exchange students for various lengths of time ranging from two weeks to eleven months.  Students represent every Continent inhabit on a permanent basis by man.  Our goal has always been to share and respect our cultures, develop a sense of awareness for the needs of different people, maintain communication, and share the daily life between our exchange students. Through friendship and goodwill peace prevails around the world.  We always maintain the attitude that we are not correct or wrong.  More importantly we are different.  Through the differences we learn how similar we really are.  Peace.


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