During 1997 many of you joined your family, friends and neighbors in making a public stand against violence and intolerance in our community. The recent “NOT IN OUR TOWN” campaign was a joint effort of many individuals, organizations and businesses. It was initiated by CYVIC (Citizens and Youth Violence Intervention Council) in collaboration with Youth Works/AmeriCorps, the Mayor’s Community Response Team and the Diversity Council. To those of you who took an active part, we sincerely thank you! We appreciate your involvement in this important effort…and for all that you will continue to do.
Our campaign Mission Statement is: “To promote peace through a community-wide awareness and education initiative that recognizes each individual as the one to make the peace.”
This new initiative by CYVIC for Rochester and the surrounding communities, in conjunction with the Diversity Council and the Mayor’s Community Response Team, strives to build on the recent success and foundation established by the “Not In Our Town” campaign. The new MAKE THE PEACE Campaign
will involve a proactive and positive theme that promotes peaceful actions, positive solutions and individual recognition in a climate of peace and hope.
Listed below are a few of our developing strategies that you will be hearing more about soon:
A peaceful environment and reduction in violence can only occur if we change the perception of violence in our community.
A major focus will be to understand violence, where it begins, and the role each of us takes in identifying and preventing violence and intolerance.
The campaign will focus on the small, positive things that individuals (and subsequently groups of individuals and organizations) can act on daily to create a more peaceful environment.
The emphasis on personal responsibility avoids blaming certain group or policies and instead challenges everyone in the community to own the problem and be an active part of the solution.
We announced this new campaign in January 1998 and are planning a “Make the Peace Month” in May with a number of peace promoting activities planned. Faith communities, communities of inclusion, schools and youth-serving organizations, neighborhood associations, service clubs and businesses will be invited to participate in the campaign by promoting activities and positive solutions to “make the peace”. We are in the process of identify individuals or groups to be contacted who will represent the campaign. More details about ways to get involved will be coming out soon through various information sources.
For more information please write: CYVIC (Citizens and Youth Violence Intervention Council), 615 7th Street SW, Rochester, MN 55902 or call Dottie Hecht at 507-289-1649. OR e-mail us (link at bottom of page). We all have an opportunity and obligation to be involved in helping make our community a more peaceful environment for all. Remember….
”YOU’RE THE ONE WHO CAN MAKE THE PEACE” is a statewide initiative of the MN Department of Children, Families, and Learning, Office of Drug Policy and Violence Prevention.
You're The One Who Can Make The Peace at home, the workplace, the community
CYVIC
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