We at Peace Catalyst International stand in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) siblings in the wake of the tragic murders that took place against mostly Asian-American women in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.

Sometimes we think we know what’s going on, but in reality we don’t. We assume the situation could only be as it appears on the surface, but if we look into it further, we may find we don’t know what we think we know.

To honor the legacy of our co-founder Rick Love, who passed away one year ago, and to spur others on toward love and good deeds, we are establishing the Rick Love Peace Award to be presented in 2021. This award will honor those who creatively cross divides to build peace, exhibiting the same character and courage displayed by Rick.

We have an amazing lineup of projects for 2021, and right now you can give to specific efforts to help make 2021 more peaceful. From a peacebuilding manual for faith communities to COVID-19 support for refugees, peace trainings in Bosnia and more, you can focus your giving and make a direct, tangible difference.

No matter the outcome, no matter who wins - we refuse to hate. We will choose love, no matter what. Here’s why.

Conflict happens. Like it or not, it exists as a regular part of life, but we often struggle to handle it well. At Peace Catalyst, we want people and groups to dive into their conflict, working together to discover what new, life-giving relationships might be possible. Here’s a guide to help you do just that.

When building interfaith relationships and community, Jessie finds it extremely important to come together to name and practice the common core values that are shared among faith groups - values like caring for creation and the earth, civic responsibility, community, and concern for the common good.

“We are all human beings, and if we don't realize that, then there is something missing. If we care for others, they will care for us. If you respect someone else, they will respect you.” Having grown up around people of various faiths in India, Imam Ali Siddiqui has continued that practice in the U.S. and has now been facilitating spaces for people of different faiths to come together and build friendships for more than 20 years.

The parallels between the United States and Bosnia, a deeply divided post-war society, are many and alarming. Living in Bosnia and learning from and working with Bosnian peacemakers has given me a different vantage point to reflect about the challenges and divisions in the United States, now more than ever. I’m continuing to learn from local peace activists about how Bosnians think about group dynamics, the challenges that each ethnic and religious group face in Bosnia, and how they deal with the past in constructive ways to move together toward a better, shared future.

So, what are some things that Bosnians are teaching me that might be relevant to what’s happening in the States?