[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 68 (Monday, April 28, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S3447]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 536--RECOGNIZING THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING 
     OF SEEDS OF PEACE, AN ORGANIZATION PRO- MOTING UNDERSTANDING, 
RECONCILIATION, ACCEPTANCE, COEXISTENCE, AND PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, 
               SOUTH ASIA, AND OTHER REGIONS OF CONFLICT

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Levin, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Lieberman, 
Mr. Carper, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. 
Stabenow, and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 536

       Whereas Seeds of Peace, founded by John Wallach, organizes 
     and operates a program that brings together young people and 
     educators from regions of conflict to study and learn about 
     coexistence and conflict resolution;
       Whereas Seeds of Peace operates a summer camp in Otisfield, 
     Maine, as well as regional programs around the world, such as 
     the Facilitation Training Course in the Middle East, the 
     Homestay Programs in South Asia, or the International 
     Regional Conferences;
       Whereas the first International Conflict Resolution Camp 
     welcomed Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, and Egyptian youth 
     the summer of 1993, and the camp has since expanded to 
     involve youths from other regions of conflict, including 
     Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, the Balkans, India, Pakistan, and 
     Afghanistan;
       Whereas Seeds of Peace utilizes the summer camp to initiate 
     dialogue between the youth of the United States and youth 
     from various conflict regions to dispel hatred and create 
     religious and cultural understanding;
       Whereas hundreds of educators receive training through the 
     regional operations of Seeds of Peace to support and teach 
     peaceful conflict resolution techniques in their classrooms, 
     ensuring that thousands of students around the world are 
     exposed to those techniques;
       Whereas Seeds of Peace works to dispel fear, mistrust, and 
     prejudice, which are root causes of violence and conflict, 
     and to build a new generation of leaders who are committed to 
     achieving peace;
       Whereas Seeds of Peace reveals the human face of youth who 
     are too often exposed to hatred, by engaging campers in both 
     guided coexistence sessions and ordinary summer camp 
     activities, such as sharing meals, canoeing, swimming, 
     playing sports, and exploring creativity through the arts and 
     computers;
       Whereas the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as India-
     Pakistan and Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions, are currently at 
     critical junctures, and progress toward peace will be 
     enhanced by the emergence of a new generation of leaders who 
     will choose dialogue, friendship, and openness over violence 
     and hatred;
       Whereas Seeds of Peace provides year-round opportunities, 
     through regional programming and the innovative use of 
     technology, to enable former participants to build on the 
     relationships forged at camp, so that the learning processes 
     begun at camp may continue in the participants' home 
     countries, where they are most needed;
       Whereas youth graduates of the camp, known as ``Seeds,'' 
     currently number more than 4,000, with an additional 567 
     adult delegation leaders also having completed the camp 
     programming;
       Whereas this graduate network receives continued support in 
     promoting professional cooperation;
       Whereas Seeds of Peace is strongly supported by 
     participating governments and many world leaders;
       Whereas Federal funding for Seeds of Peace demonstrates the 
     recognized importance of Seeds of Peace in promoting the 
     foreign policy goals of the United States; and
       Whereas it is especially important to reaffirm that youth 
     must be involved in long-term, visionary solutions to 
     conflicts perpetuated by cycles of violence: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 15th anniversary of the founding of 
     Seeds of Peace;
       (2) honors the accomplishments of Seeds of Peace in 
     promoting understanding, reconciliation, acceptance, 
     coexistence, and peace among youth from the Middle East and 
     other regions of conflict around the world; and
       (3) recognizes Seeds of Peace as a model of hope for living 
     together in peace and security.

                          ____________________