submitted by Linda Hill
I was thrilled to be one of five women honoured at the annual Canadian Voice of Women for Peace banquet in Toronto, March 8 2018. I received the The Dr. Anne Goodman Peace Education Award which is based on Anne’s commitment to peace-building and peace education that took her to Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Slovakia, Israel, Croatia and other countries. Anne’s view was that transformative learning involves experiencing a deep, structural shift in thought, feelings and actions – and building strong relationships with each other. Anne believed that by working together we can create that culture of peace of which we dream.
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace has tirelessly advocated to create the mutual respect and understanding necessary for the peaceful resolution of international conflict for over 55 years. Their work and research on peace and women’s issues locally, nationally, and internationally, especially with the United Nations provides a means for women to exercise responsibility for the promotion of world peace and justice through education, advocacy, democracy, and co-operation.
I was nominated in October, 2017 by the Cowichan Valley Quakers to honour my dedication to Peace Education through cultivating Inclusive Leadership. In February 2018, “The Board of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace unanimously confirmed …that Dr. Linda Hill’s life work is beautifully reflective of the ideal behind the Anne Goodman Award for Peace Education. We wish her to receive this special award.” (Janis Alton, Co-Chair, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace www.vowpeace.org
“Congratulations to Linda Hill on being presented today with the Peace Education Award by the Voice of Women for Peace.” (Nola Landucci).
“Linda’s Inclusive Leadership workshops were very influential to my family and me. It was also wonderful being part of engaging all of Mt. Prevost School students in the project. Kudos to Linda for the positive difference she has made in so many ways in our world. Betty Polster was a committed member of Voices of Women for Peace, as were many of Dave’s and my peace mentors. Betty would have been thrilled. Gratitude to you Linda and congratulations on a well deserved award” (Genevieve Singleton, Dave Polster and family)
Thank you so much to Inclusive Leader Ayodele Moffet (right hand side of this photo beside Inclusive Leaders Glaucia Desrochers and Linda McDaniels). Ayodele, a Toronto resident who lived in the Cowichan Valley,BC, Canada for a number of years, attended the Voice of Women event to accept the Dr. Anne Goodman Peace Education award on my behalf. “The Voice of Women for Peace event went well; It reminded me of Cowichan Intercultural Society events. I felt at home, had great vegetarian food and met wonderful people. I shared your speech and shared how we met during an International Women’s Day event in Duncan which included us responding to a bomb threat by hiding under a desk. This story brought laughter to all. Thank you for the experience of accepting an award.” (Ayodele Moffet)
Here is my acceptance speech: “I am thrilled to be this year’s recipient of the Anne Goodman award for peace education. Like Dr. Goodman, I have dedicated much of my life to building an International Culture of Peace, fostering dialogue and working toward social and environmental justice. My work is done through the Inclusive Leadership Co-operative and the international Earth Charter. Like Anne Goodman, I believe that peace begins at home. I apply Participatory Action Research methodology to bring youth and adults from diverse cultures and other backgrounds together to learn with and from each other. Together we all develop skills, awareness and action plans for living, learning, and leading more inclusively in our diverse communities. I’ve been doing this work on Vancouver Island in partnership with the co-founders of the Inclusive Leadership Co-operative since 2002. We have recently begun online peace education courses based on the same Inclusive Leadership practices and are now educating emerging leaders from around the world.” (Linda Hill).
Inclusive Leadership Co-operative 