When the group asked participants in a Peterborough forum geared at violence prevention and peace building what a peaceful community meant to them, those were among the characteristics highlighted. It’s about being accepted and cared for in the communities they call home, says Jill Ritchie, who also works as a health promoter with the Peterborough County-City Health Unit.

Jill says a peaceful community isn’t necessarily a calm, tranquil place, “it’s also a vibrant, creative place.”

Now that residents have defined what a peaceful community means to them, the Peaceful Communities group is challenging them to take action.

During October’s Month Without Violence the group is launching the Peace Builder Campaign which asks residents to make a pledge of non-violence and a commitment to building community. “The pledge aspect encourages (residents) to take action to be part of (creating) a peaceful community, says Jill. The Peace Builder Campaign “encourages people to take the first step.”

When surveyed by the Peaceful Communities group, 70 per cent of Peterborough city and county residents polled said they had a role to play in eliminating violence in their communities.

When 400 high school students were surveyed, considerably less felt they had a role in eliminating violence while about the same number of students were unsure.

The group is hoping to reach out to Peterborough’s younger population and show them how they can reduce violence in their communities. That doesn’t mean they go out and arrest people, says Jill. They can do their part by spending some time with younger children or older adults, painting anti-racism murals and making other individual contributions which add up on a grander scale.

“Some people might not see the work they’re doing in a parenting group or a breakfast program as violence prevention. Peace building is getting involved with other people in your community.” Jill notes that could mean volunteering at a school or shoveling a neighbour’s driveway.

Being peaceful entails spreading goodness around. “It’s not just trying to create a peaceful bubble around yourself,’ says Jill. “Peace builders are people who reach beyond that. It’s stepping outside your own space.”

“Peace building is individual action with a collective vision.”

The Peace Builder Campaign will get underway in October.

When asked about how members will measure the success of the Peace Builder campaign, Jill says they are still working out the details. The campaign members have yet to set a target for the number of non-violence pledges they hope to receive.

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