Past Years of ARK
How do you create peace? The question stands at the heart of ARK. War and violence come too easily. Bombs, guns, bullets, battleships — we human beings build and use them without a second thought. Creating peace, however, is much harder. Peace comes from actively learning and absorbing the core principles of cooperation, appreciation of diversity, responsible decision making and conflict resolution.
For two weeks a year, in the summers of 2003 (ARK I), 2004 (ARK II), 2005 (ARK III) and 2007 (ARK IV), young people gathered from different countries and cultures to learn and teach peace-building skills. The 60 young people and 15 adults of ARK IV represent:
- Indigenous Mayans from San Lucas, Guatemala
- African-, Native- and Anglo-Americans and Chinese from Minneapolis, USA
- Palestinians from Bethlehem
- Lithuanians
- Jordanians from Amman
- Lebanese from Beruit
- Africans from Malawi
They will gather for ARK V, January 5-17, 2009. Their theme: A Culture of Peace will expand and deepen their commitment.
They collaborate as servant leaders learning to communicate in, around and despite four languages: Spanish, Arabic, Lithuanian and English. This same group of young people will participate in a three-year cycle of ARK Summits. They will become servant leaders as they encourage one another in developing skills of listening, discernment/wisdom, sharing, problem solving and community building. As they do, they will continue to bond as a compassionate global family.
